Forum menu
This is starting to look somewhat one sided.
That's better from the Pumas.
Is Barnes ever going to stop aussie going in off their feet?
I take my last comment back.
I reckon that Barnes is oblivious to 57% of what happens on the pitch. A dodgy yellow, not penalising the Aus scrum at the end of the first half, allowing the last try without consulting the TMO. He is such a poor ref. (Not counting the really obvious ones like the Puma playing the ball on the floor when he penalised Kuridrani.)
Australia should be deducted 7 points for every occasion that Cheika wears a hoodie underneath his blazer.
That's not a hoodie, it's body hair.
Sir Clive showing what a **** he is jibbering on about lines on the pitch
Body hair? Who is he? Sully from Monsters Inc. perhaps
Inverdale STILL harping on about England.
STFU.
So, very early on, I claimed an Aus v NZ final with Aus just pipping them. I'm going to stick to my guns......
What a prospect though! NZ is imo the best xv ever assembled, over 1000 caps could start the final, several all time greats of the game in theirteam. Then Aus......well, their backline on paper is a thing of envy, but they've been immense at the breakdown too this WC. Their 6,7 and 8 combination is unreal (as is NZ's!) Should be an awesome game!
Given the way Owens like to ref the breakdown and the way NZ and Aus like to 'compete' the breakdown I predict some sort of world ending paradox occurring.
The rugby world cup has been cracking. I know it's each to their own, but I think the rugby world cup makes the football world cup look a little mediocre!
The players looked rather battered after today's game.
+1Should be an awesome game!
Hope that both teams go for it, and it doesn't turn into a cagey penalty swap.
As for the SA game, they were lucky to get away with the score they did. Forward pass or not, de Jager should have made the tackle.
Argentina paid for being too slow/naive at the breakdown. You can't get turned over that much expect to win at this level.
NZ to win, and I reckon they'll do it convincingly.
Having looked at Elbowgate again, absolutely nothing in it.
However, is the TMO banned from reviewing forward passes for tries in semi finals?
😉
Two excellent games I thought. After all the controversy over the "can you, can't you" TMO in the Scots Australia QF we have two blatant forward passes on tries in the semis, neither referred. I thought the NZ win was pretty shakey really, All the swagger of the French win was a distant memory, the NZ plague of nerves seemed to be back again. Argentina didn't quite have the cutting edge in the latter stages to get the try they needed but their performance in the tournament has been outstanding. The Toulon two have made a difference, I wonder if we'll see similar changes from the other nations now. It could be MC's master stroke to get the rules changed to allow him to pick Australia's best side.
Nothing in the McCaw incident, if he did mean to elbow the Bokker it was very well done. I doubt Pocock will be cited for the early late tackle either.
Roll on next week, it's going to be a cracker.
Did anyone else see the thing at the beginning of that game WRT the McCaw thing? It's complete bollocks; an interwebz thing. No suggestion of a citing, and Louw got the cut in a line out later in the game.
Yep. Interesting how things look worse in slow motion (not that this incident looked bad even in slow mo) compared to normal speed like they played on ITV this afternoon.
It's complete bollocks; an interwebz thing
Yup, it was all started by Brian Moore..
Yup, it was all started by Brian Moore..
Bit unfair, he tweeted a Vine, someone else produced - he also said in the ensuing Twitter storm that the NZ Herald were leading on it - haven't checked the veracity of this claim.
Reports from Channel Nine in 'Straya that The Chosen One is scampering back to Run and Wriggle straight away. That went well, then.
....reported by Fox sports and the old STW favorite; the daily mail.
I hope so for the reason that I never want to see a repeat of this fiasco again. As a rugby fan I would like to see him develop in Union as I think he could be an excellent player.
CaptainFlashheart - Member
Reports from Channel Nine in 'Straya that The Chosen One is scampering back to Run and Wriggle straight away. That went well, then.
That's hilarious if true,how many many hours of coaching spent on him? The rest of us in the 6N wish he would stay and you should persevere with him at centre.
Got to be honest, I thought more of him than to think he'd go running back to league with his tail between his legs, rather than stick it out and develop. I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that Bath [i]definitely[/i] didn't breach salary cap? If so, send him to bristol. We have more than enough money!
Roberts reported to be "taking a short break from professional rugby" to concentrate on his Masters at Cambridge. How does that work for Harlequins I wonder? EDIT: Mid December he'll be back, then study part time
Ok time for a one or two word answer, who is going to win the final? My choice
New Zealand
Rugby will be the winner 😉
New Zealand. Don't particularly want them to but it's hard to see past them winning.
I said the Aussies early on and am sticking with it. For me they are better at the scrum, on a par at the breakdown, more disciplined, massive defence, and more creative in the backline. NZ do have some awesome wingers if they can get it wide, but I think the Aussie defence will blitz / scramble to good effect.
EDIT: Mid December he'll be back, then study part time
So he can play in the Varsity Match in early December?
That does seem to be his wish
Bit of a shame for whoever's position he takes.
Bowe out for 6N...Ulster saying 6 months. 😐
Try of the year, Debaty is my fav.
Bit of a shame for whoever's position he takes.
Why? He's there studying in his own right, so he's not really [b]taking [/b]a place, is he?
Sad news re Tommy Bowe, DD. Love watching him play. Always seems to enjoy his rugby.
Thanks.
Gorumaru by a mile, not just for the score but for the context. Some truly ropey NZ submissions.
Gorumaru for me too.
The Debaty one was a cracker, as all prop tries are! 🙂
Tipuric's a delight of rugby.
But, yes - Goromaru for me. Also,
not just for the score but for the context.
Australia.
Head says NZ but the Cheika story deserves a fairy tale ending.
Why? He's there studying in his own right, so he's not really taking a place, is he?
Well he is only joining half way through the full term and the squad training starts some considerable time before the beginning of term, so he is effectively coming in pretty late. I just prefer the way Anton Oliver and Joe Roff did it, as a post retirement swansong and taking part for the whole pre season.
What @mefty says, most of the squad would have been working towards the varsity match for quite some time now. I played for Oxford (not rugby I hasten to add) and you had a good idea who was likely to be in the squad/side many months in advance including "post grad / visiting academic specials"
It is also worth saying that you only get your blue if play in the Varsity match.
NotToby not going to Bath
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/34652414
Surely EU regulations on freedom of movement to seek employment override any decisions by the Welsh RFU?