I have a terrible memory anyway, but it's much of a blur to me. I can only remember the last few minutes. Mainly the drop goal (probably because it was re-shown so much). I think that it is so much easier now to follow what's going on, that it makes the whole event much more exciting. I cannot imagine what it would be like now, if England were going into the World Cup with the run up they had in 2003.
where did 20 years go
Down the RFU toilet.
where did 20 years go
Down the RFU toilet.
Unless it's all part of an Eddie/Borthwick plan to peak at the world cup totally under the radar and make use of a very favourable draw 😀.
Borthwick says England tactics are good and will continue, and Tom Curry will save us from Argentina.
phew, what a relief…….
Apparently Munz out of the tournament for Fiji with a knee injury. That's tragic at this late stage, poor bloke.
From what I can tell, Ireland have put out an extremely strong side to play Romania.
Warren Gatland has announced the team to play Fiji on Sunday.
Wales senior men’s XV to play Fiji at Stade de Bordeaux in their opening Pool C match of Rugby World Cup 2023
Sunday 10 September, KO 8pm BST. Live on ITV and S4C.
15 Liam Williams (Kubota Spears – 85 caps)
14 Louis Rees Zammit (Gloucester Rugby – 27 caps)*
13 George North (Ospreys – 114 caps)
12 Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 28 caps)*
11 Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby – 50 caps)
10 Dan Biggar (RC Toulonnais – 109 caps)
9 Gareth Davies (Scarlets – 69 caps);
1 Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 22 caps)*
2 Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 34 caps)
3 Tomas Francis (Provence Rugby – 72 caps)
4 Will Rowlands (Racing 92 – 25 caps)*
5 Adam Beard (Ospreys – 47 caps)
6 Aaron Wainwright (Dragons – 39 caps)
7 Jac Morgan (Ospreys – 11 caps) captain*
8 Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby – 100 caps)
Replacements
16 Elliot Dee (Dragons – 43 caps)
17 Corey Domachowski ( Cardiff Rugby – 2 caps)*
18 Dillon Lewis (Harlequins – 51 caps)
19 Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs – 7 caps)*
20 Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers – 10 caps)*
21 Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 48 caps)
22 Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 4 caps)*
23 Rio Dyer (Dragons – 9 caps)*
That’s a good a team as we can put out against Fiji for what will likely be the pivotal match for wales’ group stages. Very excited
Although I think I’d prefer tomos Williams starting instead of davies
Beard, Francis and Tompkins very lucky imo. Daf Jenkins, My Nan and Johnny Williams could all make good cases to start rather than them. Davies at 9 I can understand, much better defender from 9 than Williams who does better when the game has broken up.
Not sure I'd have started Faletau either but I guess he must be ready. Not really sure why Anscombes in the squad if he doesn't bench over Costello also.
England to play Argentina
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 26 caps)
14. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 73 caps)
13. Joe Marchant (Stade Francais, 19 caps)
12. Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 53 caps)
11. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 59 caps)
10. George Ford – vice-captain (Sale Sharks, 85 caps)
9. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)
1. Ellis Genge – vice-captain (Bristol Bears, 52 caps)
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 79 caps)
3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 102 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 70 caps)
5. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 11 caps)
6. Courtney Lawes – captain (Northampton Saints, 100 caps)
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 45 caps)
8. Ben Earl (Saracens, 18 caps)
Replacements
16. Theo Dan (Saracens, 3 caps)
17. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 82 caps)
18. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 29 caps)
19. George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 3 caps)
20. Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 21 caps)
21. Danny Care (Harlequins, 90 caps)
22. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 24 caps)
23. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 14 caps)
I'm not inspired but what can you do!
I’m not inspired but what can you do!
Part of me has a niggling feeling that England are going to get a bit of luck here and a bit of luck there. Stumble across a way of playing that suits them, but wasn't quite that planned and find themselves in the final.
I'm surprised Jonny May has more caps than Itoje.
Daly, May and Steward that's a uninspiring back 3, the pack doesn't look like it will scare anyone any good either. Not sure where that teams strengths lie, line out and maul?
So here's the thing; a couple of insider snippets says they went into the Fiji game out on their feet from training, part deliberately to expose the team to some big hard runners in a tired state in a RWC sim and part as a typical training cycle (train to fatigue then rest). Its alluded then that we could see a rejuventated and "on the up" team on Saturday, and that there are rumours of a peak being aimed at the latter stages.
Based on that I'd like to think that the plan was to wear out/contain Argentina with a more defensive strategy for the first half, then empty the bench in the second half with some decent forwards in front of Smith, Care, Lawrence, May, Marchant and Daly, which is isolation is shit load of speed and trickery to be dealing with.
In reality I think its a bit more "I hope we win at all costs", and you're quite right AA, the shape of the team doesn't have any kind of tactic behind it.
Its alluded then that we could see a rejuventated and “on the up” team on Saturday
I am pretty sure most teams have worked out it might be an idea to peak for the World Cup!
Any predictions for the first game? I am going to go out on a limb and say:
France 30 : 22 New Zealand
C'mon France!
I've a sneaking suspicion that the All Blacks will put out a statement performance.
Right, the waitings over, no idea who will win this game.
Let's just hope this world cup has some great games and bad injuries are as rare as possible!
Good start.
But I've always thought Stade de France is a weird stadium - I was at France Ireland back in 2007 RWC - it doesn't generate any sort of coherent atmosphere - feel detached from the rest of the crowd. Acoustics are terrible as well.
Parc de Prince was much better
That was all good fun. Hard but fair rugby between two good and well matched teams.
2nd half should be tight.
Cagey first half, too much kicking for my liking but not unexpected.
Well played France!!
It was a brave person who put a bet on for 29-13!
New Zealand really faded there, their plan seemed to fail and they didn't know what to do.
That was fun. Going to enjoy this world cup.
Can't imagine how hard it was to play in that heat - I'm sweating like a stuck pig and just sat here drinking beer
Can I be the first to moan about the commentary team.
Well done France
Wasn't it 27-13 not 29? They missed that last conversion no?
Coverage was genuinely embarrassingly bad imo from presenters to Comms to graphics.
Yeah, changed days ... Well played France
Top match, expecting Eng Arg to be horrible by comparison!
Well done France, deserved winners!
Good start to the tournament.
Long day of it tomorrow!
Moment of the game for me was Mo’unga’s try saving tackle, apart from that NZ a bit.. meh, so many old geezers that were playing 2 WCs ago in their team. I’m still betting on a France Ireland final
New Zealand are the weakest I have ever seen them. Italy have a good chance of getting out of the pool.
Didn’t see the score change until now, not often kicks go over the top of a post!
Tomorrow is going to be grim; the penalty count seemed low tonight for a hard game but I’m expecting many more yellows and 3 point kicks Eng V Arg.
I hate rugby on ITV. Always have and always will. Why do they bid for it then seem so underprepared and lacklustre every time? I hate adverts and all of them 😂
I have always like Jalibert as a player and suspected the Ntamack loss was not as grievous as it first seemed. He's a superbly balanced player who does very little wrong and is extremely composed in attack. His step to draw the winger in was superb instinct.
I’m glad it wasn’t me that found it lacklustre, it couldn’t get enthused but boy the AB’s looked bad.
Usually their first post travel game is terrible but I thought they’d got that done!
I don't think the All Blacks looked bad..I thought France were very good. Conceding early to All Blacks then Penaud not scoring were big psychological blows they came back from. Good game.
Yes I hate ITV
Just after the yellow when France went on the attack. The ABs defence went into full beserker mode. They did it against SA it was quite scary to watch.
I thought both teams were understandably nervy in attack but immense in defense. France didn't really get a meaningful attack until second half started.
The conditions were terrible as well - I've never seen players looking so drenched in sweat. To play in that heat and at that intensity must be insanely draining.
NZ will come good - but have any team won a world cup after losing a game?
In terms of tournament winners - Ireland are my first pick obviously - but failing that I'd want France to win both as a new champion and to reward the wild style of open play we didn't see until the end of the game. I've got a soft spot for Scotland in that respect too
Any news on Marchand’s injury. He didn’t look ‘appy
C'mon Namibia
the AB’s looked bad
The pace of modern rugby means you will look bad if you are half a second late to every ruck - which they were by the end. But they certainly don't have number of massive name players they used to. Time was when 50% of any world XV would be All Blacks, not any more.
If you think the ABs looked bad, wait until Eng Vs Arg later. I'm fully expecting England to get smashed by Argentina. Not a narrow defeat, smashed. I think they will defend well for 55 mins (because they will have to) whilst conceding a steady stream of penalties. Then the floodgates will open in the heat.
Yes I hate ITV
Very much this.
All the way back to the 90s ITV pop up for RWC and butcher the commentary.
What's with the weird podium thing with the studio pundits?
Not the best start for us.
