Well I’m pretty chuffed with today’s Wales game even though we lost. Really gave SA and by default the rest of the world something to think about, which makes me proud 🙂

Ok so if we get through we’ll most likely face NZ in the quarters, but if we can build on that performance then that might not be the death sentence we’d have thought before the tournament!

Not only was it the best home nations game in this WC so far, I think it was the best home nations (including Wales) game I’ve seen in about three years.

I think the Welsh selections were the correct calls for the players available. A lack of subs seemed to hurt them though.

A lack of a out and out in form 15 is hurting Wales hugely too. It would have been nice to see Hook at 12 with Halfpenny at 15 but that would be a huge risk based on the game time Halfpenny has had and the fact he is a winger by trade.

I also feel Jon Davies needs a good game. He really hasn’t had the form he had for the Scarlets in the earlier part of last season- his injury sadly interrupted his form.

Wales have a world beating side with the first choice 15 all available and all in form but if they are missing even one of these players or one of them has a quiet game then they are in trouble

I thought Jon Davis was excellent today as was Roberts, sadly though they are just not a pairing. Roberts though would have been very very pleased to see Butch James come on and DeVilliers go off.

Arrived at work this am to be asked “Would it be alright for you to host a couple of clients at the Scotland v England game at Eden Park?’. Oh go on then, i’ll take one for the team. I hope they aren’t important clients and/or have good hearing as I’ll have a few things to say. Does mean i have to miss France v Tonga though…

In other news, just had breakfast with the Yarpies, little bit mixed feelings in there, happy to win but also not happy to have been basically beaten apart from Wayne Barnes’ inability to fckn see properly (and his linesmen as well). How they missed that I do not know as I was sitting in line with it and it clearly went , at worst, over the inside of the post.

not happy to have been basically beaten apart from Wayne Barnes’ inability to fckn see properly (and his linesmen as well

Yep, I heard from a few Saffer mates that they felt it was a rather hollow victory.

However, Molgrips has it right with this;

Well I’m pretty chuffed with today’s Wales game even though we lost. Really gave SA and by default the rest of the world something to think about, which makes me proud

A great performance. Warburton was awesome….Simply awesome. Faletau (spl?) seems to be maturing, and North/Roberts on a crash ball still seems to work very well. Impressed overall.

While it was a good game to watch and I was even yelling at the TV for Wales to do it the bottom line is they still lost.

The back row were great and a lot of players really stepped up to the plate but if you don’t get past the winning post it means nothing.

This is the World Cup – not a dress rehearsal. The rest of the world will think that Wales can’t take a chance when they have it.

The back row were great and a lot of players really stepped up to the plate but if you don’t get past the winning post it means nothing.

I think that there will be a wholsale shift towards the way teams approach Wales for the forseeable future, they lost by only one point, it was a drubbing. Probably the complete opposite as SA were clearly rattled at times and couldn’t counter.

The rest of the world will think that Wales can’t take a chance when they have it.

That’s actually quite funny.

deadlydarcy – Member

Ireland weren’t that bad FFS. It was a 22-3 game until a wild pass in an effort to go for a bonus point went astray. The only (major) worry for me was how dire Sexton was.

I agree completely – and I’ll also refer to my posts above!

deadlydarcy – Member
Oh and a quick vote for discussing the games here on this thread as they happen. Works perfectly well for the 6N when it’s on.

Yeah, can we keep it on this thread. It’s ridiculous to start a new thread for every game.

Lawes has been cited apparently. Rugby may be rufty tufty and physical, but leading with the knee was just a bit silly if it ends up with your `best’ lock potentially missing a few games.

Lawes has always been a bit of a liability, though, hasn’t he?

So a few next round predictions anyone?
Scotland v Georgia – Georgia by one, hard fought try!
Australia v Ireland – Australia to win. Easily.
England v Georgia – Another example of poor scheduling. Major teams get a lot of rest, Georgia play two games in a week. England to win, comfortably.
Wales v Samoa – A Wales win, but not easily enough.

Is there YooToob footage of this controversial kick of Hook’s?

I had to watch the game while pretending to be interested in someone’s baby so the TV was barely audible. I missed what happened.

The only thing I was pleased about with Wales’ loss was that it means we probably won’t play them in the quarters – playing like that, they’d have destroyed the green machine. 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APhZpgDOEhQ

Nothing controversial about it. It went over. Barnes and the touch judges were wrong.

molgrips – Member

Ok so if we get through we’ll most likely face NZ in the quarters,

No, winner Pool C plays Runner up Pool D, so it should be Wales v Oz. We can’t be hammered by NZ at all until the semis I think. Although if Ireland pull themselves together and beat Australia it sets up a very interesting QF. Any money on Ireland to beat Wales on current form?

NZCol – Member
happy to have been basically beaten apart from Wayne Barnes’ inability to fckn see properly (and his linesmen as well).

He was giving poor decisions to both sides. How many clear knock-ons did he wave on? His reffing at the breakdown was interesting. How he didn’t penailse the SA player who charged into a ruck and basically headbutted Warburton, I’ll never know. No attempt at joing the ruck correctly, just a wild charge.

Hook was very poor. He made a powderpuff tackle on Steyn – if he had tackled him properly surely Steyn would have been in touch. It had shades of O’Gara’s non tackle for the Lions, eh a_a? He was out of position several times, missed high balls, admittedly in a swirling wind, and missed essential kicks. And I think that is worrying for him. Priestland is looking very competent, the midfield is solid. Once we have a competent fullback again, where does Hook fit in?

‘Spose it depends on where it took that inward curve.

It’s a right bastard when officials lose you a game like that though innit?

Any money on Ireland to beat Wales on current form?

I’ll have a euro with you…you need to give me odds of about 20-1 though

You can’t tell from that camera angle

Any money on Ireland to beat Wales on current form?

I’ll have a euro with you…you need to give me odds of about 20-1 though

I’d happily put a few quid on Wales hammering Ireland on current form! 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APhZpgDOEhQ

Nothing controversial about it. It went over. Barnes and the touch judges were wrong.

I’d like to see another angle – that video shows the same angle as I saw on TV, where it looks like the ball goes past the post then curls in.
The doubt on Hook’s face though – the kickers usually know when they’ve missed!

Oh, and just to have another rant. Injury time, Wales in possession, ball gets taken into a ruck in the SA half I believe. Brussouw enters ruck from side in front of ref, scoops ball out to his own side, kicked away, game over. It should have been a kickable penalty to Wales.

What the hell was Barnes watching?

It’s hard to believe that he is an unbiased ref when he allows things like that to happen, but goes to the TMO for Faletau’s very obvious try. “TMO, can you just give me an excuse not to give this try please?” “Err, no Wayne, he scored a try.”

The last time Barnes was at Kingsholm he got some serious stick from the crowd for going to the TMO for an obvious try in front of us with him 30cm away from the action. Seems he may have switched off y’day.

I was there and right by it, as it crossed the try line it was inside the post, worst case on the absolute inside edge. The touch judge was standing in totally the wrong place and looking out to it so impossible to tell. Why Barnes didn’t check with the TMO stuns me. And yeah we saw two clear knock ons he missed. He’s sh1t and can’t tell forward passes either 😉

Pretty sure there’s nothing in the rules to allow checking of a kick with the TMO.
That’s shit if it did go over, Wales really deserved a win.

Pretty sure there’s nothing in the rules to allow checking of a kick with the TMO.

Permit me to quote the following – IRB RULE 6.A.6a

The [television match] official may be consulted in relation to the success or otherwise of kicks at goal

Barnes is an idiot. So were the touch judges.

They should’ve bloody checked it then – Hook was gesturing for it (allbeit halfheartedly).

Col’s probably heard this. Pretty funny song:
http://www.zmonline.com/player/ondemand/where-the-webb-ellis

😀

Watched the Wales game and felt a bit sorry for them that their first game was against the world champions who have just completed the tri nations but a truely world class team would have taken their opportunity to put SA to the sword. They squandered too many scoring opportunities and Hook had a mare . A genuine fullback would have stopped Steyn in his tracks .Terrible tackle.
The rest of the home nations had a shakey start ,hopefully just shaking off some ring rust before putting in some decent performances.

Ireland’s performance was poor because the USA appear to have the weakest scrum in the RWC and seem to have the most amateurish set up. Look at the hammerings they took in the Churchill cup.

I know Wales played well but where does that performance get them? A likely quarter final against the Aussies and an early plane home.

Yes, Wayne Barnes was poor. He made many mistakes and should’ve gone to the TMO on the penalty but he was lenient on Wales at the breakdown too in terms of players (not) staying on their feet. If Wales had committed a few more bodies to that ruck in the final minutes then they wouldn’t have lost the ball.

Anyway, the home nations have all been pretty disappointing. Why can’t we all play like Japan?

Oh look, it’s the thread EMO.

😆

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/14783195.stm

Gethin’s back! He would have made quite a difference on Sunday, IMO.

I don’t think Wales are in a position to moan, they profited nicely from some poor reffing in the six nations against Ireland. Anyway I though Wales looked like they were England, loads of killing the ball, slowing things down not really running it….

Wales looked like they were England

Blimey, that’s a bit bloody harsh!

Dezb + 1
As an Englishman I had to suffer the family had to suffer my ranting at the tv for 70 minutes.

Beaten by a point, that hurts a bit but it was a great game and we only have ourselves to blame. Hate the tag of plucky losers though. Barnes is a poor ref but he was reffing both sides.

Away from the World Cup did anyone see Christian Wade scoring tries for Wasps against Leicester 😯 chuffing Nora that lad has got some pace.

namastebuzz – Member

Yes, Wayne Barnes was poor. He made many mistakes
Seriously, if I made that many mistakes during my next shift in work, I would be hauled in front of a disciplinary panel and probably sacked.

The game is professional now, it’s a pity that we have refs who appear to think it’s ok to act in an amateur fashion and wave on anything that doesn’t fit their interpretation of the game.

Wales at the breakdown too in terms of players (not) staying on their feet.

There was little difference between Wales going off their feet and SA going their feet. Or for that matter, England, Ireland, NZ, USA, etc going off their feet. Everyone does it.

If Wales had committed a few more bodies to that ruck in the final minutes then they wouldn’t have lost the ball.

No, Brussouw entered a ruck from the side and handled the ball in a ruck. Both penalty offences. How many Welsh players are in the ruck is pretty much irrelevant if the ref allows players to do that.

Everyone does it.

😯

🙂

Haha. I knew you’d reply, dd!

How he didn’t penailse the SA player who charged into a ruck and basically headbutted Warburton, I’ll never know. No attempt at joing the ruck correctly, just a wild charge.

the whistle had gone too.

Hook is a shit fullback, but to be fair Steyn is a big ****. As the only gay in the village said he should have been coming forward to meet the player rather than holding a line, inexperience at fullback told. If Byrne can gain some form he could well be picked, his tackling is very secure its just the rest of his game thats gone to shit.

Breaking News!

Ian Robertson reports on 5live (just now) that use of Hawkeye shows the penalty as bouncing off the inside of the post and coming back OUT.

🙂

Breaking News!

Ian Robertson reports on 5live (just now) that use of Hawkeye shows the penalty as bouncing off the inside of the post and coming back OUT.

Interesting if true as one of my mates said the same thing to me on sunday..

Here’s Shaun Edwards bleating about it in the Guardian. As I said earlier, these things even themselves out.

I’m only going by Ian Robertson on 5live around a half an hour ago (I was listening at the time) – I’m assuming he was talking about a TV station in NZ that ran hawkeye on the penalty – but didn’t quite catch that bit. Had a luke on yootoob but couldn’t find anything.

one of my mates (ex pro player in wales and england

Mark Taylor, perhaps?