Rugby Union World Cup 2019

[chesterbells]

The ref almost always explains what he has given. It doesn't help having idiots commentating. Kay was good, but Dallaglio is sometimes laughable, and lead commentators are sometimes too one-sided (Six Nations comms are often neutral or balanced across both sides).

pens vs tries is an ongoing argument. If you reduced the ratio, teams would give away more penalties! It always seems a bit odd that a mistimed tackle on the halfway line or further can result in half a try's scores.

Steroids? I don't know about that. I was thinking that Beaumont (giving out the medals) was an England second row in his day and is now towered over. Mostly, they have professional players and elite training teams that turn out the behemoths, and the laws of the game struggle to deal with the current levels of fitness.

cheers for reply.
Ref may well ha be explained his reasons for each of those 3 scrum penalties for example, but I’m not sure the crowd knew, or the commentators didn’t explain it/hear him say it, that’s for sure.

re penalties, I’d still give them, but I’d reduce their value to only 2 points. It’s tries we want to see not a bloody kicking fest. Well, I do anyway.

I’m sure if heard that England’s pack weight for example (or maybe it was average player weight) has significantly increased over the last 10 years.

As for drugs in rugby, it’s a question of where do you want to start.
In Ireland they even had the team sponsored by a painkiller brand I think. And South Africa’s star player was caught just before the World Cup, but not getting much mention now, funnily enough ;-)

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...done-by-doping-stars-and-schoolboys-mmm6sf5mt

 

[hammocity]

Physically dominated up front it's that simple.

Well done SA, my wife is a happy bunny

Had she got teeth like Klopp’s?

 

[chesterbells]

Rarely watch Union outside of Lions tours and World Cups and today's 'spectacle' did nothing for my enthusiasm it's too slow and technical for my liking. A game of League rarely disappoints and provides a much better balance between brute force and flair whereas too many games in Union turn in to,as Dallaglio described, an 'armwrestle'.

Mate, i agree with you in general, although having been up since 4am to watch the League test v NZ, I can say that the first half of that was deffo an arm wrestle - 2-2 at half time!

 

[willipp]

Rarely watch Union outside of Lions tours and World Cups and today's 'spectacle' did nothing for my enthusiasm it's too slow and technical for my liking. A game of League rarely disappoints and provides a much better balance between brute force and flair whereas too many games in Union turn in to,as Dallaglio described, an 'armwrestle'.

I think that’s my gripe from today as a person who doesn’t watch much rugby union, it’s was very boring and exactly why I don’t really like RU. Teams just kicks points to win it. You get 3 points for a kick and only 5 (7) for a try. I was screaming at England to go for a try, but there should be more incentive to go for the try. England played it safe to stay in touch and just took the 3 points.

 

[chesterbells]

Not sure I agree with much of that. The points ratio between pens and try is designed to encourage discipline at the breakdown and it works. Look at the Wales v South Africa semi final result for proof of that.
The decisions arent murky, there are just several laws that have to be adhered to dependant on whether it is a ruck or a maul.
As for steroids and the size of players, the weight and bulk is actually reducing. The new tackle laws will see that trend continue as well

Not ignoring your reply pal, just that I’d repeat the one I did to @MillionMilesAway

 

[MillionMilesAway]

cheers for reply.
Ref may well ha be explained his reasons for each of those 3 scrum penalties for example, but I’m not sure the crowd knew, or the commentators didn’t explain it/hear him say it, that’s for sure.

re penalties, I’d still give them, but I’d reduce their value to only 2 points. It’s tries we want to see not a bloody kicking fest. Well, I do anyway.

I’m sure if heard that England’s pack weight for example (or maybe it was average player weight) has significantly increased over the last 10 years.

As for drugs in rugby, it’s a question of where do you want to start.
In Ireland they even had the team sponsored by a painkiller brand I think. And South Africa’s star player was caught just before the World Cup, but not getting much mention now, funnily enough ;-)

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...done-by-doping-stars-and-schoolboys-mmm6sf5mt

As far as I know, at Twickenham the fans can hire/are given (not sure which) a reflink headset and can hear everything. I don't know if they were at the WC, but otherwise, yes it would be tricky to tell what was going on. The commentators sometimes are too busy chattering to notice the ref clearly giving the reason, ITV comms are idiot cheerleaders in most sports.

Tries were boosted from 4 to 5 some years ago over balance. The trouble with making them 2 pts would be that you could give 3 away for less than a converted try - there would be more penalties conceded as a tactic. It's difficult to balance.

Drugs - cheers for the link. I was away when that came out, which may be why I'd not seen it. There will be some, but how widespread it is, I don't know - I can't read the whole article. I don't think there are a lot of bans for it recently, but might be wrong on that.
Pack weights have increased over a long period, but the laws have changed so bulk is less useful - it'll take a while to kick in though.

ONe thing I do know, the Lions tour of SA in 2021 is going to be incredibly tough

 

[MillionMilesAway]

I think that’s my gripe from today as a person who doesn’t watch much rugby union, it’s was very boring and exactly why I don’t really like RU. Teams just kicks points to win it. You get 3 points for a kick and only 5 (7) for a try. I was screaming at England to go for a try, but there should be more incentive to go for the try. England played it safe to stay in touch and just took the 3 points.

I agree, and it's why some matches aren't great to watch. The mantra of 'take the points' reinforces it.

 

[blueinsa]

Had she got teeth like Klopp’s?

Not after cheering that win she hasn't ;-)

 

[chesterbells]

As far as I know, at Twickenham the fans can hire/are given (not sure which) a reflink headset and can hear everything. I don't know if they were at the WC, but otherwise, yes it would be tricky to tell what was going on. The commentators sometimes are too busy chattering to notice the ref clearly giving the reason, ITV comms are idiot cheerleaders in most sports.

Tries were boosted from 4 to 5 some years ago over balance. The trouble with making them 2 pts would be that you could give 3 away for less than a converted try - there would be more penalties conceded as a tactic. It's difficult to balance.

Drugs - cheers for the link. I was away when that came out, which may be why I'd not seen it. There will be some, but how widespread it is, I don't know - I can't read the whole article. I don't think there are a lot of bans for it recently, but might be wrong on that.
Pack weights have increased over a long period, but the laws have changed so bulk is less useful - it'll take a while to kick in though.

ONe thing I do know, the Lions tour of SA in 2021 is going to be incredibly tough

Useful that, thnx.

Apparently in NZ /Oz they play junior rugby according to size/weight, rather than by chronological age groups - to me that is the way we should go to develop ball handling and skills

 

[MillionMilesAway]

Useful that, thnx.

Apparently in NZ /Oz they play junior rugby according to size/weight, rather than by chronological age groups - to me that is the way we should go to develop ball handling and skills

Interesting, also games are reffed in more freeflowing matches. It's often said that English domestic rugby is more bothered about not conceding than scoring (relegation is some of this), and that lends to a skew on the gym time vs skills training ratio.