Rugby World Cup 2023

[hcblue95]

What a day of rugby yesterday. That second game was as good as any I've seen and England fair play put in a really solid performance, especially the forwards. Bring on the semis.

On the subject of rugby being for posh people, I think you're about 20x more likely to play for England if you've been to a private school. I played for years and I never went to a private school but then I was a bit shit.

 

[SWP's back]

I played it for 10 years, played at Twickenham twice and did a tour of SA playing for the county. Most of the players at county level when I played were private or grammar school educated (I was grammar school) as it was the only option when it came to sports. It was rugby then cricket in the spring/summer, that was it. We had boarders at our school that were allowed in purely because of how good they were at rugby.

I think it’s a lot better now than it used to be but as you say state schools don’t have the same provision. I kind of get why though, you really need specialist coaches in the school if you’re going to provide it, mine had that but even then I had two instances where I was asked whether I wanted to sue the school (long stories and I didn’t either time!)

Starting to think we went to the same school.

 

[SWP's back]

All this kicking back and forth tripe in Union as well back to the other team until someone actually decides to run with the ball.

In League it's attack, attack, attack and the points scoring is better. Why in Union do you get two for kicking the ball between the posts after a try when those kicks are harder to win than penalties and those are a three?!.

Kicking goals in league is harder as well as the ball is lighter.

Bring on yet another return to the Premier League, I've come to realise how boring Union is. I want attacking sports, this is like Tennis for most of it. Clearing your lines is giving the ball back to someone on the other team at the other end of the pitch, it's ridiculous.

Great. Watching rugby fucking league then and stop boring us with your diatribes.

 

[mexico1970]

Do you think the Irish fans disrespected the Haka on Saturday, they sang loud and proud whilst the All Black's performed the routine, or is it just the English slavery song you have a problem with.

Some people just have a problem with the English no matter what song they sing.

 

[SWP's back]

And never playing anyone good so far.

They better respect the Haka if they get to the final, but I doubt it all while singing their slavery song in the stands and we can't hear the words to the Haka, then the team themselves form a V shape for some insane demented reason.

The All Blacks might as well sing Mary Had a Little Lamb when they play England as we won't be able to hear them over that chariot racket.

No respect at all.

Seriously who the fuck is this twunt and where has his carer gone?

 

[MillionMilesAway]

I'd agree with your points about the refs. There was a point in SA vs France when De Klerk deliberately threw the ball at an offside French player.

You could easily hear the referee (who took no messing) reason why he played on. For a novice like myself, it was really useful to be brought into that discussion.

Football could learn a lot. I'd start by only allowing a team captain to speak to the referee.

That was good, and some of the advice given is good too - was it the England-Fiji game where no penalty was given, and the TMO suggested that the ref needed to explain why so it was clear.

Sometimes you can see players working things out themselves. Last night, Etzebeth had rolled away from a tackle and was on the wrong side. He stood up, took a step or two backwards and just watched the scrumhalf. Then, thinking he couldn't run back without being in the way, he stepped back further so he was behind the French players. Very smart.
Similarly you sometimes see forwards making sure they stay on the floor to be out of the way, just as the French player mentioned was doing it.

 

[stonerblue]

What's the craic with time-keeping? I thought they stopped at 80mins no matter what, or do they carry on until the ball goes out or turned over?

 

[VOOMER]

Yes it was, as evidenced by the fact those points won the game. You’re clueless and literally the sole person on the planet not aware it was the right decision.

Did you take a poll on that?

 

[GornikDaze]

What's the craic with time-keeping? I thought they stopped at 80mins no matter what, or do they carry on until the ball goes out or turned over?

They carry on

 

[MillionMilesAway]

What's the craic with time-keeping? I thought they stopped at 80mins no matter what, or do they carry on until the ball goes out or turned over?

until it goes dead in a way that isn't a penalty. A penalty keeps the game going, and I think you can still play a lineout from the penalty (this hasn't always been the case).

typically, if it is turned over, it's then kicked out of play, but it's not the turnover that stops things.