Rugby World Cup

RE: Rugby World Cup

Francisco Gomez — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 18:03:20 GMT

Well.. it didn't work out... (SCO)AUSvsNZL I suppose..

RE: Rugby World Cup

Hannah Wynne Richards — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 08:28:23 GMT

So Wales is within 6 pts of the All Blacks!

We lost to SA by 4 pts, and NZ beat them by 2.

Not the massive north south divide which the sports writers say it is.

Wynne

RE: Rugby World Cup

Francisco Gomez — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 08:03:05 GMT

I learnt about rugby in my Scottish life so I was so disappointed about the unfair defeat of my favourite team. I also went to Wembley to watch ARGvsNZL and it was fantastic. It would be brilliant to have a déjà vu final with the same teams playing.

So... two reasons to support my Spanish speakers colleagues today che!

RE: Rugby World Cup

Hannah Wynne Richards — Sat, 24 Oct 2015 11:56:24 GMT

By sport do you just mean team sports on 2 legs?

Wynne

RE: Rugby World Cup

Braden Collins — Sat, 24 Oct 2015 11:51:51 GMT

Time to get behind the Aussies in another sport- hockey. If Australia beat New Zealand tomorrow in the oceanic champs, Ireland will qualify for the rio olympics. This will make them the first Irish team in any sport to qualify for the olympics since 1948.

RE: Rugby World Cup

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 15:11:34 GMT

I wish the sports writers weren't so uniformly negative about northern hemisphere countries. The big 3 - NZ Australia and SA take some beating, but I think they're too critical.

England would probably have got through any other pool.

Admittedly, Ireland and France were trounced at the quarter finals, but Wales could have won, and Scotland definitely should have won, so the semi finals could easilyhave been 50/50 north/south

Wynne

RE: Rugby World Cup

Virginia Campbell — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 21:40:52 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

I find it depressing how the level of infringements has increased in the professional era. You never used to have these cricket scores at internationals, but when you analyse the matches, the number of tries haven't increased - the extra points come from penalties. Professionals should be giving away fewer penalties, since they have no excuse for being unaware of some obscure ruling!

Wynne

[/quote]

Are more penalties being awarded and the try line getting crossed less often, or has kicking coaching improved such that more penalties are converted into points, and more tries are disallowed since the advent of the TMO picking up on forward passes, balls that didn't get grounded etc?

If more penalties are being awarded, is that due to players being more competitive/cynical (depending on your viewpoint), or refs being tighter? The tackle that got Sam Warburton sent off in the last world cup might have passed muster in the olden days, for example, and more people get penalised now for coming second in the race for a high ball. It seems to me that refs are quicker to blow up tackled players for holding on too, though the flipside is that the players know this and release the ball more quickly, so there are fewer penalties for stamping. The TMO can be used for incidences of suspected foul play so the ref can be more sure of off the ball nastiness and penalise that too.

RE: Rugby World Cup

Rachel Brown — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 20:26:49 GMT

Joubert couldn't go to the TMO for the last penalty as wasn't foul play or a phase of play involved in a try.

No excuse though for not consulting the linesmen and taking some time to 'think' about it and look at the replays on the screen.

At least Scotland turned up, unlike Ireland!

RE: Rugby World Cup

Anthony Dennison — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 11:14:32 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"] I'm thinking pre 1995[/quote]

That's not because of infringements then, it's because of professionalism. Those rugby unions that could afford a decent set up and pay for quality coaches could go professional straight away and pay players. Smaller nations still struggle. You only have to look at Samoa, who are a decent side and their team play professionally in leagues around the world; there are massive issues with regard to pay disputes.

RE: Rugby World Cup

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 10:00:43 GMT

I'm thinking pre 1995

Wynne

RE: Rugby World Cup

Anthony Dennison — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 09:46:16 GMT

[quote user="Virginia Campbell"]Still though, we all know who's gonna be man of the match in the final...Nigel Owens![/quote]

I think Wayne Barnes is in for a shout. He's been good this World Cup. And I used to think he was rubbish! Still, NZ hate him after the 2007 quarter final.

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]I find it depressing how the level of infringements has increased in the professional era. You never used to have these cricket scores at internationals[/quote]

Actually Wynne, the games have been closer this World Cup that they have been for a long time. Last time England played Uruguay, they beat them 115-5!

RE: Rugby World Cup

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 08:37:48 GMT

Keep your fingers crossed that he has the same rigid Carmarthenshire sense of right and wrong that I have! He is a Mynydd y Garreg boy after all!

Actually, and this cross-references with Martin's comment about Rugby no longer being the preserve of nice grammar school boys - I find it depressing how the level of infringements has increased in the professional era. You never used to have these cricket scores at internationals, but when you analyse the matches, the number of tries haven't increased - the extra points come from penalties. Professionals should be giving away fewer penalties, since they have no excuse for being unaware of some obscure ruling!

Wynne

RE: Rugby World Cup

Virginia Campbell — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 21:28:09 GMT

Well Wynne, the other team will probably be NZ, and they got away with a lot of infringements at the breakdown in the last world cup final.....refereed by Joubert. So kinda all square in a way.

Still though, we all know who's gonna be man of the match in the final...Nigel Owens!

RE: Rugby World Cup

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 10:12:42 GMT

I'm not normally one to criticise officialdom, but when 1 referee makes 2 highly controversial decisions - both favouring the same side, and when there's a marked difference in how 1st and 2nd tier nations are disciplined - then serious questions must be asked concerning the integrity of the game!

How many knock-ons have occurred in the tournament - which haven't resulted in a yellow card? A yellow card for what looked to me like a genuinely fumbled catch is overly harsh - and that's before the final penalty!

I would normally say that the ref's decision is final, and that commentating would be bad behaviour, but this was so blatant I've seen better refereeing in a village club match - when the proper ref calls in sick - and someone's Dad is drafted in

If Australia get to the final - then I'll be supporting the other team - purely on the basis of this match.

Wynne

RE: Rugby World Cup

Anthony Dennison — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 10:00:55 GMT

I got called out to help the vet that was 1st on call at about 50 minutes. Ran out to the car, 5live on, then had it on my phone whilst I was in the surgery. Didn't help my stress levels!

Poor Scotland. Naughty of the ref to run off the pitch too.

RE: Rugby World Cup

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 08:27:06 GMT

Morally Scotland won!

Well done Scotland

I'llconcede defeat - that was the best North/South match

It's so obvious that a mistake was made - surely the result can be appealed?

Wynne

RE: Rugby World Cup

Julie Innes — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 19:50:08 GMT

I know, very controversial, especially as he didn't even go to the tmo. Blood is boiling here, we was robbed!

RE: Rugby World Cup

Joyce Whitehead — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 18:11:56 GMT

What a sickener. My blood pressure must be up after that match, so tense. And such a disappointment to have that last minute penalty.

RE: Rugby World Cup

Julie Innes — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 17:57:10 GMT

Noooooooooooo!

RE: Rugby World Cup

Hannah Wynne Richards — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 15:01:15 GMT

Ireland lost to Argentina

It now all depends on Scotland

Good luck

Wynne

RE: Rugby World Cup

Hannah Wynne Richards — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 08:48:10 GMT

Wales up by 1 point for most of the match, then SA got a try in 5 minutes from the end. Wales then got into the SA 22 before an infringement ruined their chances.

I know there's another 6 matches to go, but it has to be in contention for the most exciting North/South match of the tournament.

There's still hopes of a Celtic presence in the finals

RE: Rugby World Cup

Virginia Campbell — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 20:50:38 GMT

Pants. Was it a good match? My carefully-laid plans to watch were scuppered by an ex lap, an RTA and a collapsed Yorkie.

All blacks are looking good....

RE: Rugby World Cup

Hannah Wynne Richards — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 18:00:37 GMT

Wr're out but it was so close. The team deserve

I'll be cheering both Scotland and Ireland tomorrow

Thanks Julie

Wynne

RE: Rugby World Cup

Julie Innes — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 17:54:01 GMT

Gutted! Sorry, Wynne :(

RE: Rugby World Cup

Julie Innes — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 17:18:37 GMT

Rooting for Wales too! It's fairly nerve-wracking! More worried about tomorrow, though! I get absolute butterflies when Scotland play, I'm so nervous for them.