Rugby World Cup 2011

[DHogg]

Great NZ performance against France. Anyone else watch?

[b dubya]

Great NZ performance against France. Anyone else watch?

didn't catch it, regrettably. Not sure how it was but it should have been *the* game of the pool matches.

[Sparky]

Wow, Anyone catch the Scotland - Argentina game, talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Scotland were the stronger side throughout, but lost it to a great try from Amorosini in the last 5min.

[BCJC]

Wow, Anyone catch the Scotland - Argentina game, talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Scotland were the stronger side throughout, but lost it to a great try from Amorosini in the last 5min.

not sure why they opted for the drop goal instead of a try attempt near the end of the match, before the argentina try. they were only up by 3, drop made it 6, and sure enough, a converted try beats them. even an unconverted try by the scots would have required two scores, and there wasn't time for that.

but maybe i'm just being a monday morning flyhalf...

[SterlingSpikeDancer]

What are the tie breakers for making it to the elimination round? Head 2 head? Trys for or against? I am just too lazy of an american to search the site and find out that way. I watched the highlights and have been catching up on the day after recap each day. Kind of fun, but I hope I get to catch a match live in a pub or down in Glendale at the rugby stadium.

[jerr]

^^^^Quaters, undecided yet, but looks like.. I'm going to have to work this out.

If you ever come to NZ I'll give you a bed but you're cooking and supplying drinks.

Qu1 Ire vs Wales
Qu2 Eng VS Fra
Qu3 SthA Vs Aus
Qu4 NZ vs Argen

This isn't confirmed, and some teams mightn't make it, but this is how it looks so far.

Before the last and final round of pool play (happening this weekend) - NZ is the only team qualified for the quarters.

[DHogg]

Jerr, where in NZ you live?

[philth]

getting up at 3:30 am to Eng vs Scotland Live. Just set the alarm and will be shaking up a massive vodka and OJ for gametime.

[SterlingSpikeDancer]

^^^^Quaters, undecided yet, but looks like.. I'm going to have to work this out.

If you ever come to NZ I'll give you a bed but you're cooking and supplying drinks.

Qu1 Ire vs Wales
Qu2 Eng VS Fra
Qu3 SthA Vs Aus
Qu4 NZ vs Argen

This isn't confirmed, and some teams mightn't make it, but this is how it looks so far.

Before the last and final round of pool play (happening this weekend) - NZ is the only team qualified for the quarters.

Jesus, I do that stuff at my house anyways, consider it a deal...for someday. As LONG as there is a live rugby match on the itinerary with some skiing! Looks like the England v. Scotland match could be a good one. I can't find it live, but will ignore the scoreboard and watch the replay tomorrow. I still don't understand the finer points of the game for crap, but this is some good watching!

[jerr]

Jerr, where in NZ you live?

Wanaka..

[Tri-Ungulate]

getting up at 3:30 am to Eng vs Scotland Live. Just set the alarm and will be shaking up a massive vodka and OJ for gametime.

heh. I was going to get up to watch it too after a brief nap after the end of the Tonga-France, but didn't wake up. TON-FRA was awesome, though. Those Tongan boys were really enjoying themselves towards the end, and if not for a few errant passes, they could have had their 4 tries and gone through to the QFs. Still, it was great fun to watch.

If I was a fan of Les Bleus, I'd want Lièvremont's head on a stick right about now.

[wicked_sick]

I'm excited to see the Canada-NZ match tonight. I hope it's not too embarrassing.

[b dubya]

aaarrrggghh - drew mitchell isn't looking too flash; this kinda shit always happens in a walkover. I was glad to catch England v scotland, great game - shame the scots couldn't hold on but good news that wilkinsons boot isn't looking too flash

aus v sa next weekend shall be a cracker! Eng v Fra too

[Sparky]

Ireland play awesome. Great team to watch right now

[Sparky]

NZ a cruise to the semis?

[jerr]

NZ did cruise through to the quarters. BUT... NZ star play-maker is out for the rest of the cup. He torn a groin muscle in training yesterday. This is probably the only area where NZ doesn't have any depth - fuck...

All pool play was complete a few minutes ago. Below are the Quarters draw.

Qu1 Ire vs Wales (who gives a fuck who wins, neither will get past the next round, but they are pretty evenly matched so it should be good competition.)

Qu2 Eng VS Fra (I'd like to say France but this'll be close and England know they don't have the talent to win by scoring trys so they'll just get within kicking range and pop drop goals which makes for shit rugby and is why no-one likes them. I kind of think they'll take it. The smart money says one of these two will be in the finals)

Qu3 SthA Vs Aus (This is definitely a game to watch - it's basically one of the predictions for the final. It'll be one of the games of the cup)

Qu4 NZ vs Argen (Shouldn't be a problem for NZ but we are breaking in a new play-maker. He's no slouch but isn't as refined nor as-complete-a-player as we'd like. A collective, "Oh dear fuck" flew around NZ this afternoon when Carter was ruled out. We'll dispatch Argi but how well we do it is to be watched.)

The semis are

Qu1 vs Qu2
Qu3 vs Qu4

Totally guessing

Semi1 Wales vs France (This is who I'd like to see, but I've got a feeling it'll be England playing either Wales or Ireland. The later game's too evenly matched to pick)
Semi2 SthA vs NZ (NZ should be here for sure, but all bets are off on Aus/SthA.)

[Sparky]

Qu1 Ire vs Wales (who gives a fuck who wins, neither will get past the next round, but they are pretty evenly matched so it should be good competition.)

Qu2 Eng VS Fra (I'd like to say France but this'll be close and England know they don't have the talent to win by scoring trys so they'll just get within kicking range and pop drop goals which makes for shit rugby and is why no-one likes them. I kind of think they'll take it. The smart money says one of these two will be in the finals)

Qu3 SthA Vs Aus (This is definitely a game to watch - it's basically one of the predictions for the final. It'll be one of the games of the cup)

Qu4 NZ vs Argen (Shouldn't be a problem for NZ but we are breaking in a new play-maker. He's no slouch but isn't as refined nor as-complete-a-player as we'd like. A collective, "Oh dear fuck" flew around NZ this afternoon when Carter was ruled out. We'll dispatch Argi but how well we do it is to be watched.)

The semis are

Qu1 vs Qu2
Qu3 vs Qu4

Totally guessing

Semi1 Wales vs France (This is who I'd like to see, but I've got a feeling it'll be England playing either Wales or Ireland. The later game's too evenly matched to pick)
Semi2 SthA vs NZ (NZ should be here for sure, but all bets are off on Aus/SthA.)

It's all to play for.
Ireland vs Wales will be great. Ireland were sloppy at times today - they wont be forgiven next time, Wales are a young side coming into their own.

People like to hate England 'cos they're the English! If they find their form watch out. Scotland played out of their skins yesterday and were great against the unloved badboys. But if you think England can't score trys it was a pretty tidy one from Flood and Ashton at the end of the game (Ashton's 6th of the tournament). France were an absolute shower against Tonga and will seriously have to improve for Saturday.

My guess:
Semi 1: England vs Ireland
Semi 2: NZ vs SA

Final: England (or perhaps Ireland) vs Kiwis

[jerr]

People like to hate England 'cos they're the English!

Is that because you're so disagreeable?

I stand by my statement that the English can't score trys, but I'll qualify it by saying 'against an equal or better opposition'. And they showed it in their game against Scotland, who they should have owned.

At 60 mins they had only scored 6 points (2 penalties) and Scotland had 12 against them. They went to a drop goal, got it and then a few minutes after the re-start tried it again! Tactically that says, 'if we're behind at 60 mins and we can't get trys (which they should have been able too but couldn't), start popping drop goals' = England can't score trys.

England did get a try in the dying minutes, as you mentioned, but lets look at why?

Scotland were desperately trying to score their own try which they had to do to qualify for the quarters. They were winning but they needed to win by 8 and were only 2 points up or something. So they had to play highly risky football in the dying minutes and get a try - and that, while Scotland were playing everything or nothing football, is when England got their only try. So lets not rattle the banner too much eh.

In NZ, England isn't hated at all, but English rugby has zero respect because they're the only team in the world who, for over a decade, tries to amass points by bull-shit drop goals. It's weak sauce.

Rugby is about the physical competition to muscle and skill your way over the oppositions line and score a try. Not to - get just a few meters over half way and belt a droppy over. What would rugby look like then? Well, we know what that looks like. And it's shit.

I also can't believe England came to the world cup in NZ wanting to wear black shirts - beyond lame.

[DHogg]

It's all to play for.
Ireland vs Wales will be great. Ireland were sloppy at times today - they wont be forgiven next time, Wales are a young side coming into their own.

People like to hate England 'cos they're the English!

Isn't that all you need?

[Arno]

Is that because you're so disagreeable?

I stand by my statement that the English can't score trys, but I'll qualify it by saying 'against an equal or better opposition'. And they showed it in their game against Scotland, who they should have owned.

At 60 mins they had only scored 6 points (2 penalties) and Scotland had 12 against them. They went to a drop goal, got it and then a few minutes after the re-start tried it again! Tactically that says, 'if we're behind at 60 mins and we can't get trys (which they should have been able too but couldn't), start popping drop goals' = England can't score trys.

England did get a try in the dying minutes, as you mentioned, but lets look at why?

Scotland were desperately trying to score their own try which they had to do to qualify for the quarters. They were winning but they needed to win by 8 and were only 2 points up or something. So they had to play highly risky football in the dying minutes and get a try - and that, while Scotland were playing everything or nothing football, is when England got their only try. So lets not rattle the banner too much eh.

In NZ, England isn't hated at all, but English rugby has zero respect because they're the only team in the world who, for over a decade, tries to amass points by bull-shit drop goals. It's weak sauce.

Rugby is about the physical competition to muscle and skill your way over the oppositions line and score a try. Not to - get just a few meters over half way and belt a droppy over. What would rugby look like then? Well, we know what that looks like. And it's shit.

I also can't believe England came to the world cup in NZ wanting to wear black shirts - beyond lame.

kiwis feeling the pressure?

[philippeR]

England will crush France, no doubt. The Tonga game was embarrassing.

I agree with :
Semi 1: England vs Ireland
Semi 2: NZ vs SA

[Big Snowballs]

I'm excited to see the Canada-NZ match tonight. I hope it's not too embarrassing.

Sad to say, it was !

[jerr]

kiwis feeling the pressure?

The dread that I feel, in the face of playing England at rugby, is many degrees less than the dread I feel when I'm about to sit on a cold toilet seat. And the respect I'd feel for that team would be somewhere further below, gurgling perhaps, but inevitably swirling and gone if decent rugby has anything to do with it.

Having said that, and assuming the All Blacks make the finals, England is my favorite and most comfortable choice of opposition.

Go England!

[Arno]

Pfft sticking it up your jumper IS proper rugby. You guys play basketball

[philth]

Watching both games tonight east coast time. (1 am to 5 am give or take) Sleep till noon tomorrow then off to Oktoberfest fest party all day. Not a bad Saturday in my book.

Wanaka? Nice place Jerr. Spent some time there. I think my ex lives there now.