Rugby World Cup 2023
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Fire Sweeney
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US failed to qualify as the doormat team. Bummer. Peacock is streaming the games. Watching IRE v ROM but might switch to a replay. This does not appear to be much of a contest.
I've watched every single match so far. Not really rooting for any team, but wanting to watch good rugby.
Argentina were terrible against England.
Argentina were terrible against England.
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England!
Terrible warm up games and 6 nations, but very impressive down to 14 man against Argentina today. Just the win they needed.
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Yep!
A rarity these days. Brings back memories of South Africa knocking out England in 99 due to De Beer landing 5 drop kick goals.
I preferred this game though!
As a New Zealander I have serious doubts were the team that's going to end up winning the tournament
Our lack of success at the 21's and development levels over the last decade is starting to really show
Our lack of success at the 21's and development levels over the last decade is starting to really show
Fighter
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Ford masterclass, he carried the whole England with that clinical drops, what a game!
Yesterday the Bokke and Scotland had a grueling battle, major props to Scotland for playing a superb first half, but the longer bench of the Springboks made the difference and in the second half it was pretty much all South Africa.
Still, I'm worried. The whole starting pack, but especially Malherbe had quite few troubles with Scotland, what will happen against Ireland, which has an extremely strong front row? Bomb squad starting next game? Also, worried about Etzebeth exiting for an injury: although Snyman is a beast himself, the scary presence and the charisma of Eben can't be replaced. I'm praying he's okay.
As for Italy, as usual chaotic play, many missed chances but straightened the ship in the second half. Playing in an impossible pool, nobody have any expectation whatsoever, just hope the ABs won't come out too pissed after being beaten by France that way. As for France, boy they were fun to watch, fantastic match.
Argentina were terrible. No idea what happened. Perhaps they relaxed and thought they would win with comfort a man up.
Tier 2's need more Tests, and better fitness. Playing in lower level professional and semiprofessional leagues is one thing but it doesn't match up to the top tier competitions.
Georgia wasted many chances against Australia and they should be in the 6N. Their u20s are very impressive.
Lack of refereeing consistency is showing. If Curry is sent off then so should Sijgren, Kriel and Biggar for head to head contacts. Carley the referee in the Fiji game was appallingly bad.
Mawi's try disallowed but ignored the no arms tackle beforehand apparently an effort was made to wrap. Really ? Ignored a shoulder to head to a Fijian player. Stopped a Fijian rumble to the line and yellow card for attempts to bring it down. And barely penalized multiple often cynical attempts to slow the ball at the ruck from Wales.
Is he related to Paddy O'Brien the idiot who cheated Fiji in 1999 against France ? Wales were also incredibly unsportsmanlike. Trying to timewaste and simulating injury as well.
Great effort from Chile in their debut. The Escobar brothers, Torrealba and a couple others can easily join the likes of Ayarza in ProD2. Super Liga of the Americas is improving the likes of the Condors, Uruguay and Paraguay.
It's a shame countries from the Six Nations (excluding France) and South Africa do precious little to help European and African rugby compared to Argentina who have provided a wealth of coaches and expertise in the continent and created tournaments to promote development.
Contrast this to the time it took Italy to be accepted into the 6N and now Georgia being frozen out. Western Samoa being kicked out of Super Rugby, Namibia out of the Currie Cup.
World Rugby but specifically the older unions barring France need to do a lot more. The more competitive teams the better for union as a whole. The way the sport is run and refereeed as yesterday makes me think they just want to preserve the status quo. It was a shamefully poor officiating effort.
Tier 2's will only improve with more Tests v Tier 1 but this has not happened. It's the same old fixtures each year and the anachronism of the Lions. And now this idiotic World League no doubt intended to keep the status quo as it is. It's an awfully administered sport with the vested interests of the older unions stifling the sport. Not to mention all the poaching they do.
Romania used to be a force. They just need to build playing numbers and clubs which are still well down from what they were pre 1990. It doesn't help when their league has clubs that are formed and then collapse financially after 1-2 seasons. I hope they get back to where they were. The coach Apjok also left out some players from the Top 14 like Mahu and Septar which was bizarre.
As for the US player numbers are rising. MLR will be a huge benefit esp. with regards to grassroots rugby. Kids need to be picking up skills as young as possible not in college. You're getting a wealth of coaching expertise and veteran overseas players plus quite a few that can be naturalized with regards to the Afrikaans that arrived.
Canada is another matter. Rugby Canada have destroyed rugby there. Instead of building on the strong club scenes in BC and Ontario they have done everything to undermine that. Player numbers have declined, kids don't pursue the sport post high school and there has been this mad obsession with sevens. Their continual interference has alienated the rugby community there. Their hopes lie in the likes of the Toronto Arrows and possible other MLR franchises in the future.
Such is the mess that really talented players like Tyler Duguid and Percillier in France both very young refuse to play for the team because the coach was only chosen being a chum of Gareth Rees. Now that he has been removed along with the coach perhaps this is the first step to pushing Canada back on the right road. Sad really because back in 1990 you thought they might become a really strong side and force in the game.
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As usual, there are inconsistencies which are already overshadowing the tournament.
Sounds like some of the venues are getting negative backlash as well.
Sounds like some of the venues are getting negative backlash as well.
Fighter
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Marx, arguably Springboks most important player, out of the RWC with an ACL. There go our hopes at a repeat, it's a devastating loss. Bongi, a force himself, is a step below Marx, which is really in a class on his own worldwide. Dweba sucks and he was rightly left out, Staden and Orie I think are training as hookers but I can only see troubles for what used to be the strongest point of South Africa.
Man, I'm bummed af.
Man, I'm bummed af.
Muntz being out has badly affected Fiji. Their u20 fly half though was superb at the u20 WC in South Africa and is one to keep an eye on but was not picked in this squad. Tonga might pose more of a threat if they had a top class flyhalf like Muntz has been and Sopoaga will be for Samoa. Will be a bruising encounter for Ireland no matter what. The Tongan side is full of ex ABs although you need to bear in mind the number of Tongan schools players who end up on scholarships in NZ and then play for the ABs like Taukie'aho and Frizzell.
Uruguay have a high performance centre in Montevideo. Not on the same level as Tier 1s but not bad and their inclusion of clubs in the Argentine domestic tournament and this Super League of the Americas has moved them forward tremendously.
Once again an appalling refereeing decision. I cannot see mitigation at all. It's no wrap almost an elbow to the head something Taofifenua has form for. But a huge credit to Los Teros. France rested some players but the likes of Jelonch and Hastoy are not exactly second raters.
Fiji might be pleased to know Tupou is out for the Wallabies. Probably their best player. Especially in the loose.
Hope Namibia keep the score respectable tonight. Bit bummed Jaco Venter did not turn up. Conradie can certainly play higher than MLR and de Klerk. I was pleased to see Swanepoel commit too at last.
I think they will gloss over it once their regulars return and a couple of others recover from injury or get back playing as Jelonch did last night.
Uruguay have a high performance centre in Montevideo. Not on the same level as Tier 1s but not bad and their inclusion of clubs in the Argentine domestic tournament and this Super League of the Americas has moved them forward tremendously.
Once again an appalling refereeing decision. I cannot see mitigation at all. It's no wrap almost an elbow to the head something Taofifenua has form for. But a huge credit to Los Teros. France rested some players but the likes of Jelonch and Hastoy are not exactly second raters.
Fiji might be pleased to know Tupou is out for the Wallabies. Probably their best player. Especially in the loose.
Hope Namibia keep the score respectable tonight. Bit bummed Jaco Venter did not turn up. Conradie can certainly play higher than MLR and de Klerk. I was pleased to see Swanepoel commit too at last.
I think they will gloss over it once their regulars return and a couple of others recover from injury or get back playing as Jelonch did last night.
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Yep. I favoured South Africa against Ireland originally. But these key injures (Marx, Am, and Pollard) are going to be big losses. Although I heard Pollard is injury free and could be called up. With Libbok's wayward kicking they do need someone more reliable in front of the posts (I see they are trying four scrumhalf's against Romania)! Also thought Libbok was shit for most of the game against Scotland. Of course he did that one amazing kick to set up the try. So he was awarded the MOTM. Which I think is a little ridiculous because one sublime piece of skill does not negate all the poor aspects he had in that game.
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Fighter
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I so much agree with you, everybody got hyped for that kick, but overall Mannie played so so and missed so much that at the end Faf went on kicking duties.
Pollard should have recovered but... well, his last good year was during the last RWC so yeah, a big question mark. Losing Am, the best centre in the world AFAIK was already devastating (we have to play Kriel for f*** sake!), now without Marx it I don't see us going far.
Ireland has been almost injury free, I can see them going all the way despite the QF curse.
France in their golden age, they pushed New Zealand aside quite nicely.
spintheblackcircle
incoming!!!
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Samoa running away with it now. Very powerful team and they have silky skills!
Theo McFarland is just ridiculous. I see it weekly for Saracens but it is great to see it on the world stage as well.
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Portugal are a fun team to watch. Wales defense near the line is very good though. Would be nice to see Portugal score a try in the second half. Think Wales will pull away like Samoa did against Chile earlier today
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