The Lemon Fool

Last night's game was ridiculous. How on earth did Romania ever get anywhere near it? Scotland won of course but almost anyone could have won and after a few minutes it was easy to see that it was not even going to be entertaining.

Dod

Dod101 wrote:Last night's game was ridiculous. How on earth did Romania ever get anywhere near it? Scotland won of course but almost anyone could have won and after a few minutes it was easy to see that it was not even going to be entertaining.

Dod

See my response above of 24/9.

Then you even get the annihilation of the Italians by the All Blacks - a tier one nation - they just gave up for most of the game. Poor show.

T7

Just a practice game really. These kind of games should be dealt with in prelims....but I guess the organisers of the sport want to show that they have a 'global reach' or whatever. I suspect even the Vatican will be fielding a team next time around.

The reality is to avoid any run away results between Tier 1 and Tier 2 nations (though Italy of course counts as a tier 1...) then futture RWCs end up effectively starting at the QF stage - 8 teams. I suppose you coluld start with a 1st round with 16 - but they would include teams that probably wouldnt win and whilst 100isgh scores may not be a result, the match results may be clear and obvious very early.

And 4 pools of 4 then just ends up in several effectively meaningless games to just end up back in the QF scenario with an eight team selection. And any pools based rounds will inevitably endup with a group of death still.

Surprised so little of what I have noticed hasn't been mentioned here, but keep in mind football is normally my sport and rarely watch Rugby but after this World Cup, can only sum it up in one word. Breathtaking. Just watched England and Fiji. Superb. Can only see the games in the US on Peacock, but the presentation here, the commentating, incredible close up camera work, has been just fantastic.

My comments and be gentle as over the years watched the big games with the All Blacks, South Africa and a few previous World Cups but that's all, so knowledge limited.

1. Why can't football take notice of how they conduct incidents with their version of VAR. We can all see what's going on. Well organized, efficient, and the referees overall from what I saw are outstanding but more important, consistent.

2. So many bleeding cauliflower ears, and you can see the damage even with the Coaches(former players). I see a few mostly in the scrum wearing protective headgear. Why don't more players do the same to save their ears being ripped to shreds?

That Stadium in Marseilles is fabulous and the camera work(incredible overhead pics) which at times one could see so close up was a revelation. I like the 15 min sin bin. Could football develop this, would it help the sport?

Now look forward to S. Africa v France. I had picked France from the beginning but regardless who wins, I am certainly going to be watching more Rugby, albeit rarely shown here, but these are real men as opposed to the kevlar armoured nancy's shown everyday in the US.

nimnarb wrote:Surprised so little of what I have noticed hasn't been mentioned here, but keep in mind football is normally my sport and rarely watch Rugby but after this World Cup, can only sum it up in one word. Breathtaking. Just watched England and Fiji. Superb. Can only see the games in the US on Peacock, but the presentation here, the commentating, incredible close up camera work, has been just fantastic.

My comments and be gentle as over the years watched the big games with the All Blacks, South Africa and a few previous World Cups but that's all, so knowledge limited.

1. Why can't football take notice of how they conduct incidents with their version of VAR. We can all see what's going on. Well organized, efficient, and the referees overall from what I saw are outstanding but more important, consistent.

2. So many bleeding cauliflower ears, and you can see the damage even with the Coaches(former players). I see a few mostly in the scrum wearing protective headgear. Why don't more players do the same to save their ears being ripped to shreds?

That Stadium in Marseilles is fabulous and the camera work(incredible overhead pics) which at times one could see so close up was a revelation. I like the 15 min sin bin. Could football develop this, would it help the sport?

Now look forward to S. Africa v France. I had picked France from the beginning but regardless who wins, I am certainly going to be watching more Rugby, albeit rarely shown here, but these are real men as opposed to the kevlar armoured nancy's shown everyday in the US.

nimnarb - yellow card - 10 mins sin bin

T7

If I were French or South African I think my nerves would be in tatters by now. What a game

Phew!! What a game. Exhausted. On a diet and hadn't opened a huge tin of Danish butter shortbread cookies. Bloody hell, just seen, virtually eaten the lot.

France v SA - a ref's decision here a decision there. A real coin flip game with such amazing handling. Personally, whilst he played a good game by most players' standards, Dupont was just slightly below his best. Whether his injury made him very slightly gun shy and more dependent on strategic kicking as well as short passes to his forwards rather than making space is a matter of opinion. SA's first 2 tries were basic mistakes by the French (I think the left wing). Overall, the South Africans had a little more power in their forward pack and they made fewer mistakes when it mattered. As for Cheslin Kolbe charging down Ramos' conversion - surely a pivotal moment.

T7

England's charmed run continues against lesser teams. It is time that Farrell's disdain of referees is stopped. Indeed, it is evident that more and more players try to 'play' the referee with their antics of pointing to possible infractions, raising hands in the air at the periphery of scrums etc. OK I'm from the 20th century - but we have seen what has happened in football.

Clearly a Boks v AB final.

T7

terminal7 wrote:France v SA - a ref's decision here a decision there. A real coin flip game with such amazing handling. Personally, whilst he played a good game by most players' standards, Dupont was just slightly below his best. Whether his injury made him very slightly gun shy and more dependent on strategic kicking as well as short passes to his forwards rather than making space is a matter of opinion. SA's first 2 tries were basic mistakes by the French (I think the left wing). Overall, the South Africans had a little more power in their forward pack and they made fewer mistakes when it mattered. As for Cheslin Kolbe charging down Ramos' conversion - surely a pivotal moment.

T7

I thought it was interesting how fully/exclusively France and Ireland backed Dupont and Sexton respectively, to the point of not replacing them at all - Sexton in particular looked very leggy for the last 10 minutes. I wondered if subconsciously that sends subliminal messages to the rest of the squad that we can only win with X and Y in place.

SA were very bold with their selection and tactics, including fully backing the bench. Deploying the 2 scrum-halves, Reinach first with his pace and harrying of Dupont, was innovative.

NZ also did some great analysis/execution on IRE, with the Barrett chip-kicks and their reading of the breakdown with ref.

After a weekend of tremendous and competitive quarter finals, I fear we are in for semi finals of less drama.

My forecasts: the ABs will win by 30 plus against Argentina and the Boks will win by 15 against England.

T7

All it takes to even things up is one bad tackle, say, or one questionable ref/TMO/bunker call.

Hopefully it doesn't come to that, but it's not like it's never happened before...

Greg

21 Oct 2023ICC Men's World Cup
England
First innings 123 - for 8 wickets (18.4 overs)
LIVE
South Africa
First innings 399 - for 7 wickets
England need 277 runs to win from 31.2 overs with 2 wickets remaining

(BBC)

Well that's one monumental Sith Affrikkan pumping for England out of the way .....

Tedx wrote:21 Oct 2023ICC Men's World Cup
England
First innings 123 - for 8 wickets (18.4 overs)
LIVE
South Africa
First innings 399 - for 7 wickets
England need 277 runs to win from 31.2 overs with 2 wickets remaining

(BBC)

Well that's one monumental Sith Affrikkan pumping for England out of the way .....

Yes a big day for English sport and a big day for embarrassing thrashings. Including my footie team 3 down at half time.
I think I'll be reading my book at around 8.00pm tonight.
Leo

Wow, what a game! England absolutely dominated in the first half, then the substitutions changed everything, especially de Klerk IMO.

GS

The English kicking game and brilliant follow-up dominated this game until the last 10 mins or so. Given the conditions, the game plan was right on the money. Also, I feel that the Boks were jaded after the efforts against France whilst England having had a relatively easy route to this game were just the 'fresher' team. Whilst my money has been on the Boks from early on in the tournament, I cannot see them coming back from their last 2 draining games against a rejuvenated AB's team.

Two general observations from someone who has not attended an international for a decade or so - though I have watched a lot on tv.

Firstly, all this crap music once the referee has called a time out. There maybe as much as 20 time outs in a game - so we have to listen to Queen, Seven Nation Army etc ad nauseam. At one stage the music continued for a few seconds after the game had restarted. Secondly, the increasing amount of backchat and dissent aimed at the referee from the players - particularly from Farrell and George in this latest game.

T7 (old fart in a blazer)

terminal7 wrote:The English kicking game and brilliant follow-up dominated this game until the last 10 mins or so. Given the conditions, the game plan was right on the money. Also, I feel that the Boks were jaded after the efforts against France whilst England having had a relatively easy route to this game were just the 'fresher' team. Whilst my money has been on the Boks from early on in the tournament, I cannot see them coming back from their last 2 draining games against a rejuvenated AB's team.

Two general observations from someone who has not attended an international for a decade or so - though I have watched a lot on tv.

Firstly, all this crap music once the referee has called a time out. There maybe as much as 20 time outs in a game - so we have to listen to Queen, Seven Nation Army etc ad nauseam. At one stage the music continued for a few seconds after the game had restarted. Secondly, the increasing amount of backchat and dissent aimed at the referee from the players - particularly from Farrell and George in this latest game.

T7 (old fart in a blazer)

Am I allowed to totally agree with both your posts in one go? I wasn’t sure about Mitchell at 9 if I’m honest but I thought his box kicking and the chase by Daly and Co. was excellent. Totally exposed a weakness with the Bok back three. England played the conditions brilliantly although I think they suited Englands gameplan better than the Boks.

I love rugby and I love music, I don’t love the two together.
Si (old fart in a T shirt)

Thought England's first half was just brilliant. The bench was the difference between the two teams.

Billy Vunipola was clearly not in any condition for International Rugby let alone a WC semi-final. Both Genge and Sinclair suffer from being over hyped , particularly Genge. Not sure either are the future for England. It was obvious the Bok were suffering from their exertions against France ergo why the management made so many early changes. I would think this was something they had picked up on in the days before the match and had a plan for it if things didn't go according to plan. Sadly England never looked like scoring a try the whole match. But credit where credits due they were in the lead for 77 minutes!

Come on the All Blacks!