Rugby World Cup

[blutarsky]

Just under a month to go and warm up games are in full swing.

Strangely Wales are world number 1 at the moment, so we're surely going to win the tournament right? ?

Anyway, what are people's thoughts on it, and how are you planning on watching games with awkward kick off times? 

[Hugh Jass]

Looking at those kick off times I really can’t see myself watching much of it at all.

[TheGayTent]

I may be forced to work from home slightly more often than usual...

[mjsell]

All blacks squad announced yesterday, second top try scorer from the Super Rugby season, Ngani Laumape, didn't make the cut. Their depth is an utter joke.

But they haven't been playing well of late, due to trying new combinations that haven't really worked (the loose forward trio did start clicking in the last game though) and not giving up on players that are no longer at the very top level (Ben Smith playing wing).

But if those loose forwards (Cane, Reed & Savea) do properly kick into gear they will terrorise most teams. 

Oh and they are great kick off times over here.

Edited August 28, 2019 by mjsell

[zero000]

What a tournament so far. The games on the weekend were fantastic. Japan's performance against Ireland was astonishing. I'm fancying them to top the group by defeating Scotland. Looks like Wales have well and truly got the Australia monkey off their back and England are progressing nicely, albeit without having played the Pumas or France yet.

[philipsteak]

Oh Canada.

[DareToDibble]

About to watch the Wales game. Provided we don't mess up either of the last 2 games against Fiji and Uruguay we should top the group which means we are likely to have a route to the final of:

QF - France
SF - South Africa
F - New Zealand/England

Just shows how important topping the group was as it could have been:

QF - England (not sure we'd have gotten through that but if we did then...)
SF - New Zealand
F - (Can't remember)

[DareToDibble]

27 minutes ago, DareToDibble said:

About to watch the Wales game. Provided we don't mess up either of the last 2 games against Fiji and Uruguay we should top the group

Nevermind  

[blutarsky]

On 10/9/2019 at 10:37 AM, DareToDibble said:

About to watch the Wales game. Provided we don't mess up either of the last 2 games against Fiji and Uruguay we should top the group which means we are likely to have a route to the final of:

QF - France
SF - South Africa
F - New Zealand/England

Just shows how important topping the group was as it could have been:

QF - England (not sure we'd have gotten through that but if we did then...)
SF - New Zealand
F - (Can't remember)

Remarkably prescient! 
Think we can do the job vs a not very exciting but incredibly powerful South Africa side? 

[DareToDibble]

36 minutes ago, blutarsky said:

Remarkably prescient! 
Think we can do the job vs a not very exciting but incredibly powerful South Africa side? 

I’d like to think we got our terrible performances out of the way. Play like we did against France and we will definitely get knocked out. 
 

I have a huge concern that England are going to beat the All Blacks!

[pink_triangle]

I think South Africa will have too much for Wales unfortunately. I think they benefited from playing their hardest match first, they have had a pretty straight forward route since then, so suspect they will have more left in the tank.

[blutarsky]

I hope England don’t beat NZ, living in England, the lads I play with will be unbearable. Would be sweet to beat them in a final though... 

I think the SA/Wales game will be an attritional arm wrestle. Sadly I think the Boks will be too powerful, and it will need a moment or two of magic from someone like Liam Williams if Wales are to do it. 

Here’s hoping. 

[DareToDibble]

Just checked Skybet at England are at 3.5 to beat NZ. GOT to be worth a bet at those odds.

Wales are 2.0 with a +8 Handicap.

Could be a nice double.

[grumpyhack]

Family fun on Sunday as we join our Welsh nieces and their South African rugby-playing husbands to watch the match at the local rugby club.

[TheGayTent]

An England v Wales final would be great for NH rugby. Here’s hoping

[The Nal]

Englands to lose now. What a team. 

[pink_triangle]

A lot of Welsh fans seem upset, but I think it's a good result for Wales. While certainly the least likely of the 3 left, if we get to the final our recent record suggests we are more likely to beat England than the All Blacks.

[Comfy Bean]

‘Mon the Welsh....

[Homer]

convo from earlier in the week:

Me: “what are we doing next sat?”

My kiwi wife (without really thinking): “I’m busy in the morning, we’ve got the World Cup final”

[TheGayTent]

The biggest worry for me now, is that this game is more important to Eddie Jones than it is to England. I hope he handles the pressure and it doesn’t translate to the players. 

[blutarsky]

What a result for Moana Pasifika yesterday. With them and the Drua in Super Rugby second tier nations are getting some of the support they deserve at last. I know the Moana team is mostly second generation immigrants to Aus and NZ but they are all island boys and being role models to those back in the middle of the pacific. 

With stuff like this and the ability to switch international allegiances after a stand down period the next World Cup should be more competitive than ever. 

Italy finally making progress too? Or is that another false dawn? Or is just that the Welsh decline because of mismanagement and the flawed regional system is becoming more apparent? 
 

@Quark

[DareToDibble]

Frankly as a Welshman I’d be happy if the World Cup was pushed back a couple of years!

The minute Gatland left it’s been in downfall since then. I can’t help but feel winning the Six Nations last year papered over a lot of the cracks which are now hugely exposed. Welsh rugby needs a huge overhaul. 

[Neil]

does rugby get more embaressing for wales than losing to whipping boys, Italy.

[blutarsky]

32 minutes ago, DareToDibble said:

Frankly as a Welshman I’d be happy if the World Cup was pushed back a couple of years!

The minute Gatland left it’s been in downfall since then. I can’t help but feel winning the Six Nations last year papered over a lot of the cracks which are now hugely exposed. Welsh rugby needs a huge overhaul. 

It’s not just Pivac failing where Gatland succeeded though, at an executive level the WRU is a shambles. The regional system is clearly not working, mainly because of a lack of backing. The entire WRU business model is predicated on selling out MilStad 6 times a year - and nothing else matters. The board is short sighted - if the regions fail (as they are) the standard of rugby falls and Wales will find it increasingly difficult to win games. People don’t pay through the nose to watch losing teams. 
Lately our best new talent is all being developed across the Severn at Hartpury. 

[zero000]

7 hours ago, blutarsky said:

It’s not just Pivac failing where Gatland succeeded though, at an executive level the WRU is a shambles. The regional system is clearly not working, mainly because of a lack of backing. The entire WRU business model is predicated on selling out MilStad 6 times a year - and nothing else matters. The board is short sighted - if the regions fail (as they are) the standard of rugby falls and Wales will find it increasingly difficult to win games. People don’t pay through the nose to watch losing teams. 
Lately our best new talent is all being developed across the Severn at Hartpury. 

Agree 100% they WRU is a joke. Their chairman is a retired geography teacher who’s never run a professional club. It’s absolutely amateur hour and a jobs for the boys culture. Sadly I think it will have to get worse to get better.