Rugby World Cup 2015

[Nunavut Patrick]

Don't know anything about Rugby but I thought the better side won. England looked a bit shit to me, are we normally good?

Canada are not very good at it.

 

Lots of Canadians at the game today vs Italy. It is becoming a hipster sport over here.

[gaz181]

Excellent team performance from Wales, Dan Biggar was just immense. I think the Fiji game is as soon as Thursday which makes it a much tougher game, especially when half the squad is injured.

[withnail71]

What's that cunting celebration that Farrell does every time he kicks points?

 

Cocky cunt watches the big screen while running back, then when he's on it, does this stupid finger locking thing.

Its a symbol for a charity called Joining Jack. Very popular in Rugby league and NRL.

[George Costanza]

Excellent game of Rugby to watch even if skill levels weren't that high from either side.

 

Yet again Lancaster's conservative approach has cost England. Picking 3 bigger defensive guys in midfield over smaller but more creative ones.  As it showed, when England did run the ball they caused Wales all kinds of problems.  If Ford & Slade had been picked over Farrell (whose kicking from ball in hand was abysmal) and Barritt (who offers absolutely nothing in attack & was at fault for the Wales try) I'm pretty sure England would have won that game.

 

Now a huge game against Australia - who have been ever improving since the Lions Test series. Unless England can totally dominate at the set piece then I don't hold a great deal of hope for them winning.  Losing yesterday will be a body blow they can't recover from imo.

 

As for Wales, injuries have now become a serious problem.  They have got to hope they just do a professional job on Fiji without picking anymore up, ready for another massive game against Australia.  When that comes round they will already know what they have to do.  If Australia beat England both teams will be as good as qualified anyway & it'll be a fight for top spot - not that it matters hugely looking at quality of South Africa & Scotland.

[sir roger]

Agree with most of that GC but despite being ' Brave Blossomed 'last week, I would expect Wales to beat Scotland but get beaten by The Saffers.

[lifetime fan]

Farrell and Robshaw are both dogshit and should be nowhere near the team.

[Champ]

Could someone explain to me why highly paid professionals make so many basic infringements at this level of the game.

It was by no means a unique example but it's what cost England yesterday

[Nunavut Patrick]

Brave Scotland getting a run for the haggis from the Eagles.

[Nunavut Patrick]

I would have made a good prop.

[Nunavut Patrick]

Could someone explain to me why highly paid professionals make so many basic infringements at this level of the game.

It was by no means a unique example but it's what cost England yesterday

I don't understand the rules, no idea what the difference is between a maul and ruck, but I like the fact that the ref explains everything and players seem to genuinely respect them.

[Trumo]

I can never understand why they get singers to do the national anthems at sporting events. It always sounds like over-indulgent shite (why use one note when 12 will do?) and out of sync with the crowd who are singing it themselves anyway. Just play a tape/CD/mp3 and let the crowd do their thing as they ALWAYS do a much better job of it, and drop-kick all these singers into the nearest river.

[Trumo]

Ever since Wilkinson did his 'cupping his hands under a running tap' routine prior to taking a kick, they all do some overly elaborate faff about before taking a kick. The Welsh player Biggar yesterday looked like he was having an epi, and the England player Farrell was doing some weird head tilt thing too.

 

Could someone explain to me why highly paid professionals make so many basic infringements at this level of the game.
It was by no means a unique example but it's what cost England yesterday

 

Some of the things players get penalised for baffle me. There was one incident yesterday when an England players was penalised for not propping up his own weight on his arms when contesting a ruck or maul (I don't know what theses are either but they're those passages of play where one player gets tackled and everyone else piles in). He had 2 or 3 fat lads on top of him so it would have been quite a feat to support his own weight in those circumstances.

 

I don't understand the rules, no idea what the difference is between a maul and ruck, but I like the fact that the ref explains everything and players seem to genuinely respect them.

 

That's one thing about rugby refereeing I do like. They explain a situation and their decision to the players and whether the players agree with them or not, they accept the decision because the reasoning has been explained to them. And it's clear to the viewer at home even if they are unfamiliar with the sport. In the round ball game, the referees often act dismissively and penalise people in situations where some dissent is understandable.

[Nunavut Patrick]

Amy Macdonald can sing Flower of Scotland anytime in my shower.

 

Could have been Scotland's first major sporting event as an independent nation...bet they regret that know that oil is ...

[Pidge]

I don't understand the rules, no idea what the difference is between a maul and ruck, but I like the fact that the ref explains everything and players seem to genuinely respect them.

 

A ruck is on the floor over a tackled man, the tackled player has to release the ball and the tackler has to let him (those two points make up the majority of penalties/turnovers).

 

A maul is standing, the ball holder is facing away from the opposition and his teammates build a group (like a scrum formation) around him to try and drive through the defence. It's a penalty if the other team brings it down, they have to stop the drive to force the ball loose. You usually see them when a team brings the ball down from a line-out.

[Pidge]

Was disappointed overall yesterday. We didn't really threaten, the replacements brought nothing to the side and Robshaw's silly penalty really cost us.

 

Ford's game management is much better, but I bet we'd have gone for the penalty at the end if Farrell was still there. I had doubts whether Ford would make it anyway.

 

Also, getting annoyed by the total absence of Slade and Nowell so far. We needed a ball handler in the middle badly and again, when the game is breaking down Nowell's fight and ability to run through tackles is of more use than Watson's tiring pace.

[Colin Heald]

Rugby referees are treated with a lot more respect partially because any dissent from a player over a penalty results in the position of the penalty being moved a further 10 metres into the offending player's territory.  Rugby is a territorial game (unlike football), so this is a significant sanction.   

[Pidge]

They don't really seem to do that anymore, I think they just dish out a yellow these days.

[Colin Heald]

You don't see it at international level, I agree; the players are too canny and well-coached.  It still happens a fair bit at club and provincial level. 

[George Costanza]

Could someone explain to me why highly paid professionals make so many basic infringements at this level of the game.

It was by no means a unique example but it's what cost England yesterday

 

Pressure, lack of composure & quite frankly ill discipline.  Generally the best players/teams know when to really compete for the ball at ruck & mauls and when to leave it be and get into a defensive formation.  England have too many players who suffer what is only a few seconds rush of blood to the head & concede silly penalties.

[George Costanza]

Agree with most of that GC but despite being ' Brave Blossomed 'last week, I would expect Wales to beat Scotland but get beaten by The Saffers.

 

South Africa look very ordinary imo.  There are kind of in limbo.  Still picking too many of the old guard because the younger generation aren't quite ready yet.  Yes they are a physical side but I would expect Wales to compete fine in that area. Also imo they don't have a back line that should hurt a well organised top tier nation.  Very little creativity from 9-15.  Le Roux probably their best back.  Would not surprise me if Scotland beat SA.

[sir roger]

South Africa look very ordinary imo.  There are kind of in limbo.  Still picking too many of the old guard because the younger generation aren't quite ready yet.  Yes they are a physical side but I would expect Wales to compete fine in that area. Also imo they don't have a back line that should hurt a well organised top tier nation.  Very little creativity from 9-15.  Le Roux probably their best back.  Would not surprise me if Scotland beat SA.

Will be interesting to find out.The Wales v Fiji game could also be interesting as well, as the last time I saw that many Welsh guys injured was Zulu Dawn on Film 4.

[sir roger]

I can never understand why they get singers to do the national anthems at sporting events. It always sounds like over-indulgent shite (why use one note when 12 will do?) and out of sync with the crowd who are singing it themselves anyway. Just play a tape/CD/mp3 and let the crowd do their thing as they ALWAYS do a much better job of it, and drop-kick all these singers into the nearest river.

Massively agree with this. I used to look forward to the anthems and used to get a tingle down the spine when the crowds ( Welsh and French particularly ) belted them out. Now they are ruined by someone who came 6th in the X Factor in 2009 over emoting drowning out the fans.

[RedKnight]

Let's be honest, that Fiji game has a Welsh fuck-up written all over it. Short week, injuries piling up, feeling pleased with ourselves after doing England, weird afternoon kick off; only a good crowd at the Millennium Stadium can keep it safe.

[Razoray]

England will probably have to beat Australia to qualify. it would be nearly a miracle for Wales to win it now. SA look way off their best. Whoever wins between Ireland and France are the only team that can stop the Aussies or NZ from winning it IMO.

[chris71]

 

Daily Mail readers comment after Saturday. If it's her real view ,dear god.