[Archived] Rugby

[Sydney Rovers]

???

What`s the achievement? I thought any rugby playing country could enter. Am i wrong??

You can enter, but the smaller teams have to go through a series of qualifiers, in Portugal's case they played;

• European Nations Cup (a 10 game round-robin series against Romania, Georgia, Russia, Czech Republic, Ukraine)
• Played in the 5th round of European qualifying (against Italy and Russia) - Portugal qualified in second position
• Played in the 6th round against Georgia which they lost but got a second chance in the repechage round
• Repechage round one defeated Morocco
• Repechage round one defeated Uruguay on points difference

[Eddie]

never mind being mad to miss this game mate, we'd all be completely nuts to miss the chance of seeing andy farrell playing fly half....what the (Please don't use that word again)!!!!

just reading that brian ashton is playing him there, for the game on friday. this is jsut rediculous and no wonder why we have been @#/? since we won it 4 years ago. from a back row forward in rugby league to playing fly half in the rugby world cup, there doesn't come too much that are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

There's part of me that thinks it could be a masterstroke, the other part is very worried.

[Flopsy]

never mind being mad to miss this game mate, we'd all be completely nuts to miss the chance of seeing andy farrell playing fly half....what the (Please don't use that word again)!!!!

just reading that brian ashton is playing him there, for the game on friday. this is jsut rediculous and no wonder why we have been @#/? since we won it 4 years ago. from a back row forward in rugby league to playing fly half in the rugby world cup, there doesn't come too much that are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Actually Farrell played the league equivallent - according to my 13 man egg chasing friends.

His place kicking by all acounts is fine. You have a choice, the best League player these shores have produced for a decade, who is rather good at this union business. Or Charlie "Arghhh The Pressure!!! THE PRESSURE!!!! ARGHHHH SPLAT!!!" Hodgeson?

Andy Farrell for me all the way

[Sydney Rovers]

Actually Farrell played the league equivallent - according to my 13 man egg chasing friends.

His place kicking by all acounts is fine. You have a choice, the best League player these shores have produced for a decade, who is rather good at this union business. Or Charlie "Arghhh The Pressure!!! THE PRESSURE!!!! ARGHHHH SPLAT!!!" Hodgeson?

Andy Farrell for me all the way

The problem is that the League equivalent is very different to the Union version, so while he's a good player I'm not too sure how he'll go there. I do think that this move will put a lot of pressure on England's scrum half as he'll probably have more responsibility with linking with the backs, so if South Africa bottle him up it might be a long night for England fans.

[Flopsy]

Well Perry had a decent flyhalf against USA and was rubbish, so I await with baited breath how he could get worse.

It's going to be a long night anyway. I do enjoy watching the Bok's style of rugby though. Its how it should be played, full blooded, never a step back, with some skill and pace thrown in. None of this rubbish the Aussies are trying to introduce because they arent good enough.

England are just rubbish after 4 years of being emasculated by the greed of the Premiership Club owners and the incompetance of the RFU.

Central contracts for a squad of 20 is vital if England are too do any better in 4 years time.

[samtheozzy]

Holy god England were terrible. Full credit to the Saffers who barely put a foot wrong the whole night but England were terrible going forward and sketchy at the back. I feel deeply sorry for England and England fans at the loss of Jason Robinson to a hamstring injury in the second half. He looked like the only chance England had of breaking South Africa's line (and did so on a number of occasions). I can't see England beating quality opposition without him...

And what was with those crappy field goal attempts in the first half (both teams were guilty). For christ's sake, you work that hard to get that close and you waste all that effort with a dodgy kick.

[Flopsy]

shocking, dreadful

and that was just the ITV commentary.

Still, England were toothless, slow and error strewn. Samoa to get through to the Quarters, although I dont think England will Play anywhere near as dreadfull. Moody needs to start

[Blueboy Downunder]

we were made to look very ordinary by a very good sprinboks sides we had no go forward, infact we spent more time going from side to side instead of getting their pack on the back foot with quick ball from the ruck and maul. in saying that , while watching this game only reinstated my belief that at the top level or rugby the south africans get away with murder, metophorically speaking. the curry cup, super 14 and also international rugby, whenever they come up against a side that could cause them problems...i have never seen seen anybody infringe at the break down more than they do. 3 times i counted that they were deliberately killing the ball and not rolling away and the ref is right there but does not call it. countless times they come in from the side and the penalty that was given for the challenge on matt tait was as profesional a foul as you will see and how their number 9 didn't get a yellow card for a professional foul is beyond me.

english rugby is in a sad state and if we can't plan from the day after the last world cup to this one, to have a side capable of defending the crown..is an indictment on the club bosses and the rfu.

[Oklahoma]

Portugal 13, New Zealand 108

Happy, Sydney?

From the IRB site:

" The All Blacks have defeated Portugal 108-13 after a tough match which saw moments of brilliance from the Lobos. "

[Oklahoma]

???

What`s the achievement? I thought any rugby playing country could enter. Am i wrong??

Of course all can enter.

But not all do.

Imagine if Wales got in the football WC. Wouldn't it be a great achievement?

[1864roverite]

English rugby died with that defeat against RSA.

I am not a rugby fan but enjoy watching the internationals, England were poor, unorganised,slow and inept against a very good RSA side, who for me represent the champions elect.

Until England regroup and rid the squad of the deadwood, and there is a lot of it, they wont go anywhere.

A truly sad day for English sport as the cricket team were just as bad

What a difference a week makes

[berkshireblue]

Just got back from Paris....pathetic

In 16 years of watching Eng home and away live worst ever performance

Except for Robinson the rest were guttless

Corry is a cart horse and needs to go for good Moody blindside next week

[cletus]

Of course all can enter.

But not all do.

Imagine if Wales got in the football WC. Wouldn't it be a great achievement?

Sorry, i meant i didn`t realise teams had to qualify for the tournament. How many countries actually have a national rugby team or league?

[samtheozzy]

I am not a rugby fan but enjoy watching the internationals, England were poor, unorganised,slow and inept against a very good RSA side, who for me represent the champions elect.

The saffers were genuinely good but I would think New Zealand still deserve to be the outright favourites for the tournament.

[Sydney Rovers]

Portugal 13, New Zealand 108

Happy, Sydney?

From the IRB site:

" The All Blacks have defeated Portugal 108-13 after a tough match which saw moments of brilliance from the Lobos. "

Happy that Portugal were able to score a try and happy that they did show some fight at stages, but really it was men versus boys.

[Flopsy]

Still it cheered me up no end watching the Irish get pummelled by the Georgians. The irish actually played worse than england.

[ewoodblue]

Still it cheered me up no end watching the Irish get pummelled by the Georgians. The irish actually played worse than england.

I'll be happy when the group stages are over,and the real rugby begins,In football shocks happen,but in rugby they're very rare,and the games become to one sided ,and you llose interest.

All England can do is try their best,but Realistically it's going to be between New Zealand, South Africa,and the Aussies.

I really want to see South Africa play one of the two top nations,to see just how good they are.

I'm not really a rugby fan,but I do enjoy watching the big tournaments,and Wigan now and again.

[Oklahoma]

Happy that Portugal were able to score a try and happy that they did show some fight at stages, but really it was men versus boys.

Or professional rugby players vs doctors, lawyers, university students

[Oklahoma]

Sorry, i meant i didn`t realise teams had to qualify for the tournament. How many countries actually have a national rugby team or league?

Well, 95 countries are in the IRB ranking. Have no idea if they a league or not.

http://www.irb.com/rankings/full.html

[Sydney Rovers]

Or professional rugby players vs doctors, lawyers, university students

Exactly right, especially brought home when you hear the commentator saying that the All Blacks pack was 100kg heavier than the Portuguese pack

[JAL]

For me todays cricketers looks bigger physically than the pretty England rugby players, the rugby lads dont look big enough to stop a bunch of teenage schoolgirls never mind the ultra big alpha males from other countries.

For me that says it all never mind tactics or skill levels.

[cletus]

Some-one at work pointed out that a lot of the British (not just the English) rugby players look like 10 pint a night amateur rugby players...where as alot of the southern hemisphere guys look like athletes. I tend to agree.

England looked positively sluggish & amateur when compared to the South Africans.

[Eddie]

For me todays cricketers looks bigger physically than the pretty England rugby players, the rugby lads dont look big enough to stop a bunch of teenage schoolgirls never mind the ultra big alpha males from other countries.

For me that says it all never mind tactics or skill levels.

Well I certainly wouldn't want to come up against them.

[dave birch]

Some-one at work pointed out that a lot of the British (not just the English) rugby players look like 10 pint a night amateur rugby players...where as alot of the southern hemisphere guys look like athletes. I tend to agree.

England looked positively sluggish & amateur when compared to the South Africans.

Have a look at Matt Dunning, the Aussie prop. A keg on legs.

[JAL]

Well I certainly wouldn't want to come up against them.

Maybe thats the problem, they arent challenged enough so the group to pick from is so small because we are all too busy chasing pound notes instead.