Rugby World Cup 2011

[highorlow]

I can't wait for the next Rugby World Cup.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1vGRgwo8HA

[NAG1]

I enjoyed the World Cup for the quality of sport on offer, the whole atmosphere of the event and the performances of the Irish team up until the QF.

However, it's disheartening to see rugby, which had long given the impression of refusing to stoop to the squalid practices of most of professional sport, seem to buckle and begin the slide.The dodgy look of the selection of Joubert to referee the final seemed to be confirmed by his performance. There was no way France were going to get a kickable penalty at any stage of that second half. Also, the treatment of the weaker teams as regards scheduling would put the antics of Sepp Blatter in the shade.

I also have to mention the mild annoyance of the showbizifaction of rugby, in common with most of professional sport. How annoying must it be, for instance, to have to listen to Neil F****n' Diamond at full blast at every break in play? What's that about? These are the times when you have an opportunity to compare notes with whoever is beside you, talk about what's going on, etc. If I wanted to listen to Neil F****n' Diamond I'd bring my iPod. Not that I'd EVER want to listen to to Neil F****n' Diamond.

Couldnt agree more it to shows a lack of entertainment on the field when they are continually attempting to blast atmosphere into the stadium

[lynchbhoy]

Some codswallop on here about NZ deserving it because they were the best overall. Both teams got to the final, France should have won but for the ref. Lost count the amount of times NZ were infringing, offside, tackling high. Phase after phase @ the end, NZ out on their feet and miraculously didn't concede a peno. Commentators saying how disciplined they are, balls, the ref was never ever gonna give France a chance to kick the winning points.

NZ play right on the edge of what's legal, in 80 mins of high intensity rugby they only give away 1 (half) kickable penalty? Like sh1t they did

Missing the rugby already

Refs were hand picked by a Kiwi for these matches, should we suspected anything else. France deserved a chance to win it at the end and they were denied it, refereeing in the comp just not good enough.

thats what I have been saying for a couple of years now Dinny- I am sure you will remember!
refs are officiation of rugby is poor.
Too much cheating going on at the breakdown, players off their feet interfering with the ball, offsides are not so much common practice but the norm, plus dont get me started about forward passes.
Even though I wanted to see NZ win yesterday, I felt that France were slightly cheated. Numerous bad decisions going against them that were not consistent by this ref in that match.

Funnily enough the first few games were reffed quite well and the officials were seen as being over fussy ! thats the way games shoul dbe refereed.
A second ref is not needed in rugby. One is not enough

[gallsman]

However, for the likes of Fiji, Somoa etc, they really need to be allowed to hold onto their best players and not represent the All-Black team, or should that be New Zealand and South Sea Island select

Are the majority of these player not already born in New Zealand or Australia??

Quade Cooper is a New Zealander who played for the Aussies. There seems to be a lot of players who were born in one place whete they lived for a few years as a child and then moved on. They seem to move around a lot down there.

Cooper moved to Australia when he was 13 and came up through their schools and representative system. It's not as if they ripped him away from New Zealand.

[Tony Baloney]

Some codswallop on here about NZ deserving it because they were the best overall. Both teams got to the final, France should have won but for the ref. Lost count the amount of times NZ were infringing, offside, tackling high. Phase after phase @ the end, NZ out on their feet and miraculously didn't concede a peno. Commentators saying how disciplined they are, balls, the ref was never ever gonna give France a chance to kick the winning points.

NZ play right on the edge of what's legal, in 80 mins of high intensity rugby they only give away 1 (half) kickable penalty? Like sh1t they did

Missing the rugby already

Refs were hand picked by a Kiwi for these matches, should we suspected anything else. France deserved a chance to win it at the end and they were denied it, refereeing in the comp just not good enough.

thats what I have been saying for a couple of years now Dinny- I am sure you will remember!
refs are officiation of rugby is poor.
Too much cheating going on at the breakdown, players off their feet interfering with the ball, offsides are not so much common practice but the norm, plus dont get me started about forward passes.
Even though I wanted to see NZ win yesterday, I felt that France were slightly cheated. Numerous bad decisions going against them that were not consistent by this ref in that match.

Funnily enough the first few games were reffed quite well and the officials were seen as being over fussy ! thats the way games shoul dbe refereed.
A second ref is not needed in rugby. One is not enough

Wha? 

[mountainboii]

However, for the likes of Fiji, Somoa etc, they really need to be allowed to hold onto their best players and not represent the All-Black team, or should that be New Zealand and South Sea Island select

Are the majority of these player not already born in New Zealand or Australia??

New Zealand had 3 island born players out of a squad of 33 (including Kaino who moved to NZ in early childhood). Australia had 1 out of a squad of 30 (though, they seem to have attracted lads born all over the show - Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Papua New Guinea). By contrast, Tonga had about half a dozen New Zealanders with them, and more than half of the Samoan squad was NZ born. With that in mind, I don't think the islands will be doing too much whinging about the player swapping.

[From the Bunker]

The real story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XBqetaCfgo

[Celt_Man]

The real story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XBqetaCfgo

wow...

[screenexile]

And more . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKHCcfPMPHM

[lawnseed]

just reading that france have been fined for advancing on the haka in the world cup final breach of cultural protocal. and i was just starting to think rugby had it sorted

[Capt Pat]

"What an enthralling final it had absolutely everything. " according to the announcer on Setanta Sports. It was a a mess of a final with a brutal last ten minutes. New Zealand held the ball for the last 5. They really need to change the rules so that teams can't burn up the clock like that in tight games

[redhandloo]

"What an enthralling final it had absolutely everything. " according to the announcer on Setanta Sports. It was a a mess of a final with a brutal last ten minutes. New Zealand held the ball for the last 5. They really need to change the rules so that teams can't burn up the clock like that in tight games

To be fair, munster have done exactly the same thing in the closing stages of their heineken cup finals but I agree totally. Rule needs changed in some capacity

[trileacman]

"What an enthralling final it had absolutely everything. " according to the announcer on Setanta Sports. It was a a mess of a final with a brutal last ten minutes. New Zealand held the ball for the last 5. They really need to change the rules so that teams can't burn up the clock like that in tight games

Can't agree Pat, What can they do? Hand the ball over and say "here lads you wana have a go". You can't force them into conceding possession with a kick or playing risky manoeuvres like garyowen's or wide passes.
I didn't like to see it either but there was plenty of infringements if there was impartial ref there to see it. It happens in nearly all field sports, running to the corner flag in soccer/passing along your 45 in GAA.

[Hoof Hearted]

"What an enthralling final it had absolutely everything. " according to the announcer on Setanta Sports. It was a a mess of a final with a brutal last ten minutes. New Zealand held the ball for the last 5. They really need to change the rules so that teams can't burn up the clock like that in tight games

Can't agree Pat, What can they do? Hand the ball over and say "here lads you wana have a go". You can't force them into conceding possession with a kick or playing risky manoeuvres like garyowen's or wide passes.
I didn't like to see it either but there was plenty of infringements if there was impartial ref there to see it. It happens in nearly all field sports, running to the corner flag in soccer/passing along your 45 in GAA.

this team has had 4+ years of shit. They were winning that game if it was 3-0 after 1 minute  and holding the ball the remaining 79 mins, never mind 5 mins !

as they say in the premier league every week, it's a results business.

[Capt Pat]

"What an enthralling final it had absolutely everything. " according to the announcer on Setanta Sports. It was a a mess of a final with a brutal last ten minutes. New Zealand held the ball for the last 5. They really need to change the rules so that teams can't burn up the clock like that in tight games

Can't agree Pat, What can they do? Hand the ball over and say "here lads you wana have a go". You can't force them into conceding possession with a kick or playing risky manoeuvres like garyowen's or wide passes.
I didn't like to see it either but there was plenty of infringements if there was impartial ref there to see it. It happens in nearly all field sports, running to the corner flag in soccer/passing along your 45 in GAA.

this team has had 4+ years of shit. They were winning that game if it was 3-0 after 1 minute  and holding the ball the remaining 79 mins, never mind 5 mins !

as they say in the premier league every week, it's a results business.

The climax of the game is ruined by this rubbish. They have made it too easy to keep the ball at the end. It wasn't always possible to close out games this way. Why not change back to the old rules?