Rugby World Cup 2023

[Trav Le Bleu]

After yesterday's thrashing it looks like another one-sided game tonight.

 

It's no wonder this thread has slipped off the 1st page when the games are so uncompetitive.

 

I've said it earlier in the thread; the gap between the top ten countries and the rest of the world is massive, which kind of renders the World Cup irrelevant.

 

Might as well just play the winners of the Six Nations (which should go back to being just 5) against the winners of the Rugby Championship.

[Super_horns]

Another hammering looming for Italy?

 

France 17-0 up already.

 

Some rather uncompetitive games recently.

 

Roll on the last 8!

Edited 6 October 2023 by Super_horns

[CosbehFox]

I don’t why they lob so many seeded games at start of the competition. 

[Finnegan]

This world cup has been a massive step back for Italian rugby. They're supposed to be closing the gap. They got dealt a horrid group but still expecting closer losses. 

 

France and a transitional New Zealand have made them look very tier two at a time when Fiji and Japan are really getting their shit together. 

[tinpot_fox]

17 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

This world cup has been a massive step back for Italian rugby. They're supposed to be closing the gap. They got dealt a horrid group but still expecting closer losses. 

 

France and a transitional New Zealand have made them look very tier two at a time when Fiji and Japan are really getting their shit together. 

I thought were Fiji looking tier one but Georgia were unlucky in the end. I have a feeling New Zealand will put a big score against one of the big boys soon.

 

2 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

After yesterday's thrashing it looks like another one-sided game tonight.

 

It's no wonder this thread has slipped off the 1st page when the games are so uncompetitive.

 

I've said it earlier in the thread; the gap between the top ten countries and the rest of the world is massive, which kind of renders the World Cup irrelevant.

 

Might as well just play the winners of the Six Nations (which should go back to being just 5) against the winners of the Rugby Championship.

Six nations but with relegation and promotion might get other countries to up their game.

[tinpot_fox]

So… anyone else on their way to Lille for the Rugby? 
 

I’m presuming the Saturday 3pm footie kick off won’t be on TV down the pub in France.

[Finnegan]

1 hour ago, tinpot_fox said:

Six nations but with relegation and promotion might get other countries to up their game.

 

This is a pretty terrible idea that keeps coming back all the time and it's just not the answer.

 

For a start, none of the existing Six Nations (who all have veto power, including Italy, who own a stake in the tournament and rightly so) will ever agree to promotion and relegation.

 

But beyond that, Unions need time. As much as this will hurt Italy, they've made massive progress in the 6N era, their age groups are now frequently beating all the other NH unions, the Italian public are taking to rugby, the number of participants and spectators in Italy has massively increased, there's a lot to admire. But people need to be patient and accept that these things don't just take one or two years, they don't even take a decade, they take generations. Rugby is intensely firmly rooted in the Home & Commonwealth nations, it didn't just spring up here over night. 

 

Georgia aren't in any position to compete long term and nor are Portugal just because they had a good tournament (or Spain, who lets not forget would have qualified instead if they didn't drop trou over some registration rules.) What they need is investment at their own level. Stop waving the prospect of getting dicked on 100-0 by England every other year as a money maker to them and actually help them build infrastructure at grass roots in their country. Start backing and helping develop Europe's second tier competitions so that people give a shit about it and it actually gets airtime globally. Pump money in to promoting the sport nationally in Romania, Netherlands, Germany, et all where they've shown potential for growth. 

 

Lobbing these nations in against "Tier One" so they can get fistfvcked isn't the answer, it's never been the answer and T1 fans need to get over the idea of wishing for it every other year if Italy don't win a game.

[leicsmac]

13 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

This is a pretty terrible idea that keeps coming back all the time and it's just not the answer.

 

For a start, none of the existing Six Nations (who all have veto power, including Italy, who own a stake in the tournament and rightly so) will ever agree to promotion and relegation.

 

But beyond that, Unions need time. As much as this will hurt Italy, they've made massive progress in the 6N era, their age groups are now frequently beating all the other NH unions, the Italian public are taking to rugby, the number of participants and spectators in Italy has massively increased, there's a lot to admire. But people need to be patient and accept that these things don't just take one or two years, they don't even take a decade, they take generations. Rugby is intensely firmly rooted in the Home & Commonwealth nations, it didn't just spring up here over night. 

 

Georgia aren't in any position to compete long term and nor are Portugal just because they had a good tournament (or Spain, who lets not forget would have qualified instead if they didn't drop trou over some registration rules.) What they need is investment at their own level. Stop waving the prospect of getting dicked on 100-0 by England every other year as a money maker to them and actually help them build infrastructure at grass roots in their country. Start backing and helping develop Europe's second tier competitions so that people give a shit about it and it actually gets airtime globally. Pump money in to promoting the sport nationally in Romania, Netherlands, Germany, et all where they've shown potential for growth. 

 

Lobbing these nations in against "Tier One" so they can get fistfvcked isn't the answer, it's never been the answer and T1 fans need to get over the idea of wishing for it every other year if Italy don't win a game.

Christ, Finn, what sport are we talking about here?

[Finnegan]

7 hours ago, leicsmac said:

Christ, Finn, what sport are we talking about here?

 

You've been in a maul right? 

 

What do you think the forwards are doing in there? 

[Izzy]

I’ve just realised that neither the USA or Canada are in this WC.

Did they both just not qualify this time?

[leicsmac]

57 minutes ago, Izzy said:

I’ve just realised that neither the USA or Canada are in this WC.

Did they both just not qualify this time?

Yeah, Chile beat Canada and then the US lost to Portugal in the final regional playoff. High drama too - Portugal scored a penalty with 82 minutes gone to draw the game 16-16 and went through instead of the USA on points difference.

[Aus Fox]

1 hour ago, Izzy said:

I’ve just realised that neither the USA or Canada are in this WC.

Did they both just not qualify this time?

Uruguay beat the USA in the final of the Americas qualifying competition.

The USA then got beat to qualifying by Portugal in the best runners up type qualifier.

[FoxyPV]

17 hours ago, CosbehFox said:

I don’t why they lob so many seeded games at start of the competition. 

They fvcked up by doing the seeding 3 years in advance. Nonsense 

[BKLFox]

Ollie Chessum he’s 1 of our own 

[BKLFox]

Wow some catch and ground that was

[PhillippaT]

Ooh - milliseconds in it.  Well played Samoa...

EDIT; Well, England, wa'd'ya got?   ANSWER: Not much  

Edited 7 October 2023 by PhillippaT

[leicsmac]

Samoa certainly not going to die wondering.

[PhillippaT]

*Phew*?  

Edited 7 October 2023 by PhillippaT

[BKLFox]

1 minute ago, leicsmac said:

Samoa certainly not going to die wondering.

It will always come down to fitness (getting better) and the bench for the Polynesian teams, they have the skill set and in some position they have top 5 players but just fall short due to those 2 short comings

[leicsmac]

Just now, BKLFox said:

It will always come down to fitness (getting better) and the bench for the Polynesian teams, they have the skill set and in some position they have top 5 players but just fall short due to those 2 short comings

Yeah, such teams often gas past 60 minutes. We'll see if that happens here.

[BKLFox]

2 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Yeah, such teams often gas past 60 minutes. We'll see if that happens here.

But currently, they certainly have England on the ropes and if they can take a few chances before they flag then England could be in trouble in this game

[FoxyPV]

SAMOAAAAAAAAAAA

[CWC1983]

England forwards celebrating every turnover like a try does my head in. 

[Finnegan]

[FoxyPV]

Just now, Finnegan said:

It won't last but let's enjoy it while it does