Rugby World Cup 2023

[trabuch]

9 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

The 2003 winners did pretty much exactly that. Perhaps the game has moved on a bit since then though.

It has. Thankfully. Rugby should really be about scoring tries. (Said as someone who played on the wing)

Edited 21 October 2023 by trabuch

[leicsmac]

3 minutes ago, SouthStandUpperTier said:

But they had the flair of Jason Robinson who had the ability to unlock any defense at any moment. I don't see anyone like that in this England squad.

Who scored one try against the "bigger" teams in the whole tournament - in the final. In fact the team as a whole only scored a total of three tries against the Tier 1 teams in the whole tournament. Where the power to win the Cup for England that year undoubtedly rested was on the boot of Jonny Wilkinson, and on the discipline to win enough penalties and territory to make him effective.

 

3 minutes ago, trabuch said:

It has. Thankfully. Rugby should really be about scoring tries. (Said as someone who played on the wing)

I would certainly agree with the sentiment, but at the same time, IMO the best teams are adaptable based on opposition and conditions and should be prepared to win games either with the ball in hand or the boot if necessary.

[Nalis]

Hard luck England, thought you guys had the win until the front row replacements couldn't do it in scrums compared to your starting front row.

 

Thought were ahead in most other aspects, gameplan was excellent too. Lots of positives moving forward.

 

As for South Africa, their handling was fvckin awful among a lot of other facets of their game tonight.

 

 

[leicsmac]

As an aside, I honestly don't see the point of third-place playoffs in any competition outside, say, the Olympics where there's a specific reward for winning them. No one on either team really wants to play them and they seem to just be a money-spinner.

[BKLFox]

9 minutes ago, SouthStandUpperTier said:

England really struggled to score tries against anyone with a semblance of defensive organisation. Their luck was going to run out sooner or later. You're not going to beat the big nations 3 points at a time. You've got to score tries.

Not sure much was expected from England with Borthwick less than a year into the role but still got 2 minutes to a WC final.

He’s still putting his stamp & coaching team together with Felix Jones for example joining from the SA staff after next w/ends final.
I suspect, like after his half season start with Tigers Tries will follow and I expect a better 6N than this year for sure.

But yes I hope they start to throw the ball around myself but just looking tonight v last w/end how many times did you hear Kolbe’s name, I’m not sure especially in international rugby will you see a basket ball match like last w/end or you might see in club rugby or from a pacific nation team, maybe that was France’s downfall.

[EastAnglianFox]

I know it’s not the greatest all blacks side ever but surely if South Africa play like that again in the first half it will be done and dusted after 40 minutes.

 

 

[fuchsntf]

There are games,where,one shuts up,stop chasing,every soundbite of a reason..what went right or wrong…

Even England   fans were expecting a  trouncing,even S.A in that last 15 minutes had their doubts…

Many mitigating circumstances…

True hate over a game…never understand warped ideas..

This game panned out & proved,the Fans.the Peoples,couldn’t have got it more wrong,in calling their own wanting expectations

2 teams turned up..and both fought until the end, in very difficult conditions.

Sport & sport at its cruellest best,and facing up to team and own individual demons

over many months,and the other being faced down,with unexpected high competition…Great old time rugby against weather,split descisions,top descisions.

[Dr Marco]

Back from Stade de France

We showed up!

Immensely proud of the lads! <3

[filbertway]

I know nothing about Rugby but it felt like we could have been braver on the ball at 15-6

 

Faf is some boy though, you've got to rate him.

 

Im all NZ next weekend now

[st albans fox]

10 hours ago, fuchsntf said:

There are games,where,one shuts up,stop chasing,every soundbite of a reason..what went right or wrong…

Even England   fans were expecting a  trouncing,even S.A in that last 15 minutes had their doubts…

Many mitigating circumstances…

True hate over a game…never understand warped ideas..

This game panned out & proved,the Fans.the Peoples,couldn’t have got it more wrong,in calling their own wanting expectations

2 teams turned up..and both fought until the end, in very difficult conditions.

Sport & sport at its cruellest best,and facing up to team and own individual demons

over many months,and the other being faced down,with unexpected high competition…Great old time rugby against weather,split descisions,top descisions.

They’re quite a machine though mentally 

didn’t seem to panic on the pitch despite the scoreline 

 

around 73 mins and still down a score, they had a couple scrums well into their own half.  No rush - taking their time - letting the clock tick down. Absolutely sure that they would get a penalty chance in range at some point and the longer that took to come around, the less time England would have to come back and manufacture a drop goal opportunity.  Mindset of winners 

[fuchsntf]

To all on these last Posts I have read... 

ALL Points, in Rugby  are accumulated in various ways, That IS WHAT MAKES THE GAME OF RUGBY

No one way is special than the other, all have their classic, clinical, roll around.. 

No snobbish protence.. 

 

Like all ball game sport, it has its varieties of ways of conquests, turning a large or small strength to one's advantage.. 

With probably only NZ, in all eras, not all W. Class Wide eras of success has shown to been about accumulating one desired area of Try-scoring. POINT Scoring. YES.!! 

 

S. Africa teams for example have over the years.. 

OF successfull  teams, procured that success, from great.. DROP-GOAL moments, Penalty drives, Areal pitch ownership,high-kicking game or  lack of it.. 

 

Yesterday for me England lost that game on 2 last 7 minute throw ins, in attacking positions. S. Africa won it on their patience to play 80 full minutes. 

Plus 2 of England oldest Stalwart props, we couldn't replace.. 

 

Here's my arrogance.. (ex) Tigers players were totally involved in being there or not, at the beginning or End.. 

Stange that innit..?? 

 

Why even Enzo, & earlier PEP, following their Rugby counter parts have noticed, top teams, don't just depend on GameDay first choice, but can twist the knife, by pre-planning the full 90(80) minutes (or the whole competition) & use their held-back replacements. 

 

Edited 22 October 2023 by fuchsntf

[purpleronnie]

I backed SA at the start but can only see a NZ victory.

[Lionator]

10 hours ago, filbertway said:

I know nothing about Rugby but it felt like we could have been braver on the ball at 15-6

 

Faf is some boy though, you've got to rate him.

 

Im all NZ next weekend now

We had no attacking game plan. The plan was to do what we did. If we got a lucky try then that would’ve been a bonus. But if we’d been braver with the ball, that would’ve suited South Africa as they desperately needed the game to open up. It was a great game plan but ultimately if you can’t score tries, you’re going to eventually lose. 

[leicsmac]

5 minutes ago, Lionator said:

We had no attacking game plan. The plan was to do what we did. If we got a lucky try then that would’ve been a bonus. But if we’d been braver with the ball, that would’ve suited South Africa as they desperately needed the game to open up. It was a great game plan but ultimately if you can’t score tries, you’re going to eventually lose. 

Yeah, the choices were either do what England did and take our chances, or play a more expansive game, throw the ball about some and get slaughtered, guaranteed.

[Zear0]

Amused to read "brave England lose" in the headlines.  I've always found it a patronising phrase the English press trott out when a naff team loses by a fine margin to a better team.  Shoe's on the other foot for once as it's typically reserved for the Scots.

 

Can't agree with much of the above, England played to their strengths against objectively a better team.  If they'd tried to play wide, expansive, attacking rugby they'd have got smashed.  I disagree with the "don't score tries you don't win" as, much like NFL, you can be extremely effective with a robust and organised defence unlike football where you do need goals.  If you're disciplined, fast and hard in defence then you actually tend to win.  Someone earlier summed it up nicely and compared it to peak Tigers which I think summed it up nicely for me.  It'd be nice to have more flair, but the tournament would potentially have been shorter lived if they had done that.  This is one of the weakest England times with respect to indvidiuals for a while and sometimes the Mourinho approach is a necessity to have a chance.

 

Either way, was a great effort which is all that can be asked in any international tournament.  Unusually England left a tournament with a higher opinion of them than entering.  More often than not it's the other way around.

[Super_horns]

Did kick off a few times particularly at the end.

 

Maybe this is why ?

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67185493

[SouthStandUpperTier]

Nobody was asking England to throw it about under their own posts like they were playing an exhibition test against the Barbarians. But they could at least open it up a bit when they've got their opponent pinned inside their own 22. They couldn't and/or wouldn't, and are deservedly going home.

[RonnieTodger]

Couple of woeful line outs from George were costly at key moments.

 

We’re a vastly inferior team to RSA, I don’t have a problem with the gallant losers tag. 

[Dr Marco]

 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/67190624?at_link_origin=BBC_Sport&at_medium=social&at_campaign_type=owned&at_format=link&at_link_type=web_link&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_link_id=CF4BF084-712C-11EE-B716-10BBAD7C7D13&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_ptr_name=facebook_page&fbclid=IwAR1gbL37yl-jkTsHtbZgcsryluD6FeBKivcinGVsumvf7tPpBHllAxHNpi8

Edited 25 October 2023 by Dr Marco

[Izzy]

Whoop whoop we wonned the bronze 

[Super_horns]

2 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Whoop whoop we wonned the bronze 

Probably better than most expected.

[EastAnglianFox]

I know it’s another 4 years away but in terms of the new generation coming through who are we looking at in terms of possible domination?  (if anybody)

 

Or we stuck with South Africa bullying everybody again for another cycle 

[UniFox21]

Hopefully a NZ win tonight.

 

SA hooker looks in a bad way following that tackle 

[Finnegan]

For game as a spectacle I really hope that's not a red. 

 

Don't personally think he intended that. 

[Staff]

Mbonambi got away with racism on the field last week, despite being reported on the field (and getting away with it) and in the press. so how is he starting today?