Rugby World Cup 2023

[MPH]

Looking forward to the South Africa Ireland game. South Africa clear favorites for the WC already.. win that and I can’t see anyone who can stop them.. Maybe france..

Edited 17 September 2023 by MPH

[foxes_rule1978]

Japan are good, causing us issues. Need to keep strong 

[MPH]

A knock on right on cue……

[MPH]

1 minute ago, foxes_rule1978 said:

Japan are good, causing us issues. Need to keep strong 

 

One mistake and this game could totally change.. England cools be out of sight or Japan right in the mix..

[foxes_rule1978]

We are playing better now but Japan can break 

Edited 17 September 2023 by foxes_rule1978

[foxes_rule1978]

That is a beauty 

[foxes_rule1978]

Wow great kick 

[MPH]

Oh well, it was fun whilst it lasted.

[foxes_rule1978]

We are playing well again, despite the rubbish warms ups 

[foxes_rule1978]

Guess it is best to play your best stuff at a major tournament 

[foxes_rule1978]

We went from useless to actually being good 

[CosbehFox]

Japan ain’t good folks. They are very average. Them v Samoa will be very tight. 
 

Difference in the benches told. Never really been a fan of Mitchell and don’t think Youngs is anywhere near his best form but looked a lot with them at 9. 

[MPH]

34 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

Japan ain’t good folks. They are very average. Them v Samoa will be very tight. 
 

Difference in the benches told. Never really been a fan of Mitchell and don’t think Youngs is anywhere near his best form but looked a lot with them at 9. 

 

I’d say they are better than average.. 1/4 finals last  World Cup  and it was only a couple of years ago they beat Ireland? But yeah, no where near  the top 8 if that’s what you mean.. probably one of the ‘ best of the rest’

[Finnegan]

 

 

[Finnegan]

8 hours ago, MPH said:

 

I’d say they are better than average.. 1/4 finals last  World Cup  and it was only a couple of years ago they beat Ireland? But yeah, no where near  the top 8 if that’s what you mean.. probably one of the ‘ best of the rest’

 

The last world cup was their world cup though and their preparation for it was extremely unusual. The vast majority of their squad were together playing collectively for about nine odd months. They came in more prepared and organised than any country ever has for an international tournament. That and home field advantage did them wonders. 

 

Japanese rugby definitely is improving, they have their own properly professional league now, they've dipped in and out of Super Rugby a bit (with very little success mind) and it's definitely one of the best growth areas in the sport. 

 

But their rise is nowhere near that of, say, Argentina (who you beat comfortably) or Fiji over the last world cup cycle and I'm not sure they're really any better than Samoa and Tonga since the eligibility rules change. 

 

The word "average" is odd in rugby because there's so many different levels that being average against your own expectations is difficult. But it's pretty obvious he meant "Japan aren't a particularly great team, England are just very lacklustre" which is very much true.

 

You should have beaten them far more comfortably, just as we should have beaten Portugal far more comfortably. 

[BenTheFox]

England do play some very boring rugby but it's been awesome being out in Nice for the last few days. 

[Finnegan]

2 minutes ago, BenTheFox said:

England do play some very boring rugby but it's been awesome being out in Nice for the last few days. 

 

There's like three different stages of drunk in this photo and I'm here for it 

[BenTheFox]

2 hours ago, Finnegan said:

 

There's like three different stages of drunk in this photo and I'm here for it 

A lot of €8 pints 

[Finnegan]

33 minutes ago, BenTheFox said:

A lot of €8 pints 

 

Oof 

[Izzy]

7 hours ago, Finnegan said:

 

 

That’s exactly how I envisage you after a Wales defeat 

[Finnegan]

11 minutes ago, Izzy said:

That’s exactly how I envisage you after a Wales defeat 

 

Only Leicester usually get me that angry to be fair. I can't remember too many times over the years that I've been that infuriated by Welsh rugby matches other than maybe the odd refereeing decisions (like when they allowed a French ref to do a Wales vs France world cup semi final and he absolutely, definitely, 100% cheated but I'm completely over it now.)

 

Edited 18 September 2023 by Finnegan

[Nalis]

Entertaining game this, Italy's discipline has been shocking.

[Nalis]

Uruguay score 1 try when Italy had 13. Italy score 2 when Uruguay had 14, followed by another shortly after. Difference in quality between the teams really. Uruguay seemed terrified of chucking it about when they had the 2 men advantage.

 

Now all we need in the mother of all Italian shocks v NZ or France 

[RowlattsFox]

Can't be fun this for Namibia. I know it was always going to be comfortable but France blowing them away. 

[Super_horns]

1 hour ago, RowlattsFox said:

Can't be fun this for Namibia. I know it was always going to be comfortable but France blowing them away. 

Being down to 14 men probably didn't help.

 

Understand Dupont got injured though which will be very bad news for France if serious.