Rugby World Cup 2023

[Finnegan]

Definitely love seeing Siya win. 

 

Definitely hate seeing Rassie win.

 

[Livid]

Happy for Handre and Jasper. 
 

Even as a Tiger’s STH I’m not sure how long I can hang in with watching Rugby though. 
 

I understand the need for safety but it seems like someone is getting carded in every single game and it’s killing the game. 

[urban.spaceman]

Love it.

[EastAnglianFox]

Just cannot imagine how soul destroying it must be when you scramble for everything to win the ball back close to your own try line just to realise you’ve got about 90 metres to make against that South Africa defence 

[RowlattsFox]

It's not pretty watching South Africa at times but phenomenally difficult to beat. 

 

 

[SpacedX]

Superb tournament from the knockout stages. That France v South Africa QF was possibly the best game of international rugby I have ever seen.

 

France were robbed though. 

[Arriba Los Zorros]

Really can't warm to the springboks, they are usually extremely dull to watch and today another example of that. It's like watching Mourinho Chelsea hoover up all the titles. 

[Vacamion]

 

I thought NZ's rugby 2nd half was scintillating and they can feel a tad unlucky.

 

 

 

 

[MPH]

Undeserved winners. Can’t claim to be the best in the world when you’re only facing 14 men most of the game..

[Vacamion]

 

I made a noise when I saw this at the start of the game.

 

If you didn't make a noise, you aint watching the same game.

 

 

 

 

[UniFox21]

Bloody good game that 

[sm1]

NZ threw that game away. So many chances to win it.

[CWC1983]

NZ lack of a decent kicker killed them. 

 

Whether it was off the tee or finding touch, Barrett had at least 20m further up the touchline to go for every penalty. 

 

Well done SA, can't argue with back to back world cups. 

 

 

 

[Tielemans63]

Unfortunate for NZ but fair play to SA, to beat Scotland, Ireland, England, France and NZ....that's a phenomenal effort. Shame Rassie is such a cock.

[SpacedX]

2 minutes ago, UniFox21 said:

Bloody good game that 

Was it? I was too preoccupied watching Rene Naylor on the touchline. 

[Mike Oxlong]

Close but no cigar for the Northern Hemisphere sides which is a shame as it’d be nice to see someone other than the usual suspects win it 

[Nalis]

23 minutes ago, Tielemans63 said:

Unfortunate for NZ but fair play to SA, to beat Scotland, Ireland, England, France and NZ....that's a phenomenal effort. Shame Rassie is such a cock.

We beat them 13-8 in the group stage, obviously didnt matter at all but still...

[Nalis]

On 08/09/2023 at 23:09, Nalis said:

South Africa are going to proper snore their way to another WC lets face it

 

Still think its going to be a NZ SA final

I obviously didnt put money on this.

 

Only thing wrong about this was the snore comment that didnt apply to the close nature of thier games but definitely did to their style of play.

[Tielemans63]

16 minutes ago, Nalis said:

We beat them 13-8 in the group stage, obviously didnt matter at all but still...

Of course, you're absolutely right! Ignore that then!

[Finnegan]

1 hour ago, MPH said:

Undeserved winners. Can’t claim to be the best in the world when you’re only facing 14 men most of the game..

 

I dont agree. 

 

There's no such thing as an undeserving tournament winner at this level (except in 2003 maybe )

 

I probably leaned towards wanting NZ to win. But not South Africa's fault Sam Cane shoulder charged a player in the face (which he did) and not South Africa's fault their hooker got crippled by a pretty nasty bit of illegal play early on. 

 

You can only play the game you find yourself in and SA were excellent. They barely coughed up a point and the only try they conceded probably should have been chalked off as it came from what might have been Barnes only real mistake of the night. 

 

New Zealand have been below their own standards for most of this world cup cycle and even today their handling and execution was suspect and they lacked a lot of answers for South Africa's defence even after securing set piece ball where the extra man ceased to matter. 

 

But probably want to enjoy it while it lasts because a Razor lead All Blacks is a fvcking terrifying prospect and I wouldn't mind a cheeky punt they go back to back themselves at the next two world cups. 

 

[MPH]

13 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

I dont agree. 

 

There's no such thing as an undeserving tournament winner at this level (except in 2003 maybe )

 

I probably leaned towards wanting NZ to win. But not South Africa's fault Sam Cane shoulder charged a player in the face (which he did) and not South Africa's fault their hooker got crippled by a pretty nasty bit of illegal play early on. 

 

You can only play the game you find yourself in and SA were excellent. They barely coughed up a point and the only try they conceded probably should have been chalked off as it came from what might have been Barnes only real mistake of the night. 

 

New Zealand have been below their own standards for most of this world cup cycle and even today their handling and execution was suspect and they lacked a lot of answers for South Africa's defence even after securing set piece ball where the extra man ceased to matter. 

 

But probably want to enjoy it while it lasts because a Razor lead All Blacks is a fvcking terrifying prospect and I wouldn't mind a cheeky punt they go back to back themselves at the next two world cups. 

 

I do see what you’re saying but they labored to a win against 14 men for most of the game.. you’d expect them to blow 14 men apart…

[Nalis]

On 27/10/2023 at 22:13, EastAnglianFox said:

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 

The NH teams will beat South Africa in the autumn internationals more often than not during the cycle to get hopes up....and then get beat by South Africa again when it matters at a world cup.

Edited 29 October 2023 by Nalis

[Lionator]

France and Ireland fans must have been feeling pig sick watching that. 

[Finnegan]

9 hours ago, MPH said:

I do see what you’re saying but they labored to a win against 14 men for most of the game.. you’d expect them to blow 14 men apart…

 

I wouldn't really. Not when those 14 men are the All Blacks and it's a world cup semi final and particularly when you're a defence orientated team with a 7-1 split. 

 

I said earlier in the week this game would be decided by a refs decision or a mistake or a freak moment because the two teams are so ridiculously close. That's pretty much what's happened. 

 

Do I think South Africa were a bit underwhelming? Yes. But that often happens in finals in every sport. That absolutely doesn't make them undeserving winners which I think is a very harsh term. 

 

[SpacedX]

10 hours ago, MPH said:

I do see what you’re saying but they labored to a win against 14 men for most of the game.. you’d expect them to blow 14 men apart…

Actually, Cane was sent off @29 minutes in addition to the fact that for almost 20 minutes SA were also down to 14 men. So that's half, not most of the game.