Did England mug Samoa today; yes they did. 4 wins and England still look hot and cold. Was that really a knock on when there was English hands on the ball as well. The try being given and the conversion missed before they had another look !
Ireland, South Africa, France and New Zealand looked the best 4 teams in the WC before a try was scored and nothing has changed my mind.
Because of the draw they won't all be in the semi finals but they are the strongest.
Ireland have their best ever chance and they are such a strong team who play with such nous. Making a half decent Scottish team look 2nd rate.
Did England mug Samoa today; yes they did. 4 wins and England still look hot and cold. Was that really a knock on when there was English hands on the ball as well. The try being given and the conversion missed before they had another look !
Ireland, South Africa, France and New Zealand looked the best 4 teams in the WC before a try was scored and nothing has changed my mind.
Because of the draw they won't all be in the semi finals but they are the strongest.
Ireland have their best ever chance and they are such a strong team who play with such nous. Making a half decent Scottish team look 2nd rate.
Real quandary now. The last two Ireland games I’ve missed because of a gig & a surprise roundy birthday party. I can’t possibly watch the All Blacks game now can I? 🥺🫣😫😞
Real quandary now. The last two Ireland games I’ve missed because of a gig & a surprise roundy birthday party. I can’t possibly watch the All Blacks game now can I? 🥺🫣😫😞
Big believer that superstition is bollocks, so enjoy the game!!
Time for these 2nd tier teams like Scotland and Italy to play in a pre World Cup tournament for the right to play with the big boys
can’t keep having these one sided games against the minnows
Certainly time for the group draw to be done much nearer the time. Sadly the 5th ranked team in the world was unlikely to qualify from a group with the nos 1 and 2 (it doesn't get worse then that!). But then again, I like your idea, with England and Wales being ranked lower than Scotland, it would have been them not Scotland in the pre World Cup tournament - so maybe you are on to something.
If teams below 8 in the world had to qualify, England (and of course Scotland as were ranked higher) would have been ok, but not Wales! If it was the top 8, England would have just squeaked in
At least they have ackonwledged they drew the groups way too early
The draw obviously needs looking at as it seems both semi finals are likely to be one sided affairs whereas the quarters have thrown together some matches that could or even should be the final
Portugal showing that Tier 2 nations deserve more opportunities against Tier 1 nations. Italy shouldn’t have a golden ticket to the elite in fact no one should. 6 nations division 2 with promotion has to happen. Incredible performance again by them.
Portugal continued to amaze and played some really good stuff.
Making a decent case for better treatment for Tier 2 nations.
Listened to the 5 Extra coverage, with the TV pictures (much better, though a bit glitchy).
Edit. I really recommend listening, at least to the second half, again on BBC Sounds. The commentators were just having the time of their lives, begging for another 40 minutes, with around 10 to go.
Real quandary now. The last two Ireland games I’ve missed because of a gig & a surprise roundy birthday party. I can’t possibly watch the All Blacks game now can I? 🥺🫣😫😞
Big believer that superstition is bollocks, so enjoy the game!!
me too, but that is probably just the Sagittarius in me.
the 1/4s have two games worthy of a final, Ireland/NZ and France/SA .. the draw must be better handled next time
Portugal !! .. gritty people, like the football team, this determined outfit has surpassed most people's expectations .. like to see them play Italy a few times .. problem will always be squad depth and league structure .. like many of the 'smaller' nations, the stars tend to go to France, that's where the proper league structure AND the money is
Fiji .. off the boil ? .. but we know that any team facing England tends to get up a scalding head of steam
the 1/4s have two games worthy of a final, Ireland/NZ and France/SA .. the draw must be better handled next time
Portugal !! .. gritty people, like the football team, this determined outfit has surpassed most people's expectations .. like to see them play Italy a few times .. problem will always be squad depth and league structure .. like many of the 'smaller' nations, the stars tend to go to France, that's where the proper league structure AND the money is
Fiji .. off the boil ? .. but we know that any team facing England tends to get up a scalding head of steam
Why must the draw be "better handled"? Isn't the purpose of a world championship to find the very best of the best? If so, then eight of the world's top nine teams competing in the knockout stages is a good thing, isn't it? And the possibility (or even probability) of Ireland or New Zealand facing France or South African in the final is mouth-watering for rugby fans around the world.
If Ireland v New Zealand is "worthy of a final", and France v South Africa is too, then surely the winners of each will also be "worthy of a final".
Would the same complaints about the draw be made if the semi finals were Ireland v South Africa and New Zealand v France?
I can't see anything in the draw that means the World Cup won't be won by a team that thoroughly deserves to do so.
Real quandary now. The last two Ireland games I’ve missed because of a gig & a surprise roundy birthday party. I can’t possibly watch the All Blacks game now can I? 🥺🫣😫😞
Big believer that superstition is bollocks, so enjoy the game!!
me too, but that is probably just the Sagittarius in me.
I’m a sagittarian & I’m completely superstitious when it comes to sports 😫🫣🤣🤣
the 1/4s have two games worthy of a final, Ireland/NZ and France/SA .. the draw must be better handled next time
Portugal !! .. gritty people, like the football team, this determined outfit has surpassed most people's expectations .. like to see them play Italy a few times .. problem will always be squad depth and league structure .. like many of the 'smaller' nations, the stars tend to go to France, that's where the proper league structure AND the money is
Fiji .. off the boil ? .. but we know that any team facing England tends to get up a scalding head of steam
Argentina proving the exception to the rule, which gave England a bump start to their tournament.
the 1/4s have two games worthy of a final, Ireland/NZ and France/SA .. the draw must be better handled next time
Portugal !! .. gritty people, like the football team, this determined outfit has surpassed most people's expectations .. like to see them play Italy a few times .. problem will always be squad depth and league structure .. like many of the 'smaller' nations, the stars tend to go to France, that's where the proper league structure AND the money is
Fiji .. off the boil ? .. but we know that any team facing England tends to get up a scalding head of steam
Why must the draw be "better handled"? Isn't the purpose of a world championship to find the very best of the best? If so, then eight of the world's top nine teams competing in the knockout stages is a good thing, isn't it? And the possibility (or even probability) of Ireland or New Zealand facing France or South African in the final is mouth-watering for rugby fans around the world.
If Ireland v New Zealand is "worthy of a final", and France v South Africa is too, then surely the winners of each will also be "worthy of a final".
Would the same complaints about the draw be made if the semi finals were Ireland v South Africa and New Zealand v France?
I can't see anything in the draw that means the World Cup won't be won by a team that thoroughly deserves to do so.
yes, best of the current best, not from 3 years ago
So you wouldn't have the first, second and fifth best in the world in the same group nor have the teams 2 and 3 in the world playing each other in a quarter final
the 1/4s have two games worthy of a final, Ireland/NZ and France/SA .. the draw must be better handled next time
Portugal !! .. gritty people, like the football team, this determined outfit has surpassed most people's expectations .. like to see them play Italy a few times .. problem will always be squad depth and league structure .. like many of the 'smaller' nations, the stars tend to go to France, that's where the proper league structure AND the money is
Fiji .. off the boil ? .. but we know that any team facing England tends to get up a scalding head of steam
Why must the draw be "better handled"? Isn't the purpose of a world championship to find the very best of the best? If so, then eight of the world's top nine teams competing in the knockout stages is a good thing, isn't it? And the possibility (or even probability) of Ireland or New Zealand facing France or South African in the final is mouth-watering for rugby fans around the world.
If Ireland v New Zealand is "worthy of a final", and France v South Africa is too, then surely the winners of each will also be "worthy of a final".
Would the same complaints about the draw be made if the semi finals were Ireland v South Africa and New Zealand v France?
I can't see anything in the draw that means the World Cup won't be won by a team that thoroughly deserves to do so.
No. Because on current form, not 3 year old seedings, that’s the semi lineup you’d expect. Rugby has already admitted they were wrong, so hopefully the one sided nature of the draw won’t happen again.
I doubt whether those 4 mentioned will lose sleep over it. They’ll all know that they have to beat the best of the rest at some stage. You’d usually expect that to come later than the quarters pairing them all up at once, but I just hope it doesn’t make any final too one sided.
Comments
4 wins and England still look hot and cold.
Was that really a knock on when there was English hands on the ball as well. The try being given and the conversion missed before they had another look !
Ireland, South Africa, France and New Zealand looked the best 4 teams in the WC before a try was scored and nothing has changed my mind.
Because of the draw they won't all be in the semi finals but they are the strongest.
Ireland have their best ever chance and they are such a strong team who play with such nous. Making a half decent Scottish team look 2nd rate.
I predicted there would be some doping scandal around the SA players
can’t keep having these one sided games against the minnows
The last two Ireland games I’ve missed because of a gig & a surprise roundy birthday party.
I can’t possibly watch the All Blacks game now can I? 🥺🫣😫😞
How many surprise birthday parties can you stand???
If teams below 8 in the world had to qualify, England (and of course Scotland as were ranked higher) would have been ok, but not Wales! If it was the top 8, England would have just squeaked in
At least they have ackonwledged they drew the groups way too early
World Rugby men’s rankings
(Teams in bold competing at 2023 World Cup)
1. Ireland
2. South Africa
3. France
4. New Zealand
5. Scotland
6. Argentina
7. Fiji
8. England
9. Australia
10. Wales
11. Georgia
12. Samoa
13. Italy
14. Japan
15. Tonga
16. Portugal
17. Uruguay
18. USA
19. Romania
20. Spain
21. Namibia
22. Chile
23. Canada
24. Hong Kong
Group 1 had Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain and someone else, Group 2 had 4 someone elses.
The team that won Group 1 played the team that won Group 2 and the 2nd and 3rd place in Group 1 played each other in the other semi.
One sided games help no one but you have to grow the game and share the love. Its a tough one.
Portugal continued to amaze and played some really good stuff.
Making a decent case for better treatment for Tier 2 nations.
Listened to the 5 Extra coverage, with the TV pictures (much better, though a bit glitchy).
Edit. I really recommend listening, at least to the second half, again on BBC Sounds. The commentators were just having the time of their lives, begging for another 40 minutes, with around 10 to go.
Obviously upsets can happen but i'd expect we're going to get a couple of fairly one sided semi finals.
Portugal !! .. gritty people, like the football team, this determined outfit has surpassed most people's expectations .. like to see them play Italy a few times .. problem will always be squad depth and league structure .. like many of the 'smaller' nations, the stars tend to go to France, that's where the proper league structure AND the money is
Fiji .. off the boil ? .. but we know that any team facing England tends to get up a scalding head of steam
If Ireland v New Zealand is "worthy of a final", and France v South Africa is too, then surely the winners of each will also be "worthy of a final".
Would the same complaints about the draw be made if the semi finals were Ireland v South Africa and New Zealand v France?
I can't see anything in the draw that means the World Cup won't be won by a team that thoroughly deserves to do so.
So you wouldn't have the first, second and fifth best in the world in the same group nor have the teams 2 and 3 in the world playing each other in a quarter final