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Rugby World Cup 2023
Comments
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I don't think the final will be one-sided. Likely to be Ireland or NZ vs France or SA. And even the semi-finals I suspect will be close enough to make them a decent spectacle. Playing as huge underdogs against either France or SA would be right up England's street - absolutely no expectation to play any rugby - just dog it out for 80 mins and try to stop the other side playing by dragging them down to England's level. Perfect for this England team!1
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Wales
Ireland
Ireland
England just
France
France
Ireland vs France final which France will win is my take on it.0 -
palarsehater said:Wales
Ireland
Ireland
England just
France
France
Ireland vs France final which France will win is my take on it.0 -
my other half is irish so we wanted to venture out to watch the game aside from oneills do any of the other pubs show rugby? thanks in advance1
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palarsehater said:my other half is irish so we wanted to venture out to watch the game aside from oneills do any of the other pubs show rugby? thanks in advance1
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TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.0 -
Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.2 -
PrincessFiona said:Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.0 -
Chizz said:PrincessFiona said:Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.
Maybe you don't understand seeding? But the Wimbledon draw is a good way to demonstrate it. ever wondered why the tops 2 seeds are in different halves of the draw and the seeds are distributed as they are?
Maybe you haven't been following this thread or the tournament very closely?0 -
Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.
https://www.ruck.co.uk/france-opener-england-get-tough-group-in-revised-rugby-world-cup-draw/
1 - Sponsored links:
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TelMc32 said:Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.0 -
TelMc32 said:Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.0 -
PrincessFiona said:Chizz said:PrincessFiona said:Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.
Maybe you don't understand seeding? But the Wimbledon draw is a good way to demonstrate it. ever wondered why the tops 2 seeds are in different halves of the draw and the seeds are distributed as they are?
Maybe you haven't been following this thread or the tournament very closely?
If you don't know the effect of the change you're suggesting, ie drawing the pools later, that's fair enough. I was dining wondering what the effect of doing it differently would mean.
As far as I can see, the eight teams that have gone through have deserved to; and having a different set of teams in the quarters probably wouldn't have made the competition measurably more compelling.0 -
Chizz said:PrincessFiona said:Chizz said:PrincessFiona said:Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.
Maybe you don't understand seeding? But the Wimbledon draw is a good way to demonstrate it. ever wondered why the tops 2 seeds are in different halves of the draw and the seeds are distributed as they are?
Maybe you haven't been following this thread or the tournament very closely?
If you don't know the effect of the change you're suggesting, ie drawing the pools later, that's fair enough. I was dining wondering what the effect of doing it differently would mean.
As far as I can see, the eight teams that have gone through have deserved to; and having a different set of teams in the quarters probably wouldn't have made the competition measurably more compelling.
When did I say or even show I don't know the effects of the change that IS going to be made going forward? Are you even aware of hw a draw works?
I'm not aware of anyone, certainly not me suggesting a knockout tournament like Wimbledon!
Not fully correct about the 8 teams. It was impossible for the top 8 in the world to all get though0 -
PrincessFiona said:Chizz said:PrincessFiona said:Chizz said:PrincessFiona said:Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.
Maybe you don't understand seeding? But the Wimbledon draw is a good way to demonstrate it. ever wondered why the tops 2 seeds are in different halves of the draw and the seeds are distributed as they are?
Maybe you haven't been following this thread or the tournament very closely?
If you don't know the effect of the change you're suggesting, ie drawing the pools later, that's fair enough. I was dining wondering what the effect of doing it differently would mean.
As far as I can see, the eight teams that have gone through have deserved to; and having a different set of teams in the quarters probably wouldn't have made the competition measurably more compelling.
When did I say or even show I don't know the effects of the change that IS going to be made going forward? Are you even aware of hw a draw works?
I'm not aware of anyone, certainly not me suggesting a knockout tournament like Wimbledon!
Not fully correct about the 8 teams. It was impossible for the top 8 in the world to all get though
In your view, had World Rugby made the pool selections later, what would the quarter final line up look like? And would the winner be different?
I'd genuinely be interested to know if you have an answer to this. (You said you'd have to see the draw, which I took to mean you don't know. Apologies if you do know and simply chose not to answer).
You seem to be a proponent of a change in the way the draw is made, or at least in its timing. What would the effect of any such change have been on this year's competition?
Please answer, because, as I said, I'd be interested in how you envisage it might have played out, not least on the make up of the last eight.0 -
To be honest, all they needed to do was make a late switch the groups that meet each other in the QF!That way the line-up would be:
Wales v New Zealand
France v Fiji
Ireland v England
South Africa v Argentina
if the games went to form you’d have the four best sides in the SF1 -
Chizz said:PrincessFiona said:Chizz said:PrincessFiona said:Chizz said:PrincessFiona said:Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.
Maybe you don't understand seeding? But the Wimbledon draw is a good way to demonstrate it. ever wondered why the tops 2 seeds are in different halves of the draw and the seeds are distributed as they are?
Maybe you haven't been following this thread or the tournament very closely?
If you don't know the effect of the change you're suggesting, ie drawing the pools later, that's fair enough. I was dining wondering what the effect of doing it differently would mean.
As far as I can see, the eight teams that have gone through have deserved to; and having a different set of teams in the quarters probably wouldn't have made the competition measurably more compelling.
When did I say or even show I don't know the effects of the change that IS going to be made going forward? Are you even aware of hw a draw works?
I'm not aware of anyone, certainly not me suggesting a knockout tournament like Wimbledon!
Not fully correct about the 8 teams. It was impossible for the top 8 in the world to all get though
In your view, had World Rugby made the pool selections later, what would the quarter final line up look like? And would the winner be different?
I'd genuinely be interested to know if you have an answer to this. (You said you'd have to see the draw, which I took to mean you don't know. Apologies if you do know and simply chose not to answer).
You seem to be a proponent of a change in the way the draw is made, or at least in its timing. What would the effect of any such change have been on this year's competition?
Please answer, because, as I said, I'd be interested in how you envisage it might have played out, not least on the make up of the last eight.
Do you even understand that the draw of the current tournament meant the teams ranked 1, 2 and 5 couldn't all qualify for the quarters?
Not sure why you are discussing something you clearly don't understand - not that is at all unusual?
Who suggested a knockout tournament like Wimbledon by the way, as I am not aware of anyone0 -
kinveachyaddick said:To be honest, all they needed to do was make a late switch the groups that meet each other in the QF!That way the line-up would be:
Wales v New Zealand
France v Fiji
Ireland v England
South Africa v Argentina
if the games went to form you’d have the four best sides in the SF0 -
Chizz said:kinveachyaddick said:To be honest, all they needed to do was make a late switch the groups that meet each other in the QF!That way the line-up would be:
Wales v New Zealand
France v Fiji
Ireland v England
South Africa v Argentina
if the games went to form you’d have the four best sides in the SF1 -
kinveachyaddick said:To be honest, all they needed to do was make a late switch the groups that meet each other in the QF!That way the line-up would be:
Wales v New Zealand
France v Fiji
Ireland v England
South Africa v Argentina
if the games went to form you’d have the four best sides in the SF1 - Sponsored links:
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TelMc32 said:Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.1 -
Isn’t the point Chizz is making is that regardless of when the seeding takes place all we’re doing is ensuring the top 8 seeds are conveniently red carpeted into the last 8. Why should that be? Is it because people are upset it didn’t particularly help Scotland? So what they’d have to beat a team above them to win it anyway? Because they are ranked 5th in the world they have a divine right to be in the QF’s? Absolutely does my head in the arrogance of Tier 1 nations and their fans. It’s the single biggest thing holding rugby back as a sport.3
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Nug said:Isn’t the point Chizz is making is that regardless of when the seeding takes place all we’re doing is ensuring the top 8 seeds are conveniently red carpeted into the last 8. Why should that be? Is it because people are upset it didn’t particularly help Scotland? So what they’d have to beat a team above them to win it anyway? Because they are ranked 5th in the world they have a divine right to be in the QF’s? Absolutely does my head in the arrogance of Tier 1 nations and their fans. It’s the single biggest thing holding rugby back as a sport.
Assuming there is going to be seeding, just as there is in other world cups including the football one, it needs to be correct. It isn't correct for this world cup as World Rugby have admitted and will correct next time. If this was against England, I'm sure we can imagine the outrage. Over and over, And over!
It isn't just about Scotland though. As has been mentioned several times and not just by me.
It's not like people on here whinge about every potential refereeing mistake!
Do you disagree with seedings in any tournament in any sport then? Why is it just in rugby it does your head in and holds the sport back0 -
PrincessFiona said:Nug said:Isn’t the point Chizz is making is that regardless of when the seeding takes place all we’re doing is ensuring the top 8 seeds are conveniently red carpeted into the last 8. Why should that be? Is it because people are upset it didn’t particularly help Scotland? So what they’d have to beat a team above them to win it anyway? Because they are ranked 5th in the world they have a divine right to be in the QF’s? Absolutely does my head in the arrogance of Tier 1 nations and their fans. It’s the single biggest thing holding rugby back as a sport.
Assuming there is going to be seeding, just as there is in other world cups including the football one, it needs to be correct. It isn't correct for this world cup as World Rugby have admitted and will correct next time. If this was against England, I'm sure we can imagine the outrage. Over and over, And over!
It isn't just about Scotland though. As has been mentioned several times and not just by me.
It's not like people on here whinge about every potential refereeing mistake!
Do you disagree with seedings in any tournament in any sport then? Why is it just in rugby it does your head in and holds the sport back
I personally would rather see far fewer teams even if it meant that each team in a group played eachother twice. How many top players have been injured playing pretty pointless games during this WC ?0 -
Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:TelMc32 said:Chizz said:Lincsaddick said: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
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.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.
https://www.ruck.co.uk/france-opener-england-get-tough-group-in-revised-rugby-world-cup-draw/
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Just about all sports use seedings to spread the teams around at major events. Imagine if the Football World Cup draw wasn't seeded and you ended up with
Group 1 - France, England, Argentina, Brazil
Group 2 - Sweden, South Korea, Paraguay, Egypt
i.e. the top 4 ranked countries at the moment all in one group. It would make for an exciting group stage, but having 2 of the top 4 in the world going out so early feels wrong.
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Chizz said:kinveachyaddick said:To be honest, all they needed to do was make a late switch the groups that meet each other in the QF!That way the line-up would be:
Wales v New Zealand
France v Fiji
Ireland v England
South Africa v Argentina
if the games went to form you’d have the four best sides in the SFBut the game has evolved in the last 3 years. Those same cities would still get their share of the major, current, best teams in the world. It’s simply a ridiculous way to seed a world tournament and feeble excuse for doing so. In reality, it’s all about World Rugby looking after itself ahead of the game.0 -
all this convoluted chat about the intricacies of the seeding and the draw, and so little about the actual GAMES .. worrying lol1
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AndyG said:PrincessFiona said:Nug said:Isn’t the point Chizz is making is that regardless of when the seeding takes place all we’re doing is ensuring the top 8 seeds are conveniently red carpeted into the last 8. Why should that be? Is it because people are upset it didn’t particularly help Scotland? So what they’d have to beat a team above them to win it anyway? Because they are ranked 5th in the world they have a divine right to be in the QF’s? Absolutely does my head in the arrogance of Tier 1 nations and their fans. It’s the single biggest thing holding rugby back as a sport.
Assuming there is going to be seeding, just as there is in other world cups including the football one, it needs to be correct. It isn't correct for this world cup as World Rugby have admitted and will correct next time. If this was against England, I'm sure we can imagine the outrage. Over and over, And over!
It isn't just about Scotland though. As has been mentioned several times and not just by me.
It's not like people on here whinge about every potential refereeing mistake!
Do you disagree with seedings in any tournament in any sport then? Why is it just in rugby it does your head in and holds the sport back
I personally would rather see far fewer teams even if it meant that each team in a group played eachother twice. How many top players have been injured playing pretty pointless games during this WC ?0 -
killerandflash said:Just about all sports use seedings to spread the teams around at major events. Imagine if the Football World Cup draw wasn't seeded and you ended up with
Group 1 - France, England, Argentina, Brazil
Group 2 - Sweden, South Korea, Paraguay, Egypt
i.e. the top 4 ranked countries at the moment all in one group. It would make for an exciting group stage, but having 2 of the top 4 in the world going out so early feels wrong.0