2019 Rugby World Cup

[Jimbuna]

A little surprised a thread hasn't been created on this momentus sporting event especially when you consider twenty countries (USA included) started in the competition.

Anyhooo, we are at the quarter final (remaining eight) stage and first game up was England v Australia.

England won 40-16 :yeah:

The second quarter final has just started and Ireland are up against the current world champions New Zealand.

[Jimbuna]

New Zealand beat Ireland 46-14 to bring about a semi final against England.

[skidman]

Well, too many easy mistakes and handling errors by the Irish. And they failed to create something when inside the NZ 22.

[skidman]

Vahaamahina's elbow lost France the match. Congrats Wales!

[Jimbuna]

Aye, Wales went through beating France 20-19.

Last quarter final sees the hosts Japan v South Africa.

[Jimbuna]

South Africa won 26-3 so will play Wales in the second semi final.

[skidman]

Physically strong Boks destroyed an exhausted Nippon side.

[Jimbuna]

I thought Japan were the team of the tournament/surprise package all things considered.

[skidman]

Puh. Disappointing display by the All Blacks I must say. Brilliant defensive work by England. They win on territory, standard plays and Maro Itoje.

[Skybird]

I am not much into Rugby, but I understand that NZ is the superpower in this sports currently, and England could not automatically expect to overcome them. Congrats!

[Jimbuna]

Wasn't overly confident before the game but very happy at the 19-7 victory and a place in the final.

Who will we face next Saturday, Wales or South Africa?

I'm thinking it could well be Wales and an all British final.

[Skybird]

I'm thinking it could well be Wales and an all British final.
Hm, I see a risk that Corbyn may block it.

[Jimbuna]

Hm, I see a risk that Corbyn may block it.

One could always use the scruffy buggas head as the ball :)

[skidman]

I thought this was the rugby thread. Isn't there enough space to insult MPs (on a substandard level I must say) in other threads on the board?

[skidman]

Close contest between SA and Wales. The Boks stuck to their defensive plan and won from the tee.

[Jimbuna]

Hard lines on Wales going down 16-19 to South Africa with a 76th minute penalty. You could say the Africans stuck to their game plan and kicked them into submission.

Would have liked to see an all British final.

[Aktungbby]

Well imho, if it's South Africa...its still an all British final to a former San Jose Seahawk hooker with 7 years in the scrum! :yep::O: http://pelicanrefs.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Larry-Bang-Bang-624x504.jpg:Kaleun_Salute:We toured Ireland, Australia and New Zealand in the 70's...and actually won a few games
due to our marvelous Welch coaches who taught us well; particularly the scrum to "run under a blanket"! I never had to wait over a ruck for my props and second row. First over the ball with a tight full scrum oft decides a lot of matches! Our captain/coach, a San Jose baby doctor, was a marvelelous leader, playing into his 50's. He'd played for the Shamrocks and retired to Galway. Bottom line as explained to my nephews: American football is "rugby for pussies!" My shekel's on England to win it all! Matt Damon is not playing for the Springboks! :O::Kaleun_Cheers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juA_N0jQzHU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juA_N0jQzHU) NOTE: THE OLD GUY BEING INTERVIEWED WAS MY OPPOSITE 'A' TEAM HOOKER AND HELPED ME OUT WHEN MY JAW WAS BROKEN ('75) PLAYING FOR CHICO STATE-SHORT A MAN AT HOOKER POSITION-PRIOR TO MY OWN TEAM'S GAME... AHH THE DAYS WHEN I COULD PLAY TWO GAMES AND PARTY!:Kaleun_Crying:THE OFFENDING (jawbreaker)MAN WAS REMOVED FROM THE GAME; BANNED FROM THE LEAGUE; AND THE OPPOSITION HAD TO PLAY A MAN SHORT, SO CHICO WON WHILST I WAS AT A HOSPITAL GETTING MY JAW WIRED FOR SIX WEEKS.

[Jimbuna]

American football is "rugby for pussies!"

It's funny you should say that what is often said here in the UK :O:

[Jimbuna]

England head coach Eddie Jones has responded to Wales counterpart Warren Gatland suggesting they had already played their "World Cup final" in the win over New Zealand.

Gatland was speaking after his side lost 19-16 to South Africa, a day after England beat the All Blacks 19-7 in the tournament's first semi-final.

"You just send my best wishes to Warren to make sure he enjoys the third and fourth place play-off," said Jones in a tongue-in-cheek comment at England's news conference.

At the weekend, Gatland had added: "We have seen in previous World Cups that teams sometimes play their final in semi-finals and don't always turn up for a final.

"So it will be interesting to see how England are next week and it could be a good game."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50205293

Rugby is not usually like this :)

[Aktungbby]

My shekel's on England to win it all! Matt Damon is not playing for the Springboks! :O::Kaleun_Cheers: ENGLAND BEAT THE ALL BLACKS ON POWER WITH TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF PREPPING FOR IT WITH HELP FROM THE FORMER NEW ZEALAND COACH NOW THE ENGLAND DEFENSE COACH, JOHN MITCHEL... ESSENTIALLY BEATING NZ AT THEIR OWN SUPERB GAME. THE NZ HEAD COACH: " THEY DON'T PLAY A SOPHISTICATED GAME, WIN THE BALL; GIVE IT TO A BIG BLOKE AND RUN HARD AND GET OVER THE GAIN LINE. THAT'S RUGBY IN IT'S SIMPLISTIC FORM, BUT IT'S BEAUTIFUL AS WELL". THE SPRINGBOKS BEAT WALES DESPITE 39% POSSESSION TIME AND 67 PASSES TO WALES 115 ALBEIT WITH A IMMOVABLE DEFENSE AND TWO PENALTIES TO WALES...SA'S HEADCOACH: "I'M NOT TO SURE THE FINAL WILL BE WON BY A VERY EXPANSIVE GAME-PLAN AND WONDERFUL TRIES." My own secret at 140 lbs dripping wet:timeout:>https://i.pinimg.com/474x/c9/fe/fb/c9fefbe7c209a13d38b0b2b3959aafc6.jpg in Spring rugby was to punt long for touch (I was the Fall soccer goalie-so lots of practice); do take downs (winter wrestling-style at 134lbs) not football tackles; foot the ball-not bend over and pick it up :dead:- for the gain line for downward pressure in the end zone and the try: avoiding a maul (at my size:o) on the pitch, if I was bumped by a desperate chasing opposition, the ref would call penalty for 'playing the man without the ball" and award either the penalty kick or a penalty try. My other ploy was to break out of the scrum, rush back into our endzone and await an opposing fly-half with the ball-generally an ex-fullback American player and tie him up so he could not put the ball down for the try(sandwich: the ground, me, the ball and opposition) the ref blowing deadball and a five-yard scrum; once 3 times in succession till our backs could clear-kick it downfield...The games with the other college in our small Minnesota collgetown was always a ferocious affair especially for our Jessie James Day tournament. Our coach was literally from Rugby, England, taught English, and appointed me captain my senior 4th year....probably because I also limed the pitch, painted the goalposts and put the deposit cheque on the after-game half barrel & tap of Hamm's https://2fdltvvn8wp2rn64ywgk8o17-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/half-barrel-keg.jpg
for the obligatory social event with our opponents!https://i.pinimg.com/474x/8c/df/5b/8cdf5b554c35472752223396f7468fe1--rugby-gear-rugby-sport.jpg and gorgeous coeds who knew all the dirty Limericks to the drinking songs.....:()1::Kaleun_Cheers:

[Jimbuna]

It's not just Gatland at it, here's what New Zealand coach Steve Hansen said just the other day after losing to England 'I'll give you a rugby education outside'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/rugby-union/50196106

[Jimbuna]

Wales go down 40-17 to New Zealand in the third place game.

[Jimbuna]

England are soundly beaten 12-32 by South Africa.

Congratulations to the Springboks who were by far the better team on the day.

[skidman]

Congrats Springboks, a tactical masterpiece!

The SA scrum wins the final. The best defense in the tournament wins the championship.

England never had a chance.