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Subject: Rugby World Cup
Is anybody else interested or excited about this?
The early rounds look like they may prove to be more polarised than ever between the big 8 or 9 nations and the "minnows" fielding largely amateur teams. Still, there's still the excitement of the odd flash of genius from the most unexpected quarters.
One of my friends from work is flying out to Australia with his Dad for the later stages of the tournament (hoping and, I have to say, expecting England to still be a part of it then). I'm really envious - I'd love to be out there for one of the big semi finals or for the final.
I am the father of 3 daughters and I regret to say that no-one else in this house is the slightest bit interested, so you may have to suffer my comments on here for the next few weeks!
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
I'm keeping a watchful eye on it...Rugger's not my game, I nearly broke an arm on my first and only attempt!...there must be something up if we're joint favourites to win the thing...which means we probably won't...and that's not good old British defeatism either...remember what happened last time when we lost on the 'kicking game'?
Sadly, it appears to always be overshadowed by the various goings-on with the football squad...who can certainly qualify for championships, but then fall apart at the crucial moment...
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
It's big news in our household. We went to a Rugby night at our Parish (our Parish Priest loves the game) on Friday to watch the opening ceremony and the Australia/Argentina game. My rugby-mad husband and two sons went to the France and Fiji game last night. My husband's been on the internet this morning trying to get some more tickets! It's all I'll hear about for the next few weeks. :)
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Well having a Welsh husband means that the 6 nations matches are followed fairly religiously. I remember Dai watching a match when our daughter was very young. He was trying to calm her down because she was upset but he kept calling out to the Welsh team on the telly. All I could hear was 'shhshh, come on tackle him' 'waah!' etc.
We listened to the first half of the England match on the radio yesterday. After that it was just a case of how big a margin they would beat Georgia by.
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
I remember Dai watching a match when our daughter was very young. He was trying to calm her down because she was upset but he kept calling out to the Welsh team on the telly. All I could hear was 'shhshh, come on tackle him' 'waah!' etc.
End Quote
LOL :D! That sounds exactly like me watching a rugby match at our house! I get very excited even if it's not Sale Sharks / England / The British (and Irish) Lions playing. I was watching a Tri-Nations game last summer that was on very early in the morning UK time, NZ vs. Aus I think, and I woke everybody up 'cos I was shouting so much.
I've seen a few highlights only so far of the World Cup (due to being on kitchen decoration duty for the past few days). France and New Zealand looking very good. I'd be really upset if Tana Umaga is ruled out with injury, he's a fantastic player.
When England beat the All Blacks (again) I don't want them wingeing that it was a below-strength team (again) ;).
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Don't you think the strangest collection of countries play rugby? We were talking about this at the weekend. Its not like they were all Commonwealth countries or anything like that.
Apart from the home nations there's France, Canada, Italy, Romania, Namibia (!), USA, Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, Argentina. A real spread of countries and continents. Do they have anything in common, apart from playing rugby?
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:I'd be really upset if Tana Umaga is ruled out with injury, he's a fantastic player.
End Quote
And he is, they were saying on the news tonight.... :(
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Oh and BTW, maddog, Paul and karen....
Don't forget where it's being played. If you win, we won't let your lot go back home ! :o :P :P :P
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
Oh and BTW, maddog, Paul and karen....
Don't forget where it's being played. If you win, we won't let your lot go back home ! :o :P :P :P
End Quote
Funny that, Fuss...that's basically what we should've done when your cricket mob were over here last...!
Which is probably the real reason that we never let the Ashes trophy out of the country...if recent performance is anything to go by, we'd never see it again...!
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
Don't forget where it's being played. If you win, we won't let your lot go back home ! :o :P :P :P
End Quote
"If", what do you mean: "If"?
:p
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
Don't you think the strangest collection of countries play rugby? ...France, Canada, Italy, Romania, Namibia (!), USA, Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, Argentina. .. End Quote
I may be wrong here but I think the Jesuits have got something to do with it...the holy fathers of the Jesuit missionary order promoted rugby as a healthy pursuit for young men in all the places they got to in the 19th century, including South America, the South Pacific, even the wilds of Australia ;)
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
"If", what do you mean: "If"?
:p
End Quote
Quoting:
even the wilds of Australia ;)
End Quote
I shall reply to both of these in the same manner :
:D :P :P :P :P
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
I may be wrong here but I think the Jesuits have got something to do with it...the holy fathers of the Jesuit missionary order promoted rugby as a healthy pursuit for young men in all the places they got to in the 19th century, including South America, the South Pacific, even the wilds of Australia ;)
End Quote
Aaah. Well stranger things have happened in the name of religion so I suppose its a plausible explanation.
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Must be why it's the biggest winter sport in all the Catholic Boy's Colleges.
At the moment we're watching Namibia -v- Argentina. Namibia's flyhalf, Wessels, has played in two World Cups this year - Rugby and Cricket. I wonder if he's related to Kepler?
Go you good thing - Namibia just scored and converted!!
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Well I have to say I'm relieved, it wasn't a particularly impressive performance by England against South Africa today and the margin of victory flattered England. Too many unforced errors, the Boks' agressive defence put England on the back foot for long periods and the England scrum, having looked almighty a couple of months ago, looked very poor!
So it's thanks once again to Jonny Wilkinson and thanks to Louis Koen for his wayward kicking in the first half....
I bet the Australian press will have a field day with this..."England shaken!" "They peaked too soon!" I can see it all now....
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Well, I'm not excited about the Rugby Wortld Cup (I've only seen the game played once...). Then again, Canada isn't a ruby nation at all.
However, I saw on the T.V. a few weeks ago a report on the Canadian Rugby Team. Apparently they were training in an Australian city known for its steel industry (sorry, I forget the name :-/). I think the team has more Australian fans than Canadian fans... ;)
Anyways, the Jesuit idea could very well be true. Perhaps though, what the countries have in common is that we don't have anything in common... ???
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Well the Australians were victorious tonight 22 - 10 against the All Blacks. Who would have thought it! Tomorrow we'll wait and see in the England/France match. The final will be a beauty!
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Not the prettiest and most coherent game you'll ever wish to see, but the other semi was won by us 24-7 (beating the Frogs in anything is a bonus in my book!), in dour-ish conditions...
And with their fine result against the All-Blacks, there's your final...a repeat of the '91 affair between the Wallabies and ourselves...just hope the result's a bit different this time around! I should imagine the ancient tradition of Pom-bashing will undoubtedly reach new heights this week...!
Whatever - should be a great game...
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Michalak and Harinorduquy were dreadful, most of the French backs were anonymous, they repeatedly strayed offside and 2 of the French players were rightfully sin-binned for awful professional fouls. That's hardly what I'd call "champagne rugby", so goodbye Les Bleus, enjoy yourselves at the don't-think-I'll-bother-to-watch-it 3rd place play off, your arrogance and pretentiousness will not be missed one little bit, at least not by me.
England are hitting their stride now, having Richard Hill returned to the back row made a huge difference. The Australians can b*tch all they like about England's style of play, fact is I haven't seen much of any great flair or enterprise from the Wallabies in this tournament. Stephen Larkham looks bemused when his pack are under pressure (as against Ireland) so I feel England have a good chance to put up a good performance next Saturday....superstition prevents me from making any prediction, I'll be posting back here after the final!
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
At the start, it looked to me like the French were playing dirty as a tactic to get the England team rattled (or even to take out Jonny Wilkinson: there was one hideously late on him) - but they never had the ability to get past what has to be one of the best England teams I can remember.
It would have been nice to have scored a try or two, but ISTM that team orders were to go for the points if a kick was there - a win was the only criterion.
I missed the Oz/NZ match: the result was certainly a surprize based on the first round matches I watched, where the All Blacks looked a much better team all round. But then, England haven't really hit form so far, so maybe Australia are coming good at just the right time - just as long as we do, too :-)
Phil
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
I should imagine the ancient tradition of Pom-bashing will undoubtedly reach new heights this week...!
Whatever - should be a great game...
End Quote
OK, I'll start. How about trying to break the line and actually score a try next week, instead of letting that guy kick all the points?
;D
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
OK, I'll start. How about trying to break the line and actually score a try next week, instead of letting that guy kick all the points?
;D
End Quote
You mean like the three tries we scored through the back line against Australia in Sydney back in June? I'm sure we can manage that again if that's what you'd appreciate ;D.
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
You mean like the three tries we scored through the back line against Australia in Sydney back in June? I'm sure we can manage that again if that's what you'd appreciate ;D.
End Quote
At least that would make an interesting game of it. At the moment all they do is get 40 metres out and put a field goal over. Surely the 'best team in the world' can do better than that in attack?
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
Don't you think the strangest collection of countries play rugby? We were talking about this at the weekend. Its not like they were all Commonwealth countries or anything like that.
Apart from the home nations there's France, Canada, Italy, Romania, Namibia (!), USA, Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, Argentina. A real spread of countries and continents. Do they have anything in common, apart from playing rugby?
End Quote
Canada plays Rugby ??? The main sport up here is Hockey. ;D
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
Canada plays Rugby ??? The main sport up here is Hockey. ;D
End Quote
Heh heh. Actually rugby is played in about 100 countries, but only about 6 take it very seriously.
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
At least that would make an interesting game of it. At the moment all they do is get 40 metres out and put a field goal over. Surely the 'best team in the world' can do better than that in attack?
End Quote
I'd agree with that, being English. If we're going to move rugby in the directions Wilkinsons' skills are taking it (i.e. dominated by kicking), the Aussies are bound to 'twig' soon & employ a load of Aussie Rules Football players in their rugby team- have you ever seen the angles those guys score from?!
Still, they haven't twigged yet...14 hours to kick off, lets' hope we make some of our doubters eat their words! Swing low, sweet chaaaarrioooot...
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
I would love to see Australia win - but I have to say that I don't really understand the game. League I can follow, but not this game. To me the rules seem to be that one guy gets the ball then a whole team jumps on top of him and somehow he gets the ball out. Am I close? :)
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
As I write this, we're at half time in OT and England are leading 17-14. Come on England!
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Quoting:
Whatever - should be a great game...
End Quote
Yet another trademark understatement by yours truly...!
WELL DONE ENGLAND...!!!
This post is not intended in the style of trumpet-blowing...even tho' we finished as World Cup Champions (which we don't get the chance to say often...so let us have our day, at least!)
On the contrary, that was one of the most thrilling games of anything I think I've had the honour of witnessing...make no mistake, there were howlers made throughout the game, but the spirit and commitment shown by both sides was nothing short of amazing...even down to the wire at the end of the full period and extra-time...
Both nations should be proud of the conduct and discipline of their players, and for making a bloody good game of it...
Now, if only we could instil that in our sodding football side...
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Congratulations on a great win and game !
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Congrats to the victors. :D England played better. Had Australia stolen that after having 35% possession you could have been justifiably annoyed !
We only looked like scoring a try on one occasion, and we did ! Shame about the rest of the match ! :)
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
FBVP and mandamoo, you're good sports, all I have to add is
Yeeeaaaaayyyyy ENGLAND!!!
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Australia have enjoyed the success of their World champions in cricket, rugby league, rugby union, athletics, swimming, even tennis down the years. I really can't describe how great it feels for my country, for the first time in my living memory, to be the World champions at something.....and for it to be in the sport I love above all others, that's just so fantastic.
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Congratulations to the English team. Couldn't have asked for a better final. I'm just glad the All Blacks ended up in 3rd spot!
Subject: Re: Rugby World Cup
Congratulations to our English cousins! I didn't get to see much of the game as I spent the weekend moving house, but what I saw was great! Best way to end the competition, a last minute goal in the dying seconds of extra time! If that happened in a movie, you wouldn't believe it!