The World of Rugby Thread

[niko_cee]

Oh that's alright then (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65035837)

:happycry:

[Lewis]

Joseph Suaalii should be incredible in union by the time he goes over, but the money is still pretty mental. Are they betting everything on him?

[Queenslander]

The Eastern Sydney Wallaby/Waratahs are definitely betting on him and whoever else they can chuck 3rd party money at. Eddie wants a monster back three and midfield as he transitions us from a possession based team to a field position one with a strong kick chase back 3.



Suaalli won't be the last big name signing from League.

[Baz]

Massive game tonight. Not even annoyed it means Saints aren’t on telly. Hoping for a draw. :harold:

[Lewis]

Hull KR and Saints would have been a miles better choice as well.

[Lewis]

Hull KR, Hull KR, Hull KR. :cool:

[Lewis]

That was a good game though. lol at Warrington.

[Manc]

Warrington. :harold:

[Lewis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLqhjJr6vAY

The Greatest Game.

[Baz]

Morgan Knowles is just dumb.

[Lewis]

This Champions Cup final has been fantastic.

[Baz]

Sky had a poll before this game, ‘is Saints SL dynasty over’ and I scoffed but ehh maybe it is. As soon as I bought my lad a saints kit, typical.

[Lewis]

There's no obvious reason for such a massive drop-off, so it's a bit weird that they're suddenly a bit poo. Paul Wellens can't be that useless.

[Baz]

I blame Jack Welsby's haircut.

[Lewis]

James Roby has probably played a season too many but he's still good. Maybe the World Club Challenge just took it out of them and they can't catch up.

[Baz]

*irons the little Saints kit ready for tomorrow*

:dance:

Jonny Lomax absolutely donned McDonnell :lol:

[Baz]

Why do Sky Sports still have a column for draws?

https://www.skysports.com/rugbyleague/competitions/super-league/tables

[Lewis]

In case they draw?

[Ben]

What's going on in Wales? That's a third one jacking in just before the World Cup.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I can't find anything online but in line with the English game, I would bet that everyone is running out of money.

[Ben]

Webb is fucking off to France but they've ditched the rule that foreign based players can't play for the national team anyway. The other two are staying at Ospreys so it seems like a WRU problem that's causing them to quit, rather than the obvious one of the domestic game shitting the bed.

[Lewis]

lol at New South Wales in their crap 'jumper'.

[Disco]

The other two could conceivably have been told they wouldn't be included but Webb is an odd one, probably second choice and never played at the WC before. Could have been given a massive wedge by his new club to retire but given it's the WRU it could also be a complete shambles behind the scenes.

[Disco]

And now they're unnecessarily burning players they drop from the squad, is Warren Gatland on a revenge spree or something.

https://i.imgur.com/rBPngVX.png

[Lewis]

The top story at the minute is Josh McGuire potentially missing the first six games of his debut season for calling somebody a 'fucking spastic' in a pre-season friendly because the other bloke, also facing a potential six game ban, mocked him for being blind in one eye. The new slogan is 'There's Nothing Like League', and there really isn't. I Love This Game.


He got seven games (a quarter of the regular season), and the other bloke got away with it. Warrington's Year. :harold:

He's been banned for a further twelve matches for - apparently - telling Josh Charnley that his son is a mong. They will more than likely sack him now. It's hard to think of a worse/more lol stint at anything.

[Baz]

Can’t help but root for him.

Remember when we talked about someone doubling down on their beliefs, no matter how dastardly? I guess we got one.

Plus fuck Josh Charnley.

[Lewis]

Yeah the fact both times were against Leigh is pretty funny. Like he was saving it up.

[Lewis]

No idea how Warrington keep coming up with new ways to be shit.

[niko_cee]

Just stumbled across Origin 2. Since when have they done Brett Stewart THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY style intros? Painfully American.

The Mona Vale Raiders? :happycry:

Cairns Kangaroos and Sarina Crocodiles. :cool:

Billy Slater, Innisfail Bogans.

[Baz]

I hated it when rugby league introduced nicknames for all the teams. When I was a kid it was Saints vs Warrington, not Warrington WOLVES. I was very happy that Saints just kept Saints and not like the St. Helens Saints or whatever. I presume that coincided with it becoming the Super League though, so it's not all bad.

Halifax will always be the Blue Sox in my mind, and Wakefield are Wildcats.

[Lewis]

'Halifax Blue Sox' was the worst name of the lot. Like they turned up late to the shit American-style nickname meeting and got stuck with it.

lol at New South Wales again.

[niko_cee]

Glad I had other things to do rather than follow what happened there.

[Lewis]

They were well and truly burgled last year, but this series has all been on 'Freddie' being an idiot and picking people out of form or injured. They should arguably be looking at six series wins in a row by now, or five in six if you account for Wayne Bennett being inevitable, but the man is a complete and utter wally.

[niko_cee]

Just seen the Queensland try just before half time.

Pass that needed to be qualified as 'flat' [it's a line ball!] by the stuttering commentator and then just a full on forward pass to put the guy away. Same old. New South Wales looked like they couldn't finish for shit, but they seem to have half their team injured [or not picked?]. Could have done with Addo-Carr on that interception breakaway.

[Lewis]

As if he missed that. Saints could do with a bit of a clear out.

[Baz]

Jonny Lomax knew that was gonna happen with his whole ‘hang on calm down we’re still losing’ after the try.

[Lewis]

:cool:

[Manc]

Some drop goal.

[Lewis]

I've been to Wembley twice. England vs New Zealand in 2013 (lost 20-18) and Rovers vs Leeds in 2015 (lost 50-0). Third time...

[Baz]

Fifty nil :D

[Baz]

Wello not holding back when talking about John Asiata being a shit player. :drool:

[Baz]

Daryl Clark.

CvK3sVxNIWn

No fucking way.

[Lewis]

That's about as good a James Roby replacement as they could have got.

[Baz]

Indeed.

I had high hopes for Aaron Smith, but he seems to have disappeared into oblivion.

[niko_cee]

France warming up for their home World Cup in style.

:face:

[Manc]

Lewis. :harold:

[Baz]

:D

[Waffdon]

Ali Price is fucking dreadful. No idea how he’s always starting games

Referee is an utter bellend

[Waffdon]

3/1 for France to win the WC seems decent value

This could get ugly v quickly. Scotland are lovely to watch at times but defensively they’re gonna get battered by any half decent team

[Lewis]

Lewis. :harold:


:D

My train to London was cancelled so I ended up getting a lift with a pure ITV2 couple who were on their way to London for her birthday, so got one of their dads to come and pick us up and we split the petrol money. Being driven by a bloke on his phone half the time with the music blaring was probably better than the train, but still. It looked like a pretty crap match from where I was sitting (only about a dozen seats away from [in]famous retard Shandy Bass), but that might have just been the on-going seethe at Rovers conspiring to balls every opportunity up. I'm not going to re-watch it to find out either way so oh well.

That's three matches at Wembley, and four matches in London - all defeats. I might skip the next one.

[Waffdon]

God, Scotland matches are so fun. Absolutely infuriating majority of the time because using their heads and doing the simple things just doesn’t quite compute

[Waffdon]

Bloody hell, England are absolutely tragic.

[Lewis]

He might well have run his course by 2019, but Eddie Jones made a lot of these players look better than they are, so we should have just written this cycle off and kept him.

[Waffdon]

Would be class if Scotland managed to play well in the first half compared to how they are in the second.

Ireland and South Africa ain’t gonna let them back in the match

[Lewis]

1697938671817675119

The best sport in the world.

[Baz]

Proper amusing, that. It’s like when you were a kid and the ball hit the “post” (went over a grid/pile of coats/bags) and everyone had to pause in the position they were in, for the goalkeeper to throw it out as if it had bounced massively off the post.

[niko_cee]

France at home, Ireland top ranked, "The Best Scotland Ever", are we to expect three southern hemispheres and [somehow] England in the semis before South Africa win again or are one of the bottlers going to break ranks?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm certainly going to break ranks, all in on France. Allez allez. Let's have Macron poncing in the stands by month end.

[niko_cee]

One wonders why New Zealand even bother with an anthem. So little enthusiasm for it, just get to the haka.

I take it back, they've somehow managed to fuck up the French anthem as well. How is that even possible?

[Lewis]

Haka-mania, now with sticks. South Africa will win the tournament, and Eddie Jones [mate] will have his revenge.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The haka is such a load of old wank. France should be allowed to force them to sit through Les Misérables in return.

[niko_cee]

Thinking it was a spear before realising it was an oar was the most interesting bit of that.

[niko_cee]

Instant Maginot line.

:face:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Modern union commentary is so hard to listen to for the casual watcher. I don't want to hear about decoy runners and second phase ball. I want to hear Bill McLaren exclaiming WHAT A SCORE FOR THE ALL BLACKS.

[Lewis]

I always think - from league doing it as well, and now football saturating us with referee commentary - that if you're having to explain the rules every five minutes then you're already losing.

[niko_cee]

Particularly in Union where the rules are entirely arbitrary and beyond logical explanation.

Great advert this. Absolute dreck from start to finish.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Can't wait to hear what Jonny Wilkinson thought of it all.

[niko_cee]

Personality botox, although maybe that suggests he ever had one.

Mr zero expression.

[niko_cee]

Well, that under armour advert has lowered the tone.

[Baz]

Saw a headline the other day along the lines of ‘is Makinson the best winger ever’ and scoffed. But my god, he’s good.

Is he?

[niko_cee]

Flat pass.

:D

Just stop all forms of this.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If that's flat then so is my stomach.

This Jalavert is one of the Frenchest players I've seen for a while. Very promising for my enjoyment.

EDIT: Jalibert. I prefer my version.

[Waffdon]

Pool C and D are genuinely tragic. Bloody hell guvnor

[Lewis]

Saw a headline the other day along the lines of ‘is Makinson the best winger ever’ and scoffed. But my god, he’s good.

Is he?

It's still Lesley Vainikolo as far as Super League goes.

[niko_cee]

New Zealand look terrible.

All northern semis. One of England or Wales can probably drag themselves out of their part of the draw to join the others.

[Manc]

Ever other pass from NZ has been forward.

[niko_cee]

Good to see that this sport is still all about trying to land on your own head after having Harry Kane'd some 'contact in the air'.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Pools C and D need a couple of upsets to liven things up a bit or it's going to be a real drag.

[Lewis]

Who thought these weird lecterns were a good idea?

[niko_cee]

What on earth is he meant to do there? Disappear?

This sport is gone.

[Lewis]

What is he meant to do there?

[niko_cee]

lol

"I agree"

Watch England's turning into a red and the [more] clear red staying yellow. Not that either should be any more than a penalty.

[niko_cee]

There you go.

[niko_cee]

And there you go.

I'm sure The Merse will be along shortly to explain how a guy having someone basically land on him head to head [whilst being on the ground] is worse than someone putting their full weight into a late 'tackle' and making contact with the head whilst completely off the ground. Seems a bit incongruous to the uninitiated observer.

[Lewis]

At this rate rugby will lose the right to belittle football players as soft, at which point half its support disappears.

[niko_cee]

You can't half nothing.

[Jimmy Floyd]

English rugby is just fucked isn't it?

[niko_cee]

Union certainly appears to be, although that's probably been a long time coming. They have certainly struggled to adapt to 'modern rugby', as reflected by their horrendous disciplinary record over god knows how many years.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We have twice as many registered players as the next country. It's just embarrassing we can't get it together.

If Argentina lose this they should be sent home.

[Lewis]

The week-to-week club game is basically shit, on a rinky-dink par with rugby league if you take a couple of wealthy backers out, and what talent there is at the underage levels (not so much in more recent years, but we were dominant quite recently) just gets dispersed and/or not used for whatever reasons. We should probably have big regional teams like the Irish and New Zealanders do.

Keep nailing the drop goals lads. Let's sludge our way through like it's 2007.

[niko_cee]

It just probably suffers from sport saturation, whereby if you're really good at sport [and therefore probably really good at quite lot of sports] it must rank as one of the least appealing, and probably least accessible, routes into professionalism. That might be changing as it seems to have become more mainstream at younger ages than when I was young [I never played it at the private school I went to and it was a running theme that by 5th form/Year11 or whatever it is that the 1st XI football team would probably beat the 1st XV rugby team as they were mostly the people who were too fat/useless to have ever been good at any other sport] but there must be half a dozen better uses of your time as a high level sports prospect at least. Getting every kid into touch is clearly the way to go, but I don't see how that ever overcomes the all consuming pull of football, and then there's the myriad other sports all readily accessible where you don't risk being a vegetable by 45.

[Waffdon]

Argentina look great.

[Lewis]

It just probably suffers from sport saturation, whereby if you're really good at sport [and therefore probably really good at quite lot of sports] it must rank as one of the least appealing, and probably least accessible, routes into professionalism. That might be changing as it seems to have become more mainstream at younger ages than when I was young [I never played it at the private school I went to and it was a running theme that by 5th form/Year11 or whatever it is that the 1st XI football team would probably beat the 1st XV rugby team as they were mostly the people who were too fat/useless to have ever been good at any other sport] but there must be half a dozen better uses of your time as a high level sports prospect at least. Getting every kid into touch is clearly the way to go, but I don't see how that ever overcomes the all consuming pull of football, and then there's the myriad other sports all readily accessible where you don't risk being a vegetable by 45.

The colonials don't play football so rugby gets first pick, but surely Ireland, Scotland, France, and possibly Wales would be every bit as shit man-for-man if it was this simple?

[Manc]

Tuilagi. :drool:

[niko_cee]

The colonials don't play football so rugby gets first pick, but surely Ireland, Scotland, France, and possibly Wales would be every bit as shit man-for-man if it was this simple?

Not really.

Scotland maybe, but all of those other countries have rugby as a more primary sport than football. The French probably benefit across most sports from not really liking them, but maybe that's been the cause of their suffering in the one they actually do like.

I bet every little fucker in Wales and Ireland play rugby [or some sort of physical equivalent] whereas, as far as I can tell, in England all forms of organised sport are essentially now expunged from the school curriculum [in favour of dodgeball, or random weeks of x, y or z].

[niko_cee]

Also, yeah, Argentina should probably just be sent home now. This is ridiculous.

[niko_cee]

Almost perfect timing for the last night of the proms and this.

[Waffdon]

It’s a shame Hogg retired because him over Kinghorn has that Scotland attack looking absolutely scrumptious.

No doubt start the game stupidly slow again and give themselves a massive hurdle to climb to get back in the game.

[niko_cee]

I remember the organisation around the Stade Velodrome being fairly shambolic at the Euro 2016 semi-final so good to see the French authorities still haven't found a way to make it less shit. Seem to recall being made to walk round the entire stadium outside of the fenced/secure area and the entrance to that bit was opposite side to the main road you walked down to get there.

[Giggles]

Not really.

Scotland maybe, but all of those other countries have rugby as a more primary sport than football. The French probably benefit across most sports from not really liking them, but maybe that's been the cause of their suffering in the one they actually do like.

I bet every little fucker in Wales and Ireland play rugby [or some sort of physical equivalent] whereas, as far as I can tell, in England all forms of organised sport are essentially now expunged from the school curriculum [in favour of dodgeball, or random weeks of x, y or z].

Rugby is extremely low participation compared to soccer here. It's almost exclusively a private school game.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, I was also thinking about that. South Africa seem to run their posh sports [cricket and rugby] on an almost exclusive private school basis [quota stuff notwithstanding] and the same is probably true in England [ie to be any good at cricket you seem to have to attend some posh school or other and Dulwich College is the proving ground for Rugby Union, or it was in the past] and I was then wondering if the number of foreign students attending said schools [which has exploded in the last 20 years] is impacting on that supply line.

What is participation in the more Irish sports like? They always look like they promote the sort of physicality that could translate into rugby more than south london football tekkers.

I suppose it's all moot as England will probably lol their way into the semis now, so all is [red] rosey in the garden.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Yesterday I was talking to a head of sport from one of the big local private schools (these are the elite circles in which I mix) and he was saying rugby is sleepwalking into a crisis, as increasingly barely enough boys even in the posh schools now want to play it to get teams out. Also a huge number of parents forbidding their kids from playing it due to the head injury stuff, apparently.

I imagine in ten years it will be a game primarily played by South African immigrants, of whom there are absolutely thousands and thousands.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Chile are playing some fun stuff here, all out attack. Will probably lose 100-30.

[Waffdon]

I knew Scotland’s group was obviously ridiculously stacked (3 of the top 5 in rankings) but I never realised the two teams that go through will have to face the other teams making up the top 5 rankings.

We’re definitely making it to the semis now to bottle it against some gimps.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If that Chilean card ends up in a red then the sport is finished. He gets run into by a ten-ton truck and somehow it's his fault for goodness knows what.

[niko_cee]

They've got it 'right' there but does throw up questions as to consistency in the application of this stupid rule.

[Waffdon]

Need Scotland to avoid another terribly slow start here and no stupid yellows.

So I fully expect to be 2 tries down after 15 mins and a man down.

[Jimmy Floyd]

One of my top 100 stats in sport is that Ian McGeechan is 20 years older than Flower of Scotland.

[Waffdon]

South Africa players singing in the tunnel. Yeah, we’re fucked :D

[Lewis]

Scotland are a decent match for South Africa because they will try to play a bit and take chances. They will still lose, but not as conventionally as mugs like us or Wales would trying to muscle up to them.

[Waffdon]

Would help if they stopped overcooking their line ups

[Jimmy Floyd]

I always lol at how chucking haymakers around is seen as fine in rugby. The veneer of honest manliness that keeps the show on the road.

[Waffdon]

Very decent 1st half all things told. Scrum has been absolutely brilliant. A Darcy Graham pass away from being in with the lead.

We’re definitely a better 2nd half team and South Africa players look a bit knackered. So there’s a little bit of hope. Get running at them 2nd half.

[Waffdon]

Also lol at the TMO not even bothering to look at the head on head contact at the start. Was worse than the England one yesterday

[Lewis]

The African conditions will have distilled the genetics of that ginger into something approaching a superpower. I bet if you shot him he wouldn't notice.

[Waffdon]

Christ, what are you even supposed to do against that kicking and pace combo.

Finn Russell having one of them games where he’s a detriment. Holding on for it too long and getting his forwards battered. This could be a fisting now

[Manc]

The African conditions will have distilled the genetics of that ginger into something approaching a superpower. I bet if you shot him he wouldn't notice.

:D

[niko_cee]

South Africa just lying on the ball at every breakdown and somehow getting away with it 90% of the time.

[Manc]

Faf de Klerk is one ugly cunt.

[Lewis]

Faf de Klerk is one ugly cunt.

He looks like whichever one of Zig and Zag had the hair.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Second Fijian try a thing of real beauty.

[niko_cee]

Welsh player failing to land on his own head after that 'no arms tackle'. What a mug.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What should be a good game descending into a joke because both teams can't not continually high/illegally tackle. This sport is doomed.

[niko_cee]

So, I'm really struggling here. Fiji were playing with penalty advantage there [no?] and they've somehow ended up conceding a penalty and nearly losing a player to 'THE BUNKER'?

And lol at the commentator worrying about 'simulation'. A sport entirely based on cheating. A sport that had bloodgate. A sport that at every point tries to circumvent to one's own advantage, no, no, we can't be having this going down holding your face business. Oh no, wait, we can.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Does a high tackle penalty supersede a previous non HEAD CONTACT penalty? It must do.

Dan Biggar is such a scrote. Always hated him.

[niko_cee]

So cynical from Biggar but that's fine, just a penalty for denying a clear try under the posts.

[niko_cee]

And again. Far too lenient.

And is the bunker not allowed to point out the actual rules of the game as regards how it should be restarted?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Did union really need this 40/20 bollocks? I thought the whole reason league had it was because it's hard to make up territory inside 6 tackles.

[Lewis]

50/22 is like an easy version they would have in under-age leagues as well. Any competent kicker would be nailing ten of those a game in league.

[niko_cee]

You're probably right in that a sport blighted by kicking probably didn't need to further incentivise it, it works in league as kicking is not really the done thing for the most part.

lol at the insta-yellow for the Fijian guy. I feel this ref has been very poor, is he English? I suppose it took Wayne Barnes a good while to stop being shite and become properly good, and fact checking that reveals to me that he's now a barrister. Good lord.

Also, someone needs to tell Jamie Roberts [is that him in the studio] to give up on the hair front.

[Lewis]

Hair like a dropped lolly. On the punditry front, do you think if somebody who wasn't a prominent gay deliberately gave somebody HIV, like Gareth Thomas did, they would still have a role in public life?

[Lewis]

He never drops that at Parramatta. Basic skills down the drain.

[niko_cee]

At least that drop spared us the agony of them missing the conversion.

[Manc]

He would have missed the conversion anyway.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Don't think it's impossible they do Australia and go through. Wales were so lucky in every part of that game.

[AJ23]

I put 2 quid on Fiji to win at 20/1 when they were 32-21 down as I knew Fiji's sinbin would return earlier than Wales's and the momentum was going with Fiji.

Was willing them on to score another try but I think they were just a bit too naive in the end. Really good team to watch, though. Big game against Australia next week.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The guay are all over the complacent frogs here.

[AJ23]

What is going on? This game is mental. Uruguay are so intense, physical and so naive at the same time.

If these 'lesser' teams could cut out their silly basic errors, they'd be doing themselves a huge favour.

[Manc]

Tonga shitting themselves at every opportunity.

[Manc]

Fiji looking good.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They were better than Wales in the last game and systematically screwed by the refs, imagine the same will happen here.

[Manc]

Kuruvoli can't miss.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That was such a strange game. Fiji made so many unforced errors but were still the better team by such a vast margin that it didn't matter.

[niko_cee]

Looking forward to the second [?] red card of the world cup.

[Waffdon]

The Japanese bloke kicking it out with 10 seconds left might be the most mind boggling thing I’ve seen in a while

Properly dreadful game though. Two teams trying to out shit each other

[niko_cee]

This is more like an England world cup pool game, absolute eye-bleeder.

Japan trying to be funky, England just being mega-one-dimensional and shit with it.

[niko_cee]

How's your luck there?

Since when has the head not been a knock on? I know it's league, but they had to change the rules for that, no [head pass guy]? Always assumed that anything above the waist in union was capable of knocking the ball on. Are you just not allowed to deliberately head the ball?

[Waffdon]

Japan not going for the corner at any point is very annoying.

That try sums up the quality of the game

[niko_cee]

Followed up by England being completely unable to tackle, and then another drop.

Neither side wants to peak too soon.

[Waffdon]

The amount of knock ons is something else

[niko_cee]

Must be some sort of record.

[Waffdon]

The line outs have been a disgrace as well

[Jimmy Floyd]

Upset on the card at HT in this one.

[Lewis]

I can't remember a twenty-one year old as good as Reece Walsh. He looks like a right fanny as well.

[Waffdon]

Presumably Scotland want South Africa to batter Ireland later tonight as it means a straight up win over them (assuming they beat the other gimps) gets them through. To face New Zealand. Noice.

I can’t remember the last time Scotland even gave Ireland a decent game never mind a win over the cunts.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Who exactly do Oirland think they are not taking the points from an attacking penalty in the first two minutes? Morons.

[Waffdon]

South Africa are just absolute physical specimens. I’m hurting just watching them

[Lewis]

Like a lol bully team in a cartoon.

[Lewis]

Was any of him in touch when he finally got that down?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I thought he'd ballsed it too, but the camera angles can be deceiving on the far side.

[Waffdon]

Ireland are going to smash 30 past us. Could be quite a few up here if they bothered to ever take the points

[Lewis]

This bloke's entire kicking routine has a whiff of terror about it, like a defender walking up to take a penalty.

[Waffdon]

South Africa are fucking dreadful at shooting at goal. Missed a fair few easy ones against Scotland too.

[Waffdon]

and again. Not even getting close to it.

[niko_cee]

South Africa are just awful to watch.

Not straight is always the most baffling call in rugby. I guess, like most of the rules, it's entirely arbitrary and at the whim of the ref.

[Waffdon]

And now South Africa kick it into the corner when they have a gimme kick at goal. Lol

[niko_cee]

The Cranberries.

:cool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

That song's about needless sectarian killings isn't it? At least South Africans will relate.

R(i)feree botched it at the end I thought, ball was out.

[Waffdon]

I don’t understand rules obviously but I have no idea why South Africa got penalised at the end there?

Cunts anyway. Scotland will need to stick 100 odd combined against Tonga/Romania as well as beating Ireland.

[Lewis]

The ball was clearly out, but blowing for that was easier than potentially overseeing a score, so he bottled out of it.

[Baz]

This is madness.

https://i.imgur.com/Z3y4PnY.png

[Lewis]

A few draws would have broken that up a bit, which is why 'Golden Point' is poo.

[Waffdon]

Kinghorn is absolutely dreadful.

[Waffdon]

Not great. Got the bonus point win but needed to win by a few more. Will need to stick 90 odd past Romania next week to avoid needing to get a bonus win victory against Ireland im sure

[Jimmy Floyd]

The draw and fixture list have fucked Scotland. More or less had to beat SA in that game or they were out there and then.

[Lewis]

Will Australia ever be their old selves again or has league, which has never had the depth of talent it currently has, actually buried them?

[niko_cee]

Surprisingly good bit of advantage play there by old Wayne [didn't he retire?] to knock back the "can we go back for the penalty please sir" bleating that is usually par for the course in Union.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Will Australia ever be their old selves again or has league, which has never had the depth of talent it currently has, actually buried them?

The latter. Australian sport has become completely insular as time has gone on.

[niko_cee]

Does this mean Fiji are going to be lolling England out of this in the quarters?

[niko_cee]

Having been various shades of shit for the last however many years I hadn't realised Australia had become quite this bad.

[Lewis]

Another massive year at Warrington. :harold:

[Lewis]

They finally get an actually 'flat' pass, and they call it forward.

[niko_cee]

I thought it was funny yesterday when Italy got done in front of their own posts early doors for the least forward forward pass going. Downhill from there for them.

[Waffdon]

Would have been quite fun to see both Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe against these gimps. Just the former will do though

Could do with getting to 90-100 here

[Waffdon]

Utterly pish from Scotland. The amount of mistakes they make in terms of handling errors and decision making doesn’t change from game to game

[Baz]

End of an era today. Genuinely moving. Although I bet McCarthy-Scarsbrook (I will never say LMS) is a bit annoyed.

[Lewis]

If/when Penrith complete their three-in-a-row, it's fantastic to think that right in the middle of it was them getting pantsed at home by Konrad Hurrell.

[Lewis]

Hold the phone.

[Lewis]

Bore off Penrith.

[Lewis]

This half an hour carry on between the end and the actual trophy raising really kicks the wind out of it.

[niko_cee]

a combination of a bonus-point win for Scotland and a losing bonus point for Ireland will leave all three sides on 15 points, meaning it will come down to points difference for the top spot and head-to-head for the second spot

Sounds a right head scratcher.

Is there a permutation which sees South Africa eliminated and Ireland still topping the pool? I'm guessing not as that sounds like the team that finishes not first would have to have beaten them to win the head-to-head, and that ain't Jockland.

[Waffdon]

If Scotland didn’t fluff their lines against Tonga a few times there could have been a world where Scotland would beat SA on the points difference but not a chance they’re beating Ireland by 20 odd points with Ireland also scoring 4 tries.

I think the easiest way of Scotland going through is to beat Ireland by 8 or more points without Ireland getting 4 tries. If not then they’ll need to score 4+ tries themselves and win by 8 points or more.

So basically Scotland are starting the match with a -7 handicap. Lolz.

[hfswjyr]

Hold the phone.

That has got to be one of the best "fuck it, I'll do it myself" performances I've ever seen. Cleary willed the win out of that team.

[Lewis]

https://i.imgur.com/vW7XUSK.png


The Panthers had a specially designed UFC-style belt made during the finals series and after each win they would add a medallion with the score, date and name of their opponent as they strove to become 'undisputed' three-time champions. Clive Churchill Medallist Nathan Cleary added the final medallion, which was engraved with the word 'undisputed', to the belt at the conclusion of a speech by his father, Ivan, in the packed Panthers dressing room.

Making your own little belt. Jesus. Gutted Brisbane couldn't ruin that.

[Lewis]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-66982218

That makes sense.

[Waffdon]

Ali Price starting for Scotland is crimes against humanity :sick:

[Manc]

Scrappy game this.

[Lewis]

I'm not sure what was wrong with the disallowed Catalans try other than that it was against Saints.

[Lewis]

That was like ten years ago Sam Tomkins when his knees worked.

[Manc]

Baz. :harold:

[Lewis]

Saves me a trip to Manchester at least.

[Manc]

Embarrassing.

[Lewis]

Didn't the linesman immediately flag that as forward?

[niko_cee]

Good that Borthwick has finally managed to get 'his England team' on the pitch.

Can we put this down to tanking to get Wales over Fiji/Australia in the Quarters?

[Waffdon]

Surely Wales are the better team out of them two

[niko_cee]

Well, probably, Australia are pretty much out aren't they? And didn't England lose to both in the warm-ups? Fiji probably have a higher potential to wreck England. I don't think it really is the plan.

[Lewis]

Do they only get to check one forward pass a game?

[Waffdon]

These ‘off the ball tackles’ :lol:

A hug at best both times.

[Manc]

What a useless cunt.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Farrell should be sent home for that, and not let out again for about a year.

[Waffdon]

Taking one minute to take that is utterly embarrassing.

[Waffdon]

If by some reason both these score 4 tries each with a decent chunk left, Ireland should be throwing the game for South African seethe.

I’ll go 31-10 Ireland. Over after 25 mins.

[Giggles]

What needs to happen for the thistle munchers to send these cunts home? I can never follow all the bonus point shit.

[Waffdon]

Beat Ireland by 8 or more points or beat Ireland scoring 4 tries without Ireland getting 4 tries. If both team score 4 tries each then if Scotland win by 20 or more they both knock south Africa out.

I think.

[Waffdon]

Oh my :D

Utter shambles defensively

[Manc]

The Irish dont half get about.

[Waffdon]

We just look a bit meh against anyone with a decent defence. Just run out of ideas v quickly. Same happened with South Africa. 4
Repeatedly running against a brick wall

[Waffdon]

Shite sport anyway.

[niko_cee]

BBC Sport's headline writers obviously loving it.

'Hapless Scots'

:harold:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Proper scenes in Fiji v Portugal. The ideal outcome in the end.

[Lewis]

We should see Fiji off, and then we can say we only went out to the winners and pretend we're back.

[niko_cee]

All groups won by the Northern Hemisphere. That can't have happened too often before, if ever.

Pissing on La France's pomme frites AGAIN would be great, but looks a long shot.

[Jimmy Floyd]

From the realistic options, I think I want France to win. What has happened to me? Must be cooking with garlic too often.

[hfswjyr]

All groups won by the Northern Hemisphere. That can't have happened too often before, if ever.

Pissing on La France's pomme frites AGAIN would be great, but looks a long shot.

Random stat to prove that is indeed the case: NZ have never lost a pool game until this tournament. So yes, first time Northern Hemisphere have won all the groups.

Despite all the talk about the huge blow-out scores, at the top level it's never been more competitive. France, Ireland, South Africa and NZ could all foreseeably win it. Outside chance for England and Wales, with only the Argies and Fiji making up the numbers.

[Baz]

Sky Sports to show every Super League game next season: https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/12984274/sky-sports-to-show-every-super-league-match-live-as-part-of-historic-new-three-year-tv-rights-deal

[Lewis]

If nothing else it's a winner because it brings an end to those weird crowd noise two minute highlight packages they publish. They need to get highlights up on YouTube quicker as well. The NRL has them up within hours, but you're waiting days with Super League.

[Jimmy Floyd]

RIP the taffs. Get Max Boyce on for a sing song.

[Manc]

Never a yellow.

[Lewis]

That try-saver is the biggest contribution Mitchell Pearce has made to Super League. He is past past it.

[Ian]

RIP the taffs. Get Max Boyce on for a sing song.

My mum and dad used to love the Max Boyce records despite not being Welsh.

"The Incredible Plan" is great, to be fair.

[Lewis]

Absolute shit from Catalans, who I think they benefitted from a weak league this year, and a pretty shit match generally. Harry Smith man of the match by a mile.

[Jimmy Floyd]

God I hope the all blacks stick about 40 on them here.

[Lewis]

How union officiates these 'deliberate knock-on' situations is properly lol.

[Waffdon]

Getting sent off for 10 mins for attempting to intercept a ball will never not be lol

[Jimmy Floyd]

Here's a rugby question. Why do they always run in at half time? Such a waste of energy.

[Lewis]

New Zealand Twitter in buts at the Irish fans Disrespecting the Haka. Get a life cuz.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Has anyone ever turned their backs on it? Must be worth a go.

[Lewis]

David Campese famously went and warmed up during it and nearly caused a diplomatic incident.

[Waffdon]

Why didn’t NZ kick that in the corner and bring the time down for the yellow card? Chances are they’d get a penalty from the maul anyway.

[Baz]

Old Trafford needs to be banned from hosting rugby league games.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Think that's the best game I've seen. Shameful that the incompetent draw made this a quarter-final.

[Lewis]

Waaaaaaay. Thought they had already won it. Johnny Sexton bealing.

[Giggles]

:drool:

[Manc]

Best in the world. :harold:

[Waffdon]

England to top off a dreadful WC for the ‘home nations’ tomorrow :drool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

The worst possible outcome from this tournament was England scamming it into the final and then losing to Ireland (or Wales), so thank fuck that's off the table.

[Lewis]

The fringe just doesn't have the tournament minerals. Embarrassing really.

[hfswjyr]

Well that was fucking stressful for 8 in the morning.


Why didn’t NZ kick that in the corner and bring the time down for the yellow card? Chances are they’d get a penalty from the maul anyway.
I think this is like our version of 'spirit of the game' kind of thing.

[Ian]

I wasn't much fussed either way but is there a reason you lads were so fervently anti-Ireland or just normal Tory stuff?

[niko_cee]

Reciprocity.


https://youtu.be/lLdvpFIPReA?si=WC0kCojl4UDsDIMy