The Rugby Thread

[Paddingtonwolf]

1/2p announces his international retirement after 101 caps for Wales. Great servant for Wales and the Lions.

 

[Dinowolf]

Courtney Laws to retire from international rugby after Friday's Bronze medal match.
He has 105 appearances under his belt over 15yrs.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Another fantastic servant. World Cups always have this end of an era feel.

 

[1986]

In terms of retirements we're losing Johnny Sexton ( a young fells in his prime at 38! ) and Keith Earls . Peter O' Mahony will probably stay going until the end of the Six Nations 2024 . Then there's Conor Murray as well who has 4 World Cups under his belt , Iain Henderson as well has been knocking around for a while .

It's a whole new cycle , but with a difference this time in that a new Nations Championship is beginning in 2026 . All the top sides will get to play each other competitively a lot more often now .

The World Cup trophy has been the preserve of the Southern Hemisphere teams for all 10 World Cups now bar 2003 , and that really needs to change .

 

[1986]

South Africa going with a 7/1 split on the bench . That's a huge risk in a World Cup final . Pollard being asked to play the whole match and he still has fitness doubts .

 

[Dinowolf]

FFS Why is that not a forward pass by Argentina? TMO even looked at it, but not given.
On replay it's shown as definitely forward.
We need to involve Arundell in the 2nd half.

 

[jd1981]

How in gods name wasn’t that forward pass reviewed for the Argentina try?

 

[sycophantia]

Looked miles forward in real time, crackers.

 

[sycophantia]

England's tactical kicking has been crap tonight.

 

[jd1981]

Very much a rugby equivalent of a Bruno Lage second half effort here by England.

 

[jd1981]

Whoever is TMO is a complete buffoon

 

[sycophantia]

Hung on but that was an ugly win in the end.

 

[jd1981]

Case of building momentum however England can’t keep playing like this, has to evolve.

 

[jd1981]

Expect another difficult 6 nations and probably only 2 wins, real period of rebuilding and transition, nevertheless something to build on.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

The inability to spot a forward pass made a game of it but equally made what followed a bit pointless. It wasn’t even close and to ignore it was farcical.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Even playing a bronze medal match is farcical. Neither team wants to be there.

 

[jd1981]

Yep doesn’t help when the TMO officiates it like a charity match

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I hate them in the football World Cup too. A pointless exhibition match effectively.

 

[BillyDee]

If it's not the Olympics no one cares about third place.

 

[jd1981]

UEFA realised a long time ago that (a) no one cares (b) no one wants to be there.
Even the Olympic boxing don’t have a bronze medal fight now just give both semi finalists a bronze.