2011 Rugby World Cup thread

[Axver]

Given the tournament's just kicked off, I think we could use a thread. Once upon a time, this was the most exciting event of every four year cycle for me, though the insidious influence of Melbourne has long since caused my passion for Aussie Rules football to comfortably overtake that for rugby. Nonetheless, I'm still pretty keen! No prizes for guessing which team this Kiwi is hoping will FINALLY win the Cup back after 24 long years, even if I'm not terribly optimistic about the whole thing.

For the record, the groups are as follows. Two teams advance from each to the quarter finals:

GROUP A
Canada
France
Japan
New Zealand
Tonga

GROUP B
Argentina
England
Georgia
Romania
Scotland

GROUP C
Australia
Ireland
Italy
Russia
USA

GROUP D
Fiji
Namibia
Samoa
South Africa
Wales

None really strike me as a "group of death" scenario, though Group B and D perhaps have delusions of claiming that title. New Zealand and France from Group A, Argentina and England from Group B, Australia and Ireland from Group C, and South Africa and Wales from Group D are the predictable quarter finalists.

PS Everybody in New Zealand, I pity you having to put up with the madness of the tournament for the next few weeks.

 

[Axver]

Don't know if anybody's interested in making picks for the tournament like we do in the AFL thread and others, but here are my picks for the first weekend of games:

New Zealand vs Tonga
France vs Japan

Scotland vs Romania
Argentina vs England (perhaps a bold pick but I fancy the Argentines and the English style of play is just dull dull dull)

Australia vs Italy
Ireland vs USA

Fiji vs Namibia
South Africa vs Wales

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I did not know Russia had a rugby team ...

 

[Axver]

I did not know Russia had a rugby team ...

One of their players has even got some Super Rugby experience! Watch for the Cold War to be reprised on 15 September when the Russians take on the Yanks in New Plymouth.

Pissed off Australia and the US are in the same group, because this is one of those exceedingly rare scenarios when I will actually cheer for the Wallabies. (The other scenario is USUALLY when Australia plays France, though at a knock-out stage I'll take the French just because the Wallabies have already won the World Cup more than enough for my liking.)

 

[The Sad Punk]

Poor Tonga.

Seems like an odd choice to open the cup with, though it certainly gave the crowd what they wanted.

I'm going to try and catch as much of this as I can, hopefully there will be a fair bit on FTA. My (future) brother-in-law is heading over to Aotearoa soon for a few games, going all over both islands.

 

[Axver]

It's Tonga's best loss to the All Blacks, though. We've now played them four times, for wins of 45-9, 102-0, 91-7 (our World Cup 2003 game in Brissie that I saw), and now 41-10. Rusty start for the All Blacks, and not tremendously promising. But the telling game will be how we go against the French.

 

[LemonMelon]

So, like, what the fuck happens in this sport? The players run like the wind up to the 20 and then there's an orgy or something and after thrusting into each other for 10 or 15 minutes sometimes the team scores. Then there are random penalties for thrusting into each other incorrectly. I'm so confused.

/watching rerun of the NZ/Tonga match

 

[Axver]

That's perhaps the most accurate description of rugby union I've ever read.

 

[Jive Turkey]

I used to play in highschool, but I was tiny back then and pretty shit. Looking forward to catching some of these games

 

[Axver]

JT, sorry in advance for what my country's team will do to your country's team on the 2nd of October.

Bit disappointed Argentina couldn't pull off a win against England yesterday. Watched some of the game and the kicking skills by both sides were atrocious ... what a contrast to then switch to the Aussie Rules and watch people who can actually kick a football!

And although the scoreline doesn't reflect it, Japan almost upset France. They were within four points with fifteen minutes to go. I could hardly imagine an upset I'd more like to see.

Australia vs Italy today - hoping the Italians can pull off an extremely unlikely win. The game of the day is unquestionably South Africa vs Wales though. That'll be good.

 

[bono_212]

JT's Canadian, isn't he?

 

[Axver]

Oddly enough, Canada and New Zealand almost always end up in the same group at the World Cup (October's game is the fifth time out of seven Cups). Just a shame for Canada that the cumulative score is 234-39 in the All Blacks' favour!

 

[intedomine]

There seems to be barely any coverage of this tournament compared with previous ones. Full credit to the lesser lights, showing some genuine competitiveness against the more established nations.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

watching usa get their asses handed to them by ireland. it'll be a disappointing loss, but not terribly unexpected. i'll still wear my rugby jersey in public though, i don't care. i'm kinda bummed usa doesn't have any matches anywhere near auckland, but since i really don't fancy going to eden park ever again, it's just as well.

 

[cobl04]

Fair win by the Aussies... such a shame the love for this game/world cup has almost completely disappeared (at least here, anyway)

 

[Axver]

If Australia wins, believe me the level of coverage will be back to the usual levels. It's like the Cricket World Cup; the moment Australia fades, Melbourne stops caring about anything that isn't AFL.

Surprised Ireland didn't wallop the USA. 22-10, seriously? I expected 52-10.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

 

[Axver]

Going to laugh heartily if Russia beats the Yanks by more than the Irish did! GO GLORIOUS MOTHERLAND OF BEAR AND VODKA!

Khan, I'm surprised you didn't drive down to New Plymouth for the US's two games there. The drive via State Highway 43 comes highly recommended too.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Going to laugh heartily if Russia beats the Yanks by more than the Irish did! GO GLORIOUS MOTHERLAND OF BEAR AND VODKA!

In memory of dancing friend Yeltsin!

 

[Axver]

Where the fuck's the Belarussian team EH VLAD.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Minor but growing sport. Our rank is unranked.

(lol thanks Wikipedia)

 

[Axver]

Need to try harder! This is your sports calling, Vlad. Return to Minsk, become captain, and lead your country to World Cup glory!

 

[Vlad n U 2]

But I would rather introduce Australian Rules to them.

 

[Axver]

Hmm. You make a good point. Introduce both and lead Belarus to simultaneous AFL and rugby glory?

 

[Vlad n U 2]

We have to get better in football first.

 

[Axver]

Oh man, Wales lost to South Africa by just ONE point. 17-16. Wish they'd won.

 

[cobl04]

We must not let this distract us from our main goal.
Racial equality?
Rugby tours. We must continue to have rugby tours.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Khan, I'm surprised you didn't drive down to New Plymouth for the US's two games there. The drive via State Highway 43 comes highly recommended too.

yeah, unfortunately the two games clashed with ian's work schedule - he works sunday-thursday, of course!

 

[bono_212]

Oddly enough, Canada and New Zealand almost always end up in the same group at the World Cup (October's game is the fifth time out of seven Cups). Just a shame for Canada that the cumulative score is 234-39 in the All Blacks' favour!

Is Canada in the tournament? I don't see them listed.


Shame I immediately forgot about all this after yesterday, coulda watched US lose!

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Is Canada in the tournament? I don't see them listed.

look at the first team under pool a in axver's post