2011 Rugby World Cup thread

[Vlad n U 2]

And also, they're Welsh, awesome accents and language.

 

[Axver]

Massive turn-around from the French, losing to Tonga - Tonga! - one week and then knocking off the Poms in the quarter-final the next.

Will be hoping Wales outsmart them in the semis. If the All Blacks somehow make the grand final, last thing I want is for us to be thwarted by the French again. I could at least hack a loss to Wales.

Quite excited about Australia vs South Africa tomorrow. Tough one to pick. And I'm just hoping New Zealand doesn't suffer an embarrassing failure against Argentina!

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

oops, yeah obviously meant quarter-final. the game was fun, sat by some neat frenchmen. had really nice seats too, right in the middle of the field, seventh row.

yay france!

 

[Axver]

Goddamn South Africa, letting Australia through to the semis!

That said, at least now whoever wins this tournament won't have won the last one. All Blacks vs Argentina coming up ... everybody seems so confident, taking a Kiwi victory as a fait accompli, but I'm honestly nervous. We've never lost to Argentina, but it'd be bloody typical for us to lose that record tonight.

And I stand by my "fuck France" comments until they man up and at least apologise for launching a terrorist attack on New Zealand.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Wales.

 

[Axver]

New Zealand may've beaten Argentina 33-10 in the end, but that was so unconvincing. It took us over an hour to score our first try! If it weren't for Piri Weepu, we would've been fucked. Play like that against Australia next week and we'll get destroyed. Anybody who right now thinks the All Blacks will win the Cup is a serious optimist; Wales vs Australia is the most likely grand final.

People keep saying that New Zealand hasn't lost at Eden Park since 1994 (where both the semi and the final will be held), but the longer that record stands, the closer we get to it inevitably being broken, and I fear next Sunday will be the day it happens!

 

[Axver]

Waaaaales.

GODDAMN. That valiant effort came within a hair of being the most incredible win in World Cup history. The French must be the least deserving grand finalists ever.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

That was devastating. That was the first time I have been gripped by a rugby match since the 2003 final.

They only have themselves to blame though, that Steven Jones guy missed a few gettable opportunities.

 

[Axver]

It was agonising how close a couple of those kicks went. The worst part? The tackle probably should've only been a yellow card, not a red.

 

[Axver]

An article on Stuff quoted the specific rule in question: Wales v France | IRB defends red carding of Wales... | Stuff.co.nz

So Rolland was correct in issuing the red card. I'd suggest the rule rather than the ref is at fault here. The tackle was clearly not malicious, nor did it cause injury, ergo a yellow card appears to me quite sufficient.

Somewhere, though, Wayne Barnes is probably quite happy, or at least breathing a sigh of relief. After being the most hated ref in the world for the last four years, Alain Rolland appears to have taken that role upon himself now.

 

[cobl04]

Just came across The Cream, a Roy&HG show that apparently aired during the 03 world cup god, I wish someone would take them on.

 

[Axver]

ALL BLACKS ARE IN THE GRAND FINAL!!!

It took sixteen long years to get back there, but we made it! And made the Wallabies look like fucking amateurs in the process. Tonight feels so fucking good.

 

[cobl04]

Congrats Axver. I didn't watch it but glad we lost. Will be cheering hard for the All Blacks in the final.

Must be comforting to know that there is at least something that justifies your existence as a country

 

[cobl04]

Lay Down Sally is an Australian hero compared to Quade Cooper, judging by the facebook and twitter backlash

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Must be comforting to know that there is at least something that justifies your existence as a country

Spoiler

 

[intedomine]

Love me some Union. That was super entertaining. A shame about Wales though. Gonna try and get myself along to a few Melbourne Rebels games next Super 12 season.

 

[Axver]

Must be comforting to know that there is at least something that justifies your existence as a country

Neil Finn's going to slap you.

Lay Down Sally is an Australian hero compared to Quade Cooper, judging by the facebook and twitter backlash

Hahahaha, and he was born in New Zealand too. Thanks, Robbie Deans and Quade Cooper, you've served your country well.

Love me some Union. That was super entertaining. A shame about Wales though. Gonna try and get myself along to a few Melbourne Rebels games next Super 12 season.

If there's a Melbourne vs Wellington game, I may well head down myself. Except I'll be cheering for the Hurricanes.

(I may consider the Rebels my third team though. I have a soft spot for Otago and cheer for them when they aren't playing Wellington.)

 

[bono_man2002]

Lay Down Sally is an Australian hero compared to Quade Cooper, judging by the facebook and twitter backlash

I only really watched the start, and it didn't start well.

 

[Axver]

The not-totally-paranoid part of me knew we'd won the game right then and there at the kick-off.

The paranoid part of me, even when that scrum was awarded with half a minute to go, still feared the worst would somehow befall us in a bizarre twist of fate. I even turned to Charlotte and said something like "never trust in a victory over the Wallabies until they're dead".

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

okay, because i'm a girl (lol) i figure i can get away with asking stupid questions.

one thing i've noticed with watching the rwc games is this noise they make during the restart kick or whatever after points were scored. do they do this at every rugby game or is it just a world cup thing? a minor thing, yeah, but the noise amuses me so i was curious.

 

[Axver]

THAT NOISE IS IRRITATING THE SHIT OUT OF ME.

Whoever thought it up needs to be shot and I hope it doesn't become a "thing" that they keep doing post-Cup.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

i think it's cute!

 

[cobl04]

Vuvuzelas... - YouTube

Spoiler

I actually liked the vuvuzelas

 

[Axver]

So, Australia manage to get the bronze by defeating Wales. Shame. The Welsh deserved it, but without Warburton, Priestland, or Adam Jones, their attack seemed to just founder and they were totally let down on the kicking front. Oh well, they're a young and improving team right now - give them four years and they should be fairly imposing at the 2015 Cup.

 

[Axver]

I woke up unnaturally early this morning because I'm so excited/nervous about tonight. I can't recall anticipating a rugby game this much.

 

[Axver]

Since this is pretty much the "Axver talks to himself about rugby" thread, I'll keep going! I must admit, I'm getting a bit nervous ahead of the big game tonight. Statistically, we're due for a loss to France; we win one, we lose one. 1987 win (grand final), 1999 loss (semi), 2003 win (3rd place play-off), 2007 loss (quarter-final), 2011 win (group stage). And they are the last team to beat the All Blacks at Eden Park, back in 1994. So they probably think history is on their side.

But then we'd never beaten Australia at the World Cup until last week. (Though the two teams had only ever met twice before at the Cup. - in the semi-finals of both 1991 and 2003.)

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I'd talk about rugby but I don't know what to say ...

 

[Axver]

Say "GO THE ALL BLACKS!"

An hour to go.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

lol justin bieber can sing in french

 

[Axver]

Haha we were all "so that's what Bieber will be doing in fifteen years".

And oh for fuck's sake, 1. WEEPU YOU ARE NORMALLY SUCH A GOOD KICK WHAT HAPPENED?! and 2. OUR FIRST FIVE-EIGHTHS ARE CURSED. I can't believe we're down to our FOURTH CHOICE first five-eighth for the last 43 minutes of a goddamn World Cup final. Sweet jesus, I'm so nervous, the French are fucking up for this and I think they could do it if we make just one too many blunders. Need more tries. Need to fucking get our kicks.