RUGBY World Cup 2007

[Total U2 Nut]

I think it's a shame that rugby isn't as popular in the UK as it is in the southern hemisphere. I mean footy's great and all (the only sport that I will ever fully support England in ) but there's just something else about rugby. People are going absolutely mad back home about the final right now, and I imagine the excitement in England is probably only a fraction of that.

It's true, my whole family are rugby mental, and I assumed that the rest of the country was as such. I go to college just across the road from the Twickenham rugby ground and all the pubs (there being one every three or so shops ) is backing them - but just speaking to people my age, I've only been able to have one decent conversation with someone about it. Most people don't care, or don't have the patience or willpower or whatever to sit through a match... It's safe to say people give much more of a damn about the football. Which I don't get; what the hell is so exciting about being Estonia 3-0 when they're the shittest team out there?

Anyway, I hate this shit "England don't deserve to be in the final" - what's better than a team who really did not look like they would pull through the groups (which actually would've been the worst defence of the RWC in history) but've somehow found their feet and are now playing decent rugby. We've been the underdogs much of the way through, and after the embaressing 36-0 lose to SA, every game, I've thought would be our last. Beating france was no small thing, the home nation! They'd beat the All Blacks, they were the favourites to win - and we still beat them. I think it would be fantastic if we won, I think it would be the first time a team has ever retained the cup...

I can't wait till Saturday

 

[U2@NYC]

BTW, I forgot to mention that the officiating in the SA - Pumas match was quite questionable... which has been an unfortunate trend in this World Cup. Lots of penalties by SA not called... a clear punch to Roncero's face in SA's first try by Habana... and so on and so forth. Probably would not have changed the outcome but did its job in demoralizing the Pumas...

 

[1stepcloser]

It's true, my whole family are rugby mental, and I assumed that the rest of the country was as such. I go to college just across the road from the Twickenham rugby ground and all the pubs (there being one every three or so shops ) is backing them - but just speaking to people my age, I've only been able to have one decent conversation with someone about it. Most people don't care, or don't have the patience or willpower or whatever to sit through a match... It's safe to say people give much more of a damn about the football. Which I don't get; what the hell is so exciting about being Estonia 3-0 when they're the shittest team out there?

i am much more of a football fan but i still think it's quite sad that in a sport in which england are actually quite good at, the highest attendance at leicester tigers (the current league champions) is only 16,000. every single team in the premiership (football) gets higher gates than that and a fair few teams in the league below it do too.

Rugby is becoming more popular here though. on tv they had a report saying more and more kids at schools were taking up the sport.

 

[jacobus]

All Blacks defeat by France:
Referee Wayne Barnes made at least three serious errors that went against the All Blacks late in the World Cup quarterfinal against France, an International Rugby Board (IRB) panel has found. France scored the winning try from a forward pass and committed at least two other two offences that could have been penalised, the IRB referees' selection panel found.

IRB referees' manager, New Zealander Paddy O'Brien, said the panel still gave Barnes a pass mark and reiterated he did not cost the All Blacks the game. O'Brien said a review of Englishman Barnes and touch judges Jonathan Kaplan and Tony Spreadbury, found a series of wrong calls against the All Blacks.

A successful penalty would have been enough to win the match for the All Blacks, but Barnes did not award one penalty against France in the second half. Barnes' has come under close scrutiny, particularly his performance late in the match in which the All Blacks -- desperate for points -- retained the ball for more than 25 consecutive phases.

An examination of that period by international media has shown repeated offences by the French which went unnoticed and unpunished by match officials. O'Brien, a former New Zealand policeman and Test referee, has consistently supported Barnes, saying while he made mistakes he could not be held responsible for the All Blacks' defeat.

"Wayne's game's been (reviewed) by all four selectors and myself, probably under more scrutiny than any other game due to the interest in it," O'Brien said today. "There were errors made. There was a scrum turnover not given in the first half that should have been.

"There was clearly the forward pass that was missed by all three officials and, at the end of the day, with Wayne being the referee he must take responsibility for that. "There were two calls, one with a hand in the ruck and one with offside at a ruck in the last 10 minutes, which the touch judge should have given him.

"We've certainly reviewed the touch judges' performance and that's been reflected in our appointments for the third-fourth playoff and the final. Both of those touch judges have missed out." O'Brien said he was not prepared to concede that Barnes, a 28-year-old former barrister who has been refereeing Test matches for less than a year, was overawed by the quarterfinal appointment.

"I think there were a lot of factors involved in New Zealand not winning that game and one of them was some issues with refereeing and touch judging -- and we've always said that -- but to blame him for the loss is completely wrong," he said.

O'Brien said Barnes would be considered for appointment to matches in New Zealand, though threats had been made against him by angry All Blacks fans. "Wayne is going to be on the international scene for some time and he will definitely be in New Zealand within the next couple of years," he said.

"Wayne is a world-class referee and he will be appointed to any match that we think he can referee."

source:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/story.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10470441

http://www.allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=displayNews&newsArticle=7155

 

[digsy]

hmmm...
I'm not quite certain how missing the forward pass in a try that gave the French it's winning points could be said to have NOT cost the All Blacks the game....

 

[Dulce de Leche]

I wish I really understood rugby since that's all I'm hearing about at the moment. I will prob. end up watching England v. SA on Sat though...

 

[U2@NYC]

Go Pumas!!!

34 - 10!!! Bronze medal!!!

A historic world cup for Argentina! If only we would have played like this against the Springboks... anyway, great World Cup!

 

[Axver]

Oh, this tournament is still going?

A meagre four games in a whole bloody fortnight has sent me completely apathetic. I'm not even going to bother to watch the final live as I'd have to drag myself out of bed at 5am. Maybe I'll catch a replay of it. South Africa are going to obliterate England anyway.

You'd have thought the IRB would have learnt a thing or two from the agonisingly drawn out Cricket World Cup earlier this year, but evidently not. If you don't have a team to support, two weeks is a bloody long time and with nothing to engage you over the space of a week, it's too easy to lose interest. I want to care; I just feel like this tournament should have finished a week ago!

I must say, though, I am thoroughly delighted with Argentina's third placing, and it's nice to see France get their arses kicked. This is an absolutely wonderful thing for world rugby, the best thing to happen this year, and I sincerely hope this is enough to ensure the Pumas swift entry to the Tri-Nations.

 

[Total U2 Nut]

I'm so looking forward to the game tonight, I went out today and the streets are full of England (and quite a few Boks) shirts. It's been 36 days since our embarressing 36-0 lose, but the cup is so close now, and we've upped our game so much. I think it will be a much closer game this time. It's a pity Lewsey won't be playing.

 

[coolian2]

Fucking hell that was boring

 

[Total U2 Nut]

I am so fucking bitter right now. We SHOULD'VE got that fucking try I can't even think of anything productive to say. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

 

[GibsonGirl]

Boring match! Not one try! Well, excluding that one that England might have scored... Very questionable decision. I think his knee may have just touched the line. Just. A very tough call and it's going to be talked about a lot in the days to come. To be frank, I thought England played better offensively as a team than South Africa did. Percy Montgomery was fucking hopeless when attempting to kick the ball into touch. Not bad at his penalties, but still... Even my dad thought England should win. That's saying something, because he loathes England.

South Africa's defence was very good though, England couldn't take advantage of our sloppy playing. In the end, that's probably what made the difference. That disallowed try came early enough for England to make another attempt, and they couldn't do it. So well done to the Bokke for keeping the Poms back.

Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo,
Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.
Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,
O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho,
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,
Setjhaba sa South Afrika - South Afrika.
Uit die blou van onse hemel,
Uit die diepte van ons see,
Oor ons ewige gebergtes,
Waar die kranse antwoord gee,
Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom,
In South Africa our land!

 

[U2@NYC]

What a boring final!!!! (naturally, the Pumas should have been there... ).

In any event, I think the best team of the World Cup won it... and the only undefeated one so no questioning there.

I hope the Pumas are allowed in the Tri-Nations... they probably won't let them into the 6 Nations, now that they beat Ireland, Scotland and France (twice).

 

[financeguy]

I agree that the best team of the World Cup won it.

Congratulations to South Africa. Commiserations to England.

 

[GibsonGirl]

Hahaha, I just received a very drunken phone call from one of my old friends from Natal! They're going absolutely mad down there. It's the crack of dawn and they're still going!

Three cheers for Os du Randt. What a way to go out, hey? Two world cups for his country. I've been a fan of his since 1995.

We'll miss you, Ox.

 

[Auhiz]

All hail the mighty Bokke.

Congrats from a Wallabies supporter for winning the cup, undefeated as well! It was a brutal encounter today, but they managed to hold it together and not panic as other teams have done when the relentless English pack have kept the game tight.

And likewise congrats to England for going above and beyond (most people's) expectations, the game really could have gone either way especially with that near-try. I also reckon that it was the right call, his foot (or was it his knee?) was just skating the grass of the sideline before he planted the ball.. The style of rugby mightn't be attractive to watch but England can be very proud of going so far, especially when no-one really gave them a chance.

Meanwhile I will be laying very low for a while, in hiding from a few South African mates who will no doubt be keen to share their views at length on a very 'lekker' tournament.

Congrats to Argentina as well - what an awesome result for them!

 

[coolian2]

South Africa have won two world cups without scoring a try in either final

Doesn't that sum up everything that's wrong with rugby.

 

[GibsonGirl]

South Africa have won two world cups without scoring a try in either final

Doesn't that sum up everything that's wrong with rugby.

Not really. You simply cannot compare a match from 1995 to a match in 2007. Did you even watch the world cup final in 1995? I did. It was the most exciting rugby match I've ever seen, despite the lack of tries. NZ and SA were so close for the full 80 minutes and into extra time. The tension was unbelievable. It could have gone either way. Every South African and Kiwi was on the edge of his or her seat. And then, Joel Stransky kicked that winning drop goal from that impossible distance... It seemed to happen in slow motion. It's one of the greatest sporting memories I have. Our entire block of flats erupted when it went through. People were screaming out of windows, my family and I were in tears...the whole country practically imploded upon itself.

You honestly cannot even begin to compare that to the dull affair that was the 2007 final. England's style of playing just seemed to discourage try scoring during the 2007 RWC, particularly from the quarterfinals on. Let's examine the statistics:

England-Australia: 1 try
England-France: 1 try
England-South Africa: 0 tries
New Zealand-France: 4 tries
South Africa-Fiji: 7 tries
South Africa-Argentina: 5 tries
Argentina-Scotland: 2 tries
Argentina-France: 6 tries

One might say the problem lies with England, not rugby in general... England gave up four penalties in the final, and the Boks capitalised on that. They didn't need to score a try, they simply needed to defend well. England couldn't create any offensive opportunities. They certainly tried to - full credit to them for that. They just couldn't get around the Boks. South Africa were trying to create opportunities too, but Percy's poor boot didn't help them very much.

 

[Auhiz]

Not sure that it's fair to talk about what's wrong with rugby union, or England for that matter, if you're lamenting the lack of tries. 'Cause that's the issue, right - lack of tries, not enough of a free-flowing game?

Rugby is rugby, and within the rules of the game a team can be very successful by focusing on a few key areas:

- Strong defence.
- Dominant scrummaging.
- Skillful and judicious kicking.
- Excellent discipline especially at the breakdown.
- Minimal errors.

The reason that England have proven to be such a formidable force during this tournament - and let's be honest, were almost within a toe's length of winning the World Cup - is their application of the above disciplines. If a team can put all of that together and keep the scoreline tight then they can generate enormous pressure on their opponents and often win the day. That's a valid, but unexciting way to win a rugby union match.

Hm, you're still snickering about the "formidable force" and "England" thing, huh? Me too, probably, prior to the World Cup, but not now. They played to their strengths and look at how far it got them..

Anyway the point is, where is it written that the team which adopts the most creative, deceptive, free-flowing style of play should score the most tries and win every game of rugby union? I don't think that's ever been the case.

You might be thinking of rugby league..

 

[GibsonGirl]

All very valid points, Zihua. I mainly took offence to coolian's insinuation that there was something wrong with the '95 World Cup final. That match was brilliant. Not to mention one of the most iconic moments in sports history. Nelson Mandela handing Pienaar the cup...jesus, for one brief moment, everything was all right in South Africa. The only thing that could have possibly been wrong with that match was those food poisoning allegations (I don't believe them, anyway - they mostly coincided with the release of the NZ team doctor's book, and what sports book is complete without a bit of controversy?)

And while I agree that it's quite possible for a team to be a strong force without having much luck in the try scoring department, I disagree with the idea that it makes for interesting rugby. Games that are won by penalties and drop goals tend to be snoozers, unless the match is very close (like it was in the '95 final). England don't really take many chances. When you don't take chances, turnovers happen less frequently. And when turnovers happen less frequently, tries happen less frequently. The average rugby fan would agree - seeing a try is infinitely more exciting than seeing someone knock an easy penalty through the posts. Compare watching Bryan Habana streak from South Africa's 22, dodging people left right and centre, then leaping over the opposing try line with a massive grin on his face to Jonny Wilkinson kicking yet another penalty. But yeah, congratulations to England and everything for getting as far as they did. Everyone wrote them off at the beginning of the RWC, including me.

I just can't stand their style of playing.

 

[ET]

CONGRATS TO SOUTH AFRICA!!!
way to go Springboks!

 

[Auhiz]

Yeah the '95 South African win was magic, and although I wasn't even watching much rugby at that stage I could feel the tension during the match and knew that it was something special. I clearly remember the emotional South African celebrations with Francois Pienaar dropping to his knees within the huddle of players, tearfully praying. How badly they wanted it, and how sweet it was when they got it..

The food poisoning thing I'm not touching with a 20ft pole, although I imagine there may be some NZ supporters willing to comment?

As for the grinding, try-less games, I do agree that they're fairly boring. To the point where I go through phases where I want the game to be changed, eg. what if they reduced the points for drop goals from 3 to 1, and penalties from 3 to 2, etc.. So from time to time I'll think that it is rugby itself that's the problem, because why should it encourage a less entertaining game?

On the other hand, rugby union is in a delicate position, and it would need to be careful not to give the impression that it's following in the footsteps of the game of league.. Next thing they'll be no more pushing in the scrums, and the sports would be virtually identical..

 

[jacobus]

1) congrats to the PUMAS (argentina) for their 3rd place

2) congrats to the SPRINGBOKS (south africa). they are the fully deserved winners of the RWC 2007 final. it would have been a shame if a destructive team like ENGLAND would have won the cup.

3) but in the end i am still a bit angry because of the ALL BLACKS early exit in the quarterfinals. the ALL BLACKS should have been there in the final against SOUTH AFRICA, but a bad mixture of lacking form on that day and a desastrous referee team cost them the win against FRANCE.

4) the ALL BLACKS are still playing the most attractive rugby on our blue planet.

GO THE ALL BLACKS...win the cup in 2011

 

[1stepcloser]

well done to South Africa, i think they deserved their win. even though the final was a boring match, the best team won. im very proud of how england turned their tournament around, we showed a lot more spirit and passion than some certain other nations and everyone slagging us off throughout has made me even more proud of how they did.

well done argentina too