The 2015 rugby union thread
- Thread starter Axver
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Vlad n U 2
Blue Crack Addict
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2008
- Messages
- 28,386
Watched the highlights on the SMH article. Incredible.
Vlad n U 2
Blue Crack Addict
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2008
- Messages
- 28,386
By the way, random question, but is that giant bearded Frenchman still around? I don't know his name but he was a bit of a cult figure in past years?
Watching the start of this game and I can't imagine what happens. The Boks seem dominant. Should've gone 14-3 up at the 22 minute mark but they blew an absolute sitter of a try.
Chabal! No, unfortunately he hasn't played internationally in about four years and I think his domestic career finished a year or two ago.
Chabal! No, unfortunately he hasn't played internationally in about four years and I think his domestic career finished a year or two ago.
I've seen some astonishing things happen on the rugby field, and that is an all-time great, up there with Jonah Lomu pulverising Mike Catt in 1995 and Stephen Donald's miracle penalty to win the World Cup in 2011.
The Japanese lived up to their name as the Brave Blossoms, that's for sure. I can't believe the courage in keeping going for the try when they had multiple opportunities to kick a penalty and draw the game. Their set plays were great - you can hardly fault their lineouts or scrums and their mauls were incredible (the impossible-to-tell try in the 79th minute with basically the whole team in the maul!). The Boks had moments of brilliance sprinkled with moments of unimaginable garbage and shocking decision-making.
For the sport of rugby as a global game, this is basically the best result ever. Keep in mind Japan have played in every World Cup to date and before today had only ever won once, back in 1991, against lowly Zimbabwe. They'd never played South Africa before. Now we have the bizarre sight of South Africa having a 0% win record against Japan - their lowest win record until now was 39% against New Zealand!
The Japanese lived up to their name as the Brave Blossoms, that's for sure. I can't believe the courage in keeping going for the try when they had multiple opportunities to kick a penalty and draw the game. Their set plays were great - you can hardly fault their lineouts or scrums and their mauls were incredible (the impossible-to-tell try in the 79th minute with basically the whole team in the maul!). The Boks had moments of brilliance sprinkled with moments of unimaginable garbage and shocking decision-making.
For the sport of rugby as a global game, this is basically the best result ever. Keep in mind Japan have played in every World Cup to date and before today had only ever won once, back in 1991, against lowly Zimbabwe. They'd never played South Africa before. Now we have the bizarre sight of South Africa having a 0% win record against Japan - their lowest win record until now was 39% against New Zealand!
Vlad n U 2
Blue Crack Addict
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2008
- Messages
- 28,386
Surely in the context of world rugby a 39% winning record against NZ is pretty decent?!
Ah, nice. What a guy. Always remembered the massive deal the commentators would make of him whenever he was onscreen.
Ah, nice. What a guy. Always remembered the massive deal the commentators would make of him whenever he was onscreen.
It is, in fact, the best. Australia has the second-best winning record against the All Blacks; they beat us 27% of the time. France is the only other country to win more than 20% of their games against the All Blacks.
Vlad n U 2
Blue Crack Addict
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2008
- Messages
- 28,386
"Oh great, we're playing South Africa next, we're one-third chance of losing this one!"
MadForIt
Refugee
All Blacks going through the motions.
I want anyone but England to win it (i'm English as well) - prefer NZ to win, if not Aussies would do
I want anyone but England to win it (i'm English as well) - prefer NZ to win, if not Aussies would do
Oh god how rubbish are the All Blacks, seriously. Disgusting amount of handling errors against Georgia today. We should be putting the minnows away but we're making a right meal of it. Should be smoother and more clinical than this, even if we don't care. It shouldn't be so bloody obvious that we don't care.
I got up to watch that?!
43-10 flatters us, it really does. Would've been more fitting for Georgia had the game ended when the score was 29-10. They can walk away very proud of themselves and Gorgodze thoroughly deserved his man of the match title. The tier two countries this tournament are really showing that they belong.
43-10 flatters us, it really does. Would've been more fitting for Georgia had the game ended when the score was 29-10. They can walk away very proud of themselves and Gorgodze thoroughly deserved his man of the match title. The tier two countries this tournament are really showing that they belong.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahaha
HA
England fall in the pool stage. With one game still to play. In their home World Cup.
Is this the most English sporting result ever?
domo-kun
ONE love, blood, life
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2009
- Messages
- 12,580
So long England.
MadForIt
Refugee
Aussies were brilliant. Don't follow rugby much but that foley was top class
If NZ don't win it want Aussies
If NZ don't win it want Aussies
I can't think of anything worse than Australia walking away with the World Cup. I'd trade the hilarity of England crashing out this early to avoid such an awful outcome.
Can't believe I'm saying this, but hell I'd even rather the French win the damn thing.
Can't believe I'm saying this, but hell I'd even rather the French win the damn thing.
cobl04
45:33
Not watching/following much because of the time zone but trying to catch up on England losing because there is no greater joy on earth than England losing in sport.
The best bit is when they actually get some hope and think they're a chance when they peg it back to 13-20 ... and then cop a yellow card when there are not one but two totally illegal tackles at once.
God they were so shit. Play like that in their final game and Uruguay might have a sniff!
God they were so shit. Play like that in their final game and Uruguay might have a sniff!
Decent game between All Blacks and Tonga today. The Tongans were sure up for the fight and the All Blacks were not very good in the first half, but it became one way traffic in the second. Milner-Skudder played a blinder, the try scored by Sonny Bill Williams came off an unbelievable pass (the look on SBW's face when he went over!), and it was great to see Ma'a Nonu score a try in his 100th game. Really nice presentation for Nonu at the end too. Only the sixth All Black to reach that milestone - and five of them were on the park tonight.
I'm still pessimistic about our chances in the finals though. Too many basic errors throughout the tournament and not enough were cleaned up tonight. The Tongans will feel aggrieved that they didn't score at least one try (I'm surprised they didn't get a penalty try at the end of the first half). Really not sure if I'd rather New Zealand faces France or Ireland in the quarter finals...
And come on, surely there are more people on this forum who follow rugby? I'm practically talking to myself here.
I'm still pessimistic about our chances in the finals though. Too many basic errors throughout the tournament and not enough were cleaned up tonight. The Tongans will feel aggrieved that they didn't score at least one try (I'm surprised they didn't get a penalty try at the end of the first half). Really not sure if I'd rather New Zealand faces France or Ireland in the quarter finals...
And come on, surely there are more people on this forum who follow rugby? I'm practically talking to myself here.
cobl04
45:33
Mate I would be but the time zones are fucked. But I took drugs last night and so tonight I'm drinking to alleviate the fear that I'm going to die, so if there's a game on soon, I'll tune in..?
Geez, hook a mate up.
Wait, I mean, yes there are some massive games on tonight, including Australia vs Wales (loser has a quarter final vs South Africa), but I'm about to go to bed to get up for Barcelona 4/laughing at England vs Uruguay.
Wait, I mean, yes there are some massive games on tonight, including Australia vs Wales (loser has a quarter final vs South Africa), but I'm about to go to bed to get up for Barcelona 4/laughing at England vs Uruguay.
cobl04
45:33
What time's the next game start? I've got foxtel too
Ah damn, sorry man, I turned in for the night. Looks like the Scotland vs Samoa game was a classic. Australia guaranteed a semi-final berth now because there's no way they're not going to belt the shit out of Scotland. South Africa almost certain to brush Wales aside too; they're playing with some serious wounded pride ever since their failure against Japan.
And oh look, England have finally figured out how to win, just a little too late to actually matter...
And oh look, England have finally figured out how to win, just a little too late to actually matter...
So, Ireland overpowered France, which sets up a quarter final between New Zealand and France in Cardiff - the same fixture that led to New Zealand's greatest World Cup embarrassment in 2007. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, but as soon as that prospect became a possibility New Zealand rugby figures have talked about it in the sense of "bring it in". I think there's a sense of unfinished business.
And poor Japan become the first country to win three pool games without progressing to the quarters. Hardly seems fair after their impressive performance, and captures the vast importance of getting bonus points, but for the first time they've qualified automatically for the next World Cup (though they would have anyway, being hosts!). Georgia have also secured their first automatic qualification, which is great. Astonishingly, none of the Pacific powerhouses have - Fiji, Samoa, Tonga all missed out, Fiji because they were stuck in the group of death and the other two because they performed like shit, especially Samoa.
And poor Japan become the first country to win three pool games without progressing to the quarters. Hardly seems fair after their impressive performance, and captures the vast importance of getting bonus points, but for the first time they've qualified automatically for the next World Cup (though they would have anyway, being hosts!). Georgia have also secured their first automatic qualification, which is great. Astonishingly, none of the Pacific powerhouses have - Fiji, Samoa, Tonga all missed out, Fiji because they were stuck in the group of death and the other two because they performed like shit, especially Samoa.
cobl04
45:33
Thrashing. Shame about the Islander countries but great to see the Springboks still in it.
Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
