Rugby world cup

[EM31]

Any interest?

Pool A
New Zealand
Canada
France
Japan
Tonga

Pool B
Scotland
Argentina
England
Georgia
Romania

Pool C
Australia
Ireland
Italy
Russia
USA

Pool D
Fiji
Namibia
Samoa
South Africa
Wales

[Soberphobia]

Pretty much wall-to-wall coverage out here, though union is the 3rd or 4th football code in the country. My brother in law is a Kiwi, so he's loving it.

The All-Blacks have to be favourites - watched the first half of their game against Tonga the other day and league convert Sonny Bill Williams was just awesome - and he can't even make their best team!

They were running replays of previous Cup matches on one of the sports channels in the lead up to this - Campese in 91 and Jonah Lomu in 95 were just amazing. Worth a youtube.

[RaoulDuke]

Originally Posted by Black Death

Pretty much wall-to-wall coverage out here, though union is the 3rd or 4th football code in the country. My brother in law is a Kiwi, so he's loving it.

The All-Blacks have to be favourites - watched the first half of their game against Tonga the other day and league convert Sonny Bill Williams was just awesome - and he can't even make their best team!

They were running replays of previous Cup matches on one of the sports channels in the lead up to this - Campese in 91 and Jonah Lomu in 95 were just amazing. Worth a youtube.

The All Blacks have to be the most underachieving team in sports (tri-nation aside). They're always the clear cut favorites for the World Cup, and practically always dissapoint.

First Round is always fiarly boring IMO, even though the small teams have improved. The fun starts in the next round.

I don't care who wins as long as it's not England. In any case, we're not winning it, that's for sure.

[Soberphobia]

Originally Posted by RaoulDuke

The All Blacks have to be the most underachieving team in sports (tri-nation aside). They're always the clear cut favorites for the World Cup, and practically always dissapoint.

First Round is always fiarly boring IMO, even though the small teams have improved. The fun starts in the next round.

I don't care who wins as long as it's not England. In any case, we're not winning it, that's for sure.

Yep, the Blacks have choked big time at the Cup - still an awesome sporting team however. When you French beat them in the semis in 99 it basically handed us the title on a platter given the French played their Final in that game and didn't turn up in the decider. It's a bit of a travesty we and the South Africans have two titles each to the Kiwis one, but I guess if you are serial chokers in the main event that's how it rolls.

Yeah, the first round has been pointless in previous years, though there have been some close ones this time around (as you say). The Pumas should have tossed England and apparently the Springboks got ran close by the Welsh (who to be fair were a traditional power decades ago). Just saw there have been some other close ones this time around too - I've been away in Melbourne on the weekend and only caught some of the games, and even that only parts of them.

[RaoulDuke]

On a side note, small teams are getting screwed bigtime by having to play on shorter notice, while the powerhouses get to play on weekends and get more rest.

Rugby's come a long way but still has a long way to go before becoming professional on every level. Friggin national championships have started everywhere while the best players in the world are away. Some teams here have up to 8 guys missing. Time to have a real wordlwide governing body with international calendars that take into account national calendars.

Imagine Barca playing a Liga game during the World Cup..

[Soberphobia]

Watching Wallabies vs USA right now - USA very impressive, just scored to make it 10 - 5 to Australia. Wallabies one of the pre-tournament favourites but have already been tossed by the Irish.

The USA are a big physical side but I was surprised there seems to be next to no African American players - mentioned this to my bro-in-law who said: "yeah, they know where the money is!"

[sheptr]

Yeah, watching my Eagles get Wallabied right now. Been playing for 20 years myself, first in Army and then club. There is no money in it, at least in the US. Even in Europe it is not NFL/NBA cash. As far as soccer/football is from being a mainstream sport here in the US, rugby is even further. Still a great game.

[PlumberKhan]

didn't mean to make you cry

[FijiJet]

Originally Posted by RaoulDuke

The All Blacks have to be the most underachieving team in sports (tri-nation aside). They're always the clear cut favorites for the World Cup, and practically always dissapoint.

First Round is always fiarly boring IMO, even though the small teams have improved. The fun starts in the next round.

I don't care who wins as long as it's not England. In any case, we're not winning it, that's for sure.

The All Blacks finally won after 24 years or so and only by one lousy point. The ref was biased and gave them too much leeway. France was the better team but the lousy kicking by Morgan Parra gifted the cup to the AB's.