International Rugby

[UK Redsox]

France are being very French at the moment

[olaftab]

At 55-13 with 12 minutes to go this is getting embarrassing for the French.

[Proposition Joe]

The one thing worse than the Globetrotters running riot is the needless fawning of the non-NZ commentators.

[curiousorange]

This is absurd. Rugby from another planet.

[Proposition Joe]

France are being very French at the moment

Nah, in the old days the French would now start punching.  Both the opposition and their own team mates.

Even though I'm English, I don't like the French being a laughing stock.  Things were much more interesting when they played with flair and were a genuine threat - when they weren't turning on each other.  Brian Moore probably thinks otherwise though. 

[Proposition Joe]

This is absurd. Rugby from another planet.

I would still fancy Australia vs the ABs though.

[curiousorange]

Yeah, still fancy the Aussies. They've played the most tactically aware rugby.

[PaulWinch again]

That was a serious statement by the All Blacks.

[PaulWinch again]

A French side with flair is good for rugby, they need to find their soul again.

[Dave Cooper please]

Is this thing still going on, it feels like months since it started.

[PaulWinch again]

Well a month. It's no different from
football really and it's been brilliantly supported.

[paul_e]

BTW can anyone give me a non-conspiratorial reason why Offside McCaw seemingly gets away with so much more than other players?  Does he really infringe so much, or do we assume he does because it's him?  And if he does, why do refs not call it?

I can't give a reason but I can say with a huge degree of certainty (I played back row for 11 years at a good standard) that he really does infringe that much. Counting the rucks he enters legally is a lot easier anr he has an interpretation of the offside rule that is uniquely his.  I didn't watch tonight because we had a guest, they'd happily have had it on but I get ranty if I watch them so i decided it was best to give it a miss.

[cdbearsfan]

Welshmen haven't put in this much effort in defence against South Africans since Rourke's Drift.

They weren't Welsh.

[peter w]

Although Ireland will start as favourites it will be interesting to see who Argentina do. Playing with the southern hemisphere big 3 as undoubtedly helped them develop quicker, I still see them as a northern hemisphere style team playing in the southern hemisphere. Clearly the loss of key personnel means they aren't the same threat they were a few years ago, but against what's seen as a decent northern hemisphere side, will their natural game honed against better teams be a leveller?

[peter w]

You have to say,whichever sport you may like or dislike,that there is nowhere else you see a national anthem sung more passionately from players and crowd than at an international rubgy union game.