Rugby World Cup 2019

[Villan For Life]

Job done and we were very rusty. There will be much tougher games ahead so hopefully they can cut down on the handling errors and capitalise on the possession that they had.

[taylorsworkrate]

We will need to. The handling errors were so basic and poor it is a worry. Discipline at the breakdown must improve. Too many penalties given away.

Overall it was just a horrible game to watch. Too many stoppages. World Rugby really needs to get a grip with how much time is wasted setting scrums. There was one scrum in the 2nd half, that by the time the ball was fed in, nearly 2 minutes had coms off the clock. That must be unacceptable.

[Jon Crofts]

OK own up, who voted Wales?

[cdbearsfan]

They've a chance, I reckon. One of six teams who could realistically win it. I voted NZ, though.

[Dr Butler]

I just have a feeling that the Saffers may click into gear at some point, but after watching them vs NZ may be not

UTV
The Doc

[UK Redsox]

NZ are the team to be beaten until someone does, and I can't see a chance of that happening until the final.

[paul_e]

I honestly think England are slight favourites right now. We didn't play well yesterday but we only conceded 1 score, from a penalty, against a decent side despite the fact that we couldn't catch. A few more games as a unit to become a bit more clinical and I think we'll have th epower to score against anyone and then in defence we have a lot of big tacklers who will throw themselves at teams to slow play down and stop them crossing the gainline. It's largely what SA did for about 70 minutes of their first game, the issue was they had a little spell of inaccuracy and poor defence and it lost them the game.

[Meanwood Villa]

NZ are always favourites for this tournament. Their quadrennial brainfarts used to be amusing and provide a bit of excitement but they've ironed those out and it's hard to see anyone stopping them. England beating NZ at a world cup? We might have done in 03 but I'd be amazed if we did this time.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Really enjoyed the Argentina France game. Always good to have a close game.

[paul_e]

NZ are always favourites for this tournament. Their quadrennial brainfarts used to be amusing and provide a bit of excitement but they've ironed those out and it's hard to see anyone stopping them. England beating NZ at a world cup? We might have done in 03 but I'd be amazed if we did this time.

This is a very different NZ and their breakdown shithousing has been highlighted after the first game. They've lost number 1 in the rankings for a reason.

[cdbearsfan]

Be nice to have some less predictable results. I think that's eight games out of eight won by the favourites, now.

[paul_e]

Be nice to have some less predictable results. I think that's eight games out of eight won by the favourites, now.

It was a funny round of games tbh, the only 2 games where an upset was even remotely possible were NZ/SA and Ire/Sco (although this was unlikely) but neither of those would've been massive shocks either.

I can't see many shocks though, mainly because the top 6 are too good for the rest and then there's a pretty big gap between the 5 weak teams (Canada, US, Russia, Uruguay and Namibia) and the rest. Most of the good games will come from the teams in the middle in the group stage, Scotland, Japan and Samoa could be some tasty games and the 2 I'm really looking forward to are Argentina vs Tonga and Georgia vs Fiji, there's going to be some big collisions in those 2.

[paul_e]

More high tackle controversy in Samoa vs Russia, with 2 contentious ones.

Lee-lo first was, in my opinion, correct as a Yellow, it was high but, in my opinion, it slid up from the chest to neck because of the carrier dipping and turning a shoulder to the tackle, would've been a very harsh red card.
Matu'u on the other hand was a red by any interpretation, head-on-head and the tackler goes down like he's stunned means that it was nothing like safe. Poor decision that one and I suspect it'll be a big story again after the game.

[paul_e]

As I'd expected before the start Russia looked fucked early in the 2nd half after playing largely the same team as Friday, Samoa had a 15-20 minute blitz to seal the win. Good effort from Russia to try t get a try on the board here but too little too late I think.

[UK Redsox]

Be nice to have some less predictable results. I think that's eight games out of eight won by the favourites, now.

Only chance left of an upset that might affect the QF is Japan over Scotland.

Does coming third in the group give teams automatic qualification for 2023 ? If so, that'll keep some interest going in the otherwise dead rubbers