Rugby

***Lancs Harp*** · 17-09-2023 08:11 PM

England playing in Scotland shirts with Hearts socks. GTF 😀

**JeMeSouviens** · 17-09-2023 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by Lancs Harp

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England playing in Scotland shirts with Hearts socks. GTF 😀

It’s a tough watch - hoof, hoof, drop and repeat…

**HUTCHYHIBBY** · 17-09-2023 08:24 PM

Ridiculously lucky try for England there, unbelievable Jeff! 😊

***Lancs Harp*** · 17-09-2023 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by HUTCHYHIBBY

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Ridiculously lucky try for England there, unbelievable Jeff! 😊

Its about time heading was brought into Rugby

**JeMeSouviens** · 17-09-2023 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by HUTCHYHIBBY

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Ridiculously lucky try for England there, unbelievable Jeff! 😊

On the ‘ead, Ted

***Lancs Harp*** · 17-09-2023 08:54 PM

England pi55ed it the second half. Still a scrappy game tho. We'll deliver your shirts back to you in the morning 😀👍

***weecounty hibby*** · 18-09-2023 09:24 AM

England were brutal. Only one team tried to play rugby. Kick, chase, give it big guys to run into folk. They have been very fortunate with the group and the way the competition will pan out.

**JeMeSouviens** · 18-09-2023 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by weecounty hibby

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England were brutal. Only one team tried to play rugby. Kick, chase, give it big guys to run into folk. They have been very fortunate with the group and the way the competition will pan out.

To be fair, I didn't think Japan tried very much either until after Marler's header. Or at least they kept dropping it when they did.

But yeah, England were brutal. From Jonathan Liew in the Guardian:

The entire effort of the future will be to invent silence, slowness and solitude,” the French surrealist painter Marcel Duchamp once said. Alas, Duchamp died in 1968 and was unable to witness Steve Borthwick’s England rendering his vision in perfect flesh. At the end of a game that seemed to last for about four months, it was England who were left still standing, still unbeaten, still playing the sort of rugby not even its mother could love.

**HUTCHYHIBBY** · 22-09-2023 06:37 AM

France 96 Namibia 0, I'm not sure what the answer is but, surely an extra qualifying round before the actual Finals could be merited. 🤔

***Frazerbob*** · 22-09-2023 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by HUTCHYHIBBY

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France 96 Namibia 0, I'm not sure what the answer is but, surely an extra qualifying round before the actual Finals could be merited. 🤔

In order to avoid these results, you'd need to reduce the number of countries reaching the finals. The record WC score was Japan getting thumped by the All Blacks 145-17, all part of their development. Japan can now hold there own. Countries like Namibia, Portugal, Romania etc have earned their right to compete. For their fans and especially players, getting thumped by one of the big boys at the World Cup will probably be their greatest moment in the sport.

**HUTCHYHIBBY** · 22-09-2023 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Frazerbob

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In order to avoid these results, you'd need to reduce the number of countries reaching the finals.

Aye, that's what I was getting at.

***weecounty hibby*** · 22-09-2023 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by HUTCHYHIBBY

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France 96 Namibia 0, I'm not sure what the answer is but, surely an extra qualifying round before the actual Finals could be merited. 🤔

If you do that then there is no improvement for these teams. Its not too long ago that Scotland took 100 points off Japan in Perth. Japan improved by being able to play against T1 countries and learn from them. They also have a big financial input. But the smaller countries will get added finances by being at RWC. Unlike football the RWC is not just about being the winners, it's about Namibia etc being on the world stage and having a rare opportunity to play at that level. In football teams like San Marino regularly get the opportunity to play the big guns. In rugby it only comes along at RWC.

**HUTCHYHIBBY** · 22-09-2023 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by weecounty hibby

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If you do that then there is no improvement for these teams. Its not too long ago that Scotland took 100 points off Japan in Perth. Japan improved by being able to play against T1 countries and learn from them. They also have a big financial input. But the smaller countries will get added finances by being at RWC. Unlike football the RWC is not just about being the winners, it's about Namibia etc being on the world stage and having a rare opportunity to play at that level. In football teams like San Marino regularly get the opportunity to play the big guns. In rugby it only comes along at RWC.

I'm well aware of all that, the first round hardly makes for a great spectacle unless the T1 teams are playing against each other. Quite handy that Georgia v Portugal and England v Chile are on tomorrow afternoon whilst the football is on, quite looking forward to the night time game though.

***weecounty hibby*** · 22-09-2023 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by HUTCHYHIBBY

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I'm well aware of all that, the first round hardly makes for a great spectacle unless the T1 teams are playing against each other. Quite handy that Georgia v Portugal and England v Chile are on tomorrow afternoon whilst the football is on, quite looking forward to the night time game though.

Yeah, England Chile won't really be worth watching, not many games involving england are tbh. Portugal v Georgia could be ok as fairly evenly matched.

***JimBHibees*** · 22-09-2023 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by weecounty hibby

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Yeah, England Chile won't really be worth watching, not many games involving england are tbh. Portugal v Georgia could be ok as fairly evenly matched.

The passion Chile play with is superb. Think their game against Argentina will be an interesting watch

**Greenbeard** · 23-09-2023 09:36 AM

I would normally support Ireland against anyone else (being 1/16th Paddy mesel') even though my dislike of the increasingly moaning face Sexton has tested my support at times, but I'll be cheering on South Africa tonight.

Whatever the result though (and us beating Tonga is no foregone conclusion the way they played against Ireland for much of the game) we will have to beat Ireland. So it's better that is a straight shoot-out for 2nd if Ireland lose to SA. If Ireland beat SA and then we beat Ireland then qualification will come down to bonus points or points differential and you just know that Scotland would probably lose out and be the "unlucky heroic" non-qualifiers.

PS Kinghorn needs dropped. And Gilchrist. Maybe Schoo too.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/66884526

**heretoday** · 23-09-2023 06:51 PM

The pre-match thing on ITV is rather awkward. They're demonstrating moves in the studio. Imagine doing that before a derby match with Hearts or something.

***cabbageandribs1875*** · 23-09-2023 08:10 PM

i can't believe SA attempted that penalty from there own half, they're obviously not very confident

think it was probably to relieve some pressure

but that was a lovely try for them

very poor kick for the extra two points

and another poor attempt

and yet again another shot at the sticks from there own half this time absolutely dreadful attempt

change yer kicker SA

good result Ireland, SA's poor kicking cost them, maybe see each other again in the Final

**Donegal Hibby** · 23-09-2023 08:51 PM

Yasss , absolutely delighted. What a team 👏🇮🇪

***I'm_cabbaged*** · 23-09-2023 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by Donegal Hibby

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Yasss , absolutely delighted. What a team 👏🇮🇪

Wish we were playing you next week, they’ll be a few sore bodies after that!!

**heretoday** · 23-09-2023 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by cabbageandribs1875

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i can't believe SA attempted that penalty from there own half, they're obviously not very confident

think it was probably to relieve some pressure

but that was a lovely try for them

very poor kick for the extra two points

and another poor attempt

and yet again another shot at the sticks from there own half this time absolutely dreadful attempt

change yer kicker SA

good result Ireland, SA's poor kicking cost them, maybe see each other again in the Final

More of that intense rugby would make a grand final.
I'd back SA if that happens. They'll surely sort their kicker out before then.

**Greenbeard** · 23-09-2023 10:07 PM

Worst result possible for Scotland. Very likely we now need three bonus point wins including v Ireland. Or beat them by more than 7 and surpass their points difference or SA's point difference if they don't get a bonus point win v Tonga.
Correction: if we end up level on points with Ireland (having beaten them) then it's the head-to-head which first determines who gets through.

**HUTCHYHIBBY** · 23-09-2023 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by heretoday

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More of that intense rugby would make a grand final.
I'd back SA if that happens. They'll surely sort their kicker out before then.

Absolutely magnificent spectacle, intensity off the charts.

***McD*** · 24-09-2023 08:18 AM

It’s a nonsense that Scotland have yet to play their second game, and some teams have played three. Leaves us under all the pressure to chase results rather than getting fair match scheduling where everyone is able to pick up points in the group stages at a similar pace

**Greenbeard** · 24-09-2023 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by McD

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It’s a nonsense that Scotland have yet to play their second game, and some teams have played three. Leaves us under all the pressure to chase results rather than getting fair match scheduling where everyone is able to pick up points in the group stages at a similar pace

That's only because this round of fixtures within the group isn't complete yet. But when group matches don't kick off at the same time, and are a day apart, I suppose scheduling-wise it might have been fairer to have the Scotland-Tonga game played before the SA-Ireland game. However, the way the result in that match went last night, we now know we have to pump Tonga with a bonus point and a 40-50 points difference. Had we played first we'd probably have just been happy to aim for a win.

***Sylar*** · 24-09-2023 03:31 PM

Far too much chat about what we need to do vs Ireland. Hope the players aren’t thinking that way and are 100% focused on a decent Tonga side. Write them off at your peril.