The Rugby Thread

[UncleBuck]

What a great weekend of rugby culminating in Wales spanking the Aussies, didn’t see that scoreline coming!
Surely Jones’ tenure will be coming to an end after this tournament, I’ve never seen such a weak Australian team.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Christ almighty Australia are terrible

Great from Wales, but knowing from the 6Ns how limited this Wales team is, this is an absolute shocker for Eddie Jones and Co

Based on how Eddie has talked in the build up, he sort of has to be sacked

I can't abide him or his rugby. Hopefully this is the end of Jones on the int stage.

One of the reasons England have declined so much imo.

 

[UncleBuck]

Just listening to the Aussie stats and they were awful before Jones took over.
1 win in 8 for Jones
20 of 47 tests lost going into 2019 wc
6 out of 23 tests won since ‘21
Any Aussies out there who can shed some light on what’s going on?

 

[branchie]

Nos da Mr Jones!

 

[jimbo]

Christ almighty Australia are terrible

Great from Wales, but knowing from the 6Ns how limited this Wales team is, this is an absolute shocker for Eddie Jones and Co

Based on how Eddie has talked in the build up, he sort of has to be sacked

I think what Wales and England have shown so far is that warm-up games are just warm-up games. Though I would say that in beating Fiji and Australia Wales have proved that a little more than England.

It looks like Wales vs Argentina, England vs Fiji, Ireland vs New Zealand and France vs South Africa will be the QF matches. As I would greatly prefer a winner from outside the southern hemisphere’s big three - that looks good to me. Huge, huge challenge for France against SA though - probably a bigger test than a semi-final opponent from England vs Fiji. If Le Coq Sportif can overcome the Springboks then I’ll start to really believe they can win it. Though I wouldn’t mind Ireland winning either, and they’re in the same boat with a tougher looking QF than SF - unless Wales surprise again, which doesn’t seem impossible after that performance.

 

[DaiT]

Brilliant early Monday morning starting at 2 am culminating in Wales's record win over Aus.

Worst ever Australian team I have ever seen. Don't know why they sacked Rennie.

 

[UncleBuck]

Another one bites the dust, when are the RFU going to get a grip on this, the whole pyramid is a complete mess:

Championship holders Jersey Reds 'cease trading'

Championship title-holders Jersey Reds "ceased trading" on Wednesday and say liquidation is "inevitable" unless funding can be found.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[talkshowhost86]

Glad the Japanese player wasn't sent off.

But for the life of me can't understand why he wasn't based on the rules.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Glad the Japanese player wasn't sent off.

But for the life of me can't understand why he wasn't based on the rules.

The Samoan guy absolutely deserved to go off.

 

[jimbo]

I've never rated Cheika as a coach. Huge half time for him to prove me wrong.

I’ve never really paid much attention to him previously but I’m coming round to your way of thinking here (stopped clocks and all that). It looks to me as though the Argentina squad is better than they’re being coached to play.

It’s looking like England will face Fiji in the QFs - that might be their first serious test at this tournament. I am especially looking forward to England kicking constantly to the Fijian back line so that they can run at a broken field. I think that’s a tactic that is nailed on to produce the desired result.

 

[talkshowhost86]

I’ve never really paid much attention to him previously but I’m coming round to your way of thinking here (stopped clocks and all that). It looks to me as though the Argentina squad is better than they’re being coached to play.

It’s looking like England will face Fiji in the QFs - that might be their first serious test at this tournament. I am especially looking forward to England kicking constantly to the Fijian back line so that they can run at a broken field. I think that’s a tactic that is nailed on to produce the desired result.

It was pretty successful when I saw the same game at Twickenham 3 weeks ago

 

[Rocksuperstar]

Just seen that New Zealand scored 96 in the crick...

...wut now? Oof!

 

[PCozzie]

Portugal play some great rugby. Probably only have 30 mins max at that intensity but they're really taking it to Australia.

 

[PCozzie]

Great try Portugal! And converted. They lead 7-3

 

[PCozzie]

Boooo

 

[Dunc2610]

Back to the 'same old' team selections and look, England playing turgid slow rugby and losing to Samoa currently!

 

[UncleBuck]

Got away with that, play like that again against Fiji and we’ll lose to them again.
I just can’t understand Farrell at centre justifying a starting spot, SB and Gareth Southgate are most definitely cut from the same cloth!

 

[SE Spurs]

They got the win, but that was pretty awful from England. Never seen a kicker get timed out on his kick, just summed up the sloppiest of sloppy performances.
Gotta get better or they're going no further than the QF.

 

[PCozzie]

Man that was a hard watch. Samoa are fun and deserved more - probably that yellow cost them the match. England are so far off it though. It's not just the rugby which is outdated, but professionally they're all over the place. Imagine taking more than a minute over a penalty in front of the posts and giving up the points as the clock went over.

 

[PCozzie]

Gotta get better or they're going no further than the QF.

I think the limit is simply to be better at the very basic way England play. They don't have another style to switch to, it's just a case of hoping to keep it tight and not find new and interesting ways to give points away. If we beat Fiji and make the semi-finals I could scarcely think of a side having got that far with less ability.