Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

Forums › Sports › Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

1 | ... | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | ... | 642

Mad Scientist
29727 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1380799 6-Sep-2015 22:05

Smithy100:
joker97:
This debate reminds me of Christian Cullen vs Leon MacDonald

That wasn't a debate :p

Apparently not

networkn

Networkn
32255 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1382085 8-Sep-2015 22:01

I am struggling to contain my excitement for this RWC to start.

Heart Breaking news for Wales as in the last 2 days they have lost their two strongest players, one of whom is considered particularly crucial - Leigh Halfpenny.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11509819

Realistically with those two down, they really won't be the threat they were considered. Australia, England, and Fiji must be just about weeping with relief.

Batman

Mad Scientist
29727 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1382106 8-Sep-2015 23:07

wales is neutralised
wallabies selecting a kamikaze squad
SA / England haven't got a gelled team

sounds too good to be true

networkn

Networkn
32255 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1382201 9-Sep-2015 09:01

I won't be making too many assumptions until the final whistle blows and we have more points than the other guys. Last night our team played another team in squash, their #1 played our #1 and there is ordinarily a GULF between them, he beat our guy 3-0 and our guy played well!

It just depends on the night.

blair003

557 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1383210 9-Sep-2015 09:24

Yep, that's why they play the game. joker is clearly trying to invoke the wrath of the rugby gods ;)

Batman

Mad Scientist
29727 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1383268 9-Sep-2015 10:38

trust me, I have watched every RWC since 1995. I have seen coaches pick crazy teams. I have seen them lose the unlosable. and win against all odds (Eden Park). after 1999 free psychology assistance was offered to the entire nation.

That's why I'd like to see who's making the right calls (refs to coaches to captains to players) this time round.

Just. Don't. Forget. The. Referee. Has as much influence in the course of a game as anything.

invisibleman18

1356 posts

Uber Geek

#1383277 9-Sep-2015 10:55

As an England fan I'm not sure we can win it but should have a chance of going far at home anyway. Our group is tough but think we can get out of it, particularly given Wales have lost Halfpenny. Would like to think we can make the semi final (if we manage to win our group it's likely to be Scotland or Samoa in the quarter final if I've worked it out correctly) and from then you never really know. Home advantage might count for something.

Difficult to look past NZ, but it always is for the World Cup and they haven't won it away from home yet. They'll probably win but don't think it's guaranteed. It's worked out that I'm going to be in between jobs for about half the tournament (in between finishing the current one and starting the new one) which will be quite good for watching games.

Likely be dumping Sky after it's finished. I imagine a lot of people will be too.

Tradepub

Free professional, reference and technical white papers (affiliate link).

blair003

557 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1383339 9-Sep-2015 12:13

invisibleman18: As an England fan I'm not sure we can win it but should have a chance of going far at home anyway. Our group is tough but think we can get out of it, particularly given Wales have lost Halfpenny. Would like to think we can make the semi final (if we manage to win our group it's likely to be Scotland or Samoa in the quarter final if I've worked it out correctly) and from then you never really know. Home advantage might count for something.

Difficult to look past NZ, but it always is for the World Cup and they haven't won it away from home yet. They'll probably win but don't think it's guaranteed. It's worked out that I'm going to be in between jobs for about half the tournament (in between finishing the current one and starting the new one) which will be quite good for watching games.

Likely be dumping Sky after it's finished. I imagine a lot of people will be too.

You can't discount England at home. I would rate them a lot more if they had Tuilagi - we had real problems containing him when we lost in England a year or 2 back. But their current team is a bit unknown to me and they could just as easily get knocked out in the pool stages as win the entire tournament, although I would be equally surprised if they did either.

+1 in relation to sky - I'm very aware that for the past couple of months I have been spending $100+ a month (including mysky HDi and HD ticket, both of which are required to watch sky TV in HD) basically because the RWC games are at inconvenient times to go and watch elsewhere. The fact I have to pay $100 a month just to watch some sports in HD really irks me.

invisibleman18

1356 posts

Uber Geek

#1383462 9-Sep-2015 14:38

Yeah I think being at home we'd be disappointed not to reach the semi final. You never really know once it gets to that stage.

trig42

5802 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#1383516 9-Sep-2015 16:06

It is really hard to pick on that side of the draw, as picking the winner of Pool A is harder than picking a broken nose.
I think Pool A will end up ENG, AU, WAL/FIJ. It is possible that Wales will tip Australia over, and also possible Australia will tip England over (more doubtful). I think Fiji has one big game in them, I'm sure they will think they can knock Wales over, and hope for an upset against Aus or Eng (take Fiji lightly at your peril).
I think Pool B will be SA, SAM, SCO, US/JAP.

That means England will really hope they top Pool A to miss South Africa in the quarters. I think whoever plays SA in the Quarters will be pretty confident they can knock them over (they don't seem to travel well, and Australia IMO would be more likely to beat them than ENG).

England, if they don't win Pool A, have a hard road to a Semi. If England win their Pool, and Australia comes second, I can see them both getting through to the Semis. If Aus win the Pool, I can see SA and AU making the Semis.

Exciting times....

Dingbatt

6744 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1390066 19-Sep-2015 08:36

Sitting watching Eng v Fiji in Rarotonga at the moment, which incidentally is free to air here, courtesy of the NZ government.
The game has opened up a bit for now but initially my worst fears looked to be realized. First points from a scrum penalty, first try from a rolling maul and a try disallowed after being awarded after fifteen slow motion replays. Glad a piece of Nadolo magic happened straight after. I wish things would go a little more Fiji's way. Two missed penalties and one wrongly awarded to England at the end of the first half.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

afe66

3181 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1390107 19-Sep-2015 09:39

Not impressed about the stadium tv influencing the Fiji try being (correctly) cancelled though.

Bad precedent.

I very much doubt that footage showing a illegal English try would have been shown quickly enough to cancel an English try before the conversion taken.

A.

Batman

Mad Scientist
29727 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1390115 19-Sep-2015 10:10

Ah the perks of home ground advantage

Batman

Mad Scientist
29727 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1390135 19-Sep-2015 10:38

There's something else that beats me.

I recall Wales were favourites to beat France and then maybe even beat the ABs at Eden Park.

Instead, their captain lifted someone and got red carded.

So not even a yellow card for Fiji for the same (Actually he lifted this guy higher than the Wales guy lifting his) offense.

If tools keep refereeing matches anyone can win.

networkn

Networkn
32255 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1390148 19-Sep-2015 11:25

joker97: There's something else that beats me.

I recall Wales were favourites to beat France and then maybe even beat the ABs at Eden Park.

Instead, their captain lifted someone and got red carded.

So not even a yellow card for Fiji for the same (Actually he lifted this guy higher than the Wales guy lifting his) offense.

If tools keep refereeing matches anyone can win.

At what stage in the game was this?

1 | ... | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | ... | 642