Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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#3150713 21-Oct-2023 09:48

ABs have chosen to finish the game with 14 men by not bringing Scott Barrett back after sin binning

I'll look around to make sure i don't spot the no 5 on the field but that's a bit of a simulation training there

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Dingbatt

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#3150725 21-Oct-2023 10:29

Maybe because Scott Barrett “has form”, they didn’t want to hazard bringing him back on and him getting another yellow in the last 5 minutes? Wouldn’t have changed this week’s result, but may have affected selections for next week.

I wonder if Mo’unga owes Jordan a beer for not passing the ball for his fourth. In fact just as I write this Jordan is being interviewed and got asked that very question😂.

A good win by the ABs. Hopefully they step up again next week.

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#3150784 21-Oct-2023 12:09

The body language at the end was showing the job is not done, this was just a day at the office and there is more work to do.

I hope they find that one extra gear for next week. Will be a completely different match from today.

networkn

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#3150786 21-Oct-2023 12:52

AB's barely get out of first gear against an Argentina side who looked like they spent too much time reading the press against them all week.

There were some good things and some fairly average things. Mackenzie with more questionable decision making. Some good things by Mo'unga, but wasn't his best game by a longshot. Average kicking through the match and an awful decision not to pass to Jordan.

Scott Barrett is a muppet. Why oh why would he do such a dumb thing? I am really start to question his temperament. We weren't under any particular pressure, he wasn't trying to save the match. It's just stupid. He could easily cost us the RWC. Have we conceded a card in every match so far this RWC (in fact have we managed to avoid a card this year at all?

Overall, obviously really happy to be in the final (and with a good defensive effort), and for us, it's probably the ideal match to go into the final, where we haven't conceded any injuries, wasn't a particularly physical match and we have an extra day of prep.

Hopefully, England and SA throw absolutely everything at each other for 80+ minutes tomorrow AM.

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#3150792 21-Oct-2023 13:12

Into the final - not bad for the 'worst coach of the modern era'.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

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#3150793 21-Oct-2023 13:15

TeaLeaf:

Pacific nations have represented with pride, Samoa only losing by one pt to Eng, then Fiji by 6 in a QF. Portugal and Georgia had some good results too in the grand scheme of things. Its been a very healthy RWC for the sport.

Those teams who had no realistic chance of getting out of the pools provided the most enjoyable pool games I watched.

I have been impressed with their ball skills and gameplay. They have improved so much since the previous World Cup which I guess is partly due to the improved competitions that they’re regularly playing in.

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#3151023 22-Oct-2023 09:54

Expected to be thrashed but this one is absolutely heartbreaking to have led for the whole game and lost right at the end. Just like 4 years ago in the final the scrum got dismantled and once that happened we just couldn't compete. Steward needed to send that kick back down to their corner and maybe we'd have then held on for the last few minutes. Guess it gives the people what they wanted with likely a more competitive final. Devastated.

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#3151031 22-Oct-2023 12:01

Someone explain to me why SA got the scrum penalty at the end? I'm baffled but maybe there is a legit reason that's not "the referee's interpretation" aka 'coz they felt it was a penalty' .

Next week will depend on the ref once more. Wayne Barnes better get a nice gift from one of our reps someone between tomorrow and Friday.

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#3151037 22-Oct-2023 12:58

Early on when Farrell talked back to the ref and SA kicked 3 points, I just got this feeling......

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#3151043 22-Oct-2023 14:12

invisibleman18: Expected to be thrashed but this one is absolutely heartbreaking to have led for the whole game and lost right at the end. Just like 4 years ago in the final the scrum got dismantled and once that happened we just couldn't compete. Steward needed to send that kick back down to their corner and maybe we'd have then held on for the last few minutes. Guess it gives the people what they wanted with likely a more competitive final. Devastated.

If he could pluck a drop goal out of thin air maybe he shouldn't have been so satisfied to a 9 point lead. Just saying.

networkn

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#3151044 22-Oct-2023 14:17

That was quite a game. I thought England had it. I would have preferred England in the final if I am honest, but we play who we get. England were accurate and did a brilliant job of nullifying South Africa who just couldn't get anything happening. England were massive at the breakdown and their accuracy was far better than that of SA. It was disappointing not to really even try to score tries. It was like watching England of the 2003 Era. Englands botched times in the 22 were their undoing. I feel SA were slightly guilty of under-estimating England.

I am not sorry to see the back of Owen Farrell. He's had a distinguished career but it was badly marred by his careless tackles and dislikeable interactions with opponents. He will leave England as the highest ever points scorer, eclipsing Sir Johnny Wilkinson and I expect that record will stand if not forever, for a very very long time. His goal kicking this match, including the drop goal, was brilliant, and he was surprisingly gracious post game, even good spirited. He has been a hard-working and long serving servant of English Rugby and should be given credit for that.

For all the talk of Northern Hemisphere rugby dominance, better tactics etc, here we are at the final with two southern hemisphere teams, and I don't think anyone could argue the best two teams made the final, despite the lop sided draw. Both SA and NZ timed their runs to perfection, whether that was intentional or not. I believe NZ will go in marginally fresher after a less challenging semi, and one day longer for recovery, but SA probably has the tactical edge. If we can get up one more time with our forwards, to play the way we did against Ireland, I think we can beat them.

networkn

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#3151045 22-Oct-2023 14:21

Handle9:

• Libbok is a special, special player. He’s the next great flyhalf. Watching him in warmups you see how amazing his hands are. Pollard looked hopeless compared to him. Once he gets his goal kicking in order he’ll dominate games.

Being hooked at 30 minutes, replaced by Pollard and seeing Pollards assuredness, I think it's more than just Libbocks kicking that is wanting. I think he has potential, and he has some time to grow into it, but I don't think he's quite in the same class as the other 10's in the tournament (yet?).

He feels a little like Mo'unga did the first few years, where he didn't really feel like it was 'his' team to command. I think he may find it easier post RWC if he can cement his place. Libbock wasn't their first choice 10 to go to the RWC, he was to be the apprentice and was promoted because everyone else was either injured or unavailable. I think he did reasonably well overall. I'll be interested to see if he is bench or starter next week and how long he stays on the field.

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#3151075 22-Oct-2023 16:26

networkn:

For all the talk of Northern Hemisphere rugby dominance, better tactics etc, here we are at the final with two southern hemisphere teams, and I don't think anyone could argue the best two teams made the final, despite the lop sided draw.

This.

It will be very satisfying to be able to shut up the northern hemisphere rugby press by asking them how many of 'their' teams are in the final, and then pointing out they only had one of the four semi-final teams, too.

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#3151081 22-Oct-2023 17:39

Both England and Argentina benefitted from being on the ‘Light’ side of the draw. It is perhaps fitting that the two teams that won their quarter-finals on the ‘Heavy’ side of the draw are now contesting the final.

As far as I know there has only been one Northern Hemisphere winner (England 2003) in ten tournaments. So despite the rules being designed to favour NH rugby, they don’t seem to be able to take the big prize.

To me the high point of today’s semi-final was Farrell’s drop kick from almost halfway. Other than that it was an attritional grind. The team with forward dominance had the ascendancy. That was England until the ‘Boks brought on their subs and took over. The game then reverted to the tried and tested tactic of win a scrum penalty, kick to the corner, score a try from the lineout. At least it wasn’t a rolling maul try. The All Blacks will note England effectively blocked that part of SA’s game.

Have they announced who is reffing the final? People seem to assume it will be Wayne Barnes. But what about a French ref for the French tournament (shudder)?

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#3151095 22-Oct-2023 20:20

Dingbatt:

Have they announced who is reffing the final? People seem to assume it will be Wayne Barnes. But what about a French ref for the French tournament (shudder)?

the head of Refs is the retired Welsh guy (edit i now recall his name - nigel owens) who posts videos of "lucky" players (ie players who should have gotten red/yellow card but were given yellow/no card instead). he's on youtube with animals every few days in the last month. he will decide who referees the final i would think.

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