Rugby World Cup 2011

[foobar75]

It was a bummer for Wales to lose their captain so early, but the send-off was the right call. He obviously did not do it intentionally, but that tackle is against the rules.

Wales did very well with one man down, and dominated in the 2nd half, but as you say, just the like the South Africa game, they could not get that score they needed. The last penalty kick came within inches of going thru, plus there was the failed kick after the try.

You know honestly, France has only looked good for one half against England in their last 4 matches. NZ destroyed them, Tonga beat them, England dominated the second half of their game, as did Wales. So, if NZ wins tonight, I think France has to play a lot better, or they will lose badly.

 

[foobar75]

The All-Blacks played one of the most amazing matches I've ever seen them play against the Wallabies. They put the pressure on from the first minute and never let up. Australia never seemed to recover and you knew on this night, NZ simply was not going to lose. I've never seen so many bloody and bruised faces (on both teams) and clearly they gave it their all.

I know France seems to have this mysterious ability to beat NZ in the WC, but I just don't see it happening this time around. This is looking like the replica of the first 1987 Cup, and I believe the result will be the same. If NZ somehow loses, it will be one of the biggest choke jobs and upsets in the history of any sport, and they may not recover from that one for a long time.

Overall, the southern hemisphere is playing much better rugby than the north at the moment. The true championship match was most likely played on Sunday between NZ-AUS. But NZ cannot let-up and must approach the game exactly the same way they did against AUS and put the pressure on early.

 

[backrow]

i agree, we were lucky to have an early final in Kiwis-Wallabies game, and now it's down to France to rise to the occasion and provide a real challenge, which they may or may not do! This is a team capable of great things, but i do not think they can seriously threaten New Zealand's title bid on their own soil. All Blacks 32 France 19

 

[Bk21]

French player are really pissed off after harsh criticism from NZ journalists: they got pissed off after Tonga and played a beautiful rugby against England, feeling that they have nothing to lose. They are in the same psychological state right now: they feel humiliated and inferior, and they may reserve (or not) a great opposition to NZ; even if it won't be sufficient to win, but who could beat NZ right now, and on their soil? they seem unbeatable and even though Australians were brave they were outpassed in all aspects of the game by the All Blacks

 

[Bk21]

enjoy this guys!

[video=youtube;UXyXyP8_AuI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXyXyP8_AuI[/video]

 

[frederic38]

i read somewhere that parra will shoot instead of yachvili

it's a good thing if true, because we really needed to change something in this department
go france!
(it's the first time i say this in maybe 10 years )

 

[Bk21]

NZ did to us what we just did to Wales.. so much disapointment yesterday, NZ would've never won if they weren't playing home..
see you all in 4 years

 

[backrow]

great heart by France. i didn't expect them to be that competitive in that final. too bad they didn't have a competent kicker, but then neither did the Kiwis. congratulations to Richie McCaw, best player in the world for leading his team to the Cup!

 

[Matra2]

I don't think any team deserved to win the World Cup this year. None of the teams were impressive. The refereeing was also poor.

 

[foobar75]

Matra, I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. New Zealand was clearly the best team in the world and this tournament. They went 7-0 and deserved the World Cup.

True, it appeared that the magnitude of the moment got to them a little bit in the final and they nearly choked it, but then again, France deserves credit for playing a great match.

Don't let the 8-7 score fool you. After Dusaotoir's try, the next 25 minutes or so were incrediblly intense and dramatic. I have the match recorded and watched it twice already and it was definitely a worthy final.

Looking forward to England 2015!

 

[Bk21]

@foobar

there was a beginning of polemic about last 10 minutes refereeing of the final, french players said that they didn't expect Joubert to whistle a penalty kick for them although the defense was making a lot of faults, diving and scratching the ball with hands (talonnage à la main), and Richie McCaw was playing offside almost all the time.
they stated that after journalists persistent questions, but also all agree that NZ deserves their win.

http://translate.google.fr/translate?sl=fr&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=fr&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lequipe.fr%2FRugby%2Fbreves2011%2F20111023_170736_l-incomprehension.html&act=url

you saw the match twice what do you think of that?

 

[frederic38]

i am also interested to know what you think about the refereeing in this match
for me, the match was fixed

 

[backrow]

i wasn't happy about the call at all to be honest, but then again if you are playing final against a home nation, you NEED to make most oout of your chances and France didn't do it in the second half missing a few key kicks. (although New Zealand goal kicking was atrocious as well, especially in the first half). Calls like that will often go to a home team. Also keep in mind that this match would probably be entirely different had Carter been playing, but that's a WHAT IF scenario.

 

[Bk21]

In the What IF category; France lost its kicker (Parra, head injury) -replaced by Trinh Duc- who missed an opportunity to score 3 points, but played well otherwise, AND François Clerc, the best try scorer of the WC; during the first 15 minutes of the game.

There's another polemic going around (this time in Rugby forums) about Yachvili kick and Stephen Donald's kick; I watched the two kicks several times but it's impossible to tell, the cam is so far it's difficult to say if the ball do pass or not.. of course referees has the priority since they are under the poles, just for the fun take a look at both


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlvzya_cpp-de-donald-face-a-la-france_sport?start=71#from=embediframe

[URL]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlwkpz_penalite-du-yach_sport#from=embediframe[/URL]

 

[foobar75]

Yes, I did go back and watch the last 15 minutes again. I believe I could point out 2 occasions where a penalty for France could have been called, but overall, I agree with backrow. France did have their chances. If Trinh-Duc makes the penalty, (and I believe there was also a drop-kick that was missed in the first half), they probably win that match. You can also make the case that NZ missed a few kicks of their own as Weepu was terrible, so that makes it even somehow. Also, Parra and Carter cancel each other out, so overall, I have to call it a fair game.

My argument is that if that game is played anywhere else (except in France) I think NZ would've won by a bigger margin. There was just too much pressure at home and France played a very good match on top of that.

 

[CrazyFinn]

I'm guessing we don't have much of a rugby following around here, given the last rugby-related post was 4 years ago. It's a great sport with some crossover to football in terms of skill and gameplay once you learn the nuances of the game. It's also overwhelmingly white.

However, the reason I'm posting is I watched the second leg of the Bledisloe Cup (the annual competition between Australia and New Zealand) last night. It was a great match, the All Blacks won in a blowout to retain the cup. I was hanging out with some friends from down under, I'd say they're semi-DWF types, so I didn't say anything, but I noticed the Aussie team was overwhelmingly Pacific Islander and other mixed race players. NZ also had a few Islanders on the team, but their roster is majority white.

What is going on in Australia, I wonder. I don't remember their teams having so many non-whites. Do they have a similar caste system like the NFL where whites are being purged from the sport?

I will certainly not be rooting for this team in the upcoming World Cup next month. South Africa, Argentina, Wales, England and New Zealand all feature far whiter teams.

 

[Matra2]

I'm guessing we don't have much of a rugby following around here, given the last rugby-related post was 4 years ago. It's a great sport with some crossover to football in terms of skill and gameplay once you learn the nuances of the game. It's also overwhelmingly white.

However, the reason I'm posting is I watched the second leg of the Bledisloe Cup (the annual competition between Australia and New Zealand) last night. It was a great match, the All Blacks won in a blowout to retain the cup. I was hanging out with some friends from down under, I'd say they're semi-DWF types, so I didn't say anything, but I noticed the Aussie team was overwhelmingly Pacific Islander and other mixed race players. NZ also had a few Islanders on the team, but their roster is majority white.

What is going on in Australia, I wonder. I don't remember their teams having so many non-whites. Do they have a similar caste system like the NFL where whites are being purged from the sport?

I will certainly not be rooting for this team in the upcoming World Cup next month. South Africa, Argentina, Wales, England and New Zealand all feature far whiter teams.

I watched that match as well. I'm not sure how badly it reflects on the Aussies as they had already won the tournament so didn't really have anything on the line.

I imagine the French also have a mostly white team too unless things have changed radically in the last few years.

 

[frederic38]

my brother told me australia had many many non whites, i couldn't believe it
i was counting on them :icon_cry: