The Official, one and only, Men's IRB Rugby World Cup 2023 thread

[Sandstorm]

To be honest, after the overwhelming performance of many of your countrymen for days after our game, what was a fairly clear cut decision on who to support is a lot murkier. Definitely a case of wishing a plague on both houses.

Sadly not surprising when the "laager mentality" surfaces every time one of our lot makes a stupid tackle.....some of our fans default mode when challenged is to circle the wagons.

[Slick]

To be honest, after the overwhelming performance of many of your countrymen for days after our game, what was a fairly clear cut decision on who to support is a lot murkier. Definitely a case of wishing a plague on both houses.

Sadly not surprising when the "laager mentality" surfaces every time one of our lot makes a stupid tackle.....some of our fans default mode when challenged is to circle the wagons.

I wasn't really that bothered about the Kriel tackle in the context of the whole after party actually. It was the days and days of minutia being poured over to refute points that weren't being made in the first place. Genuinely never come across a reaction like it before, particularly to a win which was universally expected and universally conceded.

[Fonz]

All joking aside that is great news for our side of the draw. I still don't think he is as good as some think but when firing on all cylinders he is lethal. Again all joking aside Irelands history with injuries at the world cup has been utterly miserable. 4 amd 5 first team players out going into post pool.games. Pivotal players like Dupont. It will be highly unusual if the curse strikes someone else

Irish making it all about them again. Jesus.

Good natured banter aside, how on gods earth can you not think he is as good as some think. Easily the best playing at the moment and, IMO, probably of all time

Are you meaning to say best 9 or actually the best player of all time?

I’m sorry, and far be it from me to feed the Kiwi ego here, but he’s not fit to lace Ruchie’s or Dan Carter’s boots (yet). And that’s just guys I’VE personally watched in my relatively short time in this sport (~15-16 years now)

And even if we’re just talking 9s, I know lot of the old heads swear by Gareth Edwards.

[Slick]

All joking aside that is great news for our side of the draw. I still don't think he is as good as some think but when firing on all cylinders he is lethal. Again all joking aside Irelands history with injuries at the world cup has been utterly miserable. 4 amd 5 first team players out going into post pool.games. Pivotal players like Dupont. It will be highly unusual if the curse strikes someone else

Irish making it all about them again. Jesus.

Good natured banter aside, how on gods earth can you not think he is as good as some think. Easily the best playing at the moment and, IMO, probably of all time

Are you meaning to say best 9 or actually the best player of all time?

I’m sorry, and far be it from me to feed the Kiwi ego here, but he’s not fit to lace Ruchie’s or Dan Carter’s boots (yet). And that’s just guys I’VE personally watched in my relatively short time in this sport (~15-16 years now)

And even if we’re just talking 9s, I know lot of the old heads swear by Gareth Edwards.

I actually do mean the best of all time, I think he's that good and that influential. It's obviously a silly argument comparing from different eras but it's what we do.

[Fonz]

Irish making it all about them again. Jesus.

Good natured banter aside, how on gods earth can you not think he is as good as some think. Easily the best playing at the moment and, IMO, probably of all time

Are you meaning to say best 9 or actually the best player of all time?

I’m sorry, and far be it from me to feed the Kiwi ego here, but he’s not fit to lace Ruchie’s or Dan Carter’s boots (yet). And that’s just guys I’VE personally watched in my relatively short time in this sport (~15-16 years now)

And even if we’re just talking 9s, I know lot of the old heads swear by Gareth Edwards.

I actually do mean the best of all time, I think he's that good and that influential. It's obviously a silly argument comparing from different eras but it's what we do.

Believe me, I know, this plagues virtually any argument in American sports (where the differences are actually rather overstated IMO since our leagues have been fully professional for half a century minimum…but much more valid as to this game). So, I would get that with regard to Edwards. But, I mean, Carter and McCaw were playing just a few years ago…

But fair enough.

[Slick]

Anyone know why they are showing this game at this time and not prime time later? It’s shit times for back home for these teams as well

[ASMO]

Argentina v Samoa game already ruined for me the moment Waterman opened her mouth

[Slick]

Argentina v Samoa game already ruined for me the moment Waterman opened her mouth

The bloke is much worse

[PCPhil]

Anyone know why they are showing this game at this time and not prime time later? It’s shit times for back home for these teams as well

It's due to complex technicalities. In layman's terms they're morons.

[Slick]

Don’t know what to make of that yellow, was all pretty passive

[PCPhil]

Very intelligent try.

[Slick]

I love Fiji and Tonga, but Samoa do seem a bit of a bunch of cunts. Late tackles, shoulders etc etc, always the same

[Slick]

Quite enjoying this

[ASMO]

Samoan scrum half looks like a really shit Limahl impersonator.

[Slick]

Should have been a yellow there for the Argie pickling the ball up after they had rucked over him

[PCPhil]

Samoan scrum half looks like a really shit Limahl impersonator.

There's a good Limahl impersonator? ( or even a good Limahl)

[Slick]

There is definitely something wrong with this ball. Just too many slips and drops for it just to be the rain

[BnM]

Why is there not a match on a Friday night.

[Slick]

Why is there not a match on a Friday night.

So annoyed about it

[Paddington Bear]

Cannot get my head around the 5:45 local time kick offs at all

[Paddington Bear]

Yet more awful ITV analysis. Shanklin wanging on about Georgia needing to keep it tight and rely on their pack as they chuck it from side to side before scoring after a back of the hand offload. Has he watched Georgia play recently?

[Kiwias]

Yet more awful ITV analysis. Shanklin wanging on about Georgia needing to keep it tight and rely on their pack as they chuck it from side to side before scoring after a back of the hand offload. Has he watched Georgia play recently?

There are opinions that have developed concerning specific teams and their play style that linger despite their no longer being even close to accurate.

How often have you heard a commentator gabbing on about the power of the Puma scrum and how fearsome a weapon it is?

[Paddington Bear]

Yet more awful ITV analysis. Shanklin wanging on about Georgia needing to keep it tight and rely on their pack as they chuck it from side to side before scoring after a back of the hand offload. Has he watched Georgia play recently?

There are opinions that have developed concerning specific teams and their play style that linger despite their no longer being even close to accurate.

How often have you heard a commentator gabbing on about the power of the Puma scrum and how fearsome a weapon it is?

Absolutely. See also for years the ‘you never know which France will turn up’ when the answer was an uninspired forwards orientated mediocrity for 10 years or so

[Paddington Bear]

Absolutely superb try from Portugal and no less than they deserve for a dogged display.

[Big D]

That's a shocking attempt at a tackle.

[Paddington Bear]

That's a shocking attempt at a tackle.

Suspect he’s cost his side any chance of winning this with that

[sockwithaticket]

Absolutely moronic from the Portugese loosehead.

[Paddington Bear]

Enjoyed that and would recommend switching on the second half to anyone else

[sockwithaticket]

It's nice to see a match that's competitive and got both teams playing with a bit of ambition. Markedly less turgid than last night's match.

[Stranger]

This is an enjoyable game.

[C69]

It's nice to see a match that's competitive and got both teams playing with a bit of ambition. Markedly less turgid than last night's match.

Competitive?
Only on the score board tbh. Georgia should be another 15 to 20 points ahead
Not impressed tbh

[sockwithaticket]

It's nice to see a match that's competitive and got both teams playing with a bit of ambition. Markedly less turgid than last night's match.

Competitive?
Only on the score board tbh. Georgia should be another 15 to 20 points ahead
Not impressed tbh

Portuguese defence has been pretty strong and they've had a few nice breaks of their own. Is more competitive than many of the games in this tournament so far.

[Simian]

I am so baffled about what constitutes a red card now. Seems to be different each round.

[_Os_]

Portuguese player shoulder barges a Georgian, no arms ever going up to attempt to wrap, there was no tackle. The Portuguese player has been yellow carded 27 times in club rugby! Georgian left clutching his ribs, but plays on. Yellow and goes to the bunker, stays yellow. Before the focus on head contact that would be a solid red.

A thug intending to hurt a player in a move that was never a tackle gets a yellow. Meanwhile players that get unlucky with no intent can collect a red card if head contact is made.

[Simian]

This is an enjoyable game.

I think so too. Georgia aren't making the most of the clear scrum advantage they have, which is levelling the playing field a fair old bit.

[Simian]

Portuguese player shoulder barges a Georgian, no arms ever going up to attempt to wrap, there was no tackle. The Portuguese player has been yellow carded 27 times in club rugby! Georgian left clutching his ribs, but plays on. Yellow and goes to the bunker, stays yellow. Before the focus on head contact that would be a solid red.

A thug intending to hurt a player in a move that was never a tackle gets a yellow. Meanwhile players that get unlucky with no intent can collect a red card if head contact is made.

it's crazy, isn't it? that would definitely have been given a red in the warm up games, for example.

[sockwithaticket]

Portuguese player shoulder barges a Georgian, no arms ever going up to attempt to wrap, there was no tackle. The Portuguese player has been yellow carded 27 times in club rugby! Georgian left clutching his ribs, but plays on. Yellow and goes to the bunker, stays yellow. Before the focus on head contact that would be a solid red.

A thug intending to hurt a player in a move that was never a tackle gets a yellow. Meanwhile players that get unlucky with no intent can collect a red card if head contact is made.

I can't recall ever having seen a no arms shoulder charge that hit the body given anything higher than a yellow.

Now this one certainly looked like there was some glancing head contact and since the 'tackle' was always illegal that would eliminate mitigation and thus be a red, but I only saw one replay as I had to put the washing on.

[Paddington Bear]

What a try!

[BnM]

He was quick

[salanya]

Fair dues, Portugal playing 2 good matches in a row.
Lovely rugby