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Rugby Union


kiwififer

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5 hours ago, peasy23 said:

Watched the highlights of South Africa's 43-12 win over Australia this morning. Australia took an early lead but the Saffers just overpowered them after that and were comfortable winners. The Saffers weren't even at full strength with several players left out ahead of their trip to New Zealand. 

I completely appreciate that to be the best you have to beat the best and there’s something to be said for being battle tested in the pool stage, but the IRB really need to look at drawing the World Cup pools much closer to the actual tournament. You’ve now got a situation that the world rankings have changed so much since the seedings were set that you’ve got teams 1, 4 and 5 in the world in one of the group, 2 and 3 in another, and the other two groups don’t contain a top 5 team at all. 
 

Of course this is sour grapes from a Scotland fan because if every game goes with the rankings book, we will miss out on the QFs despite being 5th in the world whilst Wales in 9th will make it. 

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12 hours ago, peasy23 said:

It's brutal, and I've never seen any rational or sensible explanation as to why the draw is one so far out from the tourney. 

Its mostly to do with ticket sales. They were selling team group passes (ie all Scotlands group games) or city passes (ie all games in lille) about 2 years ago which then gives them a wedge of cash way in advance of a ball being kicked. We got 2 games tickets months before individual tickets went on sale just to ensure we got them. A few hundred million sitting in World Rugby's bank for year or so extra is probably quite appealing to them.

They would fill the stadiums all the same leaving it later to do the draws. I know from when the wc was in England, my club were used as a training base (i think both Samoa and Romania used it) but we knew about a year in advance as we had time to have a new pitch laid with floodlights, changing room upgrades etc from getting chosen and notified we were hosting teams to the world cup starting.

Ideally though you could wait until the southern hemisphere finishes in July / August take the rankings then, draw in September for the tournament the year after. By then you would probably have all the qualifing and repachge complete so would have all the teams, and all fans would have a fair crack at tickets. There will be fans of the late qualifiers who couldnt get tickets / hotels etc as they'd be sold out before they get a chance with the current set up.

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On 10/07/2023 at 16:08, Mark Connolly said:

Like the football world cup and the Olympics?

I'm convinced I replied to this but not here. Weird. Anyway, I did say 

 

On 10/07/2023 at 16:03, Salvo Montalbano said:

allow sponsors logos if they are normally on the shirts

The Football World Cup (and Euros) have international football teams who don't normally have sponsors logos. The Olympics makes sense in the old amateur sense but also because the teams come under an Olympic Committee banner, so you'll have teams who would have different sponsors from normal (British Cycling sponsored by Shell, UK Athletics sponsored by Muller but Team GB sponsored by Aldi) and even different kit suppliers (Australia rugby supplied by Asics, Australian Olympic Team including rugby sevens supplied by Adidas). 

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Quote

Johnny Sexton admitted Misconduct. The Disciplinary Committee found his behaviour confrontational and aggressive towards and disrespectful of the match officials, it included his pointing his finger at them and shouting at them something to this effect: “it’s a disgrace you guys can’t get the big decisions right” probably accompanied by expletives “most likely the f-word”. His conduct was obviously unsportsmanlike and brought the sport of rugby union into disrepute.
Having regard to the full circumstances of the Misconduct and the mitigation which is set out in detail in the written reasons, the Disciplinary Committee concluded that the appropriate and proportionate sanction was an immediate suspension of three matches. He is suspended with immediate effect and cannot play in the following Ireland matches:

1. 5 August Italy
2. 19 August England
3. 26 August Samoa

He is free to play on 27 August 2023

When you read that, 3 weeks is a nonsense. I'm no fan of Dylan Hartley, but he got 11 weeks when he called Barnes "a fucking cheat", and he was actually involved in the game, not someone who happened to be involved with the club who strolled down to the refs room to have a go.

Sexton has always been a c**t, and the way he speaks to officials during matches when he is playing is a disgrace. Hopefully the referees have taken note of this, and will be pinging him constantly at the RWC

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19 hours ago, Mark Connolly said:

Lions have confirmed the schedule for the tour of Oz in 2025.

Tests are at Suncorp in Brisbane, the MCG and the Olympic Stadium in Sydney.

 

Can’t wait for Sexton to come out of retirement for that tour.  

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Dont think its been mentioned yet, but New SA coach appointed by Edinburgh, previously head coach at the Sharks. Seems a decent appointment, will wait and see how it plays out. Im not sure what level of coach some fans were thinking they would get given some of the comments

https://www.theoffsideline.com/edingurgh-sean-everitt/

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1 hour ago, honestly united said:

Dont think its been mentioned yet, but New SA coach appointed by Edinburgh, previously head coach at the Sharks. Seems a decent appointment, will wait and see how it plays out. Im not sure what level of coach some fans were thinking they would get given some of the comments

https://www.theoffsideline.com/edingurgh-sean-everitt/

They could have appointed a three man team of peak Graham Henry, Ian McGeechan and Carwyn James, and the Edinburgh fans would be moaning about something

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1 hour ago, andrew21 said:

Scotland 20's currently looks like hibs'ing up a group decider v Uruguay in the World trophy.  37-26 down with 12 minutes to go. 

That was how it finished, Scotland now face Samoa in the 3rd/4th place playoff on Sunday.

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