bickster Posted September 24, 2023 Moderator Share Posted September 24, 2023 8 minutes ago, luckyeddie said: This group with Wales, Australia and Fiji is poor. Nowhere near as poor as Pool D 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyeddie Posted September 25, 2023 Share Posted September 25, 2023 7 hours ago, bickster said: Nowhere near as poor as Pool D It's safe to say the winner's not coming from either of these groups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted September 25, 2023 Share Posted September 25, 2023 There are only four teams (in my opinion) who have a viable chance of winning the WC. France New Zealand Ireland South Africa No other team currently comes close to those four, who on their day are all capable of beating each other. I cannot say who is favourite, it’s too close to call This will be down to who performs better in the final. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted September 25, 2023 Share Posted September 25, 2023 Eddie Jones showing his quality as a coach. A complete fraud. They never should have sacked Dave Rennie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomav84 Posted September 25, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted September 25, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyeddie Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 BBC reports Dupont will be back for the quarter final. He's one tough fella https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/66925380 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 I bought tickets for the England QF ages ago but after not being bothered about actually going for most of that time (because England were so boring and I didn’t expect them to qualify), I now can’t make it. Cost around £185 so hoping to sell it, particularly as I’m still on the hook for my share of our accommodation! I don’t suppose anyone on here is interested or knows anyone who might be? Marseille, Sunday 15th October. If not then I might have to go via a ticket reseller. Never used one before so hopefully it will be pretty simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 On 27/09/2023 at 03:14, luckyeddie said: BBC reports Dupont will be back for the quarter final. He's one tough fella https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/66925380 Dose him up with painkillers and fix what's left of his face after the World Cup is over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Stevo985 Posted October 5, 2023 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted October 5, 2023 (edited) Heading off to Paris tomorrow. Absolutely cannot wait. Going to do the fan zone in the centre of paris tomorrow for the France game, day of sight seeing on Saturday followed by Ireland vs Scotland in the evening. Buzzing Edited October 5, 2023 by Stevo985 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted October 7, 2023 Share Posted October 7, 2023 One thing I’d say about this World Cup is that I don’t think they have made it easy for non rugby fans to get into. Yes the players need a break between games and I totally get that, but they could have done the schedule differently so there is a game if not every day, but most days. With the ways it’s been now, even when they have put the odd game on a different day it’s been easy to forget they are on (very poor advertising by ITV imo). If you are trying to grow the sport with a WC you need to keep people interested. As for the teams themselves, as we’ve all known the top half of the draw is so much better than the bottom. Look at the ruthlessness of some of the teams. NZ getting into their stride, France bar one game were excellent, SA Ireland and Scotland all going well and yet one could go out. And yet they still have to play each other in the quarters. England Wales in the other quarters have had it so much easier so far. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted October 7, 2023 Share Posted October 7, 2023 I’m not surprised Borthwick has gone for Ford Farrell, although I think it’s completely pointless. It nullifies the threat of Manu by putting him further out and it takes away Fords influence. Whilst May has done well in the past, think we are missing out not having Arundell there. Think that shows we are going back to kick chase. Shame for Jack Willis getting injured, he has no luck playing for England 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted October 7, 2023 Share Posted October 7, 2023 (edited) The Ford-Farrell combo just restricts our back play. England looking very stodgy despite having a week extra break and back to giving away daft penalties through ill discipline and poor handling. we have to be one of the most frustrating teams to watch. Edited October 7, 2023 by theboyangel 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted October 7, 2023 Share Posted October 7, 2023 (edited) Author of our own downfall here. Stupid mistakes. We had great momentum after the try, we’re pushing Samoa back and should score again. We get a penalty in the 22, and rather than going for the scrum or line out, we kick 3 points. The top sides, score 7 there and be ruthless. Ever since then we’ve been on the back foot making mistake after mistake, taking away all pressure from Samoa and then gifting them possession and field space. Very poor Edited October 7, 2023 by mikeyp102 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted October 7, 2023 Share Posted October 7, 2023 2 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said: Author of our own downfall here. Stupid mistakes. We had great momentum after the try, we’re pushing Samoa back and should score again. We get a penalty in the 22, and rather than going for the scrum or line out, we kick 3 points. The top sides, score 7 there and be ruthless. Ever since then we’ve been on the back foot making mistake after mistake, taking away all pressure from Samoa and then gifting them possession and field space. Very poor I wouldn’t mind if this was a scratch team for the final game of the round but it’s pretty much Borthwick’s preferred XV… utterly turgid 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted October 7, 2023 Share Posted October 7, 2023 27 minutes ago, theboyangel said: I wouldn’t mind if this was a scratch team for the final game of the round but it’s pretty much Borthwick’s preferred XV… utterly turgid Oh I agree, we should never have brought Farrell back in, we shouldn’t have moved Manu and Marchant. We should have kept pace in Arundell. But Borthwick has to go to Farrell and the boring tactics and it’s going to be his downfall. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted October 7, 2023 Share Posted October 7, 2023 Having Farrell at 12 undermines whoever plays at 10 and does them no favours with what he offers (or doesn’t) outside them. Still a mystery to me what consecutive international coaches see that the general rugby-watching public doesn’t. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted October 7, 2023 Share Posted October 7, 2023 Just now, JB said: Having Farrell at 12 undermines whoever plays at 10 and does them no favours with what he offers (or doesn’t) outside them. Still a mystery to me what consecutive international coaches see that the general rugby-watching public doesn’t. Wouldn’t surprise me if there’s pressure from the RFU to play him at all costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted October 7, 2023 Share Posted October 7, 2023 7 minutes ago, JB said: Having Farrell at 12 undermines whoever plays at 10 and does them no favours with what he offers (or doesn’t) outside them. Still a mystery to me what consecutive international coaches see that the general rugby-watching public doesn’t. 5 minutes ago, theboyangel said: Wouldn’t surprise me if there’s pressure from the RFU to play him at all costs. He’s clearly to a very talented player and a great leader. At times it has been right to play him. But he was out of the side because of his stupidness and rash tackling. Ford was flying at 10, Manu and Marchant doing well at centres. No need to shoehorn Farrell in. He has to earn his place back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted October 7, 2023 Share Posted October 7, 2023 Ok, now he can **** off. Unbelievable to let the shot clock run down, especially on such an easy kick. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted October 7, 2023 Share Posted October 7, 2023 That completely sums England up. Take far too long on the kick and the shot clock expires. Utterly unnecessary and careless play. I’m struggling to find a sport I enjoy watching England play at the moment.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts