Well it is almost here, all England games don't clash with Watford games apart from the final, England have a tough tough group, 4 of the top 10 teams in the world in one group, don't know how that happened, Fiji is no way a gimme, they can put 20 points on the board with a blink of the eye, wil take a win by one point although the bookies think it will be 25 points plus ! Don't think England will win it, good chance to get to the final as long as we win the group, the Australia game is the big game, The final is a 4pm kick off, Watford kick off at 3pm at home to West Ham, now we are in the premier league I assume this is in stone even if England get to the final ? Thought they move it forward by. A couple of hours or move it to the Sunday ? Can they do this or not ? Form, quality and the money says New Zealand, history says no team has ever retained the cup, New Zealand never make a final in the northern hemisphere and they may play France in the qf who seem to beat them in world cups. Success for England will be the final, anything less will be failure in my opinion. The best games to watch don't tend in love the best teams. Don't know if any team are based at the grove at all, will be surprised if they are not. Think the Aussies and argies are based near Hertford somewhere. If England do well then prob not best to have tha charity free alcohol month of October what they have been advertising.
Aussies at 8-1 are good value imo and beat the Kiwis in tri (plus argies)nations a couple of months back !
Them and the French are about the only teams with value for a bet imo. Best betting in the rugby is the handicap markets.
Seems to be either top the group and get to the final or its a early exit for England. With the injuries to Wales and home advantage I think we will do well (probably lose to NZ in the final)
That's exactly how I see it, don't think will lose to wales but the real test is the Aussies, hopefully rest a few player for the uruagauy game then the Scots in the qf then a very close game against the Irish but scrape through, then losing a boring kicking game against the all blacks
Would much play them in the final than the all blacks, I think the all blacks look pretty strong but they always do and never won it away from home
We have got to be one of the favourites, looking pretty strong this year. Good squad, although as a Sarrie I am a bit surprised Ashton didn't make the cut - if nothing else the boy gets you tries.
I have a question about the Rugby World Cup. I don't follow Rugby, but am I right in saying that only three teams or at a stretch four have a realistic chance of winning?
Usually yes but this year only the all blacks are clear favourites and england have a chance as at home, Aussies could win it along with South Africa, France and Ireland, so this year I would say one of 6, the team that wins Englands group should hopefully get to the final (as long as it is England). You don't get as many upsets in Rugby as you do in Football, pressure does usually lead to points, so dependant on set plays as well. 8 Years ago the Argies came 3rd which was considered a shock. The best games to watch won't involve in the top six teams. The knockout stages tend to be boring games unless the french are involved.
Looking forward to it, although still annoyed by the overpriced tickets. Think England will be a bit of a let down, based on recent performances but I thought that in 2007 and we made the final! Going to the big one next week... France V Romania
The price of tickets has got more like football, my final ticket in 1991 wa £25, this year it is over 20 times that, I know you have to take inflation into account but that is stupid. There are loads of tickets left for the minnows games and those tickets are reasonably priced and will be better to watch, I would advise anyone if they get a chance to take a game in!
I've got tickets for; Fiji v Uruguay @ MK Namibia v Georgia @ Exeter USA v Japan @ Gloucester I chose MK as it's relatively local and the other 2 as they're not grounds I've visited before. Almost all the others are at football grounds I've been to so didn't interest me as much.
Likewise- partly because never been to the stadium and for that reason have also got France v Canada at MK the following Thursday. At this rate I will be eating loads of cheese and putting onions on my bike
Hope Fiji give a us good test tonight- anything other than a good win will be a massive disappoinment. Been ferrying the VIPs around for the past couple of weeks in the RWC2105 Discovery sports and will until the last fly back 3rd Nov. Years of planning about to kick off- hoping all goes to plan!! Have been invited to various welcoming ceremonies bu the RFU in the past couple of weeks Argentina,Romania, Tonga and the AllBlacks at the Tower of London last Friday where I was fortunate enough to be seated next to Steve Hansen and Ritchie McCaw and in all honesty they will have to have a such an off day and their opposition all the luck going to not pick up the trophy- Ah well all sitting comfortably here we go........................................ Still a few cheaper tickets left for some games if anyone's interested
I really don't care for this World Cup at all. Don't know why. Just seen England are playing in red and suddenly the clue is there in front of me.
Bigger tests to come but fear we might be like the football team, beat the lesser teams but struggle when it matters. Wish I understood the game more
McCaw is a good lad , met him as a youngster in Christchurch NZ was friendly and courteous, glad he turned out to be a world beater for Canterbury Crusaders and NZ
Got some Kiwi friends, and one of them moved back to NZ for Uni. Her friend was having a tricky time with her bf and my Kiwi friend told him she should break up with him if she's not happy... Turns out her bf was Richie McCaw and it was 3 days before the final in NZ! Don't think she did break up with him, but amusing that my friend almost made McCaws Gf break up with him a few days before a final!
A good game of rugby, just disappointing that one of the potential tries of the tournament was cruelly taken away from Fiji. I say cruelly although obviously it was the correct decision, just the fact that it was initially given!
Just got back from game and there was no way we were 24 points better than Fiji, the big decisions went our, if they kicked their points and they did not get a player in the bin and if they found touch when they were getting on top we would be in serious trouble, brown was the only world class player, credit to fiji they are going to give the taffs and aussies a real test, would love to them them make the qf. 5 points but close to being a very different story!
I thought once the ref had given it and not gone upstairs in cannot be influenced or change his mind? It seemed to only come to light when the england captain saw it on the big screen when the fijian was getting ready to take his kick and robs haw bough it to the refs attention?
They have such humilty off the pitch- a great example to everyone. May be the best in the world but don't look down on anyone. One of my 1st XV coaches grew up with JC and came through the ranks with him and is a superb example to everyone- players yound and old. Shame the Fiji try was wiped out as it would have kept the Fiji momentum going. The final score was very flattering to England..........
He should have gone upstairs first but as the sole arbiter he can change his mind at any time- The key driver for this world cup is for all the key decisions to be correct- which is why the TMO was so busy in the first game. I was suprised how much they used it for incidents the 3 match officials missed!
what would have happened if they were quicker with the conversion and kicked it? what is the cut off point going to the TMO?
To an occasional rugby viewer like me it just made me glad we don't have to replays in football. Stop/start to a ridiculous extent. In football it's the restart of play so probably the same in Union.
I'm an occasional rugby fan and the TMO nonsense has made me not watch minor games later this weekend where otherwise I might. Made it utterly tedious. I'll still watch the big games but a big thumbs down from me.
The TMO was in my opinion more of a success than a failure, although I find waiting for the decision quite exciting. I also would not want the situation of the ref consulting the TMO after every try, and like how the situation is flexible enough to show the highlight on the big screen whilst the conversion is about to take place (which takes a minute of so anyway). Once the conversion is kicked there should be no going back however. I cannot stress enough though that I'd absolutely hate it in football, where counter-attacking is so crucial to goal scoring.
Was just thinking that! Remember my Junior side had a 'watford training day' thingy before and we had to meet in the club carpark before hand, in the pouring rain, with every car in the car park shaking like mad when Johnny Wilkinson punted that over
As ever I`m going to go against the flow and praise the idea of the TMO in most sports there have been a decline in refereeing standards, and any assiatance that can be given by technology that can help officials arrive at the correct decision in the end in my eye has to be good ! The point of how far can you play on , in rugby I would suggest til the next dead ball scenario . How would you feel if watford got relegated due to a ghost goal , yet you had supported removal of all tech in all sports? for the sake of a couple of minutes ,considering the amounts of money in major sports correct decisions must take precedence over flow of games ( I obviously mean major decisions only , wickets tries goals etc)
GO JAPAN!!! Beating South Africa with a last minute Try 35-33.. Just wow, probably THE moment of this World Cup!
