[Other Sport] Rugby (Union) World Cup Official Thread

[Guinness Boy]

She's the royal patron of the RFU.
That was excellent from England for a change

William’s head of the FA. Why wasn’t he in Australia?

 

[Eeyore]

Sorry, thought you were a rugby fan, my bad

I am very much so. But only saw the last 20 minutes. I'd say the sending off has done them a lot of good in the end. Excellent display with their backs to wall and all that noise leading in.

 

[KZNSeagull]

William’s head of the FA. Why wasn’t he in Australia?

I don't know. Why don't you ask him. Not sure what that has to do with Kate going to the rugby.

 

[nicko31]

England get some belief back

 

[Vin]

Nah, he’s a NZ fan

He’s a troll and should be blocked

 

[hart's shirt]

After England's build-up, a reassuringly committed performance overcoming the numerical odds.

It's nigh-on impossible to defend a drop-goal from just over the halfway line.

What a weapon England have in Ford's boot.

 

[Icy Gull]

I am very much so. But only saw the last 20 minutes. I'd say the sending off has done them a lot of good in the end. Excellent display with their backs to wall and all that noise leading in.

The injustice of the sending off inspired England big time imo

 

[ManOfSussex]

The injustice of the sending off inspired England big time imo

It also unnerved Argentina who didn't know what to do, then coupled with the uncertainty of their yellow. England just got on with it all.

 

[Guinness Boy]

The injustice of the sending off inspired England big time imo

That was my take on it. It also introduced pragmatic thinking. Very unlikely to score tries a man down so get drop goals and pens agogo.

 

[Eeyore]

So while we have NSC rugby folk in the same place. What teams do you support ?

Me: Harlequins

 

[Hugo Rune]

You can't get more British than The Princess of Wales supporting the England Rugby team.

Exactly. There is a deep connection there. I hope she’ll be visiting the dressing room shortly and showing the players her appreciation. She must have loved to have seen the will power in that performance.

 

[Dr Q]

So while we have NSC rugby folk in the same place. What teams do you support ?

Me: Harlequins

Bath.

 

[Gwylan]

Someone who knows the game better than me please explain how we get a red for an accident and they get a yellow for a deliberate charge.

“Football should be refereed like rugby”

Well, I actually am a rugby ref and I can try to explain. The Curry incident was head on head and head on head is always going to be a red unless there are mitigating circumstances (ie the ball carrier dropped his head, or head hit shoulder and went upwards). The ref will also judge the severity of the tackle, was the tackler coming in at speed. When I saw the incident, before the TMO was involved, I said 'red card'. It's really not a contraversial decision: head on head is going to be a red most of the time - it's something refs are being told to keep an eye on.

The Argentian yellow card was less clearcut. In this case, I guess there was mitigation because it was head on shoulder first and then on head but on the other hand, it was late and reckless. We didn't hear the conversation with the bunker officials so I'll take a stab that the mitigation outweighed the late tackle, but it certainly could have been a red.

I thought that England generally got the rub of the green on the ref's decisions - although Argentina certainly brought a lot of grief on themselves.They gave away some incredibly stupid penalties. And their handling was not of international standard.

It was a good performance by England, particularly with 14 men, but judging by last night's performance, they're a long way behind France and New Zealand.

 

[nwgull]

Well, I actually am a rugby ref and I can try to explain. The Curry incident was head on head and head on head is always going to be a red unless there are mitigating circumstances (ie the ball carrier dropped his head, or head hit shoulder and went upwards). The ref will also judge the severity of the tackle, was the tackler coming in at speed. When I saw the incident, before the TMO was involved, I said 'red card'. It's really not a contraversial decision: head on head is going to be a red most of the time - it's something refs are being told to keep an eye on.

The Argentian yellow card was less clearcut. In this case, I guess there was mitigation because it was head on shoulder first and then on head but on the other hand, it was late and reckless. We didn't hear the conversation with the bunker officials so I'll take a stab that the mitigation outweighed the late tackle, but it certainly could have been a red.

I thought that England generally got the rub of the green on the ref's decisions - although Argentina certainly brought a lot of grief on themselves.They gave away some incredibly stupid penalties. And their handling was not of international standard.

It was a good performance by England, particularly with 14 men, but judging by last night's performance, they're a long way behind France and New Zealand.

Rugby laws are bullshit these days. It’s killing the game for the paying public and really putting me off watching elite-level games.

And that’s from someone that played the game for 30+ years. The England res wouldn’t have even been a pen a few years ago and the Argie late tackle just a pen.

 

[Gwylan]

Rugby laws are bullshit these days. It’s killing the game for the paying public and really putting me off watching elite-level games.

You're clearly not a coach at a club. We have to deal with parents who are worried about the effects of concussion and whether the game is safe for little Johnny or Jane. The game has massively changed - I remember getting being concussed in a ruck and told to get on with it. The RFU is already facing lawsuits from ex-pros and a decline in playing numbers and is reacting accordingly. I'm a coach AND a ref and we're constantly being exhorted to keep the game safe.

 

[nwgull]

You're clearly not a coach at a club. We have to deal with parents who are worried about the effects of concussion and whether the game is safe for little Johnny or Jane. The game has massively changed - I remember getting being concussed in a ruck and told to get on with it. The RFU is already facing lawsuits from ex-pros and a decline in playing numbers and is reacting accordingly. I'm a coach AND a ref and we're constantly being exhorted to keep the game safe.

If parents are worried then they shouldn’t bring their kids along to play a contact sport.

Ridiculous laws that make accidental head impacts a red card offence won’t change the number of head impacts; they’ll just result in lots of red cards. They are only being implemented because World Rugby is shitting itself over the potential legal cases of pro players suffering long-term effects of head injuries. I personally believe that these are as a result of changes to the ruck/maul laws about 30 years ago meaning there are far fewer forwards committed to each ruck and bigger hits around the fringes. And it’s also down to the game turning pro with elite players being bigger and more athletic and smashing into each other at training 5 days a week.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Well, I actually am a rugby ref and I can try to explain. The Curry incident was head on head and head on head is always going to be a red unless there are mitigating circumstances (ie the ball carrier dropped his head, or head hit shoulder and went upwards). The ref will also judge the severity of the tackle, was the tackler coming in at speed. When I saw the incident, before the TMO was involved, I said 'red card'. It's really not a contraversial decision: head on head is going to be a red most of the time - it's something refs are being told to keep an eye on.

The Argentian yellow card was less clearcut. In this case, I guess there was mitigation because it was head on shoulder first and then on head but on the other hand, it was late and reckless. We didn't hear the conversation with the bunker officials so I'll take a stab that the mitigation outweighed the late tackle, but it certainly could have been a red.

I thought that England generally got the rub of the green on the ref's decisions - although Argentina certainly brought a lot of grief on themselves.They gave away some incredibly stupid penalties. And their handling was not of international standard.

It was a good performance by England, particularly with 14 men, but judging by last night's performance, they're a long way behind France and New Zealand.

Really interesting comment. Thank you.

 

[veuve]

Choirs are not working,bring back proper national anthems.

 

[Icy Gull]

Well, I actually am a rugby ref and I can try to explain. The Curry incident was head on head and head on head is always going to be a red unless there are mitigating circumstances (ie the ball carrier dropped his head, or head hit shoulder and went upwards). The ref will also judge the severity of the tackle, was the tackler coming in at speed. When I saw the incident, before the TMO was involved, I said 'red card'. It's really not a contraversial decision: head on head is going to be a red most of the time - it's something refs are being told to keep an eye on.

The Argentian yellow card was less clearcut. In this case, I guess there was mitigation because it was head on shoulder first and then on head but on the other hand, it was late and reckless. We didn't hear the conversation with the bunker officials so I'll take a stab that the mitigation outweighed the late tackle, but it certainly could have been a red.

I thought that England generally got the rub of the green on the ref's decisions - although Argentina certainly brought a lot of grief on themselves.They gave away some incredibly stupid penalties. And their handling was not of international standard.

It was a good performance by England, particularly with 14 men, but judging by last night's performance, they're a long way behind France and New Zealand.

Interesting points and I guess I am too old school to totally embrace the new laws, but all of what you say makes sense. Let’s hope there is consistency over the next 50 days, if there is then people will be more accepting of incidents like the two last night. I am struggling to accept one was a red and one a yellow though…

 

[Icy Gull]

So while we have NSC rugby folk in the same place. What teams do you support ?

Me: Harlequins

We may disagree on ref’s decisions but we support the same football and rugby clubs