nwgull
Well-known member
But SA aren’t light years ahead of us, as the closeness of tonight’s game shows.
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[Other Sport] Rugby (Union) World Cup Official Thread
- Thread starter crodonilson
- Start date
Weststander
Well-known member
Imho.
We raised our game as a one off, great plan by Borthwick, got crucial points on the board.
Whilst they were below par. Perhaps took us for granted?
Brian Fantana
Well-known member
In this one off game, no. However, in general I think they are.
We were very good at executing a particular game plan that suited the weather conditions and also tried to nullify SA’s strengths.
In general though, man for man, they’re a much better team than we are.
How many of our 23 today would get into theirs?
I’d say probably Freddie Steward, Ben Earl and potentially Courtney Lawes.
Seagull58
In the Algarve
You can't beat a southern hemisphere team with a Southern hemisphere referee. As proven by Ireland, France and England, the ref will always engineer the result.
Just got back to the hotel. Absolutely gutted but proud of the performance.
Sold my final tickets, cancelled flights and hotel. May or may not bother watching the final. Might feel differently in a week.
On the way out, several sweaties leaping around for joy like it was the best thing that happened to them since theiy shagged their sister. I kept brushing the shoulder of one to try and remove his chip, thing it went over his head. Even the Irish in the train couldn’t get how much the sweaties hate us. B*stards.
Sold my final tickets, cancelled flights and hotel. May or may not bother watching the final. Might feel differently in a week.
On the way out, several sweaties leaping around for joy like it was the best thing that happened to them since theiy shagged their sister. I kept brushing the shoulder of one to try and remove his chip, thing it went over his head. Even the Irish in the train couldn’t get how much the sweaties hate us. B*stards.
Seagull58
In the Algarve
It's virtually impossible to beat New Zealand or South Africa if you have a Southern hemisphere referee. The ref will penalise you for nothing, will let them get away with foul play continually and will inevitably engineer the last few minutes to give them a penalty to take the lead if needed.
Seagull58
In the Algarve
It was stolen by a bent ref, as per the Ireland and France quarter-finals. Almost impossible for a Northern hemisphere team to beat a Southern hemisphere team with a Southern hemisphere ref.
Edit: Barnes, an English man, was refling the Ireland game so, while the Southern hemisphere bias cannot explain his performance, it is incomprehensible that he allowed NZ to infringe at the breakdown several times during Ireland's 37 phases, warning them time after time but refusing to award an Irish penalty.
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Feel your pain, just back at hotel now and saw the jocks. Absolute pricks
Brian Fantana
Well-known member
Absolutely textbook from Scottish rugby fans. Brighton will win the PL before Scotland will win a RWC.
Stopped at a pub on the way home from City to watch the game. Faf de Klerk, who is a cheating whining prick, delayed putting the ball in to the scrum, he knew how to buy the penalty from the ref who obliged.
Also after the restart a SA player jumped off his feet at a ruck, going over the top. That is a penalty all day long. It was never going to be given though was it?
Also after the restart a SA player jumped off his feet at a ruck, going over the top. That is a penalty all day long. It was never going to be given though was it?
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,909
There is no evidence of that. I thought the ref was fine. Ben O'Keeffe is a very good official. Being a Kiwi it would have been in his best interests for England to go through had he been so inclined. But he isn't.
You said as proven by Ireland, but Wayne Barnes refereed that game and O'Keefe was in charge of their win over South Africa.
Despite offering those facts though, it's jolly splendid to see the ref thread and its usual visitors have migrated. I missed there not being one after the City match.
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Seagull58
In the Algarve
Ben O'Keefe's name goes down in infamy for his match-winning performances for the Boks 2 weeks in a row. 4 scrum penalties for SA last night despite Jamie George taking time to explain that the replacement SA prop was pushing on the angle to disrupt the English scrum. O'Keefe's answer was to tell George to "move left". This Southern hemisphere cheating has been going on since 2003 (and before) when Andre Watson gave Australia 6 scrum penalties in a desperate attempt to prevent England winning the World up. He only failed because England refused to let Australia in their half and Wilkinson kicked a drop goal, which even Watson had to award.
O'Keefe's master stroke in the France v SA game was to ignore several SA infringements at the breakdown and then to award a penalty to SA for a non-existent French breakdown infringement when the South African was illegally slowing down French ball.
Remember Joubert's last minute penalty against Scotland to get Australia over the line 4 years ago? It's a recurring theme. Southern hemisphere refs cheat to help Southern hemisphere teams.
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Woken up in a right bloody mood.
Felt we were robbed last night and feel it even more keenly today. Last night O’Keefe said he awarded the penalty for a knee going down when the SA scrum was already unstable.
Take a look at this image which clearly shows SA angling into the scrum and not head on.
Felt we were robbed last night and feel it even more keenly today. Last night O’Keefe said he awarded the penalty for a knee going down when the SA scrum was already unstable.
Take a look at this image which clearly shows SA angling into the scrum and not head on.
You obviously haven't seen TASanalytics on Youtube which is a channel dedicated to how Northern hemisphere refs cheat to help Northern hemisphere teams. Everyone thinks they are hard done by in rugby when they lose because the game has become pretty much impossible to ref.
Well done England by the way and unlucky. South Africa are masters at conning a late penalty.
What a performance though in tough conditions we led for all but the last two minutes. Pipped at the post. Great long kicked penalty to win them the game!!
The other South Africa / England game saw England beaten by a record 229 runs and this after getting their main man second ball... what a pathetic performance !!!
The other South Africa / England game saw England beaten by a record 229 runs and this after getting their main man second ball... what a pathetic performance !!!
This is why I had faith we would give a good account of ourselves last night:
As Steve Borthwick considered the prospect of a formidable South Africa side, he was clear.
"We're playing one of the world's best teams,"
"It's an enormous physical challenge. Our forwards have to produce the best possible performances they can. We've got to try things and play the game a different way."
It could easily be 2023. Instead it is from eight years earlier, when Borthwick had cherry blossom on his chest rather a red rose, and Japan were preparing to take on the Springboks in Brighton at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Four days later, Japan dropped jaws around the world with a 34-32 upset.
Borthwick is now England head coach, rather than Japan's forwards coach.
Brian Fantana
Well-known member
Exactly what I highlighted in the thread last night. The referee couldn’t have had a better view of what was happening. Jamie George had even told him previously that it was happening at other scrums.
However, it is probably also worth mentioning that Farrell’s ill discipline in causing us to be marched back at a penalty and into kicking range proved to be a pivotal moment score-wise too.
Reading this thread I feel so deflated at the manner of our exit.
The French fans near us were incensed by that referee just even in the warm up, with banners and middle finger salutes. They knew what was coming for us and were genuinely kind and sympathetic as we left the stadium.
I am still also upset at the behaviour and antics of the Scots near us. For me it mirrored what some Welsh fans were doing when we lost in Yokohama in 2019. I couldn’t get to sleep last night thinking about Faf, Pollard and that winning penalty.
The French fans near us were incensed by that referee just even in the warm up, with banners and middle finger salutes. They knew what was coming for us and were genuinely kind and sympathetic as we left the stadium.
I am still also upset at the behaviour and antics of the Scots near us. For me it mirrored what some Welsh fans were doing when we lost in Yokohama in 2019. I couldn’t get to sleep last night thinking about Faf, Pollard and that winning penalty.
That evidence is enough for me. Conned out of the tournament.
ROSM
Well-known member
I echo the point that rugby is now nearly impossible to ref as there are so many dark arts being played. I also believe farrell was at fault with ill discipline on 20mins to let them back in. Also wont say what my views on Genge are....except that he may need a geometry lesson on sides and angles.
However, when i played, refs would talk with captains. Farrell's ill discipline was partly due to being talked 'at' not 'with'.
George was explaining quite calmly what was happening in the scrum and there are 4 or 5 examples to show he was right.
It comes to something when france and england are united
However, when i played, refs would talk with captains. Farrell's ill discipline was partly due to being talked 'at' not 'with'.
George was explaining quite calmly what was happening in the scrum and there are 4 or 5 examples to show he was right.
It comes to something when france and england are united