The Rugby Union Thread

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741

It’s sadly true though. You put faith in the officials that they will officiate the game and not influence the result. At least in rugby you can see the thinking, the difficult choices and how decisions are brought about by consensus of a group that can use technology as a tool to help. The final decision lays with one person though. It just works.

With that and the game being what it is, it just feels honest to me.

Football however…

And that’s just the refereeing side. Let’s not get into the money and corruption side too.

Anyhow, still a bit numb after those games yesterday. Expecting more honest brutality today.

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742

Definitely the key moment I think.

Having digested the game overnight I left with the impression that Ireland were the stronger team but New Zealand had the better individuals and those individuals had moments that won the game for them.

Quite something.

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743

Gutted. Hit the whiskey hard after that.

ABs deserved to win on the night, but such fine margins. Top 4 teams are so far ahead of the rest and could all beat each other on any given night :pensive:

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744

Fiji need a place kicker.

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745

Yeah just not when it really matters. Ireland have never been beyond the 1/4 finals. That’s a poor record.

746

They would have done this year if they had been drawn in pool C or D. It was simply a literal case of the luck of the draw.

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747

Probably, still doesn’t excuse their poor record previously. And their inability to win the games that really matter. Still got a slight inferiority compplex against the SH sides.

748

If the draw was different they still might have ended up with tough quarter final opponents. Nothing is a given as Wales found out yesterday.

Even now I’m wondering where the Fiji we’ve seen earlier this year and even in this tournament is.

750

Yeah, I thought they’d reach the final this time round. Another sweep prediction gone to pot.

I’m not very good at sweeps or rugby predictions.

751

Tom Hanks Hello GIF

752

Marcus Smith not such a pretty boy now :laughing:

Here they come at last.

753

Very similar dynamic to our game against them. England responding well so far…keeping their heads better than we did

754

Ben Earle is a fucking BEAST!!

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755

Fiji were a bit slap-happy weren’t they, felt like they got away with a lot of snide hits

756

If that had been Bruno Fernandes, it would’ve improved his looks.

757

Yeah, I equally thought England got away with a few things in the breakdown too. A couple of scrum penalties never happened either for some reason.

But I don’t think it changed the result. England were better in the breakdown and line out in particular. Fiji weren’t allowed to get a good consistent ruck platform to build from and their structure didn’t allow them to adjust to it. The England back and second rows turned up today.

England in the world cup semi finals. Who’d have thought it 2 months ago? I certainly didn’t.

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758

England have a remarkable world cup history of making runs when not fancied. I think in both 07 and 19 they were a long way from being among the best 2 sides in the world yet they found themselves in a final both times, and neither time did they luck it out to get there. They beat arguably teams by just executing on the day.

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759

They haven’t played a team in top 10 yet. Total fluke of a draw and they still struggled against Samoa and Fiji.

Laughed out loud at Woodward saying they are ready for France or SA. Gonna get absolutely smashed

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760

No argument with that. We’ve massively underperformed in previous world cups. This year we’ve been great. Just happened to face the ABs in the QF, and prob would have won but for a heroic ‘held up’ by Barrett. Fine margins

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761

Despicable Me Lol GIF

Still laughing. Woodward is comedy gold fair play to him

PS I hope this doesn’t come back to bite me on the bottom.