The Official FOFC 2007 Rugby World Cup Thread

bbgunn · 09-20-2007, 12:05 AM

Wow, two weeks in and I can't believe this hasn't been started yet.

A lot is going on: The U.S., as always, stink, losing to England 28-10 and Tonga 25-15. The All Blacks hung 76 on Italy and 108 on Portugal - they have to be the favorites to win it all. Argentina's shocking everybody, Canada's playing well, and Ireland's struggling.

Young Drachma · 09-20-2007, 12:09 AM

Argentina's been playing out of their minds.

Young Drachma · 09-20-2007, 12:11 AM

It's important to note that the USA Rugby team are amateurs and the best teams in the world are pros. We obviously know the sport isn't close to big here, but...that important fact is one worth pointing out for the uninitiated.

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/ne...ght+future+usa

bbgunn · 09-20-2007, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

It's important to note that the USA Rugby team are amateurs and the best teams in the world are pros. We obviously know the sport isn't close to big here, but...that important fact is one worth pointing out for the uninitiated.

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/ne...ght+future+usa

Yeah, that's true. It's probably unfair for me to say they stink (Portugal, too).

Young Drachma · 09-20-2007, 12:18 AM

They've been steadily improving and when you consider the odds they're up against I'm extremely impressed with them. I think the IRB are great for having such an open structure to the World Cup that allows teams that arguably aren't up to par to even compete on a World stage like this because it's huge for them, for the sport in the U.S. and for the players on those teams who toil for so long to get a shot to get pummeled in a group of death with England, Tonga AND the Springboks.

I mean, they were doomed before they arrived in a group like that. But they've been respectable so far, even if they're not winning.

Young Drachma · 09-23-2007, 06:00 PM

A replay of the France v. Ireland game is on Versus right now.

bhlloy · 09-23-2007, 06:33 PM

Wales as usual looked like they have the best, most exciting backs in the world against lesser opposition and then failed to show up in the first half against Australia.

Assuming we can get past Fiji next Saturday, I don't think there is anyway we get past South Africa. The Boks are too physical and their pack will murder us. It's a shame England couldn't take the top spot in that group because I really would have liked our chances to pull the upset.

bhlloy · 09-23-2007, 06:34 PM

DOLA - very impressed with the US against England. If not for the Vickery trip, they could have been ahead at one point. When you consider they lost a warmup game to Scotland A by 50+ points, losing by 20 to England is a really good result.

SirFozzie · 10-06-2007, 10:44 AM

Well, there's a surprise semi-finalist, based on the way the teams were playing entering the knockout stages.

AlexB · 10-06-2007, 12:00 PM

We played with passion and determination, which have been sadly lacking for ages. The Aussie backs were more dangerous with ball in hand in the first half, and sporadically in the 2nd, but our forwards and defence were awesome!

It was a great game, although not in the expansive sense: it was tight, gritty, tense, basically a war of attrition.

We need more, a lot more, next week, but at least we have put some pride into the defence of the trophy. Whether we can raise our game again is very questionable, especially as our opponents will not have the sense of complacency the Wallabies clearly had to begin with.

AlexB · 10-13-2007, 04:42 PM

Oh yeah! Same idea as last week - intensity, intensity, intensity. We rode our luck at times - the French were a bootlace away from the winning try until Joe Worsley finally justified his inclusion in the England squad - but we largely controlled and restricted the French.

How in the hell this has happened, I'm not sure, but England are in the final to defend the trophy!

Leonidas · 10-14-2007, 01:27 AM

Fabulous game. The French were surely frustrated all night long. Yeah, after watching England get killed by France and South Africa (several times) earlier this year I thought they would be lucky just to get into the semis, let alone beat the French in France. I gotta think they'll be playing South Africa in the final, but with the way this Cup has gone it's not a foregone conclusion.

Calis · 10-15-2007, 09:27 PM

I'll admit I know next to nothing about Rugby. I can follow the game and tell what's going on, but I know almost nothing about the intricacies. I still enjoy the hell out of watching it.

I've tried to watch a few games of this World Cup, and England sure seems like a scrappy team and I'll be pulling for them in the final. They just looked outclassed against France most of that game but dug in there and toughed out a win. Very fun game to watch. I haven't watched much, but I used to watch a few games back when it was on Fox Sports World, and maybe I'm off base, but England sure seems to play a rather "ugly" style of Rugby. Is this far off base? I mean, it's obviously effective, but I seem to remember watching some of the Southern Hemisphere teams running some really open and run-oriented games that were a blast to watch. Is this the case or is my memory bad? I know England has an old team so maybe the just don't have the physical ability to keep that up anymore.

Didn't they also already lose to South Africa like 30 something to 0 early on? Just from watching the two teams it seems like it could end up being a mauling. My God also, that Brian Habana kid is a freak of nature. Talk about wheels, very fun to watch. So far the most exciting player I've seen in the tourney. Is this a breakout for him or is he already a bona fide star?

Did I hear that Lewsey won't be able to play in the finals as well? That seems pretty bad as well as he's been pretty impressive.

I need to start watching more Rugby.

AlexB · 10-16-2007, 03:06 PM

You're right - this tourament we've been old school. When we won in 2003 we were more expansive, and domestic teams do like to play a more open style, with the possible exception of Leicester Tigers, my team (I'm actually wearing the shirt right now as it goes!)

Problem was that we have been awful since 2004, and rumour has it that a lot of the Leicester lads were left out after disagreeing with the coaches style of play: Leicester's pack is awesome, and only Dan Hipkiss is in the squad from the backs - Harry Ellis would have been starting scrum half to link the pack to the backs but he wrecked his knee in the European semi final).

Basically I would guess that Chuter, Kay, Moody & Corry said look, we need to keep it in the forwards and grind it out, the rest disagreed, and only Kay was picked first game, which we lost 36-0 to the Saffers... next game all the Leicester guys started in the pack, and we started to turn the corner.

Having said that, we were still nowhere near the Australia or France performances, and this was, surprisingly in my view, with Regan back at hooker in place of Chuter.

So yes, we've been playing ugly, and we were hammered by SA earlier. But we weren't playing in this manner then - still think we're exceptionally long odds to win, but you'v got to hold on to something! No team has ever successfully defended the trophy, so regardless of the result, given the low expectations going in, I'm claiming this England team have given the best defence of the RWC in history. (Reminds me of Mick Foley saying he's the best damned transitional champ in history

)

Young Drachma · 10-20-2007, 10:13 PM

Springboks get the win.

Cringer · 10-20-2007, 11:00 PM

We need a sim. Get on it SI!

AlexB · 10-21-2007, 05:01 AM

We just didn't have enough for the win. Cueto's foot may have been in touch, but it was close - I don't think it gets overturned if it was the NFL. But at the same time I don't think it would have made a difference to the end result - SA were the better team without a doubt.

But i think we can be proud of the XV - they showed a hell of a lot of fight after the first SA game

09-20-2007, 12:09 AM	#2
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	Argentina's been playing out of their minds. __________________ Current Dynasty:The Zenith of Professional Basketball Careers (FBPB/FBCB) FBCB / FPB3 Mods

09-20-2007, 12:11 AM	#3
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	It's important to note that the USA Rugby team are amateurs and the best teams in the world are pros. We obviously know the sport isn't close to big here, but...that important fact is one worth pointing out for the uninitiated. http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/ne...ght+future+usa Last edited by Young Drachma : 09-20-2007 at 12:12 AM.

09-23-2007, 06:00 PM	#6
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	A replay of the France v. Ireland game is on Versus right now. __________________ Current Dynasty:The Zenith of Professional Basketball Careers (FBPB/FBCB) FBCB / FPB3 Mods

10-06-2007, 10:44 AM	#9
SirFozzie Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: The State of Insanity	Well, there's a surprise semi-finalist, based on the way the teams were playing entering the knockout stages. __________________ Check out Foz's New Video Game Site, An 8-bit Mind in an 8GB world! http://an8bitmind.com

10-06-2007, 12:00 PM	#10
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	We played with passion and determination, which have been sadly lacking for ages. The Aussie backs were more dangerous with ball in hand in the first half, and sporadically in the 2nd, but our forwards and defence were awesome! It was a great game, although not in the expansive sense: it was tight, gritty, tense, basically a war of attrition. We need more, a lot more, next week, but at least we have put some pride into the defence of the trophy. Whether we can raise our game again is very questionable, especially as our opponents will not have the sense of complacency the Wallabies clearly had to begin with. __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports!

09-20-2007, 12:18 AM	#5
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	They've been steadily improving and when you consider the odds they're up against I'm extremely impressed with them. I think the IRB are great for having such an open structure to the World Cup that allows teams that arguably aren't up to par to even compete on a World stage like this because it's huge for them, for the sport in the U.S. and for the players on those teams who toil for so long to get a shot to get pummeled in a group of death with England, Tonga AND the Springboks. I mean, they were doomed before they arrived in a group like that. But they've been respectable so far, even if they're not winning.

09-23-2007, 06:33 PM	#7
bhlloy Coordinator Join Date: Nov 2003	Wales as usual looked like they have the best, most exciting backs in the world against lesser opposition and then failed to show up in the first half against Australia. Assuming we can get past Fiji next Saturday, I don't think there is anyway we get past South Africa. The Boks are too physical and their pack will murder us. It's a shame England couldn't take the top spot in that group because I really would have liked our chances to pull the upset.

09-23-2007, 06:34 PM	#8
bhlloy Coordinator Join Date: Nov 2003	DOLA - very impressed with the US against England. If not for the Vickery trip, they could have been ahead at one point. When you consider they lost a warmup game to Scotland A by 50+ points, losing by 20 to England is a really good result.

10-13-2007, 04:42 PM	#11
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Oh yeah! Same idea as last week - intensity, intensity, intensity. We rode our luck at times - the French were a bootlace away from the winning try until Joe Worsley finally justified his inclusion in the England squad - but we largely controlled and restricted the French. How in the hell this has happened, I'm not sure, but England are in the final to defend the trophy! __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports!

10-14-2007, 01:27 AM	#12
Leonidas College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: East Anglia	Fabulous game. The French were surely frustrated all night long. Yeah, after watching England get killed by France and South Africa (several times) earlier this year I thought they would be lucky just to get into the semis, let alone beat the French in France. I gotta think they'll be playing South Africa in the final, but with the way this Cup has gone it's not a foregone conclusion. __________________ Molon labe

10-15-2007, 09:27 PM	#13
Calis College Starter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kansas	I'll admit I know next to nothing about Rugby. I can follow the game and tell what's going on, but I know almost nothing about the intricacies. I still enjoy the hell out of watching it. I've tried to watch a few games of this World Cup, and England sure seems like a scrappy team and I'll be pulling for them in the final. They just looked outclassed against France most of that game but dug in there and toughed out a win. Very fun game to watch. I haven't watched much, but I used to watch a few games back when it was on Fox Sports World, and maybe I'm off base, but England sure seems to play a rather "ugly" style of Rugby. Is this far off base? I mean, it's obviously effective, but I seem to remember watching some of the Southern Hemisphere teams running some really open and run-oriented games that were a blast to watch. Is this the case or is my memory bad? I know England has an old team so maybe the just don't have the physical ability to keep that up anymore. Didn't they also already lose to South Africa like 30 something to 0 early on? Just from watching the two teams it seems like it could end up being a mauling. My God also, that Brian Habana kid is a freak of nature. Talk about wheels, very fun to watch. So far the most exciting player I've seen in the tourney. Is this a breakout for him or is he already a bona fide star? Did I hear that Lewsey won't be able to play in the finals as well? That seems pretty bad as well as he's been pretty impressive. I need to start watching more Rugby.

10-16-2007, 03:06 PM	#14
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	You're right - this tourament we've been old school. When we won in 2003 we were more expansive, and domestic teams do like to play a more open style, with the possible exception of Leicester Tigers, my team (I'm actually wearing the shirt right now as it goes!) Problem was that we have been awful since 2004, and rumour has it that a lot of the Leicester lads were left out after disagreeing with the coaches style of play: Leicester's pack is awesome, and only Dan Hipkiss is in the squad from the backs - Harry Ellis would have been starting scrum half to link the pack to the backs but he wrecked his knee in the European semi final). Basically I would guess that Chuter, Kay, Moody & Corry said look, we need to keep it in the forwards and grind it out, the rest disagreed, and only Kay was picked first game, which we lost 36-0 to the Saffers... next game all the Leicester guys started in the pack, and we started to turn the corner. Having said that, we were still nowhere near the Australia or France performances, and this was, surprisingly in my view, with Regan back at hooker in place of Chuter. So yes, we've been playing ugly, and we were hammered by SA earlier. But we weren't playing in this manner then - still think we're exceptionally long odds to win, but you'v got to hold on to something! No team has ever successfully defended the trophy, so regardless of the result, given the low expectations going in, I'm claiming this England team have given the best defence of the RWC in history. (Reminds me of Mick Foley saying he's the best damned transitional champ in history ) __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports!

10-20-2007, 10:13 PM	#15
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	Springboks get the win. __________________ Current Dynasty:The Zenith of Professional Basketball Careers (FBPB/FBCB) FBCB / FPB3 Mods

10-20-2007, 11:00 PM	#16
Cringer Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Edinburg,TX	We need a sim. Get on it SI! __________________ You Stole Fizzy Lifting drinks! You bumped into the ceiling which now has to be washed and steralized, so you get NOTHING! You lose!

10-21-2007, 05:01 AM	#17
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	We just didn't have enough for the win. Cueto's foot may have been in touch, but it was close - I don't think it gets overturned if it was the NFL. But at the same time I don't think it would have made a difference to the end result - SA were the better team without a doubt. But i think we can be proud of the XV - they showed a hell of a lot of fight after the first SA game __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports!

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