Rugby world cup 2011

**Parihaka** · 23 Oct 11,, 11:21

Originally Posted by bigross86

Bloody hell, Graham Henry has the strongest bloody accent in the world. Can barely understand a word he's saying!

**Bigfella** · 23 Oct 11,, 11:39

Originally Posted by Parihaka

Pretty much summarizes the next week...or two...or perhaps more across the ditch. Have fun.

**crooks** · 23 Oct 11,, 14:26

Congratulations NZ - certainly didn't make it easy for themselves but France had an excellent second half. Well deserved overall, and furthermore congratulations on hosting an excellent, enjoyable tournament. Onwards to an Irish win in 2015

.

**dave lukins** · 23 Oct 11,, 16:17

Not the runaway game that everyone expected. Too close for comfort but a win is a win and that's what count. Congratulations NZ...Condoléances à la France and thanks for a good game.

**Parihaka** · 23 Oct 11,, 22:42

I was thinking last night the AB's were grasping at every chance to throw it away but having watched it again the French simply played an excellent game to the very best of their abilities. Vive le France...

burp.

**bigross86** · 23 Oct 11,, 23:00

The French did play a brilliant game, and the Kiwis played a sub-par game. Everyone expected the French to roll over and die and were expecting a repeat of their match from the houses phase. The French did the exact opposite and the Kiwis couldn't recover. Hell, even the Kiwi try was not real skill, it was more luck, having intercepted the French lineout so close to their try line and rushing through before the French defense could do anything about it.

I already mentioned the abysmal kicking, right?

**Aussiegunner** · 24 Oct 11,, 03:17

Originally Posted by bigross86

Hell, even the Kiwi try was not real skill, it was more luck, having intercepted the French lineout so close to their try line and rushing through before the French defense could do anything about it.

I have to disagree with that. Winning against the throw is a tough call and the move that led to the try looked like a bit of well practiced innovation to me. I reckon it was a tournament winner and will have changed the way rugby is played, in the reverse situation of an attacking line out nobody will contest again now that that trick is out of the bag. That gives the attacking team an even greater advantage.

**Aussiegunner** · 24 Oct 11,, 03:22

France, BRILLIANT GAME!!! I was cheering you from the time you told the IRB officials to stick their bullmerde "Don't approach the Haka" regulation up their fat arses and faced the All Blacks down. You only lost by the difference between a penalty kick and a conversion from virtually the same position. Based on performance in the Tournament the All Blacks deserved the win, but you were the better team for this game. C'est la vie.

For the All Blacks a congratulatory pat on the head is in order ... it is nice to see you catch up after 12 years in the Mainland's World Cup Shadow. I will look forward to the next 24 years of away games ;-).

And on a final note, what a friggin' awesome tournament from the likes of Wales, Ireland, Argentina, Tonga, Samoa, the USA and Russia! As much as the World Cup formula might need a tweak here and there, I reckon the IRB's long term strategy of developing the game away from it's traditional top nations is a winner for those spectators who like a real contest.

**gunnut** · 24 Oct 11,, 19:10

I caught the end of this game on NBC. I see some similarities between rugby and football (American). There seems to be a line of scrimmage, lateral passes, running, place kicking, punt (not sure if that's the right word), even the shape of the ball is similar.

Football has more forward passes for a faster game. It wasn't always the case. Football started with laterals and runs just like rugby.

Anyhow, congrats to the All Blacks. They and all rugby players look like a bad ass bunch.

**dave lukins** · 24 Oct 11,, 20:28

Originally Posted by gunnut

I caught the end of this game on NBC. I see some similarities between rugby and football (American). There seems to be a line of scrimmage, lateral passes, running, place kicking, punt (not sure if that's the right word), even the shape of the ball is similar.

Football has more forward passes for a faster game. It wasn't always the case. Football started with laterals and runs just like rugby.

Anyhow, congrats to the All Blacks. They and all rugby players look like a bad ass bunch.

You miss out the hundredweight of padding in the American game.

**gunnut** · 24 Oct 11,, 20:30

Originally Posted by dave lukins

You miss out the hundredweight of padding in the American game.

Yeah...football would be more interesting if no one wore any paddings. It would be like watching auto races between cars without seatbelts.

**Parihaka** · 24 Oct 11,, 21:22

Originally Posted by gunnut

I caught the end of this game on NBC. I see some similarities between rugby and football (American). There seems to be a line of scrimmage, lateral passes, running, place kicking, punt (not sure if that's the right word), even the shape of the ball is similar.

Football has more forward passes for a faster game. It wasn't always the case. Football started with laterals and runs just like rugby.

Anyhow, congrats to the All Blacks. They and all rugby players look like a bad ass bunch.

To be honest you didn't see much of a game, although purists would disagree. If you get a chance watch a tri-nations (quad-nations with Argentina coming on board?) next year about this time.

**dave lukins** · 24 Oct 11,, 22:50

Originally Posted by gunnut

Yeah...football would be more interesting if no one wore any paddings. It would be like watching auto races between cars without seatbelts.

You could have it in a Coliseum and have a real blood bath. Losers get thrown to the lions.

**Aussiegunner** · 25 Oct 11,, 03:57

Originally Posted by gunnut

I caught the end of this game on NBC. I see some similarities between rugby and football (American). There seems to be a line of scrimmage, lateral passes, running, place kicking, punt (not sure if that's the right word), even the shape of the ball is similar.

Football has more forward passes for a faster game. It wasn't always the case. Football started with laterals and runs just like rugby.

Anyhow, congrats to the All Blacks. They and all rugby players look like a bad ass bunch.

Lots of Americans don't realise that the USA is actually the reigning Olympic Champion in Rugby, they won in 1920 and 1924 before the sport was scrapped from the games. It is just as well for the rest of us that you invented NFL because you wanted a quisessentially American game, or the rest of the World wouldn't have a show against a 300 million strong nation of rugby fanatics! We would have had to insist that you compete in the World Cup on a state by state basis ;-).

Anyway, as I have said I have the utmost respect for the US team from their performance in this tournament. They are mainly drawn from second string college athletes who weren't good enough for NFL, so they are always going to be at a disadvantage, but they turn up, play their hearts out and act like winners even when they lose. They scored 2 tries against the Wallabies this tournament, not easy against a top rated team, and gave the Irish and Italians an even bigger run for their money. The buggers can tackle too, they hit like NFL players so the influence has obviously carried over!