Pool C - Australia, Ireland, Italy, Russia, United States

[flibbertyjibber]

This Ireland v Italy match is as tense and nervy as the England v Scotland one yesterday. Come on Ireland.

[BoyBrumby]

Even if they win today Ghiraldini's world cup will be over. Camera has him bang to rights having a wee gouge at Cian Healy's eye. Worst thing in rugby.

[BoyBrumby]

Think Ireland have found their second gear. Heaslip, Ferris & O'Brien must be close to the best set of loosies in the tournament.

[_Ed_]

What a try!

EDIT: Ooh, penalty try?

EDIT 2: Apparently not. Inexplicable TMO decision, that.

[Scaly piscine]

Originally Posted by _Ed_

What a try!

EDIT: Ooh, penalty try?

EDIT 2: Apparently not. Inexplicable TMO decision, that.

Heh yea, that'll be one more person who's not going to make the knock-out stages, you'd hope.

Good response from Ireland though. England would still be whinging and sulking this time tomorrow.

[BoyBrumby]

Even if he thought Bowe wasn't denied a clear try-scoring op (which I'd disagree with), I really can't understand how he said no foul play. He was tackled early; not a shard of doubt.

Anyway, Earls nabs the bonus point for the fourth try anyway.

Ireland peaking at exactly the right time; Wales versus the Irish looks a cracker in the making. &, tbh, both would probably fancy their chances against whichever one of England or France makes in through the special needs quarter.

[flibbertyjibber]

Ireland v Wales will be a cracker next week. Nice 6 nations battle in the one half of the draw now.

[Somerset]

Originally Posted by _Ed_

What a try!

EDIT: Ooh, penalty try?

EDIT 2: Apparently not. Inexplicable TMO decision, that.

Yeh ridiculous decision. Have a strong feeling it was the same TMO that went outside the rules and denied New Zealand a try in South Africa in the Tri Nations this year.

[Гурин]

I won't talk about how Italy are deservedly out of this WC; I'll just say that I'm 100% happy that they got hammered that way. Our farm system is completely f(expletive)ed up, teams and inept coaches trying to win games instead of developing players, even more since when (2002) we've started to fill the roster with players discarded from the other nations (15 of them now!). All they can do is to throw some big bodies around, and indeed our pack is decent enough to compete with every other nation; too bad then that our backs are unable to catch more than 2 balls in a row even at the absimally slow pace at which they can pass; not that surprising, when all they were taught is "just go in, you're bigger than them!" until they're 21. Why practice kicks? Why practice passes? Let's just go straight, we'll dominate in youth rugby! Then, on international stage, they discover that now just running straight towards the defender, who's big if not bigger than them, becomes useless, and have then to learn the basics, but's already too late by then. People have been blaming every single coach since Geoges Coste, but the truth is that the system is rotten; just like the Bangladesh cricket team, who continuosly blame their coach when the truth is that is impossible to do much with such players, so it is for the italian backs, who are technically and tactically miles behind their opponents, without any improvement in that area in the last 10 years. All of this without taking into account another certain BIG problem in Italian rugby, but about THAT one I wouldn't count that other boards are clean, so I'll not bring the point up.

Happy flight home fellas, enjoy watching the quarters yet another time from your couch.

[ripper868]

Quite interesting how it's panned out to be Northern Hem vs Southern Hem. the 4nations teams (from 2012) vs the (arguably) top 4 teams of the 6 nations...surely we should be having a Northen vs Southern hemisphere match after the final as well!

I like the look of the leekists tbh, Warburton is a top rate player and that George North is looking the goods as well.

For the Irish i've been impressed by Tommy Bowe - never though i would be but he seems to be bending the line rather consistently - not a destroyer like an Ioane obviously but definitely a handful.

Speaking of Ioane - He's Baaaacck!

Cant wait for next weekend, all the matches will be crackers.

[Howe_zat]

Originally Posted by Гурин

I won't talk about how Italy are deservedly out of this WC; I'll just say that I'm 100% happy that they got hammered that way. Our farm system is completely f(expletive)ed up, teams and inept coaches trying to win games instead of developing players, even more since when (2002) we've started to fill the roster with players discarded from the other nations (15 of them now!). All they can do is to throw some big bodies around, and indeed our pack is decent enough to compete with every other nation; too bad then that our backs are unable to catch more than 2 balls in a row even at the absimally slow pace at which they can pass; not that surprising, when all they were taught is "just go in, you're bigger than them!" until they're 21. Why practice kicks? Why practice passes? Let's just go straight, we'll dominate in youth rugby! Then, on international stage, they discover that now just running straight towards the defender, who's big if not bigger than them, becomes useless, and have then to learn the basics, but's already too late by then. People have been blaming every single coach since Geoges Coste, but the truth is that the system is rotten; just like the Bangladesh cricket team, who continuosly blame their coach when the truth is that is impossible to do much with such players, so it is for the italian backs, who are technically and tactically miles behind their opponents, without any improvement in that area in the last 10 years. All of this without taking into account another certain BIG problem in Italian rugby, but about THAT one I wouldn't count that other boards are clean, so I'll not bring the point up.

Happy flight home fellas, enjoy watching the quarters yet another time from your couch.

Have decided that I like you and I like your rants, Gurin.