Official Rugby Thread

[Howe_zat]

In allowing 4 more teams in, they've made it far more predictable with very few competitive games at the higher level until the QF's. In the old format you had at least 2 decent teams in every group and it was far tougher to predict the likely knockout stages.

Both finalists lost group stage games in the last World Cup, there is only one possible group where that could happen this time, and it's unlikely.

Nah there's nothing wrong with having more teams, there's just too many groups. There were better options available for a 24 team tournament. This format was bad in the football as well.

 

[Tom Flint]

Didn't one minnow nearly get through last time? Portugal or someone.

 

[Molehill]

Didn't one minnow nearly get through last time? Portugal or someone.

Nah, you're thinking of Australia who put in a plucky effort but were just edged out by Wales and Fiji!!

 

[Howe_zat]

Didn't one minnow nearly get through last time? Portugal or someone.

Depends what you mean by 'nearly'. They upset Fiji and drew with Georgia which was great for them but they weren't really close to reaching the quarters.

 

[ripper868]

Dreamland:
Scotland beat Ireland
Wales beat England

Means a semi finalists come from one of each (? = 3rd place team):
1. Aus v Japan, Wales vs Italy.
2. France v Ireland, England v Fiji
3. NZ v Spain (?), RSA v Samoa (?)
4. Scotland v Georgia (?), Argentina v Chile (?)

 

[Ali TT]

Dreamland:
Scotland beat Ireland
Wales beat England

Means a semi finalists come from one of each (? = 3rd place team):
1. Aus v Japan, Wales vs Italy.
2. France v Ireland, England v Fiji
3. NZ v Spain (?), RSA v Samoa (?)
4. Scotland v Georgia (?), Argentina v Chile (?)

Japan in the WC semis!!!

 

[ripper868]

Japan in the WC semis!!!

Wouldn't hate it tbh, if only to see Burgey smile.

 

[Howe_zat]

3. NZ v Spain (?), RSA v Samoa (?)
4. Scotland v Georgia (?), Argentina v Chile (?)

On the (?)

I'm pretty sure Spain will get through as they ran Fiji close in the autumn, could do so again, and are probably capable of a comfortable win against Canada. Georgia will probably at least keep it tight against Italy and are used to beating Romania so agree there.

I think Chile will get run through twice and go home on points difference despite beating Hong Kong. Uruguay and Portugal will probably both go home in D, since the game they play each other will be probably be close and Scotland usually happily minnow bash even when they're bad.

I reckon Tonga get through instead since they might get some world cup reinforcements, Wales aren't known for comfortably beating the Islander teams, and they could thrash Zimbabwe.

Samoa, no idea, they honestly seem faintly rubbish right now but could get something together for the world cup. I could see USA and Samoa effectively knocking each other out with a low scoring match but chances are one of them gets a decent match in against Japan (or happen to play France on a day of CBF) and goes through.

 

[ripper868]

Yeaht he ?'s are very much placeholder, I'm not sure how it's determined which 3rd goes where either, I know the draw says the groupings that the 3rd could come from for the groups, but it's just odd.

Bring back the 20 team, 4 pools x 5 teams tbh.

 

[Tom Flint]

I like the extra teams as I like to see 2 minnows playing eachother and both having a chance to win a game at a world cup

 

[ripper868]

I do like that aspect as well, I just dislike unclean progressions with best 3rd/lucky loser kind of deals, would of preferred a 4 groups of 6 with a straight to quarter finals, teams would still play same number of games on the way to the final, but 5 group games is certainly alot.

 

[Howe_zat]

The perfect format is hard to land on, until you realise that it's 128 teams with 7 straight rounds of knockouts.

Malta v Burundi at a world cup let's go

 

[ripper868]

Unfortunately we only have 114 registered playing nations (American Samoa in 114th for those playing along at home) - so the remaining 14 will need to be from South Africa's age group programs, as they can probably make it to the quarter finals anyway.

Malta 51st and Burundi 108th ftr.

 

[Howe_zat]

Unfortunately we only have 114 registered playing nations (American Samoa in 114th for those playing along at home) - so the remaining 14 will need to be from South Africa's age group programs, as they can probably make it to the quarter finals anyway.

Malta 51st and Burundi 108th ftr.

Invite the 14 super league teams to make up the numbers, they'd probably get through a couple of rounds before they all get red carded

 

[BoyBrumby]

Probably speaks to my ingrained prejudices, but thought American Samoa would be higher than that, given they share an archipelago with Manu Samoa.

Guess their primo cattle end up playing gridiron?

 

[Howe_zat]

Probably speaks to my ingrained prejudices, but thought American Samoa would be higher than that, given they share an archipelago with Manu Samoa.

Guess their primo cattle end up playing gridiron?

Yeah, there are a handful of Samoans in the NFL and those from the American half are able to live and work in the USA.

But mainly it's that it's just extremely tiny (around the population of King's Lynn) and their team barely plays. All the rankings from 50 onwards are basically made up because the teams don't really play enough for the rankings to be meaningful.

 

[ripper868]

Yeah, there are a handful of Samoans in the NFL and those from the American half are able to live and work in the USA.

But mainly it's that it's just extremely tiny (around the population of King's Lynn) and their team barely plays. All the rankings from 50 onwards are basically made up because the teams don't really play enough for the rankings to be meaningful.

 

[andruid]

Probably speaks to my ingrained prejudices, but thought American Samoa would be higher than that, given they share an archipelago with Manu Samoa.

Guess their primo cattle end up playing gridiron?

Cue house Maevea turning up and doing a Cinderella run to the semis, powered by 'The Tribal Chief!'

 

[Heboric]

Eben has gotten a 12 game ban. Good behaviour history and maybe a good word from Ardie Savea "lowered" the sentence.
As another "pundit" said Eben should have just punched the **** out of the guy instead.
The Sharks will be pissed of course, but Eben should come back to The Stormers. Real nice culture their it seems. Something stinks at the Sharks.

 

[Tom Flint]

Unfortunately we only have 114 registered playing nations (American Samoa in 114th for those playing along at home) - so the remaining 14 will need to be from South Africa's age group programs, as they can probably make it to the quarter finals anyway.

Malta 51st and Burundi 108th ftr.

The majority of the minnows are part time amateur players, it wouldn't be safe to line them up against the violent, ultra aggressive nature of south african teams.