France 2023 Rugby World Cup

[Durban Sandshark]

17 hours ago, Sir Rols said:

It’s just one of those cyclical things. We’re in a trough at the moment. Happens to all teams.

a lot of youth in the team atm - they’re getting blooded. Assuming Jones won’t last too long post-0cup, and a new coaching regime will start the whole process of rebuilding.

Fiji did deserve to win and with Wales--need to see those games. But isn't Australia's Wallabies at this one supposed to be young by design on the roster? Like to build for the future like the next RWC after setting the template? Certainly I don't expect them to win its third William Webb Ellis Trophy, but given its status as a big rugby union nation it can get a reevaluation.

You know what also needs an reevaluation? The very fact that there's absolutely no North American participation in this Rugby World Cup for the first time. Both big North American nations with some RWC pedigree, the USA and Canada, failed to qualify for France, although more South American participation is important too. The USA is not in this for the first time since missing out on the all-important 1995 one in South Africa. Canada misses out for the first time ever. To say nothing about Mexico, West Indies nations, and Central America. COVID-19 certainly has something to do with the remaking of the Americas qualification in reducing the North American field to just the USA and Canada. In the United States' and Canada's case, there indeed has been some progress in building the professional side of the rugby union game thank to, among other things, Major League Rugby's arrival, a league that has lasted much longer than PRO Rugby here. But it's still a very young league in the North American pro sports landscape that lacks the serious mainstream sports clout despite rugby having a solid following here. Only one Canada-based MLR team in the Toronto Arrows but perhaps Vancouver could soon join them. And enduring some growing pains (like ATL Rugby moving to Los Angeles in filling the void left by the LA Gilitinis' controversial operations suspension; the Colorado (Glendale) Raptors pulling out in 2020) in despite being a solid league. Could see a drop off in RWC interest here in North America right now with no USA and Canada participation, given that there's two important markets--but we're too heavily distracted right now by football (NFL, CFL, and college football in both nations) and MLB to notice the absence in France. Although to be sure some of us here in North America did notice. That should be a strong case, among several worthy others, for expanding the RWC field in the near future.  

[Sir Rols]

Nice one Ireland….

So, that’s all the big southern teams being handed a hiding.

[Rob2012]

Trying to think of a group stage game in any sport, not just rugby, that was as intense as that SA v IRE encounter. Blimey.

Anyway, nice easy win for England which there is zero point getting carried away about, but it was nice to see us play well for once.

 

13 hours ago, Sir Rols said:

So, that’s all the big southern teams being handed a hiding.

Some of those things are not like the others.

[Sir Rols]

Well, I thought we’d lose. But that was embarrassing. Credit to Wales, though. Walked all over us.

[yoshi]

Well that certainly dealt with that . That's surely the end of the Eddie circus everywhere now, I wouldn't be totally confident about Australia beating Portugal next week on that form. Wales genuine threats to the big 4 for the trophy?

[Rob2012]

lol @ the attempt to build in jeopardy before the game. New Zealand could go out tonight if they don't beat Italy! Yeah, right.

 

[yoshi]

Well, for three weeks it was fun to imagine that a country not called New Zealand might have a chance 

[Scotguy II]

New Zealand are now champions in waiting after today's game. The cup will be coming home to Auckland!

[Australian Kiwi]

9 hours ago, Scotguy II said:

New Zealand are now champions in waiting after today's game. The cup will be coming home to Auckland!

Thats a bit premature. 

[Scotguy II]

14 minutes ago, Australian Kiwi said:

Thats a bit premature. 

just what the NZ media have been saying today. Tomorrows front pages have a photo of the cup with it's coming home on it.

[Australian Kiwi]

18 hours ago, Scotguy II said:

just what the NZ media have been saying today. Tomorrows front pages have a photo of the cup with it's coming home on it.

NZ media being jingoistic over the All Blacks, what a surprise. Still a way to go. England, South Africa and even France could very likely upset the ABs.

[Sir Rols]

I’d be sure the Scottish newspapers will be hyping their chances this morning

[Sir Rols]

Seriously, are these 70, 80 and 90 point blowouts between the big teams and the also-ranks in any way good for the game and the tournament? Is the IRB insane to be considering expanding to 24 teams in 2027?

[Rob2012]

3 hours ago, Australian Kiwi said:

NZ media being jingoistic over the All Blacks, what a surprise. Still a way to go. England, South Africa and even France could very likely upset the ABs.

Replace England with Ireland and you're right.

[SportLightning]

10 teams have now qualified for the Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia. The teams joining host Australia are:

 

Pool A:

France

New Zealand

Italy

 

Pool B:
 

South Africa

Ireland

Scotland

 

Pool C:

Wales

Fiji

Australia already qualified for 2027 as host.

 

Pool D:

England

Argentina

Japan

 

But only eight will advance to quarter-finals.

[Sir Rols]

Well, mathematically, Oz can still make the quarters 

Hope not, though. I’m on the Team Fiji bandwagon

[Alexjc]

This is the part of the RWC I don't really focus on. I've been egging on Fiji during the pools as we need one break out team to give excitement to what is a long and boring event.

Do NOT like this tournament set up with a bye week. No need for it.

Disappointed in Australia though. 

All Blacks...Pffft...Roll on knock out World Cup.

 

[Sir Rols]

Well, that was an entertains game. Portugal win their first WC game, Fiji lose, but head on to the quarters. Which means Oz is OUT and  Eddie Jones will be phoning his contacts in Japan. 

Sorry to see Japan out. But can’t begrudge Argentina advancing.

Now on to the tense games….

[yoshi]

And the draw that keeps on giving gives us two worthy finals and two middling pool games for quarters... Delighted for Portugal, they truly deserved to get a win here. Hopefully they don't just get chucked into rugby's dustbin for the next four years but we know what normally happens... assuming there's gonna be some big stadium construction over the next 7 years there, I do think there'd be worse ideas than a Rugby World Cup in Portugal and Spain. They'd be great places for fans. And hopefully that's the last we'll see of Eddie? Please?

[SportLightning]

I think France could win this for the first time.

[Alexjc]

My opinion of this World Cup is not great...This is the second hosting by France (first as a singular host) and it's still boring.

Hopefully we will see some massive upsets this Quater Finals round.

I'm fully expecting to see Ireland topple New Zealand in what will a battle of the Ages. I do hope France can get past South Africa and Argentina pull off an upset. I consider Argentina the quiet dark horse of this bland event.

 

[Sir Rols]

The group stages have been a bit too drawn out - the rest weeks didn't help. Compared to the rapid fire pace of the FIFA tournament group stages, this has been slow going.

And let's face it - the skill gap between the top teams and those making up the numbers is too wide to avoid all these blowouts. It's a tough one, though. You gotta keep it global and have some incentive for emerging nations to compete, but really there's only about 16 teams who can really make a show of it. It's gonna be even more pronounced when they expand to 24 teams in 2027. I guess we've seen some countries, like Japan, Georgia and Portugal start to move up in the World Cup era, but I think more needs to be done at the Six Nations and Four Nations level to more nurture emerging Rugby nations.

And then there's the matter of the lop-sided group draw. In hindsight, the comical thing is this looked on paper pre-tournament as an easy draw for Australia to give it an express lane to the semis. And they still managed to f*ck that up! 

Still, should be some cracker matches coming from now on. I know who I'm hoping for, but don't wanna jinx any of them.

 

 

Edited October 12, 2023 by Sir Rols

[Scotguy II]

4 hours ago, Alexjc said:

My opinion of this World Cup is not great...This is the second hosting by France (first as a singular host) and it's still boring.

Hopefully we will see some massive upsets this Quater Finals round.

I'm fully expecting to see Ireland topple New Zealand in what will a battle of the Ages. I do hope France can get past South Africa and Argentina pull off an upset. I consider Argentina the quiet dark horse of this bland event.

 

The All Blacks will win it prob in the last few minutes, but will be a predictable end to a boring tournament.

[SportLightning]

14 hours ago, Scotguy II said:

The All Blacks will win it prob in the last few minutes, but will be a predictable end to a boring tournament.

We'll see about that. I still hope France wins their first ever title.

[Alexjc]

20 hours ago, Scotguy II said:

The All Blacks will win it prob in the last few minutes, but will be a predictable end to a boring tournament.

NZ will be momentarily distracted by another, totally different, match up Saturday night...

It seems to be cyclic...2015 was an awesome tournament...2019 ruined by weather and England's to lose.

2027 looks to be a cracker of an event.