Rugby World Cup

The best final I remember!! Some terrific rugger.All Blacks deserved winners but what a fight back by the Wallabies in the second half.

Overall it’s been a fantastic tournament. I’ve enjoyed so many of the games over the last six weeks – great spirit and atmosphere.

Three, if we include you Alan !

That Wallaby last try forward pass was commented on by one of the TV match commentators.

The TMO ?

With the advent of big money into the game; certainly at international level and increasingly so at club, there is now a tendency for players to practice the so called ‘professional foul’. It has been in soccer for many years. If in the heat of battle, players think that they can commit offences which will ordinarily be obscured from the referee, then they will commit those fouls.

That is now the value of the TMO. It’s use was inevitable. It will most times unerringly pick out instances of foul play thus ensuring that the offender gets his just deserts. Rugby is tough enough without the need to deploy eye gouging, head butting, shoulder tackles to name just a few examples of illicit behaviour. I know that it has always been a feature of rugby but, now it can be seen and punished.

That’s the principle value of the TMO. There are add on’s such as decisions involving the try line and the side lines and they are of huge value.

Interesting to see that there are at least two of you watching the rugby Charlie 🙂

http://newsthump.com/2015/10/26/rugby-world-cup-still-going-on/

I certainly didn’t see that last pass, you refer to, until the playback illustration.

My biggest gripe has been the role of the TMO and some of the decisions resulting from his involvement. The yellow card for that Puma armless tackle is a case in point. What are your feelings about the TMO?

I don’t know what that ‘illustration ‘ could illustrate. Ball handling, turnovers, rucks, mauls, off loading in the tackle, failing to support the ball carrier in numbers, all of these had their quota of mistakes spread pretty evenly between the top Northern and Southern teams.

What the Kiwis are good at is maintaining pressure thru 80 minutes.

Two points I make: Under use thru’ out the tournament of the dropped goal attempt and forward passes missed by the referee, including one from the last try by the Wallabies to-day.

I thought the two semis were a fine illustration of the difference between the Southern and Northern games.

Your crystal ball is working perfectly and you’re a very clever chap !

Phew!! What a semi and what a fight by the Pumas. But the final as I predicted three weeks ago and my money is on the All Blacks to retain the title.

What? The predictable whinging and complaining about the enquiry panel? And it will continue whatever the panel’s final report next month.

As close as predicted but I think the better team won on the day – just.

I’d like to borrow your crystal ball sometime ! There’s certainly nothing so far that I could’ve predicted.

Disappointed Boks. Kiwis marginally better. Overall, not much in it.

All predictable stuff, John…….I’m looking forward to the two semis!!;)

The Sports section of to-days Mail mentions the increasing disquiet in rugby circles over the composition of the panel looking into England’s World Cup performance. The disquiet concerns a suggestion of a ‘whitewash’.

It seems to be that Clive Woodwood might be co-opted.

It is suggested that Argentina, from a national base of about 55,000 participants, is doing rather well in the competition. Similarly Australia, with a base of about 250,000, but England has been removed while operating from a national base of approximately 350,000 participants.

We won’t discuss the respective budgets.

Austin Healey’s column on TMOs today – excellent – 10 out of 10!!:eagerness:

I thought it had finished ! 🙂

Or maybe not. To be honest I am unconvinced that we even need an enquiry and I shan’t worry much about it. I intend to enjoy the last two weekends of the World Cup and getting back into the Premiership and the fortunes of Quins this season!:eek:

Maybe – at the moment. We’ll wait and see.

Indeed but interestingly for entirely different reasons.

I read in my Sports Telegraph that some disquiet has been expressed over the make up of the panel sitting on behalf of the RFU. Hasn’t someone already mentioned this ?

To which, of course, you are fully entitled. I just happen not to share it, as I have made clear.

Good weekend of semis coming up.

The fact that he has worn or, wears two caps disqualifies him in my opinion