The Rugby Thread

[Vermilion]

Got to admit I have watched more Rugby in the last month than football and have loved every minute of it.

Scotland were robbed and Argies were brilliant to watch yesterday.

All coming from an England fan as well , this has been sport at its best and cruellest.

[Buzzo]

It was a great round of 1/4 finals.

I'm still totally gutted. Can't believe we didn't make it...

I was told to apologise to my kids after the game - I was apparently quite volatile through it

**** knows how bad the players must feel.

[ChesterDave]

"That is the worst thing I have seen on a rugby field in a very long time. He is not prepared to face up to the players, that is not rugby and that is not the spirit of rugby," Hastings said.

Worse than punches, stamps, and spear tackles? Come on Gavin!

[Buzzo]

I think he said that literally as the final whistle blew.

Though not comparable to in field violence. It was kind of shocking in its own way - imagine the outrage if a football ref did the same thing?

[Vermilion]

Probably the best thing to do under the circumstances, take himself out of the situation and firing line for what are certain to be a set of very emotional Scotsmen.

Obviously he got the decision wrong, but hanging around wasn't going to help.

Agree Hastings made the comments in the heat of a very emotional moment, no biggy.

[kingfunk]

He couldn't of asked the TMO, even if he wanted to.

[Buzzo]

It's just a square kick in the balls. The TMO interjects so frequently, seems ridiculous he couldn't then with the mistake playing large in the stadium.

It's going to take ages for it not to hurt.

Hope the team can bottle the feeling and use it to better themselves.

[Vermilion]

He couldn't of asked the TMO, even if he wanted to.

Seems to be some confusion about this, some saying what you are, which seems to be the correct rule, but others saying he already used it when he shouldn't have during the match.

[Nicey]

What an absolute ****ing delight it has been to watch the Rugby World cup, for the most part great rugby, sportsmanship, officiating and sporting spectacle. Great banter, and mutual love for the sport rather than the individual teams playing it, just got my little girls into Rugby .. man what a cracking sport it is

[Buzzo]

It has been a fine advert for a fine sport. Lots of fast flowing Rugby, great invention and skill. In the main (Nigel Owens) fantastic officiating.

About 60 seconds away from a perfect tournament for me.

Football could learn a lot.

[Buzzo]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. No **** though eh???

Well it was 1991 last time we were competitive in a WC so I might see it again in my lifetime...

Referee Craig Joubert was wrong to award a 78th-minute penalty against Scotland in their World Cup quarter-final defeat by Australia at Twickenham, says World Rugby.

Scotland led 34-32 when Joubert ruled Jon Welsh was deliberately offside for playing the ball following a knock-on by a team-mate.

The governing body said that, because Australia's Nick Phipps touched the ball, "the appropriate decision should have been a scrum to Australia for the original knock-on".

Scotland lost 35-34 on Sunday after Bernard Foley kicked the penalty.

A World Rugby statement read: "The match official selection committee confirms that Joubert applied World Rugby law 11.7 penalising Scotland's Jon Welsh, who had played the ball following a knock-on by a team-mate, resulting in an offside.

"On review of all available angles, it is clear that after the knock-on, the ball was touched by Australia's Nick Phipps and law 11.3(c) states that a player can be put on-side by an opponent who intentionally plays the ball."

The statement added that Joubert "could not refer to the television match official in this case and therefore had to rely on what he saw in real time".

World Rugby high performance match official manager Joel Jutge said: "Despite this experience, Craig has been and remains a world-class referee and an important member of our team."

[Chazza]

Not being able to use the TMO in that situation seems mental.

So much on it.

[RichC]

The over use of the TMO all through the tournament sort of makes a mockery of how it was ignored in this situation.

Bull**** comment about not being able to refer to it after the England vs Fiji debacle

[Buzzo]

I just wish I was able to objectively comment like previous WC's. I don't blame Joubert (other than for legging it) anyone can make a mistake, but when the mistakes cost so much it's hard to take. When it was actually being played out in the stadium as a mistake whilst the kick was being taken and with the fairly efficient use of the TMO throughout it just seems completely unfair.

You think back to McCaw not getting called for going in on the side in the last final which would have given the French a kickable pen to take the lead, and then Cuetos 'try' the previous final. the common denominator does seem to be that the Southern Hemisphere teams are the beneficiaries.

I need to move on but I'd genuinely feel better now if we'd ****ed up and they scored a try. Losing unjustly totally sucks.

[Chazza]

The RFU has announced a panel to undertake a review of England’s performance at the Rugby World Cup.

The Panel will seek to identify recommendations and actions in a bid to enable the England senior team to be in the best possible position to compete and win at the highest level.

With the assistance of the Panel, RFU CEO Ian Ritchie will make recommendations to the RFU Board after the conclusion of the Rugby World Cup.

The panel will consist of:

Ian Ritchie, RFU CEO and Panel Chairman
Ian Metcalfe (Professional Game Board Chairman)
Ben Kay MBE – (former England International & World Cup Winner)
Ian Watmore (ER2015 Board member, former Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office, former FA CEO and former Accenture Managing Director)
Sir Ian McGeechan OBE (former British & Irish Lions and Scotland Coach)
The Panel will review the preparations and performances in the Rugby World Cup, the effectiveness of the coaching, management and support team and consider feedback from all relevant stakeholders.

Ritchie said: “While the RFU will be focussing on continuing to deliver a fantastic tournament over the next two weeks, it is hugely disappointing not to have progressed through to the knockout stages.

“With that in mind, we have begun to review the senior team’s campaign to ensure that we learn and improve from this experience in order to be consistently successful.

“There will be extensive input from players, coaches and management staff, as well as an external perspective gathered. The details of this feedback will remain confidential, with recommendations then made to the RFU Board.”