The Rugby Thread

[ChesterDave]

Game over.

[Irishnev]

I fear a hiding - we are already battered and ABs look well up for this

[Zapater]

I fear a hiding - we are already battered and ABs look well up for this

Could be a long night.

[Irishnev]

Could be a long night.

Ya - we had to win the group and avoid this side of the draw. The ABs are too strong, too good and our lads are way off form.

I hope we can keep it to less than 50 points

[RichC]

That was some performance from the ABs. Tough seeing anyone stopping them yet again

[Irishnev]

That was some performance from the ABs. Tough seeing anyone stopping them yet again

As good as NZ we’re Ireland were absolute ****, missed 3 kicks to touch with penalties, knocked countless balls under no pressure. As always are cycle of form is out of synch with the WC.

It makes me wonder if why we do well in the off World Cup years is because other sides are blooding players. We have too many old guys that Schmidt kept in the side and others that are vastly out of form playing a brand of rugby from the stone ages.

Farrell needs to come in and make some sweeping changes in the squad and try to bring some creativity and physicality into the side. A disappointing end to Joe’s reign but he has done wonders for Ireland in his tenure:

Three 6 Nations
One grand slam
Got to no 1 in the world
Won a series in Aus
Beat ZA in a test away


But


Still went out in the 1/4 final of the World Cup - even if we won the group ZA would have over powered us

[Zapater]

Brilliant start by France. Like I always say, very good players, only rock up at world cups.

[Harv]

Yeah France came out on fire. Wales have regrouped though.

Surprised that big Fijian's not playing for France. He was immense in their last game. Like a second coming of Lomu.

[RichC]

French often start like this, they struggle to maintain it through a game though

[Zapater]

Penaud is a freak of nature. Definitely the world's premier centre in the future. Class inside, outside and on the wing.

[RichC]

What an absolute clown

[danperkins]

A moment of pure stupidity.

[RichC]

And the French doing what they do and fall apart

[Harv]

Wales were absolute ****. What a boring side.

Ref had a mare at the end there. France should've had a pen right in front of the sticks and then that ball for the try clearly went forward. Not sure what the ref was looking at, it got ripped out behind the line and then caught in front of it. Plus the dead give-away was the player having to turn and move in the opposite direction to catch it...defies the laws of physics if that ball went backwards. (or even level)

[Zapater]

French can only blame themselves (or one player). Were brilliant for the the first 60 but got to them. Uncharacteristically, Medard's tactical kicking let them down at the end, also not sure why they were reluctant to put Lopez into the pocket for a drop at the end as there were 2 opportunities where they could have racked up a bit of a lead.

Thought Fickou, Poirot and Dupont were excellent. Definitely don't deserve to be on the losing team. That's the way sports go regardless.