RLWC 2013

toomevara

spillit67 wrote: »

When RL puts development effort into France and Wales yet they get put in the kind of performances they have as against these farcical lineups...it isn't good for development.

Fair enough, to a point, but union has precisely the same issue and I don't hear too much complaining. Look at Italy in the 6N. Rammed full of argentinians, Aussies and anyone else they can find. This is an issue which occurs in many sports. 'Irish" soccer team anyone? You can level all the accusations made at League at Union..the farcical situation with the pacific Islanders, to name but one example...

Captain Farrell

toomevara wrote: »

Fair enough, to a point, but union has precisely the same issue and I don't hear too much complaining. Look at Italy in the 6N. Rammed full of argentinians, Aussies and anyone else they can find. This is an issue which occurs in many sports. 'Irish" soccer team anyone? You can level all the accusations made at League at Union..the farcical situation with the pacific Islanders, to name but one example...

Yep, the likes of the Vunipolas and Brad Barrit play for England despite having no heritage at all, just residential rights, Jamie Salmon played for England and the All Blacks, Brad Thorn played league for Aus and Union for the All Blacks, and it was fine and dandy for Craig Gower to go from Aussie RL to Italy at Union, but apparently its wrong for him to play for them at League. As for Tom court playing for Ireland at Union...

Usual Union hypocrisy.

Maybe they are wasting their time and money trying to get nations without a pedigree in rugby league to suddenly take it up. I guess you can't have a world cup then though.

Has rugby league developed much in Ireland over the last 10-15 years, are more people playing it, are there more clubs?

I think the the only really interesting tournament would be GB&Ireland, Australia, NZ, and a South Sea Islanders Team. That would be a really competitive tournament all rugby league fans would tune into see

Dozen Wicked Words

Deleted User wrote: »

I think the the only really interesting tournament would be GB&Ireland, Australia, NZ, and a South Sea Islanders Team. That would be a really competitive tournament all rugby league fans would tune into see

Bit like The Rugby League Four Nations?

Yeah but I'd like to see a combined South Sea Islands team because they would be very competitive, otherwise any other team in there become the whipping boys.

Dozen Wicked Words

Deleted User wrote: »

Yeah but I'd like to see a combined South Sea Islands team because they would be very competitive, otherwise any other team in there become the whipping boys.

It would be a brilliant idea, wonder if national pride and the politics that go with it, might get in the way, although the West Indies combine nations in cricket quite well, and have done for donkeys years.

Well they did it in union before so it could be done for league too!

KevIRL

Paddypower make Australia 58 point favourites for tonights match

eeeeek

Dozen Wicked Words

Come on England! Reckon Fiji might make it a close-ish game.


Edit: Didn't realise Steve Prescott had died, so brave during his illness with his charity stuff. Wish a minutes silence was that though, more respectful than applause I think anyway.

Dozen Wicked Words

Think Fiji were a bit unlucky there, Tomkins got away with it.


Edit: Fiji just scored there, and fully deserved

Dozen Wicked Words

All square at half time, England not overly impressive so far imho.

toomevara

Really enjoyable game so far. Massive, massive physicality from the Fijians, a real handful. Brewing up nicely. Cannot believe that Fiji still have 13 on the field after that spear on Graham..bloody awful tackle. Also do not understand how that Fiji try was disallowed. Tomkins had no chance….Looking forward to the second 40...

toomevara

Worst possible start for the Fijians….

Dozen Wicked Words

That's the way to start the 2nd half from England.

Dozen Wicked Words

Fiji just haven't turned up yet this 2nd half.

toomevara

Bloody hell, Fijians still in the dressing room..England hitting their straps now...

toomevara

Was that foot in touch??

toomevara

Amazing try from Ryan Hall…no better winger in world rugby….

Dozen Wicked Words

All over now, England walking the 2nd half, good video ref review, took his time, got the right decision.

Dozen Wicked Words

toomevara wrote: »

Amazing try from Ryan Hall…no better winger in world rugby….

Hmmmm..... Remind me again toom, which club does he play for?:D

toomevara

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

Hmmmm..... Remind me again toom, which club does he play for?:D

And you'll be massively unsurprised when I suggest that Burrow should start…;)

toomevara

Good performance from England, progressing nicely. Chase-Sinfield-Burrow combination looks very good indeed. Pack going well, graham looking good too...

toomevara

Superb game between France and Samoa last night. God help any team facing Mose Masoe in Saints colours next year. First 40 was the toughest I've seen of the comp thus far. Have to say though France were badly let down by Henry Perenara's anaemic refereeing of some of Samoa's utterly illegal 'tackling'…Good box office but someone's going to be seriously hurt by these guys. I lost count of how many (cop-out) 'on reports' were dished out. Hope Samoa have a big squad because for the next match they're going to need 4 or 5 new faces. Tomas Bosc was illegally and ruthlessly targeted all night…pretty shabby and took the gloss off an otherwise superb game.

The QF (Samoa V Fiji) in Warrington on Sunday has serious potential…..

Dozen Wicked Words

toomevara wrote: »

The QF (Samoa V Fiji) in Warrington on Sunday has serious potential…..

Have my doubts it will finish 13 a side anyway!

Fukuoka Eagle

England VS France in the Quarter Finals.

Only New Zealand and Australia have scored more tries than England, whereas France have scored less tries than anyone else - just two. England could run up a cricket score.

Dozen Wicked Words

New Zealand and Australia predictably into semis with comfortable wins, Scotland and USA both had good tournaments but well outclassed. England on later, France really need to up their game or it will be straight forward progress for the hosts.

toomevara

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

New Zealand and Australia predictably into semis with comfortable wins, Scotland and USA both had good tournaments but well outclassed. England on later, France really need to up their game or it will be straight forward progress for the hosts.

Went to the NZ Scotland game last night. Decent crowd, most of the neutrals behind Scotland but they were utterly outclassed by the Kiwis who really never broke a sweat. The Scots were game and never threw in the towel but NZ a different league. Also Brough's kicking game let him down at precisely the time you didn't want….

Dozen Wicked Words

So, the semi-finals were as presumably everyone predicted.

23 November: England v New Zealand (13:00) Wembley Stadium, London
23 November: Australia v Fiji (15:30) Wembley Stadium, London

I reckon New Zealand to win by 10 (hope I'm wrong obviously!) as I am still not convinced by England this tournament. Hopefully in the other game Fiji can keep it close, in this case close is probably within 20 points.

England v Fiji Final please :pac:

toomevara

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

So, the semi-finals were as presumably everyone predicted.

23 November: England v New Zealand (13:00) Wembley Stadium, London
23 November: Australia v Fiji (15:30) Wembley Stadium, London

I reckon New Zealand to win by 10 (hope I'm wrong obviously!) as I am still not convinced by England this tournament. Hopefully in the other game Fiji can keep it close, in this case close is probably within 20 points.

England v Fiji Final please :pac:

Would agree, can't see England beating the Kiwis, they've ben pretty underwhelming all tournament. Really impressed with fiji, showed against Samoa that they're not just all about the biff they, can really play some football. The Fijian back three in particular would grace any team….

Dozen Wicked Words

Semi final time. Free viewing of top quality sport on BBC One. Come on England! (though as I've said, fancy the Kiwis)

Now THAT is a haka. Pure menace in that one.

Dozen Wicked Words

What a Kiwi try that was. Great game so far.

Nermal

Incredible.

neris

Was a great try by nz. Are bbc showing the aussie game aswell?

Dozen Wicked Words

neris wrote: »

Was a great try by nz. Are bbc showing the aussie game aswell?

Sadly no, it's on premier or whatever it's called

Stev_o

What a game.

MaxPower89

That was a cracker, slick finish for the winning try.

Dozen Wicked Words

Very disappointing from England fan pov but a fantastic game and good luck to the Kiwis in the final.

Dozen Wicked Words

Australia battering Fiji. 46 nil with 20 minutes left to play.


Edit: So finished 64 nil, shame Fiji didn't get a score on the board.

thebaz

great game of league - am I alone though in thinking it a farce calling a competition a World Cup , despite the over-the-top hype from the bbc, ther realistically is only 3 decent teams in league.
Bit like having GAA World Cup , with ourselves and Aus , and a bunch of minnows or an American football WC , with america and canada and the rest.

Dozen Wicked Words

thebaz wrote: »

great game of league - am I alone though in thinking it a farce calling a competition a World Cup , despite the over-the-top hype from the bbc, ther realistically is only 3 decent teams in league.
Bit like having GAA World Cup , with ourselves and Aus , and a bunch of minnows or an American football WC , with america and canada and the rest.

Realistically there are only 5 or 6 teams that could win the Union World Cup. 10 ( maybe 12 at a push) to win the Football World Cup, 3 Netball, 4 or 5 Hockey, 4 or 5 Ice Hockey, 5 or 6 Cricket, 3 or 4 Basketball etc etc etc.

Some of those numbers may well be one or two out but point is all sports have teams that are in with a chance, and teams that make up the numbers.

You are right that League does realistically only have 3 teams (maybe 2?) capable of winning the World Cup, but I think the other countries have the right to contest the tournament, the same way Ireland have contesting the Cricket World Cup, or GB in Basketball, or the Japanese in Union etc etc etc again.

thebaz

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

You are right that League does realistically only have 3 teams (maybe 2?) capable of winning the World Cup, but I think the other countries have the right to contest the tournament, the same way Ireland have contesting the Cricket World Cup, or GB in Basketball, or the Japanese in Union etc etc etc again.

from what i could gather most of the other teams , including Ireland were made up of Aussies or Northern Englanders - remembering hearing that ther is an Aussie rules WC - personally i think you need a minimum of 6 competetive teams to have a Worldwide competition.
but it was a great game today.

Dozen Wicked Words

thebaz wrote: »

from what i could gather most of the other teams , including Ireland were made up of Aussies or Northern Englanders - remembering hearing that ther is an Aussie rules WC - personally i think you need a minimum of 6 competetive teams to have a Worldwide competition.
but it was a great game today.

I absolutely know what you mean, and your point makes complete sense, but I think the spectacle of multi-nation tournaments over-rides some of the harder headed realities. I also wouldn't begrudge teams like Fiji being proud of their achievements getting to the semi-final stage despite knowing the battering that awaited them.

Agree about today though, fantastic game, and hopefully the final will be the same!

toomevara

Bloody great game of rugby. Hard cheese for England though, gutted for Sinfield that he missed that final tackle…poor divil…

He managed to lose the game for england in 3 diff ways - missed conversion, shocking kick on the last tackle (really dont know what he was thinking there, put the ball out of play!), and then misses the tackle for the try. Story of his career, great for leeds crap at international level

thebaz

toomevara wrote: »

Bloody great game of rugby. Hard cheese for England though, gutted for Sinfield that he missed that final tackle…poor divil…

it was like deja-vu yesterday , except this time Ireland undone by last minute genius , freakiest thing in sport - during the final play yesterday , i kept think good fortune cant strike twice , even allowing for New Zealanders unbelievable never say die attitude and never panic handling & ball skills- sadly i was wrong

toomevara

thebaz wrote: »

it was like deja-vu yesterday , except this time Ireland undone by last minute genius , freakiest thing in sport - during the final play yesterday , i kept think good fortune cant strike twice , even allowing for New Zealanders unbelievable never say die attitude and never panic handling & ball skills- sadly i was wrong

So true, just posted the same on the union forum. Surely one of the most bizarre sporting coincidences....i've said it for years, the thing that separates NZ from the rest is psychology, pure and simple. You saw that in both games this weekend. The more the pressure came on the better the kiwis got, the clarity of thought, the basic skills..whereas we and the English just crumbled....

Dozen Wicked Words

Final at Old Trafford today, hopefully the Kiwis keep going for one more week and cause another upset this year.

Hope, if there's anyway possible, to make the in goal areas bigger, they were a joke for the SL final, dangerous even.

Prediction: Think the Aussies will really fly out of the traps. Australia by 18.

corny

Thats just brilliant. What a try.

Lapin

Those embankments behind the goalline are lethal.

There should be some padding there to buffer the player from crashing into the ad hoardings.

Thats 2 in the space of a couple of minutes now.

toomevara

Lapin wrote: »

Those embankments behind the goalline are lethal.

There should be some padding there to buffer the player from crashing into the ad hoardings.

Cannot believe that was allowed, bonkers. Pure luck someone wasnt seriously injured. We commented on it before on previous occasions like grand finals at old trafford.

As for Australia, utterly clinical, as close to rugby perfection as you're likely to get. Kiwis were never in it.