RWC 2015 - build-up thread

moleyv

Buer wrote:

You can't simply avoid game time for a player. He needed to play and had only one appearance for Wales in the warm ups prior to the weekend. He got hurt. It happens. Bizarre logic by those blaming Gatland.

I didn't see the game but reading afterwards, his leg was heavily strapped and he seemed a bit tender in his leg before kick off. If that's true it may not have been the best idea to play him.

Then again ACL damage is not exactly something you can strap your leg up for, so it was likely unrelated.

irishbucsfan

moleyv wrote: »

I didn't see the game but reading afterwards, his leg was heavily strapped and he seemed a bit tender in his leg before kick off. If that's true it may not have been the best idea to play him.

Then again ACL damage is not exactly something you can strap your leg up for, so it was likely unrelated.

According to Gatland that wasn't true:

“There was more than one player out there with strapping,” Gatland said. “Half a dozen players or probably more than that get strapped up before every game.

“Leigh had that strapping on before the game in Dublin. It’s something he’d had there for the last three weeks and used it when he was kicking. He said he didn’t really need the strapping, but because he’d been using it for the last two or three weeks, he put it on.

“He had just been a little bit tight in the back of his knee about three weeks ago. It was nothing to do with the injury that he picked up on the weekend. And it wasn’t heavy strapping, it was very light strapping. I checked that out with the physios.

“I know there has been some criticism about protecting players and you always question yourself about that. It’s just trying to get the balance right between players having enough rugby and keeping players fresh.

“I looked at that before the game in terms of some of those players that had played the week before in Dublin.

“If they weren’t involved in the first group game against Uruguay and then played against England, well that’s four weeks between the two matches and for some of those players that’s a little bit long and they want to play a bit more.

“Look, people are entitled to their opinions and I understand the disappointment of everybody out there saying that certain players should have been protected, but you can’t predict everyone and you have a game to go out and win.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/wales/11851813/Rugby-World-Cup-2015-Wales-head-coach-Warren-Gatland-defends-decision-to-play-Leigh-Halfpenny.html

Watched the highlights of some of the warm up games that I hadn't seen and does anyone else think they are blowing up much faster for not rolling away since the start of this season?

Was very apparent in the Scotland France game last weekend but on second viewing it seems across the board in advance of the WC.

Rattlehead_ie

Deleted User wrote: »

Watched the highlights of some of the warm up games that I hadn't seen and does anyone else think they are blowing up much faster for not rolling away since the start of this season?

Was very apparent in the Scotland France game last weekend but on second viewing it seems across the board in advance of the WC.

I think its relative. Go back and look at the France V England game. How Dan Cole didn’t get yellow carded for rolling away (or lack of) is beyond me. However, saying that I think that part of the game was something the Ref have been warned to keep an eye out for this season and in RWC

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Morisi is out for Italy after damaging knee ligaments against Wales. Not sure how big a blow that is but it makes you realise how lucky we've been with our warmups, Tommy O'Donnell aside.

Tigerandahalf

Sorry if this has been asked before. I thought TV3 HD would be available now but it doesn't seem to be on freesat. Is it only on sky platform?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Sorry if this has been asked before. I thought TV3 HD would be available now but it doesn't seem to be on freesat. Is it only on sky platform?

I have it on UPC. It's channel 150. I couldn't find it for a while because for some reason it's not bunched with the other HD channels.

andymx11

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I have it on UPC. It's channel 150. I couldn't find it for a while because for some reason it's not bunched with the other HD channels.

Mine is just channel 103 the regular tv3 has now become HD!

Tigerandahalf

It seems it might be on upc alright but on freesat all I have is the tv3 logo with so many days to go to the world cup. I recently did a rescan so it is not that issue.

b.gud

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

It seems it might be on upc alright but on freesat all I have is the tv3 logo with so many days to go to the world cup. I recently did a rescan so it is not that issue.

TV3 will be HD only via UPC and sky. You won't be able to get HD via Saorview or freesat, you should be able to get itv HD though

Kiwi_knock

Australia going with the two team strategy, two teams training separately until after the Uruguay match. Very risky decision, could alienate players.

THE Wallabies have revealed the tactic driving their World Cup master plan all winter — they’ll field entirely different starting XVs in their opening two pool games.

In an unprecedented selection tactic for Australia at World Cups, assistant coach Stephen Larkham said the Wallabies squad would be split down the middle to deal with he challenge of playing three Tests inside 11 days.

One starting Wallabies side — ostensibly the strongest — will be chosen to play Fiji on September 23, while a second and entirely different XV will run on against Uruguay on September 27.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/rugby/rugby-world-cup-wallabies-to-field-different-starting-xvs-for-opening-two-pool-games/story-fni2fxyf-1227519937487?sv=51fdbd6370c5161360dbd96c67748316

rrpc

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Australia going with the two team strategy, two teams training separately until after the Uruguay match. Very risky decision, could alienate players.

Never mind the players. Everyone will know who will make up the second team once the first one is announced.

.ak

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Watched the highlights of some of the warm up games that I hadn't seen and does anyone else think they are blowing up much faster for not rolling away since the start of this season?

Was very apparent in the Scotland France game last weekend but on second viewing it seems across the board in advance of the WC.

I don't know about that. I thought poc was very guilty of it in twickers and never got pinged. It's ine part of his game that really annoys me, it's either a fitness thing or he's trying to be cute, but in surprised Owens didn't pick up on it.

.ak

.ak wrote: »

I don't know about that. I thought poc was very guilty of it in twickers and never got pinged. It's ine part of his game that really annoys me, it's either a fitness thing or he's trying to be cute, but in surprised Owens didn't pick up on it.

No idea why, but your post reminds me of my favourite Nathan Hinds clip

Holding 3 players on the ground

molloyjh

.ak wrote: »

I don't know about that. I thought poc was very guilty of it in twickers and never got pinged. It's ine part of his game that really annoys me, it's either a fitness thing or he's trying to be cute, but in surprised Owens didn't pick up on it.

If there's ever a ref to not call it though it's Nige. As long as the ball is coming back he lets a lot slide.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

New Zealand have released an "official supporters song" in partnership with a Kid's charity. It's pretty brilliant. You have to watch the whole clip to understand the lyrics but it's pretty amazing. Also, they include us in the list of teams they're trying to sabotage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vryA80b5sw

Just the song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1voi7Z4CsLs

There's an even longer version here explaining the curse and why Brooke Fraser is rapping. https://www.facebook.com/AllBlacks/videos/10153173339406915

Yeah_Right

^^^
Love it. Made me feel homesick.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Yeah_Right wrote: »

^^^
Love it. Made me feel homesick.

It's so bloody catchy. I've listened to it about 10 times since I posted it.

MJohnston

The benefits of having Flight of the Concordes as fellow countrymen...maybe we can get the Rubberbandits to write Ireland's song?

That was just brilliant. Start to finish pure excellent.

England would do well to take note. I've never seen a marketing campaign take itself so seriously, plenty of gas characters in the English set up but they persist in this "Carry them home" bollox. Can't wait to put them out in the Semi's.

kuang1

I fukking loved that.
I will always, always, always have time for anyone who's able to take a little bit of the p1ss out of themselves once in a while.
It's getting more real by the day...nearly tasting the WC at this stage. And videos like that make it an even greater thing to look forward to.
Oct 17th is something I'm really looking forward to now. Gonna be in Cardiff from 1.00.pm on. All blacks playing at 8.00pm, (and I got one of those poxy...in a good way...CAT C tickets that's 7 rows back from the pitch on the 10 metre line) Jaysus that's gonna be some good day. Really looking forward to mingling with a few kiwis and having a side-splitting laugh with them.

ONLY 8 DAYS TO GOOOOOOOOOOOOO......

awec

Deleted User wrote: »

That was just brilliant. Start to finish pure excellent.

England would do well to take note. I've never seen a marketing campaign take itself so seriously, plenty of gas characters in the English set up but they persist in this "Carry them home" bollox. Can't wait to put them out in the Semi's.

I'd laugh my wee cotton socks off if England didn't get out of their pool.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I think the whole idea of an official song and all that kind of thing is rubbish. New Zealand seem to know that so they've had some fun and are doing some good for charity with theirs. That is the kind of attitude you want. I've heard the official England song and while it's a nice version of Swing Low it's hardly going to inspire anyone and the fans were going to be singing it anyway so it's all rather pointless.

I haven't dared to look for footage/photos from England's big "send off" with Take That last night.

postitnote

That's a great video. It almost kind of wants to make you root for those plucky New Zealander rugby underdogs down there.

vienne86

That is brillianat! Love it!

Sangre

Got offered tickets to Ireland/Italy game through work, sweet. That means I'm going to all the Irish pool games (bar Canada as I'm away) as well as the Sunday QF (which Ireland should hopefully be in if they top the group). Can't bloody wait now!

rrpc

Deleted User wrote: »

That was just brilliant. Start to finish pure excellent.

England would do well to take note. I've never seen a marketing campaign take itself so seriously, plenty of gas characters in the English set up but they persist in this "Carry them home" bollox. Can't wait to put them out in the Semi's.

This one is little more light-hearted but still taking themselves too seriously:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v7TNlumotU

andymx11

The Sin Bin on TV3 at 10- not sure what to expect but I'll give it a go!

curious incident

andymx11 wrote: »

The Sin Bin on TV3 at 10- not sure what to expect but I'll give it a go!

I can't stand Andrew Maxwell, so this isn't off to the best start :pac:

andymx11

curious incident wrote: »

I can't stand Andrew Maxwell, so this isn't off to the best start :pac:

I love Mark Watson though!

andymx11

Well that was sh!te..

Yeah_Right

The only good part of that show was the clip of Healy slapping Madigan. Don't f**k with the front row pretty boy!

JF100

Hello;
Does anybody know who TV3 has lined up to host and analyse on their RWC coverage?
Will RTE and / or the BBC be carrying highlights of games in the evenings?

Thanks in advance...

The Lost Sheep

JF100 wrote: »

Hello;
Does anybody know who TV3 has lined up to host and analyse on their RWC coverage?
Will RTE and / or the BBC be carrying highlights of games in the evenings?

Thanks in advance...

TV3 have full rights. BBC don't in the UK. ITV have the rights.
RTE wont be showing any highlights

Keith Wood, Matt Williams, Peter Stringer, Murray Kinsella are just some of the analysts on tv3

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Following on from their piece on searching for the soul of English rugby, The Guardian have another excellent piece today on New Zealand, their rugby heritage and how it is they keep winning.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/sep/11/all-blacks-how-new-zealand-sustains-its-rugby-dynasty

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Following on from their piece on searching for the soul of English rugby, The Guardian have another excellent piece today on New Zealand, their rugby heritage and how it is they keep winning.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/sep/11/all-blacks-how-new-zealand-sustains-its-rugby-dynasty

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Also, here's a video from World Rugby properly explaining how they'll be using Hawkeye at the World Cup. It makes a lot more sense now. They're not talking ball tracking at all. More angles and feeds separate from the TV feeds so the TMO and other folk can keep checking things without stopping the play all the time. I'd say that might be how the TMO for the Ireland v England match appeared to be so on the ball for a few of the decisions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_SQF8O3zEc

MJohnston

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Also, here's a video from World Rugby properly explaining how they'll be using Hawkeye at the World Cup. It makes a lot more sense now. They're not talking ball tracking at all. More angles and feeds separate from the TV feeds so the TMO and other folk can keep checking things without stopping the play all the time. I'd say that might be how the TMO for the Ireland v England match appeared to be so on the ball for a few of the decisions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_SQF8O3zEc

I'm really surprised they haven't used the opportunity to go for really high resolution cameras, and really high frame rates - the replay of the Barbarians at 2:46 could do with a few extra tween frames (for those awkward TMO moments where a foot has gone in touch at the exact same frame a ball has been grounded) and better zoom resolution. But maybe they weren't using the full tech for that match.

Call me naive, but I thought the TMO's already had all that stuff.

I was expecting, for forward passes, ball tracking technology and player tracking along with relative speeds of both to create some kind of three dimensional representation to 100% determine if the ball travels forward or not. None of this "direction of the hands" lark.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Deleted User wrote: »

Call me naive, but I thought the TMO's already had all that stuff.

I was expecting, for forward passes, ball tracking technology and player tracking along with relative speeds of both to create some kind of three dimensional representation to 100% determine if the ball travels forward or not. None of this "direction of the hands" lark.

As far as I understand it the TMOs have access to the TV feeds and we're seeing exactly what they're looking at when the ref asks them to check something because they stop the game to check. They'll have access to more than the TV feeds now and will be able to check them on their own whenever they want without having to stop the game or alert the referee. It's probably not all it could be in technology terms but as I pointed out there were two very good decisions from the TMO on Saturday last that he seemed to have made on his own without the ref asking him to check anything. Maybe that's just coincidence though, who knows?

The medical teams having access to the feeds too seems like it could be helpful too. It will be interesting to see if any of them use them to remove players outside of times when play has been stopped for a head injury. It should mean there's no excuse for a team missing a head injury like Wales claimed they did with George North in the 6 Nations.

MJohnston

Hopefully in a couple of years we'll see an alternative to the TMO with the referees potentially provided with some kind of tablet that could allow them to tap into specific footage themselves. There are already refs starting to watch the video footage themselves on the big screen and then make the decision before the TMO, but I'd like to see it more - the reason I want this is because I think there are a lot of referee-TMO communication mistakes that take place, whether it be because of crowd noise preventing the ref hearing the TMO correctly, a language barrier between the two, or just a simple crossed wires. I can remember pivotal decisions being missed because of this miscommunication.

Edit: incidentally, I'm sure this is why they've been muting the TMO in recent times.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

MJohnston wrote: »

Hopefully in a couple of years we'll see an alternative to the TMO with the referees potentially provided with some kind of tablet that could allow them to tap into specific footage themselves. There are already refs starting to watch the video footage themselves on the big screen and then make the decision before the TMO, but I'd like to see it more - the reason I want this is because I think there are a lot of referee-TMO communication mistakes that take place, whether it be because of crowd noise preventing the ref hearing the TMO correctly, a language barrier between the two, or just a simple crossed wires. I can remember pivotal decisions being missed because of this miscommunication.

Edit: incidentally, I'm sure this is why they've been muting the TMO in recent times.

Nigel had his mind made up quite a few times at the weekend before the TMO came to a decision although I think what may have been happening there was the TMO was looking at something else other than what Nigel had specifically asked for. There's definitely room for improvement anyway.

MJohnston

I'm not usually bothered by the delay myself either, it's just when I see the miscommunication happen, it bothers me.

aimee1

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Nigel had his mind made up quite a few times at the weekend before the TMO came to a decision although I think what may have been happening there was the TMO was looking at something else other than what Nigel had specifically asked for. There's definitely room for improvement anyway.

in march haskell was binned because the TMO picked up something which Nigel missed. The foot trip.

I think it works well enough and can be improved obviously but as technology allows. My biggest bugbear is the TJ's inconsistency in getting involved

dublinman1990

Good news from Radio Times for those of us who have ITV HD.

The televised games for Ireland being screened from the UK will all be shown on ITV and ITV HD only. None of the Irish matches are being shown on ITV4.

All of the matches from the QF upwards to the Final from the UK will also only be shown on ITV and ITV HD only.

I am reading the fixtures from a Radio Times RWC wall chart right now which is included in the latest issue of Radio Times with Daniel Radcliffe on the additional front cover. The original front cover features a four nation rugby ball which includes Ireland. A four sided-fold out poster is included behind that front cover.

All of the fixtures there are listed on the bottom or on the side of the chart. Make sure to get a copy when you can.

total former

Why would it make a difference whether it's ITV1 or ITV4?

Stheno

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/rugby-world-cup/11857256/Austin-Healeys-Rugby-World-Cup-guide-to-Wales-Ireland-and-Scotland.html

Austin Healy is of the opinion that Schmidt is the best rugby coach in the world

aimee1

http://www.punditarena.com/rugby/adrumm/sam-burgess-linked-with-return-to-the-south-sydney-rabbitohs/
burgess media linked to move back to australia


and census johnston called up by samoa
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_78410,00.html

dublinman1990

total former wrote: »

Why would it make a difference whether it's ITV1 or ITV4?

This only covers viewers who have TV3 in SD on Saorview who have it combined with Freesat/FTA Satellite combi setup.

Freesat viewers here in the ROI and the UK have ITV HD available for free on Satellite. ITV4 on Freesat is in SD only. Although both ITV HD and ITV4 HD on Sky can be accessed with their HD Pack on a Sky HD box.

ITV4 on UPC has all live sports blocked on it due to rights issues. UPC also blocked out UTV NI and replaced it with UTV Ireland which covers both SD and HD channels. UPC also have gotten TV3 HD on channel number 150 with a HD sub.

So those TV3 viewers are sorted anyway.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

total former wrote: »

Why would it make a difference whether it's ITV1 or ITV4?

Basically anything on ITV 4 won't be available in Ireland because TV3 have the rights in Ireland but you'll be able to watch it on TV3 anyway so it doesn't really matter in the long run. Unless you're so adverse to the TV3 coverage that you just can't bring yourself to watch it.