Rugby World Cup 2019 Japan The hunt for Webb Ellis

testtech05

New Zealand are so good at just getting in on the wrong side and slowing down ruck ball or making it hard for the opposition to clear out by rolling out to the wrong side of ruck etc.

He decides to call offside now? Bizarre.

2smiggy

Garces......

Bridge93

South Africa standing closer to the New Zealand Backfoot than their own. Such an easy thing to fix that world rugby simply refuse to. Mindblowing

D.Q

Gobsmacked at this reffing.

baas baa

S.A. definitely been on the wrong end of a few calls. Should've been a penalty for holding on before that offside.

testtech05

Bridge93 wrote: »

South Africa standing closer to the New Zealand Backfoot than their own. Such an easy thing to fix that world rugby simply refuse to. Mindblowing

It's been very bad in this game but New Zealand are every bit as guilty of it when South Africa have the ball.....

It's such an easy thing to see I can't understand why it isn't called.

Cork Boy 53

MarinersBlues wrote: »

6 months ago SA were ranked 5th in the world and would have been 2nd seeds.

I can never understand why the draw is made so far in advance of the tournament. Also I think only the semi finalists in one World Cup should automatically qualify for the next with all the other teams having to go through qualifiers. This was the way it was for the 1999 and 2003 tournaments and worked well IMO.

fitz

Getting a bit tired of commentary on ITV talking up a SA/NZ final... Neither side have looked unbeatable in this game.

Rockbeast2

New Zealand look as if they still have another gear or two...

razorblunt

The one downside to Kolbe, too fast for support.

Former Former

Kolbe is just ridiculous

Birdie Num Num

Kolbe is like a pinball

Vital Transformation

Ah, that's a shame.

Kolbe is seriously dangerous.

Squidgy Black

Kolbe will be player of the tournament if SA get to the semi-finals.

An Tarbh

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

I can never understand why the draw is made so far in advance of the tournament. Also I think only the semi finalists in one World Cup should automatically qualify for the next with all the other teams having to go through qualifiers. This was the way it was for the 1999 and 2003 tournaments and worked well IMO.

no the way they have with the top 12 is better, all the 1999 or 2003 would result in is pointless games. England had to play a qualifier against the Dutch before the 99 world cup, what benefit is that.

Rockbeast2

kolbe runs faster in slow motion than I ever could in realtime.

LuckyGent88

Hope Kobe is alright. Has been unbelievable to watch

Kolbe Habana.

mangobob

And thats the game you would have to say. Brilliance and criminal wastefulness at the same time from SA.

jammiedodgers

Same pass in first half and new Zealand get a try from it. SA pulled up on it though

Boscoirl

I would say Stockdale was hoping Kolbe didn’t get back up there

sliabh 1956

Nice to see there is still room for the little man to show his skill but if ball gets turned over it counts for naught

Wailin

D.Q wrote: »

Garces has the most punchable face. Smug little prick. ****e ref.

Wow. Really?

baas baa

What was Perenara thinking dinking a ball over the top when the game is all but won.

Odds on England winning outright should drop after this game.

RugbyLover123

I’m not as fearful of the Boks now as I was before this game.

razorblunt

Another massively forward pass from Perenara ignore by all the officials.

Rockbeast2

I’m not as fearful of the Boks now as I was before this game.

Boks are very limited BUT

Stockdale Vs Kolbe could be the best wing battle ever :-)

aodomhnaill

anyone know of anyone that may need a Cat A ticket for Irish Scotland game tomorrow Cat A 30,000 yen, facevalue. PM if interested. Ticket with someone in yokohama.

PM if interested.

PTH2009

Win tomorrow its South Africa or Italy
Lose and it's very possibly the All Blacks

thebaz

if Ireland up ther game and beat Sciotland, should be South Africe in quaters , again if we up our game , have a reasonable chance of getting to first ever semi.

From a neutral point of view, hope referees give smaller nations the right decisions . Too often in prevous world cups this has not been the case , love to see smaller nations do good.

Strazdas

A good result for us, assuming we can beat the Scots

Hobosan

PTH2009 wrote: »

Win tomorrow its South Africa or Italy
Lose and it's very possibly the All Blacks

Pay attention people. This guy really knows his rugby.

Rockbeast2

Off to snooze now, guys.

Really enjoyed all the comments.

Probably won't get up for Italy/Namibia but will throw in a few comments for the main event at 8.45.

I've enjoyed every match so far

Cork Boy 53

PTH2009 wrote: »

Win tomorrow its South Africa or Italy
Lose and it's very possibly the All Blacks

Are you seriously expecting Italy to have a realistic chance of getting out of their pool? Snowball`s chance in hell IMO.

Enzokk

RugbyLover123 wrote: »

I’m not as fearful of the Boks now as I was before this game.

Look at the teams that has beaten them in the past 4 years, it is when a team is able to physically front up to them and not be run over. Once they have momentum you are going to struggle. It is the same as the Bulls used to play under Heynecke Meyer and the Boks under him as well.

The teams that have the forwards to withstand the physical challenge, Wales, Ireland, NZ, England, have enjoyed success against them. The other teams with lighter forwards, Australia, Italy, Scotland, struggle against them.

So if Ireland meets SA in the QF, you will need to be ready physically. You saw today after 20 minutes if they aren't ahead and you have withstood them then it all changes. Then again it is easy saying it, doing it on the field even when you know what to do is different.

Vital Transformation

Kolbe is Wayde Van Niekerk's (300 and 400m world record holder) cousin. Checks out!

NeonWolf

Ardie Savea is a terminator .

Jerome Garces is stealing a living ( reffed both teams poorly, the man is a loose cannon)

Jacovs

Kolbe with 2 excellent solo runs but no support at the end to finish it off. And his 1 other chance was from a piss poor pass from Le Roux with the line wide open.
Was also pretty good under the high balls.

After those 2 tries SA did a good job not letting NZ run away with it, only 6 points added to the NZ total in the last 55 minutes.

Least SA know now what needs to be done in the rest of the games in order to qualify and wont meet NZ again until the final if both make it that far.

Great game, even if we lost.

Podge_irl

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

I can never understand why the draw is made so far in advance of the tournament. Also I think only the semi finalists in one World Cup should automatically qualify for the next with all the other teams having to go through qualifiers. This was the way it was for the 1999 and 2003 tournaments and worked well IMO.

Probably an element of helping to shift tickets.

Would be utterly pointless having the tier 1 nations go through qualifying. If anything, the shift to top 3 qualifying the next world cup is a good one as it gave some teams a bit more to play for.

flazio

I'll say this for ITV, they do make beautiful title sequences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwBzJPYRFNo

Very much an evolution of their 2011 effort. (still gives me goosebumps)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGBYpzwlAo4

As for their 2015 effort, well, the less said about Paloma Faith, the better. :cool:

icdg

Pity World Rugby have ditched World in Union from the world feed titles.

Legalfarmer89

icdg wrote: »

Pity World Rugby have ditched World in Union from the world feed titles.

I Agree, a travesty!!

Dunno what to make of Boks. Forwards strong. Backs not very cohesive and relying on flashes of brilliance. Pollard not at his best today. Finished with Allende and Jesse Kriel who are just your typical battering ram centres who never pass! They will be tough for who ever faces them....

I see they have also ditched the Springbok Emblem for the Protea flower entirely.

hahashake

Jacovs wrote: »

Kolbe with 2 excellent solo runs but no support at the end to finish it off. And his 1 other chance was from a piss poor pass from Le Roux with the line wide open.
Was also pretty good under the high balls.

After those 2 tries SA did a good job not letting NZ run away with it, only 6 points added to the NZ total in the last 55 minutes.

Least SA know now what needs to be done in the rest of the games in order to qualify and wont meet NZ again until the final if both make it that far.

Great game, even if we lost.

Kolbe is electric, can see him carve up some teams this RWC.

Not sure why the Irish in the crowd were singing Fields of Athenry, not complaining though.

Shefwedfan

hahashake wrote: »

Kolbe is electric, can see him carve up some teams this RWC.

Not sure why the Irish in the crowd were singing Fields of Athenry, not complaining though.

Kolbe was shut down fairly handy by Leinster

Let him get a head of steam and he is dangerous but turn him and he is at best average

flazio

Legalfarmer89 wrote: »

I see they have also ditched the Springbok Emblem for the Protea flower entirely.

It's still on their sleeves.

Exclamation Marc

What a great first full day of World Cup rugby.

sydthebeat

Cracking game. Just finished watching it.


If we play SA we need to pull them all over the park.

Podge_irl

flazio wrote: »

It's still on their sleeves.

Yeah, they always have to do this for the RWC cause of the world cup logo taking up one side of the jersey.