2023 RWC Buildup, Squads, Fixtures 'etc'

It's not an irrelevant question. And Insulting a poster for saying it is highly disrespectful.

Fact of the matter is that Ireland scored 7 points in the first half, that's 3.5 points per quarter, We scored 10 points by the end of three quarters, that's 3.3 points per quarter. At the end of the game we had score 13 points, that's 3.33 points per quarter. So our points scoring average remained almost exactly the same whether in front of behind.

To suggest that it's highly likely things would have changed if South Africa had scored two penalties isn't supported by facts or math. We were behind and our points scoring average never changed. There is no basis for suggesting that we could have changed our scoring average based on the performance of the other team.

If a team kick a successful penalty, we kick off to them and they start off in their 22. If they miss one, they're running the ball back from a goal line drop out. That alone is a massive difference. The idea that:

a) They left 11 points out there - not sure I've ever seen teams include multiple kicks from their own half as 'missed points' before

b) If they make a couple of kicks they win the game

Both are a bit naff to me. No point talking ifs or buts when we pissed away 4 or 5 huge opportunities from line outs. We can fix that before anyone in the South African squad can start nailing 55m penalties. I include Pollard in that who's reputation seems to improve the more hes out injured

There will be no collusion, and Ireland will be hell-bent on beating Scotland.

A subtle dimension to the Irish psyche is our relation with the non-English home nations, i.e., Wales and Scotland. These nations think that we are bound by some mutual hatred of England. It's very much a one-way assumption. We are embarrassed by their impotent rage, akin to a teenager, still living at home, that hates their parents.

We have mostly moved on, grown up, and fancy ourselves more as England's colleague than its minion. Anecdotally, I have heard many English fans remark that they prefer a trip to Dublin, than to Edinburgh or Cardiff.

Ireland can tolerate a loss to the English far more than we do a loss to the Welsh or Scots. They stand for everything we used to be, everything we escaped from. Something we in equal parts fear and pity.

We will never, ever help them. It cannot happen. It will not happen.

Yup that is also true.

That argument works both ways. If you present Irelands score rate as a constant without taking other factors into account (butchering at least 2 try scoring opportunities with poor lineout executions and Keenan getting held up just short of the line and Doris knocking on), you can't then state that only South Africa missed chances which means they should have won. But if we are to go down that rabbit hole.

1. One of the missed kicks leads to the SA try so if that had been scored that would be a net gain of -2.
2. Two kicks were not high percentage in the first place an many teams would not have taken them on. So they are never a guaranteed 6 points even with a top kicker. (South Africa were only 80% successful in the 2019 world cup with Pollard btw).
3. As also explained, one penalty came directly after missing another one due to the fact that Ireland had to restart inside their own 22 as opposed to half way, so those sequence of events would have changed.

And it is indeed true that teams play differently depending on their scoreboard position. You naturally have to take more risks in order to score. Each time Ireland went behind they came back and re-took the lead. When 6 up in a tight game you naturally play more conservatively to avoid mistakes.

The discourse has been that South Africa missed 11 points in kicks, ergo, they should have won by 6 instead of lost by 5. That's not a certainty.

Teams would know that they will play in at least one knock out game after the group stages. Presumably fans would plan around that, in much the same that Irish fans will do so for the quarters and hopefully beyond. In addition, organisers could have cheaper tickets for such games, to attract more engagement. Could package games by stadium. As in you buy a ticket for a QF game and get admission to a lower level game played at the same stadium that weekend or whatever. It's not that complicated.

absolutely pointless conversation.

The tournament is likely making millions in profit. I don't think extra games is going to be a negative to that equation.

I'd agree with you regards fans.

English fans are great craic and always a good day out.

I like Welsh people except when it comes to rugby. They'd start a scrap with somebody in an empty room.

Scottish. Mixed bag. Generally grand.

The singing bollocks with the Welsh fans annoys me

All think there Pavarotti or something