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Rugby Union

75A

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England's game plan was brilliant. They very nearly pulled off a complete shock.

Those who remember the 1991 final...well that's exactly how England should have played that game too. As opposed to taking the bait from Australia and trying to match them for free flowing rugby.
England's plan was kick the ball, kick the ball, kick the ball.
Would you pay week in week out to watch your club side play like that?
I wouldn't.
 
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SuspectUsual

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All the talk of how great Farrell was baffles me.

He orchestrated (very well) a hugely negative game plan

England lost by one point. Three points for South Africa came from a penalty which only became kickable when England were marched back ten yards from the original location because Farrell was (again) giving dissent to the referee
 

Spamcan81

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England's plan was kick the ball, kick the ball, kick the ball.
Would you pay week in week out to watch your club side play like that?
I wouldn't.

It was a knock out match in a World Cup semi final not a week in, week out championship campaign. You devise a game plan to beat the opposition and it damn near worked.
 

75A

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As a neutral I just thought it was appalling, and am glad to see they failed.
Be interesting to see their game plan on Friday.
Good news from their defeat it that Wayne Barnes might get to referee the final
 

dangie

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.…Be interesting to see their game plan on Friday.
Having a match for 3rd & 4th (they do the same in the football World Cup) is totally pointless. It means absolutely nothing. That is of course disregarding the money it generates. I’m sure the players would rather go home.
 

SuspectUsual

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Having a match for 3rd & 4th (they do the same in the football World Cup) is totally pointless. It means absolutely nothing. That is of course disregarding the money it generates. I’m sure the players would rather go home.

The only upside is that it offers squad players who've not played yet an opportunity, but yes of course its all about money
 

sannox

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Wayne Barnes unsurprisingly gets to officiate the final. Correct decision, in my view, given his performances at the tournament.
 

Noddy

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As a neutral I just thought it was appalling, and am glad to see they failed.

Clearly beauty is in the eye of the beholder but from Australia:

It was a magnificent semi-final, in a great World Cup, and England deserved to win it for the way they played. The fact they didn’t, sees a Boks-Blacks, all Southern Hemisphere final next week.

Source: Syndney Morning Herald, https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...ks-until-they-almost-did-20231022-p5ee2c.html

From NZ:

South Africa pip England in World Cup thriller​

…For most of the match, however, it looked as if it would be 2019 runners-up England returning to the final. On a rainy Paris night, England played a perfect tactical game, kicking accurately, chasing hard and forcing South Africa into errors.

Source: Otago Daily Times, https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/rugby-world-cup/south-africa-pip-england-world-cup-thriller


From France:

In a repeat of the 2019 final, England appeared to have turned the tables on the Boks with a superb performance in the wet and windy conditions.

Source: France 24, https://www.france24.com/en/sport/2...up-final-after-late-comeback-win-over-england

I imagine everyone outside Africa will be cheering New Zealand on Saturday!

On a more serious point this World Cup has continued to prove that European teams can’t win the competition. It’s now 9-1 to the southern hemisphere. The top two European sides couldn’t even get passed the quarter finals and unfortunately I can’t see anything much changing in four years time. We can run them close, but they just seem to know how to win.
 

75A

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Clearly beauty is in the eye of the beholder but from Australia:



Source: Syndney Morning Herald, https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...ks-until-they-almost-did-20231022-p5ee2c.html

From NZ:



Source: Otago Daily Times, https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/rugby-world-cup/south-africa-pip-england-world-cup-thriller


From France:



Source: France 24, https://www.france24.com/en/sport/2...up-final-after-late-comeback-win-over-england

I imagine everyone outside Africa will be cheering New Zealand on Saturday!

On a more serious point this World Cup has continued to prove that European teams can’t win the competition. It’s now 9-1 to the southern hemisphere. The top two European sides couldn’t even get passed the quarter finals and unfortunately I can’t see anything much changing in four years time. We can run them close, but they just seem to know how to win.
By playing rugby that's flexible and good to watch and yes I'll be supporting the All Blacks but if Proteas win so be it
 

WelshBluebird

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England's plan was kick the ball, kick the ball, kick the ball.
Would you pay week in week out to watch your club side play like that?
I wouldn't.
As a team, regardless of if it is international, professional club, amateur, whatever, you play to your strengths. That is a given surely?
If England feel they had a better chance of winning by kicking the ball and playing "negatively" then who the hell is anyone else to say they shouldn't play like that?

Clearly beauty is in the eye of the beholder
I'm a little biased (was very much supporting SA, for a hint why look at my username), but I really enjoyed the match. Very tight and close, could easily have gone either way. Both teams trying to do what they could to influence both way the ball fell, the ref and other players on the pitch (teammates and opposition). It wasn't as much of a spectacle as say the Ireland v SA game from the quarters, but I still enjoyed watching both in very different ways!
 

75A

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As a team, regardless of if it is international, professional club, amateur, whatever, you play to your strengths. That is a given surely?
If England feel they had a better chance of winning by kicking the ball and playing "negatively" then who the hell is anyone else to say they shouldn't play like that?


I'm a little biased (was very much supporting SA, for a hint why look at my username), but I really enjoyed the match. Very tight and close, could easily have gone either way. Both teams trying to do what they could to influence both way the ball fell, the ref and other players on the pitch (teammates and opposition). It wasn't as much of a spectacle as say the Ireland v SA game from the quarters, but I still enjoyed watching both in very different ways!
Fair enough, each to our own
 

Noddy

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England aren't my team and as a neutral (sic) I'm glad they lost playing in that style.

No, but if I'm watching a game as a neutral I'm glad when a team playing so negatively loses.

I have to say you are the only person I’ve seen drumming this beat. It’s hardly like South Africa are or were trying to play some sort of amazing free flowing rugby. South Africa won because they dominated the scrum winning penalties from it, just as always happens when they win a tough game. It’s hardly pretty (but it works and wins them world cups). I also refer you to my previous post from an Aussie of all folk:

It was a magnificent semi-final, in a great World Cup, and England deserved to win it for the way they played. The fact they didn’t, sees a Boks-Blacks, all Southern Hemisphere final next week.
 

75A

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Teacher, Teacher that boy called me a name.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Think I'll spend an evening flicking channels tonight - Palace V Spurs & England V Argentina.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

England won 26-23 in what imo was a very entertaining game
 
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Harvester

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It was a good game to watch, England just hanging on to take Bronze. They have done much better in the tournament than expected!
 

306024

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Wayne Barnes unsurprisingly gets to officiate the final. Correct decision, in my view, given his performances at the tournament.

Fascinating to see how this sport is refereed, especially on a day when VAR in football has had more bad press.

I wonder how many soccer referees could have officiated in the way Wayne Barnes did tonight in the final. Of course you need the respect of the players, sadly lacking in soccer it seems, but I thought he had an excellent game.
 

Harvester

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New Zealand 11 ... South Africa 12

New Zealand captain red-carded in the final.
I think New Zealand would have edged it, but for that red card! So South Africa have now won their last three games (quarter, semi and the final) all by a single point.
 

dangie

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I like sport so I’ll watch the big rugby matches even though like many I don’t understand most of the rules.

I found the final yesterday quite a boring game. Yes the score was close, it could have gone either way very quickly, but moments of excitement were few.

I’m sure the rugby aficionado’s will dispute this and that’s fine, but from my sofa it was a lacklustre final.
 

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