South Africa game killed them off.
Rugby Union 21/22/23 Discussion | RWC time!
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Look who they played though.
England Bronze.
Far exceeded expectations and showed some real grit and determination. That’ll do nicely.
Far exceeded expectations and showed some real grit and determination. That’ll do nicely.
3rd best team in the world. Just goes to show the draw was spot on.
As other have said, not exceeded expectations at all. It's been as predicted by the state of the draw.
Sore winner appears within one minute of England win
Within a minute of an England win we get an Irish complaint about the draw. These things seem to go hand in hand
Yup. Exactly met expectations. Better than Japan, Samoa and Chile. Marginally better than Argentina and Fiji. Crazy that’s good enough for 3rd place but we all know why.
England looked shit every match I watched them play apart from the SA match. Amazing how they got 3rd
They're just not very good and neither are Argentina. Awful game, that.
The other home nations have won at being the biggest moaners that’s for sure.
Good World Cup. Looking forward to the final.
Good World Cup. Looking forward to the final.
It has been a good WC and 3rd/4th place playoffs are rarely good to watch, because there’s so little at stake and everyone would rather be back home. So we probably shouldn’t be too harsh. By god that was a stinker for the ages though.
3rd best in the world. SA only marginally better. What a tournament for this underdog, unfancied team.
Outclassed a fancied Argentina team with 14 men to start the tournament as well. Exceeded expectations all the way through.
Did get the chance to post as had my baby grandson tonight.
Caught a bit of the game, looked like 2 tired teams really.
England confirmed as the 3rd best team at the World Cup, I’d have taken that beforehand
Caught a bit of the game, looked like 2 tired teams really.
England confirmed as the 3rd best team at the World Cup, I’d have taken that beforehand
How low were your expectations?!Which of the teams you beat did you think would beat you?
Their whole attitude is giving me strong Arsenal vibes thinking they’re Man City’s biggest rivals now despite not winning anything worth winning for 20 years, just because they finished in the top 4 for the first time in 6 years. Ireland are a very good side at the minute but seem to think they’re too too high and mighty to be doing anything other than playing New Zealand in the final tomorrow.Within a minute of an England win we get an Irish complaint about the draw. These things seem to go hand in hand
This has got me questioning how Ireland lost that game against NZ.
It’s utterly unfathomable the game was so close when they didn’t turn up and NZ played a 10/10 game. Utterly bizarre.
It’s utterly unfathomable the game was so close when they didn’t turn up and NZ played a 10/10 game. Utterly bizarre.
Very low, did you see England in the last 18 months? Lost 5 of 6 coming in, thrashings v Ireland and Wales and a first ever loss to Fiji. The one win was a narrow win as well.
Which of the teams you beat did you think would beat you?
Argentina first match were favourites. Especially when we played most of the match with 14 men. With how we lost to Fiji pre-World Cup, beating them wasn't exactly a given either.
You can't spend the best part of 2 years ridiculing England and then ridiculing them when they finish 3rd in the World Cup as well. Feels disingenuous.
Hmmm…. That analogy reveals you’re completely clueless about football or completely clueless about rugby…. Although possibly both?
Actually, fair point. I had Argentina as slight favourites in the groups stages. I think the bookies did too? You were never going to lose to Fiji though. And both those teams had poor tournaments. I don’t think anyone seriously thought Argentina would win tonight.
Re your last paragraph. You kind of can? Well, not ridicule. But put in context. By pointing out who you beat to finish third.
Its actually hilarious as they are dying inside
Yeah, I think bookies had them as faves. And maybe Argentina did have a poor tournament but I think England set them on their way to it in that first game. Not sure they fully recovered from that.
England overachieved considering their last 18 months. As did Wales.
Ireland and France both underachieved considering their last 18 months
Ireland and France both underachieved considering their last 18 months
I guess you’re on a WUM, so fair enough. But, if not, surely you just need to look at who knocked out Ireland and France to see if they underachieved or not? There was so little between the top four teams, neither of them were strong favourites to win their QF. To underachieve you should really lose one (or more?) games you’re expected to win.
Yes but it was the draw
Anyway, aside from the silly banter about the draw and what not it has been a really entertaining tournament with some really close battles and nail biting finishes.
England overachieving as per usual to save the blushes of the Six Nations. Well done lads. Even Scotland underachieved massively too, they were supposed to put up some kind of fight in "that" group, folded like a sack of suds.
1. England
2. France
3. Wales
4. Ireland
5. Scotland
6. Georgia
7. Portugal
8. Romania
9. Italy - allowing a try to Namibia is a goddamn low
1. England
2. France
3. Wales
4. Ireland
5. Scotland
6. Georgia
7. Portugal
8. Romania
9. Italy - allowing a try to Namibia is a goddamn low
No I’m not Wumming.
Ireland were world number one coming into it. France were heavily favoured and had home advantage. Both teams had grand slammed in the last 2 six nations. Yet neither even reached the final.
Im sorry, that’s underperformance. And all the dribbling about close matches, the draw, great ‘top 4’ teams is immaterial. They both underperformed.
Better than Ireland too
Nah, I disagree. All the pre tournament bookies odds had four teams far ahead of the others, but with not much between them. NZ and SA made it the final after every narrow, epic QF performances. The teams they beat went out on their shields, having already beaten both of the finalists in the group stages. That’s not underperforming, by any usual definition.
The whole tournament has really panned out exactly as expected. It was always a toss up which of the four top ranked teams would make the final. There hasn’t been any surprises. That’s the one thing that stops this being a classic tournament, it was a bit too predictable.
You didn’t play Ireland. So we’ll never know. Although losing to a side that Ireland beat does give a bit of a hint…Better than Ireland too
Leave us alone, we’ve been out since early SeptemberEngland overachieving as per usual to save the blushes of the Six Nations. Well done lads. Even Scotland underachieved massively too, they were supposed to put up some kind of fight in "that" group, folded like a sack of suds.
1. England
2. France
3. Wales
4. Ireland
5. Scotland
6. Georgia
7. Portugal
8. Romania
9. Italy - allowing a try to Namibia is a goddamn low
I mean, yeah you can. That's sport isn't it. But I don't think you should downplay us finishing 3rd. It's arguable but England either slightly exceeded expectations or met them.
Not saying it as a dig, but Ireland didn't. Marginally, but they didn't. They are ranked 1st, are an excellent team and NZ have been talked about again and again as not a particularly good NZ team. You beat SA in the group and it wasn't a shock at all.
Just stop Pogue. It’s embarrassing at this point
That’s another fair point. It looks like they’ve hit form at the perfect time but they could be flattering to deceive and Ireland (plus Argentina) made them look better than they really are? They did lose in their only other “big game” vs France after all.
If SA beat them handily tomorrow it will make Ireland’s tournament look a lot worse in retrospect, that’s for sure. In fact, if that happens I will definitely agree we underachieved.
They both barely lost in two of the greatest games of all time. Underperformed?
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