Rugby World Cup 2019 aka Squishy McSquish goes into a meltdown thread

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They're already a legitimately great team but yes Youngs isn't of the standard required. I think England will be grand in the 6 nations the next 2 years with Ireland and France heading into a transition phase. Scotland have regressed so only Wales are a threat currently I reckon.

2 years down the road will be interesting as Ireland have some serious talent coming through but Farrell needs to get a good attack coach and needs to be on the phone to James Lowe as soon as he becomes eligible.

Yeah, I'm not sure Mike Catt is gonna cut it. As for Lowe I'd say they're best mates already.
 

arnie_ni

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You really don't think he did anything wrong today?
Give me a couple of examples and I'll offer my opinion. Right now sitting here there is nothing jumping out a me.

The fans booed the 1st try but the passes were all flat.

England were dominated in the scrum, he wasn't just making penalties up.

He gave the english something like a 15 phase advantage on the tryline when it would normally have been pulled up a lot earlier.

I cant think of anything standing out today
 

steve zizou

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Funnily enough, I think New Zealand would've beat SA comfortably. But the England match up wasn't the best for the all blacks.
Had that thought as well. NZ weekness fed into England strength whose weaknesses are SA strength whose weaknesses is NZ strength...
Being half English and half South African has never been weirder... Got people sending me messages of congratulations and commiserations :lol:
Really!! don't know why I thought you were Indian.
 

kidbob

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assuming your dropping earls for him?
I like Earls but yes Lowe is a better player IMO and more of a threat for scoring tries. Obviously though I wouldn't be getting rid of Earls entirely. But I agree with @christy87 that we need to move on from some of the players. Hell I'm of the opinion that Sexton should call it a day and focus on Leinster for the rest of his career. Not that he isn't good enough but we need to start giving Carberry and Carty the mantle to build from. Also I'd love to see Cooney start getting more minutes over Murray. The important thing now is to build for four years time and be at our best for a World Cup and not 2 years before which has been a massive problem for us.

We desperately need an attack coach because our players are capable of playing a much better style.
 

JPRouve

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Give me a couple of examples and I'll offer my opinion. Right now sitting here there is nothing jumping out a me.

The fans booed the 1st try but the passes were all flat.

England were dominated in the scrum, he wasn't just making penalties up.

He gave the english something like a 15 phase advantage on the tryline when it would normally have been pulled up a lot earlier.

I cant think of anything standing out today
He did nothing wrong, he is in general a shit referee but there was nothing wrong in that game.
 

Hammerfell

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Very sad that @JJ12 is such a negative Nigel. It seems the Welsh are devoid of class. Good game well played, South Africa!
 

Offsideagain

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That was the Rugby equivalents of rope a dope in boxing. Books played to their strengths and mugged England. Boring to watch if you don’t follow Rugby but they were technically better in the scrum. If the game had been more open, we would have won. Congratulations to the Boks.
 

arnie_ni

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I like Earls but yes Lowe is a better player IMO and more of a threat for scoring tries. Obviously though I wouldn't be getting rid of Earls entirely. But I agree with @christy87 that we need to move on from some of the players. Hell I'm of the opinion that Sexton should call it a day and focus on Leinster for the rest of his career. Not that he isn't good enough but we need to start giving Carberry and Carty the mantle to build from. Also I'd love to see Cooney start getting more minutes over Murray. The important thing now is to build for four years time and be at our best for a World Cup and not 2 years before which has been a massive problem for us.

We desperately need an attack coach because our players are capable of playing a much better style.
oh im agreeing with dropping earls, just checking it was him being dropped and not stockdale.

Yea i think Sexton, murray, kearney etc should all go.

Cooney
Carberry
Stockdale
Farrell
Ringrose
Lowe
Larmour

Would be be starting backs as of today.

Forwards im not sure what you do with POM and stander. Is it time to move on? Honestly dont know what age they are, but thatl be a big factor in my decision. If they wont be there in 4 years they should be dropped imo. Not necessarily from the squad entirely as you need experience, but at least to the bench let others have a go.
 

Bubz27

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Give me a couple of examples and I'll offer my opinion. Right now sitting here there is nothing jumping out a me.

The fans booed the 1st try but the passes were all flat.

England were dominated in the scrum, he wasn't just making penalties up.

He gave the english something like a 15 phase advantage on the tryline when it would normally have been pulled up a lot earlier.

I cant think of anything standing out today
Called Lawes for not moving away very quickly but let SA have a few times when they took longer to roll away.

Called Farrell for not releasing after about 2 seconds but let Etzebeth get away with 5 seconds and not releasing.

Blatant cynicism from de Klerk should've been a yellow (on a couple of occasions as well) but he just let them all go, one given as a penalty.

The knock on from Watson was a knock on, but amazing that he gives it after what he'd let SA get away with in the game.

And that pass in the build up to their first try, it looked forward. It may not have been, but I think it definitely needed to be looked at more clearly. My mind goes back to how many times they looked at Cueto's toe in 2007 to how this was just brushed over. It's frustrating.

But that all said, it doesn't take away from SA and how excellently they played.
 

JPRouve

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Called Lawes for not moving away very quickly but let SA have a few times when they took longer to roll away.

Called Farrell for not releasing after about 2 seconds but let Etzebeth get away with 5 seconds and not releasing.

Blatant cynicism from de Klerk should've been a yellow (on a couple of occasions as well) but he just let them all go, one given as a penalty.

The knock on from Watson was a knock on, but amazing that he gives it after what he'd let SA get away with in the game.

And that pass in the build up to their first try, it looked forward. It may not have been, but I think it definitely needed to be looked at more clearly. My mind goes back to how many times they looked at Cueto's toe in 2007 to how this was just brushed over. It's frustrating.

But that all said, it doesn't take away from SA and how excellently they played.
You have spent a good chunk of the first half playing the ball on the ground in rucks. He let everyone have a go on the ground.
 

christy87

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I like Earls but yes Lowe is a better player IMO and more of a threat for scoring tries. Obviously though I wouldn't be getting rid of Earls entirely. But I agree with @christy87 that we need to move on from some of the players. Hell I'm of the opinion that Sexton should call it a day and focus on Leinster for the rest of his career. Not that he isn't good enough but we need to start giving Carberry and Carty the mantle to build from. Also I'd love to see Cooney start getting more minutes over Murray. The important thing now is to build for four years time and be at our best for a World Cup and not 2 years before which has been a massive problem for us.

We desperately need an attack coach because our players are capable of playing a much better style.
Sexton is 34, he should step aside now, there is nothing left for him, the records are not within reach. I’d say o Mahoney as well he’s played a lot of rugby and has shown signs of it getting to him, Kearney has to go. I’d say a few of them should look for the money in France

The kids who won the grand slam should be moved in and from what I’m hearing the academy’s are bursting with talent.
 

unchanged_lineup

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Sexton is 34, he should step aside now, there is nothing left for him, the records are not within reach. I’d say o Mahoney as well he’s played a lot of rugby and has shown signs of it getting to him, Kearney has to go. I’d say a few of them should look for the money in France

The kids who won the grand slam should be moved in and from what I’m hearing the academy’s are bursting with talent.
Some very exciting players at u20 level who'll hopefully start getting introduced with the provinces and then push on.
 

Bubz27

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You have spent a good chunk of the first half playing the ball on the ground in rucks. He let everyone have a go on the ground.
He just let some have a go for longer than he let others have a go for.

SA's momentum was built through a combination of their excellence, the injury to Sinckler and the referee giving them the edge in early decisions.
 

JPRouve

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He just let some have a go for longer than he let others have a go for.

SA's momentum was built through a combination of their excellence, the injury to Sinckler and the referee giving them the edge in early decisions.
He didn't, don't be a sore loser. England had the longest advantages that Rugby has ever seen and they were allowed to play the ball in rucks for ever. The reality is that you failed to break the advantage line which didn't put you on the front foot all that often. It's frustrating but it had nothing to do with the referee who was fair to both teams, even though he doesn't know the rules.
 

arnie_ni

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Called Lawes for not moving away very quickly but let SA have a few times when they took longer to roll away.

Called Farrell for not releasing after about 2 seconds but let Etzebeth get away with 5 seconds and not releasing.

Blatant cynicism from de Klerk should've been a yellow (on a couple of occasions as well) but he just let them all go, one given as a penalty.

The knock on from Watson was a knock on, but amazing that he gives it after what he'd let SA get away with in the game.

And that pass in the build up to their first try, it looked forward. It may not have been, but I think it definitely needed to be looked at more clearly. My mind goes back to how many times they looked at Cueto's toe in 2007 to how this was just brushed over. It's frustrating.

But that all said, it doesn't take away from SA and how excellently they played.
Ahh the penalty not be awarding to itoje after that lineout was def a mistake. That i agree with.

Faf gave away 2 penalties in the game. One at the half way line, one at the 22 when you had a 15 phase advantage at the 5. They were irrelevant, no way should he have seen a card.

I dont think the passes deserved a second look at all. They were flat even the english commentators said so
 

Bubz27

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He didn't, don't be a sore loser. England had the longest advantages that Rugby has ever seen and they were allowed to play the ball in rucks for ever. The reality is that you failed to break the advantage line which didn't put you on the front foot all that often. It's frustrating but it had nothing to do with the referee who was fair to both teams, even though he doesn't know the rules.
I definitely haven't been a sore loser. I agree that we didn't get close to breaking the game line.

But we'll disagree that ref didn't favour the South Africans at times today.

I'll reiterate, that's not why we lost.
 

freeurmind

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Fair play to the Bokke, they were absolutely brilliant! Vermeulen was IMMENSE. The front row was awesome, Du toit was great. Mapimpi and Kolbe were fantastic as well. Full credit to Rassie, he's pulled this team from the depths of that defeat to Italy to win the Rugby Championship and now a third World Cup. Fantastic for SA rugby, they've done everyone proud.

Bit surprised with England's tactics, they played right into our hands trying to match us physically. The goal-line stand towards the end of the first half was the key point in the game. After that, England never looked like scoring a try. They will be back though, very talented team, just need a bit more composure and game management.
 

Bubz27

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Ahh the penalty not be awarding to itoje after that lineout was def a mistake. That i agree with.

Faf gave away 2 penalties in the game. One at the half way line, one at the 22 when you had a 15 phase advantage at the 5. They were irrelevant, no way should he have seen a card.

I dont think the passes deserved a second look at all. They were flat even the english commentators said so
I might be wrong but doing what de Klerk did deliberately twice would be grounds for a yellow.

It's just toeing a line and maybe stayed just on the right side.
 

arnie_ni

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I might be wrong but doing what de Klerk did deliberately twice would be grounds for a yellow.

It's just toeing a line and maybe stayed just on the right side.
Well he shouldnt have had a chance for the 2nd one. That must be one of the longest advantages in history.

If he done it 10 phases earlier nearer the line, yea its a penalty and yellow but you had a penalty advantage in much dangerous position.
 

ExecutionerWasp001

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Didn't turn up today plain & simple. You can't afford to do this against a team that plays at their maximum level. It's frustrating that we did all the hard work blasting the big guns out while they faced Japan & Wales. Hopefully we get a better draw next time round.
 

RedFish

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Pffft, S.A love to play ugly. Protected their end zone very though. Too many backward passes, from both sides. How can teams play positively when the referee blows his whistle every time the ball is passed forward? Duh!!
 

VorZakone

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That SA defending when England were close to a try was awesome to watch. So many tackles.
 

JPRouve

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It's working for me to be fair.
The good thing about Rugby is that we have the tournament every year, which means that we can move on quickly and make fun of someone else's. And at the end of the day, England had a pretty good World cup and you were good on the eyes.
 

Hernandez - BFA

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Great match for a neutral. I do enjoy a kicking game as much as any other type of game. South African defence was phenomenal. Holding out to just conceding 3 points when England were given a penalty advantage on their 5 meter line was huge. Their forwards were incredible all game.

Gatland was right. England peaked in the semis.