Official Rugby World Cup thread (lots & lots of [R's])

[babytiger2001]

Thought to dedicate a thread to the Rugby World Cup... mods, if need be, feel free to merge this with the all-inclusive rugby thread.

Australia and Argentina are about to kick off the entire tournament from Telstra Stadium in Sydney (the venue that was the Olympic Stadium in 2000).

The opening game starts in a few minutes, live here on the Seven Network... :)

[babytiger2001]

Halftime, at Telstra Stadium...

Australia 14
Argentina 3

Michael Flatley has three penalty goals, including one at the break, and Wendell Sailor has scored the first try of the tournament.

Yeah, Wallabies! Go, you good things!! :D

[babytiger2001]

Full time in Sydney...

The reigning world champions are off to a winning start.

Australia 24
Argentina 8

Tries from Sailor and Joe Roff, and four penalty goals and a conversion by Flatley pace the Wallabies' opening-game win.

Corleto had the Argentines' lone try on the night.

[sendorange]

Mods - please keep this thread separate from the other rugby one, a World Cup deserves its own thread.

Aussie bloke got a nasty neck/head injury. Hope he's ok.

As for the game, I thought Australia scored a good try in the first half and did well to seal it with a second try after Argentina scored, and Wendell Sailor is a great player, but I still don't think they look like they're on the same level as New Zealand or England. Their forwards have skill but are too light and the backs are very good but not quite brilliant enough to compensate against top teams. I expect them to win the pool and the 1/4 but then get edged out by NZ in the semi.

Argentina had the weight in the pack, but couldn't take as much advantage as their efforts deserved, the lineout and the kicking was very poor which let the rest of the team down. They really could have pushed it all the way if the kicker would have done justice to his team. But their defending, handling of high balls and aggression was very good indeed, the try was excellently taken and they can take a lot of pride from really making a game of it. They don't have the resources or popularity of the sport like the Aussies, but that certainly didn't show. Kudos.

[Desigol]

Originally posted by sendorange
Mods - please keep this thread separate from the other rugby one, a World Cup deserves its own thread.

Aussie bloke got a nasty neck/head injury. Hope he's ok.

As for the game, I thought Australia scored a good try in the first half and did well to seal it with a second try after Argentina scored, and Wendell Sailor is a great player, but I still don't think they look like they're on the same level as New Zealand or England. Their forwards have skill but are too light and the backs are very good but not quite brilliant enough to compensate against top teams. I expect them to win the pool and the 1/4 but then get edged out by NZ in the semi.

Argentina had the weight in the pack, but couldn't take as much advantage as their efforts deserved, the lineout and the kicking was very poor which let the rest of the team down. They really could have pushed it all the way if the kicker would have done justice to his team. But their defending, handling of high balls and aggression was very good indeed, the try was excellently taken and they can take a lot of pride from really making a game of it. They don't have the resources or popularity of the sport like the Aussies, but that certainly didn't show. Kudos.

One thing I've learned from watching Rugby (Union or League) is this, never write off the Aussies in World Cup time. They can play badly against the big sides and still win.

[tcmahoney]

So, does anyone have any links that I can use to follow the Cup?

I found the USA Rugby (http://www.usarugby.org/) site, but their updates are, uhh, nonexistent.

I've been a critic of the USSF in the past, but thank Yahweh for their ability to overload you with more than you need to know about US soccer.

[babytiger2001]

Originally posted by tcmahoney
So, does anyone have any links that I can use to follow the Cup?

Try the tournament's official site...

www.rugbyworldcup.com

Has some audio, video, and some useful matchtrackers as well, in addition to all the usual and expected bells and whistles.

[soccernutter]

Originally posted by babytiger2001
Thought to dedicate a thread to the Rugby World Cup... mods, if need be, feel free to merge this with the all-inclusive rugby thread.



Mods - please keep this thread separate from the other rugby one, a World Cup deserves its own thread.



Done

[highgarden]

Is the tournament available at all on US tv or even some video feed thru the internet?

[sendorange]

Originally posted by Desigol
never write off the Aussies in World Cup time. They can play badly against the big sides and still win.

They could do that in the past, because they had the quality. That's the problem with this Australia team, it's not that they're playing badly, they just don't have it in the tank to turn it on.

[BlueMeanie]

Originally posted by highgarden
Is the tournament available at all on US tv or even some video feed thru the internet?
Tape delayed several days, on Fox Sports World. From their online schedule (all times Eastern), here's a partial list:

10/13/03:

Opening ceremony, 7 PM
Aussies v. Argies, 8 PM

10/14/03:

Seth Effrica v. Uruguay, 5 PM
All Blacks v. Italy, 8 PM
Frenchies v. Fiji, 11 PM

10/15/03:

Ireland v. Romania, 2 AM
Wales v. America, Jr., 3 PM
England v. Georgia, 5 PM
Scotland v. Japan, 11 PM

blah, blah. For the whole schedule, go to FSW's web site (www.foxsportsworld.com) and click the Rugby tab.

Unlike last time, doesn't seem like every game is on live TV (or same-day tape) or PPV. The only upcoming live PPV from RWC03 is Sunday morning's England v. Georgia match.

[Maczebus]

Ok, so the the first game has come and gone, and still no-one has said anything about it.

Mods: If you want this tucked away in the 'all inclusive rugby' thread then so be it - however I thought it deserved it's own thread, it being the biggest sporting event of the year.

Anyway....

I did what all self-respecting sports fans do - I missed the opening ceremony.

First match: Australia V Argentina.

Aussies win 24-8.
Not an entirely glorious victory by Australia. Made a lot of hardwork over it, though Argentina aren't total pushovers.
Report (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/3176038.stm)

David Giffin (Aus) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/3181098.stm) badly injured jumping for a ball.
Fears were that his neck might be broken - as it turns out it wasn't - but under the laws of the game he will be out for 3-weeks.

And I do hope the replay thing doesn't get stupid in this WC. It's all very well having the replay for suspicious tries - but they just took the piss after that Argentine try in the second half. Everyone at home, on the field and watching from the stands knew it was a try but for some reason the people with all the technology took 5 minutes deciding that fact.
Good job technology makes life easier :rolleyes:

Tomorrow's matches:
0530: New Zealand v Italy (Pool D) Melbourne
0800: Ireland v Romania (Pool A) Gosford
1030: France v Fiji (Pool B) Brisbane
1300: South Africa v Uruguay (Pool C) Perth
(times are GMT)

Winners are usually easy to predict in rugby, especially at this early stage.
1)NZ
2)Ireland
3)France
4)SA

No surprises there, others can pontificate on the scores, but I'll wait 'til we get the cricket scores out of the way.

[Maczebus]

Ok, so I noticed some one had actually started a RWC thread.
...It's been a long day.

Mods: You can merge this, or bin it - I've tried to bin it but it won't let me.

[ArsenalTexan3]

Kriege(sp?) of South Africa is out for South Africa's 1st match.

[soccernutter]

Originally posted by maczebus
Ok, so I noticed some one had actually started a RWC thread.
...It's been a long day.

Mods: You can merge this, or bin it - I've tried to bin it but it won't let me.

I'll merge. You did too much work to bin.

[eric_appleby]

I don't watch Rugby, but I usually catch a bit of the World Cup tournament.

How does the US stack-up? No hopers, or can we win a game or two?

[eric_appleby]

I'll add this, I've always admired what it took to play this game.

[babytiger2001]

Originally posted by eric_appleby
I don't watch Rugby, but I usually catch a bit of the World Cup tournament.

How does the US stack-up? No hopers, or can we win a game or two?

If we can win one game from the four pool matches, I think they'd take some comfort in that.

Didn't they fail to win a game in '99 in Wales? That's what I'm assuming, but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong...

[tcmahoney]

Originally posted by babytiger2001
Try the tournament's official site...

www.rugbyworldcup.com

Has some audio, video, and some useful matchtrackers as well, in addition to all the usual and expected bells and whistles.

Thanks, bt01.

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031011/capt.mel10110110602.rwc_new_zealand_italy_mel101.jpg

New Zealand lock forward Brad Thorn, left, is congratulated by prop Dave Hewett after scoring a try, during the Rugby World Cup game New Zealand vs. Italy in Melbourne, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2003.
(AP Photo/Tony Feder)

[babytiger2001]

Originally posted by tcmahoney
Thanks, bt01.

No worries, TC. Much appreciated. :)

In the second match of the tournament, Australia's cross-Tasman near-neighbours New Zealand have started their run in the tournament in grand fashion, blitzing Italy 70-7 at the TelstraDome in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon.

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/RugbyWorldCup/EN/Top+Story/kb1110+NZLvITA+report.htm