2015 Rugby World Cup Superthread

Muahahaha

Taken with MJohnstons permission from the rugby forum

MOD: Massive thanks to MJohnston for doing up this [click to view] Rugby 101 cheat sheet.

Added to opening post too.

With less than 24 hours to go till the opening of the Rugby World Cup its about time AH got talking all things rugby. We have a full 48 games spread over 6 weeks to look forward to.

Ireland are currently 3rd in the world rankings but recent poor performances in the warm up games against England and Wales have meant that we are now only rated as 9/1 by the bookies to actually win it. New Zealand are the favourites with England not far behind them, which is understandable given their home advantage.

We have one of the easier groups with us facing Canada, Romania, France and Italy. Our big game in the group is going to be vs France, the winner of that game will likely top the group and avoid playing New Zealand in the quarter finals. If we can top our group and New Zealand top theirs then we are likely to face off against Argentina in the quarters.

So how do people feel we will do? Personally I dont think topping our group is as easy as some in the media are making out. France might be out of sorts at the moment but they always lift their game in World Cups so are far from a walkover, I wouldn't be surprised if we lost to them given our own poor form of late. I'd love us to have a crack at New Zealand in the quarters, we came very close to beating them two years back and if we're to stand any chance of winning the tournament we have to able to beat the best.

fleet_admiral

It will be another 07, so much expectation only to be let down

castletownman

fleet_admiral wrote: »

It will be another 07, so much expectation only to be let down

And calls for Schmidt's head, as it's always the coaches fault and never, ever anything to do with the expectation built up by same quarters.

wendell borton

I hope ryan o'driscoll pucks a goal.

Junkyard Tom

Schmidt will have the lads thinking only of the next match to be played. I expect a load of premiership fanboys will be along shortly to deface the thread with banal arguments about the comparative merits of each sport.

Ireland's Group stage fixtures.

Sat 19 September 14:30
Ireland v Canada

Sun 27 September 16:45
Ireland v Romania

Sun 4 October 16:45
Ireland v Italy

Sun 11 October 16:45
France v Ireland

Sheep Lover

I like watching the big men in the teeeny tiny shorts bending eachother over.

Fratton Fred

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Schmidt will have the lads thinking only of the next match to be played. I expect a load of premiership fanboys will be along shortly to deface the thread with banal arguments about the comparative merits of each sport.

Schmidt seems to have the team far more focused than I've seen them. I doubt this talk of semi finals will bother them at all.

It will be, as you say, concentrate on beating the next team and that's it.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Having the two minnows first up is good, it gives him time to give everyone a run and build the team nicely into the Italian and French games.

Hande hoche!

Go on Namibia, smash the All blacks!

whiskeyman

If we score more than the other team, we'll do well Bill

fleet_admiral

whiskeyman wrote: »

If we score more than the other team, we'll do well Bill

I think smith is a spoofer and this arish team is going nowhere

Mint Sauce

To watch on TV3 and its sub standard analysis and commentary, or ITV and its over bias of the England Team.

Suppose on the up side ITV(1) will be in HD.

Hande hoche!

fleet_admiral wrote: »

I think smith is a spoofer and this arish team is going nowhere

It's a game of two halves.

Jacovs

Muahahaha wrote: »

Ireland are currently 3rd in the world rankings

Currently 6th.

Cant wait for this to start tomorrow.

cml387

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Schmidt will have the lads thinking only of the next match to be played. I expect a load of premiership fanboys will be along shortly to deface the thread with banal arguments about the comparative merits of each sport.

Cue the first "It's not a real world cup post".
Note to soccer fanbois:

1) Don't be alarmed when the ref gives a decision and is not surrounded by a mill of hysterically gesticulating players trying to change his mind. This is quite normal and you shouldn't be alarmed.

2)If a player goes down injured, he is actually injured and not trying to get an Oscar/the opposing player sent off.

fleet_admiral

Let me get this straight. We are 9/1, so if you back e/w and we get to the semis you get a quarter of the odds?

DEFTLEFTHAND

Mint Sauce wrote: »

To watch on TV3 and its sub standard analysis and commentary, or ITV and its over bias of the England Team.

Suppose on the up side ITV(1) will be in HD.

Well they are an English broadcast company, it's not as if RTE do objectivity with Ryle Nugent on commentary doing his cringey high pitch roars.

Say Your Number

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

it's not as if RTE do objectivity with Ryle Nugent on commentary doing his cringey high pitch roars.

TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

kfallon

cml387 wrote: »

2)If a player goes down injured, he is actually injured and not trying to get an Oscar/the opposing player sent off.

Really.......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodgate

pmasterson95

cml387 wrote: »

Cue the first "It's not a real world cup post".
Note to soccer fanbois:

1) Don't be alarmed when the ref gives a decision and is not surrounded by a mill of hysterically gesticulating players trying to change his mind. This is quite normal and you shouldn't be alarmed.

2)If a player goes down injured, he is actually injured and not trying to get an Oscar/the opposing player sent off.

Didnt take long for the AH pissing contest of Rugby vs. Soccer. How long till GAA gets a mention?

SEPT 23 1989

who did we have in the qualifiers?

cml387

pmasterson95 wrote: »

Didnt take long for the AH pissing contest of Rugby vs. Soccer. How long till GAA gets a mention?

Well it was going to start anyway, so why not get the retaliation in first.

And yes there was Bloodgate, but the wrath of heaven rained down on ths responsible.

Nermal

What was Wenger thinking bringing Walcott on that early?

Say Your Number

Hope Ken Burley re-emerges, his trolling of the Welsh was hilarious even though they had the last laugh.

https://soundcloud.com/secondcaptains/ken-burley-on-welsh-radio

posturingpat

fleet_admiral wrote: »

Let me get this straight. We are 9/1, so if you back e/w and we get to the semis you get a quarter of the odds?

No only paying 2 places so have to get to the final.

Mint Sauce

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Well they are an English broadcast company, it's not as if RTE do objectivity with Ryle Nugent on commentary doing his cringey high pitch roars.

But they don't sit on the fence. Will give RTE credit for that. TV3 are promising all this bells and whistles for their coverage, but no preview show by the looks of things. Have to go to the BBC RedButton for that, and their not even broadcasting it.

Duckworth_Luas

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

who did we have in the qualifiers?

Australia, Italy, USA and Russia

Ireland won all 4 games to qualify for RWC 2015

c_man

Let the other teams do the passing game. We need a few big lads up front and to play the long ball in.

posturingpat

Savea top tryscorer's about 5/1. 6/1 available at one of the smaller firms i think. He's Jonah Lomu reincarnated only possibly better,he could set a record if he's played every game.

osarusan

cml387 wrote: »

so why not get the retaliation in first.

:pac:

iDave

All Ireland final on Sunday ya bunch of west brits!!!!!!




Just kidding I'm going to the Italy game

fryup

no TV3 hd on saorview :mad: really p!ssed off about that

c_man

fryup wrote: »

no TV3 hd on saorview :mad: really p!ssed off about that

Wait, so do RTE not have the rights or what's the story?

fryup

rte only have it on radio,

alchemist33

fryup wrote: »

no TV3 hd on saorview :mad: really p!ssed off about that

And Sky won't let you watch TV3 HD unless you upgrade. Normal D for me!

Peregrine

c_man wrote: »

Wait, so do RTE not have the rights or what's the story?

No, TV3 and ITV do.

c_man

Peregrine wrote: »

No, TV3 and ITV does.

Oh right. Not a rugby head at all but I feel yer pain. Tv3 manage to makes a balls ( :pac: ) of every other sport, no doubt it's the same for this.

Mint Sauce

Peregrine wrote: »

No, TV3 and ITV does.

Although ITV4 games will probably be blocked on UPC.

cml387

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Although ITV4 games will probably be blocked on UPC.

It's on 3HD on our UPC.

Mint Sauce

cml387 wrote: »

It's on 3HD on our UPC.

UTV/ITV HD and ITV4 SD on Freesat, with no subscription cost. My point was that UPC seem to block sports coverage on ITV4. Not sure if UTV/ITV sports content is blocked.

Dirty Dingus McGee

I hope England win it.

posturingpat

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

I hope England win it.

Don't we all. Swing looooowwww

cml387

Mint Sauce wrote: »

UTV/ITV HD and ITV4 SD on Freesat, with no subscription cost. My point was that UPC seem to block sports coverage on ITV4. Not sure if UTV/ITV sports content is blocked.

You're right. I just was pointing out that you have the option of watching it on HD on UPC, but its TV3 only.

If you have a satellite HD box with no subscription, ITV should be available as you say.

KERSPLAT!

Haven't been this excited in years! I'm hoping we were holding back a little in the warm ups, the lads gelling, etc.

The kids will be in bed by 7.30 tomorrow and nap time will be at exactly 2pm Saturday

Mint Sauce

cml387 wrote: »

You're right. I just was pointing out that you have the option of watching it on HD on UPC, but its TV3 only.

If you have a satellite HD box with no subscription, ITV should be available as you say.

Only TV3 coverage i'll watch is their so called preview show called The Sin Bin, currently on now. Will give in 5 to 10 minutes anyway.

The Backwards Man

I'm going to watch it with a drum machine set to 150 bpm whilst singing happy meaningless lyrics to myself.

You might say I'll be watching it in Special D

NotCominBack

Why is calling a team all blacks not racist?

posturingpat

NotCominBack wrote: »

Why is calling a team all blacks not racist?

It is,anyone that mentions it should expect a call from their local authorities so watch out.:cool:

Junkyard Tom

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Schmidt will have the lads thinking only of the next match to be played. I expect a load of premiership fanboys will be along shortly to deface the thread with banal arguments about the comparative merits of each sport.

Wow. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Rugby fans are the ones with the superiority complex towards soccer.

All the smugness about the lack of crowd trouble, and how the players deserve more money than soccer players etc. really grates even if I enjoy both sports.

NotCominBack

NotCominBack wrote: »

Why is calling a team all blacks not racist?

You are right, it's blatantly racist and insulting to black people. Bunch of bigots, throw them out of the tournament NOW!!

DEFTLEFTHAND

NotCominBack wrote: »

Why is calling a team all blacks not racist?

If you think that's bad their international football team are known as the All Whites.