2023 RWC Buildup, Squads, Fixtures 'etc'

Seadin

When it comes down to it. NZ are semi chokers. Can never quite do it when it matters. The only exception is 2015. They are bottlers full stop. Beating Ireland was their highlight.

monkeybutter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121296814#Comment_121296814

Except the times they win it?

Dubinusa

Handre P is money! Seriously cool customer.

Seadin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121296821#Comment_121296821

They fell over the line in 2011. They were a great team in 2015. But they are semi chokers.

joseywhales

Jaysus, hard not to be a choker around here.

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121296442#Comment_121296442

Clarified with a ref. They aren't rules, they're recommendations and according to him the ref is not allowed to change a call resulting from new info from a replay, that happens via the TMO...but if the ref realizes he processed it wrong he can change the decision. I might have misheard him but I thought he admitted to Ardie that he got it wrong. Seems crazy to proceed with awarding SA a 3 point opportunity in those circumstances.

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121296503#Comment_121296503

Frizel came in from the side and rolled all his weight onto the leg, if he'd been legal the physics would have prevented that outcome. Surprised the ref and TMO didn't point out that the entry was illegal. Yellow every time.

Klunk_NZ

NH powerbrokers forcing rules for ‘safety’ that don’t reflect the reality of 110kg behemoths charging at eachother changing directions and levels within milliseconds. Do any of these rule changes actually reduce head accidental contact to the head? or do they just better protect the organisations from lawsuits?

the game is an example of how not to introduce technology into a sport. Tennis got enhanced by the technology can anyone honestly say the same thing about rugby?

supernova5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121296451#Comment_121296451

Can you not a

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121296451#Comment_121296451

Can you not accept it for what it is without the negative connotations

FintanMcluskey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121244610#Comment_121244610

😎.

KaneToad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121296954#Comment_121296954

Rugby is only one major head collision away from the sport being non existent. World Rugby are entirely correct to persist with their stance to make these behemoths change their behaviour in collisions. Eventually defensive tackles will be less effective as defenders err on the side of extreme caution. There are still far to many collisions where defender enters at an inappropriate height.

Madeoface

'Four more years boys, four more years'.

Enjoy the flight home Reiko you *ickhead. Jeff Wilson too...

ButtersSuki

Seeing Foster has criticized the match officials and the red card this morning is disappointing. That was an absolutely clear red. Sounds like very sour grapes.

TheRona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121297162#Comment_121297162

You have to feel for them. Had every chance to win, and blew it.

I have no problem with the red card, even if Cane just decided to be more passive in the tackle, it would have been a yellow.

I don't think Barnes had a bad game. The one big mistake obviously cost NZ 3 points, but other than that I thought he was alright. The TMO intervening to disallow a try which is outside the scope of what they're allowed to do isn't great though, in a time when there's a lot of people who feel that they already get too involved

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121296503#Comment_121296503

It was a neck roll. He was getting a yellow anyway. The bringing his weight down onto his leg was why it was getting checked for a red.

Frankly he was lucky to come back on

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121296890#Comment_121296890

They were handed it in 2011. Didn't fall over the line

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121297177#Comment_121297177

They (like Ireland v NZ) still had their chances, they didn’t take them. Someone has to lose.

The Savea call was in the first half. Who knows what would have happened had it gone the other way? You play differently holding/protecting a lead v chasing one.

Given the favourable refereeing NZ have historically enjoyed (not just the 2011 WCF) I don’t really have much by way of sympathy for them though.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121296812#Comment_121296812

Yeah, I don't think he apologised, but he clearly saw a replay and realised his mistake because he did say something to Savea along the lines of "I thought there was no clear release" in an almost apologetic manner. But he didn't actually say sorry.

The reality is referees always get one or two things wrong. But I did think SA benefitted more than NZ, but then I wanted NZ to win so probably noticed calls against NZ more.

fitz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121297177#Comment_121297177

I generally agree. I think Barnes was mostly fine, aside from a few things. The Savea penalty, not carding Etzebeth for cynically walking into a pass where NZ had an overlap, and not even warning SA for 3 or 4 penalties close to thier line in the space of a couple of minutes late on. I've said it before, that just rewards cynical teams. It's an area I'd like to see less discretion for refs. Laws should be more prescriptive about escalation to yellow for continued non-technical penalties in the 22 by defending teams.

On the Smith try, they can only go back two phases, but we're there any rucks after the ball came out of the maul? So, same phase and fine to go back for, no?

TheRona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121297209#Comment_121297209

I think SA have been favoured by referees a lot more historically, and in this tournament over the last few matches, so I don't think that argument really holds any water.

TheRona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121297238#Comment_121297238

Yeah, there were 3 rucks after the lineout and before the try, so they went back 4 phases.

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121296954#Comment_121296954

Nothing about Cane's tackle has anything to do with changing directions in miliseconds. HE was upright and it was direct to the head.

If that's the tact your going to take with your little whinge, Kolisi was very harshly done by as that one was chest then head

Musicrules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121294646#Comment_121294646

Beating France at their home World Cup was harder than beating us. Did you even watch the games?

Musicrules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121294679#Comment_121294679

You don't rotate in a World Cup semi final. Nonsense post and it turns out the South African coaches were proved right.

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121297242#Comment_121297242

Well that’s your opinion - which of course you’re entitled to btw. Mine would be that historically NZ have gotten more than their fair share of referring calls - and by those I mean blatantly bad or biased calls; far more than any other nation incl. SA.

The Savea call was missed and incorrect but it wasn’t blatantly bad. Similarly the penalty in the France game was incorrect rather than blatantly bad or biased.

NZ were for years it seemed incapable of getting even a yellow card no matter what they did on a pitch. The 2011 WC Final wasn’t missed calls, it was blatant homer/biased refereeing.

For what it’s worth, I think Eben (walking into the passing lane) and PSTD (tackling a support runner off the ball) were lucky not to get yellow for their separate offences. But likewise I think NZ could have very little to argue about had they been down to 14 after 2 minutes. Another day and another TMO and that’s a red. That play was far dirtier and cynical than any of the SA card or potential card offences.

Oh and I do think disallowing the NZ try was correct as the knock on was blatant. I also thought the pass for the actual try was forward btw.

i’m not even a big fan of Barnes but I think he was good last night all things considered.

Musicrules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121296407#Comment_121296407

They actually didn't play that well. Ireland made it easier for them. I think the final showed that New Zealand weren't that great. Definitely opportunity blown for Ireland, not sure we'll ever get a better chance of winning the World Cup.

Dave0301

I didn't know about the TMO and the two phases of play. Off the top of my head I feel that this regularly gets if ignored, but I could be wrong.

TheRona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121297276#Comment_121297276

You can't base one game on another. Teams don't perform at the same level every game.

You do realise played most of that match last night with a man down? Despite missing a man in the forwards, they stood up to SA in every facet of forward play, and this is with people saying that their forwards would run straight through them. I'm really proud of how they performed.

Musicrules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121297289#Comment_121297289

South Africa were wrecked after the past 2 weeks. New Zealand were far fresher, they left the game behind them really.

The overall standard in this World Cup was quite poor. South Africa have won a soft World Cup. And they deserved it but they weren't great throughout the tournament. It was the worst New Zealand team ever to enter the World Cup and they nearly won it. That was mostly because it was also the worst England and Australian teams plus very weak Argentinian, Welsh and Scottish teams.

That's why this will go down as one that got away. We blew it. The nerves got the better of us in the quarter final and that will be a major regret for our players for a long time to come.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121297316#Comment_121297316

Everyone 'blew it' bar SA.

You need to get over it. And watch more tournaments, you'll find this one was not a whole pile different from others.