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General Rugby Discussion 3

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Comments

  • #5972
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 13,921 ✭✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    WR letting itself be led around by the nose, on behalf of NZ primarily.



  • #5973
    ersatz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,533 ✭✭✭ersatz


    Seems like an exhausting and futile competition that doesn't really improve on the November series, other than dragging NH teams back and forth across half the world. And yeah, the only real upside is some cash for NZ. The dismantling of Super Rugby is a slow death for them.



  • #5974
    Yeah_Right
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,542 ✭✭✭Yeah_Right


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123995342#Comment_123995342

    It's great to see that World Rugby understand how important it is to look after the Southern Hemisphere 😁 I think this comp looks great and will hopefully help Australia to improve as well as send a lot of cash down south. It's the only way we can get back to the (correct) historical pecking order.



  • #5975
    breezy1985
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,371 ✭✭✭✭breezy1985


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123995508#Comment_123995508

    The level of corporate horsesht in that press release me a nosebleed.

    Can't see there being much interest in some of those final games. Might work in London but if moved to any country with less of a commonwealth diaspora it will be a ghost town.



  • #5976
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,845 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    I fear the plan is to have them, within a fairly short space of time, in countries where rugby is a virtually unknown sport, and I’m not talking the US here.

    Also as I understand it, the format is very similar to the old PRL Cup format, you know the one that BT used to have to spend five minutes talking about at the start of every match they showed because no one could understand it. As in, while you play teams in the other conference, you are competing for league points against teams in your own conference. Whom you don’t play against.

    There will also apparently be a mini-side-competition during finals weekend not only to crown a champion of the whole competition, but a “Best hemisphere”. North or South.



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  • #5977
    FtD v2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,512 ✭✭✭FtD v2


    Four players nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year:

    • Malcolm Marx - South Africa
    • Ox Nche - South Africa
    • Pieter Steph du Toit - South Africa
    • Louis Bielle Biarrey - France

    I would probably go for Malcolm Marx.

    I think Tadhg Beirne is really unfortunate not to be there - the subsequently annulled red card cost him in a big way. It's funny Nche was basically nominated on the back of the summer tests and Rugby Championship as he only played one game in November before being injured, but Beirne's performances in being Player of the Series for the Lions aren't sufficient to garner even a nomination.

    I believe Ox Nche is the first prop to ever even be nominated for the award.



  • #5978
    FtD v2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,512 ✭✭✭FtD v2


    Four nominees for the Breakthrough Player of the Year Award:

    • Fabian Holland - New Zealand
    • Ethan Hooker - South Africa
    • Henry Pollock - England
    • Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i - Australia

    This award, like the men's player of the year award, is supposed to be based purely on impact in international rugby, so on that basis I'm a bit surprised at the inclusion of Pollock (4 games, 0 starts, 115 mins for England) and Ethan Hooker (7 games, 5 starts, 436 mins for South Africa).

    I would have thought Sua'ali'i making his debut for Australia over 12 months ago would have ruled him out.



  • #5979
    bingobango12
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭bingobango12


    Samoa v Belgium today @ 3:30 for the final spot at World Cup 2027. Sad to see even with the extended World Cup that Samoa need a repechage to qualify but presume they will have too much for Belgium.



  • #5980
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers, Paid Member Posts: 44,830 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123997262#Comment_123997262

    When you see some of the names starting you'd expect they should be comfortable enough winners.

    Theo McFarland, Jacob umaga, miracle faiigali, Melani nanai, Titi Lamositele, Micheal alaalatoa.... With Scott sio and Abraham papalii on the bench.



  • #5981
    Lost Ormond
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 5,255 Mod ✭✭✭✭Lost Ormond


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123997262#Comment_123997262

    Lost out in pacific nations cup as north american sides were much stronger this time around and that made it harder for them to qualify. But yeah you would assume theyll be too strong for belgians



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  • #5982
    Ben Bailey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭Ben Bailey


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123995342#Comment_123995342

    England v Fiji in July will be played in SA.

    Japan (by virtue of being 4000km north of the Equator) will play Ireland in Australia (which is in the Southern Hemisphere).

    FIFA World Cup Finals (in the US) dates : 11th June to 19th July.



  • #5983
    ionadnapóca
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,726 ✭✭✭ionadnapóca


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123997108#Comment_123997108

    It should be Beirne but I'd give it PSdT from that list. He always plays 80' mins and is a 8 out 10 in every game.

    Billy Barry will win it.



  • #5984
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 32,750 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    Beirne has had an incredibly underwhelming Autumn which I imagine put paid to his chances.

    LBB winning it would certainly be amusing.



  • #5985
    Brief_Lives
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,810 ✭✭✭Brief_Lives


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123997262#Comment_123997262

    there's a watch party with free food and drink (1st round only) on in the porterhouse today.

    image.png


  • #5986
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,845 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    It and Namibia v. Brazil (kicked off at 1pm) are both live on RPTV (no sub required but registration needed).



  • #5987
    Dillonb3
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,103 ✭✭✭Dillonb3


    Belgium 6-3 up on samoa at half time



  • #5988
    bingobango12
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭bingobango12


    6-3 Belgium at half time. First time watching Belgium play. Similar style to Portugal of just running everything and playing wide, even when it's not on. Entertaining but probably better to just kick the ball in some situations.

    Samoa are physically dominant but pretty dreadful. A ball knocked on over the line and Umaga is 1/3 penalties, including a miss in front of the posts from 30 out.

    Belgium are in it but reckon Samoas physicality will start to tell in the second half and they will win ultimately come out on top.



  • #5989
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 13,921 ✭✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    Be a great result if Belgium can pull out the win



  • #5990
    Dillonb3
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,103 ✭✭✭Dillonb3


    Samoa qualify. Belgium just couldn't deal with the scrums in last 5 mins



  • #5991
    TheRona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,005 ✭✭✭TheRona


    Unlucky for Belgium. Looked like in the last couple of minutes, one of their players won a great jackal, but the Samoan player on the ground helped to knock the ball out of his hands and it ended up being a knock-on. Big moment.

    Crazy to see how far Samoa have fallen. They are a really scruffy outfit.



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  • #5992
    bingobango12
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭bingobango12


    Was my stream wrong or did it not finish 13-13?



  • #5993
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 32,750 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998654#Comment_123998654

    Yeah. Thought that looked odd. TMO called it back as a Belgium knock on too. If he was gonna go back think he should have taken a closer look.



  • #5994
    PMC83
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,422 ✭✭✭PMC83


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998658#Comment_123998658

    Samoa only needed a draw to win it on points, Belgium needed to win outright to take the WC spot



  • #5995
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 13,921 ✭✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    Gutted for them, would've been a boost for the game to have them in the tournament



  • #5996
    PMC83
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,422 ✭✭✭PMC83


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998720#Comment_123998720

    Would have been worse to see Samoa not to make it tbh. Theres already a lot of fringe teams in there



  • #5997
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 13,921 ✭✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998797#Comment_123998797

    Disagree on that. A new team making the tournament has more value, not to mention one that has better potential going forward. Samoa's Union is riven with scandal and corruption also.



  • #5998
    bingobango12
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭bingobango12


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123998713#Comment_123998713

    Thanks. Was confused when I saw Samoa celebrating and Belgium disappointed. Thought we were heading for extra time.



  • #5999
    The Macho Man
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 430 ✭✭The Macho Man


    Was reading the below article on RTE Sport this morning, it's a sad reality but still people are paying it. I was always highly suspicious and critical of the CVC Partners being given a stake in European rugby. My cynical hat says if they didn't have a stake then maybe you wouldn't have to charge as much. Or am I reading too much into that?

    https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2025/1119/1544860-rugby-ticket-prices-a-commercial-reality-potts/



  • #6000
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers, Paid Member Posts: 44,830 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124002713#Comment_124002713

    while i was no fan of cvc coming on board in the 6 nations, i fail to see what their involvement has to do with Aviva ticket prices? can you elaborate?

    remember CVC give the IRFU around €10 million euro per year, so the argument could be made that ticket prices would actually be higher if they weren't involved.



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  • #6001
    hold my beer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 3,219 ✭✭✭hold my beer


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124003487#Comment_124003487

    they give that every year? I thought they just bought in at the start. What do they get in return for the 10m per year, and presumably the other nations get the same?



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