Planet Rugby Forum

DeDoc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beg0-kM ... sLIVEVideo

/end thread

DeDoc

This weekend feels a bit flat alright, but to be fair if results in Fiji Wales, Fiji aus and eng arg games had gone according to expectations, the games this weekend would have a bit more on the line

DeDoc

Ulster team to play Benetton, pre-season friendly, Saturday 30 September at Stadio Monigo (KO 6 30pm UK/Ire time), live on www.bentv.it (15-9): Shea O’Brien, Rob Baloucoune, Luke Marshall, Angus Curtis, Ethan McIlroy, Jake Flannery, Nathan Doak (Captain); (1-8): Callum Reid, John Andrew, Andy Warwi...

DeDoc

It used to be said, perhaps when we were cockier than we should have been in the 70s, that other teams never beat Wales, they just score more points than them. Well, it definitely seems as the reverse now applies: We only beat Fiji through luck and a bent ref. We should have beaten Portugal by much...

DeDoc

Willie Falloon wrote: ↑Tue Sep 19, 2023 8:48 pm
iarmhiman wrote: ↑Tue Sep 19, 2023 8:38 pm How many games did Paddy Johns win with Ireland?
More than you… & more than Auld ‘Turncoat Jean’.

22 wins and a draw in 59 tests. Fine player, but in lots of weak teams over his career.

DeDoc

Well said Zakar. The whole point about contracting the size of the tournament is ridiculous. What good will that do apart from funnel more funds to the old boys again in terms of the revenue ? All it does is perpetuate the inequalities that the T2's face. What needs to be addressed is the lack of T...

DeDoc

1 A big SA win (>15) will put them on 94.72 (1st) and us 88.77 (3rd). A smaller win will put them on 93.7 (1st) and us on 89.79 (3rd). A draw moves them to 91.7 (second) and us to 91.79 (1st). A small win for Ireland puts us on 93.79 (1st) and them on 89.7 (3rd). A big Ireland win puts us on 94.77 ...

DeDoc

1 Are you still #1 if you lose to the Boks? 1 A big SA win (>15) will put them on 94.72 (1st) and us 88.77 (3rd). A smaller win will put them on 93.7 (1st) and us on 89.79 (3rd). A draw moves them to 91.7 (second) and us to 91.79 (1st). A small win for Ireland puts us on 93.79 (1st) and them on 89....

DeDoc

Top 8 in the world right now are the old 5N plus the three traditional SH superpowers. Fiji and Argentina are competitive additions if you go deeper down the rankings, but Portugal are currently 16th. No disrepect to them, but teams of that calibre shouldn't be in a knockout IMO. They're closer in ...

DeDoc

All these idiots trying to over complicate stuff. 6 pools of 4 teams. Top 2 from each pool plus next best 4 go to a knockout round of 16 team playoff to qualify for Q-finals etc. DONE. Would be a terrible group stage and completely pointless. Exactly this. There isn't enough quality for a last 16, ...

DeDoc

Could be this: 6 pools of 4. First 2 each pool + 4 best 3rd placed go to 1/8 final. So we would have 16 teams playing 3 pool matches + 1/8 final. Pool A New Zealand Wales Uruguay Namibia Pool B South Africa England Romania USA Pool C Australia Italia Georgia Canada Pool D Ireland Fiji Portugal Chil...

DeDoc

The Scotland game was a dead-rubber, as Scotland were already on the plane home. So I'm not counting that as a competitive game. You're right on Ireland though. I'd blocked that out of my memory for some reason. That's two T1 wins in their recent history, one of which was a miracle and the other at...

DeDoc

Tonga have a decent enough team to put a €5 bet down if you have issues with gambling and can't just enjoy watching sport. I haven't gambled in years - was merely surprised at the level of favouritism. Thought it would be a lot closer. That may come down a bit if we name a largely second string tea...

DeDoc

Final score? TV saying 29-13, but world rugby saying 27-13. Personally though the conversion of last try was missed?

DeDoc

Former Auusie prop, Ben Darwin, was on the aotearoa podcast. He has some kind of analytics company that helps sports teams. He thinks Ireland will win it and said he's surprised not many people are tipping Ireland. It was an interesting listen. His company found that cohesion is more important than...

DeDoc

Anyone read the article in the Times about Cipriani over the last few days? He really comes across as a prize cock with an almighty chip on his shoulder He does Mind you, I'm surprised he has any cock left with the amount of shagging he claims he was doing. I'd hardly expect him to write that he wa...

DeDoc

Romania is the weakest team at the world cup. But you are right, Ireland are still a bit rusty. That being said, they must be done with the heavy physical work and must have started proper rugby since. Ireland by 40 with still some areas for improvement. Paddy Power calling the margin up at 60+.......

DeDoc

Can't quite figure out the backs for this one. I wonder do we play most/all of them to play with Sexton? Does Sexton start every game now? 40 or so v Romania, 50 odd against Tonga should be very doable. Yes, I'm pretty sure that will be the plan with Sexton and that they'll go with a sort of half-h...

DeDoc

Is there any politics thread for this stuff? Back to rugby, Hugo MacNeill has a bizarre take on things. https://www.planetrugby.com/news/european-rugby-as-weak-as-i-can-remember-it-former-ireland-and-lions-full-back What a load of shite When has European rugby ever had all the teams flying high? If...

DeDoc

Ireland by 22 after an error strewn performance Romania is the weakest team at the world cup. But you are right, Ireland are still a bit rusty. That being said, they must be done with the heavy physical work and must have started proper rugby since. Ireland by 40 with still some areas for improveme...

DeDoc

Scotland have an issue with us for sure - much as we had with them in the 90s. We're quite a bit better than them, but sooner or later they'll overcome that mental issue and could upset us. I don't expect it to be this world cup, but a few injuries, a red card etc..... That said, in any normal circu...

DeDoc

Ben Blaney? Too young - must be a cousin? Iirc the oldest Blaney brother was older than me, and I have friends with 18 year old kids. It’s not impossible. He was the eldest of the well known brothers. He played in Ireland schools side that played in NZ (versus Lomu et al) and would have had the lik...

DeDoc

How do you designate backs and forwards though? The primary issue is front five so you might be able to limit that to four but we have backs that are also forwards (not many, tbf) so what's stopping a team designating a forward as a back? I think you could make a rule that says four nominated forwa...

DeDoc

Against Romania I'd start Kilcoyne, Kelleher, Furlong McCarthy, Henderson Baird, Conan, vdF Murray, Sexton Earls, McCloskey, Aki, JOB Keenan Bench: Loughman, Herring, O'Toole, Beirne, POM, Casey, Crowley, Hansen I'd want to test Kilcoyne, Kelleher and Conan ASAP to see how fit they are. I'd give Fur...

DeDoc

Nakarawa, Finn Russell and James Lowe to add three to the list

DeDoc

I don't really get the Pivac hate Even if you treat his 6N victory as a fluke and look at his effort after that P19, W6 D1. 39% win record at home and 34.2% overall. Average (losing margin) of 4.8 points. He's run SA close twice, and beat them in SA. Beaten Australia, Scotland, Fiji and Argentina. O...

DeDoc

The draw can give a huge advantage. I swear the Boks had one tough game last tournament. The final against England. Ireland could have won that run of games . That and 2007 closest to “flukes”. Boks in 2019 beat 3 teams that Ireland failed to beat that year - Japan, Wales and England, all of whom t...

DeDoc

I'm running one of these at work, and am prepared to do the same here if there is interest. The basic idea is as follows: Predict the winning margin in each game. Prizes for the most accurate predictors over the course of the RWC - number of prizes dependent on the number of entrants. Additionally a...

DeDoc

++1 that’s my reaction as well Absolutely appalling WR allowed this to slide :frown: Viewing the footage, I don’t see a sudden change of direction or any movement that mitigates the tackle, it looks like he just lines him up for the hit. Correct. And his right arm is tucked the whole time with no a...

DeDoc

camroc1 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 1:05 pm Danny Care called up for England.

He must have played for England with Borthwick !

Indeed - just looked it up and they played 18 games together for England between 2008 and 2010

DeDoc

CM11 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 10:03 am Ah that's shit for France. Wouldn't wish it on any team.

Remind me who their second choice is?

Jalibert, who is arguably a better player, albeit doesn't have the day to day connection with Dupont.
No idea who is further down the list, so that might come to bite them.
Baille out for 6 weeks too

DeDoc

FFS, what's with all the Mockers lads? And this from one who summons them every fortnight. No side bar NZ comes into this in a rich vein of form and those that have their major game first need to get up to speed now . We don't. 10 games in a row including a series win in NZ and a Grand Slam? Decent...

DeDoc

Farrell, Lawes, Itoje are all world class imo. George, Curry, Vunipola, Watson, and Tuilagi are all capable of world class performances at their best, haven't seen enough of them recently to accurately judge. Ford too but he seems to be out of favour for reasons beyond my comprehension - have seen ...

DeDoc

If world class is not world’s best, how do we judge the England squad. If you chose the best four players in each position- how many England players would get a game? What would be the consensus of who the best English 15 come world cup (i.e. assume no injuries etc) start? Something like the follow...

DeDoc

I have always taken world class as if you were selecting a world team who would be in the conversation as a contender. (Even if they do.not make the team if there is a stunning player elsewhere). Yeah, I think that is a pretty reasonable definition. A variation might be if you were putting out two ...

DeDoc

Nash won't be travelling ahead of Stockdale. He'll be doing well to get in ahead of Conway. Nash for me was Munster's player of the season. He's edged Daly out of the squad and that's not nothing given he's not been in bad form himself and it's often harder to get out of the squad than in. I always...

DeDoc

Lads anyone have any experience of emailing (or otherwise in writing) contacting Revenue to seek clarification on a specific tax question? I'm looking for clarification on a particular exemption/clause, and don't want to just rely on a conversation on the phone (they provide phone numbers for releva...

DeDoc

I had an idea last night while asleep. Call it a dream or a vision, but it made me laugh when I remembered it this morning when I woke up. It was probably prompted by own (very minor and trivial) encounter with some of the local pre-teen wildlife in my area. In the dream, everytime one of these kids...

DeDoc

Nice little look at the main selection headaches for the RWC squad. Of the 12 into 5 mentioned I would argue that Baird and JOB are both also fairly certain so that's more like 10 into 3 (11 if you count Conway). Some tough calls there. Of those remaining if I had to guess I would say they might ne...

DeDoc

Maybe, but hosting Trophy costs money and is unlikely to attract a crowd or generate TV broadcasting revenue. So no Tier 1 union will ever be interested in hosting it and World Rugby has made it clear in the last few years that they are cutting what they consider to be unnecessary expenditure, so t...

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