Rugby World Cup 2023 in France

[Wowbagger]

And the technicians are fast asleep as well. They just showed the final score with the title "half-time".

[Jaded]

Ooh, Fiji 

[Peter]

There's a new word: "recognisation".

Is the Saffer pundit Bryan Habana?  I bet it was he who came up with "recognisation".  That opinion is based on a cracker he came up with later - such a cracker that I can't remember it at the moment - it fused my bryan.

In other news, I thought Fiji, whose rugby is far superior to that of Wales, were very lucky to get away with a neck tackle that didn't even get a yellow, never mind a red.  But generally, I agree with the earlier comments on the good standard of refereeing.  almost as good as rugby league, which is, admittedly, a much easier game to referee.

[Nuncio]

If anyone's near Llandyssul can they let Basil know he can come out from behind the sofa now.

[Basil]

Thanks Nuncio. 

[Wowbagger]

If that was Semi Radadra, how much better would Fiji be if they had a whole one?

[Peter]

He's called semi after the truck ...

[Wowbagger]

According to Wiki, Semi is part of his full name, not a nickname. Up to googling him, I'd never heard of a "semi-trailer", although that is his nickname apparently.

[Peter]

I was just making stuff up, Wow.  I didn't know about the half-name or the nickname.  I don't know how it's pronounced in his case (I watch with the sound off) but the truck is pronounced "sem-eye", as you might expect!

[Wowbagger]

The problem is that I am a bear of little brain and don't know any of this stuff. So I can't tell from the body language of your facetious posts whether or not you are being serious.

[Peter]

You're not alone, Wow.  Often 'tis I who miscue and not the reader!  But I mean well (usually)!

[Steph]

I watched it in my local pub, a family from Mon-with-a-circumflex, heading for the airport, joining me. We confused some Spanish travellers with our conversation...

That was a thriller. We may have become a little vocal at the final knock-on.

I was actually touched by the way both teams came together after it ended.

[T42]

There's a new word: "recognisation".

Uh-oh. That's so plausible it'll replace recognition before long. In the media, stoopid always wins.

[Mr Larrington]

In addition to Aussies, French, Italians and a solitary English we also have a Seth Efrican here in Battle Mountain, albeit one that lives in Denver.  I have to be polite to him, though, coz he's going to let me ride shotgun in his Shelby Mustang GT 500 this evening.

[T42]

Any last words?

[Mr Larrington]

Rained off.  Will try again this morning.

[Steph]

Last night I went onto catch-up to watch the Ireland-Romania match. Saving France-NZ for tonight.

Given the scoreline, I was expecting to see a re-run of that first Italian appearance in the WC, when John Kirwan slaughtered them almost by himself*, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that Romania were actually playing quite well. I assume that is a side-effect of so many players now under contract abroad, as with the Georgians. There has been a lot of discussion over the years about the 'meaninglessness' of 'minor countries' coming to the WC, and that is surely what it is about. 'Minnows' get a chance at an amazing experience, even if it involves being flattened by the Irish pack.

I will be honest, though, in saying that I somehow don't anticipate Portugal being in the next game for us.

*Yes, I know, but to those who don't understand the importance of forwards, he looked like it was all his own work.

[fd3]

Well, yeah. Clearly union is a better sport for people who have played it and makes less sense to people who are just spectators.
Hence why League, indeed.

[ElyDave]

League is tedious to watch, two flat lines of blokes running into each other until someone breaks, and scrums where they just lean on each other whilst stood up

[Peter]

People, opinions are fine but I think it's quite possible to appreciate both codes and the people who play them.  You'll never catch me complaining that League players don't argue with the ref, or wear shorts that are too tight, or that Union players have hugely silly beards and have usually been South Africans at some stage.  Have to say that I do like the attempts by the Union authorities to speed the game up, partly or maybe even wholly influenced by the time Sexton and Farrell take over kicking.  I'd also like to see a drop goal worth more than a penalty.  And I also have a more bizarre suggestion which is only partly tongue-in-cheek:  the basic premise of Rugby (of either code) is to get the ball across your opponents' line.  So, it doesn't matter how many points you kick, if the other team scored a try and you didn't, they win!

I will be coming up with more ideas later and would like to see others' ideas ...!

[ElyDave]

People, opinions are fine but I think it's quite possible to appreciate both codes and the people who play them.  You'll never catch me complaining that League players don't argue with the ref, or wear shorts that are too tight, or that Union players have hugely silly beards and have usually been South Africans at some stage.  Have to say that I do like the attempts by the Union authorities to speed the game up, partly or maybe even wholly influenced by the time Sexton and Farrell take over kicking.  I'd also like to see a drop goal worth more than a penalty.  And I also have a more bizarre suggestion which is only partly tongue-in-cheek:  the basic premise of Rugby (of either code) is to get the ball across your opponents' line.  So, it doesn't matter how many points you kick, if the other team scored a try and you didn't, they win!

I will be coming up with more ideas later and would like to see others' ideas ...!

Tries have been subject to ever increasing inflation in points of course, from the original meaning that it earned you a try at goal, and it was only goals and penalty goals that counted. I successfully won the sweepstake as a young pso when I went to watch SA vs England when the points per try first went up to 5.

And it seems you don't like the rugby league premise that the one point drop goal can win the tight match?

[Wowbagger]

I deprecate this modern fashion for referring to a "drop goal". It's a dropped goal. "Barry John dropped a goal."

Edit: I have to refer to the D. Telegraph to prove my point, but...

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2023/09/11/england-drop-goal-rugby-world-cup-fashion-george-ford/ headline.

[Peter]

And it seems you don't like the rugby league premise that the one point drop goal can win the tight match?

Not quite sure how you get that.  As things stand I haven't got any problem with that - but a one-point dropped goal can only win a tight match if the scores are level.  In Union a current 3 point dropped goal can win a tight match when you are behind.  My point was that a dropped goal is much harder to achieve than most penalties and is worthy of more points.

Wow - 3 dropped goals for you there.  9 points at the current rate!

[Wowbagger]

That’s better!

[Steph]

Uruguay: another 'minnow' that came to play!