Rugby World Cup

[malk]

Anyone else going to be taking an interest? Sizing up to be one for the ages!

[karhu]

Not an informed interest--I last played almost 20 years ago and spent most of that time trying to learn on the fly while keeping up with a bunch of Irish guys--but I'll try to find time to watch a few matches. My brain's pretty ignorant, but my heart's leaning toward Ireland, Cymru, Tonga, and Fiji.

[malk]

Not an informed interest--I last played almost 20 years ago and spent most of that time trying to learn on the fly while keeping up with a bunch of Irish guys--but I'll try to find time to watch a few matches. My brain's pretty ignorant, but my heart's leaning toward Ireland, Cymru, Tonga, and Fiji.

Always nice to see the island nations do well, e.g. Fiji beat England in one of the (fully competitive) warm up games. They produce an amazing amount of talent for their size, especially considering lots move to New Zealand. Fortunately they're changed the laws so players who don't make it after trying residency elsewhere can go back to play for their original nation.

[karhu]

Not an informed interest--I last played almost 20 years ago and spent most of that time trying to learn on the fly while keeping up with a bunch of Irish guys--but I'll try to find time to watch a few matches. My brain's pretty ignorant, but my heart's leaning toward Ireland, Cymru, Tonga, and Fiji.

Always nice to see the island nations do well, e.g. Fiji beat England in one of the (fully competitive) warm up games. They produce an amazing amount of talent for their size, especially considering lots move to New Zealand. Fortunately they're changed the laws so players who don't make it after trying residency elsewhere can go back to play for their original nation.

Wowza--they were barred just for establishing residency in another country? Legacy colonial thinking, maybe? Other sports are far more relaxed: seems like every time there's a big international basketball tournament you hear about a guy who's playing for Canada because his dad went to a Rush concert or somesuch.

[karhu]

And shit, I've got Wales-Fiji and Ireland-Tonga in the next week. Big test for my half-arbitrary allegiances.

[malk]

Always nice to see the island nations do well, e.g. Fiji beat England in one of the (fully competitive) warm up games. They produce an amazing amount of talent for their size, especially considering lots move to New Zealand. Fortunately they're changed the laws so players who don't make it after trying residency elsewhere can go back to play for their original nation.

Wowza--they were barred just for establishing residency in another country? Legacy colonial thinking, maybe? Other sports are far more relaxed: seems like every time there's a big international basketball tournament you hear about a guy who's playing for Canada because his dad went to a Rush concert or somesuch.

Sorry, I've explained that really poorly! They've allowed players who played for another country but haven't had a match in 3 years, to play for another team they're eligible for, as a one time deal. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... onal-teams

As a small sport it's useful to help the competitiveness of the tier 2 nations, if somewhat controversial!

[karhu]

Damn, missed most of what looked like an absolute war between Wales and Fiji. I think Peacock might have replays in the States FWIW.

[dplank]

Ireland beating New Zealand at Soldier Field was one of the coolest sports events I've attended. I love Rugby.

[karhu]

Wowza--they were barred just for establishing residency in another country? Legacy colonial thinking, maybe? Other sports are far more relaxed: seems like every time there's a big international basketball tournament you hear about a guy who's playing for Canada because his dad went to a Rush concert or somesuch.

Sorry, I've explained that really poorly! They've allowed players who played for another country but haven't had a match in 3 years, to play for another team they're eligible for, as a one time deal. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... onal-teams

As a small sport it's useful to help the competitiveness of the tier 2 nations, if somewhat controversial!

Ah, gotcha. I can see both sides, but yeah: some Chicago suburbs have populations larger than Tonga's.

[karhu]

Question for malk or anyone else who might know. Early in the Ireland-Tonga game, Tonga muffed a long kick and an Ireland player seemed to have been called for a penalty when he passed the ball while scooping it off the turf. What's the rule there? Or did I just misinterpret the whole thing?

[Edit: Since it went forward, was it technically a knock-on by Tonga?]

Fun game. Ireland's just a machine, and much bigger, but Tonga keeps throwing spanners in the works. The Bears should sign Tadgh Beirne (or Joe McCarthy? #4 with the blue headgear) strictly for 4th-down duties: he did the Philly shove one better by pulling roughly 100 tons of humanity five yards or so for a try. [Yeah, I know that's nothing but a series of exaggerations, but I'm impressed with the leverage and power he gets for such a tall guy, and he looks like an older dude.]

[dplank]

I still struggle with the rules. There was a play in the Fiji Australia match that confused me too, the ball went OOB and the Aussie guy ran over and grabbed it from the ref, tossed it in immediately before Fiji was ready, and in they went for an untouched try. Seemed really odd and I couldn't figure out how they did it.

[karhu]

Ireland-RSA is a barnburner through 27 minutes or so. Amazing stand by Ireland's defense (necessitated, yes, by some iffy tackling). Still don't know exactly what penalty was called that kept them from a try, but I guess that's just a testament to this matchup: you don't need to know the game inside-out to know that these are two hugely talented sides.

[karhu]

Snooped around at halftime to see if actual rugby fans are enjoying the Ireland match as much as I am, and yep--instant classic.

Also learned that my comments about Tadhg Beirne were roughly equivalent to "You know, that Travis Kelce fellow's really quite good."

[karhu]

This is such a good match, even the ref is magnificent. Seems to have everyone's respect, explains all his decisions, helps guys avoid innocent lineup penalties and such. If NFL refs were mic'ed up like this, it'd be hilarious. And depressing. Hilaripressing.

[karhu]

Holy shit, Ireland did it! Ferociously tense right down the last second. If you can catch a replay, you should.

[dplank]

4 matches this weekend - Ireland vs All Blacks is certainly the highlight. But all look like good games

[malk]

I still struggle with the rules. There was a play in the Fiji Australia match that confused me too, the ball went OOB and the Aussie guy ran over and grabbed it from the ref, tossed it in immediately before Fiji was ready, and in they went for an untouched try. Seemed really odd and I couldn't figure out how they did it.

If I recall that was a combination of a 50-22 and a quick line out. 50-22 is where if you kick the ball from your own half and it bounces at least one before going out in their 22 (the area behind the 22 yard line) you get the ball back for the line out. A quick line out is an opportunity to throw in quickly before the line is "marked" with two defenders lined up to defend it. Rare quick thinking from the Aussies in this tournament!

[malk]

4 matches this weekend - Ireland vs All Blacks is certainly the highlight. But all look like good games

France vs South Africa will be huge as well. That game and the Ireland vs All Blacks ones should be the semi finals really.

I'm so stressed about it lol. Ireland have never made it to a World Cup semi final before so our game is massive. My average heart rate in our game with South Africa was about 180 sitting on my arse having a beer so Christ knows what it will be like in a knockout game!

[karhu]

4 matches this weekend - Ireland vs All Blacks is certainly the highlight. But all look like good games

France vs South Africa will be huge as well. That game and the Ireland vs All Blacks ones should be the semi finals really.

Yeah, that seems to be the only downside here.

I'm for Ireland, Fiji, and Cymru (my first coach was Welsh). But for anyone who's on the fence, a friend in Dublin just sent this along:

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Anyone else going to be taking an interest? Sizing up to be one for the ages!

Keeping an eye on it, looking like a bit of a classic

[dplank]

11am match 1, 3pm (EST) match 2. It’s on Peacock or NBC sports I think. If anyone has ever been slightly interested in checking out rugby, I can’t recommend enough watching match 2, NZ vs Ireland.

Sorry Malk but I’m for the All Blacks today, they were great customers of mine for years and I still have friends there. Ireland dicked me around years crying poor.

[dplank]

What a finish! NZ escapes

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Down to England now

[karhu]

Down to England now

I was going to write some smart-aleck post about how the Northern Hemisphere has it so tough...and then I saw that we in the lands of the proper-swirling toilet bowls have won this thing exactly once.

So. Please forgive me, England, for backing Fiji! It's probably unfashionable to say so, but Richmond is very nice. Reigate is exactly what everyone said it was, but I'll take my sons on pub walk in and around Dorking when they're old enough to drink there (14, right?) I don't need a translator to understand Joe Gilgun. There. Now that all's forgiven, go out and win one for the underdogs!

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

I don’t know karhu, I like rugby but I’m no expert. I can remember England winning it 20 years ago in Australia.

My family are Celtic in origin, my parents grandparents came to England 120+ years ago looking for work - Mum (Ireland) Dad (Wales).

Gives me plenty of options for support.

[malk]

What a finish! NZ escapes

Yeah, I didn't take that well. Doesn't help that the ref, Wayne Barnes, is well known to Ireland fans...

[karhu]

What a finish! NZ escapes

Yeah, I didn't take that well. Doesn't help that the ref, Wayne Barnes, is well known to Ireland fans...

Shit, even I had questions about that guy. The refs impressed me throughout the tournament for their decisiveness, even-handedness, and clarity. They really seemed to be serving the game. Barnes was completely different; something was off. Same vibe Bears and Bulls fans are used to from Tony Corrente and Steve Javie.

[dplank]

Yeah, I didn't take that well. Doesn't help that the ref, Wayne Barnes, is well known to Ireland fans...

Shit, even I had questions about that guy. The refs impressed me throughout the tournament for their decisiveness, even-handedness, and clarity. They really seemed to be serving the game. Barnes was completely different; something was off. Same vibe Bears and Bulls fans are used to from Tony Corrente and Steve Javie.

I have argued for years that the NFL needs to model their rules and officiating after Rugby

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Ok so England will need to beat South Africa followed by the All Blacks.

Would be a tremendous achievement for the lads

[dplank]

What a match, sorry to my friends across the pond that was a tough loss.

NZ - SA Final should be a burner