Other stuff

[ripper868]

This opening ceremony is definitely french.

 

[BoyBrumby]

This opening ceremony is definitely french.

I missed it but presume it included swarthy men in berets and stripey shirts brandishing white flags, smelly cheese and baguettes whilst smoking Gitanes and pissing in public? That kinda thing?

 

[ripper868]

I missed it but presume it included swarthy men in berets and stripey shirts brandishing white flags, smelly cheese and baguettes whilst smoking Gitanes and pissing in public? That kinda thing?

Many baguettes being delivered, circus atmosphere, twirling, twirling, a floating beret and an Eiffel tower and it went on about 10 minutes more than it needed to.

Probably not worth a watch on catch up tbf.

 

[CarlsbergXpress]

Definitely not worth a watch on catch up tbf.

Fixed

 

[Furball]

The anthems were ****ing terrible as well. La Marseillaise is 2nd only to Italy's anthem IMO and they absolutely ****ed it.

 

[ripper868]

Yeah the accapella anthem thing is just...not it.

The Italian one just now, which is a great anthem, just wasn't.

 

[Furball]

Really like Ireland's kit.

 

[Ali TT]

Yeah the accapella anthem thing is just...not it.

The Italian one just now, which is a great anthem, just wasn't.

‘Abomination’ – calls for change after Rugby World Cup anthems butchered

Social media has been awash with criticism for the Rugby World Cup national anthems following the matches involving Italy and hosts France.

www.planetrugby.com

It's nice they got kids choirs to sing them, albeit recorded, but it's wrecking the power and passion these anthems provide.

 

[Molehill]

‘Abomination’ – calls for change after Rugby World Cup anthems butchered

Social media has been awash with criticism for the Rugby World Cup national anthems following the matches involving Italy and hosts France.

www.planetrugby.com

It's nice they got kids choirs to sing them, albeit recorded, but it's wrecking the power and passion these anthems provide.

Speaking as someone from a country with a naff anthem, it's at least kind of leveled the passion playing field!!

 

[Molehill]

Before the weekend, the rankings had:

6 Argentina
7 Fiji
8 England
9 Australia
10 Wales

Now its

6 England
7 Australia
8 Wales
9 Fiji
10 Argentina

Losing/Winnings by 15 points or more in a World Cup game creates big changes. Scotland are barely above England now and will probably be below by the end of the group stages.

World Rugby Rankings calculator (rawling.github.io)

 

[Uppercut]

I'm falling into YouTube rabbit holes on why the Ireland attack is so effective. I sometimes get a bit obsessed with sports teams that do something new and special - the Guardiola Barca team and the Klopp Dortmund team in football, the Bazball England team. But I think this is the first time it's happened with a team I already supported.

Once it's pointed out that they're structuring plays to send the entire defence to the wrong side of the ruck you see it all the time and it's beautiful.

 

[ripper868]

In good news, it seems the choir anthems are being scrapped for the 2nd round of matches.

 

[Bahnz]

One thing I will say for this World Cup is it looks like the scheduling has been dramatically improved from previous installments. I can't see any obvious instances of the 4-day turnarounds that plagued previous installments. In fact, I'm struggling to find any 5 day turnarounds - even for the true minnows. Good stuff.

 

[Molehill]

One thing I will say for this World Cup is it looks like the scheduling has been dramatically improved from previous installments. I can't see any obvious instances of the 4-day turnarounds that plagued previous installments. In fact, I'm struggling to find any 5 day turnarounds - even for the true minnows. Good stuff.

The only issue with this is that we have a 53 day World Cup, that's just too long. I think there's one too many teams in each pool who are just whipping boys. Lose that game and you get rid of the rather daft week off that all teams are getting.

 

[Uppercut]

Slowing the tournament down is a good thing on balance IMO. Makes injuries less decisive. 4 team groups with a week’s break before the knockouts might be the way to go.

 

[Molehill]

Slowing the tournament down is a good thing on balance IMO. Makes injuries less decisive. 4 team groups with a week’s break before the knockouts might be the way to go.

Not sure, injuries in rugby normally seem to take more than a month to resolve. 3 hookers injured in the last week who are all out of the tournament. Don't see how a week's break really helps other than allow the public to lose interest.

I think they need to find a schedule that allows a game every day and doesn't have weekends (like this one) with a load of one sided matches.

 

[Uppercut]

That's just because in a World Cup those are the only injuries the players don't push themselves through. But you often end up with poor quality rugby in the knockouts where at least one side is clearly too banged up to do themselves justice.

 

[GotSpin]

Not sure, injuries in rugby normally seem to take more than a month to resolve. 3 hookers injured in the last week who are all out of the tournament. Don't see how a week's break really helps other than allow the public to lose interest.

I think they need to find a schedule that allows a game every day and doesn't have weekends (like this one) with a load of one sided matches.

Think it would be ideal to have matches across thursday friday saturday sunday right?

 

[Molehill]

Think it would be ideal to have matches across thursday friday saturday sunday right?

They seem to have got that - but looking at last week, Thurs and Fri were both one sided affairs.

The coming weekend does have at least 3 decent games.

What's clear though is that the dop off in the rankings when you go below about 16 is quite stark. Cricket chose to remove those sides from its World Cup. I'm still not sure which is the right way to go.

 

[Niall]

The only issue with this is that we have a 53 day World Cup, that's just too long. I think there's one too many teams in each pool who are just whipping boys. Lose that game and you get rid of the rather daft week off that all teams are getting.

Its not perfect but getting rid of more minnows?