The match that England played against Samoa wasn't very good even though they won it wasn't good. The samoans broke through the English defence too easily.
16th man dispute has been resolved with a slap on the wrist: England fined over error Right. Lets get back to playing rugby...
A lot to ask of them, but Bugger all the same. France ease past spirited USA Action as it happened Ho Hum.... Never mind Dad, we'll get 'em for you in the Semi's [Edit] Current Pool Results: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/groups/default.stm So - here it goes with GOO's crystal rugby ball: Quarter Finals: New Zeland V South Africa, New Zeland to win Austrailia V Scotland, Australia to win (There is a slim chance that Fiji may make it though rather than Scotland, but the result will be the same.) France V Ireland, France to win England V Wales, England to win Semi Finals: New Zeland V Australia, New Zeland to win England V France, England to win Final: England V New Zeland, England to win (But it'll be close)
:/ Oh well. I actually saw part of it on Satellite. Didn't understand anything that I was watching... Did give it shot though. Maybe I'll tune into another game... Edit:: I was looking at that site and found the rules for the game. I think I understand it a bit more now! I wasn't exactly sure how points were awarded, now I get it Lets see... Uh... A try(?) is 5 points and you get to go for a conversion for an additional 2 points - right? Now, to score a try, you have to ground the ball in between the try line and the <somthing> line, kind of like the endzone in the NFL... The conversion is tried from anywhere behind where the try was scored - is that esentially a free shot like an extra point in the NFL? Okay, now there's a "penalty" which I'm not 100% sure I understand. If the other team makes a penalty, you have the option to try to kick a (field goal) for 3 points? However, if you're too far away, you can kick for field position? Is that correct? Now, there's that running kick thing which throws me. You have to drop the ball, let it hit the ground and kick it when it's bouncing back up for 3 points?
Most of us play it as 'get the funny shaped ball on the ground past that line and beat up anyone who tries to stop you.' *n
That all sounds about right, there are penalty tries aswell, bascially this is where a team stops the opponent from scoring a try by blatant cheating. The scoring in Rugby is pretty simple once you get the hang of it Its all the things you can't do which make it har to follow for the new viewer, such as hands in the ruck, offside, knock on's etc etc etc. You've certainlty made a good start though. JB
Eh, I'll get the hang of it eventually. The World Cup is on Dish Network, so I can watch the matches if they are at a decent hour for me What I really need is a rugby fan to sit next to me while watching a game and explain what's going on. That's how I learned football (NFL) and baseball when I was a wee-tot...
you can also take a penalty quickly (basically a penalty has to be kicked so the player just kicks it a little bit in the air catches it again then legs it) other than that you seem to just about have a hang of it
Just watched NZ vs Wales. Wales played brilliantly and were even 1 point up at one stage. A real cliffhanger edge-of-seat stuff! NZ only really surged ahead in the last 15min or so. Highest score by Wales against All Blacks ever. NZ 53-37 Wales. Both teams played 100% running game. Very little kicking for touch. Best rugby I've seen yet in the cup. The All Blacks have had all easy games to this point - meaning loads of practice in the attack (and when they attack - whoah!) but little in defence and it showed - defence was good but a bit lacking. I go to sleep a happy man (I support the All Blacks being a born & raised NZ'er transplanted to the land of the Kangaroo ) This means NZ vs South Africa and Wales vs England for the quarter finals.
YEah watched the game my self and as a england fan i was quite quite happy as wales defence isnt half what ours is (tho i still expect NZ to score alot) but the were four or five occasions where more speedy backs would have got away form NZ and scored. also we wont tire in the last 15 like wales did all we have to do is beat bloody france (i expect to beat wales and france but the french are much more likley to cause problems)
England v Wales: Well - that wasn't a stellar performance, was it? OK, we won - but TBH I didn't think we where going at half time. I'm a little worried about the idea of Healy being included in the team as well.... Ah well. Onwards an upwards. [ScaryEmperorVoice] Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen.... [/ScaryEmperorVoice]
True. And it'll be a better squad than last time with Lewsey, Balshaw & (Hopefully) Hill back in the starting XV. I do hope they don't put Healy in the squad. Bloody prima-donna...
