Originally Posted by SkizaWWE
GO ARGENTINA!!
CHEERLEADERS ROCK!!!
After last night's game, i have to rate McAlister as one of the best attacking centres in the southern hemisphere. I was hoping for an All Black win, but France just came out lucky. Clearly it wasn't the best team that won, looking at the stats and it was a huge difference. New Zealand just wasn't having a good day with the injuries to Carter and Evans. If Argentina gets kicked out tonight, then i'm gonna be a neutral supporter in this world cup finals.
Leave me alone, im delusional at the moment...first the French blow up the Rainbow Warrior and now this
plus the Spirit, plus the Wallabies.
However, i hope that Scotland do well but im a fan of the underdog...and though i would class Scotland as an underdog too, GO ARGENTINA
It ain't all bad!
Stuff.co.nz | Sunday, 7 October 2007
Ten reasons why the All Blacks' 20-18 loss to France in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals ain't that bad....
Richie McCaw's freshly cut hair put in a great performance.
They only won by two points.
Only one person lost $A5 million ($NZ5.89 million) by betting on us winning.
France could still lose the final.
We could have lost to Georgia.
Blue will never look as cool as black on a uniform.
What doesn't kill us can only make us stronger.
If it wasn't for the ref, it would have been different.
You can still drink your beer stockpile on New Year's Eve.
The French have never won an Oscar for best picture.
Sure these reasons are petty but still......
I only saw the replay this morning on Fox and then only from about the 25min mark of the 1st half.
I must say I thought he was a tosser in the Tri-Nations game he did earlier this year, but he did seem to have a pretty good game in this one. He must be right up there in the rankings to have been given this match. I shall now change my opinion about him. He was very clear with his verbal communication to the players and very clear and concise with his decisions.
And, as for that apparent forward pass: yes it was forward; and no, I don't think any other ref would have called it forward either. If you look at the lead-up, it was a break out and the ref (and any other ref, with the possible exception of Marion Jones) was caught a bit unawares.
And, now for the good news for Aus and Kiwi supporters: our refs are now eligible to ref the final! At this stage Barnes is not, but he shall qualify after the France/England match next weekend.
Comments on the refereeing generally: I note with interest that there is a bit of a push to introduce an offside line at the tackle that runs across the width of the field - at this stage it is only near the tackle and relates to those who wish to enter the tackle area (ie "through the gate"). Some of these things that start as a tackle and then turn into a ruck don't really stay a ruck for very long. But the refs are still pushing the non-participants behind the hindmost feet. I don't reckon they can do this in the strict interpretation of the ruck law but I also don't think any player will test my theory in this tournament. Dan Vickerman being a case in point - although he was a bit too close to the tackle/ruck thing to have tried that brain explosion...
Ecky - thanks for your excellent & impartial (obviously) comments on refereeing and all things in the world of officialdom.
Why is everyone so shocked
I know the AB's were the favorites to win (according to whoever!!), but why. I always knew that the French would defeat them.
The AB's didn't look dangerous in any of their games.
I'm backing France to lift the cup
"Remember lads, rugby is a team game; all 14 of you make sure you pass the ball to ..........."
i agree why are the kiwis shocked,to lose by 2 points with 70% poss and 63% territory its a bit rich to solely blame the ref.going by the match stats they should have been ahead by plenty if-a)they had a centre(third world cup game theyve blown by playing a fullback at centre)
b>had ever played a game together(none of the backs knew what each other was going to do).
c>resting and rotating players is a joke, theyre rugby players fulltime pros they should be getting better with match play. not everyone needs arun this is international rugby not social rugby
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
