Rugby World Cup

[thebish]

OK - so it has crept up and is nearly upon us!

England kick off against Argentina on Saturday (ITV 9:30AM - which will seem a very odd time to watch rugby!!)

England pool games: (all on ITV)

Sat. 10th 9:30am vs Argentina
Sun. 18th 7am vs Georgia
Sat. 24th 7am vs Romania
Sat 1st Oct 8:30am vs Scotland

runners up last time, winners the time before - not so confident this time!! (mind you - I was staggered we got to the final last time!)

[Bruce Rioja]

Someone was on tele the other day claiming it to be "the third biggest sporting event in the world". I'm not having that.

[thebish]

Someone was on tele the other day claiming it to be "the third biggest sporting event in the world". I'm not having that.

not sure how you'd measure it - beyond the olympics and the football world cup - probably anything to do with Indian cricket gets more viewers - probably the Ryder cup too - and Wimbledon fortnight - then there's the Peace Cup (which we won!)

[Lofthouse Lower]

When does it finish?

[Bruce Rioja]

When does it finish?

When they sound the trumpet. (or is that the other lot?)

[jaffka]

France are my sneaky bet

[Prufrock]

FA Cup is probably a bigger event. Superbowl (for some reason) definitely is.

Anyway, my quiet country local is showing all the games live! At daft o'pissing clock. It'll be RAMMED.

[thebish]

FA Cup is probably a bigger event. Superbowl (for some reason) definitely is.

Anyway, my quiet country local is showing all the games live! At daft o'pissing clock. It'll be RAMMED.

depends how you describe "big" - and there are several possibilities... Superbowl (at most) involves only 2 countries (if Canada are also represented - are they?)

[Prufrock]

I suppose being raised in the Sky generation has conditioned me to assume when talking about sports that 'biggest' means 'can be exploited for the most dollah'.

[jaffka]

Many tired days are coming up due to this tournament, I love it.

[Annoyed Grunt]

Not overly arsed about it, personally. May watch a game though.

[TANGODANCER]

Argentina may be no pushovers. Last time out we beat them but they're much improved these days.

[Bruce Rioja]

Argentina may be no pushovers.

Clearly not the football World Cup then?!

[Montreal Wanderer]

FA Cup is probably a bigger event. Superbowl (for some reason) definitely is.

Anyway, my quiet country local is showing all the games live! At daft o'pissing clock. It'll be RAMMED.

depends how you describe "big" - and there are several possibilities... Superbowl (at most) involves only 2 countries (if Canada are also represented - are they?)

We have no teams in the NFL but I'd guess viewership here and worldwide is quite high. seems to me a silly claim anyway.

[Bruce Rioja]

We have no teams in the NFL but I'd guess viewership here and worldwide is quite high.

Go on?

[Lord Kangana]

Beyond the broad appeal of the Football World Cup (as a single sport) and The Olympics (as a panoply of sports), the rest are just minority sports with spikes for finals and the like.

I'd put the Super Bowl (as NFL's showpiece event) as an equivalent to The Champions and their rich mates League final. Which isn't football's highest pinnacle.

[jaffka]

Argentina may be no pushovers. Last time out we beat them but they're much improved these days.

Got to disagree, Argentina are a team in decline.

They have some great players but ageing and will certainly not be the force they were in the last 2 world cups. I expect England and then Scotland to qualify from their group.

[TANGODANCER]

Argentina may be no pushovers. Last time out we beat them but they're much improved these days.

Got to disagree, Argentina are a team in decline.

They have some great players but ageing and will certainly not be the force they were in the last 2 world cups. I expect England and then Scotland to qualify from their group.

Hope you're right, but we shall no doubt soon see.

[thebish]

Argentina may be no pushovers. Last time out we beat them but they're much improved these days.

Got to disagree, Argentina are a team in decline.

They have some great players but ageing and will certainly not be the force they were in the last 2 world cups. I expect England and then Scotland to qualify from their group.

Hope you're right, but we shall no doubt soon see.

wales brushed them off quite easily the other week...

[thebish]

Will Greenwood reckons we'll get to the final and be runners up again..

I can only say he must have seen summat in recent performances I haven't seen!

England will contest this year's World Cup final with New Zealand, according to Will Greenwood, who says Martin Johnson's team are in the perfect position to progress to the last stage of the competition.