RWC 2023

[Worthy4England]

Good start by France.

Today looks like three pretty straight ones to call for Italy, Ireland and Oz....then there's England v the Argies, which I'm not at all confident about. Struggling to see many redeeming points for England at the moment, something seems to be amiss by some distance...

[TANGODANCER]

Aye, not at all confident right now. Love to be wrong.

[Worthy4England]

Aye, not at all confident right now. Love to be wrong.

We know it ain't great when you're not optimistic, mate

Decent show by Italy and Ireland so far..

[Prufrock]

Going to be a sevens game soon, this.

[Harry Genshaw]

So for the novice here - how come ours was a red and theirs wasn't? Both seemed to have an element of accidental contact

[Worthy4England]

Yeah. I'm wondering when England will get the memo about upright tackles. Less than three fcking minutes...

[Worthy4England]

So for the novice here - how come ours was a red and theirs wasn't? Both seemed to have an element of accidental contact

Over complicated, because if you look at the two, Carreras looked more out of control than Curry. Difference was Carreras contacted a couple of other places prior to the yed.

[Harry Genshaw]

So for the novice here - how come ours was a red and theirs wasn't? Both seemed to have an element of accidental contact

Over complicated, because if you look at the two, Carreras looked more out of control than Curry. Difference was Carreras contacted a couple of other places prior to the yed.

Cheers. To the non rugby fan, if anything the Argy challenge looked to have more intent.

[Worthy4England]

So for the novice here - how come ours was a red and theirs wasn't? Both seemed to have an element of accidental contact

Over complicated, because if you look at the two, Carreras looked more out of control than Curry. Difference was Carreras contacted a couple of other places prior to the yed.

Cheers. To the non rugby fan, if anything the Argy challenge looked to have more intent.

I agree, but all the focus currently is on head contact. For me, it was two reds because the Argy was reckless.

[Prufrock]

I get they're trying to do something about concussions and head injuries, but you've taken a wrong turn if a genuine but clumsy attempted tackle that results in a head knock is a red, but an awful reckless no attempt to play the ball or make a tackle, throw your him into someone's shoulders and neck is deemed not as bad.

[Prufrock]

Always assumed as a non fan that there must be a good reason they don't go for drop goals all the time.

Maybe I was right.

[Worthy4England]

I get they're trying to do something about concussions and head injuries, but you've taken a wrong turn if a genuine but clumsy attempted tackle that results in a head knock is a red, but an awful reckless no attempt to play the ball or make a tackle, throw your him into someone's shoulders and neck is deemed not as bad.

Couldn't agree more, mate. Misguided.

But anyhow. George Ford.

[Worthy4England]

Always assumed as a non fan that there must be a good reason they don't go for drop goals all the time.

Maybe I was right.

If you're dominant then 7 > 3, so you're always wanting the 7 and field position is hard earned. A man down and points on the board is needed however you can get them, because the last 20 is usually where rugby is won or lost...

[Worthy4England]

Good point by Jonny, as well. They are pretty tricky to slot, too. Slightly off the point of the ball or hit a divot and the maths and physics start to conspire. As pitches break up and get muddy, it's a lot different than trying to hit off a tee...

[TANGODANCER]

Argentina 10 George Ford 27 and with a man down nearly all game. Brilliant. A real fightin display. The chariot was swinging Low tonight.

[Prufrock]

Good point by Jonny, as well. They are pretty tricky to slot, too. Slightly off the point of the ball or hit a divot and the maths and physics start to conspire. As pitches break up and get muddy, it's a lot different than trying to hit off a tee...

From halfway, sure, and absolutely take your point about when you're on top, but at the top level in tight games, that maybe have a try each. Your points per entry into say their 40 seems like it's higher from drop goals than tries. Optimism bias I reckon.

[Prufrock]

Any road, some win that! Wasn't confident before, even less so after 3 mins, but bossed that and to go 70 odd minutes with 14 without conceding a point is some going.

Thought Lawes and Tuilagi were particularly outstanding, and obviously Ford. Some nerve to take all those chances.

[Worthy4England]

Oh, and of course there's a potential bonus point for 4 tries...

Argies weren't great tonight, they wouldn't have beaten New Zealand, Australia and England, playing like that. But. Can only beat what's on the pitch and that was a very professional performance by the whole team. In general, disciplined, rarely under pressure and very tired by the time the Argies scored with a minute to go. Probably the best performance in 12 maybe even 18 months.

That said, we weren't really trying to score tries and perhaps not unreasonably never really saw the try line.

Easiest MOTM pick, ever.

[TANGODANCER]

I'd like to imorove my sparse rugby league knowledge a little on these points:

1.HIistorically we give away a lot of penalties. Last night we didn't. is that an area we've improved in and worked on?

2. A great scoreline, but in truth, despite George Ford's superb kicking, every point was a gift from the Argies via penalties.

3.We never even looked dangerous in running rugby or even remotely like scoring a try?

4, Our defence we're great, again which gained us an impressive victory, but I think/fear that game might not be good enough against the top lads, Dupont and co for intance. I could easily be wrong, and winning with a man less was highly impressive indeed.

5. We hardly ever trubled the Argie lne-outs.

OKAY, that's it....Stand by for blasting......

[Worthy4England]

I'd like to imorove my sparse rugby league knowledge a little on these points:

1.HIistorically we give away a lot of penalties. Last night we didn't. is that an area we've improved in and worked on?

2. A great scoreline, but in truth, despite George Ford's superb kicking, every point was a gift from the Argies via penalties.

3.We never even looked dangerous in running rugby or even remotely like scoring a try?

4, Our defence we're great, again which gained us an impressive victory, but I think/fear that game might not be good enough against the top lads, Dupont and co for intance. I could easily be wrong, and winning with a man less was highly impressive indeed.

5. We hardly ever trubled the Argie lne-outs.

OKAY, that's it....Stand by for blasting......

I'm guessing, first up. It wasn't Rugby League, they don't have line outs!

1) Hopefully yes. Penalties have been killing us.

2) Correct. It was only impressive in the context of 14 v 15.

3) Also correct, which is why no one will get too excited, although tournament rugby is more about winning than how.

4) Argies were poor at getting over the gain line. We defended well. I'd have expected France to have run us ragged with 14.

5) True, but our forwards performed really well overall, given we had one less of them...