Who will win the 2011 Rugby World Cup?

[BoSoxGal]

I see that Fiji was slaughtered by South Africa Saturday - I may need to switch allegiances.

[Gob]

OOh! Fickle

[BoSoxGal]

As a life-long resident of Boston Red Sox Nation, I've already signed on for my fill of sports-related futility.

[Gob]

Wales 81-7 Namibia


Wales kept on course for a World Cup quarter-final place with a comfortable Pool D win over Namibia.

Warren Gatland's side were 22-0 up at the break and Scott Williams secured the bonus-point try.

Record cap winner Stephen Jones topped 900 points and George North became the youngest World Cup try-scorer.

Aled Brew, Toby Faletau, Gethin Jenkins, Jonathan Davies, Lloyd Williams, Lee Byrne and Alun Wyn Jones also went over.

Lock Heinz Koll scored Namibia's try, converted by Theuns Kotze.

But the day in New Plymouth belonged to Wales and in particular two Scarlets youngsters as Wales rewrote their World Cup record book, with a winning margin that beat their previous best of 72-18 against Japan at the 2007 event.

Wales took over in second place behind South Africa and if Samoa fail to earn a bonus point against the Springboks on Friday, Gatland's side can look forward to a quarter-final, in all likelihood against Pool C leaders Ireland on Saturday, 8 October in Wellington.

[Reality Bytes]

That was a great way to start a Monday morning - I'd told the boss I wasn't coming in until the game ended and eventually went to work an hour late wearing my Wales jersey that win & score has taken me to 2nd place in the "friendly" competition one of the church wardens organised (£5 in the pool winner takes all). For the first time in many years I am hearing welsh rugby supporters and even some pundits talking about us reaching the final and maybe even winning it *gasp* makes getting up at 4am to watch a pool game worthwhile

[Reality Bytes]

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/news/ ... ball+issue

AUCKLAND, 29 Sept. – Rugby World Cup Limited has issued the following statement in response to the Rugby Football Union statement below.

Rugby World Cup Limited is appreciative of the decisive and timely action of the RFU in response to the RWCL investigation into alleged misconduct for a breach of the Laws of the Game regarding the change of balls used for placekicks by the England team during the first half of the Rugby World Cup 2011 Pool B match against Romania in Dunedin on September 24.

RWCL recognises that the RFU has investigated this matter fully and taken appropriate action and therefore no further action is required by RWCL. RWCL accepts the RFU’s assurances that it will abide by both the Laws and the Spirit of the Game going forward, however it must be pointed out that any similar breaches in future will be dealt with severely.

RWCL will not be making any further comment on this matter.

RFU Statement

Following the England v Romania RWC 2011 match in Dunedin on September 24, Rugby World Cup Limited initiated an investigation into alleged misconduct for a breach of the Laws of the Game by the England team in relation to the change in the match ball used following a number of conversion kicks in the first half of the match. The RFU responded positively and expeditiously to the RWCL enquiries.

Having conducted a thorough internal review of the matter the RFU has determined the following:

1. Two members of the RFU RWC 2011 team management, David Alred and Paul Stridgeon, mistakenly thought that there was an issue with some of the match balls used in the England v Romania RWC 2011 match.

2. Those team management members took it upon themselves to substitute balls during the match in contravention of both the Laws of the Game and the Spirit of the Game.

3. The RFU fully accepts that the action of those team management members was incorrect and detrimental to the image of the tournament, the Game and to English Rugby.

4. The RFU has therefore decided to reprimand those team management members, to warn them as to their future conduct and to suspend them from participation in England’s next game, the match between England and Scotland. This suspension means that they will not be able to be in the stadium for that match in any capacity.

5. The RFU would like to assure RWCL and the IRB of its continued wholehearted support for the tournament and its rules and that the RFU and its team management and members will abide by both the Laws and the Spirit of the Game. The RFU hopes that RWCL is of the view that the RFU has taken appropriate action in this matter and that no further sanctions or actions are required.

Oh fucking BULLSHIT "mistakenly" my arse!!! Saint fecking Johnny couldn't kick the official ball over the posts so they switch balls illegally.

ANY other team that was caught doing this would have been hung out to dry - and people wonder why the english are so loathed in sport *spit*

2 English coaches have been knuckle wrapped today. God like boretron Jonny Wilkinson was missing his kicks against rugby giants Romania and decided that it was not his legs fault but the balls. In light of this the RFU have put in a request for the Scotland match. They are as followed

In case England do not score any points the Scotland team have been told that they are only allowed to select one of two people chosen in advance by Prince Harry. One is Macdonald Murdock wee Jock McPlop plop a 63 year old alcoholic from Glasgow or Dan Parks.

Mr Parks or Mr McPlop plop, whoever is selected, will only be allowed to play in white daps and mittens and will only be allowed to touch the ball twice before having to pass it back to Johnnos team for their turn.

In case England can’t get their kicks they have requested to change the size of the posts – they will now stretch the width of the pitch and the bar will be lowered to 3 foot. If Jonny doesn’t get it over he is allowed another 15 attempts and if after this amount he still hasn’t scored he will then be awarded 1 point for being an ace misser.

If Mr Parks and Mr McPlop plop are good at scrummaging the referee, Mr Lawrence Dallaglio will then move to passive scrums and will penalise the Scot for feeding.

The English team to be awarded points for coming on the pitch ala fantasy rugby.

The English team to be awarded the World cup on Friday just in case one of the other teams score more points than them in a game in the future

http://lovechickensrfc.blogspot.com/

[Gob]

Jesus, dock them points from the Romania match!

[Gob]

WELLINGTON: Wales advanced to the semi-final of the Rugby World Cup with a gripping 22-10 victory over Ireland here on Saturday thanks to a steely defence and superiority at the breakdown.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union ... z1aEyJEul4

[The Hen]

... and he was ringing all his mates as soon as the match finished.

Bless him.

[Reality Bytes]

We were in Wales for the game - and vastly improved tv coverage and commentary All around us the lights were on in homes, Owen Money said on the radio he thought it was Christmas day as he drove through the valleys at 5am on his way to Cardiff as all the lights were on in peoples front rooms the win was a fabulous feeling and then England LOST and are going home We kept our Wales shirts on to go to the pub for lunch - everywhere we looked people were grinning & there was a real buzz of excitement in the air for the first time that I can remember people were openly daring to suggest we might win this!!

We were in Wales to visit my mum in hospital (yes I know I haven't mentioned anything before now - I will when I feel up to it) everyone on the ward wanted to see the game so they agreed that the day room big screen tv would be on from 5am for anyone who wanted to see it, plus they arranged teas & coffees to be brought round - the ward sister told me that it was the same on almost every ward in the entire hospital so a big thumbs up to University Hospital Wales

Whats the difference between the England rugby team and Mr T?




Mr T ain't getting on no plane!!

[Gob]

It's all getting too much for some...

England centre Manu Tuilagi has been formally warned by police for disorderly behaviour after jumping from a ferry in Auckland on Sunday night.

Anyway, how can Wales lose when we have Hagrid playing for us?

[Gob]

An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman are in a bar having a pint.

The Englishman asks "Where's the Welshman?"

The Irishman replies "Still at the World Cup"

[Lord Jim]

LOL

Well, there's my nominee for Most Ironic Tee Shirt....

If that goober's team nickname is "Brains" I shutter to think what the rest of the team looks like....

I sure don't want to meet the guy who's nickname is "muscle head"......

[Gob]

Falls to me to eductae the colonials again I suppose...

Brains is Wales’ most famous drink. Like Guinness in Ireland, it’s become the toast of a nation.

Still owned by the descendants of the founders that took over a fledgling brewery in a small stone building behind a Cardiff pub in 1882, you can now find the Brains name above the door of over 270 pubs, bars and hotels across Wales and the West of England.

Brewed at The Cardiff Brewery, Brains' award-winning beers are now widely available across Wales and can increasingly be found throughout the rest of Britain in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Morrisons, as well as in pubs all over the country as guest ales.

The pub estate has expanded rapidly over the past 10 years and nearly every pub now offers a good range of quality food. And if you are looking for somewhere to stay, entertain or celebrate, many Brains pubs now offer bedrooms and function rooms.

Brains has always had close links with Welsh sport. A trip to Cardiff Arms Park or the Millennium Stadium to watch the famous red jerseys of Wales is not complete without a pint of Brains SA. For the past five years the family name has been emblazoned across the national rugby team’s chests, during which Wales has famously won two Grand Slams in the RBS 6 Nations.

As well as sponsoring the Welsh Rugby Union, Brains is also the official beer of the Football Association of Wales and Glamorgan Cricket.

The company is proud of its independence and the way that it has evolved over its colourful 127-year history. Here’s to the next 127 - iechyd da!



http://www.sabrain.com/about-us

Personally I think Brains beers are piss.

[The Hen]

LOL
.

I love him. He's my favorite. He looks like Hagrid's cousin.

[Lord Jim]

Well, I've just checked the standings....

The Welsh may wish they had gone home sooner rather than losing to the frogs....

Wouldn't it have been better to slink home quietly rather than to lose The Cup one-on-one to the cheese eating surrender monkeys?

Makes losing to Fiji seem almost dignified by comparison...

[dales]

LOL

Well, there's my nominee for Most Ironic Tee Shirt....

If that goober's team nickname is "Brains" I shutter to think what the rest of the team looks like....

I sure don't want to meet the guy who's nickname is "muscle head"......

In spite of Gob's correction, LOL!

[Gob]

Wouldn't it have been better to slink home quietly rather than to lose The Cup one-on-one to the cheese eating surrender monkeys?

Not at all Jim, France has a long and proud rugby history. While they are not the most aggressive and brutal players, their flair on the pitch is legendary.


Going on the pitch wearing this;



Now that would be embarrassing!

[Gob]

Downing Street is to break with tradition and fly the Welsh flag above No10 on Saturday for the Rugby World Cup semi-final.



Prime Minister David Cameron said he wished the team every success in the match against France.

Mr Cameron said a home nation's flag would usually be raised if they reached a final but the move recognised the importance of the competition.

Events are being organised across Wales for the match in New Zealand.

Mr Cameron said: "Wales are the last home nation competing in the Rugby World Cup and I wish them every success in the semi-final against France on Saturday.

"We would only usually fly a home nation flag for a final, but I know how important a competition this is and we all want to get behind Wales, so I've decided to break with tradition on this occasion and fly the flag for Wales in Downing Street on Saturday."

We would only usually fly a home nation flag for a final, but I know how important a competition this is and we all want to get behind Wales”

David Cameron Prime Minister

The idea was raised earlier on Wednesday by Cardiff West MP Kevin Brennan at Welsh questions.

[Lord Jim]

I have a question.....

Why is there a "Welsh" team, and a "Scottish" team, and an "English" team....

As opposed to just a British Team?

Isn't that sort of cultural chauvinism as bad as if we had a "California" team or a "Virginia" team, or a "Nebraska" team as opposed to a US team?




(I'm really asking to get smacked with this one.... )