RWC 2019 SF1: New Zealand v England

[Lost]

I'd think you'd have to be a casual fan to think Owens didn't favour England, honestly.

Let's go through it. The TMO decisions, the obstruction was as clear as day, simple. The "drop in the maul", the guy in the back of the maul flat out dropped the ball onto the player in front of him, when they were trying to shuffle it back. These were simple correct decisions really. Unlucky for England, but correct.

More importantly, Owens didn't call any offsides in the middle of the park at all. Rush defence for 80 minutes and no offsides? That's interesting. Then he was an absolute pedant all of a sudden when the AB's were on their line.

Momentum changers. Penalised Whitelock for impeding a chaser, absolute madlad. Refs have COMPLETELY let this crap go for the last 2 years. Picks one out of about 10 opportunities for that. Penalising Whitelock again for Farrells oscar performance, does that kid have no shame? Says it was "off the ball". Meanwhile, Farrell was standing over the ball trying to get at it well after the whistle.

He attempted to fix the lineouts early, he literally told England to step back in the second one. From then on in he started warning the NZ hooker for moving back to the centre of the lineout? EH?? Just completely stopped policing the lineout after that.

Show me the moment we should have been yellow carded, infringing in the red zone does not equal a yellow card out of nowhere.

Oh, yeah. England definitely smashed us off the park. I'll give you that one. The "rub" marginally went their way IMO also. The two things can be true at once.

Delightful to see the boot firmly on the other foot.

 

[Lost]

Offcial IRB All Black Player Ratings.

The 23 names to be indelibly etched in at allblacks.com, those dreaded team sheets of World Cup failures we all rubberneck at in mortified horror years later.

1. Joe Moody: 0/10. it started here, and here it was lost. Massive fail.

2. Codie Taylor: 0/10. fucked the lineout and fucked it hard. Where was Coles will echo the refrain for all eternity

3. Nepo Laulala: 0/10. disappearing big fat baby trick

4. Brodie Retallick: 0/10. undercooked and done like a dogs dinner by Super Mario

5. Samuel Whitelock: 0/10. Poor Hansen. Probably paid a cursory glance at Soup rugby this year and thought fuckit, I hate the Ioane's, both of 'em, I'll just biff all the cantabs in the starting XV, they always do us right. His "Rolls Royce pack" responded by casually cocking a communal leg and complacently pissing all over his "legacy"

6. Scott Barrett: minus 6 million/10. WELCOME TO RWC SCAPEGOAT HISTORY, PAL. WE ALWAYS NEED ONE AND THIS YEAR, YOU ARE IT. Who's the idiot that picked this giant baby ahead of steel-hearted Sam Cane? "For a third lineout option" then we go and fuck up all our lineouts hahahaHAHAHA

7. Ardie Savea: 5/10. poor little bugger. Went blind during the tournament. Tried to wear ski goggles. But they fell off. Symptomatic of entire AB campaign. Lug nuts were loose the last 2 years and eventually they fucking fell right the fuck off.

8. Kieran Read: 0/10. vanished. Welcome to 1991.

9. Aaron Smith: 3/10. served a steady diet of shit by a big baby of a forward pack.

10. Richie Mo’unga: 0/10. deer in the headlights. Turns out he had no experience going backwards behind the "Rolls Royce" pack. Who knew.

11. George Bridge: 0/10. without the Cantabs front-foot ball, shown up as slowish and possessing zero game-breaking ability.

12. Anton Lienert-Brown: 4/10. ineffectual but slogged his arse off going backwards

13. Jack Goodhue: 5/10 why was he fucking subbed will be the question for the next 4 years

14. Sevu Reece: 6/10. best AB. solid under high ball but still ran into touch like a mental like everyone else.

15. Beauden Barrett. 0/10. did the talky talky but not the walky walky.

16. Dane Coles: 5/10. too laaaaaate

17. Ofa Tu'ungafasi: 0/10 never trusted to start but "he can play both sides" so he's always there. pretty sweet gig.

18. Angus Ta'avao. 0/10. ffs. we were all suspicious as to how this unwanted soup player suddenly became an accepted AB regular. Now we know. The arrogant, grumpy know-it-all coaches LITERALLY HAD NO FUCKIGN PLAN. If this is the AB level now then Houston, NZ rugby is officially fucked up the arse beyond belief

19. Patrick Tuipulotu. 3/10 "Yeah I should have got him on earlier but who knew the 2 'best locks in the word' would BOTH shit the bed AT THE SAME FUCKEN TIME in a RWC semi?" says Hansen over pints for the rest of his fucken life

20. Sam Cane: 5/10. too laaaaate

21. T J Flapanara. 0/10. who cares

22. Sonny Bill Williams. 1/10 went straight. ineffectively. like everyone else.

23. Jordie Barrett. 0/10 hahahahahaha we ALL saw it was coming for the last 2 years then quiff boy somehow gets his privileged arse picked and goes and chucks away a loose one in a semi hahahhahaha

Balanced, accurate and generous. Mo’unga got off light. Played like Quade Cooper.

 

[Lorenzo]

NZ have relied a lot on scoring points from turnover ball - they hardly had any tonight.

England's defence of NZ's turnover ball and their kick return ball was the best I remember seeing. I actually think NZ had a decent number of this opportunities. It just seemed that there were 3 English players ready to smash (And importantly, prevent an offload) the NZ ball carrier if NZ got in behind the first line (like when their mullet centre was bundled into touch after making great progress down the camera side in the 1st half).

 

[Ulrich]

The other thing I thought from the game, Mitchell had a bloody good defence system, generally the ABs create a hell of a lot by going wide very quickly and turning ball in field, I though English defence countered it by coming up quick from inside and putting them over the sideline!

Yes, indeed so, I also noticed that.

It resembles a certain defensive system from 2007, albeit better than that now. I paid much attention to the English defense in the wider channels and it was sublime!

 

[molman]

Retallick just didn't have the miles in the legs I think.



All things considered, I actually think Retallick performed ok for someone who really has just come back from injury. Had some nice breaks and bending of the line, not as effective in the lineout as in the past.




I still don't like Farrell



Funny story I heard. Apparently John Quill (USA Player) travelled back to the UK after he got that red card against Farrell. He's at the terminal to enter the country and the person is looking at his passport going 'John Quill... where do I know that name?'. The attendant realises who it is and looks up and goes 'About time someone sorted that guy out'...


I don't think you are alone on the sentiment.

 

[molman]

Mo'unga was missing for large swathes of the game, not at first receiver far too often. The back line was in disarray for most of the game. England was quick up on defence but NZ has countered these defences many times.

It does make you wonder what a more traditional Barrett 10 / Smith 15 might have looked like. . .

 

[Ulrich]



All things considered, I actually think Retallick performed ok for someone who really has just come back from injury. Had some nice breaks and bending of the line, not as effective in the lineout as in the past.






Funny story I heard. Apparently John Quill (USA Player) travelled back to the UK after he got that red card against Farrell. He's at the terminal to enter the country and the person is looking at his passport going 'John Quill. where do I know that name?'. The attendant realises who it is and looks up and goes 'About time someone sorted that guy out'.


I don't think you are alone on the sentiment.

Yeah, Farrel is the guy everyone loves to hate.

He must be a special player.

Itoje is another great player, and he is only 24! Feels like he's been around for ages.

 

[Brumby Runner]

The V was almost as irritating as the Haka is.

I think that could be the seminal moment that came out of this match. The challenge by England with players standing in the NZ half shows that WR (World Rugby) and the officials cannot do anything about enforcing their pontifications on the subject of the Haka, or sanctioning any team who crosses the line. In time, if other sides take a similar approach then it might eventually lead to a ban on the Haka before a game, at least on the field of play.

 

[Ulrich]

I think that could be the seminal moment that came out of this match. The challenge by England with players standing in the NZ half shows that WR (World Rugby) and the officials cannot do anything about enforcing their pontifications on the subject of the Haka, or sanctioning any team who crosses the line. In time, if other sides take a similar approach then it might eventually lead to a ban on the Haka before a game, at least on the field of play.

I don't see why a response would not be allowed. Screw the officials in that regard because the haka is not rugby, it his something that happens before a rugby match. They have no say over it and it is by the grace of the rest of the world that NZ are allowed their little dance.

Whether it be respected is up to each union and also player.

Personally I like the Haka and I hope the Boks always treat it with a modicum of respect.

 

[wamberal]

It is a fine line for the opposition side. One side of the line is that open disrespect simply adds fuel to the AB fire.


In my humble opinion, the time for the haka is at the end of the game. Why not?

 

[Lorenzo]

Does it really add fuel to the fire? The ABs have stormed home plenty of times after the opposition gave the haka the apparanrly requisite respect.

The fox sports team love mentioning that the wobs got crushed after ignoring the haka in the 90s. Oddly, these discussions never note that we've been crushed 50 times since then despite 'respecting' it.

 

[Show-n-go]

Yep I thought for someone who was supposedy trying to stand for CEO of Aussie rugby to say at end of game, "we can't decide who we hate most out of these 2 teams" was a little strange, though to be honest neither of Horan or Gregan said hey don't say us, so maybe........

Better than Castle openly admiring she would be supporting the AB’s after Australia were knocked out

 

[wamberal]

Better than Castle openly admiring she would be supporting the AB’s after Australia were knocked out

She was born in New Zealand. Why shouldn't be happy to see them beat the Soap Dodgers?


I would have been happy to see them win. Should I hand back my badge now?

 

[formerflanker]

Dan Carter was in the stands DP, you think we should have just handed him the keys for the evening?

Could you imagine? Someone who could tackle at 10, kick goals, kick drop goals, kick tactically, kick contestable kick-offs, kick Read up the arse. Good lookin' lad too.

Exactly what Mrs FF (Folau Fainga'a) said when he appeared on our tv screen.
Well, not so much the rugby stuff.

 

[Viking]

The Haka is great for the game... but it is becoming over-used and even gimmicky these days. I like NZ to scale it back, leave it only for NZ home games and the RWC.

It will add fuel to their NZ home games, and you've gotta include in the RWC cos it's so iconic.

 

[Lorenzo]

Yep I thought for someone who was supposedy trying to stand for CEO of Aussie rugby to say at end of game, "we can't decide who we hate most out of these 2 teams" was a little strange, though to be honest neither of Horan or Gregan said hey don't say us, so maybe........

That was so cringeworthy. Honestly he acts like a fan that won a contest. That he was even in the discussion (if he was) for CEO tells you how far from a professional outfit RA is.

Horan said something too. I wish they'd leave it out and just offer their analysis. Of course, Kearns would have nothing to say then.

 

[formerflanker]

She was born in New Zealand. Why shouldn't be happy to see them beat the Soap Dodgers?


I would have been happy to see them win. Should I hand back my badge now?

One minor correction.
Born in Wagga to NZ sports stars, returned to NZ as a child, grew up there and got her major business appointments there. First major sporting leadership role was NZ Netball.
So yes, a dyed-in-the-wool Kiwi, just born in Australia.

 

[Viking]

So funny to see NZ fans start being vocal about ref performances.

Losing always offers a different perspective. Its a shame they don't lose more often.

 

[formerflanker]

Offcial IRB All Black Player Ratings.

The 23 names to be indelibly etched in at allblacks.com, those dreaded team sheets of World Cup failures we all rubberneck at in mortified horror years later.

1. Joe Moody: 0/10. it started here, and here it was lost. Massive fail.

2. Codie Taylor: 0/10. fucked the lineout and fucked it hard. Where was Coles will echo the refrain for all eternity

3. Nepo Laulala: 0/10. disappearing big fat baby trick

4. Brodie Retallick: 0/10. undercooked and done like a dogs dinner by Super Mario

5. Samuel Whitelock: 0/10. Poor Hansen. Probably paid a cursory glance at Soup rugby this year and thought fuckit, I hate the Ioane's, both of 'em, I'll just biff all the cantabs in the starting XV, they always do us right. His "Rolls Royce pack" responded by casually cocking a communal leg and complacently pissing all over his "legacy"

6. Scott Barrett: minus 6 million/10. WELCOME TO RWC SCAPEGOAT HISTORY, PAL. WE ALWAYS NEED ONE AND THIS YEAR, YOU ARE IT. Who's the idiot that picked this giant baby ahead of steel-hearted Sam Cane? "For a third lineout option" then we go and fuck up all our lineouts hahahaHAHAHA

7. Ardie Savea: 5/10. poor little bugger. Went blind during the tournament. Tried to wear ski goggles. But they fell off. Symptomatic of entire AB campaign. Lug nuts were loose the last 2 years and eventually they fucking fell right the fuck off.

8. Kieran Read: 0/10. vanished. Welcome to 1991.

9. Aaron Smith: 3/10. served a steady diet of shit by a big baby of a forward pack.

10. Richie Mo’unga: 0/10. deer in the headlights. Turns out he had no experience going backwards behind the "Rolls Royce" pack. Who knew.

11. George Bridge: 0/10. without the Cantabs front-foot ball, shown up as slowish and possessing zero game-breaking ability.

12. Anton Lienert-Brown: 4/10. ineffectual but slogged his arse off going backwards

13. Jack Goodhue: 5/10 why was he fucking subbed will be the question for the next 4 years

14. Sevu Reece: 6/10. best AB. solid under high ball but still ran into touch like a mental like everyone else.

15. Beauden Barrett. 0/10. did the talky talky but not the walky walky.

16. Dane Coles: 5/10. too laaaaaate

17. Ofa Tu'ungafasi: 0/10 never trusted to start but "he can play both sides" so he's always there. pretty sweet gig.

18. Angus Ta'avao. 0/10. ffs. we were all suspicious as to how this unwanted soup player suddenly became an accepted AB regular. Now we know. The arrogant, grumpy know-it-all coaches LITERALLY HAD NO FUCKIGN PLAN. If this is the AB level now then Houston, NZ rugby is officially fucked up the arse beyond belief

19. Patrick Tuipulotu. 3/10 "Yeah I should have got him on earlier but who knew the 2 'best locks in the word' would BOTH shit the bed AT THE SAME FUCKEN TIME in a RWC semi?" says Hansen over pints for the rest of his fucken life

20. Sam Cane: 5/10. too laaaaate

21. T J Flapanara. 0/10. who cares

22. Sonny Bill Williams. 1/10 went straight. ineffectively. like everyone else.

23. Jordie Barrett. 0/10 hahahahahaha we ALL saw it was coming for the last 2 years then quiff boy somehow gets his privileged arse picked and goes and chucks away a loose one in a semi hahahhahaha

I've re-read this 4 times. Gets funnier each time.

 

[formerflanker]

I think that could be the seminal moment that came out of this match. The challenge by England with players standing in the NZ half shows that WR (World Rugby) and the officials cannot do anything about enforcing their pontifications on the subject of the Haka, or sanctioning any team who crosses the line. In time, if other sides take a similar approach then it might eventually lead to a ban on the Haka before a game, at least on the field of play.

WR (World Rugby) has given themselves the power to fine teams who breach the haka-facing rules.
I hope they do so and then have to face the shit storm that creates.