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Rugby World Cup 2023

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
What is used to measure carry dominance?

He gets at least one half break with a loose ball a game at the back of a ruck for a chunk of meters if it’s related to meters made?

They aren’t tough Carries like Ardie or even what Kwagga when he gets on
I believe it's about winning the tackle and earning post contact metres - a stat he regularly does very well in in super rugby.

But given it's a percentage it'll be the percentage of carries he was dominant in, so a half break a game isn't going to get him to half of all his carries being dominant.
 

The Ghost of Raelene

Simon Poidevin (60)
Thanks. He has that late footwork pre contact that gets his shoulders through a slight gap he can then drive with


Would love to know some metrics around fitness in the Wallabies squad.

We see them squatting and Instagram videos about who do you think but it would be cool to find out who is up there across the board like some NRL clubs do in pre season. I’d think McReight would be up there in the fitness stuff. He’s still going late in games which makes up for a lack of dominance early.
 

Wallaby Man

Nev Cottrell (35)
I don’t care what some say about the health of the game but we have clearly seen a regression in standards across the world. The most glaring reason is in 2019 we had a total of 5 x 50+ scores, this mornings score means the 2023 version has just had its 12th 50+ score and we aren’t even through the last round.

Teams like Wales, Australia, Japan, England etc. would be soundly beaten by their 2019 version. The minnows apart from Portugal have largely shown very little competitiveness and one of the major contenders in NZ is possibly the worst team they have had in 20yrs, yet still a contender.

No doubt this current Irish team is one of the best, perhaps the best, they have ever had. But even the French I question if this is close to the best team they have ever had, as players like Danty, etc. have spent the vast majority of their careers been underwhelming yet now look like world beaters.
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
Have France somehow got under the radar?

In comparison to others.

Danty back in the game overnight.
I think the press has been off them a bit because they played their big pool game early and everything since has been about DuPont's injury.

Their injury toll overall has been a bit high but still deserve to be favourites for mine. I think that quarter final against South Africa (assuming it goes that way) is their biggest test remaining. Get through that and their remaining challenges are more psychological than they are the opponents they'll come up against.
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
I don’t care what some say about the health of the game but we have clearly seen a regression in standards across the world. The most glaring reason is in 2019 we had a total of 5 x 50+ scores, this mornings score means the 2023 version has just had its 12th 50+ score and we aren’t even through the last round.

Teams like Wales, Australia, Japan, England etc. would be soundly beaten by their 2019 version. The minnows apart from Portugal have largely shown very little competitiveness and one of the major contenders in NZ is possibly the worst team they have had in 20yrs, yet still a contender.

No doubt this current Irish team is one of the best, perhaps the best, they have ever had. But even the French I question if this is close to the best team they have ever had, as players like Danty, etc. have spent the vast majority of their careers been underwhelming yet now look like world beaters.
Disagree pretty strongly on that some teams are worse, but plenty are better too - France, Scotland, Ireland and Fiji are all well ahead of where they were in 2019 and I'd argue South Africa, Wales, New Zealand and Argentina are all too close to call. Hell, Eddie would probably relish another match up with the 2019 wallabies given their tactical flaws.

Beyond that we have seen blow outs, but I think that's because of the shift in schedule - no more short turn around mean top teams aren't resting players to the same degree against smaller teams. Beyond that, teams are taking smaller nations like Uruguay and Portugal much more seriously from a tactical standpoint now and not letting the foot of the throat. New Zealand in particular have taken smaller pool games much more seriously this year after their loss to the French.

Certainly a gap still exists between the traditional rugby nations and the rest and it's not going to close without real work being done, but the base quality of even the lowest team is much higher than it used to be, every nation now looks to be operating at pretty much a professional level, whereas in the past there have always been a few amatuer/semi pro sides. 7s influence seems to have been a big part of that, expanding those opportunities via Olympic funding in a lot of countries.
 

Sword of Justice

Nev Cottrell (35)
There were always people critical of Hooper for size even when flying.

Support/detractors seem to have flipped now. Hmmm, wonder what their difference is…
I was definitely somewhat of a detractor early but that was because I preferred the talents of David "The Senator" Pocock at 7. I never thought he was too small though. In fact his running game was brilliant when we had more defensive oriented players in the pack.
 

noscrumnolife

Bill Watson (15)
I don’t care what some say about the health of the game but we have clearly seen a regression in standards across the world.
The game being in a healthy place is a lie parroted by NH journos and administrators who are pleased they have had three years in the sun. World Rugby still has big problems, from on-field product to commercialisation. Their are some god things about the game at the moment, but also a lot of work that needs to be done.

Professional clubs in England face existential challenges & they have only produced one dominant club side in Europe over the last 15 years (Saracens) that had to cheat the salary cap to find success. Yet you've got a dope like Bill Sweeney claiming the game is on the verge of something special there.
 

Marce

John Hipwell (52)
Georgia putting more pressure over Wales than the WBs did. What a disgrace this team
 
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