Rugby World Cup?

[Atmos]

Australia fans may hold off on tickets

TRACY WATKINS Last updated 05:00 19/09/2011

Close to half a million fans – nearly enough to fill Eden Park eight times over – have flocked to Rugby World Cup matches so far.

But the shock Wallabies defeat has thrown predictions for ticket sales for the quarter and semifinal matches up in the air, with Mr McCully conceding Saturday's result could cause fans to hold off buying tickets till the last minute once they knew which teams were through. About $12m of the $15m target for remaining ticket sales is for games at Eden Park and organisers had always talked up the Wallabies making it to the finals as a dream scenario to drive interest from across the Tasman in the quarter and semifinals.

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[StreetCowboy]

Australia fans may hold off on tickets

TRACY WATKINS Last updated 05:00 19/09/2011

Close to half a million fans – nearly enough to fill Eden Park eight times over – have flocked to Rugby World Cup matches so far.

But the shock Wallabies defeat has thrown predictions for ticket sales for the quarter and semifinal matches up in the air, with Mr McCully conceding Saturday's result could cause fans to hold off buying tickets till the last minute once they knew which teams were through. About $12m of the $15m target for remaining ticket sales is for games at Eden Park and organisers had always talked up the Wallabies making it to the finals as a dream scenario to drive interest from across the Tasman in the quarter and semifinals.

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I was not exactly seething, but a little disgruntled, after paying full price long in advance for our tickets for the Scotland Quarter-Final four years ago, only for the road to the Stade de France to be lined with French blokes trying to get rid of their tickets.

Maybe hubris was Australia's downfall against the Irish

SC

[Atmos]

Samoan Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu will be in trouble for this outburst on Twitter

Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu is likely to find himself in hot water after hurling a tirade of abuse at the IRB via his Twitter page.

"IRB, Stop exploiting my people. Please, all we ask is fairness. If they get a week, give us a week. Simple. £equity £justice," the centre tweeted.

He went on to say: "Ok, it's obvious the IRB are unjust. Wales get 7 days, we get 3. Unfair treatment, like slavery, like the holocaust, like apartheid. F*** U. Give Wales 3 days off, and give Samoa a week!! We would kill them!!!"

All players at the World Cup are bound by the tournament's code of conduct which includes social media guidelines. If the Gloucester man is found to have contravened the code he is likely to face a disciplinary hearing. source

it's not long since his previous Twitter effort when his team (Gloucester) lost to Saracens in May this year

'The only semi final that can't sell out! Exciting Saracens. (Fly-half Owen) Farrell put more bombs on us than the U.S did on Osama Bin Laden. Genocide.' source

[Donnyboy]

Seems to be some problems within the English camp this week after their performances of late

James Haskell - "The days of brushing it under the carpet are gone. It has got to that stage, got that serious," said Haskell. "It starts with identifying individuals.People have got to start pointing some fingers and saying 'this is not acceptable'. Johnno is not happy, the coaches are not happy - the players need to look at themselves and realise they are not working as hard as they should be... we are letting ourselves down. We are stuck in a bit of a mire."

[Atmos]

I'm enjoying the little side-stories about the RWC; yesterday the Georgia rugby team was in Featherston, population 2300; they have a week in the Wairarapa area leading up to their match v Romania on the 28th at Palmerston North

Vice-captain Ilia Zedginidze, sporting stitches and cuts from Sunday night's bruising and deceptively close loss to the English, was surrounded by the smiling, drenched fans.

"It's fantastic, all these children, it's wonderful. People in Wairarapa are really so hospitable. We enjoy every moment of New Zealand," the big No8 said.

source

Today, Tuesday 20th: 2.30pm Italy v Russia

match preview:

Rugby: Parisse's men chase points from Russia

[Atmos]

Spidercam set to fly at All Blacks test

Tuesday Sep 20, 2011

The high-definition spidercam will make its Rugby World Cup debut this weekend, following alterations to Eden Park to fit the sophisticated camera system.

The gyro-balanced camera can be moved at 8m a second along kevlar cables which are controlled by four winches. It is allowed to drop to within 20m of the field during game-time, and to grass level during stoppages.

Full article

[Donnyboy]

Thought I saw it trialed during the AB v Wobblies game at Eden park during the tri nations this year

It gives a great perspective when they have scrum

[Atmos]

watched some of the world athletics champs at Daegu earlier this month and they had a similar camera zooming along with the sprinters - that would be simpler than one on wires spanning the field.

Is there a prize if someone manages to hit it with the ball, and 2. 'when machines go bad' if it decides to hit the ref on the head?

Even though Italy had a clear win today what I saw of that game was ok, good running rugby.

Tonga v Japan tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday 2.30pm); might be a good one to watch.

[Donnyboy]

So looking forward to the game on Saturday

ABs v France, the French coach has picked Parra in at first five, who is relatively inexperienced at test level, but hey the AB coaches are still settling on their first choice team chopping and changing players in various position which for me is unnerving

Im thinking this weekends game will be played at a high pace with some structure to it. The forwards looking to string a few phases together and looking to get the ball to Carter to dictate the run of play

Where it could come unstuck is if France get the upper hand in the rucks and play that unpredictable game that we know that they are capable of, in which case, I will dust off my well worn chocker, lol.

[meatboy]

lets hope we get some more exciting games this weekend,for me sa.and wales,aus and ire,have been the best.i think the fans have been treated to some hair raising with the haka and the challenges.what i would love to see is wales facing the haka and wales responding with [MEN OF HARLECH] who can forget the challenge against the zulus at rorkes drift.

[StreetCowboy]

...who can forget the challenge against the zulus at rorkes drift.

That was before my time.

I'm looking forward to New Zealand France, though I anticipate a disappointing and disheartening anti-climax that will see us meet a French team with something to prove in the Quarter-Finals

I'll be up bright and early on Sunday for Fiji Samoa, which should be an entertaining game,

Then just time to pop down to stock up on Irn Bru and a bit of ill-natured bickering here during the Ireland Russia game prior to the Argentina Scotland game to see who progresses to the QFs

SC

[Donnyboy]

30 mins to go to ABs v France

Tony Marsh, the kiwi who played 21 tests for France said this is not a B side team, they have a very good forward pack!

Let's get ready to rumble!!!

[Donnyboy]

Wow what a game so far

French came out firing and it seemed they had the ABs rattled with at least 2 clean breaks thru the center and were close to scoring within the first 8 mins

Then the tables turned with Nonu making a huge break leading to a try to Thompson , and another 2 followed quickly from Jane and Dagg

Half time 19-3

if the second half is as good as the first, this will be one of the best games so far IMO

[Donnyboy]

37-17 ABs take it

Couple of lapses when the ABs were a wee bit causal in allowing an intercept try and a French penalty tap which lead to another try but the night was capped off with a special presentation to Mccaw who played his 100th test

[mightyharriss]

37-17 ABs take it

Couple of lapses when the ABs were a wee bit causal in allowing an intercept try and a French penalty tap which lead to another try but the night was capped off with a special presentation to Mccaw who played his 100th test

France should have made good on the opening ten minutes and it could have been a much closer came... Fair play to the AB's they look strong...... as my friend said....... "FRANCE......BOOOM yes that just happened". Looking forward to tomorrows games now and of course the UFC

[mightyharriss]

Simple question.. basically a yes or no....... Is true cable internet the best option for surfing DL/ playing games online in Thailand? If so, I will get it when I move next wek

[meatboy]

nz well played apart from the first 10mins,lets hope we dont see the disgracefull cheating again, when a french player went down holding his face as if he had been poleaxed,we dont need it,football has been ruined by this type of play acting,and what was the ref thinking when he awarded a try to france when still talking to the nz players,so 10points off france's total.england looked good with ball in hand but they need to improve to get past qtr.fnls.

[mightyharriss]

nz well played apart from the first 10mins,lets hope we dont see the disgracefull cheating again, when a french player went down holding his face as if he had been poleaxed,we dont need it,football has been ruined by this type of play acting,and what was the ref thinking when he awarded a try to france when still talking to the nz players,so 10points off france's total.england looked good with ball in hand but they need to improve to get past qtr.fnls.

Agreed, and for once the English kicking game is very lacking

[tigerfish]

som nam nah Scotland !

boring unimaginative sorry excuse of a rugby team, lacking in attacking flair and inventiveness. could of and should of killed the game off and gone for the try after the penaly had been given after the line out, but instead chose to take the drop goal and it came back to bite them in the arse.

hey btw jocks, you can keep Robinson north of the border, we don't want him back.

[StreetCowboy]

som nam nah Scotland !

boring unimaginative sorry excuse of a rugby team, lacking in attacking flair and inventiveness. could of and should of killed the game off and gone for the try after the penaly had been given after the line out, but instead chose to take the drop goal and it came back to bite them in the arse.

hey btw jocks, you can keep Robinson north of the border, we don't want him back.

Thanks for sharing that.

I still feel sorry for Alesandro Troncon

If we beat the English next weekend, will Argentina get to stick it to the French again?

SC

[Mossfinn]

Well done Ireland. They are an up and coming force in world rugby for sure.

Hmmm....

They have beaten the Wallabies and the Boks in recent years, have a Grand Slam under their belt, several Triple Crowns, a European Player of the Year in the SOB, 4 Heineken Cup Victories and a Munster Victory over the All Blacks ( OK that was 1978 )

No up and coming team here, with the greatest Captains in the modern era, BOD or the Big Felloah, the finest back row in the game, the kicking strategy of ROG or the running game Sexton..........

I can see victory over the Welsh in the quarters, France/England in the Semis and a final against the esteemed All Blacks, as we all know, anything can happen in a final.

i wonder if any of your backs will get released though and actually score a try on the way to the final, or will it be a Munster side playing in green shirts that will get the job done.

Well, a Munster 'stick it up your jumper', and forward domination or a Leinster running game, I don't really care, a mix of both would be ideal. If we can dominate the Italian scrum will be a good measure for the Wales game and I can see it getting the better of the English/French pack and then see whose backs will see the most gaps.

You gotta admit an All Blacks/Ireland final would be the best of all games

[meatboy]

thats it for the scots,no attacking idea's at all,mind you next weeks encounter with the old enemy should be entertaining.wales this aft.to much class come on boyo's.

[Donnyboy]

nz well played apart from the first 10mins,lets hope we dont see the disgracefull cheating again, when a french player went down holding his face as if he had been poleaxed,we dont need it,football has been ruined by this type of play acting,and what was the ref thinking when he awarded a try to france when still talking to the nz players,so 10points off france's total.england looked good with ball in hand but they need to improve to get past qtr.fnls.

Agreed, and for once the English kicking game is very lacking

i dont think NZ played badly in the first 10 mins at all, they kept their heads and defended well, and kept france scoreless even after having 88% possession

they lost their way during the 2nd half when they were abit casual but other than that, a good performance

looking ahead for the quarters, if there arent any upsets in the final rounds of pool play,

ABs v Argies, I cant see the argies getting past NZ,

Eng vs France should be a huge battle, France could upset here, but I dont think their pack are up to it thou,

Ireland vs Wales, Irish to take it

Boks vs Wobblies, should be a cracker, i think the aussies could sneak in here, but boks could have aussie scrum on the rack

[meatboy]

the taffs played well could be a big threat to ire,they can sort them out exspecially if the irish play backwards as some of the teams will be going home will they also send those two comentators from yesterdays match, the same ones that done the sa/namib.match just one comment from the sa/nam.game nam.were 49points down one of them said they must be patient,well they are testing my patients.

[tigerfish]

i have said it before and i will say it again, Jonathan kaplan is a bad referee in my opinion ! i just hope he doesn't get to ref the final.

another thing and being an Englishman it pains me to say it but, the influence both on and off the field of Leicester rfc will get us found out against one of the top sides. to many penalties get given away at the breakdown which in a tight match is going to count.

[meatboy]

johnathan kaplan has got to go every match he has refed he has made some howlers what about japan exciting and a joy to watch.

[Mossfinn]

As long as the Irish do not get rucked in the scrum:

Ireland 16 Wales 10

All Blacks 28 Malvinas 7

England 10 France 21

South Africa 12 Australia 10

Ireland 21 France 10

All Blacks 24 South Africa 21

All Blacks 18 Ireland 24

[meatboy]

As long as the Irish do not get rucked in the scrum:

Ireland 16 Wales 10

All Blacks 28 Malvinas 7

England 10 France 21

South Africa 12 Australia 10

Ireland 21 France 10

All Blacks 24 South Africa 21

All Blacks 18 Ireland 24

is that you? nostradamus

[Donnyboy]

As long as the Irish do not get rucked in the scrum:

Ireland 16 Wales 10

All Blacks 28 Malvinas 7

England 10 France 21

South Africa 12 Australia 10

Ireland 21 France 10

All Blacks 24 South Africa 21

All Blacks 18 Ireland 24

is that you? nostradamus

no, mossfinn's having a dream

[Donnyboy]

Boks v Samoa, Boks take it 13-5

it was a bruising encounter, but the Boks held out just.

Based on what I saw tonight, I can see them lose the the wobblies in the quarters, they were ordinary