Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:42 am  

I would love France to win today just to spoil NZ's party.
I can't see it of course, but you never know.
They haven't won the cup for 24 years, and considering they are the best team in the world and have been for many a year, they are serial underachievers.
Long may it continue.
Fook them and fook their haka!
Why can't opposition teams show their @rses to the haka?

That would be as much an obscenity as the haka itself, bring it on.

Why we let them perpetuate this gross intimidation is beyond me.
It's clearly not anthemic, hence why all the machismo gesticulations? It's an invitation to violence.
In fact we should exclude them from world rugby until they stop this nonsense.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Oct 23, 2011 9:55 am  

Waht an abysmal final, France edged it in the open play and but for a few dubious decisions from the ref would have had a deserved win.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Oct 23, 2011 10:22 am  

ITV making out that because New Zealand won nobody will care how poor the game was. Well actually not everyone just watched the game to see the Kiwis win, I wanted a good game of rugby.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Oct 23, 2011 11:16 am  

So near to an upset!
Shame.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Oct 23, 2011 11:17 am  

that was poop!

All Blacks in high pressure game are just like every other union side.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Oct 23, 2011 11:40 am  

Engrossing game of RU ......... thoroughly enjoyed it.

Harinordiquy was immense at the lineout, allowing the French to win lots of vital possession. And of course McCaw was everywhere; some of his work at the breakdown defies belief, his ablity to slow down the opposition's ball, and sometimes even pinch possession is a joy to watch.

Well done to the All Blacks, they've been the best team for most of the last decade, and now have a Championship to go with it.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Oct 23, 2011 11:43 am  

Another awful game of Rugby, dressed up as a classic by the Union-loving media.

The most frustrating thing is that it had all the potential of being a very good game, but as always with Union, sides just seem intent on stifling all signs of life from the game.

The negative nature of the game was summed up by the last 3 minutes, when the All Blacks literally hid the ball from the opposition and refused to budge from the same square metre of grass until the referee called time on things.

Yes, by all means kill the clock, but to be able to do so in such an obvious, negative way shows a massive disregard for supporters of the game, who surely want to be entertained?

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:01 pm  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

.............
The negative nature of the game was summed up by the last 3 minutes, when the All Blacks literally hid the ball from the opposition and refused to budge from the same square metre of grass until the referee called time on things.

Yes, by all means kill the clock, but to be able to do so in such an obvious, negative way shows a massive disregard for supporters of the game, who surely want to be entertained?

You're making a huge assumption as to what entertains supporters.

I thoroughly enjoyed those last few minutes, and appreciated the skill of the All Blacks to recycle possession under immense pressure , in a series of absorbing mauls.

Similarly, I watch RL for the defence, as I enjoy discipline of the organised defence, the tackles and big hits ..... all that "basketball" played by the poofs in the backs bores me silly.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:46 pm  

Disappointed by the tournament as a whole. The All Blacks were deserved winners as they're head and shoulders above their nearest rivals. If they can keep this level up then they'll be unstoppable as I think the standard of rugby union played by the other three or four 'big' nations has worryingly dropped.
Next time I'd like to see fewer teams and a maximum duration of 4 weeks. Going off what I've read on here and elsewhere on t'internet, I've been lucky to have had Canal+ commentary rather than ITV.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Oct 23, 2011 1:42 pm  

nickcat0 wrote:

You're making a huge assumption as to what entertains supporters.

I thoroughly enjoyed those last few minutes, and appreciated the skill of the All Blacks to recycle possession under immense pressure , in a series of absorbing mauls.

Similarly, I watch RL for the defence, as I enjoy discipline of the organised defence, the tackles and big hits ..... all that "basketball" played by the poofs in the backs bores me silly.

There's nothing wrong with strong defence or being able to maintain possession, but to simply kill the action in the way the All Blacks did, is mind-numbingly dull, whatever the occasion and the situation....they're was no re-cycling in that last 3 minutes, just an unorganised mess that was highlighted by the session where the ball laughably disappeared and everybody just stopped, even though the match was still 'live'.