Rugby Union World Cup 2011

[BardonGaruda]

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/

Rugby WC starts on Friday September 9th with New Zeland v Tonga.

Will anyone on here be following this? I'm a huge rugby fan, even though my own country Ireland have had a disaterous build-up to the WC, I'm really looking forward to it. So many questions and intriguing match ups. Went to the last WC in France 4 years ago but sadly couldn't make this one.

- Will NZ finally win their 2nd WC after being the best team in the world pretty much since England won in 2003 or will their WC jinx persist.

- Which France team will turn up in the knock out stages.

- Ireland playing the US in their opening game on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. Along with this the US are coached by Eddie O'Sullivan the former Ireland coach who was replaced by Declan Kidney (current Ireland coach).

- US are also in the same group as Russia which should be a good old cold war grudge match.

- How will England do now that they are a much improved side in the last year?

- Will Australia be able to reproduce the form they showed in beating the All Blacks in the final game of the Tri-Nations?

- Will defending champions South Africa's ploy of resting their 1st team for the 1st half of the Tri Nations pay off?

As I said I'm really looking forward to this even though the time difference means the games will generally have start times ranging from 3am to 9:30 am here in Ireland.

So anyone else a RU fan on here, anyone planning to attend any of the matches, or simply just cheer on your country and learn a bit about the sport (for now RU fans)?

[Boyiee]

Will Matt Damon be playing?

[shepardG]

I lol'd

but honestly, i'm very new to watching/playing rugby, however there is a local league that my friend has invited me to play in.
I don't know what network will be televising this but i would be interested in watching. Is NZ favored? I know the all blacks are usually the guys who win more than they lose, but i assume this national team will be more talent/less strategy like most national sports teams?

[BardonGaruda]

I lol'd

but honestly, i'm very new to watching/playing rugby, however there is a local league that my friend has invited me to play in.
I don't know what network will be televising this but i would be interested in watching. Is NZ favored? I know the all blacks are usually the guys who win more than they lose, but i assume this national team will be more talent/less strategy like most national sports teams?

NZ are definitely the favourites. The WC happens every 4 years and generally inbetween NZ are the best team in the world by a long way. Then when they get to the WC they fail to perform.

This time they are the host though and there's very high expectations. However they did lose their last 2 games (both away) to South Africa and Australia. Plus they have their bogey team France is their pool.

As for TV coverage, here's the one I know:

Ireland: RTÉ
UK: ITV
US: NBC/Universal Sports
Canada: TSN
NZ: Sky Sports

[Abandon]

All Blacks? I'm offended.

[oldoldman]

Every time I think I've figured out rugby rules they do something crazy I didn't know they could do.

[KoD]

TV Coverage/Channels for Rugby World Cup 2011: <Some Might Be Wrong>

Argentina: TV Publica, ESPN
Australia: Fox Sports, Nine Network
Canada: TSN and TSN2
Fiji: Fiji Television
France TF1, Eurosport France, France Televisions and Canal+
Georgia: International Sport Media Group
Hong Kong PCCW
Ireland: Setanta, RTE
Italy: Sky Italia
India: Neo Sports India- All Games
Japan: J Sports, Nippon TV
New Zealand: Sky New Zealand, Maori Television, TVNZ and TV3
Romania: Digi Sport Romania
United Kingdom: ITV & S4C
USA: NBC, Universal
Colombia: RCN
South Africa: SABC 2 & Supersport
Germany: DSF, Sport 1

Rugby Live Stream Links Will be added Just befor Match Starts:
http://www.totalsportsmadness.com/20...eaming-online/

[BlaizeAsura]

Cannot wait for this to start tomorrow, only annoying thing is the time zone.

Happily England's earliest game is 7am kick off, so not too bad.

Pretty confident with our chances this year, apart from a couple of slip ups I think overall we've looked like a strong team in 6 nations and the warm ups, and hopefully a lot of the short comings we had will have been worked out and the starting 15 will be pretty well decided now.

Just need Wilko Sheridan and Moody to give this new thing a go called "Not getting injured".

[BardonGaruda]

As expected NZ are destroying Tonga atm. Would like to see a bit of a response from Tonga in the 2nd half, at least to score a try or 2. NZ still going to win by 60+ by the looks of it.

Have to say not convinced by Jimmy Cowan's performance for NZ but other than him their backs are on fire. Their forwards haven't had much to do so hard to judge them on this performance.

Pretty confident with our chances this year, apart from a couple of slip ups I think overall we've looked like a strong team in 6 nations and the warm ups, and hopefully a lot of the short comings we had will have been worked out and the starting 15 will be pretty well decided now.

I think England have the best chance of any NH team especially with the French considering playing a 2nd team against NZ in their pool. Scotland and Argentina in your pool could be dangerous, but more likely those 2 will be contesting 2nd place. Still have hopes for Ireland to perform but atm hopes are all they are. Can't wait for our 1st game on Sunday against the US.

[payu]

All Blacks? I'm offended.

Our soccer team is called the All Whites :3 Not to mention our Basketball team is the Tall Blacks!
Yeah... we are kinda lame

[Ashmada]

Not a huge Rugby fan (still don't understand/know some of the rules), but I watch once in a while. Saw England - Argentina today, pretty boring game overall.
Both teams woke up at the end, England scored a try, Argentina almost retaliated in the last 5 minutes.


Here's hoping France loses. Badly. Japan, am disappoint.

[Flic]

World cup pretty much dominateing news over here, I would have loved to go to a couple of games but we lost hosting rights after the Earthquake in Feb totaled our staduim. So far the games have alot more even than earlier world cups with the minnows playing well.

I do hope the All Blacks win but Australia is a big danger, those 2 in the final I predict.

[BardonGaruda]

Matches have been way closer than in other WCs this time around and Canada recorded the first shock result by beating Tonga 25-20 today. Some others have come close. I wonder if any of the minnows will actually make the quater-finals though.

[Flic]

well, Ireland have really turned out with a victory over Australia. this should mean that all Tri nations will end on same side of draw with the Home nations on other side of draw. Does Ireland have another couple of big games in them?

[BardonGaruda]

well, Ireland have really turned out with a victory over Australia. this should mean that all Tri nations will end on same side of draw with the Home nations on other side of draw. Does Ireland have another couple of big games in them?

Ireland definitely have the big performances in them. The main worry for them is that they don't handle the favourites tag very well and they'll almost certainly be favourites for their quarter final against Wales (if they win their last 2 pool games of course).

England haven't been spectacular through the tournament but I can see them getting to the semi-finals. If the draw works out as expected then England would face France in the quaters and it's just one of those things where England seem to beat France when they play no matter who's in better form or has better players. Of course for them to meet England still need to beat Scotland and New Zealand need to beat France, neither of which or forgone conclusions.

Ireland's win at the weekend has turned what was before the start seen as a very predictable knockout stage on it's head. I think most ppl would have predicted a NZ v Aus final before Saturday. Now that's only possible if France top NZs pool and I can't see that happening with all the unrest in the French squad atm. But when France turn it on they can beat any team in the world by a healthy score.

[Flic]

France is our bogy team in World cups haveing knocked us out twice, they really get up for games against the All Blacks but I wonder if same desire there when its just a pool game.

[Flic]

Well, pool play is over, knockout stage starting tonight.
England vs France (england should win, France has been playing poorly)
Wales vs Ireland (to close to pick, I know rugby a minority sport in NA but if you watch one game, this is the one)
Australia Vs South Africa (to close to pick)
New Zealand vs Argintina (New Zealand should win comfortably)

[KoD]

France 19 vs 12 England
Wales 22 beat Ireland 10
And If Ireland Vs Aussie Is any indercation, South Africa Shld win Though Samoa dirty game injured some of our key players,
New Zealand Shld beat Argintina But never know with N.Z RWC bad luck