@ARHS said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Shaking my head about a couple of things here. That missed kick at the end may well see Fiji out of the RWC on points after Faletau late try yesterday but very little made of it by commentators. Eddie has a huge lifeline now.
Could not make out why Arnold not penalised for playing ball on the ground before Aussie try and the commentators saw nothing wrong. What am I missing here?

Well we had Aussie commentators, and I was surprised even they didn't notice the Arnold incident. But to be fair, the ref could miss it easily, the TMO isn't allowed to come in, and once the ball made touch, it couldn't be revisited after try,

@mariner4life said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

I reckon Aus by a couple of scores. I think they are a bit better than most think. And i think last week will have taken a bit out of Fiji.

another piece of evidence in the "M4L knows fuck all about rugby" file

Fiji did get tired, but apparently Australia are not better than most think

I wonder if Aussie can fake some injuries and fly in Quade, Hooper and Dave Rennie before the next round?

Interesting fact: Fijians scored all the tries today.

All the tries were scored by Fijians ,only 3 tries so no bonus point

@mariner4life or maybe Fiji are just better than most think, Aus are right where people thought...

Good from Fiji. They've always been big, fast and physical, but today their accuracy at the ruck, their set piece (for 56 minutes) and their mauling was the difference. Played with plenty of width that was giving Australia kittens. Played the ref at the ruck perfectly.

They were done at about 56 minutes and were hanging on. Their lineout fell apart, they couldn't hold the ball, and they started to fall off tackles. But Australia had nothing. Why get in to a 3 minute kicking duel with 6 minutes on the clock and you need a try just to draw? insane decision making

Massive worries for Australia. Their young 10 they've chucked in teh deep end Eddie towed, and will now probably never play again. Discipline appalling, dumb penalty after dumb penalty. Beaten everywhere for most of the game.
I would still take Valetini over any of our loosies though.

This pool is so fun. If Aus can beat Wales (and that now looks a huge if) then it's gonna get silly.

@taniwharugby said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@mariner4life or maybe Fiji are just better than most think, Aus are right where people thought...

definitely

@mariner4life said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Discipline appalling, dumb penalty after dumb penalty

So... pretty much the last 5 years?

@His-Bobness said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Fiji deserved that. Thoroughly disciplined performance. If they hadn’t been robbed against Wales they’d be in the QFs already.

Oh gawd, if Fiji don't make the quarters then we'll never hear the end of this. And that will be so tedious. And me reminding you every time that the ref gifted Fiji 12 points from missed scrum penalties and let them get away with murder at the breakdown in the first half will get excruciating.

Have been really impressed with Fiji in both games. They've improved so much in recent years in game management, discipline, structure, set piece etc. I guess having Drua in SR is probably a big part of that, but a lot of credit needs to go to the national team management.

In both matches they started to struggle in the 3rd quarter, and those areas where they had been good fell away a bit. Wales took advantage during that period better than Australia, which was ultimately the difference (despite Wales trying their best to throw it away in the last 20).

Disappointing from Australia, frustrating number of dumb decisions & indiscipline cost them.

@The-Irishman said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Brilliant! Hopefully Wales can finish off Oz and knock them out, it would be fantastic to see Fiji qualify. That should be a cracking game next Sunday.

I'd still give this slightly to Australia, but if the prospect can't lift the Welshmen against the New South Welshmen (and hangers on), nothing can!

@NTA said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@mariner4life said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Discipline appalling, dumb penalty after dumb penalty

So... pretty much the last 5 years?

maybe your powder is just drier than ours?

@Bovidae said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

AB fans complain about their lack of discipline. The Wallabies say hold my beer.

but the Fijians say "Sorry saka, I need two hands for this Kava here."

@mariner4life said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@mariner4life said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

I reckon Aus by a couple of scores. I think they are a bit better than most think. And i think last week will have taken a bit out of Fiji.

another piece of evidence in the "M4L knows fuck all about rugby" file

Fiji did get tired, but apparently Australia are not better than most think

@voodoo said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Can't believe 10 of y'all voted Fiji - I get going against the grain, better odds etc, but I'd bet my left nut on Oz winning this comfortably.

Hey, at least you still have both of your nuts in tact

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Just saw result. Ha ha. Fůck you Eddie. I'll bet Dave Rennie is giggling like a fůcking school girl. Karma be a bitch.

Thanks for the new Scandi(?) swear words to add to my vocab.

It's pretty disgraceful what the ARU have done to the fans here

When Fiji started to fall apart in the last quarter, a team that has played together before, coached by guys who didn't meet at the airport on the way to the tournament, probably go on an win it. Instead the team is completely disjointed, with no idea what they are trying to do, they lose, and suddenly their cup future is in the balance.

All because head office wanted some headlines.

@mariner4life said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

It's pretty disgraceful what the ARU have done to the fans here

When Fiji started to fall apart in the last quarter, a team that has played together before, coached by guys who didn't meet at the airport on the way to the tournament, probably go on an win it. Instead the team is completely disjointed, with no idea what they are trying to do, they lose, and suddenly their cup future is in the balance.

All because head office wanted some headlines.

I firmly believe, that this World Cup should not be judged until after 2027 (on the basis Eddie Jones doesn't walk).

They didn't have the players to compete at this World Cup, they lost to Italy last year for pete sake... wouldn't have done any better with Rennie in real terms, but they might have avoided a defeat here or there with older players. This should leave them quite well set up for the Lions Tour and the 2027 tournament, where if they win it, this shambles will be forgotten.

has Australia ever failed to get out of their pool? I assume not.

So - assuming we come second in our pool - if we were to win our QF, we're going to play either the winner of this pool or the team that comes second in Pool D.

At any rate, not England, unless their wheels suddenly fall off. I'd rather see them on the other side of the draw.

@nostrildamus said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

has Australia ever failed to get out of their pool? I assume not.

Nope, in 9 previous RWCs they've:

3 times lost a quarterfinal
2 times lost a semifinal
2 times lost a final
2 times won the whole shebang

@GibbonRib said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@nostrildamus said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

has Australia ever failed to get out of their pool? I assume not.

Nope, in 9 previous RWCs they've:

3 times lost a quarterfinal
2 times lost a semifinal
2 times lost a final
2 times won the whole shebang

Pretty good record for a 2nd Tier Nation

@mariner4life said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@mariner4life said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

I reckon Aus by a couple of scores. I think they are a bit better than most think. And i think last week will have taken a bit out of Fiji.

another piece of evidence in the "M4L knows fuck all about rugby" file

Fiji did get tired, but apparently Australia are not better than most think

Tell you what mate, you not the only one who has been proved a bit wrong, and as long as we have results that make us look like we don't know as much as we hope, we know the games in good state I think! (I have to also say that because anyone seeing my picks in any comp proves it)

@frugby said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@mariner4life said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

It's pretty disgraceful what the ARU have done to the fans here

When Fiji started to fall apart in the last quarter, a team that has played together before, coached by guys who didn't meet at the airport on the way to the tournament, probably go on an win it. Instead the team is completely disjointed, with no idea what they are trying to do, they lose, and suddenly their cup future is in the balance.

All because head office wanted some headlines.

I firmly believe, that this World Cup should not be judged until after 2027 (on the basis Eddie Jones doesn't walk).

They didn't have the players to compete at this World Cup, they lost to Italy last year for pete sake... wouldn't have done any better with Rennie in real terms, but they might have avoided a defeat here or there with older players. This should leave them quite well set up for the Lions Tour and the 2027 tournament, where if they win it, this shambles will be forgotten.

Will he have that choice?

For 60 minutes out there, Fiji showed how to play modern rugby in a style I’d enjoy as an AB fan.

Careful exits and minimize rucks in your own half, chase hard and apply huge pressure when down their end, then kick your goals.

Well done Fiji.

I want Aussie rugby to be strong. And, not run by a fool. So, I hope Aust lose to Wales and Jones and especially the fool who pushed to appoint him both get the boot.

Maybe too late to cut the teams in super rugby though.

@nostrildamus said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@NTA said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@mariner4life said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Discipline appalling, dumb penalty after dumb penalty

So... pretty much the last 5 years?

maybe your powder is just drier than ours?

It is positively dust at this point.

@Winger said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Well done Fiji.

I want Aussie rugby to be strong. And, not run by a fool. So, I hope Aust lose to Wales and Jones and especially the fool who pushed to appoint him both get the boot.

Maybe too late to cut the teams in super rugby though.

I can't see how cutting Aussie SR teams helps Aussie rugby at this stage. Might make short-term sense purely from the perspective of playing resources, but it would just be yet another kick in the nuts to an already massively disillusioned fan base.

Probably a discussion for another thread.

@GibbonRib said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

I can't see how cutting Aussie SR teams

@GibbonRib said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@Winger said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Well done Fiji.

I want Aussie rugby to be strong. And, not run by a fool. So, I hope Aust lose to Wales and Jones and especially the fool who pushed to appoint him both get the boot.

Maybe too late to cut the teams in super rugby though.

I can't see how cutting Aussie SR teams helps Aussie rugby at this stage. Might make short-term sense purely from the perspective of playing resources, but it would just be yet another kick in the nuts to an already massively disillusioned fan base.

Probably a discussion for another thread.

Weak super rugby teams that almost always lose to NZ sides and have zero chance of being the overall top dog must flow into a weaker national side.

IMHO it must start here. Get this right with 3 teams max and it will flow through into the top side. But I guess it's not over yet. And this discussion needs to be on another thread.

@GibbonRib said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

I can't see how cutting Aussie SR teams helps Aussie rugby at this stage. Might make short-term sense purely from the perspective of playing resources, but it would just be yet another kick in the nuts to an already massively disillusioned fan base.

It won't.

As demonstrated by the disciplinary and ruck issues, the quantity isn't the problem; it is quality.

That is down to the development systems which have basically not changed since before professionalism.

Look at the guys overseas or playing for other nations - we produce talent.

It is just that we've got too much Big Kid Syndrome. Tiny development pathways mean guys don't have to learn hard lessons, and can walk into contracts because of politics rather than merit.

@gt12 said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

For 60 minutes out there, Fiji showed how to play modern rugby in a style I’d enjoy as an AB fan.

Careful exits and minimize rucks in your own half, chase hard and apply huge pressure when down their end, then kick your goals.

So, play smart, direct, aggressively and well then.
Good learnings for our 2027 RWC.

@Winger said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Loose and undisciciplined super rugby teams that almost always lose when in the NZ team to tier 1 opponents because they don't know any other way to play and have zero chance of being the overall top dog internationally must flow into a weaker RWC chance

IMHO it must start here. Get this right with decent coaching and it will flow through into the top side. But I guess it's not over yet. And this discussion needs to be on another thread.

Fixed it for you.

@booboo said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@frugby said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@mariner4life said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

It's pretty disgraceful what the ARU have done to the fans here

When Fiji started to fall apart in the last quarter, a team that has played together before, coached by guys who didn't meet at the airport on the way to the tournament, probably go on an win it. Instead the team is completely disjointed, with no idea what they are trying to do, they lose, and suddenly their cup future is in the balance.

All because head office wanted some headlines.

I firmly believe, that this World Cup should not be judged until after 2027 (on the basis Eddie Jones doesn't walk).

They didn't have the players to compete at this World Cup, they lost to Italy last year for pete sake... wouldn't have done any better with Rennie in real terms, but they might have avoided a defeat here or there with older players. This should leave them quite well set up for the Lions Tour and the 2027 tournament, where if they win it, this shambles will be forgotten.

Will he have that choice?

Surely they wouldn't sack him... would be bizarre. There has been conversations behind closed doors I reckon... Jones didn't take the job with the demand of competing at this World Cup. All about the Lions Tour and the Home World Cup, and IMO he is prioritising it for right or for wrong. If he wanted to win now, he might have opted against Hooper and Cooper, but he would have brought a more experienced team.

It's a mental game. Bringing Gordon as the only real 10 (Donaldson being used at 15), I reckon was probably designed by Jones to show him, that he is his guy and he backs him to the hilt. Hooper isn't an option after the RWC, so he is basically useless to Jones as harsh as it is.

@frugby If the hosts do not automatically qualify then the Wallabies might have to negotiate their way through the last chance qualification playoff against the likes of Cypress and the Channel Islands.

@Higgins said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@frugby If the hosts do not automatically qualify then the Wallabies might have to negotiate their way through the last chance qualification playoff against the likes of Cypress and the Channel Islands.

Nup - it'll be Oceania. We're fucked

Eddie Jones is the worst coach in the world. Everything published about him screams asshole. You love to see it.

That McClennan is an A grade moron. Hopefully Rugby Australia will be forced to confront reality by bankruptcy soon.

@Tim said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Eddie Jones is the worst coach in the world. Everything published about him screams asshole. You love to see it.

That McClennan is an A grade moron. Hopefully Rugby Australia will be forced to confront reality by bankruptcy soon.

Due to Wellingtons extreme wind all fucken weekend I binged The Office for old times sake. Still good fun.

Eddie and David Brent share a remarkably similar lack of awareness as to what others think of them.

@MiketheSnow said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

In our own hands

Fiji need to beat both Portugal and Georgia scoring 4 or more tries in both matches to finish on a maximum of 16

Australia have to beat both us and Portugal scoring 4 or more tries in both matches to finish on a maximum of 16 points

We beat Aus, we’re through

We lose to Oz with no BP and beat Georgia with BP and we have 15 points, and if the others have accomplished the above then we’re out

At this stage it’s us and Fiji going through

What happens if you lose to Australia with a bonus point and everyone has 16 points? Is it down to points dif?

Seems there are a few ways this could pan out, in theory if OZ don't get 4 tries vs Wales but win, and Wales get a losing BP then they could finish higher? Also, Wales could just score 4 tries to get a BP and get to 16 even if they lose?

@NTA said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@Higgins said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@frugby If the hosts do not automatically qualify then the Wallabies might have to negotiate their way through the last chance qualification playoff against the likes of Cypress and the Channel Islands.

Nup - it'll be Oceania. We're fucked

Australia look to have jammied their way in for the 2027 Webb Ellis Cup on a technicality

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/rugby-union/news/where-next-rugby-world-cup-host-nation-venues-2027/5d38b8df8a3682198ab51699#:~:text=At the time of writing%2C the only confirmed,World Cup%2C with 20 teams in total competing.

Who will compete in Rugby World Cup 2027?

At the time of writing, the only confirmed team for the 2027 tournament is Australia, who qualify automatically as hosts.

Another 12 teams will gain automatic qualification for the tournament by finishing in the top three of their pool in the 2023 World Cup, with 20 teams in total competing. The remaining spots will be allocated through teams competing in a global qualification process.

Expansion to 24 teams in the Rugby World Cup has been mooted from 2031 onwards.

@Winger said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@GibbonRib said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

I can't see how cutting Aussie SR teams

@GibbonRib said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

@Winger said in RWC Week 2: Australia v Fiji:

Well done Fiji.

I want Aussie rugby to be strong. And, not run by a fool. So, I hope Aust lose to Wales and Jones and especially the fool who pushed to appoint him both get the boot.

Maybe too late to cut the teams in super rugby though.

I can't see how cutting Aussie SR teams helps Aussie rugby at this stage. Might make short-term sense purely from the perspective of playing resources, but it would just be yet another kick in the nuts to an already massively disillusioned fan base.

Probably a discussion for another thread.

Weak super rugby teams that almost always lose to NZ sides and have zero chance of being the overall top dog must flow into a weaker national side.

IMHO it must start here. Get this right with 3 teams max and it will flow through into the top side. But I guess it's not over yet. And this discussion needs to be on another thread.

Indeed, not over yet. The Wallabies might not make it out of the pool, but could quite possibly make the semifinals. The difference in how that would feel would be immense, even though it wouldn't change much about how good the team is, and even less about the underlying problems