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Rugby World Cup 2023

Squads starting to be named now. Samoa have named theirs, and the southern hemisphere teams are doing so this week, more from a logistical perspective I think.

England name theirs early too - tomorrow.

The Times reckon Slade, May and Cokanasiga aren’t going. May has lost his pace and was a surprise to be in the squad, I reckon he was there as a good trainer and for his experience.

Slade is a big shock if true. Suggests that Ford at 10 and Farrell at 12 will happen again. Tactics from 2019 with players from 2015. Oh and Manu Tuilagi is carrying an injury, but that is not a big shock.

 
More squads named this week - a few (injured) World Cup winners left out by South Africa, who have for some reason named 4 scrum halves and look thin at centre and fly half.

New Zealand squad seems as expected really but they seem to lack experience at scrum half and probably have one too many out and out wingers picked at the expense of versatility.

Australia have a few surprises - former captain Michael Hooper is injured, and mercurial fly half Quade Cooper is left out. Eddie Jones is backing the mullet of Carter Gordon. La Rochelle lock Will Skelton, once of Saracens, is skipper. Eddie has said he wants a proven winner as captain, and that’s perhaps a fair call though Australia have lost all 4 of their games this summer, the last by 3 points against the All Blacks having been ahead most of the game.

England squad was named earlier this week and was as per the leak on Sunday. A few of those not in the squad are still training as there are some niggles and they may even play this week. It will surprise no one to learn that Manu Tuilagi is one of those carrying a slight injury :D
 
Teams named for the two games this week.

Wales have a largely experimental team, 15 changes from last week with a few new caps. England are playing more of a balanced team than previously and I quite like the look of it. A bounce back from last weeks moribund dross of a performance sorely needed for England.

France v Scotland also play in what is also a rematch of last week. Both teams have gone more or less full noise - looks like a cracker.
 
England and Wales still flattering to deceive. Ill tempered game at Twickenham; neither team deserved to win.

Wales should have scored more against the 12 men England were reduced to at one point, Farrell’s red card a shocker and he ought to be banned for at least 5 games as this is a repeat offence. England improved after he was carded with George Ford pulling the strings at 10.

Despite the largely terrible performance I can sort of see an England back line of (in shirt number order) of Ford, Daly, Lawrence, Marchant, Watson, Steward (who I don’t rate defensively but is the only option). God knows at scrum half, probably Youngs who has played with Ford at club level, but if Van Poortvliet is injured - it looked nasty - I would bring in Alex Mitchell who has a lot of zip. I also liked Ben Earl at 8, which makes the back row selection interesting, as his hard abrasive carrying at pace seemed more effective than the heavier ponderous Vunipola. I’d probably make Lawes or George captain - guaranteed starters and good talking to refs.

Scotland v France has been a bit of a French masterclass so far, with a couple of wonderful tries. Scotland were looking good in the first 10 minutes, but since then it’s been one-way traffic. Totally destroys the argument that England might make that you don’t want to show your hand too much in the warmup games.
 
Both Wales and England are going to get fucking rinsed at the WC.

The way Fiji are playing at the moment, I fancy their chances. Georgia too tbf.

Wales to not make it out of their group. England to scrape it, then get done by a really shit Australia in the most embarrassing game of recent history.
 
fucthest8 said:
Both Wales and England are going to get fucking rinsed at the WC.

The way Fiji are playing at the moment, I fancy their chances. Georgia too tbf.

Wales to not make it out of their group. England to scrape it, then get done by a really shit Australia in the most embarrassing game of recent history.
Click to expand...
Literally only Wales can contrive to chuck away a nine point lead with a three man advantage and less than a quarter of the game still to play. Absolute shit show.
 
France’s fly half, Romain Ntamack is ruled out of the World Cup, also their best loose head prop, Cyril Baille

Big loss for France that

England have called up Alex Mitchell at scrum half to replace the injured Jack Van Poortvliet. I think this improves England’s team personally, I imagine journalists will be happy too as they don’t have to check the spelling of his surname composted to JVP
 
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Owen Farrell gets his red card overturned for his now not illegal tackle on Taine Basham. Mitigating circumstances are apparently:

a late change in dynamics due to England No2’s interaction [Jamie George] in the contact area brought about a sudden and significant change in direction from the ball carrier.
Click to expand...

So he’s free to play on Saturday. Basham has to stand down for 10 days due to concussion.

I’m an England fan and think this stinks. He has a history of dangerous high tackles and clearly has an issue controlling his emotions on the field from the way he speaks to refs. All the talk was a 5 or 6 game ban, and he gets nothing - they must have been given the nod I think as he pleaded not guilty.
 
Elpenor said:
Owen Farrell gets his red card overturned for his now not illegal tackle on Taine Basham. Mitigating circumstances are apparently:



So he’s free to play on Saturday. Basham has to stand down for 10 days due to concussion.

I’m an England fan and think this stinks. He has a history of dangerous high tackles and clearly has an issue controlling his emotions on the field from the way he speaks to refs. All the talk was a 5 or 6 game ban, and he gets nothing - they must have been given the nod I think as he pleaded not guilty.
Click to expand...

It's box office. It does seem bonkers. But they need the big names playing.

But I do quite like the idea of the 'World Rugby Tackling School' thing he was sent on last time as punishment (and which clearly didn't help much). :D

They're letting Lauren James play in the WC final despite the most blatant act of foul play you'll see, but hey - money talks. Sports need their stars on the field.
 
Elpenor said:
Owen Farrell gets his red card overturned for his now not illegal tackle on Taine Basham. Mitigating circumstances are apparently:



So he’s free to play on Saturday. Basham has to stand down for 10 days due to concussion.

I’m an England fan and think this stinks. He has a history of dangerous high tackles and clearly has an issue controlling his emotions on the field from the way he speaks to refs. All the talk was a 5 or 6 game ban, and he gets nothing - they must have been given the nod I think as he pleaded not guilty.
Click to expand...
A disgrace, rugby has lost all sense of fair play, morals and any concern for player welfare has disappeared with this decision. Farrell is a serial offender , this is his trade mark tackle and for him to be found not guilty is a total disregard for everything that is right and just. Im astounded.
 
I genuinely think a little bit of rugby died today. A blatantly corrupt decision and one that says as much as you need to know about the administrators' 'concern' for player welfare and avoidance of brain injury. Makes Sexton's decision look almost wholesome.
 
bendeus said:
I genuinely think a little bit of rugby died today. A blatantly corrupt decision and one that says as much as you need to know about the administrators' 'concern' for player welfare and avoidance of brain injury. Makes Sexton's decision look almost wholesome.
Click to expand...

I don't give a fuck if Jamie George tripped the player so that he was falling into Farrell, fucking everyone could see Farrell lead with his shoulder. Despicable.
 
fucthest8 said:
I don't give a fuck if Jamie George tripped the player so that he was falling into Farrell, fucking everyone could see Farrell lead with his shoulder. Despicable.
Click to expand...

bendeus said:
He actually dipped it and drove up. The decision is incomprehensible unless you acknowledge corruption
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There’s actually a very good argument to counter that. If he had been higher, Farrell wasn’t stopping, so momentum would be greater and so consequences would have been worse! bendeus do the WRU have a right of appeal?
 
1927 said:
There’s actually a very good argument to counter that. If he had been higher, Farrell wasn’t stopping, so momentum would be greater and so consequences would have been worse! bendeus do the WRU have a right of appeal?
Click to expand...
No, but World Rugby do.
 
This sums up the Farrell debacle pretty neatly:

gwladrugby.wordpress.com

Talking Heads

It’s rare that World Rugby is able to unite the rugby world. Probably unprecedented. And yet, in its disciplinary committee’s decision to downgrade Owen Farrell’s headshot on Taine Basham from a re…
gwladrugby.wordpress.com gwladrugby.wordpress.com
 
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