Rugby World Cup 2023

[WildcatfaninOhio]

RWC 2023 schedule

The 2023 Rugby World Cup kicks of on Friday, September 8th. Matches to be played in France with 20 of the world's top teams competing. Unfortunately, the USA did not qualify. Can't wait. My money is on South Africa to win it.

RWC pools

 

[Jerry With A G]

ALL BLACKS - NZ will come out on top

 

[chroix]

I was in Paris during the Rugby World Cup a few years ago. Really fun time and cool as hell to watch matches at the Eiffel Tower with a quarter million people. But good lord the British fans were the absolute worst people in the world and it really seemed like they actively trying to constantly top themselves. I heard a group of dudes call a little girl the C word when she started crying because they were banging on their table until they got more drinks. Truly never been around worse people.

 

[rudd1]

-taking the home team.

 

[vhcat70]

As much as I like soccer, never been able to follow rug rules. When a line out? When a scrum? Why bother with either when side in control gets 99.9% of them anyway?

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

As much as I like soccer, never been able to follow rug rules. When a line out? When a scrum? Why bother with either when side in control gets 99.9% of them anyway?

Both are simply ways to restart the action. Same as when NFL starts a play with a center snap, or basketball restarts by inbounding the ball.

A scrum happens when someone fumbles forward, knocks the ball forward, or a pass goes forward. A line out happens after the ball goes into touch (out of bounds).

 

[rudd1]

-I think what he's asking is about after certain penalties...opting for scrum/line out.

-Line outs are far from 99.9 percent, scrums are higher percentage than line out...but still a chance to lose possession(wheel or collapse). Like in all sports you choose what you think you are best at executing.

 

[funKYcat75]

If NZ plays Samoa, do they both do Hakas?

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

https://www.vegasinsider.com/odds/r...World Cup,the oddsmakers at bet365 sportsbook.

Current odds of winning the RWC, per Las Vegas. I’m still pulling for The South Africa Springboks to repeat as champs.

Tourney starts on Friday with the opening match New Zealand All Blacks vs France Les Bleus. Look for France to surrender to New Zealand.

 

[Kybluedude]

Go Irish!

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

Well, crap! Those damn Frenchies beat New Zealand in the opening match 27-13.

Four more matches tomorrow.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

Best match yesterday was England over Argentina. England went down a player early in the first half from a red card. Still pulled out a victory playing 14 against 15. England fly half, George Ford, scored all of England's 27 points by completing 6 penalty kicks and 3 drop goals. Crazy!

Looking forward to South Africa vs Scotland today, which airs at 11:30 on CNBC.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

First upset of the tournament so far, although a minor upset. Fiji just defeated Australia.

Both teams are ranked in top 10 in the world. But Fiji hadn’t beaten Australia since 1954. Within that timeframe Fiji was 0-19-1 in matches against Australia.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

Biggest blowout win of the tournament so far happened yesterday when host nation France beat Namibia 96-0.

Typically I’m not very fond of running up a score like this. But rugby uses competition points to determine winners, and they use point differential as the first tiebreaker.

Best matchup of the tournament coming up the Saturday when South Africa plays Ireland.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

Ireland beat South Africa 13-8

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

Australia has lost another match, this time to Wales, 40-6. First of the big name sides that will not be making a playoff rounds.

 

[Kybluedude]

Ireland over the defending champs So Africa. Great game

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

Pool A is completed. France and New Zealand have secured spots in the playoffs.

From the other pools it appears that Ireland, South Africa, Wales and England are locks to make playoffs. Remaining two spots will be either Fiji or Australia (miraculously still alive), and either Argentina or Japan.

A couple great matchups left this weekend as pool stage wraps up. Ireland vs Scotland, and Argentina vs Japan.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

The playoff rounds are now set. Fiji sneaks in as the last team with a one point loss to Portugal, but they get 1 losing competition bonus point and get in, knocking Australia out. Interesting that all four matchups will be northern hemisphere teams versus southern hemisphere.

Wales vs Argentina
Ireland vs New Zealand
England vs Fiji
France Vs South Africa

Go Springboks!

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

Semi finals are set for next weekend.

 

[Catemus]

I’m pulling for England. Watched them against Fiji and they looked strong. South Africa looks scary but I think the English can take them in the semi-final. I expect the All Blacks to beat Argentina in the other semi-final. I think England then beats NZ to take the World Cup.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

I'm sticking with my original pick to win it all, South Africa Springboks. They'll defeat New Zealand in the final.

I'd be OK with England winning it as I'm most familiar with their players since I mostly watch Premiership Rugby. And I'd mostly be happy for players from my favorite Premiership team, The Northampton Saints. In particular lock Courtney Lawes, playing in his 4th RWC.

 

[Kybluedude]

Bummed Ireland lost. They were ranked #1 for quite some time but can’t get past the quarters in the WC.

Watched the Ireland South Africa match in a pub in Loughrea Ireland. They love their team over there. Johnny Sexton is a legend. Fun Fun time. Had to laugh to myself when I tried to high five after an Ireland score and nobody knew wtf I was doing.

Didn’t think NZ could beat them. Surprised. Traditional power for sure but France ran them out early.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

Congrats to the New Zealand All Blacks. They have defeated Argentina 44-6 to advance to the RWC final.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

South Africa has defeated England 16-15 to advance to the final next weekend. Second week The Springboks with fa 1 point win, as last week they beat France by 1.

Final next Saturday at 3:00pm edt live on NBC. South Africa vs New Zealand.

Of nine previous Rugby World cups, New Zealand has three championships, South Africa three, Australia two, and England one.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

We’re at halftime of the final with South Africa leading New Zealand 12-6. Big moment in first half was All Black’s flanker and captain, Sam Cane, sent off with a red card for contact with the head in a tackle. New Zealand down to 14 players for the rest of the match.

Go Springboks!

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

And the Rugby World Cup championship goes to South Africa. Their second consecutive, and fourth overall. They have defeated New Zealand 12-11.

Three straight matches they’ve won by just one point. They beat France by one in the quarter final, and beat England by one in semis.