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The Rugby World Cup is begining in NZ in a couple of weeks


AND .... The Wallabies just beat the All Blacks in a huge game to seal the Tri Nations Cup

GREAT JOB by the Aussies

Damn, I shouldn't have clicked on this thread. I'm not going to be able to watch the Tri Nations match for another few hours . . . Oh well.

I think Australia has a decent chance. I like their depth a lot more than NZ's. But I think Cooper/Genia combination will need to be clicking a little more, and James O'Connor will need to step up. I'm guessing he probably improved this week, but he was on a low after a great Super Rugby season.

I'm also looking for RSA to get knocked off 3rd place in the world rankings after the World Cup. (Of course, when I was first predicting that to my friends a few weeks ago, I thought Ireland would be the team to take over that spot . . .)

G'day FFA - You are in for a treat - this was a very good game - you'll want to watch it all

The Springboks are not the team they were

There are a number of good rugby teams in Europe now

this will be fun

despite the game today

the All Blacks are still the best side in the world and will be really fired up to prove it in NZ

SkinsJock wrote:despite the game today

the All Blacks are still the best side in the world and will be really fired up to prove it in NZ

They will still have to go through my Ikale Tahi Team in the first game. We will give them a run for their money.

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/fixtu ... stage.html

as for IRB 2011 rankings:

http://www.irb.com/rankings/

Let's see how it works out. It will be FUN.

SkinsJock wrote:G'day FFA - You are in for a treat - this was a very good game - you'll want to watch it all

The Springboks are not the team they were

There are a number of good rugby teams in Europe now

this will be fun

Just got to it. (Hurricane interrupted my plans! ) That was a battle between heavyweights . . . just sheer power and brutalizing play.

I was surprised to see O'Connor not dressed. (I don't follow the news, though, so I'm sure I'll be the last one to find out why.) In my opinion Cooper is too inconsistent on his kicks and the Wallabies need O'Connor in there for the World Cup.

My father used to play rugby (I heard) but I was never able to get into it myself. From the small amount I've watched on TV though, myyyy goooddddnnneeeessss.. those guys are some tough dudes!!!!

Will any of it be aired on TV on our side of the world? I wonder how that'll affect the timezone things?

Last world cup they aired a few on TV. On one of those channels dedicated to the 18-35 white male demographic. Spike TV or something like that. They just ignore the appeal of live TV and show a delayed broadcast.

Irn-Bru wrote:On one of those channels dedicated to the 18-35 white male demographic. Spike TV or something like that.

Hey man, I love Spike TV !

Not saying you can't watch it. But that channel is what it is.

I'm in that demographic and don't. Actually I just realized that BBC America might be taking over the broadcasts this time around. They already show the Six Nations game each spring (well, a few of them, anyway).

What happened was in 2007 my dad caught one of the quarterfinal games they were playing. I always watch the Skins with him so we watched the next three weeks of rugby together and I was hooked. I strongly recommend checking out the world cup, LPJ. But you'll have to stick with it: rugby is similar to American football in many ways, and is even much simpler, but for a newbie it takes a while to catch on.

If you don't want to wait for the world cup, ESPN3.com has a lot of games on tap that you can check out.

Irn-Bru wrote:I was surprised to see O'Connor not dressed. (I don't follow the news, though, so I'm sure I'll be the last one to find out why.) In my opinion Cooper is too inconsistent on his kicks and the Wallabies need O'Connor in there for the World Cup.

O'Connor is THE kicker - he was suspended by ARU for this game


This is going to be a good WC as a lot of sides are really playing well together right now

SkinsJock wrote:O'Connor is THE kicker - he was suspended by ARU for this game

Ooh, I didn't know that. Not a good start for him.

This is going to be a good WC as a lot of sides are really playing well together right now

I agree. It's been a fun summer watching all of this develop.

James O'Connor was disciplined for not showing at the media event to announce the WC squad - he was apparently out V late the previous evening - he 'claimed' he over slept

He's a V valuable kicker for the wallabies - I hope that he's not further disciplined
there is some more allegations from a year ago and he's apparently been spoken to a couple of times for his drinking habits

My Team is READY

Are you ready for some RUGBY???

I cannot wait.

My team is ready as well. Definitely not the favourites, but England are a solid side. Don't think this team has been through enough test rugby together to be a world champion yet, but I'd settle for a run to the semi finals and beating France along the way

The question is: will the All Blacks be inspired by playing at home, or will they crumble, again? The whole nation is looking to their rugby team to lift morale in some way, after the horrors of the earthquake - that pressure (combined with the pressure that the All Black rugby team is ALWAYS under) might be too much for them. Or they could all become legends.

Bring it on!

The first game in this year's Rugby World Cup will be between Tonga and New Zealand, tomorrow 9/9

this game is on at 0930 hrs here (East Coast USA)

that awesome video was at the World Cup 8 years ago

You can just bet the Tongans are going to be really fired up again


here's something else: Rugby vrs Gridiron http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14725789
fastest growing sport???


and this: Rugby World Cup Undergoes Flashy, High-Speed Change
http://online.wsj.com/search/term.html? ... linesearch

This is another version of the HAKA

this one aught to make Trevor a little nervous - last year in NZ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofj3dCKy ... re=related

Looks like the first US game (versus Ireland) will air on Sunday during the Skins game. It will be a very one-sided affair, but if you guys (like LPJ) are wondering what rugby is about it should be worth watching, whether you can record it while watching the Redskins or just flip to it during the commercials (as I will be doing).

UPDATE:

some games will be available on DirecTV pay-per-view - channels 490 - 497

it looks like NBC will give some air time to the games involving the US Rugby team - The Eagles
BECAUSE New Zealand is 16 hours ahead of DC, these games will most likely be taped

The US Eagles first game is against Ireland - 6pm NZ, 9/11 = 2am DC, 9/11

some may want to watch the game and NOT know the result

btw - NZ All Blacks 41 - Tonga 10

SkinsJock wrote:This is another version of the HAKA

this one aught to make Trevor a little nervous - last year in NZ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofj3dCKy ... re=related

Lol - how many players did the maori team have on the pitch for that?! I really don't think the haka should be allowed before games like this, but most fans seem to love it.

Personally, I think the England team should retaliate in kind-this should put the fear of god into the opposition....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZjLATAUwao

Absolutely terrifying.

SkinsJock wrote:some games will be available on DirecTV pay-per-view - channels 490 - 497

OMG, another DirecTV monopoly!!!! I'm sure it's overpriced...

KazooSkinsFan wrote:

SkinsJock wrote:some games will be available on DirecTV pay-per-view - channels 490 - 497

OMG, another DirecTV monopoly!!!! I'm sure it's overpriced...

I'll be paying to watch a couple of these games