Official 2015 Rugby World Cup Thread

[Hitman Hodgson]

Lancaster dropped a bollock by taking Youngs off so early, he was England's best player at that point.
Wales were there for the taking, unfortunately England were too negative, and one dimensional to take advantage.

Burgess will be a excellent union player, but playing him at centre isn't going to make best use of his strengths, I reckon he'll be in the back row for England at the next world cup, that's assuming he doesn't see sense and come back to do what he was born to do, and that's play rugby league.

Having said that, at least Burgess has the excuse of being a relative novice. Brad Barritt on the other hand is just a big pudding, how he contimes to get picked I'll never know. Actually, it's probably because Panface is the backs coach. Seriously, there can be no other reason.

Overall, I can't see either team wining the tournament, it was intense, but very scrappy IMO.

[Welsh Jon]

Wow! What fuking drama!

Can't believe the English didn't taken those 3 points when they were on offer!

Can't believe we snuck the win!

Cymru am byth!

[MDPopescu]

England humiliated at home by Wales.

Redeaux, I did say...

... Wales is smooth as usual, as of lately... (even if they got their fullback, right-wing and fly-half destroyed in one single action...)

[Beercules]

Lol you never seen the Haka before Beer?

Nah man this is all new to me

[Weebler I]

Lancaster dropped a bollock by taking Youngs off so early, he was England's best player at that point.

Was he injured? I couldn't understand that either. I thought I saw ice on his shoulder but maybe imagined it.

Burgess will be a excellent union player, but playing him at centre isn't going to make best use of his strengths, I reckon he'll be in the back row for England at the next world cup, that's assuming he doesn't see sense and come back to do what he was born to do, and that's play rugby league.

Having said that, at least Burgess has the excuse of being a relative novice. Brad Barritt on the other hand is just a big pudding, how he contimes to get picked I'll never know. Actually, it's probably because Panface is the backs coach. Seriously, there can be no other reason.

Overall, I can't see either team wining the tournament, it was intense, but very scrappy IMO.

I don't think Burgess is going to do much in rugby union. If he wants to play in the backrow he's going to be up against players who have been in the position their whole careers. I'm not sure any rugby league players have made it in the backrow.

At 12 Burgess had the opportunity to express himself, unfortunately like Andy Farrell before him it would seem that he hasn't got much to express. What kind of player was Burgess in rugby league? what did he do that was special?

[Hitman Hodgson]

At 12 Burgess had the opportunity to express himself, unfortunately like Andy Farrell before him it would seem that he hasn't got much to express. What kind of player was Burgess in rugby league? what did he do that was special?

Burgess was a prop/back rower in RL, who loves the physical aspect of the game, similar in style to someone like Billy Vunipola maybe. He has a decent offload game, but he's no Sonny Bill. Plus, even though he's mobile for a big lad, he's not quick enough to play in the centres, he's a square peg in a round hole. If I were Kyle Eastmond, or Billy Twelvetrees I'd be pretty peeved at him being selected before them. Eastmond in particular is a fantastic player, and could've provided the pace and creativity England so desperately need, but Panface isn't a fan, probably because of him being an ex St Helens player.

Burgess will do well in union, though. I think he's played mostly at 6 for Bath, and got some good reviews, so hopefully it won't be long until he's out of the midfield. Then again, this is Englan RU, where pace, skill, and flair are about as welcome as kryptonite in Superman's coffee. Seriously though, is there a more boring sports team than the England rugby union team?

As for Farrell, he was a 30 year old rugby league prop, with 2 busted knees when he left to join Saracens, that move was always going to be a disaster.

[Earl-Hickey]

Burgess was absoloutley ****ing world class in league, he was immense,

He is the most talented player in this england team and he should be able to pick his own position quite honestly

[Weebler I]

Burgess was a prop/back rower in RL, who loves the physical aspect of the game, similar in style to someone like Billy Vunipola maybe. He has a decent offload game, but he's no Sonny Bill. Plus, even though he's mobile for a big lad, he's not quick enough to play in the centres, he's a square peg in a round hole. If I were Kyle Eastmond, or Billy Twelvetrees I'd be pretty peeved at him being selected before them. Eastmond in particular is a fantastic player, and could've provided the pace and creativity England so desperately need, but Panface isn't a fan, probably because of him being an ex St Helens player.

Burgess will do well in union, though. I think he's played mostly at 6 for Bath, and got some good reviews, so hopefully it won't be long until he's out of the midfield. Then again, this is Englan RU, where pace, skill, and flair are about as welcome as kryptonite in Superman's coffee. Seriously though, is there a more boring sports team than the England rugby union team?

As for Farrell, he was a 30 year old rugby league prop, with 2 busted knees when he left to join Saracens, that move was always going to be a disaster.

So essentially he was a ball-carrier? I actually watched him play in that Australian final while on the plane but I couldn't remember what stood out about his skills. I just remember him winning man of the match.

Right now he's looking like Andy Farrell did, granted Farrell was at the tail end of his career. Farrell was tried in the backrow too, but nothing came of it.

Eastmond is good but a little bit small for the centres, I think he was a scrum-half in Rugby League? Twelvetrees is kind of inconsistent, can be great or shocking.

[Sine]

In league he had a high work rate in both offense and defense. Decent skill for a forward and would attract a few players when taking on the line.

I would agree that backrow would suit him best, as a back especially in the centres in union - you really need to switched on in defense as more often than not your one on one with your opposing center.

Wales beating England has thrown this pool right open. I expect/hope Australia win all their pool games although England has been a bogy team for them in the past and I expect that game to make or break England's chances of progressing through the pool....imagine if Fiji upset Wales..which happened in the 2007 WC.

This WC has seen some interesting games - upsets etc. I think there will be more twists to come.

As an Aussie I am really hoping we just make it through the pool stage - in all honesty I am not that confident.

[Hitman Hodgson]

Just looking at some of the write ups about the game this morning, and predictably Burgess is being scapegoated somewhat, which in some ways is understandable, he's an easy target. However, Robshaw has been receiving some stick for his decision to go for the try, instead of taking the points at the end. I was surprised because it was the only 'positive' decision anyone in the England set up has made both during the game, and during the build up. Having said that, Robshaw is gash. He offers nothing, Warburton is different class compared to this guy, and Steffon Armitage should be walking into this England team, he's been the best player in Europe over the past few years, and yet can't get in the team because of this ridiculous selection policy the RFU employs.