Argentina couldn't get anyone to play them in World cup warm ups!

Interesting point during the commentry by Eddie Butler, who said Argentina were offering 6 Nations teams games so they could build up for the World Cup and only Wales were interested.
I actually felt sorry for Argentina when I hard that, their stuck in South America, and the Tri Nations are playing each other, and it seems the 6 Nations wish to pair off for a party of their own.
I actually feel a bit guilty now for saying Wales should of played Tonga not Argentina!
Maybe the IRB should try and step in when this situation occurs, I'm amazed the French wouldn't give them a game though!

I heard that, did feel very bad for them!
The problem is the type of rugby they tend to play, dull and boring. Sucking the life out of the game.
The unions believe that the public won't pay to come and watch it!

flankertye wrote:I heard that, did feel very bad for them!
The problem is the type of rugby they tend to play, dull and boring. Sucking the life out of the game.
The unions believe that the public won't pay to come and watch it!

Well you may have a point, Wales were only asking £20 for 2 tickets, (or £10 each basically, buy 1 get 1 free) and yet the stadium only had 51,951 or so in it.
That's a very disappointing crowd to be honest, considering you cant normally watch Wales for less than £50. I guess people vote with their feet.

I think the WRU missed the boat, if they'd played Shane Williams and billed it as his Cardiff goodbye party, more would of gone.

Hmmm very true, as a forward I like watching a game like that, and the Welsh forwards and scrum are looking very impressive. But you know the average joe would rather watch a backline that score end to end tries, e.g. Australia and New Zealand.

This is the third weekend of rugby it gets expensive in the current climate.

Cymroglan wrote:This is the third weekend of rugby it gets expensive in the current climate.

True I suppose however, didn't you get a free ticket when you bought an England one?
And we had 2 home games.
Though I went to Newport and Russia on Tuesday and am going to Ospreys and Russia tomorrow so I guess costs do get incurred.

I thought Argentina played some nice rugby at time today. They're not all about grunt. Wales' two tries in a couple of minutes killed them off, but otherwise it was a pretty even game.

Still, a disappointing crowd considering the cheap tickets.

I don't think the IRB can force sides to play them if they don't want to, can they?

It's not the cost of the ticket that puts travelling fans off going every weekend it's the cost of everything that goes with it fuel hotel food beer etc.

My wife and one of our sons went to the match but I had a prior engagement otherwise I would have been there,
I go to as many internationals as possible and the cost of the weekend for the two of us would probably get me a weeks all inclusive holiday in Spain.

SafeAsMilk wrote:I don't think the IRB can force sides to play them if they don't want to, can they?

Well to be fair the IRB grabbed all the major nations and instructed them to start touring the Islands, Japan and north America again, as the Big 8 have been pretty much keeping it amongst themselves in recent years.

i went to watch it, it was a good match to watch- but like someone said price wise although the tickets are cheap its the other costs as most people would probably like to stay over after a match but hotles are Winkle, foods not cheap, beers expensive it all adds up- espicially if your from north wales and have the extra price of driving down or train tickets, plus putting animals in kennels...

im sorry but an argebtina game is not value for money, they look to strangle the game and did so effectively at the breakdown yesterday, partly because they were very effective and partly due to some very poor referreeing, everytime wales won a turnover argentina players came around offside and deliberately slowed the ball down,

id rather pay 40 pound to watch a fiji game than 20 to watch argentina

It might of been nice if Wales has arranged a Tuesday game against Russia too. It might of been a good chance to give some of the fringe players a game, the ones who have been training but haven't had a chance to play.

The Russians were at both Wales home games against England and Argentina so maybe it might of been nice for them to have a game there too.

I think it's terrible that they struggled to find teams to play. Considering they came third last time and showed all the enthusiasm that the decent team they are yesterday.

Argentina did look off the pace and not ready and Wales exploited that. But the game highlighted their weaknesses and with intelligent coaching they can turn in a better performance come the pool stages.

They may be a surprise come the world cup.

AlynDavies wrote:It might of been nice if Wales has arranged a Tuesday game against Russia too. It might of been a good chance to give some of the fringe players a game, the ones who have been training but haven't had a chance to play.

The Russians were at both Wales home games against England and Argentina so maybe it might of been nice for them to have a game there too.

alyn it wouldnt have been worth wales' time i mean if you looked at the score the dragons put on without some of their best players, it would completely demoralize russia and be a pointless game for wales.

If that's true then Scotland and Ireland are being very unfair, Argentina deserve respect. They came 3rd four years ago.

Hey how many warm-up games do you want Ireland to play - we're playing Scotland, France (2) and England plus another warmer-upper v Connacht. OK maybe one of the French games could have been swapped for the Argies but Kidney's priority is finalising his panel and obviously he thinks two games against France serves that purpose better.

LondonWelsh99 wrote:If that's true then Scotland and Ireland are being very unfair, Argentina deserve respect. They came 3rd four years ago.

Why should scotland play them? theyre in our group, and it would be absolutely pointless as both teams would hide their tactics from each other and do nothing. Neither team would want that.

Imperialbigdave wrote:

LondonWelsh99 wrote:If that's true then Scotland and Ireland are being very unfair, Argentina deserve respect. They came 3rd four years ago.

Why should scotland play them? theyre in our group, and it would be absolutely pointless as both teams would hide their tactics from each other and do nothing. Neither team would want that.

+1. Never going to happen

France could of made an effort though, after all nearly all the Argentinian players are professionals in that country.
Though it's possible France are still annoyed that Argentina screwed the last World Cup up for them.... twice!

welshy824 wrote:alyn it wouldnt have been worth wales' time i mean if you looked at the score the dragons put on without some of their best players, it would completely demoralize russia and be a pointless game for wales.

Well the WRU could of stuck a weak side out, let Shane run in a few tries to close in on the record and made a few quid in the process. For £10 each and an almost guranted win, I think a lot of fans might of gone to see it, Russia are playing good rugby, they do try and chuck it about.