AUS V USA

Yet another mis-match

USA are out of it already, whats the point of this game!

SA V Namibia was a joke and with Eng v Rom going to be another mis-match the IRB need to take action to limit the number of poor teams in the world cup.

enough is enough.

The balance between promoting the game and keeping the games competeive is a difficult one to achieve as frankly there are not that many competitve teams out there! But if we don't expose other teams to the required standard then how will they ever learn? Plus these matches provide a useful run out for the top sides prior to the serious business. But I agree that it does our sport no favours when non-rugby people see these results as they think our RWC is a joke.

34-5 the USA should be better than this.

Considering it's a weakened USA team, it's not the worse it could have been.

I wonder HERSH did you call for England to be booted out of the RWC when SA hammered them in the group stages in 2007?

By the looks of it the USA are putting up more of a fight than England did that day.

Maybe you should give these lower ranked sides a bit more credit and respect.

Final score 67 - 5. Its a better result than 76 - 0...

England were the current champions at the time, plus there were issues behind closed doors (sounds familiar)

Oh and we reached the final by the way, and nearly won!

67-5 how anyone can claim this is progress is kidding themselves.

The lesser nations need more help before they get to the world cup as it makes the competition a joke on the world stage


The format needs to be reworked - plus there need to be a draw for the knockout stages to stop teams planning there route to the final by playing 2nd string teams

HERSH wrote:England were the current champions at the time, plus there were issues behind closed doors (sounds familiar)

Oh and we reached the final by the way, and nearly won!

67-5 how anyone can claim this is progress is kidding themselves.

The lesser nations need more help before they get to the world cup as it makes the competition a joke on the world stage


The format needs to be reworked - plus there need to be a draw for the knockout stages to stop teams planning there route to the final by playing 2nd string teams

what a bunch of poop! Firstly these "lesser nations" need games like this to experience what it's like to play in the world cup, they also need this exposure to the public. I've never got this 2nd string teams thing. Are you seriously expecting the same 15 players to play every game? There's a reason why they take 30 off players!

Here I was thinking someone was thinking positively about setting up a thread for this game as there was some interest.


Alas, no one shouting for OZ on this site (well, maybe 2 or 3 do), then again no one is in NZ is either. Might help them now they are NZ's fans' number one most hated enemy.

Thought Owens adjudication of the mauls which then went to the ground was interesting compared to Bryce Lawrence last week. He actually gave some time to see if the ball came out after it went down- which it did on 3 occasions tonight. Bryce by contrast was over excited and over zealous in that dept. Amazing how 2 games can be adjudicated so differently under the same set of rules.


BTW, the "lesser nation" did not concede a bonus point to Ireland in its 10-22 loss and they will give Italy a good run for their money. Don't be too bombastic.

Rob, Hersh has repeatedly posted this shoite since the tournie started, even saying that all the Georgia match was for England was a potential injury fest. 1-10 at half probably meant he shut up for 5 mins but no he's back. So I'd suggest you not bother with an arguement.

Got it. Cheers!

Guys I can't believe you think that the last two games have been worth while!

I'd rather watch the womens RWC again!!!!!!


I'm so glad the Jeff is being played at the same time, at least I can watch some real rugby this weekend even the Pro12 knocks spots off this rubbish, the RWC pool stage has been marketed very well as so many of you seem to think its worth while without looking at the bare facts that the games are a waste of time.

No supporter of a team that has been on the wrong end of a 76-0 shellacking in their history should be talking about certain games being a waste of time.

disneychilly wrote:No supporter of a team that has been on the wrong end of a 76-0 shellacking in their history should be talking about certain games being a waste of time.

+ 1

HERSH, if you don't like the games don't watch them. And while you're at it wind your neck in.

Hard to take much out of a game like this, if we scrape home we're rubbish, if we thump them it's to be expected. All up I thought it was a fair performance but there's not a lot to judge it on. Rocky had his pants pulled down when the yanks got that try but otherwise it was steady. On that performance Barnes needs to be in the starting 15 if for no other reason than to kick a few conversions here and there.

I don't watch them I'd rather watch losewomen or homes under the hammer,

why should I wind my neck in, the IRB need to sort this competition out as its not exceptable at present, its a joke. (RWC should be a showcase event), and as for the 76-0 stop living in the past that was Englands development team after a long hard season, but we did win the world cup don't you know.

I just don't get why people can't see what a failure this world cup has been so far for the lesser teams, once again.

Plucky performances mean nothing to me.

Well we lost Faingaa, Beale and maybe Wycliff, hope none of them serious.

HERSH wrote:I don't watch them I'd rather watch losewomen or homes under the hammer,

why should I wind my neck in, the IRB need to sort this competition out as its not exceptable at present, its a joke. (RWC should be a showcase event), and as for the 76-0 stop living in the past that was Englands development team after a long hard season, but we did win the world cup don't you know.

I just don't get why people can't see what a failure this world cup has been so far for the lesser teams, once again.

Plucky performances mean nothing to me.

Dont watch it then. Or comment upon it.

How did the injuries go in the end.
Must admit Beales a superb player. We get used to him being around but he's always everywhere and just has such accurate timing.
Don't think I've seen a player so consistent. Match after match they guy is everywhere, always threatening.

HERSH wrote:I don't watch them I'd rather watch losewomen or homes under the hammer,

why should I wind my neck in, the IRB need to sort this competition out as its not exceptable at present, its a joke. (RWC should be a showcase event), and as for the 76-0 stop living in the past that was Englands development team after a long hard season, but we did win the world cup don't you know.

I just don't get why people can't see what a failure this world cup has been so far for the lesser teams, once again.

Plucky performances mean nothing to me.

Plucky performances might not mean anything to you but then i believe you are an England fan so plucky performances is not something you will likely have to watch....just a side with apparently no clue who waste the wealth of talent in their side because they just don't know what sort of rugby they want to play.

But you couldn't say that about most of the minnows, all have gone out and given 100% and more. Yes some teams shave disappointed - Japan springs to mind - but then for me the Aussies have been the biggest disappointment as they were my favourite to win.

i started off this RWC with the same opinion...the teams are there to make up the numbers etc etc. Whilst i still think that to a certain extent- there will be no major upsets in the final result- i do think the gap has been closed significantly and IMO it is the minnows who have shown just how much progress they have made. No one really expected the order of things to be challenged at this RWC and Ireland showed that anything is possible.

We have to encourage rugby at all levels which can only keep the game more competitive at the top level.
The 7s format would suit RWC, I would like to see a plate/bowl comp in the bottom 4 of each group. Perhaps 3rd place from each group going into a last 4 knockout.

Well Hersh youve dismissed the English 76- ZIPPPP loss to Oz in the late 90's as a 'end of the season seconds junior type team' ?.

A match often used by English sources as a prime source of motivation for going back to the same place in 2003 and taking the title.

In my book, no team putting on the English jersey with the amount of resources that the English RFU has on tap should EVER put such rubbish on the field in a test. No matter what the reason behind it.

It is an affront to the very minnows with a miniscule % of the gluttony of English rugby who do their very best to compete- often with scores of less than 76-ZIPPPPP.

So respect your right to have an opinion, but if that isnt the biggest meeting of Mr Pot and Mrs kettle I don't know.

Any world wide exposure for these teams must be good for the game and although our own AB's have to come along and put almost record scores on many of them, they always treat them with the respect they deserve as opponents.

Taylorman wrote:How did the injuries go in the end.
Must admit Beales a superb player. We get used to him being around but he's always everywhere and just has such accurate timing.
Don't think I've seen a player so consistent. Match after match they guy is everywhere, always threatening.

Looks like Horne will go home, cracked cheekbone - after his first game. McCabe and Faingaa - don't know yet. Beale and Palu - hamstrings. They had 6 guys out before this - so now 11 are injured -