In the event of a draw in the knockout phases

Firstly good luck to any SG predictors or people who have put real toot at the bookies.

Three of the four quarters this weekend are pretty much on a knife edge so it might be best to know the rules:

"Knockout Matches

For quarter-finals, semi-finals, Bronze Final and the Final, if teams are tied at fulltime, then the winner shall be determined through the following sequential criteria;

Extra time - following an interval of 5 minutes, extra time of 10 minutes each way (with an interval of 5 minutes) shall be played in full;
Sudden death - if the scores are tied at the conclusion of extra time, and following an interval of 5 minutes, then a further extra time of 10 minutes maximum shall be played.
During this period the first team to score any points shall be declared the winner (sudden death);
Kicking competition - if after this sudden death period no winner can be declared, a kicking competition will be organised between the two teams. The winner of that competition shall be declared the winner of the match*."

* The IRB rules don't specify the format of the kicking contest.**

** If this hasn't been agreed and the teams are not aware before the game then there may be trouble. I Assume that it will be the same as the Cardiff v Leicester game in the HEC (what? four years ago?)

ohhh the excitement of a kicking comp(if ireland arent involved)


I have a few mates who have no interest in rugby at all, but will still talk about that cardiff -v- leicster game, for a nuetral it was brilliant.

Cardiff v Leicester was excellent drama.

I think it's the best way to sort it out after extra time/sudden death. I don't agree with any of the It's A Knockout-style ideas like taking players off one by one or making the forwards wear blindfolds etc

Personally I'd like to see three nominated kickers from the final whistle 15 who shoot out from increasing 5m intervals directly in front of the posts starting from the 22.

The winner being the side is the most successful after each round.

If they get to to the the state where all six have missed and the score is still tied then they have to nominate another three kickers and so on.

(and in the unlikely situation that they get through all thirty players get used they start again from the first nominated kickers as above)

Watching Blues vs Tigers was very disheartening for a Blues fan, especially as the missed kick was by Martyn Williams.

It doesnt feel right, but I suppose the only other way would be a golden goal style finish

I wouldn't mind the extra time but a kicking competition only brings heartache, especially the poor bu&&er who misses.

I only hope the situation doesn't arise.

IronMike wrote:Watching Blues vs Tigers was very disheartening for a Blues fan, especially as the missed kick was by Martyn Williams.

It doesnt feel right, but I suppose the only other way would be a golden goal style finish

There is a golden goal format before the shoot-out.

I think if it's a draw then the match outcome should be decided by a panel including Simon Cowel, Tyra Banks and that fox puppet from the Speckled Hen Ad.

Of course the fox and Tyra would go first, and then Simon would hesitate on his decision whilst the crowd roared for one side then the other, ITV would go for a long commercial break before announcing the result with an unjusitifiably long pause between the words "Standing before me are two strong, athletic teams, but only one of them is still in the running to become the 2011 RWC champions, the team name I do not call must immediately return to their hotel, pack their belongings and go home. The winner is....but let's remind ourselves what the victor will receive..." now that would be tension. Kicking competition? Pafff.

Oh no, Oakey was right, I do want to turn the world cup into the X factor.

You know what GG, it might just work...

I think the rules of the kicking contest are set out clearly on th RWC web site.

-Only players on the pitch at the final whistle can take part.

-Five nomiated players

-Kicks taken from designated positions in order

-Best from five kicks then sudden death.

So no chance of a phone vote then? With Englands massive player base etc etc

Fraid not Carpe.

MrsP wrote:I think the rules of the kicking contest are set out clearly on th RWC web site.

-Only players on the pitch at the final whistle can take part.

-Five nomiated players

-Kicks taken from designated positions in order

-Best from five kicks then sudden death.

Sorry MmeF,

Once again the IRB wasn't informed to update its RWC tournament rules.
(p.s. How are the baby mice?)

Carpe Diem wrote:So no chance of a phone vote then? With Englands massive player base etc etc

Hmmm.... a phone vote. I like it.

Perhaps there should be 9 quarterfinalists instead of 8, in a "shock decision" where the IRB chief executive, followed by TV cameras collects a departing side at Auckland airport, and amid teary hugs and disbelief breaks the news that the board just couldn't let them leave, they've seen something in them, and they deserve another chance.

(I suggest for reasons of avoiding claims of racism, they should perhaps consider Samoa.)

Then over the QF weekend, a phone vote would decide which qualified team was kicked out and replaced by Samoa.

Genius. They should put me in charge of the next world cup.

I don't like or see the need for bonus points in the league stages of the RWC. However having established the principle that scoring tries is an acceptable way to get extra advantage from a game, then surely in the name of consistency it should also be the first criterion used in the event of a draw.

Therefore if two teams are tied, the team with the most tries would go through, and only if that was equal would extra time etc. have to be invoked.

The Great Aukster wrote:I don't like or see the need for bonus points in the league stages of the RWC. However having established the principle that scoring tries is an acceptable way to get extra advantage from a game, then surely in the name of consistency it should also be the first criterion used in the event of a draw.

Therefore if two teams are tied, the team with the most tries would go through, and only if that was equal would extra time etc. have to be invoked.

What?

Bonus points from asymmetric previous pool games against totally different countries should be taken into account?

Am I reading you right?

No. Just talking about the game itself. If the teams are tied, whichever team has scored the most tries in that game should go through.

Won't always work, but it will sometimes and so reduce the risk of having a kicking farce.