The Big Match

[davybill]

Benny Hill was a southpaw

[KKOB]

Jimmy Hill was more of a lightweight.

He had a solid chin though.

[Colwyn]

Ireland were not very impressive against Italy but they got through to the knockout rounds anyway.

[Colwyn]

I must admit I am not really a rugby fan. I know most of the rules (I think) but am no expert.

But I thought Australia would quite obviously beat England and that England would be out.

Why did it come as such a shock to those who claim to know their sport?

So different from their football-supporting counterparts. You never see them getting carried away at the start of a World Cup by a couple of good wins in the qualifying games, they don't say "This time it will be different" and "We have world class players", they don't have good hunches about about how things are going to go, they don't let their hearts rule their heads and let hope triumph over reason. Or do they? Isn't it all part of being a fan in any sport?

[Colwyn]

Canada 15 - 17 Romania

Curious but entertaining match. Canada ran wild in the first half and 5 minutes into the second half they were leading 15 - 0. Then for 60 seconds the Romanians started running merrily and chucking the ball about before turning the game over to their formidable pack who proceeded to push the Canadians back, yard after yard, until they crossed the line and eventually build a winning score.

[Colwyn]

Successful World Cup from the spectator point of view. Fiji v Uruguay doesn't sound like a match to get much British interest. Nor can there be many travelling supporters over here. And held in Milton Keynes, hardly a hotbed of rugby mania. Nevertheless, over 30 thousand went to watch. And Canada v Romania during normal working time (kicking off at 4.45) in Leicester got 27,000. Great interest in the games.

[KKOB]

South Africa 64 - USA 0

I think the Yanks need to stick to playing in their own World Series 'cos they aint fit for the real thing.

[davybill]

  South Africa were lucky  :

[kevin3]

    It was a fluke.!

[Colwyn]

Big weekend in the rugby with all the home countries playing. Two (or three) of them are crunch matches. Wales v Australia with the loser to play South Africa and the winner to play (probably) Scotland - wouldn't it be grand if the Southern Hemisphericals fought each other. Scotland have to beat Samoa or Japan get a chance, but they should. On Sunday Ireland v France with the losers to play NZ. Unfortunately I think I'll miss this one as we are off to a Cotswold pub for a couple of days to meet my brother and his wife and he is not very keen on rugby (he's a soccer type). Good luck to all the home teams who are still alive in the competition.