The game has frozen on me twice now while playing (on xbox 360 slim, with the patch) - it freezes sometimes during a player exchange. I have played this game 6 times now and it has frozen 2 times - highly frustrating. The one time I had to turn off xbox completely, the other time I had to go to dashboard and restart game. My xbox has never frozen on me with any game before.
Xbox live always pairs me with international players - lots of lag, I have 20mbs line that downloads at 2.5 mb/s, speedtest.net scores 18.5mbs with 30 ms ping - xbox live experience is poor, but cool feature - the only new feature though.
I've also noticed that a lot of the players have a ridiculous boot - they kick for touch from their own 22 and it lands in your 22?
I am overall disappointed in this game - seems to be a highly reduced version of rugby 08 (2007) only with slightly better graphics- poor workmanship.
Criticisms: Gameplay and AI are basically the same, some of the laws are still wrong, some of the glitches are still there from previous 08 (or 2005 however you look at it). No world league, no super 15, 6 nations, tri nations, cant create a player, big screen in background is a static picture, no intro movies or any movie clips, not even tutorial??. With the exception of the graphics - rugby 08 was better game with more than double the game modes and features. Cant believe you guys basically just rehashed the same game again with slightly better graphics. I have purchased every game since rugby 2001 - have been a loyal customer and despite having this forum and its members spell out exactly how an awesome rugby game should be you've just thinned out the same game and added better graphics.
Positives: Graphics are pretty good compared to the 08, but that's all pretty much that you've got going with it with the exception of a very limited xbox live mode
Oh and those of you confused about the drop goal =the rule of taking a drop goal is that if you are awarded a free kick you cant tap, pass and take a drop goal. And if you opt for a scrum from the free kick you cant drop directly from the scrum - there has to be contact resulting in a ruck or maul before you can take your drop - this is a recent law which only came about in the last couple of years. Another law that wasn't in the previous world cup is that you cannot pass the ball back into your 22 and then kick it out on the full - lineout will be where you kicked it from.