RWC Semi Final: France - Wales (15-08-2011, 21:00)

[Dizzy]

It's obvious from this thread that the ref was within his rights to hand out the red-card, no matter what some people (including myself) personally think. I totally agree it was a dangerous tackle, although this really shouldn't change peoples oppinions of Warburton, who's been one of the best players in this tournament. I don't think I've seen Warburton even yellow-carded before for foul play, this was something he simply got wrong in the heat of the moment, and it happens to the best of people. It was the semi-final of the world cup, the biggest game of his young life, and he got the tackle slightly wrong, after that point he was buggered really and looked to have panicked and let go. There was no complaint from him, and there should be no complaint from Welsh fans now. I'm just massively gutted for the man, who's been such a great leader, yet he's cost his team at the worst possible time, I just hope it doesn't effect him in the long run and he'll be there skippering the team come 6 nations.

Last week, Warburton picked someone up and tipped him now either Lydiate or someone else joined him and it was like a double tackle.... NOTHING HAPPENED!!!!.... Referee's are costing games.

 

[TRF_RC]

Our boys have done themselves and us really proud this tournament.
I'm not gonna go into the red card incident. Warburton was lucky not to get himself into trouble last week with that tackle, tonight, there was no one there to catch the tackled player and save Warburton's arse. Referee's decision at the end of the day.
Plus the game was ours to lose.
The French had NO control in that match. They looked as lost and directionless as they have all tournament. Why would a team with 15 men not look to exploit a team with 14 men is beyond me. There are some brainless boys in that team (especially in the coaching staff!)
We missed our kicks. That was the key to this match i believe. I think we threw away 11 points (not entirely sure though) which is why we really lost the game.
I can already see from twitter and facebook that Rowland is getting mass abuse but i'm not on the boat.
Granted, France, on the form they've had all tournament don't deserve to go to the final, but they scored the most points in the semi-final, but in the words of England, "A win's a win" and fair play to them.

I made this promise last week and i'll make it again tonight: Whoever wins tomorrow's game will go on to be world champions next week.

 

[TRF_RC]

Last week, Warburton picked someone up and tipped him now either Lydiate or someone else joined him and it was like a double tackle.... NOTHING HAPPENED!!!!.... Referee's are costing games.

Bullshit. Yes, Warburton picked up some guy but the supporting welsh player held the tackled player in the air.
Hence the reason "NOTHING HAPPENED!!!!"

 

[merlinux]

****in Bullshit. France Won. that is it. And the final is in one week.

It ****** me off all this bad talk about France (Even if I agree on the fact that they have played shittily today). But you can continue like that, that is the best way to turn on France for the final.

ya I am not the only one
Cant wait to see france get "trashed" next week! france is there cause they won when it mattered. Anyway enjoy the SEMI FINAL tomorrow!

 

[Dizzy]

Bullshit. Yes, Warburton picked up some guy but the supporting welsh player held the tackled player in the air.
Hence the reason "NOTHING HAPPENED!!!!"

BULLSHIT?!!?!? The entire reason behind people labelling this a dangerous tackle, INCLUDING YOU IN YOUR PREVIOUS POST, was because he lifted the player into the air which is why it's being called dangerous. You said Warburton was lucky not to get in trouble for the tackle and now you retract and say BULLSHIT?.... only bullshit here is coming from you, make up you're mind for christ sake

 

[dullonien]

Last week, Warburton picked someone up and tipped him now either Lydiate or someone else joined him and it was like a double tackle.... NOTHING HAPPENED!!!!.... Referee's are costing games.

Didn't pick O'Gara up past the 90, so it was legitimate dump tackle, and a good one at that. Fine margins though, and he got this one wrong. Maybe he'll reconsider his tackling technique from now on, because he needs to learn not to do it again, which I'm sure he will as he's a hugely intelligent player.

 

[ikvat]

It was scandalously good!

 

[jaunard06]

Hi there...
Bad game, that's for sure, essentially because France refused to play. I had the feeling to see England playing against Wales - no disrespect here, but England beated France so many times by simply kicking and kicking again and with no even an attempt to try to play...I believe they even call that "win ugly"...well that was one !

I guess we'll see a lot of "what ifs" threads emerging after that as usual: for example, "what if" Warburton was only yellow-carded ? 100% of Welsh will say that their team would have prevailed...but that' counting without the famous unpredictability of France, and that they are never more dangerous than when they don't lead !

As I said previously, previous french teams were regularly beaten a few years ago because they were playing without pragmatism, by putting everything they had and still fail to win because of: 1) bad luck, 2) few key bad choices, 3) weather, etc. France was to useful idiot of the rugby world, the team that was respecting straightly Pierre de Coubertin's words : "the essential in sport is to participate". Very french, but while we lost we would mock ourselves - and other countries were doing the same - to see so few PRAGMATISM. Anglo-saxon teams have always been very proud of their capability of get the result whatever was the manner: why can't we simply be proud also today ?
I remember a Grand Slam decider between France and England in Paris. The englishs wrote on the wall of thei changing room: "WE'RE HERE TO WIN, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS". That's exactly what I mean.

France defended well, was very few times penalized, was dominant in scrummaging and line outs and took every opportunity to score. Welshs were globally better but more inconsistent. For once that pragmatism is on french side...
Still, tribute to that fantastic welsh team, they'll be clear favourites next year for VI Nations tournament ! They really can be proud of what they have achieved.

 

[tbhp]

Honestly i think Australia and New zealand should worry for the final. Think about it, France managed to beat a very good welsh team when playing at their worst. If they play at their best next week, they'll be unstoppable.

 

[Dizzy]

Didn't pick O'Gara up past the 90, so it was legitimate dump tackle, and a good one at that. Fine margins though, and he got this one wrong. Maybe he'll reconsider his tackling technique from now on, because he needs to learn not to do it again, which I'm sure he will as he's a hugely intelligent player.

Really? I thought his hips had gone above his shoulders before Lydiate or charteris or whoever came in, that's the rule isn't it??.. All I'm saying is, if the referee's want to justify their calls by saying that they are playing by the book, then they should be consistent and play by the book ALL THE TIME!!...
Anyone know where a video is of this, as it was last week I could be wrong, but I know Warburton picked him up fairly high.

 

[smartcooky]

That was a red card. People want consistency from the refs yet they'll say the ref should have thought about how this being a semi-final? What bullshit is that? The law is very clear about these kinds of tackles and the decision was in line with them.
This is actually the exact type of tackle that happened to me and my T9 vertebrae suffered a compression fracture. It dangerous and must be rooted out, if that happens to be in a WC semi then so be it.
Clerc was deliberately picked up, twisted his and thrown to the ground with his hips way above his head. Red card.

It doesn't matter whether its a World Cup playoff, or Old Fartonians v Walmington-on-Sea 4th XV; a dangerous tackle is no more or less dangerous. Some people (including most commentators) still don't understand that.

NOTE: T9.... ouch, right behind the sternum. I bet you couldn't laugh for a long time after that!!

 

[barthelemy]

Pretty clear Clerc made a meal of it too i must add. He went down like a tonne of bricks him him, obviously cheating later in the game trying to claim a late tackle. Hate cheats like that, there is no space in Rugby for this. **** off to football Vincent Clerc.

Hope Aus/NZ demolish France just for the simple fact they don't deserve to be anywhere near the WC final.

I would like to participate more to this forum but sometimes, When i read craps like that, I just want to insult everybody here. Stop the ****in french bashing please ! Stop to ****in cry ! Wales has been beaten, we do not know what would have hapenned with 15 players for wales. Just cut the **** and look at the fact : France has won this match, in a poorly way but still they have the win and that is only what it counts, only what the history will remember.


And continue to think NZ/Aussie will demolish France, It is exactly like the way France is turning on usually. France is in the final so France deserves to be in the final. They have not cheated, they have tried their best (hard to see their best today definitly) to reach this final, this is facts.

 

[Dizzy]

But Aus/NZ will demolish France.... lol

 

[TRF_Cymro]

I will ask again ... cut the language out please. Don't care if English is not your first language, does not make it right. Discuss things properly please.

 

[Groundhog]

Really? I thought his hips had gone above his shoulders before Lydiate or charteris or whoever came in, that's the rule isn't it??.. All I'm saying is, if the referee's want to justify their calls by saying that they are playing by the book, then they should be consistent and play by the book ALL THE TIME!!...
Anyone know where a video is of this, as it was last week I could be wrong, but I know Warburton picked him up fairly high.

meh doesnt matter everyone dumps O'Gara

 

[Dizzy]

I will ask again ... cut the language out please. Don't care if English is not your first language, does not make it right. Discuss things properly please.

Sorry mate, only reason I fired up was because one of the mods fired up on me, I usually always bleep my profanity but because it came from a mod I thought, hey he's going for it, why shouldnt I?

 

[skarebrian]

Surely after 4 years and millions of big money this must be the worst decision for rugby union and the World cup. Who wants to see a mediocre French side in the final ? We were robbed today of a thrilling match and now we will be robbed of an exciting final. If you want to watch the best final look at the next semi final and the third place match. I am willing to bet the final will be one sided. I know the referee is always right - but he could have looked at the replay first ??

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Sorry mate, only reason I fired up was because one of the mods fired up on me, I usually always bleep my profanity but because it came from a mod I thought, hey he's going for it, why shouldnt I?

Not directed at you but in general.

 

[barthelemy]

It's obvious from this thread that the ref was within his rights to hand out the red-card, no matter what some people (including myself) personally think. I totally agree it was a dangerous tackle, although this really shouldn't change peoples oppinions of Warburton, who's been one of the best players in this tournament. I don't think I've seen Warburton even yellow-carded before for foul play, this was something he simply got wrong in the heat of the moment, and it happens to the best of people. It was the semi-final of the world cup, the biggest game of his young life, and he got the tackle slightly wrong, after that point he was buggered really and looked to have panicked and let go. There was no complaint from him, and there should be no complaint from Welsh fans now. I'm just massively gutted for the man, who's been such a great leader, yet he's cost his team at the worst possible time, I just hope it doesn't effect him in the long run and he'll be there skippering the team come 6 nations.

Edit. To anyone bad mouthing the French, please stop. The French team hasn't played great, and maybe they're lucky to be in the final, but it wasn't their fault Warburton mistimed his tackle, and it's not their fault that the ref saw it as a red which he was within his rights to do. Despite playing a very dull game today, the French did not cheat their way to the final, they've simply beat who was put in front of them. Some goes for people critisizing Clerk, he landed on his back/neck, there was no fottball diving there, so stfu.

Thanks for that. Again Nobody in france is jumping of happiness, it has been a tough match and If Wales would have beaten us , we would have largely accepted it.

 

[Dizzy]

That's what baffles me. We have the luxury of technology and replays, why not use them. When a referee misses something and a touchy picks it up and talks to the ref, why can he not take the touchy's opinion AND look at the replay??.. Then make the decision? Foolproof really.