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

[groga]

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 ??

Ok let's clear one thing up Wales was not robbed.

If Wales had taken their chances after the red card was given they would have won.

As a french supporter I can easily say Wales lost this match more than france won it.

A replay would still be the same result a red card. (refer back a couple pages that explains the rules)

 

[jaunard06]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyqwpO8RPAE
Clerc was very lucky, that's the most awful tackle I'ver ever seen...

 

[TRF_RC]

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

:lol:

I called BS on you because you referenced his tackle last week where nothing was done. So i merely said that there was no illegal tackle last week on the irish because another welsh boy caught the irish.
I didn't mention tonights tackle in my BS post.

If you weren't talking about last week's almost tackle on the irish then i've no idea what you were on about, haha!
Chill out though.

 

[cyRil]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyqwpO8RPAE
Clerc was very lucky, that's the most awful tackle I'ver ever seen...

...Started watching rugby today did you?

 

[groga]

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.

Personally don't see how the replay would change anything.

Tackles like that need to be cut out of the game this is how it will happen.

 

[TRF_RC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyqwpO8RPAE
Clerc was very lucky, that's the most awful tackle I'ver ever seen...

Really? I've seen worse tackles in Basketball.

 

[SelimNiai]

The way I see it now is, whilst I'm 1000% gutted to have lost if anybody had said to us that Wales would lose a Semi Final that we could have won then we'd have either laughed at you or called phoned the guys in white coats to take you away. The general consensus before the tourney was that we'd have to do bloody well to get out the group then lose to (most likely) Australia in the QF. So on that basis all Welshmen should look at this and feel proud and happy that we have got ourselves this far and can look to improve from here. 2012 6 Nations GS winners anyone .

 

[TRF_RC]

If there isn't a proud Welshman/woman after that game i'll sock 'em!

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

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!)

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.

Just because they were frozen and sticked to the original plan. I'm repeating myself, but Clermont feared the Munster in their garden during 65 min despite being 14...
For your promise, just like it cause it prove we're still not taken seriously, cannot be a more suitable situation for us

 

[Dizzy]

:lol:

I called BS on you because you referenced his tackle last week where nothing was done. So i merely said that there was no illegal tackle last week on the irish because another welsh boy caught the irish.
I didn't mention tonights tackle in my BS post.

If you weren't talking about last week's almost tackle on the irish then i've no idea what you were on about, haha!
Chill out though.

I never said you did, I said you had done in your previous post, where you referenced the tackle on O'Gara and then said Warburton didn't have any to save his ass this time. As for the tackle, the ruling is on whether the hips come up to the shoulders is it not. The law doesn't state anything about the grounding of the player, it focusses on the lift, and that is what I am trying to get across is that referee's want to do things by the book which is fair, but they should rule everything by the book. There have been a couple dump tackles in this tournament that weren't red carded.

 

[mustardcharlie]

Clerc must have a soccer background, he did numerous hollywoods in this match and that definitely was a hollywood.

I'm with you on that one Dizzy (And previous posts). Oddly enough those quoting the rules/guidelines/International W****** Board directives, make no mention of the rules relating to players taking "matters into their own hands" after the whistle had gone. Does not a French player grab a Welshman by the throat? Retaliation shurely! Red card offence! Reversal of penalty decision. Could have broken his neck leading to him spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
Warburton, for me made a big mistake. After the French piled in there he should have made like a kickball player and gone down holding his face.

 

[Dizzy]

Personally don't see how the replay would change anything.

Tackles like that need to be cut out of the game this is how it will happen.

Im not only talking about tackling, I'm talking about all judgement calls.

 

[TRF_RC]

I never said you did, I said you had done in your previous post, where you referenced the tackle on O'Gara and then said Warburton didn't have any to save his ass this time. As for the tackle, the ruling is on whether the hips come up to the shoulders is it not. The law doesn't state anything about the grounding of the player, it focusses on the lift, and that is what I am trying to get across is that referee's want to do things by the book which is fair, but they should rule everything by the book. There have been a couple dump tackles in this tournament that weren't red carded.

Ok, cool.

I didn't mean the BS to sound so "fired up" to you.
I use that word so flippantly, didn't think it would enrage you so. My bad

 

[timrees]

Clerc is lucky his neck wasn't broken. Seriously though the commentators don't like the french

Not just the commentators. There are plenty that don't like the French.

 

[dullonien]

The way I see it now is, whilst I'm 1000% gutted to have lost if anybody had said to us that Wales would lose a Semi Final that we could have won then we'd have either laughed at you or called phoned the guys in white coats to take you away. The general consensus before the tourney was that we'd have to do bloody well to get out the group then lose to (most likely) Australia in the QF. So on that basis all Welshmen should look at this and feel proud and happy that we have got ourselves this far and can look to improve from here. 2012 6 Nations GS winners anyone .

A world cup final would have been better, Grand Slams are common as muck these days. Yes a bit of sarcasm in there, but it's all about the WC at the end of the day, and this was a golden opportunity to reach the final and who knows, possibly win the thing. In a months time, despite being proud of the players, finishing third/fourth won't mean much really. Warburton is awesome and all, but why, why, why do that.

Not quite sure why the pundits were calling for Rolland to check a video replay, I don't think he's even allowed to. And as he trully thought it was red, there was no need to consult anybody, although it might have been nice to see him consult his touch judges to get more than one take on it.

 

[Dizzy]

Ok, cool.

I didn't mean the BS to sound so "fired up" to you.
I use that word so flippantly, didn't think it would enrage you so. My bad

That's the reason I don't text message, you cant read emotion and sometimes take things the wrong way. Sorry man, I thought you were gunning for me haha.

 

[greyMan]

People have brought up that Warburton had "no malicious intent" and I agree with that 100%. However everyone should recognise that "malicious intent" is not in the rules - either written or implied.

I must admit though that I am struggling with whether this should have been a red card or not.

I guess by the letter of the law the referee can legitimately pull the red card and not be wrong, but he had the power of discretion in this case and with his experience he must recognise that he is destroying a World Cup semi-final, the biggest match of these guys' careers. The slow motion does make it look bad but then again slow motion replays of even the most inocuous collisions always look far worse than they do at normal speed. This is a man's game where physical brutality is the whole point - it's not tiddly-winks (as a great man once said).

I think the major factor for me though is this - what if the tackled player broke his neck? What value do we put on keeping players out of wheel chairs? And don't just think about the professional athletes, think about the amateurs and the kids.

So, for me, on balance the red card is right. Players need to know where the line is and what is at stake if they cross it. If a ruined World Cup semi-final is the price paid to make our game that much safer then so be it.

I'm not sure I agree with that... this decision led to one of the most tense games in the entire World Cup in my opinion. Who knows what it would have been like if he'd stayed on? People seem to assume that Wales would have carried on playing all match like they were in the first 18 minutes but can we say for certain that this is what would have happened? France played a tactical game. It was ugly but it worked - keep sending the ball back down and watch as Wales try and get back before kicking the ball all the way down field again. But we know that France can play a superb game of rugby when they feel like it. Who's to say that after 20 minutes or even at half time they wouldn't have decided to go all out à la 1999 vs New Zealand semi-final?

One thing is for sure though - it's going to be a pleasure watching Wales over the next few years and in the next world cup. Imagine that squad with 4 more years of experience for everyone!

 

[igorBastia]

Where are the sweden team in the World Cup competition?. Denigred a team even it's a small team doesn't belong to the Rugby spirit. We use to respect all the team from the little one to the best one; because we know how hard are this sport.
Wales was better than France and I recognize that tausend times. But France has won fairly;without robbing the victory . That is sport!.And after all it doesnt mean that the final we be boring and surprise is also belong to this sport as well.
The History is not yet writting.
I hope that the little final will be a very good match; so I could see two good match. The real winner will be the Rugby game; and that are the most important thing. A French supporter. Go Wales! as well allez la France!

 

[TRF_RC]

For your promise, just like it cause it prove we're still not taken seriously, cannot be a more suitable situation for us

Well, the only reason you're not taken "seriously" as you put it, is because your team has been terrible all tournament.
Your boys are lost on the field.
But i maintain, whether it was England, Wales, Ireland or France in the final next week...they won't beat tomorrow's winner.
I'm not just putting the French down.

 

[donmcdazzle]

I can't believe people are defending Warburton. The lifting bit was fine, it's when he drops his right shoulder, lifts his left shoulder and turns Clerc upside down when it becomes a horrendous spear. If a Tongan or Samoan player did this (with noteriety for loose tackles), nobody would be so outraged by the red.

He could've still made it a good tackle after the lift if he went straight forward and driven the shoulder in, Clerc would've landed on his ass/lower back. Instead he tipped him upside down like an idiot.