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

[Dizzy]

I agree with RC. The way the French have been playing, they don't stand a chance in the Final.

 

[Dizzy]

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.

I'm guessing you didn't join in on the Tonga vs France thread. Post match??.

 

[dullonien]

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.

Shutup ffs! Rugby is a team sport where team-mates stick up for one another. If there is foul play, then the rest of the team react and rightly so. Please can people stop being pathetic loosers and just accept the loss, and that Warburton deserved the punishment handed out to him. If Rolland is hounded in a similar way that Nigel Owens was after the SA v Samoa game, I'll be extremely dissapointed with my fellow countrymen and women.

By All means, comment on the game, give your opinion on whether or not it was a red card offence, but none of this French / ref bashing please!!!!!

 

[tbhp]

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

Exactly. I don't understand why people still don't take us seriously after that. I mean, first everybody predicts France to lose to England, but they win, then the same happens for this match, and they still win (well not deserved at all but still the fatcs are there). And now you are doing the same mistake for the third time in a row ? How long before you realize it's when they are not taken seriously that they win ?

 

[cyRil]

I agree with RC. The way the French have been playing, they don't stand a chance in the Final.

Said that before the quarter-final and semi-final...

 

[mustardcharlie]

Agreed. If someone had put a shot in on me like that in my playing days, I would have complimented him on the tackle. Might also have been looking the next time he was carrying but hey, it's a contact sport.

 

[Dizzy]

Said that before the quarter-final and semi-final...

In saying that, they had the bigger chance in the quarter and if Sammy wasnt carded I'd say they wouldn't have won.

 

[TRF_RC]

I'm surprised if people are claiming the ref is biased.
I mean, he's reffed France games so many times in the past due to the fact that he can communicate fluently with the entire team. But nothing has ever stood out to suggest he is biased. If he has been biased the whole time and there coincidentally seem to be stats that show France win whenever he refs them then he was bloody sneaky about it, fair play to him!

 

[donmcdazzle]

Gatland is making an idiot of himself with some post match comments..

 

[Dizzy]

I'm surprised if people are claiming the ref is biased.
I mean, he's reffed France games so many times in the past due to the fact that he can communicate fluently with the entire team. But nothing has ever stood out to suggest he is biased. If he has been biased the whole time and there coincidentally seem to be stats that show France win whenever he refs them then he was bloody sneaky about it, fair play to him!

I am in no way accusing him of bias. I just haven't been happy with the officials all tournament... And I know you weren't directing that at me, I just thought I'd let everyone know before I do get accused.

 

[Groundhog]

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

you havent seen many then

 

[tbhp]

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.

Why are you ruling them out ? They regularly beat the SH teams in world cups, there's no reason to say they don't stand a chance. The NH matches of the cup must have been pretty boring for you if you were thinking : "Oh this match doesn't matter, they will lose in final anyway...".

 

[TRF_RC]

I am in no way accusing him of bias. I just haven't been happy with the officials all tournament... And I know you weren't directing that at me, I just thought I'd let everyone know before I do get accused.

You have every right to be unhappy with the officiating in this tournament. There are some shocking referees out there at the moment (i don't think Kaplan is one of the shocking ones) and it's definitely something that the IRB needs to look at after the tournament.

 

[Dizzy]

You have every right to be unhappy with the officiating in this tournament. There are some shocking referees out there at the moment (i don't think Kaplan is one of the shocking ones) and it's definitely something that the IRB needs to look at after the tournament.

This is what I am hoping for and I think our game needs it to be honest. Just too many games being decided on referee's decisions.

 

[TRF_RC]

Why are you ruling them out ? They regularly beat the SH teams in world cups, there's no reason to say they don't stand a chance. The north matches of the cup must have been pretty boring for you if you were thinking : "Oh this match doesn't matter, they will lose in final anyway...".

Nope, i was supporting Wales the entire way so the matches were great, but i'm ruling them out for the very reason i said above.
They've been terrible all tournament. They look lost on the field.
Everyone says France has one great match every tournament...with their coaching i'm not sure they can achieve "great" and if they are going to have something resembling a "great" match then it's already been: Last week against England.

The two remaining teams are just too overwhelming favourites against France.
Granted, nothing is impossible, but a French win is not something i'd waste my money on were i a betting man.

 

[SelimNiai]

You have every right to be unhappy with the officiating in this tournament. There are some shocking referees out there at the moment (i don't think Kaplan is one of the shocking ones) and it's definitely something that the IRB needs to look at after the tournament.

To the point I can't work out who is best ref out there atm

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

Said that before the quarter-final and semi-final...

That's quite the issue with opponents who don't get conscience that knock-out stages are the only beginning of a competition.

Of course we're still challenger for the final, facing NZ or AUS, but why on earth can't people admit we're still in the run, and not ONLY by chance ??
So maybe we'll get smashed next week, but notice we still not have performed the tour de force we traditionally perform in comps.

Everyone admit France are unpredictable on the field, but most of them still want us to be the "glorious ******** who loose brilliantly".

 

[Dizzy]

Agreed, the consistency of Aus and NZ is enough to take the French out alone.

 

[Olly Mays]

To the point I can't work out who is best ref out there atm

It's got to be Wayne Barnes, i think he's quality.

 

[merlinux]

This is what I am hoping for and I think our game needs it to be honest. Just too many games being decided on referee's decisions.

same referee that gave wales 2 penalties that they missed. wales could have won but they didnt.
And refereeing is a human job. We aint meant to be perfect
Along the years watching wins and defeats I have learn something, you get an ugly win for all those unlucky loss you suffered. You can blame it on the ref as long as you want, one day it ll turn yourn side.
No need to change the way it works appart from scrutinising the ref overall performance. there are lee ways for errors, we are humans.