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

[Dizzy]

They can blame the ref because with Warburton on the field things would have definitely played out differently.

 

[TNT88]

So in the World Cup final the French captain can spear tackle Richie McCaw, get sent off and then blame the ref when they lose the game?

Yeah, nice logic.

 

[donmcdazzle]

They can blame the ref because with Warburton on the field things would have definitely played out differently.

Or, they can blame their own player for being stupid and forcing the ref into a decision, and they can also blame their kickers for missing kickable penalties that would have won them the game. Guess it's easier to aim at the ref!

 

[Amiga500]

Francois Pienaar said that France is "the worst rugby team of that World Cup".
What about England then ?
What about Wales, who failed to kick correctly penalties that would have gave them the victory ? Or that lost important line outs in french territory ? Is being one man down prevent you to do those things correctly ?
Mr Francois Pienaar...please, please shut up and go to sleep.

Pienaar is right... sort of.


Do you not think this French team should not be losing to Tonga?

Or play so badly against New Zealand? or England?

Given how good the French players are - and how badly they are playing - it is not hard to see why someone would say they are the worst team at the world cup. If the measure of a team is how well it performs above the level of the individual players - then the French team is awful.

 

[Nobblynick]

Was it so hard to swallow that you choked on it?

Sorry, I couldn't help myself :lol:

Lmao!

 

[RetiredRog]

Predictions were thrown out the window by that idiot Rollands....What a fool of a man, he's ruined the world cup...the best team in the tournament are out thanks to him because Wales would have won comfortably against France with 15 players and I genuinley believe they would have gone on to win the final. As it stands now the tournament is over, France have no hope in the final. Rolland was WRONG...When you listen to the comments of top former world cup winners like Pinear, Dallaglio and Fitzpatric etc. strongly criticising him then he needs to have a good look at his performance. He must have realised his error at half time because in the last couple of minutes he awarded Wales a penalty when it was blatantly a penalty for France....unfortunately Halfpenny failed by inches to grab the 3 points. Rolland should be suspended from test rugby indefinitely.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

France is the only top team whose language isn't English.

So you got schooled at home last world cup, twice, by a second tier team?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

When you listen to the comments of top former world cup winners like Pinear, Dallaglio and Fitzpatric etc. strongly criticising him then he needs to have a good look at his performance.

None of whom have played since the new regulations/whatever they're called

 

[Bossco]

Yep Wales was clearly the best team in the tournament despite losing to both SA and France whom the AB's destroyed....

The sending off was fair and reasonable, Warburton screwed up, deal with it and stop crying.

 

[hitman51]

Predictions were thrown out the window by that idiot Rollands....What a fool of a man, he's ruined the world cup...the best team in the tournament are out thanks to him because Wales would have won comfortably against France with 15 players and I genuinley believe they would have gone on to win the final. As it stands now the tournament is over, France have no hope in the final. Rolland was WRONG...When you listen to the comments of top former world cup winners like Pinear, Dallaglio and Fitzpatric etc. strongly criticising him then he needs to have a good look at his performance. He must have realised his error at half time because in the last couple of minutes he awarded Wales a penalty when it was blatantly a penalty for France....unfortunately Halfpenny failed by inches to grab the 3 points. Rolland should be suspended from test rugby indefinitely.

The best team in the world cup? Lol yeah ok whatever you say.

 

[dullonien]

Rolland wasn't wrong though, that's the whole point. Rolland deserves no criticism because he followed the laws correctly. I don't blame him in the slightest, and neither should everyone else. My personal opinion is that Warburton's tackle deserved a yellow and a one match ban, but that doesn't mean I blame Rolland, I blame the fact that there is zero leeway in the laws.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

When you listen to the comments of top former world cup winners like Pinear, Dallaglio and Fitzpatric etc. strongly criticising him then he needs to have a good look at his performance.

Or maybe Pienaar, Dallaglio and Fitzpatrick need to read the rules of the game.

I mean, i can't really understand the people claiming it was not a red. The rules are crystal clear.
I can understand the outrage by, say, the double standard set in other games by other refs, but that is a completely different matter.
Red? Hell yes.

 

[elgringoborracho]

That.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby-world-cup-experts/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503159&objectid=10759510

 

[Stillknox]

Found on a satirical french website... open letter to the welsh (and the rest of the world)

http://boucherie-ovalie.org/2011/10/17/open-letter-to-the-welsh-and-the-rest-of-the-world/

 

[no-1-rugby-fan]

Wales were the better team from start to finish, they played all the rugby and even with 14 men dominated. France just resorted to an ugly kicking game. It is a real shame that the referee had to ruin it for the whole of Wales. Shame on them and the IRB for condoning it.

 

[erwanseb]

I think people criticizing the ref on the basis that it wrecked the final are utterly dangerous.
Clerc could easily have had his neck broken or worse for god's sake, this tackle was the ultimate reckless act on a rugby pitch like driving at 180 in the town center.

Did it wreck the game , yes but I'd rather watch a poor game than a broken neck, to all those criticizing the decision, please sort out your priorities.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It is a real shame that the referee had to ruin it

ಠ_ಠ

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Wales were the better team from start to finish, they played all the rugby and even with 14 men dominated. France just resorted to an ugly kicking game. It is a real shame that the referee had to ruin it for the whole of Wales. Shame on them and the IRB for condoning it.

I have to give you the benefit of doubt and believe that's your anger taking over.

Both before and during the game, i wanted Wales to win.
Having said that, i also took the time to read the rules, and know that the ref acted appropriately.

If you don't like the rules, pick another sport. Blaming the ref, in this particular case, is making you loose the sympathy the rest of the world has towards the Welsh team.

Lets be crystal clear about 2 things: France didn't steal anything and the ref didn't ruin anything either. You lost, and you need to accept that. It's not like you have a choice.

 

[Calidris]

When the player of Toulouse frittz is expelled by Rolland during H-cup for a less rough fault, nobody in the United Kingdom shouted in the scandal, strange.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymkBd17K8lc

 

[Me 1]

Probably because most of us didn't know about it.