[RWC2023] Italy vs Namibia (09/09/2023)

[Booboobang]

That is a poor decision from the TMO there, wont matter but backwards obviously.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I doubt it'll happen but it would be interesting to see Italy lose, finish 4th and having to go through qualifiers for 2027

Yes, I am hoping this Uruguay side can put together a full 80mins against Italy and cause a shock. Probably only a 10% chance of that at most.

 

[Jimbo]

Pleased too see Palo playing internationally.

 

[IT157]

Kind of weird seeing Odogwu play for Italy. Wasn't he in the England squad just a couple of years ago?

edit. didn't realise he had gone to Benetton after the demise of Wasps.

edit again. he went to Stade Français first

 

[Booboobang]

Yes, I am hoping this Uruguay side can put together a full 80mins against Italy and cause a shock. Probably only a 10% chance of that at most.

I think that will be a great game, uruguay very good team, and intaly might be complacent knowing they are likely not getting through.

 

[Booboobang]

Pleased too see Palo playing internationally.

Another of the players Jones ruined the confidence of, was lightning that season. At least he didnt get capped so he could be here.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I am hoping with the expansion of the world cup issues like this world cup having one side of the draw so lopsided wont happen again. Saying that we are yet to see the other side, I think it will be pretty good with the PI nations running the traditional tier ones very close due to them being a bit down.

It's not the first time IRB/WR has been criticised for doing the draw 3(!) years in advance.

It's absolutely ridiculous that the top-5 teams are on the same side of the draw. One of them won't even get out of the group stage. Meanwhile, the highest ranked team in group C is Fiji (7th) together with Australia (9th) and Wales (10th).

The 4 teams from pot 1 are ranked 2nd (South Africa), 4th (New Zealand), 8th (England) and 10th (Wales).

I know this is a rare occurrence for it to be this lopsided but maybe it's the push rugby needs to change the way the draw is done.

 

[Jimbo]

Kind of weird seeing Odogwu play for Italy. Wasn't he in the England squad just a couple of years ago?

edit. didn't realise he had gone to Benetton after the demise of Wasps

I always felt in the right environment he offer a lot.

 

[IT157]

I felt in 2007 there was no empty seats. But maybe I misremembering

 

[Derpus]

It's not the first time IRB/WR has been criticised for doing the draw 3(!) years in advance.

It's absolutely ridiculous that the top-5 teams are on the same side of the draw. One of them won't even get out of the group stage. Meanwhile, the highest ranked team in group C is Fiji (7th) together with Australia (9th) and Wales (10th).

The 4 teams from pot 1 are ranked 2nd (South Africa), 4th (New Zealand), 8th (England) and 10th (Wales).

I know this is a rare occurrence for it to be this lopsided but maybe it's the push rugby needs to change the way the draw is done.

We've all heard this a thousand times already. Nothing to be done about it now so lets quit the whinging eh.

 

[Booboobang]

It's not the first time IRB/WR has been criticised for doing the draw 3(!) years in advance.

It's absolutely ridiculous that the top-5 teams are on the same side of the draw. One of them won't even get out of the group stage. Meanwhile, the highest ranked team in group C is Fiji (7th) together with Australia (9th) and Wales (10th).

The 4 teams from pot 1 are ranked 2nd (South Africa), 4th (New Zealand), 8th (England) and 10th (Wales).

I know this is a rare occurrence for it to be this lopsided but maybe it's the push rugby needs to change the way the draw is done.

Oh 100%, it is super rare that you see a massive change in rankings like we have, in terms of italy they likely would of been the 3rd team in a group regardless, but scotland can feel very aggreived.

Only way I see of fixing it is expansion so top teams are spread more likely to still get the odd group of death, but still unlikely to have a case of a group with 3 of the top 5 in the world. Or just do the draw a year or so before the draw. Or both, think having the draw later makes sense for me, means teams will try and stay on top of their game for the whole cycle.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

It's not the first time IRB/WR has been criticised for doing the draw 3(!) years in advance.

It's absolutely ridiculous that the top-5 teams are on the same side of the draw. One of them won't even get out of the group stage. Meanwhile, the highest ranked team in group C is Fiji (7th) together with Australia (9th) and Wales (10th).

The 4 teams from pot 1 are ranked 2nd (South Africa), 4th (New Zealand), 8th (England) and 10th (Wales).

I know this is a rare occurrence for it to be this lopsided but maybe it's the push rugby needs to change the way the draw is done.

not going to include Georgia in Group C? Ranked 11th.

 

[Which Tyler]

I don't like more than 4 pools, as it's "unfair" on who gets to the QFs.
It's when the draw is made that is the issue, 3 years is way too far out.
But it needs to be long enough that teams and fans know where they'll be based, so probably > 1 year.
Personally, I think 12-18 months in advance is the sweet spot.

But then, we've all covered this a hundred times over the last 3 years.

 

[beerholder]

Ioane sprinting sideways and running out of steam a few meters after finding the gap is the highlight of this match for me.

 

[IT157]

I always felt in the right environment he offer a lot.

I remember him breaking a tackle from Underhill a couple of years ago. Such great leg power.

 

[IT157]

2019 it was Italy 49-22.
Italy had been looking better going into this World Cup with wins over Wales and Australia. Either that was Wales and Australia being crap or Namibia have improved since 2019.

Ends up being a bigger victory for Italy in the end.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Decent first half from Namibia, much better second half from Italy

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I am frankly struggling to evaluate where either side is with these performances. I think both are probably a little disappointing and expect Uruguay to beat Namibia by about 20.

A shame for Namibia to lose two late tries which removes the respectability. I guess fitness and bench depth explain the second half.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I felt in 2007 there was no empty seats. But maybe I misremembering

Empty seats per group stage match in 2007

Group A
ENG-USA: 4,645 out of 41,400
RSA-SAM: 1,195 out of 47,870
USA-TON: 8,900 out of 33,900
ENG-RSA: 2,477 out of 80,000
SAM-TON: 9,772 out of 33,900
RSA-TON: 1,331 out of 41,400
ENG-SAM: 1,077 out of 38,100
SAM-USA: 1,526 out of 35,640
ENG-TON: 1,795 out of 47,870
RSA-USA: 5,150 out of 33,900

Group B
AUS-JAP: 1,057 out of 41,100
WAL-CAN: 600 out of 38,100
JAP-FIJ: 1,300 out of 35,700
WAL-AUS: 3,478 out of 74,500
FIJ-CAN: 28,500 out of 74,500
WAL-JAP: 39,255 out of 74,500
AUS-FIJ: 1,669 out of 33,900
CAN-JAP: 630 out of 34,440
AUS-CAN: Sold out
WAL-FIJ: 1,020 out of 38,100

Group C
NZL-ITA: 888 out of 59,500
SCO-POR: 1,488 out of 35,650
ITA-ROM: 15,259 out of 59,500
NZL-POR: 371 out of 41,100
SCO-ROM: 35,988 out of 67,114
ITA-POR: 2,394 out of 47,870
SCO-NZL: 2,586 out of 67,144
ROM-POR: 174 out of 35,700
NZL-ROM: 2,192 out of 35,700
SCO-ITA: 949 out of 35,650

Group D
FRA-ARG: 688 out of 80,000
IRE-NAM: 746 out of 34,440
ARG-GEO: 860 out of 41,100
IRE-GEO: 633 out of 34,440
FRA-NAM: 361 out of 35,700
FRA-IRE: Sold out
ARG-NAM: 4,433 out of 59,500
GEO-NAM: 8,851 out of 41,100
FRA-GEO: 805 out of 59,500
IRE-ARG: 2,320 out of 47,840

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

not going to include Georgia in Group C? Ranked 11th.

I should have, yes.