RWC 2011 thread

[Carlos R]

Does anyone know which UK-based terrestrial channels will be showing RWC games?

[roostermike]

	Quote:	Carlos R
	Does anyone know which UK-based terrestrial channels will be showing RWC games?

Will be watching it on Sky sat, but if you have any trouble finding viewing possibilities, let me know. I can nudge you in the right direction for online streaming. Good quality and free...

[Carlos R]

	Quote:	roostermike
	Will be watching it on Sky sat, but if you have any trouble finding viewing possibilities, let me know. I can nudge you in the right direction for online streaming. Good quality and free...

Thanks. I can always watch on French TV (I speak it fluently) but it is much nicer to get a biased coverage when the bias is in your favour

Since we moved we now have the Swisscom package with UK terrestrial, so this year - for the first time in 10+ years, was able to watch 6N in English at home.

[roostermike]

	Quote:	Carlos R
	Thanks. I can always watch on French TV (I speak it fluently) but it is much nicer to get a biased coverage when the bias is in your favour Since we moved we now have the Swisscom package with UK terrestrial, so this year - for the first time in 10+ years, was able to watch 6N in English at home.

The stream I use, has multiple options, so you can choose exactly which bias you prefer.

[big yin]

	Quote:	Carlos R
	Does anyone know which UK-based terrestrial channels will be showing RWC games?

ITV have the UK terrestrial rights, though I don't know which of their channels it will be on (probably split between ITV1 and ITV4).

They also plan to show it on their version of the iPlayer, which might work if you have a VPN proxy.

[MarkH]

I read somewhere there will be coverage of the RWC 2011 on Eurosport HD which I have via cablecom.
Hope its true.That would be 1st prize.
Check the below link about the ITV coverage.
I also have all the ITV channels as well as the French channels.
Looking good for options.

http://www.therugbyblog.co.uk/itv-an...world-cup-2011

[Danieluk]

	Quote:	MarkH
	I read somewhere there will be coverage of the RWC 2011 on Eurosport HD which I have via cablecom. Hope its true.That would be 1st prize. Check the below link about the ITV coverage. I also have all the ITV channels as well as the French channels. Looking good for options. http://www.therugbyblog.co.uk/itv-an...world-cup-2011

Thanks for that...fortunately most of the England games are on weekends, so I won't have to explain to my boss why I'm going to the pub at 7am!

I'm looking forward to not hearing a peep out of Brian Moore the whole world cup

[Nelly_Da_Hefferlump]

	Quote:	Danieluk
	Thanks for that...fortunately most of the England games are on weekends, so I won't have to explain to my boss why I'm going to the pub at 7am! I'm looking forward to not hearing a peep out of Brian Moore the whole world cup

Whaaaaat??? You not coming to beer-breakfasts?

all blacks win this year for sure!!!

[TiMow]

	Quote:	lucas lopes
	all blacks win this year for sure!!!

I agree......

[Caleb]

	Quote:	Carlos R
	...Sorry, but I really don't think France, Argentina or any of the other 6Ns can sustain a tournament-long push for the cup.

I agree my beloved Pumas don't have a great chance, and glad that at least once person puts us at the same level as France. Every time I have this discussion at work everyone seems to forget we beat France twice in the last RWC.

[Carlos R]

	Quote:	Caleb
	I agree my beloved Pumas don't have a great chance, and glad that at least once person puts us at the same level as France. Every time I have this discussion at work everyone seems to forget we beat France twice in the last RWC.

Actually, after last weekend's match, I'd put England below France and Argentina...

Although England have consistency and depth in the squad, it is mainly consistently crap. We seem to have gone hugely backwards since the 6N, after which I had my hopes that a good match here and an upset there and England could be contenders with some momentum.

After the home & away vs. Wales, I'm not so sure; gone are the power tackles, the driving (gawd the driving mauls were awful), no dynamism, no width, missed tackles, holes in defence, no support, droped balls... I could go on

Ireland is going to be really really painful... resulting in a warm up of W-L-L... I'd be happy to be wrong but...

[TidakApa]

	Quote:	Danieluk
	I won't have to explain to my boss why I'm going to the pub at 7am!

My Boss is Irish, so we have agreed to take the morning off work and go to the pub together when Australia plays Ireland.

I'm not expecting a productive afternoon.

[Nelly_Da_Hefferlump]

	Quote:	Carlos R
	Actually, after last weekend's match, I'd put England below France and Argentina... Although England have consistency and depth in the squad, it is mainly consistently crap. We seem to have gone hugely backwards since the 6N, after which I had my hopes that a good match here and an upset there and England could be contenders with some momentum. After the home & away vs. Wales, I'm not so sure; gone are the power tackles, the driving (gawd the driving mauls were awful), no dynamism, no width, missed tackles, holes in defence, no support, droped balls... I could go on Ireland is going to be really really painful... resulting in a warm up of W-L-L... I'd be happy to be wrong but...

What are you b!tching about? Try being a SA supporter. The Boks have lost 8 out of the last 9 Tri Nations games with only one game, against the All Blacks, to save some face.

Might be shouting for Argentina this RWC. Could have more games to watch than supporting the Boks.

[Carlos R]

	Quote:	Nelly_Da_Hefferlump
	What are you b!tching about? Try being a SA supporter. The Boks have lost 8 out of the last 9 Tri Nations games with only one game, against the All Blacks, to save some face. Might be shouting for Argentina this RWC. Could have more games to watch than supporting the Boks.

Meh... At least South Africa didn't go anywhere

1 (1) NEW ZEALAND 93.26
2 (2) AUSTRALIA 87.75
3 (3) SOUTH AFRICA84.08
4 (5) FRANCE 82.69
5 (4) ENGLAND 81.82

http://www.irb.com/rankings/index.html

[Amande]

	Quote:	roostermike
	Don't forget the french,

No, don't forget the french....

[PaddyG]

I missed the England games as I was on hols. How bad were we Carlos? Did Johnson field a pretty-much full-strength squad, or was there a lot of experimentation?

[Carlos R]

	Quote:	PaddyG
	I missed the England games as I was on hols. How bad were we Carlos? Did Johnson field a pretty-much full-strength squad, or was there a lot of experimentation?

First match (at HQ) was more of an experimental side than the Millennium IMO - which is bad bad news.

We had a lot of second choices at HQ - not fringe players, but they weren't the first choice for the 6N.

Twickers: 2nd string, still trying to claim a seat on the 'plane
The game was lively enough, and the first 50 mins, England dominated, with scoring and possession. Tuilagi's try, was, IMO well taken - a mix of skill, good movement, good angles and power. Wales' tries, were also well taken, but IMO soft - spin it out wide where England had no cover. Good for Wales, of course, and fair play, but naivety by England's defence.

In instances there were good runs by the likes of Armitage, but, as Gusgot pointed out at half time, with no Ashton-like runner in support good line breaks fizzled out with no support runners there to back up the break.

Into the last third and Wales bossed with desperate defence by England and Wales coming out on top. If Wales had had another 10 minutes, I'm certain they'd have won; it was like the HC final when Leinster just came back at Northampton. Only the Welsh left it a little too late.

While some positives could be taken... the reverse fixture was anything but...

Millennium: Team much closer to 6N first pick
England backs flat, slow, weak. It sounds odd to say that, but England really really bossed the Welsh pack. Total domination in scrum time, but fair dos to the Welsh. They managed to weather the storm and held their own - just. But it was enough.

Even though Wales were being hammered, England just gave me an impression of banging your head against a brick wall. Again and again they tried and just could not breach the Welsh line. Although tiring, the Welsh will have been empowered by England's inability to score, with England losing ground on each phase of the ball.

Meanwhile the entire England team were sucked into the "bash it up the middle" of old tactic... So, so easy to defend against, with no one out wide - guess what happened on each turn-over? Wales spin it out wide and England are frantically trying to defend the overlap.

The backs were just poor. A couple of good runs from England, but these ended in turnovers and dropped balls. An example is Banahan: I'd hoped his inclusion in the squad when he first surfaced would be good - power, speed and handling abilities, from all accounts I'd read.

He was tackled and dispossessed on a 5-10 m run to the line by, of all people, Shane Williams (WTF!?!) + another (Hook?), dropping the ball 1 m out as he went down. He has this trade-mark out-the-back-door out-the-tackle pass, but defences are now aware of it and just wrap tackle him. He got one out, but the defence were waiting for it. It didn't go to hands and a turnover was conceded.

Symptomatic of England, just too predictable and easy to defend against.

[Danieluk]

Good Review Carlos, agree with the summary.

To top it off Johno thought it wise to bring on Hodgson, the embodiement of one dimensional play, to go for the win at the end (I believe) I generally have agreed with Johno's approach so far, and maybe it would have worked had the first game against Wales been a whitewash, but the selections in these warm up games aren't really clear to me - seems the only thing he is sure of is the centre partnership??!

One interesting for the England fans - Flood or Wilko first choice?

[MissBehaving]

	Quote:	Danieluk
	Good Review Carlos, agree with the summary. To top it off Johno thought it wise to bring on Hodgson, the embodiement of one dimensional play, to go for the win at the end (I believe) I generally have agreed with Johno's approach so far, and maybe it would have worked had the first game against Wales been a whitewash, but the selections in these warm up games aren't really clear to me - seems the only thing he is sure of is the centre partnership??! One interesting for the England fans - Flood or Wilko first choice?

Wilko all the way - Flood looked like a lost little boy last weekend - and not one attempt at a drop goal??

I would be interested to see what a centre pairing of Tindall and Tuilagi could do. Banahan should be brought on as an impact player at outside centre, not on the wing. He hasn't played on the wing at Bath for quite a while now...