It's a good way to keep the Yank trash out.
Now, if could only figure out a way of doing that for our internet forums ...
Rugby World Cup 2015
- Thread starter Blackleaf
- Start date
It's a good way to keep the Yank trash out.
Now, if could only figure out a way of doing that for our internet forums ...
An Englishman, a Welshman and a Northern Irishman are all in a bar in France, in the country to support their respective teams in Euro2016.
There was no Scotsman with them as Scotland have not qualified for the tournament, so none of the Scots could be arsed making the journey.
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I do think, though, that after this weekend Ireland will be the only Home Nation left in the tournament as both Jock (who was in a very easy group and lost against South Africa, the only decent side they have come up against so far until today) and Taffy (who were second-best against England but only won by just three points because England's ill-discipline led to then conceding too many penalties) will be whupped by Skippy and the Afrikaners respectively, but even then I do think Argie is more than capable of pulling off a surprise victory over Paddy. Once again, the Southern Hemisphere sides will show they are a cut above the rest.
2015 Rugby World Cup
Quarter Finals
Our team of rugby experts - including Chris Ashton, Zinzan Brooke and Mike Ford - offer their verdicts for this weekend's Rugby World Cup quarter-finals. And unless you're Irish, it's bad news for Europe...
STEVE JAMES
South Africa 15 Wales 12
New Zealand 26 France 9
Ireland 19 Argentina 15
Australia 30 Scotland 10
Wales v South Africa is the hardest to call and will undoubtedly be the hardest match of the tournament in terms of physicality. Argentina could spring a surprise but Ireland's replacements for their injured did so well last weekend. The other two matches should be straightforward.
ZINZAN BROOKE
South Africa 24 Wales 19
New Zealand 32 France 17
Ireland 28 Arg 22
Australia 37 Scotland 15
New Zealand, Australia and South Africa should be too strong, although if Wales were at full strength that could have been a different story. Ireland v Argentina is a very hard one to call, but I am leaning towards Ireland despite all their absentees.
DANIEL SCHOFIELD
South Africa 22 Wales 19
New Zealand 38 France 7
Argentina 28 Ireland 22
Australia 28 Scotland 10
Semi-finals look like being another round of the Rugby Championship. Argentina have flown under the radar so far despite playing some sumptuous rugby and should have too much for Ireland missing the heart of their pack. New Zealand and Australia by blowouts; South Africa by a bum-squeaker.
MIKE FORD
South Africa 20 Wales 10
New Zealand 30 France 9
Ireland 16 Argentina 13
Australia 26 Scotland 13
Only one win for the northern hemisphere and that is because I think the big three southern teams have too much experience as well as strike-power to be contained. South Africa will be coming at Wales directly, their traditional way, and Wales might not have enough to resist them after all their injuries. France are France with all their internal difficulties but they are not the same sort of team that rose up in 1999 and 2007. Ireland against Argentina is the closest of the games to call. Australia have shown that they have too much in the locker.
MICK CLEARY
South Africa 28 Wales 25
New Zealand 32 France 15
Ireland 23 Argentina 21
Australia 25 Scotland 18
South Africa are an entirely different proposition at this stage of the tournament than they were at the start. They have found themselves. Wales could sneak it but only if the Springboks lose their discipline and Dan Biggar does an England on them. France lack pace as well as belief. Argentina against Ireland could go either way with the Pumas sharp in attack but the ‘home’ support should carry Ireland home. The Wallabies are in their pomp.
CHRIS ASHTON
South Africa 15 Wales 6
The way Wales failed to score against a 13 man Australia was worrying: they didn’t take the chance. South Africa have got their act together since Japan, and they are looking more like the team we know they can be.
Australia 28 Scotland 9
Australia will have too much for the Scots, especially with their suspensions. Last week, I thought that they did well to come through against a Samoa team with a point to prove. Australia is a big step up, though, and they will have too much across the board for them.
New Zealand 22 France 6
I know that New Zealand have struggled against France in recent World Cups, but I feel last week for France could have taken it out of them: it was a very physical encounter. New Zealand are due a big performance after having a comfortable group, and they will be hoping to find their stride at the right time of the tournament.
Ireland 19 Argentina 12
It was a brilliant win for Ireland last week. It was tough on them to lose the lads to injuries, but they have replacements to come in and do a job: the Ireland team looks to be in a good place. Argentina will never back down from the challenge and you can guarantee they will give it everything. This will be a close one, I think.
Read more predictions: Rugby World Cup quarter-final predictions: The expert verdicts on who will reach semi-finals - Telegraph
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It is a the only way from keeping out better football players is what you mean.
Check out this little gem...
CFL’s quarterback casualties mount as homegrown players are being outmatched by American talent | National Post
“You’ve got some kid from Queen’s trying to block an NFL cut who played at Florida State,” that unnamed exec will say. “It’s not a fair fight.”
That's simply not happening.
Meh, I don't really give a crap about Rugby. I just saw the joke on my FB page and thought to myself, "Gee, I bet this will elicit another novelette from Blackie", and voila.
It's like I'm psychic or something.
Congrats to South Africa, edging Wales 23 - 19 to make the semis. Terrific game.
As for the NFL its difficult for me to discern exactly what attraction of such a scripted, stagnant game has. My sense is that has to a lot with American media hype.. i mean Deflategate not only made.. but headed Nightly U.S. newscasts for weeks.
I think that because America has such a convention seeking culture, they feel threatened that they might be deemed 'UnAmerican" if they don't watch and be prepared to discuss it. This stirs up all kinds of skeletons in the American closet.. McCarthy/HUAC Red Witch Hunts.. the persecution of 'Anarchists' (like the executed and innocent Sacco and Vanzetti) in the 1920s, the Puritan Salem witch hangings in the 1600s.
Being UnAmerican not only means exclusion.. but persecution in America (its deeply embedded in their identity), especially if it threatens the American corporate oligarchy.. who control the media 'court' of public opinion. Much better to be Canadian and watch the imperfect.. but at least occaisionally entertaining CFL.
And many American who come up to play the wide open spaces of the American game, become citizens.. teachers, coaches, businessmen.. since you don't retire independently wealthy at 34 from the CFL. And many of them love the Canadian game. The only real thing the NFL has over it is more money.
As for the NFL its difficult for me to discern exactly what attraction of such a scripted, stagnant game has. My sense is that has to a lot with American media hype.. i mean Deflategate not only made.. but headed Nightly U.S. newscasts for weeks.
I think that because America has such a convention seeking culture, they feel threatened that they might be deemed 'UnAmerican" if they don't watch and be prepared to discuss it. This stirs up all kinds of skeletons in the American closet.. McCarthy/HUAC Red Witch Hunts.. the persecution of 'Anarchists' (like the executed and innocent Sacco and Vanzetti) in the 1920s, the Puritan Salem witch hangings in the 1600s.
Being UnAmerican not only means exclusion.. but persecution in America (its deeply embedded in their identity), especially if it threatens the American corporate oligarchy.. who control the media 'court' of public opinion. Much better to be Canadian and watch the imperfect.. but at least occaisionally entertaining CFL.
And many American who come up to play the wide open spaces of the American game, become citizens.. teachers, coaches, businessmen.. since you don't retire independently wealthy at 34 from the CFL. And many of them love the Canadian game. The only real thing the NFL has over it is more money.
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Infested with Yankee a$$holes forever, are we?
BTW, You are a terrible advertisement for your country. You fit all of our old stereotypes to a tee ... loud, brash, ignorant, arrogant. You are the cartoon caricature of an American to the rest of the planet. Congratulations for reinforcing it all.
That seems to be the popular opinion I've noticed. Partially justifiable I guess.
I post on a couple of overseas websites and, you would be surprised to know that I often DEFEND Americans and their actions. I have to say that your brand is seriously damaged, out there and it would be worth everybody's while in the US to try and improve it. In spite of your collective John Wayne world view, you need the support of all sorts of other peoples and countries. One of the key components of American power is that is has been acceptable enough to enough people that the World did not have to get together to stop you, as was done with a couple of previous super powers. The Americans exceptionalists may not get that part.
Canada 17 and England 16. Looks like a pretty even match. Coin toss.Rugby isn't a gentlemanly sport.
The old saying:
Cricket is a game for gentlemen played by gentlemen,
Football is a game for hooligans played by gentlemen,
Rugby Union is a game for gentlemen played by hooligans,
And Rugby League is a game for hooligans played by hooligans.
I have read somewhere that the NFL is thinking of banning helmets, because it is more dangerous to play WITH the helmets than without them.
Former England star, and now their forwards coach, Graham Rowntree with his cauliflower ears
American culture has its part to play in that. Americans are very loud and brash.
He's a motivation speaker now, using his experience in the Andes to help others cope with psychological trauma. He should be speaking to the England lads, to help them get over the sheer horror of losing to two of our greatest rugby rivals, Australia and Wales, in their home stadium.
Here, the Telegraph ranks each of this World Cup's 20 teams on how they have fared so far, with 20th being the worst and 1st the best.
And guess who's ranked 20th?
20. USA
They remain the great ‘what if’. ‘What if’ rugby can crack the American market, ‘what if’ they can uncover a few more Samu Manoas, ‘what if’ they can recruit a few NFL players. For now those hypotheticals must wait for at least another tournament. They were in a tough pool but as Chris Wyles, their captain, said ahead of their final match against Japan, “We came into this World Cup with pretty high expectations of ourselves so this is a defining game for us.” By that standard, it was a failure.
17. Canada
“We went through that video and just about cried all the way through it.” So said coach Kieran Crowley of Canada’s 23-18 defeat in which they held a 10-0 lead. Unfortunately, worse was to come as their third game in 11 days against Romania proved a step too far as they blew a 15-0 lead. It will be of little consolation to the Canucks that they gave as good as they got against France.
16. England
Purely on the basis of performance England did OK. Outclassed against Australia, they still dominated most facets of the game against Wales apart from discipline. Stuart Lancaster’s team were also the only team to pick up a bonus point against Fiji and cantered home against Uruguay. However, none of that will be remembered as they became the first host team to not to qualify for the quarter-finals. Yes it was the group of death but they failed to put away two sides in Wales and Australia whom they had beaten in the previous 10 months.
("However, none of that will be remembered as they became the first host team to not to qualify for the quarter-finals") - I do, however, wish the British press would stop peddling this myth. Wales co-hosted the 1991 World Cup and were knocked out of the tournament at the Pool Stage after losing all but one of their matches at home. Either the British press hasn't done proper research on this matter or they know this full well, yet they still keep peddling the myth, for some reason.
Who is ranked No1? Go here and find out: Rugby World Cup 2015: All 20 teams rated so far - Telegraph
As proudly Canadian as I am and as proudly Celtic as I am, I'm afraid that England would/should clobber both North American teams.
That was a painful read wasn't it? If you want to protect the QBs in the you better start allowing them Yankees to play O-Line.
And YOU are a terrible ambassador to yours. Full of insecurity, full of sh*t, just a big mouth envious moron. Just like Scott the D*ck. You're that guy. That insecure, jealous whining Canadian that passes through here from time to time.
They have a cartoon character for you.
And I simply LOVE playing that ugly American to guys like you.
We like the saltiness... it makes it so tasty.
I love feeding clowns like Curious their own meds.
There you go, Ludlow. A few dozen American posters like the one above on the World Wide Web and everybody will hate you, forever.
One of the greatest mistakes of the Great Depression was the Smoot Hawley Tariff. If not for WW2 there may have been no recovery. The isolationist/protectionist mindset of exclusion however, isn't indigenous to this country alone. And arrogance is not an American invention. The danger in broad sweeping generalizations is and always has been throwing the baby out with the bath water, It has been said that a house divided cannot stand. I guess the definition of "house" is a matter of opinion. Personally, I only see one sky.
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As our buddy CuriousCdn has quite clearly demonstrated.
You better update your plug-ins! What are you using... a Commodore 64?
Mystery Science Theater 3000 Canada Song if you wish to look it up.
This is a six months old tablet. What do you post with, other than using a megaphone?
What is it... a Blackberry tablet?
You can't get Youtube clips on that piece of junk?