RFU World Cup

Just goes to show how influential a coach can be! I thought with all those early replacements they were panicking. Was our Front Row that spent? We lost the dynamics in the replacement there! Well done mind in the effort made, now an unenviable shot at third place is all that’s left!😟

Oh!! well they tried, not a good game for me, i dont like all that kicking stuff, but well done Farrell, great drop goal.

The game has become far too 'technical' with the object of the game (scoring a try) lost in the myriad technical offences that bring the disproportionate award (reward) of a penalty, usually converted into points by the star kicker.

It seemed like England were penalised in the scrum pretty well every time despite myriad conversations between the referee and the players, the scrum now seems to be the 'highlight' of the game rather than running...

France v NZ was far more open, a running game I thought this 'code' was just that...obviously times (and the army of technical/tactical specialists confirm) change.

a huge disappointment, not just because I was supporting England, who played well, but that a WRC semifinal gets effectively decided on some trivial technical infringement...

Where's the David Duckhams of the modern game?

YT - you are spot on with that analysis of the modern game in this code.

It was a brave performance by the England team who had a clear plan to  stifle the Springboks attacking flair and ran them much closer than any of us though possible. But at the end of the day their lack of flair and discipline cost them dearly. I do think it will make for a better final though.

The Springboks have had two tough games; the All Blacks had an easier semi final and with an extra days rest I think they will dominate the final and win by a clear 10 points or more (but my predictions to date have not been totally accurate so expect a close game! )

Looking forward to England v Tonga in the other code this afternoon. 👍

The whole game of Rugby Union is skewed by the scoring system. If the points awarded for a drop goal/penalty or conversion/try were changed to 1/2/7 the game would be far more interesting. 

Yes, YT, our game has become far too 'technical', those basics laws are now lost, as you say, in a myriad of technical offences against them.
Yes the RWC is also a disappointment for me because this semifinal, and to be honest quite a few of the other games, were effectively decided by some trivial but ‘valid’ technical infringement. To a large extent the refs are hamstrung, which infringements do they penalise and which do they overlook? Should they only penalise infringements which provide an obvious unfair advantage? Yet they need to show consistency but then encourage an open running spectacle and that’s where us observers, and players of the game can get so upset.

The advantage law as it stands is also not helping as again how long it legitimately goes on for is not so much determined by the laws but by the ref. Who in the world would want to be a ref. these days? The 21 simple laws of the game probably need  a significant overhaul. But there again would it still be Rugby?

But hasn't it always been thus? I can remember the deciding game in a The Lion's tour in SA  a hundred years or so ago (pre 1972  anyway) lbeing decided by them converting 6 penalties where we scored 3 converted tries, which were worth only 3 points for the try.

Yes, but professionalism has significantly changed both the ethos and the attitude of both players and spectators to this wonderful game of ours. In this modern world where transparency and fairness dominate much of our lives the issues we are now seeing seem to be raised almost constantly and the review of incidents are almost instantaneous to all and open to instant criticism. Every year the laws of the game are tweaked in order to achieve a ‘better’ game and reduce the perceived problems of the ‘day’ but in my view only the surface is being scratched and I’m not sure the real issues are being addressed, these being those myriad of technical issues first mentioned by YT. The game is different to when I played, even then I never really grasped the dark arts of the front row so how can today’s casual spectator stand a chance. We also would never have dreamed of berating a ref. we’d  just suck up and play on when things didn’t go our way. I think the refs. today are generally trying their best given the blunt and inexact tools given to them and WR don’t seem to be helping them very much. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t a clue how it could be resolved but I hope for a better awareness, understanding and tolerance is to be found out there soon. The alternative is to return to those halcyon amateur days of yore, sadly in some respects the game is now doing this to itself with the recent ‘loss’ of so many clubs in the professional game.

I think Nellie, this should be specifically raised with Mike A although I’d agree with him. I think the scoring system in RL is a little better than we currently have in RU. 
Incidentally that England Tonga game was interesting and what a humble interview of the man of the match, Mikey Lewis. What a lovely man. Another small by stature, huge in talent and heart young man.

Joe Marler’s ‘friendly’’ rag dolling of Faff made me smile mind, that’s how many transgressions in my playing days were resolved! 🤣

micky, I think that player safety is now a huge issue, with the increase in bulk of players, particularly in the front row, and also the big jump in fitness, of all the forwards in particular. I played in the front row as hooker for our first team,  weighing no more than 11 stone wet through, between props who were not a lot taller than me at 5'9" but a fair bit heavier!! Nowadays there will be very few forwards who stand under 6' even at the junior club level.