The Rugby

[Stef Troll]

If the best team is supposed to win, maybe they should just give them the cup and save everyone the bother.

All im trying to say is that these world cup's should be designed so that the best/better teams actually wins the cup.  The major problem with knock out style cups is that 1 team can have a bad day, and suddenly they are out of the cup.

Teams like Spurs, Newcastle, Everton have more chance of winning the FA Cup then the premier league for this reason

I personally view that as a plus point.

Yeh i agree.  However i'm just trying to justify why i dont think Samdy Gray earlier post is not entirely true  

'So if we happen to win the WC, retaining the title of world champions which nobody has ever done in the world of rugby, we're still shit? To me that says we're the best team in the world.
'

[Colin Todd]

If the best team is supposed to win, maybe they should just give them the cup and save everyone the bother.

All im trying to say is that these world cup's should be designed so that the best/better teams actually wins the cup.  The major problem with knock out style cups is that 1 team can have a bad day, and suddenly they are out of the cup.

Teams like Spurs, Newcastle, Everton have more chance of winning the FA Cup then the premier league for this reason

I personally view that as a plus point.

I think most people would.  Sport isnt very interesting if the favorites win all the time, so the last thing we need to do is manufacture a tournament format (in any sport) to favour them.  Besides, if they are that good they should be able to beat the team in front of them. If they fail to do so they have no-one to blame but themselves (or in the case of our football team, the ref, cheating foreigners and god   )

[spacey]

If the best team is supposed to win, maybe they should just give them the cup and save everyone the bother.

All im trying to say is that these world cup's should be designed so that the best/better teams actually wins the cup.  The major problem with knock out style cups is that 1 team can have a bad day, and suddenly they are out of the cup.

Teams like Spurs, Newcastle, Everton have more chance of winning the FA Cup then the premier league for this reason

I personally view that as a plus point.

Yeh i agree.  However i'm just trying to justify why i dont think Samdy Gray earlier post is not entirely true  

'So if we happen to win the WC, retaining the title of world champions which nobody has ever done in the world of rugby, we're still shit? To me that says we're the best team in the world.
'

 I don't even like rugby so bollocks to it, the fact that the TV's been jammed up with big blokes grappling with each others bottoms and then running away from each other is ridiculous. I'll be glad when I can settle down in front of a proper contest like X Factor.

[Lumps]

So if England win the World Cup that means they're "the best team in the World". But they're not six nation champions so they're not "the best team in the Northen Hemisphere / Europe"! How does that work?

Similarly in football, Greece, by virtue of being European champs should be "the best team in Europe", but that would mean that Italy as current world Cup holders and therefore "the best team in the world" were paradoxically not "the best team in Europe"!

Can we just agree that winning the World Cup makes you "World Cup Winners" or even "World Cup Champions" rather than adding any other titles to it 'cause otherwise the contradictions get confusing?

And the whole "it doesn't matter how entertaining it is, who cares about the neutrals" arguement doesn't really hold water, unless the organisers are happy for the worldwide TV audience for their major international tournament to be largely restricted to the supporters of the two finalists.
The audience for the football WC final is overwhelming made up of neutrals, and that's what Rugby is trying to compete with. To do that it's got to be enjoyable to watch.

I'v not heard anyone that isn't an England supporter even try to argue that their style of play is entertaining. I'm not saying it isn't effective when the teams well organised, because the years under Woodward make that a demonstrable fact. I just find it dull and I don't think a tournament that became dominated by that style of game would encourage many to get more into the sport.

Be honest, if it was Wales or Ireland or Scotland that had ground their way to the final in a couple of low scoring forward battles how many of you would be enthusiastically planning which pub to watch it in at the weekend?

[dell boy]

There were a lot more in the pubs to watch the rugby than the football on Saturday.
Rugby fans that I know, have watched all the games, even Portugal, the home international sides Scotland etc have been well supported by all in Britain as far as I can see, and we were all rooting for them against the Argies.
You are not a fan of English rugby so why don't you just leave it at that Lumps.

[janaage]

"the home international sides.... have been well supported by all in Britain"

What a load of old bollocks, I bloody loved it when Wales lost to Fiji!!  Most people I know enjoyed that result!

[Foggy]

I can see some valid points in what Lumps says,but playing fast expansive rugby does not always lead to success as the Argies found out last night.English Rugby has and will continue to be based around a pack that can win games for them. I would be the first to admit that the game on saturday was technically poor but exciting to watch if you were an englishman (or woman). I agree with the comments about being world champions and not best in the world because the last three years have proven that we are not that good .

[Foggy]

"the home international sides.... have been well supported by all in Britain"

What a load of old bollocks, I bloody loved it when Wales lost to Fiji!!  Most people I know enjoyed that result!

To be honest Rob i cheered when all the other home nations lost, i guess that it is just tribal instinct.

[dell boy]

"the home international sides.... have been well supported by all in Britain"

What a load of old bollocks, I bloody loved it when Wales lost to Fiji!!  Most people I know enjoyed that result!

OK, supported by the English not the Jocks.

[herthab]

There were a lot more in the pubs to watch the rugby than the football on Saturday.
Rugby fans that I know, have watched all the games, even Portugal, the home international sides Scotland etc have been well supported by all in Britain as far as I can see, and we were all rooting for them against the Argies.
You are not a fan of English rugby so why don't you just leave it at that Lumps.

And?

Of course more people watched the semi final of the World Cup, than a piss easy qualifier against some no-mark team.

How many people watch England when they get to a football World Cup, or Euro Championship? I would suggest it is more than Rugby.

Your statement is flawed.................

[janaage]

"the home international sides.... have been well supported by all in Britain"

What a load of old bollocks, I bloody loved it when Wales lost to Fiji!!  Most people I know enjoyed that result!

To be honest Rob i cheered when all the other home nations lost, i guess that it is just tribal instinct.

You can't beat a bit of local rivalry!!

[dell boy]

There were a lot more in the pubs to watch the rugby than the football on Saturday.
Rugby fans that I know, have watched all the games, even Portugal, the home international sides Scotland etc have been well supported by all in Britain as far as I can see, and we were all rooting for them against the Argies.
You are not a fan of English rugby so why don't you just leave it at that Lumps.

And?

Of course more people watched the semi final of the World Cup, than a piss easy qualifier against some no-mark team.

How many people watch England when they get to a football World Cup, or Euro Championship? I would suggest it is more than Rugby.

Your statement is flawed.................

If it was a run-of-the-mill Rugby international involving England there would still be more in the pub watching it. :roll:

[herthab]

There were a lot more in the pubs to watch the rugby than the football on Saturday.
Rugby fans that I know, have watched all the games, even Portugal, the home international sides Scotland etc have been well supported by all in Britain as far as I can see, and we were all rooting for them against the Argies.
You are not a fan of English rugby so why don't you just leave it at that Lumps.

And?

Of course more people watched the semi final of the World Cup, than a piss easy qualifier against some no-mark team.

How many people watch England when they get to a football World Cup, or Euro Championship? I would suggest it is more than Rugby.

Your statement is flawed.................

If it was a run-of-the-mill Rugby international involving England there would still be more in the pub watching it. :roll:

So you think that an ordinary Rugby International would attract more viewers than an ordainary Football International?

What do you base that on?

[dell boy]

There were a lot more in the pubs to watch the rugby than the football on Saturday.
Rugby fans that I know, have watched all the games, even Portugal, the home international sides Scotland etc have been well supported by all in Britain as far as I can see, and we were all rooting for them against the Argies.
You are not a fan of English rugby so why don't you just leave it at that Lumps.

And?

Of course more people watched the semi final of the World Cup, than a piss easy qualifier against some no-mark team.

How many people watch England when they get to a football World Cup, or Euro Championship? I would suggest it is more than Rugby.

Your statement is flawed.................

If it was a run-of-the-mill Rugby international involving England there would still be more in the pub watching it. :roll:

So you think that an ordinary Rugby International would attract more viewers than an ordainary Football International?

What do you base that on?

Watching the games down the pub, what else, or are just an argumentative fucker every time I post a point of you. :roll:

[herthab]

Look at the viewing figures.

Maybe you just drink in a middle-class pub.

I'm only argumentative when someone is spouting total shite.