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The Pool Stages are over.

R

rlinternational

Juniors
Messages
110
France scored 2 tries, won 1 game and now are in a play off for a top 4 spot. If Italy had beat Tonga, Scotland would have missed out on quarter finals after 2 wins, a draw and around 15 tries

The way the pool teams advanced to the finals is way too weird. Should there have been a play off between the 2 3rd place group A/B teams against 2 second place group C/D teams to make the quarters? Should there have been 16 teams with 2 from each group making the last 8?
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N

Nothern

Juniors
Messages
58
Hell, I'll be fed up when this World Cup is over. I've only made NZ v PNG, but looking forward to Wembley double header and seen all the rest on tv. Bar a very few, the group games have been brilliant. You may not think the format is perfect, but I think it has made for such a competitive set of games. I think it's worked well. Some moments that will live long in the memory. Let's hope it continues in the knock-outs.
 
S

Springs

First Grade
Messages
5,682
Stand-outs: New Zealand, Scotland, USA
Disappointing: Ireland, France, Papua New Guinea, Wales

Ranked:
1. New Zealand
2. Australia
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Samoa
6. Scotland
7. Tonga
8. Italy
9. USA
10. France
11. Papua New Guinea
12. Ireland
13. Cook Islands
14. Wales
 
PARRA_FAN

PARRA_FAN

Coach
Messages
17,280
Scotland and USA have surprisingly be good. Cook Islands was better than I thought, glad they won a match.

But the disappointments have been Wales, France and PNG.

I predicted Fiji to be in the top 4, and it looks likely but against Samoa its gonna be tough.

Australia and New Zealand are still gonna be hard to beat. Im confident Australia can still win, however the last time we were in a position to win a tournament final, we had Darren Lockeyer.

Nothing against the current halves but whenever it looked like we were struggling against New Zealand or England, Lockyer would be the guy to pull that brilliant play.

I wonder who will step up at a crucial stage.
 
S

Springs

First Grade
Messages
5,682
Who's everyone's stand out players?
Australia: Thurston, Cherry-Evans, Fifita
England: Hall, Roby, G. Burgess, Hill, Ferres
Fiji: K. Naiqama, Uate, T. Sims
Ireland: Kostjasyn
New Zealand: Whare, Waerea-Hargreaves, SBW, Luke
Samoa: Leilua, Masoe, Matagi
France: ...
Papua New Guinea: Mexico
Scotland: Russell, Brough, Addy, I. Henderson
Tonga: Hurrell, Moi Moi, S. Manu
Italy: A. Minichiello, Guerra, Nasso
USA: Paulo, Priestly, Offerdahl
Cook Islands: Taia
Wales:...
 
PARRA_FAN

PARRA_FAN

Coach
Messages
17,280
That fullback from France, not Greensheilds but I think his name is Escare or something like that, he's pretty good.

Also Casty has been going well.
 
Joker's Wild

Joker's Wild

Coach
Messages
17,894
Springs said:
Who's everyone's stand out players?
Australia: Thurston, Cherry-Evans, Fifita
England: Hall, Roby, G. Burgess, Hill, Ferres
Fiji: K. Naiqama, Uate, T. Sims
Ireland: Kostjasyn
New Zealand: Whare, Waerea-Hargreaves, SBW, Luke
Samoa: Leilua, Masoe, Matagi
France: ...
Papua New Guinea: Mexico
Scotland: Russell, Brough, Addy, I. Henderson
Tonga: Hurrell, Moi Moi, S. Manu
Italy: A. Minichiello, Guerra, Nasso
USA: Paulo, Priestly, Offerdahl
Cook Islands: Taia
Wales:...
Click to expand...

I think Korbin has been the best of the 3 Sims boys so far. His try saver against England was phenomenal
 
S

steggz

Juniors
Messages
1,410
Valheru said:
The RLWC has been ok for what it is, the best parts being the entertaining games between minnows. If we are serious with ourselves though we all know it has a long way to go to be taken seriously. 4 groups of 4 would be a start with 2 teams each qualifying for the quarters. Having ?super groups? to avoid 150-0 floggings does nothing more than diminish the integrity of the competition.
Click to expand...

+1. I know the floggings can be bad, but we need to get rid of the tiered groups.
 
B

BrisbaneRhino

Juniors
Messages
172
What seems to have happened in the UK this time round is that people are looking at the WC as an EVENT first and a sporting competition second. That's why crowds have been big, not because the football is the best.

Its exactly that attitude that has made the RU world cup big, and the Olympics (most of those sports which seem very important for a couple of days every 4 years struggle to get a crowd of anyone other than family for the most part). Last time the RUWC was here in Oz, I knew dozens of people who went to games, including lots of women who had almost literally no idea what the sport was about. They went to games because it was an event, and frankly didn't care about the results, the performances or whether they were watching the best or worst teams.

That and the fact that in reality only 2 or 3 teams have the remotest chance of winning the RL WC means that to me whether an artificial draw that creates competitive games is better or worse than some purist 4x4 format doesn't matter one iota.

RL fans are absolutely the worst in the world at looking down on things in our own sport, not helped by the media at times. In England, rather than worry about how to make the team as competitive as possible, purists continue to bitch about the likes of Chase being selected - despite the fact exactly the same rules in other sports are applied without causing any controversy at all (have a look at the England cricket team for an example).

Lets all hope that when the WC comes to Australia next time, we can get the same kind of attitude going here. Because I'll tell you what - two successful (including financially) tournaments in a row and the RL WC could become a vital part of the sport's future.
 
S

Springs

First Grade
Messages
5,682
steggz said:
+1. I know the floggings can be bad, but we need to get rid of the tiered groups.
Click to expand...

I think this time it has shown we might be close to that. Wales finished last and have played Australia lately. I think it's entirely possible we could handle 4 groups of 4 next time, at least as well as Union can.

I don't think there's too much difference anyway. Of course the big 3 will be well ahead of everyone else, but it seems 4-14 are very close and change all the time.

I think the only difference would be we won't have an Australia v England group match.
 
S

Springs

First Grade
Messages
5,682
Something like:
Pool A: Australia, Italy, France, Wales
Pool B: New Zealand, Tonga, Ireland, Cook Islands
Pool C: England, Scotland, USA, Canada
Pool B: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Lebanon

That's barely different than we have now. It's pretty much just swapping England out for a smaller nation.
 
R

rlinternational

Juniors
Messages
110
I thought Minichiello was horrible for Italy. Didn't look like an experienced NRL player at all who just won a grand final.
Mantellato I thought was great. I think he could have a shot in NRL. Super League for sure. Bit unlucky he is at the knights with Uate and McManus ahead of him
 
titoelcolombiano

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,728
Springs said:
Who's everyone's stand out players?
Australia: Thurston, Cherry-Evans, Fifita
England: Hall, Roby, G. Burgess, Hill, Ferres
Fiji: K. Naiqama, Uate, T. Sims
Ireland: Kostjasyn
New Zealand: Whare, Waerea-Hargreaves, SBW, Luke
Samoa: Leilua, Masoe, Matagi
France: ...
Papua New Guinea: Mexico
Scotland: Russell, Brough, Addy, I. Henderson
Tonga: Hurrell, Moi Moi, S. Manu
Italy: A. Minichiello, Guerra, Nasso
USA: Paulo, Priestly, Offerdahl
Cook Islands: Taia
Wales:...
Click to expand...

France: Escare & Pellisier are exciting players - look good for the future
 
W

WireMan

Bench
Messages
4,479
Joker's Wild said:
I think Korbin has been the best of the 3 Sims boys so far. His try saver against England was phenomenal
Click to expand...

That was Ashton Sims wasn't it?
Korbin was a speedbump who resorted to an illegal challenge to play the big man and Tariq was laughed at by the England pack for being a bit soft.
 
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