Rugby Union World Cup - France 2023

Quarter final result:

Wales 17-29 Argentina

The Argies played well and deserved that

always good to see wales humbled

Argentina certainly did show their true selves today! the best performance by far of the competition for them, and deserved winners in what was a high octane and high entertainment game! Never sure what you are going to get when the official ref falls over and has to be replaced - I take the point that the comm box team gave - namely that the differing views and decisions of the ref in the same set of circumstances - one from the other - can throw a team that expected to play to the tune, and probably prepped accordingly, of one ref, to then have to adjust to the different interpretaions of a replacement! Having said all that, apart from Dickson's more forthright nature in interaction and communication differing from Pyper, he got pretty much everything spot on I though - including the check for 'foul play' that he waved away from any sanction. The one issue being that it is in this area, that ' inconsistencies' among refs and how they see the same set of circumstances can have a major impact! How we arrive at an absolutely consistent conclusion regardless of the ref in charge, I do not know! The incident today with another ref was a minimum yellow all day long, with a decent likelihood of upgrade

Unlucky Wales, another WC where it just wasn't quite enough! I don't - like some - celebrate it though. I am sure England fans wouldn't like us celebrating the red roses demise were it to come to that - we wouldn't would we!!

The decider next!! Ireland V New Zealand!! I do reckon the trophy is going to the winner tonight! Beers in the cooler and telephone off the hook!!

ABSOLUTE BELTER!!

Now that is how you play rugby! Full - on for the entire (turned out to be closer to 90 than 80 mins) time! Not a single millimetre asked for, or given!! Fitness,commitment,physical impact, skill levels - all of it on show in abundance!! The best match - not just of the WC, but for a very long time??

Hardly a technical penalty in sight, so no stop/start, and thankfully, the best - the very best - in W Barnes in charge (in every sense) Perhaps the only contention (pretty big in reality given the importance) was the yellow/red card that wasn't!! Another day, a different outcome, and that is something rugby needs to deal with - inconsistency (I confess I don't have an answer)

Looks like England for the semis!! Not sure how many would have run to the bookies before the start of the WC with that level of optimism in mind??

Quarter Final Result:

England 30-24 Fiji

This France v South Africa game is just insane quality just as I expected it to be.
Calling it now.

Match of the tournament.

Absolutely mind boggling standard.

Absolutely snooks been tempted to have a beer despite working in the office in the morning just to calm my nerves not like they were shredded after last night especially when I had new Zealand to win

South Africa are absolute beasts.
Phenomenal effort to beat the French in their own backyard.
Real champions performance.

Who would have thought that England would be the last 6 nation team standing.