I have many faults but being wrong isn’t one of them. Page 1, post #17 of this thread… Well done SA, they can always grind it out.
Too bad the team that scored the only try (not even mentioning the first one which was an absolute marvel!) of this final, mostly playing at 14, didn’t win… Too bad…
Shame the game was ruined, again, by over zealous interpretations of the rules. I watched the Tonga v England league game in the afternoon. In the second half alone, on union standards, every player on both sides would have been red carded. Union need to take a step back and realise they are making the game one of touch rugby IMHO that little wasp Declerk is the guy that won the cup for them, both when he came on in the semis and how he bossed the game yesterday. Every team in the world would have him as no1 scrum half. And every other tea, in the world just wants to punch him, hard!
Crap result. All Black player tackled in the air illegally - which disrupted his clear pass to the waiting hands of the No8 All Black - consequently the ball rattled around lots of arms and legs for a bit but went out for a fantastic All Black try. So try disallowed because of what started as the illegal actions of the South Africa player - that did not help the All Blacks at all with their try.
It has more to do with « culture » than logic. Over here, rugby has to be beautiful to be worthy. And tries are usually way more beautiful than kicks. Nothing more.
I believe you. French chivalry code cost you a battle or two in years past. But hey, you looked good at the time
Touché… We did lose a battle or two back in the day. But we also won a couple. In fact, we won just enough to keep you Rosbifs on your side of the Channel.
I didn't watch the whole game, nor the whole world Cup, but, I saw enough of their play to come to the decision of my previous comment I am not a rugby fan as such, but, I do watch it occasionally, and, I know enough about it to know a good proportion of the rules I do agree with @Fairy Cringe in some respect, the way the French play, sometimes works against them, many years ago, my wife took me to Leicester Tigers for a Heineken Cup game against Stade Francais (sorry for any incorrect spelling), at the end of the game, I stood there, in the stands, and said "good game, but, the best team lost" The Tigers won, now, she won't take ne to any more games