RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina
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always easier being critical of the ref being bias when you have no skin in the game and there is a massive underdog, just look at many of the pool games.
Too many average refs out there at present unfortunately, although the complexity of the rules doesnt help them much either.
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Other notes I made in my head while watching:
If Telea starts, he's going to get bombed all day. Fabulous runner in contact, but doesn't look assured under the high ball, particularly in traffic.
Pressure game from ABs was good, but their defence was hardly tested. The Pumas played a wide game, only realising later on that punching it up in close was better for retention, metres, and drawing penalties.
The effort of running that wide game showed as they ran out of legs and out of ideas. Hunger in the AB defence was palpable - no tries is a good outcome considering some of the line breaks but gee they looked like a Cheika-coached team. Should have started in closer IMHO and used a couple of decoys.
There was a notable period toward the end of the first half where the ABs looked like they were doing prep work for their next opponent: ball kept close, working on pick n go often for centimetres. That is a good sign when they could have just chucked it to Jordan and let him score another one.
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@NTA said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
My preferred outcome from here: Boks lose controversially and ABs beat England in the final.
Any time the Boks lose controversially, it is funny. Hilarious, even. Especially when it isn't against the ABs.
And then Argentina win 3rd
As long as we win, I'm good with that
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@stodders said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
@MiketheSnow and @Billy-Tell hope you enjoyed the game. Let us know your thoughts when you get time
Firstly I love the stade de France. Itās an amazing stadium. The only thing that would make it better was if it was a pure rugby stadium then you wouldnāt have the gap to the seats that is created by a round pitch.
The ABs currently look really well coached. The only off note was the short distances on the touch finders. At the ground you see how well smith organises the team. Rieko was doing that a fair bit too. The starting props were pure class. Frizzell also gets really stuck into the defence.
We had Irish lads in front of us, Argentinians around us but bumped into a heap of kiwis on the metro home and they were great.
Iād be very confident vs England. Iād also be confident vs SA if we dont make the errors the French made.
Telea has a great work rate and his slippery eel yards in close were very useful.
You guys will have seen more detail on the TV but we looked really organised and with a game plan.
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@Billy-Tell always great to read an account from the ground. How good.
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@Donsteppa said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
Slow start, moved through the gears, won it surprisingly easily.
An extra day of recovery too, and hoping for a bruising and confrontational semi final tomorrow.
Slow start I think was a lot to do with an excellent Argentinean start. They held the ball as long as they wanted and didn't make errors. And for all that they never looked like scoring. Then basically our first opportunity was 5 points
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@NTA said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
@canefan said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
As long as we win, I'm good with that
ABs winning is the least-fluffybunny-option at this point.
Plus it'll be amusing to see all the Foster haters have to eat crow
I've been very critical of Fozz. If he wins I'll gladly eat a plate of crow. And smash some humble pie for dessert!
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A few years after the goal line drop out rule has come in it's great to see the ABs attacking smartly near the line. Have a half crack at the line but if it's not on recycle back rather than get held up over the line. Also good to see them using space wider than simply bashing close only. See Jordan's first try.
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@BerniesCorner keep it up Bernie
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@MN5 said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
@stodders said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
https://x.com/skalabrak/status/1715453801346281633?s=46&t=Xyr9rqvpyxuZ6mu4OxMcYA
Certainly not Walrus levelā¦..but disappointing from Schalk.
That's enough for me. SA definitely got the rub of the green last week.
YOU GOT THIS FOZ -
@akan004 said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
Sky continues to embarrass themselves. How pathetic.
Yep letās not miss a chance to have a lame dig at Australia.
Youād hope as a country weād grown out of this embarrassing, completely unfunny shit.
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@KiwiMurph said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
@MN5 said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
embarrassing, completely unfunny shit.
Would make a good motto for sky
Angus Taāavo was good value I thought. The old āring ring, try timeā was class comedy.
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There is nothing more tedious than a massive online ref whinge from supposed "neutrals"
Oh no, if only Angus had found ways to scrub off 4 AB tries, then they would only have won by
Checks notes
3 triesI thought Gardner was good today. Super clear in his communication. Didn't blow little shit, but obvious shit. The dominant team got the rub, same as always.
Irish fans thinking thats a stitch up are completely devoid of self-reflection.
I don't expect perfection, I expect a guy to manage thr game and let the players sort it out
(If I had a whinge I thinknthe worst call of the game was binning a guy for an infraction 80+ metres from.his try line with no warning)
