Anyone excited for the Rugby World Cup (Post your support)

[Spreadie]

C'mon Scotland. Show the Welsh how it's done when we brush aside the Aussies!

[Ryan2801]

Placed a sneaky tenner on Wales and France - I'd be amazed if either make the semis.

[PorcupineTime]

Who knows.

France have a potted history playing New Zealand, does anyone else remember the semi from 1999? And then they just fell apart in the final. Or the final from 2011 with that referee nonsense? I will be very interested to see if the French turn up to play NZ.

That said, everyone seems to think that NZ have been cruising so far and France may be just the opponent they need to unleash their caged inner animals.

[Domestic_Ginger]

Okay, semi finals and the rugby championship sides are through. Was all doom and gloom for the 6N until I listened to Gavin Hastings this morning on the radio.

Wales completely depleted almost beat SA. They complained the scrum was too weal but gifting four penalties was more of a culprit IMO. SA's ball retention and pressure was immense. Even when they were conatantly stopped behind the game line they still backed themselves.

Ireland's injuries and some really poor ball skills let them down. The score was not representative.

France, well.... They did face supposedly some of the best rugby in the tournament but tbh as always some of their players weren't up for it.

Scotland; I mean wow. They didn' have to face Pocock but to lose in that fashion is pretty heart breaking.

For England (my team); I just hope we see some are kicked and evolve the richest and largest playing pool on earth. The basic skills are much lower. Selection issues. Poor decisions ball in hand and naivety about just taking the points on offer. It has to be changed at the top as many are saying.

Well and ho to support from now on? Can't support NZ as the favourites. Australia? Impossible. SA? Like the spitting image song; have you ever met a South African you like? That leaves Argentina; its no suprise they don't play cricket.

I think I'll go neutral from here on in :/

[Smudger]

I didn't realise that England have a self-imposed ban on picking players that aren't at home-based clubs. So the players that are at French clubs can't get picked for England. Seems ludicrous to me. Does any other nation have this rule?

[Spreadie]

Scotland; I mean wow. They didn' have to face Pocock but to lose in that fashion is pretty heart breaking.

We wuz robbed!

Gutted - awesome match, but still gutted.

[Domestic_Ginger]

NZ do. They can't possibly compete with northern hemisphere dosh. Hence they only move abroad when they're quite old or for 2 years after a WC.

Australia did I thought but seem to have relaxed it.

Edit: England have set up a review panel to asses Lancaster's performance. It includes the head of the rfu; Ritchie. How the man who is responsible for putting Lancaster there can evaluate his performance is in my opinion completely wrong. How is he not accountable for England's worst WC ever? How many coachs have we gone through?

Ian mcgeechan (possibly one of the finest managers to come out of the British isles) and Ben Kay(eh?) are also on the panel.

Edit:

Ritchie CV:

He joined English rugby's governing body from The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC) - the home of the Wimbledon Championships - having spent six years as their chief executive.

[PorcupineTime]

I get why McGeechan is there, I always liked him as a coach, even if he is a bit funny looking. I don't know why Ben Kay is there. Why not another player if you're asking ex-players to come in? Was Ben Kay even a captain?

Why not Dallaglio, or Wilkinson, or Carling, or Guscott, or Andrew, or Tim from down the pub?