RWC 2023 Qualifying

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

US in the lead with well done backwards volleyball kind of pass in the try area following a kick and chase.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

And that's pretty much game over. 19-0 to the USA in a big anti-climax. Lemione has done superbly but I think he got altitude sickness when making this selection. I hope he is more conventional in the repechage. His players are good enough to compete in these matches if he just lets them play a normal game.

 

[die_mole]

19-14 at the half. Could have been a red.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I feel like I jinxed it US in danger of going to pieces mentally. Letting a hooker run 30 metres from a stationary start and concede another try 19-14 at halftime. Anybody's now. Chile should finish strong with their strange selection.

 

[die_mole]

I feel like I jinxed it US in danger of going to pieces mentally. Letting a hooker run 30 metres from a stationary start and concede another try 19-14 at halftime. Anybody's now. Chile should finish strong with their strange selection.

Our tackling is straight up bad. No other way to say it. We should be happy every time Chile box kicks.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

This match has pretty much everything. No sign of nerves so far really.

EDIT: except for the Chilean hooker.

 

[die_mole]

#goldout

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

1 point on aggregate? Lemoine making me look like a fool again but such a foolish way for the US to lose, indiscipline overturning the match winning penalty.

31-29 to Chile FT

My condolences to US posters. Portugal in the repechage will be epic.

 

[die_mole]

Lots of people need to look themselves in the eyes after this.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

What a game

 

[ChicagoKid]

Lots of people need to look themselves in the eyes after this.

If World Rugby doesn't want RWC 2031 to be a seismic disaster, they will shutdown USA rugby and start over. I mean completely start over from scratch.

Gary Gold is going to get the heat for this, but the entire union is rotten to the core and completely dysfunctional. USA Rugby has a professional league and we are the richest country in the world. There is zero excuse.

 

[Lucas R]

to think that this is the first time the winner of USA-Canada doesnt automatically qualifies. Good for chile, good for the slar

 

[die_mole]

If World Rugby doesn't want RWC 2031 to be a seismic disaster, they will shutdown USA rugby and start over. I mean completely start over from scratch.

Gary Gold is going to get the heat for this, but the entire union is rotten to the core and completely dysfunctional. USA Rugby has a professional league and we are the richest country in the world. There is zero excuse.

easy thing is to blame gold and damn right I'm gonna do it. He played a guy who couldn't catch at fullback but yeah gold is the least of the problems.
The USA could definitely host a World Cup but who would be in charge of it?

Also why are we playing our biggest qualifier at altitude in 90 degree heat? I feel like that played into child's hand a bit.

 

[ChicagoKid]

easy thing is to blame gold and damn right I'm gonna do it. He played a guy who couldn't catch at fullback but yeah gold is the least of the problems.
The USA could definitely host a World Cup but who would be in charge of it?

Also why are we playing our biggest qualifier at altitude in 90 degree heat? I feel like that played into child's hand a bit.

Incompetence. Gary Gold said the team got together the night before for the All Blacks game. It was a cash grab by USA rugby with hopes of selling 50,000 tickets and they didn't even hit 40,000. These people cannot remain in charge.

 

[GlosJoe]

Imagine if Hong Kong do a Chile next week. A repechage of USA, Tonga, Portugal plus Kenya would be mental.

 

[die_mole]

Incompetence. Gary Gold said the team got together the night before for the All Blacks game. It was a cash grab by USA rugby with hopes of selling 50,000 tickets and they didn't even hit 40,000. These people cannot remain in charge.

I'm not gonna call them amateurs cause amateurs actually work hard and dedicate their limited time to their craft. Usa rugby and MLR seem to think getting paid makes you professional and high performance. The high performance needs to start at the top and it's clear USA Rugby just wants to be a good old boys and girls club rather than getting shot done.

 

[die_mole]

Also I am very happy for Chile. They deserve this from the top of the bottom of their union.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

to think that this is the first time the winner of USA-Canada doesnt automatically qualifies. Good for chile, good for the slar

3 Sudamerica sides to the RWC for the first time. I think Chile officially become Tier2 with this and possibly get a vote on the World Rugby Council. I'm told Argentina vs Chile will be the first South American only match in a RWC.

The US union are a mess, but with a professional league and being named hosts for 2032 I have no ill towards them as they generally vote in the interests of Tier 2 (unlike Canada and sometimes the PIs).

The hope of Tier2 enthusiasts is that, if the US misses out, World Rugby will have to do something about the RWC format or the game globally to become more inclusive towards the Tier2s that are embracing professionalism and catching/overtaking World Rugby's eternal favourites, NA and PIs. World Rugby will be horrified if the US miss 2023 and it is the sort of thing that could be a wakeup call for those with a financial stake in the sport to boot World Rugby up the backside.

 

[die_mole]

I wonder if South America will demand a chance to fill all the americas spots in 2027. I know all the unions collectively hate Canada so there won't be too much sympathy with them.

We need to ditch Canada ahora and see if we can get into the south American yearly tournaments. We need to be tested at the youth and senior levels. They also have sponsors which we don't. Maybe pichot will be buddy buddy with us.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I wouldn't be surprised if World Rugby parachute in specialist assistant coaches for the US between now and November. They definitely tried to help Spain this past year by parachuting in former Argentine coach Hourcade mid-qualification.

The politics in the Americas is a mess. I'd happily see the US invited into any sort of South America tournament but World Rugby will probably play hardball to represent their Canadian buddies which will probably entrench the South American position of focussing internally.

The two weaknesses Portugal have are depth in substitutes and the fact they have fallen short in every big game they've had in the past year (which has to erode confidence). They've had so many bad last 5mins its almost tragic.