2011 Rugby World Cup

I usually like a bit of Rugger, being from the Norf an all, even if it is that softy University version

However, I cannot remember a Rugby World Cup that I have had less interest in. Half the teams will be just making up the numbers, the home Nations will:

a) Wales - as always, carry the hopes of the home of rugby (there is nothing quite like watching Wales play at home and I'm not even Welsh), promise lots and fail miserably

b) Scotland - just not good enough

c) Ireland - choke on the big occasion as they do every World cup

d) England - may make the semis if they are very very lucky and the other teams perform as expected.

France are, IMHO, the only team that look like they may cause an upset and reach the final but only if Australia or New Zealand have an absolute nightmare day at the office.

Last time I looked, NZ were 4/11 odds on favourites and that was considered generous

I wouldn't write England off just yet. They lost their warm games for the last world cup but ended up in the Final! 

Ah, the RWC - the best advert for Rugby League ever

But in all seriousness, England don't have a chance. My money's on the All Blacks. Keep an eye out for Sonny Bill Williams - could be player of the tournament...

As with most English sports fans, I'm not exactly a fan of the Welsh, but bizarrely, I found myself chearing them on against South Africa.

The best side definitely didn't win that game, and weirdly, the team who scored the most points didn't win the game either.

Why didn't that penalty count????????

Because the ref was English ?????

3 officials - none were confident enough to award the kick. 

Next time kick between the posts, not over - make everyones life and decision making dead simple.

I think you mean "competent enough" 

If they weren't confident enough then the referee had the option of asking the 4th official/tv referee to take a look at the replay. He didn't do this because he WAS confident that his linesmen had called it correctly (even though they were all wrong).

At least we had none of these problems with the England game, Wilkinson's kicking was attrocious and the Argentinian guy was as bad.
Hope he hasn't choked.

EDIT:  Atrocious only has one T.

Well done Ireland, fantastic and much deserved win. 

Wales and Ireland have impressed me so far out of the home nations, now it's about time England did something as good.

When I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong

Not only a superb display (even if the Aussies were a little below par) it also thrown the competition wide open as potentially, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa could now end up in the same quarter final pools.

All in all, it's been better than I expected, some good matches and some really hard physical games

Poor old Scotland , I could never see them losing that.