Rugby world cup

[lala]

Starting quite soon.

I'll be cheering on Georgia, oddly enough.

[wetkingcanute]

What position does she play?

[lala]

Dunno, which is odd. Because she's always on my mind.

[Chromo]

[flatandy]

We're world champions at 20:20, world number 1 team at test cricket, just beat the 50 over world champions; and if we win the next two football qualifiers we're going to be the number 2 team in the FIFA rankings in association football. And the olympics are coming to London next year.

Why should I worry my head about a tin-pot, irrelevent minority sport played only by obscure nations in the pacific? I might as well be watching Tuvalu vs French Polynesia at Fives.

[lala]

I've actually got a ticket for the Georgia vs Roumania match. Neither team are exactly world class, but pitted against each other, both knowing this is probably their world cup final, it should be a cracker.

Though I would not write the Georgians off against the 'big' teams in their pool - Scotland, Argentina and England. All three may prove vulnerable to the Georgian forwards.

[flatandy]

I think I'd like Mali to win it this time. Or maybe Finland.

[voice]

Apparently Canada has a team, can't see em being very good though

[moggyonspeed]

"... and if we win the next two football qualifiers we're going to be the number 2 team in the FIFA rankings ..."

Proof, if it were needed, that someone at FIFA has a small problem with controlled substances.

[voice]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14725789

According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers' Association (SGMA), which conducts an annual survey of sporting participation in 120 different sports, it is the fastest growing team sport in the US.

odd, must be a surge of hetro men wanting a non gay version....

[flatandy]

must be a surge of hetro men wanting a non gay version

Why are they playing rugby, then?

[Eric]

I predict that Romania will push into Georgian territory, Georgia will launch an assault to push them back, then Romania will humiliate Georgia, and virtually annex ground as far as the 22m line.

[dwad]

Inappropriately excited about the next six weeks.

[flatandy]

Saw the Tonga line-up. They have way too many apostrophes.

Funny thing is, although I think it's a sh*t sport I'm going to end up watching a fair bit of this in my living room and getting marginally excited. I might even be entertained, provided I can stay away from England rugby fans, who are possibly my least favourite breed of my own countrymen, managing even to trump England football fans. And provided I can stay away from South African rugby fans. And Australians (not the rugby fans, I need to stay away from all Australians).

[mids]

Waaaay too much information...

[dwad]

There's no doubt it's a stupid sport. But I do like it.

[voice]

Sh!t first game line up, who the hell thought Tonga was a good bet to get the excitement going, a more one sided pedestrian display was hard to imagine.

[lala]

Sept 9, 2011 7:58:23 GMT Eric said:

I predict that Romania will push into Georgian territory, Georgia will launch an assault to push them back, then Romania will humiliate Georgia, and virtually annex ground as far as the 22m line.

Very unlikely. Roumania have a decentish team, they do all the basics well enough to rattle Italy or Scotland on a bad day, but Goergia play a seriously different style of rugby to typical European teams - based on very big, strong forwards, grinding rucks and mauls, wearing holes in the opposition's defence until it falls apart. Last time around, they kept Ireland pinned down on the Irish 22 for swathes of the match, and it looked like they might actually manage an upset.

Ireland had the skill and speed to win the ball, and the lumbering Georgian forwards were vulnerable to chip-and-charge tactics - if you get the ball, boot it over their heads and run like mental after it - but I don't think Roumania will be able to live with the power of the Georgian pack.

It's the sort of rugby I like - big, manly men pounding into each other, none of this sill fancy poncey running about and ballet stuff modern teams go in for.

Oh, you weren't being serious, were you?

[Scooby Do]

Is there a reason you put a "U" in Romania?

I think you have done it previously.

Just wondered, you might even be spelling it correctly.

[lala]

Wikipedia informs that Romania is the official spelling. Rumania and Roumania are valid, but slightly archaic spellings. I have no idea why I favour Roumania. Perhaps because it seems silly to link a balkan state with the Italia capital?