The Miscellaneous Sports Thread

[Josquius]

I'm not sure if the rugby world Cup is even on TV after the first few games? Not seen it for a bit.
But 73-3 for NZ-Namibia. Wow.
You'd think NZ would pace themselves a bit.

[Duque de Bragança]

I'm not sure if the rugby world Cup is even on TV after the first few games? Not seen it a bit.

Pretty damning.

But 73-3 for NZ-Namibia. Wow.
You'd think NZ would pace themselves a bit.

They had to compensate for their first defeat in a group phase I guess.

[Gups]

I'm not sure if the rugby world Cup is even on TV after the first few games? Not seen it for a bit.
But 73-3 for NZ-Namibia. Wow.
You'd think NZ would pace themselves a bit.

Games are only Thurs - Sunday. Every game is on itv

[Admiral Yi]

Yurope is smooshing the US 10.5 to 5.5 in the Ryder Cup

[Josquius]

I noticed the rugby is often hidden away on ITV4 unless a home nation is playing - maybe even when Ireland is playing it's hidden? Might explain not seeing it so often.

Caught some of Scotland yesterday. It's interesting that you have these make weight teams in the final tournament and they make their inclusion interesting and worthwhile with some kind of bonus points for scoring more system that I don't understand.
It would be interesting to see this tried in football

Also interesting in seeing Romania vainly trying to get just one try and not score 0. They got close enough at points I wonder why they didn't just grab a drop goal or two.

[Gups]

Portugal were fantastic in the tournament and won lots of friends with a great win against Fiji and a draw against Georgia. Shame the Tier one sides care only about money and not about bringing forwad the tier two nations.

[Duque de Bragança]

Yes, and it even got good coverage in the country itself, the victory against Fidji being shown before the results of the Primeira Liga. Also clearly noticeable with the social network algorithms.
The tie vs Georgia was more or less around the expected level (shame about that failed penalty kick at the last minute) but vs Fidji it's another level indeed.

Despite the other games ending as losses the Lobos always played to win and even led at times.

It remains to be seen if this is a breakthrough or just a high point.
The current French coach will be replaced by another French coach. The Federation said it was the best choice with half of the team playing in France, mostly in Pro D2 (second tier behind Top 14).

Quarter finals start soon so more interest by the Brits here? 
Rugby Union as a posh as hell sport is indeed the case in Portugal, possibly less so now, but is it really that bad in the UK? Cricket is not more popular than rugby union, is it?

[mongers]

Yes, and it even got good coverage in the country itself, the victory against Fidji being shown before the results of the Primeira Liga. Also clearly noticeable with the social network algorithms.
The tie vs Georgia was more or less around the expected level (shame about that failed penalty kick at the last minute) but vs Fidji it's another level indeed.

Despite the other games ending as losses the Lobos always played to win and even led at times.

It remains to be seen if this is a breakthrough or just a high point.
The current French coach will be replaced by another French coach. The Federation said it was the best choice with half of the team playing in France, mostly in Pro D2 (second tier behind Top 14).

Quarter finals start soon so more interest by the Brits here? 
Rugby Union as a posh as hell sport is indeed the case in Portugal, possibly less so now, but is it really that bad in the UK? Cricket is not more popular than rugby union, is it?

I think Cricket has always been more popular than RU in England, for instance historically cricket in the Northern powerhouse counties had a big fanbase amongst the working man, though not anywhere a big as football.

I think RU isn't perceived so much as posh now, but if you scratch the surface, still lots of the participants have a public (fee paying private) school background.

[Gups]

Yes, and it even got good coverage in the country itself, the victory against Fidji being shown before the results of the Primeira Liga. Also clearly noticeable with the social network algorithms.
The tie vs Georgia was more or less around the expected level (shame about that failed penalty kick at the last minute) but vs Fidji it's another level indeed.

Despite the other games ending as losses the Lobos always played to win and even led at times.

It remains to be seen if this is a breakthrough or just a high point.
The current French coach will be replaced by another French coach. The Federation said it was the best choice with half of the team playing in France, mostly in Pro D2 (second tier behind Top 14).

Quarter finals start soon so more interest by the Brits here? 
Rugby Union as a posh as hell sport is indeed the case in Portugal, possibly less so now, but is it really that bad in the UK? Cricket is not more popular than rugby union, is it?

I like pretty much any sport with a ball involved so guess I'm not typical but interest is fairly muted in England, partly because this team isn't very good and hasn't been for some time. I note that theer are still tickets available for the England quarter final but the others are sold out (I was offered a ticket but decided against because I dislike Marseilles)

I wouldn't say it's a completely posh sport. It's the main sport in the west country and in parts of the East Midlands and the south. It's not that big in the north though so certainly skews more middle class than football does.

Cricket is definately more popular than rugby - particularly the (inferior)shorter formats.

[Josquius]

Rugby, league and union, is weird in that it doesn't seem to really dominate vast areas of the country but in the small islands where its popular its like an alternative world where it is the number one. I used to have a friend from Wigan which is a key one.
Less so these days with peak football of course.

I remember I used to have a PE teacher, not particularly posh and was from somewhere down in rugby-land and he always insisted on calling association football soccer, and would sometimes be heard calling rugby rugby football,

[Duque de Bragança]

The Rugby Union island, as in more popular than association football in France would be the South-West, with Toulouse as its capital.

Rugby League would only exist as number 2 or 3 sport in French Catalonia.

I guess rugger for rugby (union) is not that common anymore? I remember hearing in the late '90s.

PS: in the West Midlands.

[Josquius]

Caught the last 20 mins or Ireland - NZ.
Poor Ireland. Really looked like they'd do it at a point

And Argentina knocked out Wales? Are Wales especially terrible at the moment or so?

[Gups]

The Ireland v New Zealand game was sensational but the first 30 minutes of the France v SA match may be the best half hour of sport I have ever seen. Absolutely insane quality from both sides.

[Josquius]

So I'm sure we've all thought of that theoretical before.
What if there was a version or the Olympics without all the rules on doping.
A games where our future GM supermen can smash the shit out of each other.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Games

https://apnews.com/article/magnussen-doping-swimming-record-ea32d2297b707b1b37df6f12668b7460

Now this all sounds fucking stupid. I am morbidly curious to see if it happens though.
And if it happens how well will it's lower tier general athletes, not the specially paid stars like this swimmer, do as compared to the clean top people in real athletics

[DGuller]

People have been killing themselves with PEDs back when they couldn't be so obvious about it.  I have a hard time imagining it going safer this way, at least when the stakes get high enough.