4 Nov: RLWC2017 (Group B): New Zealand v Scotland - Match Thread

[Southerner80]

3 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Why are you making your own criteria up?

Never fails to amaze me how many people want teams/nations to go away.

Sure, demand improvements but 'go away'.

Again, classy.

They take up a place that Spain could have or Russia or Canada. So yes I would prefer they aren't allowed to play at world cup level until they have a proper domestic set up.

Another UK team does nothing really for RL but Spain even if they only get to Wales level would be huge for RL.

[Dave T]

1 minute ago, Southerner80 said:

They take up a place that Spain could have or Russia or Canada. So yes I would prefer they aren't allowed to play at world cup level until they have a proper domestic set up.

Another UK team does nothing really for RL but Spain even if they only get to Wales level would be huge for RL.

It wouldnt be huge really would it? Nobody needs to take anybodies spot. Everybody can play.

Anyway, there's a match on!

[Southerner80]

7 minutes ago, Dave T said:

It wouldnt be huge really would it? Nobody needs to take anybodies spot. Everybody can play.

Anyway, there's a match on!

Fairplay will watch it and talk about heritage teams later!

[Lobbygobbler]

Why was Perenars reffing? Didnt help Scotlands cause in the first half after they started quite well

[JonM]

29 minutes ago, Lobbygobbler said:

Why was Perenars reffing? Didnt help Scotlands cause in the first half after they started quite well

Need to establish the principle that it's not just the Aussies who get to pick their own ref.

[JonM]

54 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Hard to know where Scotland go from here as a team

They're saving themselves for the only group game that matters - beat Samoa next week and they're in the quarter finals.

[graveyard johnny]

just watched the game, nz are 100 times more entertaining to watch than mals rusty robots at this stage of the wc , write them off at your peril

[Lobbygobbler]

19 minutes ago, JonM said:

They're saving themselves for the only group game that matters - beat Samoa next week and they're in the quarter finals.

And by about 40 points!

assuming Samoa win today!

[mt smart]

14 hours ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Good to hear from you, MS. You all set?

Had to go to work mate. 

Watching the replay at home just now, after that I will watch a replay of Tonga Samoa....late night for me....cant wait.

[mt smart]

13 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I take it you can’t really talk up New Zealand too much based upon the test given to them by Scotland.

Do people think the Kiwis are looking better or worse than expected?

There was a lot of pre-tournament talk that perhaps they wouldn’t be as strong this year based upon the number of high profile ‘defections’ to other nations.

Or are we yet to see the full impact of that as the World Cup wears on?

I'm Kiwi.

I wasn't expecting much to be fair, but the default team I think is better than the Side Kidwell would likely have preffered were the like of Taumalolo available.

The reason this side is better balanced (especially the forwards) is pure dumb luck by my estimation.

For example the Goliath Nelson Asofa-Solomona is rampaging from the bench for far more minutes than he would otherwise enjoyed were Taumalolo included.

Tapine is the same....however it turns out (thus far) he is far more destructive than Taumalolo ever was for NZ.

Russle  Packer is a Criminal former inmate that players in the NRL are weary of....as he is the James Graham type hard headed thug that runs  straight over and over...his inclusion compliments the block busting Mobile props like Tapau and NAS.

 

The backline is safe/ capable/ decent.... but not spectacular (exception being Rapana and Johnson)...as such they are capable of beating any team in the tournament.

 

Whether they will beat all....Im never that confident, but this team looks very very good.

 

[CGD]

1 hour ago, mt smart said:

Tapine is the same....however it turns out (thus far) he is far more destructive than Taumalolo ever was for NZ.

 

To be fair, Kidwell claimed he legitimately forgot he had the Dally M player of the year on the bench, so JT13 never got much time on the field.

[mt smart]

6 hours ago, CGD said:

To be fair, Kidwell claimed he legitimately forgot he had the Dally M player of the year on the bench, so JT13 never got much time on the field.

Yeah that was bizarre.

Kidwell seems well out of his depth. To his credit the offloading style is back for NZ, backed up by our speedsters in support. it will be interesting to see if the better drilled sides can stop that.

[RayCee]

NZ looking better than I was expecting. Effective forwards and some speed in the backs feeding from offloads. However, the proof of improvement will come later in the tournament.

[DavidM]

52 minutes ago, RayCee said:

NZ looking better than I was expecting. Effective forwards and some speed in the backs feeding from offloads. However, the proof of improvement will come later in the tournament.

Like next week ...

[Blind side johnny]

14 hours ago, Scubby said:

12,130 a bit better than it looked initially. Can't help feeling this could have been so much better though

RL isn't exactly the biggest draw in Christchurch so 12000 isn't bad.

[Colly]

Predictable mismatch. Kiwi's beat what was in front of them , which wasn't very much.

No matter what the expansionists say, it is very hard to make a case out for Scotland as an International side. No domestic rugby , very few even one generation away Scots, sadly they are a totally "made up" side.

A different planet to the Pacific Island "heritage" sides.

 

 

 

[wackojacko]

34 minutes ago, Colly said:

Predictable mismatch. Kiwi's beat what was in front of them , which wasn't very much.

No matter what the expansionists say, it is very hard to make a case out for Scotland as an International side. No domestic rugby , very few even one generation away Scots, sadly they are a totally "made up" side.

A different planet to the Pacific Island "heritage" sides.

I don't think you'll find many expansionists who are pleased with the domestic situation in Scotland. 

[absentee thoughtlord]

1 hour ago, Colly said:

Predictable mismatch. Kiwi's beat what was in front of them , which wasn't very much.

No matter what the expansionists say, it is very hard to make a case out for Scotland as an International side. No domestic rugby , very few even one generation away Scots, sadly they are a totally "made up" side.

A different planet to the Pacific Island "heritage" sides.

 

 

 

With regret, I'm inclined to agree. I simply don't get the feeling that RL will ever have a home in Scotland. The place just isn't bothered.

No disrespect to the few players and enthusiasts trying their hardest there, but if ever there was a case of throwing good money after bad, promoting the game north of Hadrian's wall is it.

Focus on other Pacific islands, North America, Serbia, Russia, and even the Caribbean. The potential benefits to the international game are far, far greater.

[Dave T]

20 minutes ago, absentee thoughtlord said:

With regret, I'm inclined to agree. I simply don't get the feeling that RL will ever have a home in Scotland. The place just isn't bothered.

No disrespect to the few players and enthusiasts trying their hardest there, but if ever there was a case of throwing good money after bad, promoting the game north of Hadrian's wall is it.

Focus on other Pacific islands, North America, Serbia, Russia, and even the Caribbean. The potential benefits to the international game are far, far greater.

What money has been thrown there?

[absentee thoughtlord]

Associated costs of an 'international' side in the hope it encourages people to love the game. Which they won't.

And people's time. Completely wasted.

[RayCee]

2 hours ago, DavidM said:

Like next week ...

Tonga will be tougher but barring an enormous effort from them I can't see anything other than a reasonable Kiwi victory. I was thinking more England and especially Australia. 

[Farmduck]

3 hours ago, absentee thoughtlord said:

With regret, I'm inclined to agree. I simply don't get the feeling that RL will ever have a home in Scotland. The place just isn't bothered.

No disrespect to the few players and enthusiasts trying their hardest there, but if ever there was a case of throwing good money after bad, promoting the game north of Hadrian's wall is it.

Focus on other Pacific islands, North America, Serbia, Russia, and even the Caribbean. The potential benefits to the international game are far, far greater.

It hasn't hurt OZ RL that South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria have limited interest in the game. ARL development $$$ spent in PNG, Tonga, Fiji or even Thailand would give a better return than trying to win those domestic markets.

[ojx]

4 hours ago, absentee thoughtlord said:

Associated costs of an 'international' side in the hope it encourages people to love the game. Which they won't.

And people's time. Completely wasted.

How Scotland are playing in the WC at all, especially in a seeded group is a joke. How many would turn up to see a home international played in Edinburgh or Glasgow? What happened to their domestic comp. Complete waste of space, there is barely any RL in Scotland. What happened to the requirement of a domestic league?

[Dave T]

6 hours ago, absentee thoughtlord said:

Associated costs of an 'international' side in the hope it encourages people to love the game. Which they won't.

And people's time. Completely wasted.

They have hardly played so dont worry about the bill.

And im convinced that the healthy crowds that enjoyed tge Scotland tests I have been to at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Galashiels, plus the Commonwealth 9s in Cumbernauld hace enjoyed themselves and not found it a waste of time.

They need money, guidance and support, not culling.

What we do need though is a proper system for rankings to ensure they dont end up in artificial spots like 4th place.

[Dave T]

2 hours ago, ojx said:

How Scotland are playing in the WC at all, especially in a seeded group is a joke. How many would turn up to see a home international played in Edinburgh or Glasgow? What happened to their domestic comp. Complete waste of space, there is barely any RL in Scotland. What happened to the requirement of a domestic league?

700 to 800 for the odd random game in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

1100 to 1500 in Galashiels.

Better than some recent Wales crowds and better than Ireland.