Rugby

[carlton23]

Let`s all give those boyo`s a bit of support to-day, COME ON WALES, AND GOOD LUCK.

[albaqwerty]

If they had kicked better, thene they would have won.

If wishes were horses.....

Wales played their little cotton socks off. Guts and gusto and never gave up.

[Duncer]

My take is that the better team lost, something that happens in many sports and we just have to accept it. France were one-dimensional and uninspired and yes, if Wales had landed their kicks they would have won, but the tackle was a sin-bin and yellow, not a red, hence my rooting for Wales with all my gusto despite never being particularly bothered about them before. I may have hoped they would win before the game, but during it I was willing them to win. I've never been one for glorious failures because, ultimately, that's what they are, failures, but this was very harsh on Wales after what was a terrific performance.

[zinnie]

Why does everyone assume that Wales would have won if Warbourton hadn't been sent off. Wales had their chances to win with the players they had .They missed five kicks , a try conversion and four penalties , any one kick would have won the game. Yes Wales played better rugby, but they made more mistakes and who is to say that they might have even made more mistakes with 13 men

[boxtops]

Wales might have won, too, if Halfpenny hadn't missed that difficult long kick -- but what iffing really is no good, they didn't win, and that's that.

[Duncer]

If it wasn't for the contentious decision then my take would be, "Tough luck Wales", for missing the kicks, but I couldn't help but feel for them after that magnificent performance. Perhaps support for underdogs is a typically/whimsically British thing, but I was rooting for them all the way after that.

[carlton23]

If,if, if. Better luck next time.

[Philtaz]

Yeah, if, if if......

If only the ref had used a bit of common sense and taken into account the situation, player and the enormity of his decision. If only he'd realised he was killing the whole world cup as a spectacle and competition, not just the hopes and dreams of a nation.

If only he'd been Southern hemisphere, not an Irishman with a French name given to him by a French father.

If only the IRB had considered such an appointment more speculatively.

[Sqad]

Philtaz.......if it was a red card offence, then it was a red card....the fact that it was a semi final had nothing to do with it.

However in my opinion it wasn't a red card offence......

[Philtaz]

Fairy muff Sqad, most ex professionals and current ones thought the same i.e. never a sending off.

[zinnie]

Hi, if I can 'stick my oar in' again.,,,,, Roland got it right ! .he interpreted the
rule 'to the letter of the law and I admire him for having 'the guts' to take it. People can argue that he should have made allowances ..but no...that tackle 'endangered the safety of the player' ,,,,and under current rules that is a Red Card offence.

[Duncer]

I can't agree; I think Warburton fully realised mid-tackle what was happening and clearly let him go. He did not crunch him into the ground, and my judgement is not based on the fact that it was a semi final, it is based on what I saw. The general concensus in the two Sunday papers I have read so far tends to support my take on things, although I realise we all see things differently and are more than entitled to do so.

[Quizmonster]

Re the supposedly ‘controversial' sending-off of Warburton in the France/Wales World Cup semi-final, here is an extract from a directive to referees issued by the IRB before the tournament (quote):

"Foul play - high tackles, grabbing and twisting of the head and tip tackles to be emphasised, with referees to START AT RED and work backwards."

(The capitals are mine, obviously.)
The relevant tackle was definitely a ‘tip tackle' and all players know it is not a good idea to lift an oppopnment, turn him head down and let him go. Granted, Warburton did not drive the man into the ground, but he did drop him on his head.
Red! Off! And perfectly rightly so. You don't alter the laws of a game just because it's a "big moment" in a World Cup.

[Quizmonster]

Whatever can an "oppopnment" be?