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Sat 4 Apr 2015 | 03:45
Get Excited For The Rugby World Cup, Less Than Six Months To Go

22
Comments

On the 18th of September England will take on Fiji at Twickenham to end the four year wait since the last Rugby World Cup. Much has changed since then, not least the players for whom the immense challenge lies ahead. A look back at 2011 plus a look ahead to this year's tournament is sure to get your pulse racing. 

Since the maiden tournament in 1987, the Webb Ellis trophy has been held aloft by four separate countries, twice by each southern hemisphere giant; New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, and once by England.

No team has ever successfully retained the World Cup, but All Blacks supporters will harbour cautious optimism that their nation can buck the trend, as since the 2011 Final the Kiwis have only lost on two occasions – an undeniably intimidating and formidable track record.

Anticipation for northern hemisphere fans will be as high as ever. After a record-breaking RBS Six Nations, including a final weekend where free-flowing rugby brought high scoring matches, a home World Cup affords the supporters guarded positivity.

The 2011 competition was rife with impressive rugby and controversy in equal measure. A straight red card for Wales captain Sam Warburton in their semi-final clash with France saw the men in red suffer a single point defeat, as their first ever world cup final disappeared before them.

France went on to face the All Blacks, and despite famously challenging the Haka, they suffered a loss as New Zealand reigned victorious for the second time. A result, which most rugby critics would agree, saw the trophy heading to undoubtedly the best team in the world that year. 

New Zealand remains the top pick for the 2015 World Cup, with strong +175 odds to win it all according to the following online sportsbook.

The largest competition welcomes the world's rugby elite, and with it the ultimate prize. The stage is set for a thrilling tournament and September can’t come soon enough! 

The video below shows some of the highlights from four years ago, accompanied by that incredible song it is sure to get your thoughts racing and your heart pumping - with less than 6 months to go, who do you think will win this year's tournament? 

Check out the Related Posts for some of the greatest moments from the Rugby World Cup. 

credit: World Rugby

Posted By: mattmon10

22 Comments

  • drg
    3:41 PM 10/04/2015

    Hahaha. That's a pretty poor song choice...

    I suppose "It's a victory for rugby" to have such a wealth of international players on the scene etc..

    Got to admit the RWC does give us a overwhelming dose of excuses - injured players, beat you earlier, beat you after, beat the team that beat you...even though we lost.. etc..

    Medals for all..

  • benny
    9:40 PM 09/04/2015

    There was some IRB RWC ad last year that excluded NZ. It made front page news and we all took it personally. From memory Ashley Johnson was representing SA so now it's your turn to feel shunned.

  • benny
    9:38 PM 09/04/2015

    Are those actually the lyrics, if I win, lose or draw, it's a victory for all? England getting their excuses in early?

  • stroudos
    9:25 AM 07/04/2015

    Cheers Guy, thanks for that - you should include yourself in that group too. :)

    See, the plan was to engage in a quick game of "bait-the-kiwi" - thought I might have had some nibbles even with the telegraphed motive...

  • eddie-g
    8:21 PM 06/04/2015

    No-one, certainly not us Bok supporters, needed a reminder of the Bryce Lawrence horror show.

  • drg
    3:55 PM 06/04/2015

    ...and cous cous?

  • drg
    3:55 PM 06/04/2015

    ...I think we must have different definitions of trolling Stroudos...

    I thought it was a fair video to post... well from the first couple minutes I skipped through...

  • mattmon10
    11:49 AM 06/04/2015

    I have to agree, the psychological pressure on the officials must be incredible.
    They have to make split second decisions, on an unbelievably complicated sport, which could massively influence the outcome - I wouldn't want to do it!

  • guy
    11:09 AM 06/04/2015

    I see what you mean. I didn't notice it myself at the time but that just shows my lack of technical knowledge of the game.

    It does make me wonder about the mindset of the referee though. I still very much believe in the objectivity of the referee. Call me old fashioned or naive. On a subconscious level it would be possible that his performance is influenced by the desire to not have an impact on the outcome by making the wrong calls. I guess the pressure on the referee on a psychological level is immense on those ocasions.

  • guy
    11:01 AM 06/04/2015

    Well DrG, it was the part *Takes cover* that gave it away. I didn't mean it in a negative sense by the way. To be honest I really enjoy the comments of regulars on this site, including Stroudos and yourself because the banter is always on a rugby-type-level instead of a Facebook of Youtube-type-level.

    Wow, that was your daily dose of peace, love and vegetables I would say.

  • rich_w
    10:53 AM 06/04/2015

    That final left a horrible taste in my mouth. I went into it wanting NZ to win. They had been playing the best rugby for the past 8 years, France had been awful in the 2011 competition, and NZ deserved another world cup. But by half time I was cheering for France because of the way they were being treated.

    NZ tried their very hardest to bottle it again, but Joubert wouldn't let them. I mean, I'm English and it frustrates me, god knows how the French feel. I think this is where all the 'conspiracy against the French' posts that we see on these forums stems from.

  • colombes
    8:23 AM 06/04/2015

    This video would be a perfect Richie McCaw tribute...

  • stroudos
    7:55 AM 06/04/2015

    bDrGI don't see why you'd class it as trolling...
    Well I was deliberately and blatantly trolling, so it's a fair cop... :)

    I do find if interesting at the time how the New Zealand fans who vociferously criticised Wayne Barnes's skillful and even-handed management of the semi-final in 2007 were strangely silent after Craig Joubert's display in 2011.

  • marty
    2:11 AM 06/04/2015

    Well, the way I see it, is that this match wasn't just ''every match'', its the final and even though bad calls we're made for both sides, it made my experience of watching it a less enjoyable. Sometimes referees let the game roll a little despite actions that could be whistled out, and its not so bad as it keep the game flowing, and for a RWC final, I'd expect the same, as both teams should be at the climax of their game. But players actually (to my opinion) pushed the limits and Mr. Joubert let it go to far. Thats my humble opinion. I'm not saying France should have win it, but I still believe they might have deserved a penalty in the last stages of the game.

  • kadova
    10:19 PM 05/04/2015

    There is an analysis validated by Joel Jutge that proves the mistakes made by that referee were for both sides. I rather like to believe Joel Jutge rather than anyone else. And yes, I'm French...
    For whose who can read French it's here:
    http://www.lerugbynistere.fr/news/le-debrief-de-joel-jutge--vis-ma-vie-de-craig-joubert--.php

  • drg
    9:52 PM 05/04/2015

    I don't see why you'd class it as trolling... Frankly it the amount of autopsies performed on the final are testament enough to how badly it was referee'd.

    I don't think I've ever seen as many criticisms about refereeing compared to that final. This has to mean something.. I mean personally I couldn't really give a hoot who won or lost but it was bad refereeing.

  • guy
    8:34 PM 05/04/2015

    Sorry, see my reply below..

  • guy
    8:33 PM 05/04/2015

    Thumbs up for an oroginal piece of trolling ;-) But I believe you can make this kind of assesment of literally every match. And to be honest: based on the tournament as a whole, France were never going to win it. The All Blacks almost lost it though.

  • rugbydump
    6:33 PM 05/04/2015

    The video is made by World Rugby (IRB) so nothing to do with SANZAR. It is quite odd though

  • spriingboks2015
    4:20 PM 05/04/2015

    It's a little reminder of what SANZAR thinks about us...

  • themull
    12:01 PM 05/04/2015

    It really was one of the worst performances by a referee i've ever witnessed, especially given the stage that happened at....

  • stroudos
    7:50 AM 05/04/2015

    I'll just post this link to an "autopsy of the 2011 final" here...
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXCQnL421WM

    *Takes cover*

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