I'm copying+pasting these comments to Union supporting mates, if you don't mind?



You are spot on.

Was lying in bed and turned on the coverage and saw the build up... lots of talk about how it was such an occasion and it will be a great game etc etc

Then the Welsh kicked off, a Frenchman caught the ball and promptly kicked it straight into touch. That 5 seconds summed up Rugby Union for me... a hugely frustrating game to watch and so negative in its laws and tactics

There was a point at the end when wales did this for like 25 phases. Going nowhere at all!

where they just trying to play for a penalty as it made no sense to me. The rules in Union just allow negativity to win matches.

Not entertaining to watch at all!

That Welsh game was the best advert for Rugby League for a very long while.

No wonder Shaun Edwards has shaved his head otherwise he'd be tearing his hair out at those muppets in a Welsh shirt.Not a move in them and no one had a clue.

Didn't any of them think of a drop goal? Probably not!

People moan and complain yet they still watch. When the RFU/IRB come to negotiate the next tv deal they should right letters of thanks to all the rugby league fans who helped push up the viewing figures.
Do you think union fans will return the gesture on 2013?

Dunno, looked a bit of a bottle job from Jones they had a few phases of play bang in front of the posts where he could have nailed it from about 20 yards out, but he never 'dropped into the pocket' - brave plucky etc, but brainfarted themselves out of a world cup final

Final is a no lose for me, really don't want this french side to win, but if the all blacks choke it will be funny as too.

I am far from being a union hater, but totally agree with the point about the comparison with last weeks GF, made the point a few times at work this week, no comparison in terms of skill and excitement, and willingness to try and score tries, England were awful last week, France are like a pragmatic old england team, play by numbers and scrap through

Please do. I consider it missionary work.

The 23 minutes I watched will suffice for 3 years. I watched some of the Tory conference, it doesn't mean I will be voting for them.

Harsh by the ref.
He should have taken a moment to consider his decision and it's implications and swatted the baying French out of his face first.
If after that he thought it was a sending off, he would have had a bit more credibility.
Still harsh though.
Spoiled the game and handed it to the French.
Games like this should be won by the better side free from controversial decisions.

I watched the 1st half and turned it off. Boring!!!

The main issue with Union the ability to win games by making few mistakes and kicking goals. It was the same 4 years ago and the same today.

I can watch the All Blacks but then again I saw them last week v Argentina and that was poor as well.

It seems that whenever I watch the Union world cup knock out stages I'm bored less with the lack of adventure and actual risk taking by the sides involved. I have no problem accepting that an open Union game can be great to watch however these games at the highest level are so damn rare.

I dont understand the constant pass 2 metres then a guy goes into contact, the team rucks and does the same thing over and over again. Each to there own and Union fans obviously love it but it just does nothing for me.


Is that before of after they tell us 1 billion people watched it.

Come on don't you mean 4 Billion.



I watched a bit of that game this morning and God what a shambles union is.

We have had this game this morning stuffed down our throats by the media,what an occasion and all of the UK is behind Wales and this is the best they can come up with,if only we had the same media for last week's GF we would be laughing but who am I kidding.

I have just watched the second half and Wales have got nobody to blame apart from maybe the dull-witted Jones for not going for drop goals more often.
They would have probably won.
Serves them right.

How dare you call into question the IRB rugby union calculator!

It's amazing how the media like to hype this game up so much and how the gullible public get all excited about it, just because they are told to.

The people who get on my nerves the most are the dim witted 'celebs' or people from other sports, who wouldn't be seen dead at a Union club game, but talk as if this is a wonderful sport and an exciting specticle.

Do me a favour.

The last Rugby League World Cup Final produced NINE tries.

The same amount as scored in all 6 Union World Cup Finals so far.

If you go onto the RWC site there's a slow motion button available on the match highlights

If I did that I would end up sliting my wrists,80 mins is bad enough never mind slowing the game down.

That tackle as well when the Welsh guy got sent off you must be kidding me.

Are they going soft in union as well nowadays,penalty at best for me.

I had the dubious pleasure of watching this at the Millenium Stadium. The Welsh speccies were more like RL fans than the English stuck up idiots. They were crying out for a decent game. Couldn't believe the sending off, bonkers.
Left about 10 minutes after half time, couldn't take any more. Wales had several chances for a dropgoal that I saw, all they did was take it further away from the sticks,

Very poor basic skills that I saw, passing and catching etc. The French were dire.

Shan't be watching any more after I was pressganged into this today to raise money for charity

Next time you want to help the needy, give blood. It'll be cheaper and a lot less painful.

Yeah I know, we were doing a charity bike ride, raised about a grand with the bucket collection then rode down to Bristol and Taunton. Riding to every first class cricket ground. www.justgiving.com/bigcricketride

Yeah I know, we were doing a charity bike ride, raised about a grand with the bucket collection then rode down to Bristol and Taunton. Riding to every first class cricket ground. www.justgiving.com/bigcricketride

I V+ed it, sat down to watch, got bored and watched it at +12 speed. It's way more entertaining and was over much quicker.

I try to watch Union all the time as an alternative to football, but it seems to be getting worse.

I was watching it because there's ways of making money betting on union, unders on tries, shockingly, but the line that got me was when Nick Mullins said, "This is a game they'll talk about in rugby circles for as long as the game exists." Or along those lines. Really? It was a battle of a team not wanting to lose when in front versus a team who couldn't create enough (either tries or draw penalties) to win, and bottled the drop goal.

All I hear is the sending off ruined the game. Why did it have to? We've all seen plenty of club RL games where it doesn't. I remember Steve Hampson being sent off for nutting Gary Freeman in the first few minutes of GB v NZ. GB went on the win & play attacking rugby. When Morley was sent off in the first tackle against Aus, GB went on to lead until near the end with attacking rugby. On the radio & TV reports I have heard there has not been one critical appraisal of the game apart from the sending off.

Shaun Edwards once got sent off vs Oz at Wembley IIRC, I'm sure it will have been mentioned in his speech.
Now the give the bloke 3 week ban for the tackle, unbelievable. Yet they will no doubt continue to cowardly stamp on heads etc. Disgraceful sport.

This from the French defensive coach, " "I think it was a fantastic rugby league tackle. Unfortunately we are not playing rugby league, we are playing rugby union."

So I presume you are simply expected to stick an arm out and watch them run round you?

Is there a law in Yawnion I don't know about? It seems to be illegal to use a two man overlap. That's the only explanation that makes sense.