The Official, one and only, Men's IRB Rugby World Cup 2023 thread

[Insane_Homer]

Schedule


Matches
https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2023/matches

Pools
https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2023/pools


Match Officials for RWC 2023
https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2023/news ... 20Zealand).

Referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia), Wayne Barnes (England), Nic Berry (Australia), Andrew Brace (Ireland), Matthew Carley (England), Karl Dickson (England), Angus Gardner (Australia), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Luke Pearce (England), Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Mathieu Raynal (France), Paul Williams (New Zealand).

Assistant Referees: Chris Busby (Ireland), Pierre Brousset (France), James Doleman (New Zealand), Craig Evans (Wales), Andrea Piardi (Italy), Christophe Ridley (England), Jordan Way (Australia).

Television Match Officials: Brett Cronan (Australia), Tom Foley (England), Marius Jonker (South Africa), Brian MacNeice (Ireland), Joy Neville (Ireland), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand), Ben Whitehouse (Wales).

Emirates Match Officials highlights

Nine nations represented on panel (Australia, England, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa and Wales)
453 tests among the 12 referees (eight have refereed at a RWC)
Wayne Barnes the most capped with 102
Nika Amashukeli will make history as the first Georgian to officiate at a Rugby World Cup
Wayne Barnes will officiate at a record fifth Rugby World Cup, having made his debut at France 2007
First Rugby World Cup selection as referee for Matthew Carley, Karl Dickson and Andrew Brace (assistant referees at RWC 2019)
Three Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games match officials (James Doleman, Jordan Way and Craig Evans)
Joy Neville the first female named on match official panel for a men’s Rugby World Cup
Ben Whitehouse follows in the footsteps of his father Nigel, who was an assistant referee and TMO at RWC 2003
Neville and Whitehouse were both on the Rugby World Cup 2021 panel as referee and TMO respectively

[SaintK]

Dickson, Bracey and Raynal.........that'll please Torque
I'm all done and dusted for the opening weekend in Paris
3 nights and Fra v AB's in opening match and Aus v Georgia the following day.

[Ymx]

A single thread for the whole event ?!

Gumboot and Guy will go in to seizures.

[Insane_Homer]

A single thread for the whole event ?!

Gumboot and Guy will go in to seizures.

For the Hype and general stuff - I'm sure we can cope with Team, Pool or Game threads, I won't mind...

[Ymx]

Pool based match threads sounds like cracking idea!

[Marylandolorian]

Pool based match threads sounds like cracking idea!

This .

[GrahamWa]

Pool based match threads sounds like cracking idea!

This .

Aye the Irish and the Saffers and the occasional Jock stuck in the one place while the Englanders wax lyrical about being world beaters.

[Ymx]

Pool based match threads sounds like cracking idea!

This .

Aye the Irish and the Saffers and the occasional Jock stuck in the one place while the Englanders wax lyrical about being world beaters.

I’m not suggesting we silo ourselves in to the one thread.

There will be plenty of “neutrals” to offer their thoughts, especially on match day.

[SaintK]

Pool based match threads sounds like cracking idea!

This .

Aye the Irish and the Saffers and the occasional Jock stuck in the one place while the Englanders wax lyrical about being world beaters.

Hopefully. Just to piss everyone else off

[Gumboot]

A single thread for the whole event ?!

Gumboot and Guy will go in to seizures.

[Ymx]

[Guy Smiley]

Nic Berry AND Angus Gardner…

Australia’s bitter revenge on WR for… something they’ve imagines. Fuck me, those two are awful refs.

[Jim Lahey]

Dupont is shite

Bailed out consistently by his half back partner Ntamack, a massively underrated player imo.

[sturginho]

The Parisse soap opera continues:

https://www.onrugby.it/2023/05/10/sergi ... world-cup/

[Jim Lahey]

The Parisse soap opera continues:

https://www.onrugby.it/2023/05/10/sergi ... world-cup/

What's the verdict? Didn't realise he was still playing!
Cannone looked good at 8 this year.

[Lobby]

Dickson, Bracey and Raynal.........that'll please Torque
I'm all done and dusted for the opening weekend in Paris
3 nights and Fra v AB's in opening match and Aus v Georgia the following day.

I think we'll need separate Torque only threads for any French game reff'd by Brace just to keep his whingeing in one place.

[sturginho]

The Parisse soap opera continues:

https://www.onrugby.it/2023/05/10/sergi ... world-cup/

What's the verdict? Didn't realise he was still playing!
Cannone looked good at 8 this year.

Retiring at the end of the season, but IMHO is fully deserving of a place in the WC squad

Cannone is the future of the 8 shirt, a very exciting prospect

[Kiwias]

A single thread for the whole event ?!

Gumboot and Guy will go in to seizures.

[sturginho]

I convocati dell’Italia per i raduni di preparazione alla Rugby World Cup 2023
Piloni
Filippo ALONGI (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap)
Paolo BUONFIGLIO (Zebre Parma, esordiente)
Pietro CECCARELLI (Brive, 26 caps)
Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 44 caps)
Danilo FISCHETTI (London Irish, 30 caps)
Ivan NEMER (Benetton Rugby, 11 caps) – a disposizione dall’1 luglio
Matteo NOCERA (Zebre Parma, esordiente)
Marco RICCIONI (Saracens, 19 caps)
Federico ZANI (Benetton Rugby, 21 caps)

Tallonatori
Luca BIGI (Zebre Parma, 46 caps)
Epalahame FAIVA (Hurricanes, 5 caps)
Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps)
Marco MANFREDI (Zebre Parma, 1 cap)
Giacomo NICOTERA (Benetton Rugby, 12 caps)

Seconde Linee
Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 30 caps)
Edoardo IACHIZZI (Vannes, 5 caps)
Dino LAMB (Harlequins, esordiente)
Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 41 caps)
David SISI (Zebre Parma, 27 caps)
Andrea ZAMBONIN (Zebre Parma, 2 caps)

Terze Linee
Lorenzo CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
Riccardo FAVRETTO (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap)
Toa HALAFIHI (Benetton Rugby, 9 caps)
Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 26 caps) – capitano
Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 46 caps)
Giovanni PETTINELLI (Benetton Rugby, 12 caps)
Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)

Mediani di Mischia
Alessandro FUSCO (Zebre Parma, 13 caps)
Alessandro GARBISI (Benetton Rugby, 4 caps)
Martin PAGE-RELO (Stade Toulousain, esordiente)
Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester Rugby, 19 caps)

Mediani di Apertura
Tommaso ALLAN (Harlequins, 71 caps)
Giacomo DA RE (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap)
Paolo GARBISI (Montpellier, 24 caps)

Centri
Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 23 caps)
Enrico LUCCHIN (Zebre Parma, 1 cap)
Leonardo MARIN (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps)
Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)
Luca MORISI (London Irish, 44 caps)

Ali/Estremi
Pierre BRUNO (Zebre Parma, 12 caps)
Ange CAPUOZZO (Stade Toulousain, 10 caps)
Simone GESI (Zebre Parma, 1 cap)
Montanna IOANE (Melbourne Rebels, 17 caps)
Federico MORI (Bordeaux, 12 caps)
Paolo ODOGWU (Stade Francais, esordiente)
Edoardo PADOVANI (Benetton Rugby, 44 caps)

[assfly]

That's a decent Italy squad, it would be great if they can bring their good form with them.

I'm particularly happy for Odogwu.
And Dino Lamb

[sturginho]

That's a decent Italy squad, it would be great if they can bring their good form with them.

I'm particularly happy for Odogwu.
And Dino Lamb

Have to say I'm very surprised to see them in the squad, I guess KC's nagging has paid off! Italy have recently hired a head poacher whose job is to go around the UK looking for players with Italian grannies, so guess what our strategy is for the future!

Of the two I think Lamb is the big coup. We have a real shortage of second row options, when you consider that Fuser is getting too old, Sisi struggles with injuries, Zambonin is a bit too young. Iachizzi did well in the 6N but is also inexperienced at the top level, which leaves us with Ruzza and Cannone who are a great duo but if anything happens to either of them we're in the merda. Having Lamb come in as an option is a massive boost.

[Insane_Homer]

99 days

[Enzedder]

Nic Berry AND Angus Gardner…

Australia’s bitter revenge on WR for… something they’ve imagines. Fuck me, those two are awful refs.

We had Berry last week for the Brumbies game. Thought he did well.

[Grandpa]

Nic Berry AND Angus Gardner…

Australia’s bitter revenge on WR for… something they’ve imagines. Fuck me, those two are awful refs.

We had Berry last week for the Brumbies game. Thought he did well.

Yeah I don't mind Berry... but at the World Cup, I hope NZ get Luke Pearce in all the big games... he's quality.

[Monk]

Berry is much improved

[handyman]

Not one South African game is during work hours for me. Awesome.

[Tichtheid]

This is going to be Scotland's year, I can just feel it.

[Jock42]

Not one South African game is during work hours for me. Awesome.

Day shift for SA, nights for Tonga so will need to avoid the scores.

[Sandstorm]

This is going to be Scotland's year, I can just feel it.

Word

[SaintK]

Naaah maaaate, just the one year and not the five I signed up for!!!

“I’m only coaching to this World Cup. I’ve signed, but as I’ve made the mistake before, I’ve stayed too long. So we win the World Cup it will be time to go. If we lose the World Cup it will be time to go,” Jones told The Evening Standard podcast.

https://www.planetrugby.com/news/edd ... ies-boss

[inactionman]

Rhys Carre dropped/cut from Wales Squad for being too fat even for a fattie

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65779199

[Slick]

This is going to be Scotland's year, I can just feel it.

It does feel that way. The Irish will be fuming.

[OomStruisbaai]

Springboks better prepared then in 2019. Settled squad with lots of experience. Is the hunger still there?

First things first, thats TRC.

[laurent]

First French Group

It is missing all players from the Toulouse, La Rochelle, Racing92 and Bordeaux.

Groupe France

AZAGOH Pierre-Henri (Stade Français Paris)
BAMBA Demba (Lyon OU)
BARRÉ Léo (Stade Français Paris)
BAUBIGNY Teddy (RC Toulon)
BECOGNEE Alexandre (Montpellier HR)
BOUTHIER Anthony (Montpellier HR)
CARBONEL Louis (Montpellier HR)
CHALUREAU Bastien (Montpellier HR)
COUILLOUD Baptiste (Lyon OU)
CRETIN Dylan (Lyon OU)
DELBOUIS Julien (Stade Français Paris)
DUMORTIER Ethan (Lyon OU)
GAILLETON Emilien (Section Paloise)
GERACI Killian (Lyon OU)
GROS Jean-Baptiste (RC Toulon)
HEGUY Baptiste (Aviron Bayonnais)
LACLAYAT Thomas (Oyonnax Rugby)
TAOFIFENUA Sébastien (Lyon OU)
TOLOFUA Christopher (RC Toulon)
VERHAEGHE Florian (Montpellier HR)
VILLIERE Gabin (RC Toulon)
VINCENT Arthur (Montpellier HR)
ZEGUEUR Sacha (Section Paloise)

Joueurs en soins

CAMARA Yacouba (Montpellier Hérault Rugby)
SERIN Baptiste (RC Toulon)
WILLEMSE Paul (Montpellier Hérault Rugby)

[Deepsouth]

Sexy about to get nobbled https://www.joe.ie/news/johnny-sexton-j ... uct-775631

Radge fucks up another world cup

Maybe if he wasn't such a gobby cunt none of this would have happened....

He should piss of to Wendyball.

Much more his style.....

[laurent]

Sexy about to get nobbled https://www.joe.ie/news/johnny-sexton-j ... uct-775631

Radge fucks up another world cup

He has nothing to do on the pitch. Lock him up I say.

[laurent]

Sexy about to get nobbled https://www.joe.ie/news/johnny-sexton-j ... uct-775631

Radge fucks up another world cup

He has nothing to do on the pitch. Lock him up I say.

The French will do anything to avoid an actual fight

What's the point he won't remember it.

[Jim Lahey]

Although it will completely ruin any hope of Ireland not shitting the bed in France, I can't help but agree he deserves a severe punishment.

Rugby can't pretend to hold a moral high ground over footballers and not come down hard on this petulant shit.

He has done this to himself, and to Ireland. The fucking idiot.

[Guy Smiley]

Anyone playing Ireland now knows that they've got a better than even chance of getting the gobby fuckwit carded if they can get into his head... which shouldn't be too hard, it looks soft enough.

Like a caramel.

[Grandpa]

Anyone playing Ireland now knows that they've got a better than even chance of getting the gobby fuckwit carded if they can get into his head... which shouldn't be too hard, it looks soft enough.

Like a caramel.

Dane Coles is your man...