RugbyRebels

Or Sunday 22nd November 2003, if you prefer.

England: J Lewsey, J Robinson, W Greenwood, M Tindall, B Cohen; J Wilkinson, M Dawson; T Woodman, S Thompson, P Vickery; M Johnson; (capt), B Kay; Richard Hill, N Back, L Dallaglio. Replacements: D West, J Leonard, M Corry, L Moody, K Bracken, M Catt, I Balshaw.

Australia: M Rogers, W Sailor, S Mortlock, E Flatley, L Tuqiri; S Larkham, G Gregan (capt); B Young, B Cannon, A Baxter; J Harrison, N Sharpe; G Smith, P Waugh, D Lyons. Replacements: J Paul, M Dunning, D Giffin, M Cockbain, C Whitaker, M Giteau, J Roff.


I am trying a new system as Discord has failed people and I might have found something better: https://kosmi.io/. It allows me to screenshare straight to a browser, so we'll try that and see how it goes. I'll run some highlights from 7.15pm (with main event kicking off at 7.30pm) to make sure everyone's connected okay, but I'm confident.

Puja

I had genuinely forgotten that Martin Corry was the reserve lock for all of these knockout games. I don't think he ever came off the bench though?

Puja

Corry is the one name in the squad for the final I stumble over, consistently I've been able to recall the other names and then run through a process that says Grewcock was out injured but was it Shaw or Corry?

(Btw all the knockout games includes Wales, and I'm pretty sure that was Shaw not Corry on the bench, but it was Corry for France and Oz, I don't recall Kay or Johnson coming off though)

Digby wrote:Corry is the one name in the squad for the final I stumble over, consistently I've been able to recall the other names and then run through a process that says Grewcock was out injured but was it Shaw or Corry?

(Btw all the knockout games includes Wales, and I'm pretty sure that was Shaw not Corry on the bench, but it was Corry for France and Oz, I don't recall Kay or Johnson coming off though)

You are absolutely right that it was Shaw for Wales, but it was Corry for South Africa and Samoa, the two big pool games. I wonder why? Was Shaw injured for evry other game? Was Corry the first choice sub and unavailable for the Wales gsme for some reason?

Puja

Shaw was the injury callup for Grewcock, and wasn't perhaps famous as one of rugby's great trainers. So maybe Corry was first choice reserve in the absence of Grewcock, and Corry was carrying some minor niggle that ruled him out for the Wales game. It's odd how these details which seem so vital ahead of a game drift into the ether after a win

For France and Oz, they'd have been worried about Hill's hamstring I'd think so double back row cover.

Watched this in tandem with a friend at the start of lockdown. With the tension removed and a bit more distance it's a genuinely poor game of rugby.

The conditions were bad yes, but there's some shocking decision making, with some of it being repeated offences of truly dumb choices.

The only final we've seen with any rugby being played is 2015, it stands apart as a beacon of what's possible when mostly the finals are really bad games

Brilliant timing, Puja - final game and end of lockdown (I hope...)

Just a reminder that this is on today. We are using http://www.kosmi.io, which will allow you to stream the game straight from a web browser, no registration or download required. I'll put some highlights on at 7.15pm to make sure that it's all working fine and then we'll kick off the final coverage at 7.30pm.

ETA. I will put up the link to the kosmi room at 7.15pm.

Puja

Link to the room here: https://app.kosmi.io/room/m4fzcj

For reference - you have to press play in the bottom left hand corner to make the stream go. You can remove the sidebars by pressing the arrows at the top on the left and right. Highlights of a legends game are playing now - let me know if there are any problems picking up the stream.

Puja

looks good thx

Australians looking pumped in the anthems. We look calm and collected.

Puja

kickfest

Can't help comparing this to the 2019 final. We've already had a badly handled kick receipt, an aimless pass into touch (although it's more forgivable from an 8 than from a scrum-half), and getting pinned in our 22. The difference is in us getting the ball away and clearing very long to reset 60m away from our line, rather than pissing about in our own 22.

Puja

Christ, Thompson got away with one there. That should've been a yellow then and nowadays a red. Utter cheap shot.

Puja

Please dont mention the 2019 final...

Bit of a mismatch in height for the try

Turn it off; we're gonna lose.

Frankly, I don't know why they didn't do that more. Robinson jumped for high balls like his ancestors had been inappropriately friendly with kangaroos, but 6 inches height difference is a lot to cover off.

Puja

Flatley and Mortlock taking revenge on Lewsey for Rogers's ribs there. Great break from Robinson out of absolutely nothing though.

Puja

Has Thompson hit all his lineouts so far? What's that about?

Puja

Thompson lineouts back on form...

Wilkinson inviting "young man" Giteau to sit down. Classic moment.

Puja

That's actually a rubbish drop goal effort from a good position by Wilkinson.

Puja

You utter donkey Kay.

Puja

Oz scrum under pressure?