RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks

[Machpants]

@gt12 said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@Canes4life said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

Question for everyone.. has this been the best WC ever?

I'll tell you next Saturday night (NZ Sunday morning).

Quoted for truth.

If Rassies "HIA" (honest guv), water-boy deploying, injury faking, time-wasting stultifying cheats win, then no.

[Victor Meldrew]

@Canes4life said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

Question for everyone.. has this been the best WC ever?

In terms of the quarters and semis, the likes of Fiji, Samoa, Japan etc becoming competitive, dickheaded-ness in players and coaches generally not coming off, then absolutely up there.

The reffing has been ordinary, though not the Refs fault (bar Carley, Wales v Fiji). Guidelines changes seemingly at random. UK TV coverage has been middling.

Maybe just me, but I've found this one just a bit flat for some reason.

[Rancid Schnitzel]

@Canes4life said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

Question for everyone.. has this been the best WC ever?

I'll give you a definitive answer after the final. But I reckon in terms of match-ups, crowds and results it's up there.

One thing that is amazing is seeing a game like Fiji vs Portugal with a full stadium. I contrast that to the quarter and half empty Ballymore (capacity maybe 20k) where I watched games in 87. This tournament has come a very very long way.

[Jailbreak7]

If we want to look at the periphery I think the ABs sent a significant message which will not have been lost on Rassie & co, when they decided not to replace SB after his YC was up, and played out the game with 14 men keeping the scoresheet clean for the entire 2nd half. That's a statement.

[stodders]

@Machpants as opposed to Foster’s bumbling, worst ABs ever, rag tag crew triumphing?

[frugby]

@Canes4life said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

Question for everyone.. has this been the best WC ever?

Better than the last two... 2011 was pretty good, but this probably shades it, especially if we get a cracking final. Before that, I'll show my age here, but I am struggling!

[ACT Crusader]

@Duluth said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@rustycruiser said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@tubbyj said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

SA should be massive favourites.

NZ is always the favorite against the Boks, you guys have a 69% win record since 92, and 70% in the last 10 years. Nice try, but we are the underdogs going in, we have to step up our game to hang with NZ

3/3 under Foster

SA 2 wins 1 loss against Foster’s AB’s at neutral venues

NZ 100% confirmed underdogs

110%

[Machpants]

@stodders said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@Machpants as opposed to Foster’s bumbling, worst ABs ever, rag tag crew triumphing?

It's a redemption story, everyone loves those. Not the evil already champs beating up on the poor underdogs, who are really without a hope

[ACT Crusader]

@sparky said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

Biggest and best rivalry in global sport, bar none.

I’d say the India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry may have a few more eyes watching (and a level of insane following) than little ol’ NZ and Sth Africa rugby….

[Machpants]

@ACT-Crusader said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@sparky said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

Biggest and best rivalry in global sport, bar none.

I’d say the India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry may have a few more eyes watching (and a level of insane following) than little ol’ NZ and Sth Africa rugby….

Bollocks, we've been playing the Boks for quarter century before Pakistan was even a thing!

/jk

Also Cricket is weird

Format Matches played India won Pakistan won Draw/Tie/No Result
Test 59 9 12 38

38/59 draws

[Chris]

@ACT-Crusader said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@sparky said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

Biggest and best rivalry in global sport, bar none.

I’d say the India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry may have a few more eyes watching (and a level of insane following) than little ol’ NZ and Sth Africa rugby….

LA Lakers v Boston Celtics the biggest in BasketBall
Celtic V Rangers is a pretty intense football rivalry

Both of those would be right up there.

[ACT Crusader]

Biggest = I’d say a billion plus tune in when they play ODIs

Best = whilst subjective, what I would say is I’ve never ever seen anything on the level from fans of those two teams and even general cricket lovers.

It might be sparky’s favourite rivalry (mine is Nth Carolina vs Duke) but biggest and best, yeah nah.

[sparky]

@Canes4life said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

Question for everyone.. has this been the best WC ever?

One of them. I’d probably say 1995 and 2011 edge it at the moment. But let’s make a definitive judgement after the final.

[canefan]

@Chris said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@ACT-Crusader said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@sparky said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

Biggest and best rivalry in global sport, bar none.

I’d say the India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry may have a few more eyes watching (and a level of insane following) than little ol’ NZ and Sth Africa rugby….

LA Lakers v Boston Celtics the biggest in BasketBall
Celtic V Rangers is a pretty intense football rivalry

Both of those would be right up there.

Argentina England in football is also huge

[Chris]

@canefan

Yep that’s another one

[ACT Crusader]

@Chris said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@ACT-Crusader said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@sparky said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

Biggest and best rivalry in global sport, bar none.

I’d say the India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry may have a few more eyes watching (and a level of insane following) than little ol’ NZ and Sth Africa rugby….

LA Lakers v Boston Celtics the biggest in BasketBall
Celtic V Rangers is a pretty intense football rivalry

Both of those would be right up there.

Was during the 80s and then was revived for a short period during the Kobe era when the C’s had Garnett and Pierce. At least in the US the biggest basketball rivalry is the college UNC and Duke.

Real vs Barca is still massive too.

[canefan]

@ACT-Crusader said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@Chris said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@ACT-Crusader said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

@sparky said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:

Biggest and best rivalry in global sport, bar none.

I’d say the India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry may have a few more eyes watching (and a level of insane following) than little ol’ NZ and Sth Africa rugby….

LA Lakers v Boston Celtics the biggest in BasketBall
Celtic V Rangers is a pretty intense football rivalry

Both of those would be right up there.

Was during the 80s and then was revived for a short period during the Kobe era when the C’s had Garnett and Pierce. At least in the US the biggest basketball rivalry is the college UNC and Duke.

Real vs Barca is still massive too.

Real Barca yes. Don't forget the Lakers rivalry was big in the 70s as well, with Boston having LAs number in several finals

[sparky]

Yep, lots of rivalries in sports.

But the All Blacks - Boks involves guys putting their bodies on the line more than most of the other ones you mention.

It’s not about sectarianism or religion, it’s about the sport.

It’s been going for over 100 years. It’s not been manufactured by the marketing men.

More often than not it’s between the top two sides in the world.

It’s about mutual respect as much as it is about being ferociously competitive.

[stodders]

England vs Scotland in anything

I think Boks vs ABs rivalry is immense, mostly because one or both are normally at the top of the game and have been the dominant teams historically.

[stodders]

World rankings after SFs. Winner of final is world no. 1.