RWC19 "Stuff"
Re: RWC19 "Stuff"
Watching the Irish game I notice Sexton has bigger shoulder pads than a 1980's power ladies dress 
. Is there a law/regulation to the size of protection you can wear? Is this not leading to NFL type gear to play rugby? Will it be hard helmets next 
Re: RWC19 "Stuff"
John O wrote:Hi all
Currently out in USA. How can I watch the games live on the internet please?
JC
I watched the USA game in the US. Even that was not on free to air. I used NBC Sports and paid $30. You’ll need to download the app.
Re: RWC19 "Stuff"
Ireland still not looking anything like world #1 team. Currently England and Wales look a lot better than Ireland do this World Cup (then we come to Scotland).
Fair play to Russia!!
Re: RWC19 "Stuff"
Some Boks v Azzuri trivia:
Apparently the game will be the first rugby match broadcast in space. Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano will be watching from the International Space Station
– Italy’s first and only Test match win against South Africa happened in Florence on 19 November 2016 with the Italians narrowly winning by 20-18.
– The Test on Friday will feature ten Springbok players who were involved in that first and only loss in Florence.
– The franchise representation for this squad is DHL Stormers 8; Vodacom Bulls 4; Cell C Sharks 3 and Emirates Lions 1. Seven players are contracted to overseas clubs.
– This will be English referee Wayne Barnes’ 87th Test, the second-most experienced referee after Nigel Owens of Wales. South Africa have been refereed by him in 13 Test matches, of which they won 10.
Re: RWC19 "Stuff"
Sky blue wrote:John O wrote:Hi all
Currently out in USA. How can I watch the games live on the internet please?
JC
I watched the USA game in the US. Even that was not on free to air. I used NBC Sports and paid $30. You’ll need to download the app.
I watched the Australia Wales game last Sunday in Canada via the ITV website using my ExpressVPN app. I couldn’t get the iPhone to work with any feeds though, VIPbox kept crashing out
Re: RWC19 "Stuff"
Catching up with today's games (some of us have to work!), Ireland continue to look unconvincing. However my enjoyment of the game was again ruined by Nick Mullins poor commentary. Refusing to pay for sky I am really enjoying Miles Harrison's commentaries, business like and to the point unlike Mullins who just keeps talking rubbish.
Sorry, feel better now! 
Re: RWC19 "Stuff"
I think Mullins is pretty good, but then again I'm used to him as he does a lot on BT Sport. I know there's some prejudice on here about Stuart Barnes, but I've always liked the Harrison / Barnes combo too.
Re: RWC19 "Stuff"
I note that ITV have the TV rights for RWC 2023 too. I assume it's a protected event, hence the likes of Sky Sports and BT Sport can't show it - I'm sure they would comfortably out-bid ITV for it, if they had the chance.
So it will be at least 8 years before somebody else gets to have a crack at it - to be fair to ITV they do a decent job of the RWC (they've done a fair few now) - not sure any of the other "terrestrial" broadcasters would be much cop at it.
The presence of established Sky & BT rugby commentators / presenters on the ITV team is well known, but the (I assume) absence of Barnesy is interesting - I'm sure he'd jump at the chance of being at a RWC if he could...?
Re: RWC19 "Stuff"
Still Realistic wrote:Catching up with today's games (some of us have to work!), Ireland continue to look unconvincing. However my enjoyment of the game was again ruined by Nick Mullins poor commentary. Refusing to pay for sky I am really enjoying Miles Harrison's commentaries, business like and to the point unlike Mullins who just keeps talking rubbish.
Sorry, feel better now!
These days, I find the whole rugby coverage, on all channels, distracting. We now have a commentator and a minimum of 2 ex players having, basically, a conversation. They'll then add in the comments of some pundit in the studio, and also the coaches of each team and a couple of the players on the bench.
Meanwhile, the referee is speaking to players about why he's awarded something or other, but you don't hear it because all these people are just yap yap yapping. What's the point of the ref mic?
As for the camera operators, they seem more interested in picking out celebrities, or injured players with their families, in the crowd, rather than anything that's going on on the pitch. People, other than us proles, watching rugby, who'd have thunk it?
Another thing, they seem to have turned me into my Dad.
What price Bill McLaren these days?
Re: RWC19 "Stuff"
RSA VS ITA the first 20 minutes very hard and breathless! now uncontested scrums for 10 mins! Prop off for an HIA following what was treated as a rib injury!