Sports

[Chulk]

Arg - Sco: 14-Oct, 21 hs. (France time GMT +1)

It will be Argentina-South Africa, not Argentina Scotland.

You're right!

Now, I hope to see a final France - Argentina, as a revenge of opening match of the world cop. And I tip for a French victory of course.
But before, 2 hard matches are expected for semi-finals.

I don't. France is much stronger than England so I hope to see a Argentina - England Final match. Besides, we have already beat you, so now you know how to play against us, but England is not that versatile and they can't change their way of playing as France can to exploit Argentina weaknesses.
But of course first we have to beat RSA, which I don't think we'll do. Argentina players are very tired and RSA is very strong physically. But hopefully we can give another surprise...

[CTG]

Refrees help FRA when they organize a bigger sport event (football and handball World Cup, rugby...).

[Krys TOFF]

Refrees help FRA when they organize a bigger sport event (football and handball World Cup, rugby...).

Help ? Did you saw any special attitude from referees during this world cup ? IMO, it was one of the best regarding referees' attitude, even in matches where strong countries (like Australia or New Zealand) were versus small ones (Portugal, ...). During previous world cups, when a situation was sharp and referres' decision important, referees always decided against small countries, which didn't happen during this world cup as far as I know.

To be honest, I remind much more a strange attitude from a referee in favor of Germany during handball world cup semi-final France vs Germany in Germany during last moments of 2nd extended time.
Check there, the strange decision regarding Guigou :

Why in Hell last goal of Guigou is refused and the ball given back to France ? There was not enough time to score and it was obviously the best way to let Germany win.
Let me explain : if Guigou made a fault, the goal is refused and the ball is given to Germany. Logical. Esle, Guigou made no fault, so goal is valid and the 2 teams go to penalty session.
So, why the goal is refused and the ball given back to France ?

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

"The referee helped a full-European semi final to be played" - says the Hungarian Rugby Federation's web page. I read the same on some international pages, too; and the experts on the Hungarian Sports TV also said the same - if there hadn't been for the referee, New Zealand would have got through the semi finals.

The Hungarian rugby page mentions that the New Zealand team possessed the ball 60% in the first half, 70% in the second half, but didn't got ANY penalty shots, which was very interesting, because French players often run to offside at scrums (in the 78th minute they cleared the ball from an offside position, which would have been a try to New Zealand). On the other hand, the referee did everything to give a penalty to the French. What's more, the winning French try also occured at a strange situation: there was a forward pass in the attack. This page says that it's sad that such phenomenons (strong referee help) appeared even in this clear and beautiful sport.

I think it's very important to listen to read the independent, neutral opinions after a match where you support a team very heavily (for instance because it's your national team). People always tend to be biased against their supported team. There's nothing wrong with it, everybody is like that; but a neutral eye can see the match in a different aspect, which is much closer to the real.

The page also says that England beat Australia without any help from the referee. They also said that Argentina was killing time and killing play in the end of the game against Scotland, and they almost paid for it. They praise the Fiji team who played their best against the very strong South Africa team.


Handball: yes, that WC was in Germany, and Germany didn't deserve the gold medal, the referees were as disgusting there to help them (the home team, too) as now on the rugby world cup.

I guess when CTG mentioned the football World Cup, he didn't think about the French team in 1998 (I think they were just lucky, especially against Italy in the QFs); rather about the South Korean team in 2002. It is another great example that the referees help the home team disgustingly on World Cup events in some sports.

[Krys TOFF]

New Zealand team possessed the ball 60% in the first half, 70% in the second half, but didn't got ANY penalty shots, which was very interesting, because French players often run to offside at scrums (in the 78th minute they cleared the ball from an offside position, which would have been a try to New Zealand). On the other hand, the referee did everything to give a penalty to the French.

NZ rugby style is not to search for penalties, this is the English style. NZ always wants to score a try, playing with speed and movements and hand game mainly.
Of course, ball possession was mainly NZ one, this was the goal. The French strategy clearly was to force NZ to play, but to always block any attack (look at the stops made by French player almost 180 !!! Only around 40 stops for NZ) and keep the ball as much in NZ part of the field.
This way, even if NZ gets a penalty (and they got some, don't tell that they got none), they would have been too far from French side to be able to score easily. This happened on the last penalty for NZ at the end of the match : the NZ shot was too short.
Then, following this strategy, the goal was to use any opportunity opened by NZ due to their attacks blocked by French players. And it worked perfectly : France did only 2 real attacks, and scored a try on each one.

the winning French try also occured at a strange situation: there was a forward pass in the attack.

This is right, but the referee at this moment was behind the players and couldn't see it. It's a failure of his 2 assitant-referees that should have signaled it. But it seems they also were "late" and so they were behind the action. I don't think it's a deliberate mistake, it's just a bad placement of the referee regarding the action.
And, in rugby, if the main referee doesn't ask the video confirmation, the video referee doesn't have the right to signal anything, which is quite strange but it's the rule in rugby...
To be honest, I didn't saw this forward pass when action was played, it was too fast. I saw it with the replays published on TV after France scored. French commentators also saw it only with the replays. Let's say that it's our "hand of God".

[Chulk]

Let's say that it's our "hand of God".

No, no, no!!! The "hand of God" is only Argentinian, and it's used only in football and regarding that match.

[JTK]

Handball: yes, that WC was in Germany, and Germany didn't deserve the gold medal

...says the loser, quite clear!

[Chulk]

Well... France - Argentina for bronze medal, South Africa (go Springbocks!) - England for the title.
My tips are: Sprinbocks' ass kicking victory over England (Like in 1st round) and France beating Argentina (sadly ) in a very close match.

[Krys TOFF]

Well... France - Argentina for bronze medal, South Africa (go Springbocks!) - England for the title.
My tips are: Sprinbocks' ass kicking victory over England (Like in 1st round) and France beating Argentina (sadly ) in a very close match.

France need a revenge versus Argentina and South Africa proved that they were able to play both "handy and movements" rugby like New Zealand or France do the best (why in Hell France decided to play like England versus England ? It was a good idea versus New Zealand, but not versus England) and also the "high defense and footy rugby" like England do best. So, my tips are :
FRA 23-6 ARG (high pressure from France, and Argentinian players are now really tired as seen versus South Africa)
SA 30-9 ENG (England will be able to score this time, but won't be able to avoid SA scoring 3 tries).

[CTG]

After an ultra crappy season Philadelphia Flyers made a great start in NHL, leading the Atlantic Division after 5 matches. I hope they will be able to reach playoff at the end.

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

I saw yesterday's match between Pittsburgh and New Jersey. It is quite rare in ice hockey, but the referees supported New Jersey very wildly, the Penguins crows was very often whistling, screaming, shouting at them (6 NJ penalties in a row, some of them was harsh, on Penguins powerplay a 4 minute double-minor for Malone for nothing, disallowed Penguins goal, undisallowed NJ goal which shouldn't have been a goal etc.). Result: New Jersey @ Pittsburgh 5 4.

[CTG]

OH YEAH!!!

Gutix kicked Alain's ass!

Argentina - France 34-10

From now: GO SPRINGBOKS!!! 

[Krys TOFF]

France dominated during first 30 minutes, with scoring only 3 points. A pity, we did the same mistakes as versus England, loosing too many balls and with a clear impossibility to change our strategy or rythm.
On the other hand, once France diminished its pressure, Argentina managed perfectly to play what was before the French style rugby : hand actions with movements, innovative actions, a few faults, only a few foot play, and rapidity.
Logically, Argentina won a well-deserved 3rd place, well done and congrats.

After this match, I was so disappointed that I forgot that yesterday was WSC deadline. Too bad.

[Duplode]

After this match, I was so disappointed that I forgot that yesterday was WSC deadline. Too bad.

<offtopic> Well, my sudden realization of having a second try just before midnight was rewarded, how damn lucky I am... </offtopic>

[Krys TOFF]

Some results of the final part of Women handball World Cup in Denmark :
France 25-23 Denmark
Russia 30-27 Norway

Denmark is current Olympic champion, but yet not qualified for forthcoming World Championship in december in France. Russia is current world champion, it will be very hard for France in final. During preliminary roubnd, the only match lost by France was versus Norway. Logically, if Russia beat Norway, they will win the World Cup.

Next events :
- Paris tournament in November : France, Tunisia, Poland and Brazil (22-25 november 2007)
- World championship in France (2-16 december 2007)
After beeing world champion 4 years ago, France ended only 12th (but with almost only new players) 2 years ago when Russia won back the world championship versus Romania. So, the final of the World cup versus Russia will be a very good preparation for the forthcoming World Championship.