Rugby World Cup 2023/ Crochet & Knitting chit chat

No they’ll probably do the top teams getting a bye into the quarters finals.

For example the top 4 through and the next 8 playing a Wild Card round.

The top 4 out of 6 groups? How is that determined? If it’s on point differential, that would increase the size of the hidings the minnows would get.
The next 8 would be the two remaining group winners and the 6 runners-up?

With 6 groups you’re going to have some lopsided groups.

Yeah something like that. Wouldn’t make a difference really- bonus points will be the key determining factor.

I think they might end up with something like the Champions League format which would be better.

3 tiers of seeds with 8 in each, you play one from every seeding tier.

This RTE article is saying there’ll be a round of 16.
It does shorten it as group goes from five weeks to three weeks.
To get to 16 you’re going to have 3rd place teams advancing. Round of 16 will see some unmerciful hole openings.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby-world-cup/2023/1024/1412691-world-cup-to-be-expanded-to-24-teams/

Will there be a repechage?

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World rugby doing their best to ensure Ireland can finally win a knockout game.

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Too big to be let continue to fail

ZOMBIEZOMBIEZOMBIE

Round of 16 is a shite idea.

Have the IRFU phoned and asked if Ireland can be included as a third team in the final due to the foul play of a 50/50 decision going against them

Will dilute the value of the world cup and/or the 6 nations if playing this abridged version every 2 years.

Will bodies be able to sustain that large increase in play too?

Leave well enough alone was never going to happen when was sold off to that investment group

International rugby was absolutely unreal and they go and ruin it like the club game.

The gaa destroyed its self.

Soccer just becoming a little boring and repetitive. The mystique is gone out of it. International soccer completely destroyed too.

Jumps racing gone to shit.

All I have left is my beloved flat racing.

Such a pity everybody seems intent on destroying on what’s good about my life.

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Be grand mate

There’s much, much more to life than sport and the craic associated with it

Makes note

Do Laundry.

Threaten Bart.

Destroy Flat Racing.

Buy Corn Holders.

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20 months beforehand still seems ridiculous.

It’s a bit like my granny being in the church an hour before the start of mass to make sure she got a good seat.

I mean if she only turned up 45 minutes beforehand she could have been in for a nasty surprise. You can’t be too careful with these things.

You have one less game for each team in the pool but the Round of 16 hasn’t exactly been a major success story in the Champions Cup thus far. The pool will have no suspense now at all and will only eliminate 8 teams from 24. Similar to the new Sam Maguire and Tailteann Cup structures.

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That’s the way it looks to me.
They’ve 4 years to improve the weaker countries. Should just do that

Shure Ireland have had 40 years now and still no progress.

Ireland have made huge progress.