2023 Rugby World Cup

[Jezza]

The Springboks defeated the All Blacks in the final (12-11).

Rugby World Cup Tally:

South Africa 🇿🇦 = 4 = (1995, 2007, 2019, 2023)

New Zealand 🇳🇿 = 3 = (1987, 2011, 2015)

Australia 🇦🇺 = 2 = (1991, 1999)

England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 = 1 = (2003)

[K]

Wow. Bit annoying S. Africa have snuck up to 4 wins.

NZ did the hard work for them, knocking out Ireland!!

NZ underperforming overall? (Like the GF Curse?)

[K]

"The All Blacks ... looked gone when their captain Sam Cane was red carded in the first half...

But despite being down a man for almost the entire match, the All Blacks clawed back and dominated the second half to pull within a point ... when Beauden Barrett scored the only try of the match, only to miss two late shots at goal that would have won the biggest prize..."

(J. Linden, The Australian)


"Cane became the first player sent off in a final, when his yellow card in the 27th minute was upgraded to a red by television match official Tom Foley.
...

Make no mistake, Cane's sendoff was the right call based on how World Rugby has been cracking down on head contact.

But for one team to play a man down for three-quarters of a final made it near impossible to see the result going any other way than a South African win."

(J. Pandaram, The Australian)

[K]

Earlier...

Rugby union's head contact laws in spotlight after incidents on opening weekend

12/09/23 6:14am

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/12959037/rugby-world-cup-rugby-unions-head-contact-laws-in-spotlight-after-incidents-on-opening-weekend

'Three similar incidents of head-on-head contact in the opening round of Rugby World Cup matches produced different outcomes; England's Tom Curry was sent off, Chile's Martin Sigren was sin-binned, and Scotland were frustrated by no action being taken against South Africa's Jesse Kriel'