Rugby World Cup!!!!!!

Hi Everyone!!!!

So, it's the Rugby World Cup and I've been watching some of the games, not many yet because it is the big guns against the tiddlers at the moment and they are a bit one sided. I'm watching Canada against New Zealand right now and the All Blacks are running riot over the Canadians.

I like watching rugby, (what's not to like? …... ), it's not my most favouritical sport, but it is exciting and there have been some surprises like Japan winning the other day against Ireland. It''s being held in Japan which will give a big boost for the sport in Japan.

New Zealand are the favourites to win, as always, but there are teams capable of beating them in the later stages. England, Australia, Wales, France and Ireland could and South Africa beat them in another tournament this year..

I shall try to watch England and hope they win or Wales, but I shall watch the games as it gets to the final part of it, without getting too distracted..... My superbical, mystic prediction is for New Zealand to beat England in the final!

Celia xx

'favouritical' is my new favouritcal word.

Here in the States I am watching baseball playoffs. Rugby comes later, when the games are better matches, and perhaps after watching all the Aussie rules games I've recorded. All three of those games are better than American football, AKA gridiron, IMO.

Hi Tara!!!

Baseball is a game I like too, I watched a couple of games in Japan long ago, it was the Yakult Swallows as I remember, I think.... anyway there were quite a few Americans playing and it was very exciting. I liked it lots!

I also find American football not my cup of tea, it's a little too compact, not enough freedom of play and too much body armour. Now Aussie Rules! So free, so much movement on a huge pitch! I watch it too sometimes and of course just as eye catching as Rugby with the guys in those flimsy vests..... oh dear....

I also, am as I said waiting for the bigger matches to come, that'll start in the last 8 knock-out part of the competition.

Celia xx

Tara wrote:'favouritical' is my new favouritcal word.

Celia is a consultant on the OED board charged with coming up with new words for inclusion in this monolithic dictionary.

Oh Miki, I use my wordicals in rela life too!

Anyway, I watched two great games today, I watched England and Argentina this morning and England won quite easily, which is a surprise, coz Argentina are quite good. Then I taped Japan and Samoa, coz I took my Mother out shopping.... we bought tons of stuff! Japan were amazing, a few years ago, I would have expected Samoa to win easy, but this Japanese team are very good! They won, though it was nor over until minutes from the end, Samoa were strong...

Next weekend sees England play France, that will be quite a test!

Celia xx

So, last weekend I watched both the England and the Japan games, England won and Japan lost unfortunately.... but there ya go. Anyway, my mystic prediction was England v. New Zealand in the final, but my mystical interpretation must have missed out the word 'semi', coz England are playing them in the semi-final. I think a mystic visionary sprite was being naughty and hid it from me whilst I was in my fantastical mystic trance.

Wales and South Africa play the other game it would be nice to have a England v. Wales final, but I believe New Zealand will beat South Africa in the final. Anyway, up early this weekend to watch it all!!!!

I watched the England v Australia match. It had a few bright spots.

Got your wish Celia. England were superb. What happened to the New Zealand that took Ireland apart?

Can't see England not being World Champions now.

Hi Marie,

I am all blearywearyeyed getting up earlybirdy to watch the games, just watched South Africa beat valiant Wales, such a shame...… I think the South Africans will put up quite a battle against England, so ...… Hold Those Horses!!!!! It's not won yet! But come on England!!!

On a side note, that French? referee..... ooh la la!!!!

England seems unstoppable now. I think most of Irish would support England. Which may seem odd but Rugby isn't like soccer. 

I think most of us would want England to win.

Thanks Marie! And Tara, it's always good to hear that Americans are taking interest!!! Well, as Tara says the English beat Australia in a 'so so' game, but then whacked New Zealand in a thriller, so why not go for the triple on the big Southern hemisphere teams and beat South Africa? I guess, if Ireland, Wales or Scotland were playing them, I'd want the me sides to win, oh and Italy too.... it's gonna be a hell of a game!

Celia Eriksson wrote:Thanks Marie! And Tara, it's always good to hear that Americans are taking interest!!!

At the risk of being considered unpatriotic (and, frankly, who cares?), I consider rugby to be a much more entertaining game than gridiron. The NFL is especially bad, in terms of spending more time standing around than actually playing. CFL, the Canadian variant, is a bit more interesting, but rugby and Aussie rules are my preferred versions of football to watch.

Hi Tara!

Yes, as I said before, I reckon if the Aussie rules game spread enough, it'd be popular worldwide.... the NFL is so boring, too many stoppages about that compact game with little movement. Really cannot see what your fellow Americans like about it.

I could put video on here about AFL, Aussie Rules, but people would only see the scoring side of it, you have to watch a whole game to appreciate how free flowing it is, more so than soccer or rugby in fact... and both rugby and soccer are like water is to molasses as far as NFL freedom of movement is concerned. Anyway, everyone is excited about the Rugby final, hope it's a good game to watch, whoever wins.

Celia xx

Talking about Aussie rules. It's broadly similar to Gaelic football here in Ireland. In fact until 2017, every two years there was a compromise rules tournament between Australia and Ireland either in Australia or Ireland. It was quite entertaining and very fast moving. Fast tempered at times too. Played by hard men on both sides. There was plenty of aggro and sometimes mass brawls. Not a game for gentlemen. 

The saying here is: Soccer, a game for gentlemen played by hooligans, Rugby, a game for hooligans played by gentlemen. Gaelic football, a game for hooligans played by hooligans. 

Hi Marie!!!

Hooligan is, of course, an Irish word, said to derive from an Irish family that were lots of trouble back in the day in the 19th century London I believe. So it's fitting that Gaelic Football is the totally Hooliganistical game!!!!

I'm busy for quite a while over the weekend, but wild horse won't stop me getting up real earlybirdy to watch the big match!!!!

Celia xx

Despite being Irish and actually most of us Irish would favour England in the rugby, unlike Soccer. 

But I think South Africa has a. big chance. 

But yeah, I'd be happy with England winning.

Because of time zone differences with Japan, the Friday and Saturday matches will be/were at 5:00 AM here. So I'll be watching them delayed.

Time zone annoyances are one of the best proofs that the earth is not flat.

Yes, I did feel that would happen. Kind of surprised that England beat New Zealand. I truly expected a New Zealand, South Africa final. 
But England did brilliantly. Beating New Zealand is very special. 

Go England! But I look forward to Ireland slamming England in the six nations.