One of the things WR has to look at after this tournament is the latitude of interpretation of the rules at scrum time. Namely the mysteries of the front row.
I read an article by Alex Corbisiero the former England prop on the penalty conceded by Sinckler and it was two pages long. Slipping the bind, shoving early, deliberately overextending, boring in etc,etc. O'Keefe and Gardner were all over the shop and then there is the variation in how the NH and SH referee as well.
It's not just confined to the scrum. Argentina can count themselves to be treated very harshly by Gardner with Gonsalez's look of bemusement mirrored by many watching when the penalty went the other way for a perfect jackal to all intent's and purposes and awarding the ABs a scrum penalty when Lomax collapsed the scrum but Bello I think gets called for hinging.
It wouldn't have changed the scoreline as the Pumas have been very, very poor (their preparation against a Spain B only seems to have been a grave error )considering how they can play but it doesn't help when referees seem to be influenced by the side playing or a series of dominant scrums ie SA means they are infallible at scrum time at not conceding penalties.
Not to mention the unconscious bias that T2s experience. They have been shafted several times. Also other things to look at. Forward passes not being noted, squint lineout feeds, still no hooking contest at the scrum either.
I also expect WR is hoping this final will take away from the furore their World League plans have caused. Well actually it's the 6N and SANZAAR who came up with this nonsense no doubt in part to the investment bankers who have their claws in several unions now.
So as to be expected short term gain to the fore without an iota of thought to the global development of the sport. It doesn't help that WR is so undemocratic that the old unions control the votes. Unions like Fiji don't even have one nor many T2s on decisions that will directly affect their future.
It makes a mockery of World in Union, Billy Bunter speaking about his desire to grow the game worldwide and the way WR have milked Portugal's rugby for media attention before casting them into oblivion again.
How Billy Bunter and Farmer Jeffrey from an amateur era are in any way qualified to run the sport beats me. Anyway this WL nonsense means that for many years to come there's more chance of me winning a raffle than a T2 playing a T1.
Then at the next WC people will moan about the scorelines. T2s are doing their level best to improve but ultimately they can only gauge progress by taking on T1s regularly. Georgia are in a terrible position now with their wonderful u20s and still denied entry to the 6N for who knows how long. Portugal played Ireland before the WC to see the speed of how a T1 plays and it helped as an example. The viewing figures in Europe have been excellent but the dinosaurs at WR will fail to capitalize on it.
The same old T1s playing each other will get boring quick and increase the gap to the other teams which is what I suspect the plan is all along. Protectionism when ultimately a truly global game is what will power the sport financially as with football. Scotland and Jeffrey no doubt most delighted of all because let's face it Scotland u20s are really bad.
The sole nation from T1 and who I follow as a result to oppose this nonsense was Argentina (France were close until an agreement on the calendar was made such that it does not impinge on the T14). It's a crying shame Agustin Pichot the voluble and erudite former Puma SH was not elected President of WR several years ago. Unlike the conniving Bunter he stayed true to his ideals and thus lost the vote.
His world calendar plan involved more games between T1s and T2s and more continental competitions. This WL is an abomination spawned from those lofty ideals. This article which is an interview with Agustin illustrates all the problems with union and how the issues we have now will be discussed in 2027 and 2031 and God knows how long because of the fossils and spivs in charge. Please read it.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY CHRIS FOY AND NIK SIMON: After three years of keeping his counsel, Agustin Pichot is finally ready to break his silence. 'Talk soon,' he says over WhatsApp.
www.dailymail.co.uk
WR really is an Anglocolonial body as described by Pablo Lemoine. It's interesting that UAR is the sole union among T1 in the black. The sole union that is developing the sport in it's neighbours and providing a large amount of coaching expertise.
Today is a dark day for the development of the sport.
WTF?!? This tournament started 8 September 2023?
And finals will be played 28 October?
That is almost 2 months! Again, WFT!
Rugby union is physically and mentally exhausting alko. Leagues and Test series are played with a one week break for a reason. Otherwise the quality of the game suffers and their is a large increase in injuries. It's probably one of the two toughest sports in the world. Not for the faint hearted.