Rugby World Cup

[DrZoidberg]

fair enough, not really bothered about rugby, but the old man always follows the scotland games.

if we manage to get out our group i'll be cheering us on.

[J Y Kelly]

how come?

Top 3 in each group from the 2007 event get in automatically. So I suppose it wasnt by "default" but you get the idea.

Ah, right, I stand corrected.

I do remember England having to qualify in 1999 vs Netherlands though, so rules must have changed

[The Ginge Reaper]

how come?

Top 3 in each group from the 2007 event get in automatically. So I suppose it wasnt by "default" but you get the idea.

Ah, right, I stand corrected.

I do remember England having to qualify in 1999 vs Netherlands though, so rules must have changed

Wiki says they beat them 110-0 and then squeaked through an Italy match to top their qualifying group. Seems that only 4 teams got direct entry that year (top 3 from 1995 + Wales as hosts), it changed back in 2003 to the Qf's from the last event.

[J Y Kelly]

how come?

Top 3 in each group from the 2007 event get in automatically. So I suppose it wasnt by "default" but you get the idea.

Ah, right, I stand corrected.

I do remember England having to qualify in 1999 vs Netherlands though, so rules must have changed

Wiki says they beat them 110-0 and then squeaked through an Italy match to top their qualifying group. Seems that only 4 teams got direct entry that year (top 3 from 1995 + Wales as hosts), it changed back in 2003 to the Qf's from the last event.

Yep

I was in Durham at the time and Garath Archer (6ft 9 geordie behemoth) was playing for Newcastle and knocking off one of the birds in my college. I was working on the door of the bar the night of the Netherlands match, and couldn't believe it when he walked in at about 10pm, bashed up and pissed as a mattress, with his equally massive brother, and Inga Tuigamala in tow, plus Ben Clarke I think. I had been told it was a student only night, but I was not going to stand in their way.

[Greenbit]

I think Wales will do really well this time around.

Also, the latest betting places NZ at about 4/7. Totally unbackable.