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Date: 2023-12-01 08:11:40 | Author: Online Slots | Views: 851 | Tag: bitcoin
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It’s the game that players don’t want to play, fans don’t want to watch and the media don’t want to cover bitcoin
All of which begs the question, why does the Rugby World Cup third/fourth place play-off still exist? Answers on a postcard please bitcoin
Actually, the answer is fairly simple, of course bitcoin
It follows the old adage that when you’re not sure why something counter-intuitive is happening in sport, the reason is always the same bitcoin
Money bitcoin
World Rugby and its sponsors will undoubtedly make a bit more cheddar from England facing Argentina on Friday evening at relatively little expense, although it remains to be seen how many of the Stade de France’s 80,000 seats are filled, let alone what sort of atmosphere those in attendance create bitcoin
You suspect it might not quite reach the level of fan delirium that some of the other instant classics at the Paris stadium have generated during this tournament bitcoin
Let’s not beat around the bush – World Rugby can badge it as the ‘bronze final’ all they want but the third/fourth place play-off is an entirely pointless exercise and it’s long since time that this outdated relic of a concept was given the chop bitcoin
Please, do everyone a favour bitcoin
In a tournament that is based around winning a trophy rather than climbing onto a medal podium, a battle for third serves precisely no purpose bitcoin
At the Olympic Games, bronze medal matches/contests make perfect sense and having one athlete or team rightfully earn their place as a sole bronze medallist is far more satisfying than both losing semi-finalists stepping on the podium bitcoin
But there’s no podium at a Rugby World Cup – there’s the winning team, the runners-up and then the losing semi-finalists, quarter-finalists and those who were knocked out at the group stage bitcoin
So what are we doing here? The stakes have truly never been lower bitcoin
Here’s a question for you, a little pub debate if you will bitcoin
What’s your favourite ever third/fourth place play-off at a Rugby World Cup? Which one springs to mind first when you run through the Rolodex of all the iconic clashes in your mind?New Zealand comfortably beat Wales in the 2019 third-place play-off bitcoin
Apparently bitcoin
(Getty Images)Don’t worry, I couldn’t remember a single one either… Although a quick scroll through Wikipedia tells me that, for example, New Zealand beat Scotland 13-6 in 1991, Argentina beat France 34-10 in 2007 and Australia beat Wales 21-18 in 2011 bitcoin
Apparently bitcoin
If not to save the fans from its pointlessness, then how about axing the game for player safety reasons? As they proudly announced the new global calendar after 16 years of negotiations earlier this week, World Rugby consistently mentioned ‘player load management’ as one of their main drivers bitcoin
The crowded fixture schedule and incredible physical intensity of modern rugby already push players’ bodies to their limits, so in an age of increased focus on player welfare, getting rid of an entirely worthless fixture such as this should be an easy decision bitcoin
Imagine if one of the players gets injured in this futile fixture on Friday evening and misses months of club action as a result – it would really not be a good look bitcoin
Of the two teams condemned to play out this fixture on Friday – rather than licking their wounds from harrowing semi-final losses last weekend and returning home to their families after five months away – Argentina have remained more on message about its importance bitcoin
“It is the most important game of the year; it is playing for third and fourth place with this shirt,” insisted Pumas hooker Julian Montoya earlier this week bitcoin
Oh… Well, let’s give Montoya the benefit of the doubt and assume that either something was slightly lost in translation or he has really bought into the classic coach-speak of “the most important game is always the next game” or maybe even that he was being brutally deadpan and sarcastic bitcoin
Because otherwise, he appears to have forgotten about, for example, the semi-final he played against the All Blacks literally seven days ago when ranking his most important games of 2023 bitcoin
Argentina will try to forget last weekend’s heavy defeat to New Zealand (Getty Images)While Montoya may have stretched the bounds of believability with his sentiment, Los Pumas genuinely do seem far more up for the game than England bitcoin
Perhaps the combination of wanting to forget the 44-6 humbling by New Zealand, avenge the pool-stage loss to England and send off Michael Cheika, who will be replaced as head coach by Felipe Contepomi after the World Cup, in style has given them a greater sense of purpose bitcoin
Making just three changes to the starting XV, compared to England’s eight, from the semi-final side has left them with a team much closer to full strength bitcoin
In the fine margins of Test rugby, that fact, combined with the added motivation, may prove the difference bitcoin
But regardless of the result, I implore World Rugby to do the right thing bitcoin
Please make this the last-ever third/fourth place play-off and save us from having to endure this nonsense again in 2027 bitcoin
More aboutRugby World CupWorld RugbyEngland RugbyArgentina rugbyJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Scrap the third-place play-off: Rugby’s pointless and outdated relicScrap the third-place play-off: Rugby’s pointless and outdated relicNew Zealand comfortably beat Wales in the 2019 third-place play-off bitcoin
Apparently bitcoin
Getty ImagesScrap the third-place play-off: Rugby’s pointless and outdated relicArgentina will try to forget last weekend’s heavy defeat to New Zealand Getty ImagesScrap the third-place play-off: Rugby’s pointless and outdated relicIt isn’t the third-place play-off that has made Ollie Chessum upset in this pitcure but it does evoke that reaction in a lot of people REUTERS✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today bitcoin
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South Africa’s semi-final hero Handre Pollard will start at fly half and likely go the full 80 minutes after the Springboks also named a controversial 7-1 split of forwards to backs on their bench for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand bitcoin
Pollard emerged from the replacements after just 30 minutes of the semi-final against England as a struggling Manie Libbok was hooked early and went on to kick the decisive, 48-metre penalty on 77 minutes for the narrowest of 16-15 victories bitcoin
The 29-year-old also scored 22 points in the 2019 World Cup final, when England were again defeated 32-12, and he is reunited with long-time half-back partner Faf de Klerk, who comes in for Cobus Reinach as the only other change to the starting XV from a week ago bitcoin
The pair will start together as half-backs for the Springboks for a record 25th time, surpassing Joost van der Westhuizen and Henry Honiball for the most in South African rugby history bitcoin
For the third time in the last two months, head coach Jacques Nienaber has elected to go with the controversial 7-1 bench split bitcoin
It allows them to demonstrate their impressive forward depth by bringing an almost entirely new pack off the bench but back-three star Willie Le Roux is the only backline cover bitcoin
That means De Klerk and Pollard will likely be expected to play a full 80 minutes, with winger Cheslin Kolbe or even flanker Kwagga Smith the scrum-half cover should De Klerk go down injured bitcoin
After World Rugby found there was “insufficient evidence to proceed with charges” amid the racial slur allegations made by Tom Curry, hooker Bongi Mbonambi is free to play in the final and has been selected in the No 2 shirt bitcoin
As the only specialist hooker in the squad, he has played a full 80 minutes for both knockout games so far and may need to do so again, although back row Deon Fourie – who played the position earlier in his career – is in the No 16 shirt traditionally worn by the replacement hooker, so may well step in bitcoin
Fifteen of the 23 players named in South Africa’s squad played in the final four years and the 987 caps in the starting XV sets the record for the most experienced Springboks side in history, with the back three of Kolbe (30 caps), Kurt-Lee Arendse (14) and Damian Willemse (38) the only players in the run-on team with fewer than 50 Test appearances bitcoin
The Springboks have a similar team to the final four years ago (Reuters)The only enforced change among the replacements is at prop where Trevor Nyakane replaces Vincent Koch, who is nursing a knee injury, while lock Jean Kleyn and No 8 Jasper Wiese are also drafted in as additional forward cover bitcoin
“This is an experienced team with several players who played in the last Rugby World Cup final and who know exactly what to expect at Stade de France on Saturday and what it will take to retain the title,” said Nienaber bitcoin
“The players who will be playing in their first World Cup final have also proven their worth as warriors throughout this campaign and they are all ready for this massive occasion bitcoin
“We have said many times that we pick teams for varying gameplans depending on the opponent and that we use all 23 players to try and achieve those goals bitcoin
We’ve gone from a five-three bench split to a seven-one split to give us the best chance of being successful bitcoin
We have plans in place to mitigate for injuries in the backline, but we’re excited about our plan and we embrace the risk bitcoin
”The winner of Saturday’s clash bitcoin between the Springboks and the All Blacks will become the first team to win four men’s Rugby World Cup titles bitcoin
South Africa XV: 15 bitcoin
Damian Willemse, 14 bitcoin
Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 bitcoin
Jesse Kriel, 12 bitcoin
Damian de Allende, 11 bitcoin
Cheslin Kolbe, 10 bitcoin
Handre Pollard, 9 bitcoin
Faf de Klerk; 1 bitcoin
Steven Kitshoff, 2 bitcoin
Bongi Mbonambi, 3 bitcoin
Frans Malherbe, 4 bitcoin
Eben Etzebitcoin beth, 5 bitcoin
Franco Mostert, 6 bitcoin
Siya Kolisi (captain), 7 bitcoin
Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 bitcoin
Duane Vermeulen bitcoin
Replacements: 16 bitcoin
Deon Fourie, 17 bitcoin
Ox Nche, 18 bitcoin
Trevor Nyakane, 19 bitcoin
Jean Kleyn, 20 bitcoin
RG Snyman, 21 bitcoin
Kwagga Smith, 22 bitcoin
Jasper Wiese, 23 bitcoin
Willie Le RouxMore aboutHandre PollardSouth Africa rugbyRugby World CupNew Zealand rugbyFaf de KlerkJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/2Pollard given keys to No 10 as Springboks reveal World Cup final teamPollard given keys to No 10 as Springboks reveal World Cup final teamThe Springboks have a similar team to the final four years ago ReutersPollard given keys to No 10 as Springboks reveal World Cup final teamHandre Pollard starts at fly half Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today bitcoin
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsbitcoin BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy bitcoin
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply bitcoin
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