What are your predictions for the Rugby World Cup Quater-Finals?

The unfairness of the draw sucks but it does have one advantage. Normally a first-seed vs second-seed match is only semi-competitive but this time all the best four teams are playing each other, as are the second-best four teams. Each game is hard to predict and likely to be really close.

Personally, I think that the northern hemisphere team is a slight favourite in each game. The most likely thing would be two or three northern teams getting to the semis but literally anything can happen. It will be fascinating.

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MethDozer · M

Does the World cup play by League or Union rules?

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@MethDozer This is Union.

When people talk about Rugby without saying union or league, it almost always means union. It's a much bigger sport internationally. Rugby League is big in half of Australia, a few northern English towns and in Papua New Guinea but that is pretty much it.

MethDozer · M

@Burnley123 Damn commie northerners thinking players should be paid and shit

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@MethDozer Ah... He knows. Indeed, that is why Union is bigger down south and League is bigger up north here.

Though Rugby League in the UK has been struggling for years, with declining attendance and viewing figures. It's sad because I like the sport but it has the twin problems of trying to compete with Australia, where the sport is much stronger, and having so many big football clubs nearby to it's heartlands.

MethDozer · M

@Burnley123 I had a brief time in my mid twenties were I was really interested (by American standards at least) in watching rugby on TV. I liked the union games better but there were more league games being televised. There was this small push in the early 2000's to try and get an American fanbase of Rugby league. I think they were assuming it would appeal to gridiron football fans more than union. League does seem like it is more fitted to televised spectators honestly. I think union is more nuanced and interesting but league just seemed a little faster paced. A little more energetic and spectacle.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@MethDozer I agree with all of that. I come from a football-dominated town (called Burnley) so I don't really even have a club team in either code of rugby to follow. So like a lot of casual rugby fans, I just follow the international teams.

Rugby League is faster but it's just so repetitive. 80% of the game is pass-run-tackle-pkay the ball. Rugby Union has more variety and it's my second favourite sport. Rugby League is also dominated by Australia and the international game is so predictable that the Aussies see their State of Origin series (Queensland vrs New South Wales) as the highest representative level.

Rugby Union has a serious international game with several competitive teams.

KiwiBird · 36-40, F

@MethDozer @Burnley123 Rugby League aka Big Boys Touch.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@KiwiBird I met a guy called Elijah Taylor the other day. He's an ex-NZ league international and Warriors player. He's still playing here in the UK. For confidentiality, I can't reveal how I know him on a public thread.

He is a really nice bloke btw.