No-one could have predicated how the so called pool of death would have ended and the likelihood of a bigger yield for a later kick off on the Saturday night from the other pool may have had an influence.
Very true, however assuming England had won every match, the match against Uruguay still would have been meaningless, whilst the other match in the pool would have likely been "winner takes all".
Very true, however assuming England had won every match, the match against Uruguay still would have been meaningless, whilst the other match in the pool would have likely been "winner takes all".
Again we're back to the premise that ITV was the sole arbiter of every kickoff time. If the game had stayed in Cardiff it may have been an 8pm start, but once the change to Twickenham was forced it was only ever likely to be an earlier start because of the travel issue for fans heading back to Wales.
What about the travel issue for Welsh fans for England vs Wales at Twickenham then? It was an 8.00pm start.
At the end of the day we don't know just how much power and influence ITV did have. I did not say ITV held all the aces. But if they held a few and pressed hard for the existing schedule, or as near to as they could get, they may wish to reconsider this for the future. That is what I meant when I said they would have to think long & hard. They would have had a strategy after all.
No-one could have predicated how the so called pool of death would have ended and the likelihood of a bigger yield for a later kick off on the Saturday night from the other pool may have had an influence. But we don't know. And how many would have predicted England's early exit.
No you did not say that FGW was the main operator in Wales - but it was a bit strange to single them out when I was referring to the rail transport debarcle in Wales - which ATW had ultimate responsibility for.
The reason I referred to FGW was because they were the ones who had issues with cancellations and resultant overcrowding on trains to games at Gloucester and they were the ones who had to admit the overcrowding on their trains to Cardiff was 'embarrassing'
What about the travel issue for Welsh fans for England vs Wales at Twickenham then? It was an 8.00pm start.
Massively different crowd ratios for the two games, the majority of fans at England vs Wales were English while the majority of fans at Wales vs Australia will be Welsh
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Massively different crowd ratios for the two games, the majority of fans at England vs Wales were English while the majority of fans at Wales vs Australia will be Welsh
K/O 1645 at Twickenham. Yes, mainly Welsh fans, many of whom will end-up sleeping on the platform at Reading, having paid the proceeds of a second morgage to FGW! If we had any sence in this country, there'd be turn-round facilities at Richmond so that HSTs (and hybrid IEPs) could run Reugby specials from South Wales.
The last match played at Cardiff saw GWR cancel the last four additional services to London arranged for after the match as there was no-one left at the station to take them.
Pool A England v Fiji: Nick Mullins, Ben Kay and Lawrence Dallaglio Wales v Uruguay: Miles Harrison and Shane Williams Australia v Fiji: Miles Harrison and Shane Williams England v Wales: Nick Mullins, Lawrence Dallaglio and Shane Williams Australia v Uruguay: Jon Champion and Ben Kay Wales v Fiji: Miles Harrison, Ben Kay and Shane Williams England v Australia: Nick Mullins, Ben Kay and Lawrence Dallaglio Fiji v Uruguay: Nick Mullins and Ben Kay Australia v Wales: Miles Harrison, David Flatman and Shane Williams England v Uruguay: Nick Mullins and Ben Kay
Pool B South Africa v Japan: Martin Gillingham and Shane Williams Samoa v United States: Martin Gillingham and Geordan Murphy Scotland v Japan: Jon Champion and Scott Hastings South Africa v Samoa: Jon Champion and Ben Kay Scotland v United States: Nick Mullins and Scott Hastings Samoa v Japan: Jon Champion and Shane Williams South Africa v Scotland: Martin Gillingham, David Flatman and Scott Hastings South Africa v United States: Miles Harrison and Geordan Murphy Samoa v Scotland: Jon Champion and Scott Hastings United States v Japan: Jon Champion and David Flatman
Pool C Tonga v Georgia: Jon Champion and Scott Hastings New Zealand v Argentina: Nick Mullins, Ben Kay and Scott Hastings New Zealand v Namibia: Simon Ward and Geordan Murphy Argentina v Georgia: Jon Champion and Geordan Murphy Tonga v Namibia: Martin Gillingham and Scott Hastings New Zealand v Georgia: Simon Ward, Ben Kay and Geordan Murphy Argentina v Tonga: Martin Gillingham and Shane Williams Namibia v Georgia: Jon Champion and Shane Williams New Zealand v Tonga: Martin Gillingham and Geordan Murphy Argentina v Namibia: Simon Ward and Scott Hastings
Pool D Ireland v Canada: Simon Ward and Geordan Murphy France v Italy: Nick Mullins and Ben Kay France v Romania: Nick Mullins and Ben Kay Italy v Canada: Martin Gillingham and Scott Hastings Ireland v Romania: Miles Harrison and Geordan Murphy France v Canada: Nick Mullins and David Flatman Ireland v Italy: Jon Champion, Ben Kay and Geordan Murphy Canada v Romania: Martin Gillingham and Scott Hastings Italy v Romania: Martin Gillingham and Shane Williams Ireland v France: Nick Mullins, Ben Kay and Geordan Murphy
Quarter-Finals South Africa v Wales: Miles Harrison, Lawrence Dallaglio and Shane Williams New Zealand v France: Nick Mullins, Ben Kay and David Flatman Ireland v Argentina: Martin Gillingham, Ben Kay and Alan Quinlan Australia v Scotland: Jon Champion, David Flatman and Scott Hastings
Semi-Finals South Africa v New Zealand: Nick Mullins, Lawrence Dallaglio and Shane Williams Argentina v Australia: Miles Harrison, Ben Kay and David Flatman
Third-Place Playoff South Africa v Argentina: Miles Harrison, David Flatman and Scott Hastings
Final New Zealand v Australia: Nick Mullins, Ben Kay and Lawrence Dallaglio
Rugby World Cup 2015: World feed commentary round-up
Pool A England v Fiji: Simon Ward and Andy Gomarsall Wales v Uruguay: Alastair Eykyn and Alan Quinlan Australia v Fiji: Gordon Bray and Alan Quinlan England v Wales: Miles Harrison and Andy Gomarsall Australia v Uruguay: Gordon Bray and Joel Stransky Wales v Fiji: Simon Ward and Andy Gomarsall England v Australia: Miles Harrison and Andy Gomarsall Fiji v Uruguay: Gordon Bray and Andy Gomarsall Australia v Wales: Gordon Bray and Alan Quinlan England v Uruguay: Simon Ward and Andy Gomarsall
Pool B South Africa v Japan: Gordon Bray and Joel Stransky Samoa v United States: Gordon Bray and Chris Paterson Scotland v Japan: Alastair Eykyn and Chris Paterson South Africa v Samoa: Tony Johnson and Joel Stransky Scotland v United States: Simon Ward and Chris Paterson Samoa v Japan: Simon Ward and Alan Quinlan South Africa v Scotland: Gordon Bray and Chris Paterson South Africa v United States: Simon Ward and Joel Stransky Samoa v Scotland: Tony Johnson and Chris Paterson United States v Japan: Andrew Cotter and Andy Gomarsall
Pool C Tonga v Georgia: Tony Johnson and Chris Paterson New Zealand v Argentina: Tony Johnson and Joel Stransky New Zealand v Namibia: Tony Johnson and Andy Gomarsall Argentina v Georgia: Andrew Cotter and Alan Quinlan Tonga v Namibia: Tony Johnson and Andy Gomarsall New Zealand v Georgia: Tony Johnson and Joel Stransky Argentina v Tonga: Tony Johnson and Joel Stransky Namibia v Georgia: Andrew Cotter and Alan Quinlan New Zealand v Tonga: Tony Johnson and Chris Paterson Argentina v Namibia: Gordon Bray and Chris Paterson
Pool D Ireland v Canada: Alastair Eykyn and Alan Quinlan France v Italy: Miles Harrison and Andy Gomarsall France v Romania: Simon Ward and Andy Gomarsall Italy v Canada: Gordon Bray and Chris Paterson Ireland v Romania: Alastair Eykyn and Alan Quinlan France v Canada: Gordon Bray and Chris Paterson Ireland v Italy: Andrew Cotter and Alan Quinlan Canada v Romania: Tony Johnson and Chris Paterson Italy v Romania: Alastair Eykyn and Joel Stransky Ireland v France: Miles Harrison and Alan Quinlan
Quarter-Finals South Africa v Wales: Andrew Cotter and Joel Stransky New Zealand v France: Tony Johnson and Andy Gomarsall Ireland v Argentina: Simon Ward and Andy Gomarsall Australia v Scotland: Gordon Bray and Chris Paterson
Semi-Finals South Africa v New Zealand: Tony Johnson and Joel Stransky Argentina v Australia: Gordon Bray and Andy Gomarsall
Third-Place Playoff South Africa v Argentina: Simon Ward and Alan Quinlan
Final New Zealand v Australia: Miles Harrison, Alan Quinlan and Andy Gomarsall
Comments
Very true, however assuming England had won every match, the match against Uruguay still would have been meaningless, whilst the other match in the pool would have likely been "winner takes all".
Which is what I said previously.
What about the travel issue for Welsh fans for England vs Wales at Twickenham then? It was an 8.00pm start.
The reason I referred to FGW was because they were the ones who had issues with cancellations and resultant overcrowding on trains to games at Gloucester and they were the ones who had to admit the overcrowding on their trains to Cardiff was 'embarrassing'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-34334389
Massively different crowd ratios for the two games, the majority of fans at England vs Wales were English while the majority of fans at Wales vs Australia will be Welsh
K/O 1645 at Twickenham. Yes, mainly Welsh fans, many of whom will end-up sleeping on the platform at Reading, having paid the proceeds of a second morgage to FGW! If we had any sence in this country, there'd be turn-round facilities at Richmond so that HSTs (and hybrid IEPs) could run Reugby specials from South Wales.
Good effort.
Pool A
England v Fiji: Nick Mullins, Ben Kay and Lawrence Dallaglio
Wales v Uruguay: Miles Harrison and Shane Williams
Australia v Fiji: Miles Harrison and Shane Williams
England v Wales: Nick Mullins, Lawrence Dallaglio and Shane Williams
Australia v Uruguay: Jon Champion and Ben Kay
Wales v Fiji: Miles Harrison, Ben Kay and Shane Williams
England v Australia: Nick Mullins, Ben Kay and Lawrence Dallaglio
Fiji v Uruguay: Nick Mullins and Ben Kay
Australia v Wales: Miles Harrison, David Flatman and Shane Williams
England v Uruguay: Nick Mullins and Ben Kay
Pool B
South Africa v Japan: Martin Gillingham and Shane Williams
Samoa v United States: Martin Gillingham and Geordan Murphy
Scotland v Japan: Jon Champion and Scott Hastings
South Africa v Samoa: Jon Champion and Ben Kay
Scotland v United States: Nick Mullins and Scott Hastings
Samoa v Japan: Jon Champion and Shane Williams
South Africa v Scotland: Martin Gillingham, David Flatman and Scott Hastings
South Africa v United States: Miles Harrison and Geordan Murphy
Samoa v Scotland: Jon Champion and Scott Hastings
United States v Japan: Jon Champion and David Flatman
Pool C
Tonga v Georgia: Jon Champion and Scott Hastings
New Zealand v Argentina: Nick Mullins, Ben Kay and Scott Hastings
New Zealand v Namibia: Simon Ward and Geordan Murphy
Argentina v Georgia: Jon Champion and Geordan Murphy
Tonga v Namibia: Martin Gillingham and Scott Hastings
New Zealand v Georgia: Simon Ward, Ben Kay and Geordan Murphy
Argentina v Tonga: Martin Gillingham and Shane Williams
Namibia v Georgia: Jon Champion and Shane Williams
New Zealand v Tonga: Martin Gillingham and Geordan Murphy
Argentina v Namibia: Simon Ward and Scott Hastings
Pool D
Ireland v Canada: Simon Ward and Geordan Murphy
France v Italy: Nick Mullins and Ben Kay
France v Romania: Nick Mullins and Ben Kay
Italy v Canada: Martin Gillingham and Scott Hastings
Ireland v Romania: Miles Harrison and Geordan Murphy
France v Canada: Nick Mullins and David Flatman
Ireland v Italy: Jon Champion, Ben Kay and Geordan Murphy
Canada v Romania: Martin Gillingham and Scott Hastings
Italy v Romania: Martin Gillingham and Shane Williams
Ireland v France: Nick Mullins, Ben Kay and Geordan Murphy
Quarter-Finals
South Africa v Wales: Miles Harrison, Lawrence Dallaglio and Shane Williams
New Zealand v France: Nick Mullins, Ben Kay and David Flatman
Ireland v Argentina: Martin Gillingham, Ben Kay and Alan Quinlan
Australia v Scotland: Jon Champion, David Flatman and Scott Hastings
Semi-Finals
South Africa v New Zealand: Nick Mullins, Lawrence Dallaglio and Shane Williams
Argentina v Australia: Miles Harrison, Ben Kay and David Flatman
Third-Place Playoff
South Africa v Argentina: Miles Harrison, David Flatman and Scott Hastings
Final
New Zealand v Australia: Nick Mullins, Ben Kay and Lawrence Dallaglio
Pool A
England v Fiji: Simon Ward and Andy Gomarsall
Wales v Uruguay: Alastair Eykyn and Alan Quinlan
Australia v Fiji: Gordon Bray and Alan Quinlan
England v Wales: Miles Harrison and Andy Gomarsall
Australia v Uruguay: Gordon Bray and Joel Stransky
Wales v Fiji: Simon Ward and Andy Gomarsall
England v Australia: Miles Harrison and Andy Gomarsall
Fiji v Uruguay: Gordon Bray and Andy Gomarsall
Australia v Wales: Gordon Bray and Alan Quinlan
England v Uruguay: Simon Ward and Andy Gomarsall
Pool B
South Africa v Japan: Gordon Bray and Joel Stransky
Samoa v United States: Gordon Bray and Chris Paterson
Scotland v Japan: Alastair Eykyn and Chris Paterson
South Africa v Samoa: Tony Johnson and Joel Stransky
Scotland v United States: Simon Ward and Chris Paterson
Samoa v Japan: Simon Ward and Alan Quinlan
South Africa v Scotland: Gordon Bray and Chris Paterson
South Africa v United States: Simon Ward and Joel Stransky
Samoa v Scotland: Tony Johnson and Chris Paterson
United States v Japan: Andrew Cotter and Andy Gomarsall
Pool C
Tonga v Georgia: Tony Johnson and Chris Paterson
New Zealand v Argentina: Tony Johnson and Joel Stransky
New Zealand v Namibia: Tony Johnson and Andy Gomarsall
Argentina v Georgia: Andrew Cotter and Alan Quinlan
Tonga v Namibia: Tony Johnson and Andy Gomarsall
New Zealand v Georgia: Tony Johnson and Joel Stransky
Argentina v Tonga: Tony Johnson and Joel Stransky
Namibia v Georgia: Andrew Cotter and Alan Quinlan
New Zealand v Tonga: Tony Johnson and Chris Paterson
Argentina v Namibia: Gordon Bray and Chris Paterson
Pool D
Ireland v Canada: Alastair Eykyn and Alan Quinlan
France v Italy: Miles Harrison and Andy Gomarsall
France v Romania: Simon Ward and Andy Gomarsall
Italy v Canada: Gordon Bray and Chris Paterson
Ireland v Romania: Alastair Eykyn and Alan Quinlan
France v Canada: Gordon Bray and Chris Paterson
Ireland v Italy: Andrew Cotter and Alan Quinlan
Canada v Romania: Tony Johnson and Chris Paterson
Italy v Romania: Alastair Eykyn and Joel Stransky
Ireland v France: Miles Harrison and Alan Quinlan
Quarter-Finals
South Africa v Wales: Andrew Cotter and Joel Stransky
New Zealand v France: Tony Johnson and Andy Gomarsall
Ireland v Argentina: Simon Ward and Andy Gomarsall
Australia v Scotland: Gordon Bray and Chris Paterson
Semi-Finals
South Africa v New Zealand: Tony Johnson and Joel Stransky
Argentina v Australia: Gordon Bray and Andy Gomarsall
Third-Place Playoff
South Africa v Argentina: Simon Ward and Alan Quinlan
Final
New Zealand v Australia: Miles Harrison, Alan Quinlan and Andy Gomarsall