Rugby World Cup 2019

Pross

Wayne Plunger wrote:

Michael Leitch seems a funny name for a Japanese person.

Bit like Faletau for a Welshman or Tuilagi / Vunipola for an English person then.

The pleasing thing for me is that after building a side on residency rule players more and more Japanese players are coming through (in the same way Italy did things). I have more of an issue when tier one countries poach the best coming through from tier two countries myself.

tangled_metal

Go back far enough there would be no white man names on the islands of Aotearoa neither. How many people in top flight sport from the nations if the British isles play for the land of a grandparent instead of their parents/ nation if birth?

Does it really matter when you still get good games if international rugby from those nations stolen from? I also think all blacks could quite possibly spare a few top flight sportsmen and still field a world best side come the WC. Not so if England and Wales did that i reckon.

surrey_commuter

Tangled Metal wrote:

Go back far enough there would be no white man names on the islands of Aotearoa neither. How many people in top flight sport from the nations if the British isles play for the land of a grandparent instead of their parents/ nation if birth?

Does it really matter when you still get good games if international rugby from those nations stolen from? I also think all blacks could quite possibly spare a few top flight sportsmen and still field a world best side come the WC. Not so if England and Wales did that i reckon.

Most are on residency grounds. International sport should not be about poaching other countries talent, that is one of the things that make it stand out from club/trade teams. Buying up talent from poorer countries is pretty bad behaviour

Matthewfalle

Pross wrote:

Wayne Plunger wrote:

Michael Leitch seems a funny name for a Japanese person.

Bit like Faletau for a Welshman or Tuilagi / Vunipola for an English person then.

The pleasing thing for me is that after building a side on residency rule players more and more Japanese players are coming through (in the same way Italy did things). I have more of an issue when tier one countries poach the best coming through from tier two countries myself.

yup - exactly.

also no different than Archer the cricketering man.

Stevo_666

Matthewfalle wrote:

Pross wrote:

Wayne Plunger wrote:

Michael Leitch seems a funny name for a Japanese person.

Bit like Faletau for a Welshman or Tuilagi / Vunipola for an English person then.

The pleasing thing for me is that after building a side on residency rule players more and more Japanese players are coming through (in the same way Italy did things). I have more of an issue when tier one countries poach the best coming through from tier two countries myself.

yup - exactly.

also no different than Archer the cricketering man.

Tricky one for you tomorrow MF, given that you've been supporting Australia on the sporting front for the last few weeks. Go convicts!

Matthewfalle

Stevo 666 wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

Pross wrote:

Wayne Plunger wrote:

Michael Leitch seems a funny name for a Japanese person.

Bit like Faletau for a Welshman or Tuilagi / Vunipola for an English person then.

The pleasing thing for me is that after building a side on residency rule players more and more Japanese players are coming through (in the same way Italy did things). I have more of an issue when tier one countries poach the best coming through from tier two countries myself.

yup - exactly.

also no different than Archer the cricketering man.

Tricky one for you tomorrow MF, given that you've been supporting Australia on the sporting front for the last few weeks. Go convicts!

i know - not sure even at this time which way to go. Tricky stuff!

Family over heart?

figbat

crispybug2 wrote:

Jonathan Joseph, the worlds best No. 13...

I know JJ’s father very well. Thought you might like to know I passed your comment on to him. Apparently JJ didn’t think he had that great a game, so maybe more to come...?!

Pross

The high tackle law still being enforced inconsistently. How did Hooper not get at least a yellow for that tackle on Biggar? He could clearly see that Biggar didn't have the ball but then went ahead with the 'tackle' using his shoulder and no arms.

bendertherobot

Biggar tackle was, for me, a yellow. The forearm smash later looked clearly straight to the throat for my money.

Such things may be avoided by not leading with the forearm.

surfercyclist

Well trouble is they are reviewing just about every decision and soon it'll be touch rugby. Hooper lucky not to get yellow but so was Adams, that was as bad. Kerevi never a penalty, how can ball carriers avoid hitting oncoming players and if you review in slo-mo there's dozens of similar incidents.

bendertherobot

You can avoid them by not leading with your forearm.

Pross

bendertherobot wrote:

Biggar tackle was, for me, a yellow. The forearm smash later looked clearly straight to the throat for my money.

Such things may be avoided by not leading with the forearm.

I was giving the benefit of the doubt on that one, thought he may have been going for a hand off without having enough space.

laurentian

crispybug2 wrote:

The world would be a better place if everyone played rugby like Japan

This.

How utterly, utterly marvellous was that? Incredible discipline, unbreakable willpower and no lack of skill all came together. Quite outstanding - I couldn't help but smile for the whole match.

Wales/Aus was a great game . . . Wales look the real deal. I suspect it's now or never for Wales and that they will give this world cup one hell of a lash. As a fan of England, I would rather play any other team in the tournament than Wales.

asprilla

laurentian wrote:

crispybug2 wrote:

The world would be a better place if everyone played rugby like Japan

This.

How utterly, utterly marvellous was that? Incredible discipline, unbreakable willpower and no lack of skill all came together. Quite outstanding - I couldn't help but smile for the whole match.

Wales/Aus was a great game . . . Wales look the real deal. I suspect it's now or never for Wales and that they will give this world cup one hell of a lash. As a fan of England, I would rather play any other team in the tournament than Wales.

I've been waxing lyrical about the way Japan play rugby for 20 years. Previously they didn't have the skills or physical attributes to success, but the way they approached the game was always something I loved. The might lose 100-0 but they were my second favourite team to watch.

Now, they are getting better I really, really, really hope they don't change that approach in order to chase success because the rugby world will be far less interesting as a result.

narbs

I only hope for the good of the tournament that neither Scotland nor Samoa progress any further.

bompington

bendertherobot

Excellent reffing from Barnes today, save that should be 2 reds.

timothyw

I guess you have to recognise that it wouldn't have been a contest at all with the two reds (well, not that it was in any case), but I'd have perhaps gone for a red and yellow.

secretsqirrel

Another red, Argentine down to 14.

bendertherobot

TimothyW wrote:

I guess you have to recognise that it wouldn't have been a contest at all with the two reds (well, not that it was in any case), but I'd have perhaps gone for a red and yellow.

Contests shouldn't come into it. Besides, it was a bit late for it to be a contest.

Pross

This SA v Canada match looks like it's going to be a really embarrassing rout - 3 tries in 10 minutes and Canada look like they've got no answer. The SA 10's kicking routine is the most annoying I've seen, actually got warned to be quicker by the ref which I haven't seen before.

Pross

Try bonus in 17 minutes. This looks like getting over 100 points as the Boks players are looking to become first choice.

Edit - make that 5 tries in 20, length of the field try from the restart, hat trick for the scrum half.

Pross

Scoring rate slowed down, 6 tries with 37 minutes gone but Canada have had a red card. It took them over 20 minutes to have their first carry by which time SA had 5 tries!

Tashman

The comeback is on...

laurentian

All looking easy enough for Scotland.

21 - 0 up at half time vs Russia

poptart242

laurentian wrote:

All looking easy enough for Scotland.

21 - 0 up at half time vs Russia

42 - 0 after 57 minutes. Nothing spectacular from Scotland, just a woeful defensive performance from the Russians.

shirley_basso

Pretty physical Wales - Fiji first half.

Pross

Shirley Basso wrote:

Pretty physical Wales - Fiji first half.

Fiji got off to a flier, Wales gradually getting back in control. Wales possibly lucky to get just a yellow, the Fiji player just about landed on their back not head - didn't get a decent look at the Fiji yellow and the mitigation there.

Pross

Not good for Wales, back behind with another man in bin and Biggar off injured and possibly out of the tournament as he appeared to get knocked out (jogged off the pitch in the end though).

laurentian

Fiji in front gor a short while before Wales score to lead 22-17 . . . Fiji going for it though . . .