Rugby

Christ, Japan’s passing is ridiculously quick isn’t it? Amazing.

Amazing but a lot seem to be forward or very close to it

Semis look like they'll be a hard hitting affair across the board.
Wales need to turn it on to beat SA

Bring on South Africa. Need to finally deliver a performance.

Deep bow to Japan. They are / will be a formidable force.

But Japan was good prep for this WC. Looking forward to the finals against the ABs.

IMO Vahaamina is not fully responsible for the loss. It was stupid for sure, but it wasn't him that hi the posts on two shots, that gave the ball for an easy try for wales, and certainly wasn't him that chosed to keep the scrum with 7 men in front of our own tryline that lead to Wales' try
EDIT: I was saying earlier that NZ was probably not in best form, was stunned in front of the game against Ireland. If Slade is in better form or if they align Ford with Farell on 12, maybe England will be even better than on saturday. Quite like Underhill and Curry, strong pair! It will be a huge game NZvsEng

Am gutted to realise I'm on a flight @ 9am on Saturday. Balls.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50121693

So, this is amusing and what's the real issue here? Mocking the player he'd sent off. In context I'm sure there was no harm intended and actually he's showing a human 'rugby' side

Disappointed for France, they were the better team, but only have themselves to blame. The game was won with that scrum in Wales' 22, if they'd put in a number 8. France being France...

I didn't rate Slade for England. Does good stuff, but coughs up the ball, misses tackles, poor positioning. I'd revert to Ford and Farrell, for Ford's game management, bring in Nowell if he's 100%, and move Watson to full back.

South Africa should beat Wales, but they look limited.

In isolation I am disappointed as France played better yesterday but compared to France Wales have been punching well above their weight for the last 10 years and their consistency in beating some of the SH giants and all of the 6N teams in the last few seasons means I can't really begrudge them that result.

I absolutely didn't get the no 8 in the French scrum; so obvious even the commentators picked it up. There was no one to control the ball, it was always going to shoot out. Packing down without a flanker is commonplace but without a number 8, how, erm, Avant Garde

I don't get the issue either? Whys it so SHOCKING (Express newspaper overdramatised) and people CANNOT BELIEVE THEIR EYES

Exactly...just let us know 'why?' Any excuse to be outraged

Strange... It was the right call as it was blatantly illegal. It was not premeditated nor vindictive.

Having a light hearted moment with fans afterwards is exactly that.... A light hearted moment afterwards.

France should've won, but they fucked up. Simples. Don't begrudge the ref cause you're unhappy over your players foul play.

Bunch of wet blankets

Meh, just some deflection tactics from the French board. There's no story here, but he won't get any more games because optics.

Our people seem to focus on the picture from Peyper to try and forget the fact that we completely fucked up the game OURSELVES with poor tactics and blatant errors. We could have won any day even with the red with a little more brain. I bet someone like Serge Simon is so irritated to realize we're fucking dumb that he tries to blame the referee for something that insignificant. It is not like Joubert that robbed both France and Scotland on 2 world cup isn't it?

Personally I'v got no problem with the picture at all, if it can help our players in general to be less dumb regarding to game plan, game management, and player situational/ tactical awareness then I'm happy it came out.
Very dumb and poor error from Vaha, just hope that it will benefit him in the future and that not everyone will try to bury him, he's not that disciplined when he plays but I am not sure it is a player that is as mean/limited as Lavanini for example who seem to get a red almost every year. We don't have many options on second row, and even less with his profile, so just hoping he will progress and that's all!
Most of us ourselves did not think we would reach quarter finals anyway, why everyone's being so angry?

Where was the red haired back five player (very young, possibly Lyon captain) who looked great in the 6N?

Lambey, he is indeed playing for Lyon. Considered in the squad during the WC preparation but dropped and not taken into the squad afterwards. I quire rate him I think he's not the strongest and would suffer against a very strong pack, but has a great mindset and has good ball carrying, passing and line-out skills, and compensate with good tackle technique quite low.
I thought it was a pity to drop him and keep Leroux as I am really not a fan of Leroux, but he did surprise me yesterday I have to admit, he played a strong game.

We have some second row that are good club players, but I think not many that can pretend to be constantly international-level players.
Another example to illustrate both our lack of important second row players and our great managing ideas, Brunel made Iturria who is a very good player change position at Clermont last season 2018/2019 (from second row to backrow), with mostly success as he was pretty good ; then during the WC preparation considered him back in second row to end by judging that he's not good enough at second row... a position that they asked his club to make him change.
Similar to insisting on trying regularly players on the wing that are not wingers (like Fickou for example, whereas as an example he was good at his position of centre yesterday).
Tbf they also had good ideas as they are the ones that made Penaud switch from centre to wing (and he was good but I guess he also would have been at centre position)

Thanks for that info, interesting read. Obviously you've seen much more of Lambey but actually I remember his surprising power given his wirey frame (a bit like a tall skinny Hamish Watson) and bigger forwards struggling to make 'first up' tackles on him - probably largely due to his good footwork as well as strength

Strong choices on both sides: Cane goes on the bench, Hansen places Barett on backrow (would be interesting to know why) ; Jones install back Ford-Farell-Tuilagi and slade goes back to the bench.
Apparently Slade did not entirely convince jones! They have pretty similar bench combination on both sides. Looking forward to the game

Barrett to counter England's strong ball carrying and to pinch lineout, I reckon. Then Cane to up the tempo in the second half.

Tuilagi to get more change out of the midfield at 13 than he does at 12 is a good move. But both of the NZ centres are hard as nails, so it's all relative!

Eddie's gameplan to go big in the first 40 and then hold on. Expect funny lineouts from England to try to nullify their multitude of world-class jumpers.

I predict NZ by a converted score, but I hope not.

Yes I think Barett is here to bring density but moving him to the back row is kind of a bold move, England pack is pretty strong but they have some very quick players too. An Cane isn't know for being skinny too, but I think due to Savea intense activity it is not necessary to have Cane also on the field and I believe if Hansen did it he must be confident in the organization of the AB defensive system (I would be too tbh haha). I agree moving Tuilagi to 13 is a good move though!

Kolbe is out for sunday, that's too bad even if he did not get many ball to express last sunday

I absolutely can't call the England game - I'm trying to think of all the rational reasons the ABs will comfortably best England but I can't, and in a combined XV I'd have a 7/8 split one way or the other.

Really looking forward to it. Incidentally, is there a 3rd place game?

Really looking forward to it. Incidentally, is there a 3rd place game?

Yes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Rugby_World_Cup#Bronze_final

In some amazingly bad timing I will be watching horses dance rather than watching the rugby tomorrow.