RWC 2019

[Ruckedtobits]

What a pity that the draw didn't give Japan a shot at Wales in the Q/F. They might give SA a run but they would surely come close to beating the Taffs, based on their respective performances thus far.

IMO, they have graduated from Tier 2 and now only need regular decent competition to copper-fasten their place in the top Tier of world rugby.

[Dave Cahill]

Its interesting how the usual birther types in the media are quiet on Japan

[MylesNaGapoleen]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/a ... d=12276491

NZ seem confident....bookies aren't giving us much hope either. much prefer that to going in with a good chance!
Need a few of our players to play out of their skins again..like POM last nov, who was immense in that game.

ENG V AUS
England favourites but haven't had a tough test yet....would love cheika to come out top with that one, but, they haven't really impressed so far. WC 2015 I think was the last time they beat england. Love the way the English media are already calling the ABs as their semi final opponent!!!
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/rugby/ ... 60686.html
Twould be a real shame if they didn't get passed australia.

[Pilotman123]

Bundee Aki is out!!!
For the rest of the World Cup!!

[Oldschool]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/a ... d=12276491

NZ seem confident....bookies aren't giving us much hope either. much prefer that to going in with a good chance!
Need a few of our players to play out of their skins again..like POM last nov, who was immense in that game.

ENG V AUS
England favourites but haven't had a tough test yet....would love cheika to come out top with that one, but, they haven't really impressed so far. WC 2015 I think was the last time they beat england. Love the way the English media are already calling the ABs as their semi final opponent!!!
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/rugby/ ... 60686.html
Twould be a real shame if they didn't get passed australia.

I really don't want another SH winning the RWC again.
So I don't care, after Ireland, who from the NH wins it.
On that basis I want England to stuff Australia.

[Oldschool]

Its interesting how the usual birther types in the media are quiet on Japan

Not sure what you mean by "birthed" but I would pose one question.
Do you seriously believe that any team in the world can stop Ireland scoring for approx 65mins in a game.
I don't in case you're wondering.
Ireland roared into a 12 point, two try start and then miraculously the wheels came off.
I don't believe in miracles either.
Were I SA I would be concerned because at the very least their game (like England's 2003 RWC final) could be a damned close run thing, depending on the referee.

[Twist]

Its interesting how the usual birther types in the media are quiet on Japan

I was thinking that too (Ewan being an exception. He’s fightin’ mad). Added to this, its pretty much contra Japanese policy regarding immigration to be represented by a team with so many players born abroad. They’re quite sceptical about it by western standards.

Its not that long since their Prime Minister said Japan was "a country of one race, one civilization, one language and one culture". Id be interested to read any articles on Japanese attitudes to having a fairly diverse team, like the ones written about the French soccer teams.


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[Twist]

Its interesting how the usual birther types in the media are quiet on Japan

Not sure what you mean by "birthed" but I would pose one question.
Do you seriously believe that any team in the world can stop Ireland scoring for approx 65mins in a game.
I don't in case you're wondering.
Ireland roared into a 12 point, two try start and then miraculously the wheels came off.
I don't believe in miracles either.
Were I SA I would be concerned because at the very least their game (like England's 2003 RWC final) could be a damned close run thing, depending on the referee.

I keep saying this but the rules around the breakdown are simply not being applied to them


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[Morf]

Its interesting how the usual birther types in the media are quiet on Japan

14 out of 31 with Leitsch and Matsushima not counted.

Pretty far off Tier 1 standards.

[thepunter]

If you think this is bad (England and New Zealand and the hosts having a few miles shaved off their marathons, and everyone else having to run the full 26.2 miles), wait until England get Garces for their quarter against Australia.

Then all doubt will be removed, and the blind shall finally see .

England
v
Australia
Oita Stadium, Japan
19 Oct 2019
4.15pm

Referee
Jérôme Garcès (France)
Assistant 1
Romain Poite (France)
Assistant 2
Mathieu Raynal (France)
TMO
Ben Skeen (New Zealand

[thepunter]

Joking aside

I put the stats up for Garces in May here when Garces got the Final for the Heineken final and sarries, after reffing the semi final v munster, where he was roundly condemned from media and fans alike. Over 90% for Sarries and England, in all games, since going pro.

England rugby do not care how obvious it is, they are hell bent on 'success'. And no one calls them on it. The only person 've ever seen question it in the media is Matt Williams after Joubert (NZ's hitman before PoB left the reffing panel) and the world cup final v france.

Here's Garces stats.

http://forum.leinsterfans.com/viewtopic ... 40#p744116

It's all absolutely rotten to the core. Australia are going to have to pull out a miracle to win.

[Xanthippe]

Its interesting how the usual birther types in the media are quiet on Japan

14 out of 31 with Leitsch and Matsushima not counted.

Pretty far off Tier 1 standards.

Here's the list of 'Foreign Born' players selected by each of the 20 finalists - it's sorted by the number who qualify on residency rather than parentage which is probably the 'fairer' way to judge.

For example, if you just list 'foreign born' players then Tonga and Samoa are the worst offenders with 19 and 18 respectively, but that doesn't take in to account that all 19 of the Tongans have Tongan parents and of the Samoans 17 have Samoan parents and one has a Samoan grandparent - whereas Japan's total of 16 includes 5 New Zealanders, 5 Tongans, 2 South Africans and one each from Australia, Samoa and South Korea



Of the 12 teams with residency qualified players - 9 are Tier 1 teams
Of the 8 teams with no residency qualified players 7 are Tier 2 teams

The 60 residency qualified players are from the following countries:

New Zealand	15
South Africa	13
Tonga		9
Fiji		7
Australia	3
Samoa		3
England		2
Ireland		2
Zimbabwe	2
Guinea-Bissau	1
Algeria		1
Papua NewGuinea 1
Scotland	1

[thepunter]

For my next trick, I predict Poite will get the Final - "we have a deal".

Anatomy of a sham.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7QPqLnbP80

Watch the look after he gets a word in his ear at 2.06. After saying conclusively, penalty, when all machinations/interpretations have been exhausted. He was told something, then he muddles through an explanation to Read and gives a scrum.

After consulting the TMO Ayoub, and standing with Peyper, and deciding then correctly it is a penalty, because the player in front 'plays' the ball. He then says :

"OUI JEROME" (garces)

at 1 min 59 on the tape, finger goes to ear. Garces is completely out of the picture during all previous discussions, on the other side of the field. That changes his mind. Poite's brain is then in overdrive, he looks down at the ground.

Oops, Freudian slip time after 90_ minutes of being on field and being exhasusted, and swapping out of his native language

" We have a deal....er, we have a deal about the ...aaaah, offside..."

Awards scrum.

Presuming they didn't promise him a brand new head of hair from the Belgravia, what do you reckon the deal was?

Yes, I have zero proof, acknowledged. And garces would have to have been able to ok the decision to give him the final, or got it in his ear from someone else...but something was said. And why was Jerome in on it anyway, after peyper, poite, and Ayoub had decided.

sh!t's like Fair city.

[Ruckedtobits]

Caught some of BJ Botha being interviewed by Donners on his RTE 2 radio show and he claimed that SA, with a 6:2 split on the bench, will totally overpower Japan and win well. He was very emphatic that the SA scrum, line-out and maul will strangle the Japanese speed and the SA defence will squeeze the life out of any residual attacks.

Should be a really interesting contrast in styles!

[Oldschool]

Caught some of BJ Botha being interviewed by Donners on his RTE 2 radio show and he claimed that SA, with a 6:2 split on the bench, will totally overpower Japan and win well. He was very emphatic that the SA scrum, line-out and maul will strangle the Japanese speed and the SA defence will squeeze the life out of any residual attacks.

Should be a really interesting contrast in styles!

Did he mention the 16th (crowd) and 17th(ref, whoever he might be) men?
Is that on player by any chance and can you remember which program.

[Ruckedtobits]

Caught some of BJ Botha being interviewed by Donners on his RTE 2 radio show and he claimed that SA, with a 6:2 split on the bench, will totally overpower Japan and win well. He was very emphatic that the SA scrum, line-out and maul will strangle the Japanese speed and the SA defence will squeeze the life out of any residual attacks.

Should be a really interesting contrast in styles!

Did he mention the 16th (crowd) and 17th(ref, whoever he might be) men?
Is that on player by any chance and can you remember which program.

Programme was Game On and interview was from about 7.05 pm till about 7.35 pm. Don't know whether it is on RTE Player.

[olaf the fat]

England
NZ
Japan
Wales

Would make for interesting SF's

[Oldschool]

England
NZ
Japan
Wales

Would make for interesting SF's

No it wouldn't!

[olaf the fat]

Agh come on - us knocking over england - we get that nearly every year! same old same old.

Traditaional down beat day before vibe will be replaced by frenzied upbeat WE WILL DO IT matchday vibe...

[Fan with smartphone]

The English players behind the goals, who run on to celebrate the tries, are at times more onside than their defensive line.