Here comes the World Cup! Oh, and an English Premiership Cup match too.
Exciting rugby on the telly this week
Friday 20th September
| Japan 30 – 10 Russia | 11:45 | ITV / S4C |
Saturday 21st September
| Australia 39 – 21 Fiji | 05:45 | ITV |
| France 23 – 21 Argentina | 08:15 | ITV |
| New Zealand 23 – 13 S Africa | 10:45 | ITV |
| Exeter 28 – 14 Bath | 15:15 | BT Sport 3 |
Sunday 22nd September
| Italy 47 – 22 Namibia | 06:15 | ITV |
| Ireland 27 – 3 Scotland | 08:45 | ITV |
| England 35 – 3 Tonga | 11:15 | ITV |
Monday 23rd September
| Wales 43 – 14 Georgia | 11:15 | ITV / S4C |
Tuesday 24th September
| Russia 9 – 34 Samoa | 11:15 | ITV4 |
Wednesday 25th September
| Fiji 27 – 30 Uruguay | 06:15 | ITV4 |
Thursday 26th September
| Italy 48 – 7 Canada | 08:45 | ITV4 |
| England 45 – 7 USA | 11:45 | ITV |
Ovally Balls 
Had spurious meeting in our student bar so saw that “Tackle”. Red all the way. The PI sides seem to get a lot of leniency for excessive bosh.
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Possibly the title of the sequel to Chimpie’s sex tape.
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Expro’s guide to Team USA to play Champions-elect on Thursday:
Front row:
Both props have started European ‘Big’ Cup games for their clubs (Toulouse and Saracens). Ainuu is one of the youngest players in the tournament.
Hooker Joe Taufeete’e is huge, and is the world record try scorer for a front rower, despite only having 20 off caps.
Second row:
Ben Landry had trials as a tight end for Seattle Seahawks, so is fast and athletic. He’s in ahead of Greg Peterson for his tackling and mobility. Nick Civetta didn’t cut the mustard at Newcastle so plays at Doncaster. He’s very tall.
Back row:
Tony Lamborn is a kiwi and has been in the Hurricanes squad. Currently at the Rebels.
John Quill grew up in Ireland and is very experienced.
Cam Dolan was at Saints and Cardiff but didn’t get many starts. He was seen more as a but too much Pierre Spies and not enough Billy Vunipola, apparently. He is very quick and has played 7s.
Halfbacks:
Shaun Davies moved to US as a teenager from SA. Decent box kick, not much of a running game.
AJ McGinty is a Tier One level FH playing for a Tier Two team.
Centres:
Paul Lasike grew up in NZ, went to Utah University on a rugby scholarship (he’s a Mormon) and ended up switching to football and eventually playing as fullback for the Chicago Bears. He is an absolute unit, almost as wide as he is tall with a low centre of gravity.
Marcel Brache is the elusive foil to Lasike’s power. He has been at the Western Force for years and has captained them. Normally plays wing for the US.
Back three:
Martin Iosefo is a surprise selection. He is a centre for the USA 7s team. He is fast and strong with a ridiculous step. A mate of mine has coached him and reckons he can be a top XVs player.
Scully is not the fastest or flashiest winger. However he is a great defender and insanely committed under the high ball.
Will Hooley is the Bedford fly half and has played for England U20. Gary Gold likes a second playmaker at 15. Hooley does this well but is not the fastest in space.
Bench:
Irish born front rowers Mullen and Fawsitt are among the very best in the MLR. Olive Kilifi is a big unit but a surprise selection for me.
Greg Peterson is an Aussie who has played for Glasgow and is now at Bordeaux. He is big.
Hanco Germishuys moved to Nebraska from SA as a child. His nickname is ‘The Terminator’ as he is an athletic freak who scores a lot. Very fit.
Ruben de Haas is a young SA raised SH who plays at the Cheetahs.
Bryce Campbell usually starts at 13 for the US. He is a hard running centre who plies his trade at London Irish.
Mike Te’o is really interesting. He has the physique of a hooker, but the speed of a wing. Has played 9, 11, 14 and 15 for the US. Runs kicks back from deep with ludicrous sidesteps. Because he is tubby defenders seem to worry more about his support runners until he hits the gas and carves them up.
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That’s me convinced. USA by 10.
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Samoa are shit. And lucky with the charge down.
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Scotland are going to mangle these two. They’re both shit.
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Didn’t see this.
Yes. And it’s a really good one. After you cross over the lake after the Winter Lantern (fuckers), don’t turn left to Amy, keep going up the hill, kill the beast and there’s a Cthulu type lift up to the start.
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This game is definitely going to see a red.
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No RWC counts unless there is at least 1 all in brawl during round robin play
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Looked like a punch thrown by the Samoan in that skirmish. They’re not finishing with 15 on the pitch.
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Why are Samoa so shit? They’ve got some fine players in that team.
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Hagrid says it’s been a tough day for Samoa. It’s been anything but, they should be down to 13.
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Dipped toes into Brexit Land on FB.
It’s all Soros paid the judges! Corrupt elite! C’mon Nige!
These poor pensioners have been radicalised to the point of madness.
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Also, come on, Russia. Definitely the neutral’s team in this game now.
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I honestly don’t understand the right’s Soros paranoia.
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@Utna-
Wasn’t there a bit of a brawl in one of the earlier games? I want to say France v Argentina, but I may be imagining things.
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Someone called Danie has tweeted the Supersport studio here saying it’s a fantastic game, with both sides giving their all. A chilling insight into the expectations of South African fans.
@Pro – Marcel Brache couldn’t cut it at the useless Stormers so went to Australia to find his natural level. He really looks good in the Aussie derbies.
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@ENZO
The guys who run rugby in Samoa make ZanuPF look competent and financially responsible. At the last RWC the team management were out on the lash every night, apparently.
People spent all the money on themselves, coaches and players quit, morale is at rock bottom. The government got involved and made everything worse. Players don’t really fancy it.
Training facilities are poor too.
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@Cat
Just a bit of push and shove after the whistle. Handbags at 10 paces (if that phrase is still allowed)
I’m looking for something more like Canada vs SA in ’95
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@CAT
It is because he is Jewish.
The far right always end up hating the Jews.
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Pro, none of that stuff helps but the players are playing for the country (and themselves) at a World Cup and not getting on with coaches and management means you won’t be as good as you can be, but doesn’t mean you should be rubbish. They have a XV on the pitch which has some real quality backed up by a lot of good or decent professionals. Amazing to see the state of them.
Fair play to Russia, though. They emptied the tank on Friday and performing even better today.
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So a seatbelt tackle as a player grounds the ball gets the same punishment as a shoulder to the head tackle.
Poite is a bellend.
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That was the correct decision that time, Pro, but I take your point
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Samoa heeding Larry’s pep-talk.
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Just read this 😀
“Apparently until 1998, the law Boris broke would result in execution as punishment.
Fortunately, the European Court of Human rights stepped in to remove that – lucky for him”
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Russia are kaput now
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@ENZO
in my opinion while Fiji are still producing super freak rugby athletes, Samoa and Tonga have a lot of players of average ability knocking around. Plenty of big, slow, lumbering unfit types seem to be in their squads.
The off field stuff has corroded the teams unity and that shows in a lack of organization and cohesiveness.
So:
Politics + financial woes + bad coaching + too many average players >>>> the good players they do have*
*who look much better playing for better teams
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This has gone all sorts of fugly for plucky Russia,
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Kind of odd that Russia are playing their second game while other teams are yet to play one. (US, CAN, URU)
Not that I see any way of that not happening.
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Poite really is such a bellend.
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I dedicate this to Boris Johnson
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Bloke from Birmingham on mailonline is now relishing the fate of all the young remainers who will be conscripted into the EU army and sent to fight Russia AND China.
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@expro
it’s you isn’t it?
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Nah. I wind the Brexiters up by posting from Mein Kampf and Goebbels and seeing how many of them agree passionately without knowing.
Goebbels’s thoughts on the necessity of government embodying the popular will goes down a treat.
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Lunchtime touch rugby update:
Rugby World Cup fever has reached new heights in south Wales (today’s match called off due to lack of interest).
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Sounds productive Pro.
What a mess we’re in.
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Following the usual review of matches, the match officials team recognise that performances over the opening weekend of Rugby World Cup 2019 were not consistently of the standards set by World Rugby and themselves, but World “Rugby is confident of the highest standards of officiating moving forward.
“Elite match officials are required to make decisions in complex, high-pressure situations and there have been initial challenges with the use of technology and team communication, which have impacted decision-making. These are already being addressed by the team of 23 match officials to enhance consistency.
“Given this proactive approach, a strong team ethic and a superb support structure, World Rugby has every confidence in the team to ensure that Rugby World Cup 2019 delivers the highest levels of accurate, clear and consistent decision-making
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/24/rugby-world-cup-referees-japan
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Anyone seen the tie Bercow is wearing today? Man is a sartorial god.
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Part of the reason I’ve not been around is that we’ve successfully moved in to own house and the transition has been fucking awful for FEFH. Poor little bugger.
First up, he had to come back from Scotland, where he’d been for 6 weeks, so that was a trauma
Then there was moving to a more disciplined classroom environment
Then there was new TA support (the old one left)
Then new childminder.
He’s trying hard, but he’s really struggling at the moment. His sleep has gone completely to pot, although the melatonin is still getting him to bed.
Anyhoo, Bucks council, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to cut his funding because of the “progress” he’s made at his school. He’s wildly exceeded expectations (everyone was bracing themselves), and is generally doing much better than anyone predicted. So they cut his funding. The wankers.
He’s started mini-rugby on the weekend. I’m pretty certain he hasn’t got a fucking clue what’s going on, but he enjoys running around, and passing the ball, so it’s all fine.
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Missed out that he was moved into a new house. Fuckssakes, cat you moron.
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Oh Dog, why is Billy V starting again on Thursday? Bad idea.
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I didn’t see most of the match. But I did see world rugby admitting the refs have been shite. Maybe they should feed Poite to my chickens as an example.
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Thanks for the tip Cat, and hope it’s just an adjustment period for fefh.
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Dang – even an older prop beat me to the breakdown.
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@DAB
The USA have a few big units. England will need a bit of bulk to create a winning platform.
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@Craigs- Me too. We (finally) got his speech assessment back today too. Outstanding vocab on individual words. Shit speech overall.
I’m glad we waited a year for that piece of startlingly obvious information.
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@Expro – in which case, he should have been rested vs Tonga. He looks knackered at the best of times, let alone playing two tests in 5 days.
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@Dab
The argument goes, I suppose, that Tonga is a team of Big Units too, so he’s definitely needed against them.
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@Cat Every team has big units. If we can’t beat lower tier sides featuring big units without Billy V playing at all times, we are utterly screwed.
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It’s a long rest till the next game. Maybe Eddie wants Billy match fit.
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