Week One has provided some excellent rugby, dodgy refereeing and unfortunate injuries.
I think we can all unite around Uruguay as WC champions.
Other competitions are also starting up, so cancel all engagements and be prepared to spend your entire weekend and parts of the midweek glued to the screen. Hopefully not literally.
For those of you who lack rugby preparation skills, let me remind you to order in adequate supplies of booze, fags and possibly food.
Exciting rugby on the telly this week
Friday 27th September
| Cheetahs 48 – 14 Glasgow | 18:05 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Ulster 38 – 14 Ospreys | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Leicester 27 – 7 Exeter | 19:45 | BT Sport 2 |
Saturday 28th September
| Argentina 28 – 12 Tonga | 05:45 | ITV |
| Japan 19 – 12 Ireland | 08:15 | ITV |
| South Africa 57 – 3 Namibia | 10:45 | ITV |
| Northampton 32 – 36 Wasps | 15:00 | BT Sport 3 |
| Munster 39 – 3 Drags | 15:00 | Freesports / TG4 |
| Southern Kings 27 – 31 Cardiff Blues | 15:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Scarlets 18 – 10 Connacht | 17:15 | PS2 / S4C / TG4 |
| Treviso 27 – 32 Leinster | 17:15 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Edinburgh 50 – 15 Zebre | 19:35 | Premier Sports 2 |
Sunday 29th September
| Georgia 33 – 7 Uruguay | 06:15 | ITV |
| Australia 25 – 29 Wales | 08:45 | ITV / S4C |
Monday 30th September
| Scotland 34 – 0 Samoa | 11:15 | ITV |
Wednesday 2nd October
| France 33 – 9 USA | 08:45 | ITV4 |
| New Zealand 63 – 0 Canada | 11:15 | ITV4 |
Thursday 3rd October
| Georgia 10 – 45 Fiji | 06:15 | ITV4 |
| Ireland 35 – 0 Russia | 11:15 | ITV |
Ovally Balls 
‘Pro wants free-flowing rugby, but KNOW YOUR PLACE!
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Really want to visit Georgia.
We are moving to Turkey next year, either one of the villages around Bodrum, Kas or Olympos.
Rent the flat here out, rent a house over there and Air B&B part of it if we can. Difference in rent in from Ams and outgoing rent in Turkey should be lucrative enough to minimize the need for work.
Might even get married (although the missus is still technically married in Turkey, so we’ll have to get her ex to sort that out, or Erdogan will have the missus locked up for adultery).
Fly Pegasus has all sorts of cool destinations from Turkey – Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan etc.
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Georgia too powerful all round. Turnover after several promising phases by Uruguay, but they’re in overdrive now. In fact they’re taking care of business quite nicely.
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Feisty Georgian 9 takes on the biggest bloke in the Urpack and teaches him a lesson! I’m slightly misty eyed at the sight!
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* Uruguay pack. Although have been concertina-ed in the scrums somewhat.
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This is exactly what Poite didn’t do the other day.
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And the tournament’s second red card goes to a T2 player in a losing side.
T1 players get cited, T2 players see red.
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Great scrambling defence from Uruguay stops more pain. 8 turnovers won by them. Difference between 33 and a 50 point smacking. Got to be the worst red I think I’ve seen. Refs going from one extreme to the other. DBWR could surely have sorted this before the tournament?
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Got the sound down, so assumed they were looking at a potential high tackle by the lock, not a no-arm tackle by the hooker. Crikey, you have to 100% accurate or you’re off!
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How long before the ball carrier isn’t allowed to lead with the shoulder in defence or hand off a tackler?
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@Pro – do one. Shoulder to the head shouldn’t be happening.
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@Pro: the Bodrum peninsula is lovely, though I won’t go again until Erdogan has gone. Yalikavak is a great spot, though I think it’s pretty expensive these days.
@Refit: I’m a bit torn on that one, though I lean towards your zero tolerance sentiment. It is likely you’ll see multiple cases of slow speed impacts of that nature from pick-and-go phase play, especially close to the line. Otherwise you’re just waving big forwards through. It’s pretty difficult.
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Gave up on that game. Red card for Deebee for lack of accuracy I gather.
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George Gregan just used the word “crackerjack”. Am disappointed Jill Douglas didn’t say “CRACKERJACK!” in response
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Doc playing with the Manics?
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You not heard of Doctor and the Manics?
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@Refit
Yes, I know it shouldn’t happen.
But WR are making an absolute horlicks of enforcing it – it really seems as though officials are scared to call it on the spot in close games involving important teams, yet more likely to spot them in games where the result is already beyond doubt.
Seems to me that most of the tackles that result in citings have occurred when the game was close, and the two reds (the first of which was totally deserved and fair) in games when the result was beyond doubt.
Consistency is important. A citing after the game doesn’t allow the previous opposition to enjoy a numerical advantage.
But this is normal in sport psychology, right? It seems a much bigger call early in a game, or when an incident involves important players?
If the tackle that just saw the Uruguayan sent off occurred in the opening moments of the game that is about to start, it would not surprise me if it was not picked up until after the game.
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A ‘Twice in a lifetime ezperience’ he called it.
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Saw them back in ’98, supporting Reg and the Rockets in Pentyrch.
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This England samurai ad is just embarrassing,
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I think Wales by a few here.
My son wants one of those drums for the back garden.
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USA to play France
1. Fry
2. Taufeete’e
3. Lamositele
4. Brakely
5. Civetta
6. Lamborn
7. Germishuys
8. Dolan
9. Davies
10. McGinty
11. Iosefo
12. Campbell
13. Brache
14. Scully (c)
15. Te’o
16. Fawsitt
17. Kilifi
18. Mullen
19. Peterson
20. Pinkelman
21. de Haas
22. Magie
23. Big Thretton Palamo
Happy with this. Te’o was dangerous with ball in hand against England, and Campbell is more dynamic than Lasike.
Ainuu obviously crocked.
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God, I hate rugby. Aussie are going to do us again
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Big Ken and AWJ singing the anthem has won me round. Wales by 44.
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This is pure porn and should be x-rated.
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Oh, you cheeky bugger Biggar.
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In my experience Welshmen crying during the national anthem means they are bound to lose. AWJ just kept the tears in. Wales by 32.
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Lol watching this game after Japan yesterday is like slow motion
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Drop goal with less than a minute on the clock, after Wales turn over Aus.
0-3
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Bright start by Wales
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That was a brilliant take and drop of the shoulder by Ken.
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Wales are really up for this
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Need more points from this start
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Going to be tries in this game. Both defences look a little porous.
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Hadleigh, you fucking beaut!
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Kinell, it’s all Wales atm
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Parciau!
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Pen advantage and Biggar puts up a bomb in the 22. Parkes rises above Koroibete and gets over the line to score.
0-10
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Wales try
All Wales this game so far
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Biggar misses a 2nd drop. TMO check for a late hit on Biggar.
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That’s worse than the Uruguay one
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How can they say there’s an arm there?
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Maybe I’m biased…
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Hooper with a late shoulder charge on Biggar. Pen only. Think Hooper can count himself lucky it wasn’t yellow.
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Should have been a yellow
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Deliberate, late, unnecessary with a shoulder. How is that not a card?
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Stark difference between Barnes’ reffing and Poite’s.
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“Should have been a yellow”
If only to watch Cheika spontaneously combust
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Wales set piece not going well
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Set piece is a big worry at the moment.
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