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 
Well done Wales, commiserations Australia. That photo is hilarious. Also, Cheika doesn’t ‘know the rules’ anymore. That’s cos they’re law’s you doofus!!!
Francis free to play on too.
Good Sunday.
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So, on a Sunday afternoon with all the dust settled on the first week of action, where do the teams stand? My thoughts:
Australia have started slowly in both matches so far and a more disciplined and fitter Fiji would have beaten them, just as Wales hung on. Will make it out of the group, anything beyond that will be a fucking miracle!
Wales look to have Pool D sewn up and will face either Argentina or France in the QF, so a semi is theirs for the taking. Skipper and North seem to have the semi well in grasp already.
Group C is England’s already, with just a couple of tasty morsels in France and Argentina to navigate before picking over the bones of what’s left of Australia.
Argentina and France are engaged in a tight battle for 2nd, with the victor ‘rewarded’ with a QF against Wales. End of the line for them, unless Wales lose a couple of key players like AWJ, North, Navidi etc.
Pool B sees Italy finish the week with a full house! They’ve only battered the minnows though and face the Boks next up. Highly unlikely that they’ll repeat the heroics of 2016, so will rely on New Zealand, who haven’t won since beating the Boks, to slump out. Not gonna happen.
The Kiwis will top the group (yawn) and face one of Ireland, Scotland or Japan in the semi. Hopefully Ireland, although they’ll win that easily enough.
The Boks looked no more than decent against a committed Namibia, but will make it to the QF. Possibly Japan? They duffed Japan 41-7 a couple of weeks ago, but it won’t be that easy again. Still, draw looking good for everyone’s lovable rogues.
Group A is brilliant! Japan suddenly the team to beat and having seen off Ireland and Russia, a bonus point win against Samoa almost guarantees them a QF, with a win against Scotland seeing up the group. Let’s all hope so.
Ireland to finish 2nd and leave it all on the field in an epic win against New Zealand. Hurrah!
Next update is next Sunday.
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* there may be one or two minor contradictions above but I’m typing on my phone with no glasses other than several of red wine. So don’t be picky. Just a cept the gospel.
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So Wales have to make sure they beat Fiji and then it’s France, Japan and Aus again in the final .
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CMW – you only play against 1 team in the final.
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Never write off what DBWR have got up their sleeve.
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DCI – congrats on Sale turning over Sarries! A right sash-windowing, too.
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Nice Sunday update, Deebee.
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Erk! Has the Prem started? I haven’t had any ‘bru reminders.
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Wow, just watched that game, brilliant Test rugby. Well done Wales.
Really like the ITV coverage,can watch a live game on catch up without any hints or links to the result.
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That picture is a worry. There could be some serious problems within the group. it was only a few months since the below picture. Makes me thnk AWJ is a bit of a playa.
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@Iks
It’s the ‘Premiership Cup’ – the league season starts in a couple of weeks.
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@Iks – It’s the Premiership Cup, previously the Anglo-Welsh Cup (before the Welsh fucked off). The league doesn’t kick off until 18th Oct.
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@Tomp – previously it was Anscombe. AWJ just has a lot of love to give:
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I was disappointed with how little time the studio guests had to chat about the game at oranges and at the end. I saw more of Brian Fucking Blessed™️ than Michael Lynagh.
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‘Feeling rash and have an itch you need to scratch?’
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Ah, good to know I haven’t missed anything.
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It’s ITV – what do you expect? Although, being ITV it does mean:
1. No Inverdale and therefore
2. Less time bringing England in to every conversation about all the other teams
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@Thaum,
Thanks – good to know..
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@avs,
Cheers! Unfortunately it’s only the Premiership Cup, but still…
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A long read but interesting: https://www.the42.ie/analysis-ireland-japan-lead-shock-4829369-Sep2019/
One for the ‘pro:
“Ireland finally box-kicked for the first time in the game in the 48th minute”
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Great article Tomp. I’d just add that it almost seemed like Japan were bullying Ireland at times and won the physical battle.
Didn’t expect that.
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@Tomp – I’m eagerly awaiting Squidge Rugby’s analysis of the match. Hopefully it will be out tomorrow. (Also, he’s now moved to Vimeo as the RWC lawyers are taking down everything on youtube.)
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Pele Cowley Is on the bench for Samoa later this morning/evening, he is the cousin of Scotland winger Sean ‘Treacle’ Maitland
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Good morning, and good luck, Scotland…
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Morning all! So it’s Scotland-Samoa in a must win match for both sides! Samoa win and it’s goodbye Scotland, but a Scottish win and a bonus point leaves the group absolutely open – especially if Samoa get a bonus point (or two). I’m hoping for a thunderous match, but without too many stoppages for illegal hits and scuffles.
Samoan brutality (in a positive sense, if there is one) against Scottish desperation could make for one of the best matches in the pool stages. This is why we love rugby!
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Morning all.
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Weather forecast seems reasonable, little or no rain.
Samoa will have to massively improve on their performances over the last 18 months to have a chance today. Perhaps being together for a while longer might see some coherence, but I’m expecting a flurry of Samoan tackle cards, unfortunately.
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Morning, Herr Iks! Unfortunately I think you’re probably right. I’m hoping against hope that they manage to put in a full 80 minutes without playing with 14 (or 13) for large parts. Not confident of that though!
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Without wanting to get ahead of today’s all important match (but going right ahead anyway), there are some potential blowouts in store this week. New Zealand-Canada, Ireland-Russia, Australia-Uruguay and New Zealand-Namibia could all be hammerings of between 60 and 80 or more points. I reckon the Kiwis will probably get closest to three-figure whuppings, whilst a grim, unsmiling Ireland could really paste Russia after THAT loss. Uruguay have probably played their match of the tournament, and I would expect the Aussies to pound them after the loss to Wales.
One thing I haven’t seen mentioned here is just how rapid Keith Earls is in chasing down the Japanese player who intercepted late in the day – made sure Ireland at least got a losing bonus point, which could be decisive come the end of the pool stages.
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Deebs – Keith Earls is pretty fast. Have we discussed this before?
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Cardiff legend.
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Craigs – searing pace is how I would describe it. Electrifying. Did the same thing against Italy last year too, grinning all the while.
Can all yon Scots please come out from behind the sofas?
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@Deebee
Earls is indeed pretty rapid and good at chasing people down.
It’s more or less his only involvement nowadays, apart from chasing box kicks and the occasional high kick to the corner on penalty advantage close to the opposition line.
I wonder if Ireland will chuck the ball around a bit against Russia?
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Bollocks. Have to teach my class for the exact two hours that USA v France is on.
Minded to cancel but skint after three weeks holiday.
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great weekend of rugby. Wales might just be contenders I reckon. Mighty impressive yesterday.
And Japan. Bloody love Japan.
On a more boring note I’ve still not seen anything to suggest anyone is going to trouble the ABs.
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It’s all very straight forward, as the Offside Line shows
If Ireland beat Samoa and Russia with bonus points, they will finish with 16 points and will, at worst, qualify for the quarter-finals as second placed team in Pool A.
If Scotland win all three remaining games with bonus points, they will end up on 15 points.
In which case, if Japan beat Samoa with a bonus point, but lose to Scotland without a bonus point, they will have 14 points and finish third in the pool and miss out on the quarter-finals.
If Japan beat Samoa with a bonus point then pick up a single bonus point in defeat against Scotland (for finishing within seven points or scoring four tries), they will end up on 15 points, at which stage Scotland will still go through in second place on the head-to-head rule.
If Japan beat Samoa with a bonus point then pick up two bonus points in defeat against Scotland (for finishing within seven points and scoring four tries), they will end up on 16 points and ahead of Scotland.
Alternatively, if Scotland register bonus-point wins over Samoa and Russia then beat Japan without a bonus point, but also prevent the Japanese getting a bonus point, both teams will have 14 points and Scotland will go through on the head-to-head rule.
But if Scotland register bonus-point wins over Samoa and Russia then beat Japan without a bonus point leaving them on 14 points, while Japan pick up a bonus point in that game to finish on 15 points, then the host nation will go through.
https://www.theoffsideline.com/rwc2019-stuart-mcinally-insists-that-scotland-wont-be-distracted-by-bonus-points/
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“straight forward”
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It is going to be pretty shit if Japan win 3 games and don’t qualify for the second tournament in a row.
Don’t think the side that knocks them out will get much love from the neutrals.
Anyone else noticed that DBWR don’t show any of the high tackles in their highlights and are purging the internet of any videos of them?
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I really hope that doesn’t happen to Japan again. Though it does look quite likely.
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The real shame is that Japan didn’t take the margin beyond 7. I was hoping for a drop goal off that last scrum.
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I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Japan make all the arthritic null and void by simple winning their two remaining games.
Disappointed but not surprised.
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@Pro
It’s more or less his only involvement nowadays, apart from chasing box kicks and the occasional high kick to the corner on penalty advantage close to the opposition line.
Uncle Joe’s choosing, not King Keith’s, surely?
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I can sniff another upset today.
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Scotland might just ruin Samoa’s unbeaten record.
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Good start by Scotland! Thought the ref blew that a bit early.
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Eek
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Deliberate knock down?
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What’s happening?? I cant watch. Again.
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