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 
That’ll settle some nerves. Scotland 3-0 up courtesy of Wee Greig. Playing with good purpose thus far: good line speed, strong in the tackle and moving it wide with pace and accuracy.
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Messy start.
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Samoa’s handling is all a bit wobbly at the moment. Much of it due to good Scottish pressure.
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Thought it was an 11:45 kick off!
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And glistening and slippery.
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Dell off. Samoa’s 8 went off earlier too, not sure if – yes he’s back. Thanks Director!
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Project Player Pulverised! Penalty Samoa! Pace too hot for the McBoks – one off, one folding.
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Ugh. Fumblefingers
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That attempted chip by the Samoan 9 was one of the worst ideas I have ever seen, and the execution was even worse.
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And glistening and slippery
Keep talking dirty to me.
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Too much chuck aboutery ffs
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Scottish ball handling much better than Samoa’s.
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Not sure Japan will be particularly worried by either side going off the first 20 minutes of this one.
Pretty sure I’ve played in better quality games against the likes of Old Wanktonians 4th XV
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Decent 1st 20 from Scotland, although those couple of early linebreaks seem to make them think it’s 7z.
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This is shit
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Conditions are not suiting the game both teams are trying to play.
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Finn fumbles, Samoa rumbles, ball tumbles, game stumbles.
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Definitely a contender for worst half of rugby in the tournament so far.
It does look pretty wet/difficult conditions but then part of good rugby is playing the conditions I.e. not having a 7z chuckaround when it’s like this!
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That’s a big save from Ritchie.
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Jeez. I’m stealthily watching the game on the phone at work and literally every time I’ve glanced down the first thing I see is a knock on and scrum.
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Great break down the right by Scotland, but lack of support and Samoa could have been away if they hadn’t knocked on.
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Aaargh.
Just go for mauls. Passing obviously isn’t working
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BBC commentary is really positive about Scotland. Opposite of what I’m reading here.
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Finally
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Samoan 14 AWOL.
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Couple of decent kicks and score.
There may be a lesson there
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I think Scotland will win on the basis that they seem to have some ability to play the conditions (they’re just mostly choosing not to), whereas Samoa seem unable to play at all but it’s not exactly a performance to inspire confidence for any future games so far!
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Time to leak a score in classic scottish fashion
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Are they watching a re-run of that match from a few years back?
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Tim Nanai-Williams saves Samoa with a sweetly timed intercept of a floated pass. Scotland come back from the lineout, and with a penalty advantage Finn puts a lovely cross kick in for Maitland to score. WG adds the extras and its 10-0 with 9 to go in the 1st half.
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Greig!
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Was a nice kick for the try though – think it’s an interesting tactical development actually, how prominent the kick pass has become in this world cup.
Obviously been a big part of Rugby League for years to overcome the narrow blitz defence, so interesting to see it making bigger headway in Union as the League style defence has now become so widespread in Union
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Arf. Laidlaw given an afterburner shove by a Samoan. Fastest I’ve seen him move for ages.
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That was a terrible attempt at a tackle by nanai- Williams
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Samoan prop tries to crack on the pace, but just reveals his wobbly crack. Moments later and shambolic ‘defending’ lets WG in for another! 17-0 and probably out of sight given the quality of the oppo.
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Nice droppie
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Great drop goal
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Pleased for our Scottish ladz, but Samoa not at the races and disappointing for the game quality.
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And a drop goal from just short of the 10m line!
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Scottish 17 – Reid? – seems to have rather skinny legs for a front rower.
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Was that a maul?
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Two penalties for collapsing the maul in the red zone so far. Next one surely a pen try and a card.
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Oh dear oh day.
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Nope! Defended for a number of phases and Scotland go wide and lose it. That’s all folks! For 15 anyway.
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Samoa have lost to USA 2x, Tonga 2x, Georgia and Romania(!!) in the last 2 years.
They only managed to beat Spain 28-10 and were behind to Germany(!!!) at HT in the away leg of the repechage qualifier.
Scotland will beat them by 40 odd points.
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Aaargh stop trying to jizz the ball around
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‘Mexican waves’
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Missed the first 5 of the second half by buggering around at my desk. Some might call it working. Samoa with a 5m lineout. Can they get on the board early in the 2nd half?
Nope. Sloppy ball retention sees Scotland turn it over and win an offside (?) penalty. No sound, so bear with me.
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Another penalty at the tackle and Scotland are deep inside Samoa
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‘s 22. Then knock it on.
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