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 
Rugby rugby rugby
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Definitely been coming. Need a reaction immediately.
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Brilliant! Great try for Japan!
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Fantastic try. They are playing so well.
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13 for Japan has been superb in attack and defence. Great hands for that try
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Ireland fancy their chances v the All Blacks in the quarters maybe.
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Japan 2 just flies in to the back of the ruck and the ref just watches.
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That is quite the warrior pose as Thompson drags himself off.
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That’s just immense defence by Japan. Patience, then pick the moment for the turn over.
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BOD would have been proud of that pass by the 13.
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Jeez, some of the hits that Japan are putting in.
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Ireland’s bench forwards, Beirne and Ruddock in particular, are turning the tide. Japan just hanging on now.
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Ron gone
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Gardiner hair trigger giving pens against us but absolutely zen against them.
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Bringing it on ourselves though I guess. Pictures and all that.
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Utna – are we watching the same match? I am bricking it.
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Mr Gardiner has been excellent in a fast and physical match. An island of calm. In control without being centrestage.
Well done, sir!
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Whoever from Ireland gets the ceremonial samurai sword for player of the match should be really careful and keep it far away from O’Mahony and Sexton.
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I think it is the camera angle, but it’s noticeable how the Irish players keep moving about in the kicker’s eyeline when he’s lining up a penalty.
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This is much better from Japan that the SA game. They have bossed it.
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Leitch is the boy.
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Stupid from Tamura. Got to keep playing. Cant just hoik it down field and defend
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WTF Carbery.
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A draw would be smash and grab from us.
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Jeez.
Japanese tackling has been immense.
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Think Earls might be a lucky boy there. Not sure there was a lot of releasing after that tackle.
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That’s the game. Awesome from Japan. Ireland drawn into a game they can’t play.
Very disappointing.
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What was Carbury doing?
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Bloody hell. Fantastic from Japan.
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Nice filip for the Scotland camp.
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Well done Japan!
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Just to compound it, Carbery kicks the ball out from last play.
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What did I just watch?!?
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Wow!
Sympathies to Irish chums, but that was wonderful.
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Ireland happy to get the losing bonus point? Wow.
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Well, it’s marvellous, indeed…
Fantastic, Japan. Such a great effort. Commiserations to Ireland, but they were off their game and couldn’t seize back control.
Rugby, eh? A result for the ages.
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Great win for Japan. Gonna be quite interesting when they face Scotland.
Feel they need another big win, or it could be like 4 years ago when they beat SA but went out on 3 wins at the group stage.
Rory Best all class in the post match
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Fuck yes Japan. Fuck yes.
Commiserations to the Irish posters. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed that.
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So, does that make Japan #1 in the world?
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Can’t praise Japan enough. Wish it wasn’t against us but so impressive in all facets. Their challenge now is to go back to back with performances like that
Ireland we’re rudderless after a decent start. Lost the ref too and couldn’t adapt.
Throws this group wide open.
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Refit – yes. Absolutely does.
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FWIW I think any NH side would have struggled with the pace of that game. Japan move the ball so well.
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Schmidt blaming the ref all the time is tiresome
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Woooo. Japan!
They really should be evryone’s Second team. I’m now worried for Scotland.
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CHuffed for Japan, and sorry for our Irish posters today. Worst of the group behind Ireland now, but not the end of the world (cup).
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Not sure about Sam W’s Nehru collar and double-breasted jacket combo…
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Maybe Canada will do us a favour and beat the Blackness on Weds.
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Cat – don’t think that there’s anything to worry about. That would imply uncertainty.
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That should be a ‘so’ not a ‘but’.
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