Week Two made Irish eyes very sad. But Welsh eyes leeked with joy, when the Wallabies didn’t quite manage to hop into the lead in the second half. Uruguay failed to repeat their magic from Week One. Otherwise, the results were more or less as expected.
Week Three’s biggest clash is looking like England v Argentina, although no doubt there will be some surprises in the other fixtures.
We’ve also got some Pro14 and that English Premiership Cup thingy to look forward to.
Exciting (?) rugby on the telly this week
Friday 4th October
| S Africa 49 – 3 Italy | 10:45 | ITV4 |
| Glasgow 21 – 25 Scarlets | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Leinster 53 – 5 Ospreys | 19:35 | Premiers Sports 2 / TG4 |
| Worcester 19 – 34 Exeter | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
Saturday 5th October
| Australia 45 – 10 Uruguay | 06:15 | ITV |
| England 39 – 10 Argentina | 09:05 | ITV |
| Japan 38 – 19 Samoa | 11:30 | ITV |
| Kings 20 – 31 Munster | 15:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Zebre 28 – 52 Dragons | 17:00 | Freesports |
| Cheetahs 63 – 26 Ulster | 17:15 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Cardiff 11 – 19 Edinburgh | 17:15 | Premier Sports 1 / S4C |
| Connacht 41 – 5 Treviso | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 / TG4 |
Sunday 6th October
| New Zealand 71 – 9 Namibia | 05:45 | ITV |
| France 23 – 21 Tonga | 08:45 | ITV |
| Northampton 28 – 54 Saracens | 15:00 | BT Sport 1 |
Tuesday 8th October
| South Africa 66 – 7 Canada | 11:15 | ITV4 |
Wednesday 9th October
| Argentina 47 – 17 USA | 05:45 | ITV4 |
| Scotland 61 – 0 Russia | 08:15 | ITV |
| Wales v Fiji | 10:45 | ITV/S4C |
Ovally Balls 
Yos – Sam Underhill is clearly a fake name devised by someone who’s read Lord of the Rings too many times.
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Imagine how good Josh Navidi could have been if he hadn’t spent a couple of years in Canterbury. That took years off his progress.
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Likewise if Johnny Sexton hadn’t gone to Racing.
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@Craigs
Yes.
If a boy moves from Country A to Country B as a child, plays rugby in high school, ending up as an international for country B – I think that is entirely reasonable and don’t consider that ‘poaching’. Country B has developed his talent to the level required to play for them.
The odds of him making it in rugby (or even wanting to a few years later) are really quite low.
Otherwise we are assuming that people from Country A have natural superior ‘genetic’ abilities making them more suitable for elite rugby – which I am not comfortable with as a theory.
It may well be the case that some of those doing the recruiting think this way, but I would argue that it is unethical to make such an assumption.
It depends whether you look at poaching as:
1. Taking a player who has been developed into an elite player by the system of another country
2. Taking a player who hails from a different part of the world.
If you take the second view, one could argue that there is not a massive difference between a player born somewhere with both parents from another country and another who moved there at a very young age.
For me it is all about where a player developed into an elite performer.
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George Horne – 28 tries in 51 games, for Glasgow and Scotland. The Wee Man is a genuine star.
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“welcoming forriners without an ulterior motive is not one of them”
Japanese co-owner of a Japanese restaurant in Japan: Bleedin’ Nora. What’s that you got there, son? They pen and ink something rotten.
Japanese head chief in a Japanese restaurant in Japan: Some past their best before date Sea Urchin Uteruses. Not sure whether to sling ’em or not. Absolutely boakin’.
Japanese co-owner of a Japanese restaurant in Japan: Wait a minute. I’ve got a plan.
(5 minutes later)
CJ sits down, chopsticks in hand: The Japanese really are wonderful hosts and to think we’re getting 5% off our Sea Urchin Uteruses just because we’re rugby fans from England. What a lovely man that Japanese co-owner of a Japanese restaurant in Japan is.
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@Thaumaturge
what a ridiculous and illiberal thing to say.
Even if the Japanese are targeting teenage Polynesian rugby players it us the Japanese who develop their rugby talent, give them an education and in some cases, improve the life chances of them and their families.
You make it seem as if it’s some sort of ethnic rugby child slavery.
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Parsnips.
L.
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TomP & Expro – yeah, I deleted my comment almost as soon as I’d made it because I decided it wasn’t judiciously worded, to say the least.
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BB, I’ve said a few times that George Horne is my favourite rugby player, his “engine” is phenominal. He isn’t wyite the full package yet, but he’s getting close.
Charlie Shiel is two and a half years younger, if he can close the gap, and he has the tools to do so, Scotland will have a couple of really good scrum halfs for the next 8 to 10 years.
Dobie looks good for Glasgow too, one of the few plus points in their last two games
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phenomenal, even
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Iks – parsnips are also quite sweet, and therefore not on top of my list of favourite things.
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To clarify to anyone who didn’t see my deleted comment, I was clumsily trying to make a comparison between island(-ish) nations who might be a bit insular, despite otherwise having many wonderful qualities.
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Ticht – someone mentioned BTL on the Graun that today’s team could almost have been an audition for the 2023 RWC team (apart from Barcs and Wilson, etc.) as so many of them could well be first team choices by then, plus both Finn and Hoggy will only be about 31 by that time, so still capable of playing.
Of course all of this is dependant on injuries.
What we also need is a continuous stream of young ‘uns coming from the academies. It might seem daft to say that the guys who played today need pushed as they are almost babies in rugby terms, but having to look over their shoulder might not be a bad thing. Doesn’t seem to do the ABs any harm.
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“4. Japan …. Tournaments always seem to be more fun when the host team have a decent run.”
Not entirely true.
Can’t believe this was allowed to pass to be honest.
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CMW – erm, I was in Wales for a certain RWC match last time. I’ll just say that the gaiety of the nation proves your point.
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*waggles beetroot, flaunts parsnip*
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Iks – floozy.
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Aye, BB. What is heartening is that a lot of the squad came up through the ’20s together and there are others like Murray McCallum, Luke Crosbie, Matt Fagerson etc who will be pushing for places in the next couple of years
This is what I like about George Horne – if it doesn’t embed at the right time it starts at 1min 23 on the video timer
He sweeps back from half way to nearly the five yard line to pick up the quick penalty kick through, he passes to Jackson who carries and sets up the ruck. Horne is there to pass out to Fagerson at first receiver. After quick hands, Wee George is on his brother’s shoulder to take the inside ball and sprint in from just about 45m out. Brilliant scrum half play, and it’s all about his fitness, his reading of the game and his pace
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*Waves his onions back at Iks*
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Although parsnips … aaah, never mind.
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Don’t know what I want to happen in Japan-Scotland other than that I do want it to happen. Quite keen on the potential Ireland-NZ quarter-final which would result from a Japan win. Think Ireland should give them a better game than most and wouldn’t mind a chance to watch NZ without having to think of them as entirely the villains of the piece.
Would like to see at least one good Scotland performance with Russell and Hogg doing their thing though.
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I love a roast parsnip, but keep your beetroots away from me.
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When Wales review today’s game I reckon Parkes will beg the question why so many hospital passes were thrown in his direction.
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Ugh. Beetroot. Boak
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CMW – I think it’s unfortunate that we’ve all ended up in the same pool, because what Japan (the brave BASTARDS!) have done is great, but I’d also like to see Scotland going through. It should be a hell of match, if it takes place – and I hope it will.
Of course, we could contrive not to beat Samoa, and then those two will go through.
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Honey roast parsnips. Yum
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@BB – it’s like we are on a dating site for lovers of broth.
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He got smashed a few times.
I’m amazed how quick he is in cover defence. He ran down Stockdale in March and got to one of those very quick Fijian lads today (maybe Radrada).
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@Iks – to prepare him for playing 10 alongside Aled Davies against Uruguay?
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Classic Gordie
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This is google translated from a Russian rugby site ( https://rugger.info/russia/news/28534 ):
The chairman of the FRR supreme council, Igor Artemyev, told me that the prospect of bringing young Australians, Kenyans, Polynesians to Russia, and leaving them here for three years, so that in the future they flirted with the national team, is being considered. Basically, we know many examples in world rugby who practice similar things: England, Wales, Japan. Even in leading countries, naturalized rugby players often play major roles. In your opinion, is such a path promising and acceptable for Russia?
“Basically, we can explore all the ways. Why not? Another question is how much we can be sure that they will stay here for three years, and from 2020 all five (World Rugby tightens the rules of naturalization). Naturally, the Federation cannot support them at its own expense, and this burden will fall on Russian clubs. Not the fact that such a risky investment will give at least some kind of exhaust in five years. I do not think this is impossible. Yes, a young New Zealander can come here, get married, build a family and be flirted, which practically happened to John Dodd (New Zealand ex-Legionnaire of the Red Yar). Unfortunately, he left just a few months before the end of those unfortunate three years. You need to go all the way, develop your championship, and attract islanders and other foreigners in this way, why not?”
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It’s like this: Japan have been brilliant, and Ireland and Scotland have been a bit meh. Given that one of us has to go, I’m going one-eyed (as per) and hoping it’s Ireland.
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I make home made smoothies, Chimpie. My classic is ginger, lemon, orange, lime, apples, cucumber… and beetroot.
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Beetroot with shredded carrot is a thing of great salad beauty.
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TomP – having once earned my living as a translator, I am reassured to see that translator-bots are still not all that.
The first ‘flirted’ might work, but the second … no.
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@tomp
I think we established back in March that Parciau is the fastest after giving Stockdale a 30 metre head start before – as my old coach used to say – ‘turning on the taps’.
I also saw Fatty Francis making a tackle in the 13 channel on about the hour mark. 4 years ago he used to get out of puff flicking through to channel 13 on the telly.
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You worshippers of the Dark Vegetable*: get thee behind me. And not in a dirty way.
*(c) Professor Pineapple from another forum.
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You beetroot ingesting deviants
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Tom Francis is on the Legend doorstep. Almost first name on the team sheet these days. Probably our most improved trier.
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My idea of a smoothie involves yoghurt and berries.
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@Thaum – The first “flirted” is quite something especially along with the “leaving them here”- makes it sound like these teenagers get abandoned in Russia for years and end up propositioning Russian rugby players as their only way out. Of course this may be what they meant.
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Oh, and maybe some banana.
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CMW – :-)
Have you read Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch?
There is a serious Russian component.
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From Disco, the Glasgow stats guy
Loads of good stats coming out of today’s performance!
Adam Hastings’ 2nd try was the 100th of the Townsend era. Toony is the only Scotland head coach with 100 tries during a single spell in charge.
After waiting 11 years for a hat-trick (since Ally Hogg v Romania in 2007) Scotland players have notched 4 in exactly 16 months – George Turner v Canada; Tommy Seymour v Fiji; Blair Kinghorn v Italy; George Horne v Russia.
Tommy Seymour is the 4th man to score 20 tries for Scotland (after Ian Smith, Tony Stanger and Chris Paterson). He’s also the 16th male player to score 100 points for Scotland. He’s scored tries in 5 of his 6 appearances in RWC matches.
Only one man has ever scored more points in an RWC match for Scotland than the 26 that Adam Hastings managed today. That man is…Adam’s dad Gavin who scored – 44 against Ivory Coast in 1995; 31 against Tonga in 1995; 27 against Romania in 1987.
George Horne has now scored 28 tries and assisted on another 18 in his 51 games for Scotland and Glasgow. In the 22 games he’s started for club and country he’s score 20 tries and had 15 assists.
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I only ever read the book that made her famous (struggling for what it was called). Which I remember as being quite something even if it didn’t leave me wanting more. Tremendously weird picture of her inside the cover is the main thing I remember properly though.
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Ticht – whenever I read Ally Hogg, I immediately get confused with Ally Fogg, who wrote quite a bit for the G. Another Scot, obvs. Do you remember him?
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CMW – The Secret History? There was another one in between the two books, which I also read, but can’t remember!
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@ticht
Good statting. Horne’s scoring record is freaky good. 175 point contribution in 22 starts is some going. That’s goal kicker territory.
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As I recall, Tartt only publishes roughly one book per decade or so, and I think those are her only three novels. Could be wrong.
In any case, look-at-the-time. Goodnight!
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