What a cracker of a first round! Some delectable rugby, some surprises, and plenty of dodgy reffing decisions to moan about.
Tonga and Samoa have yet to play, but Wales easily contained Fiji. The big surprises were the performances of the two South American minnows: Chile gave Japan a good fight, although they ran out of puff before the end, and Wrwgwai (that’s the Welsh spelling of Uruguay, per MisterIks, apparently) gave France a hell of a fright.
So what’s in store for this weekend? Mostly very one-sided fixtures; it’s not even worth speculating about the scores. The closest matches may well be Samoa v Chile, Australia v Fiji, England v Japan, and South Africa v Romania, now they’ve lost Marx and seeing as how they don’t have a proper 10.
France go up the other end and score. The yellow is upgraded to a red.
Coillard picks off a loose pass and scores under the posts – but the TMO interrupts the conversion to check something. There’s an off the ball tackle by a French player and it’s scrubbed.
Forget the good rugby France played. This was a bad night for France. Meaningless game depriving you of your best player. Dupont really looked shaken and it doesn’t look good. Ach…
As a footnote, this was not a head contact, this was a headbutt. And yet the ref bottles it and only shows a YC. The TMO bunker thing is a great thing but it depowers the refs, doesn’ t it?
CMW, I agree with you WRT some of those passes. Particularly the third (?) try initiated by Jalibert. Brilliant as it was, I think at least two passes were forward.
My only regret is that Dupont wasn’t subbed at HT. There was no point keeping him on the pitch when the score was 54/0.
Yes, the try you mention was the most obvious one. I suspect the try after that as well with a player running diagonally throwing a sort of reverse pass too – totally normal for it to be given, but I have a sneaking suspicion that with his angle of running it would still be a forward pass to a physicist. The second try is a funny one as the winger about to go into touch threw it over the tryline to his teammate. Again I would expect it to be given and in this case I suspect it would be OK for physicists though again there is a sideways element to the passing player’s running so that may be a closer run thing than is believed by the decision-makers. I think I would bring in an extra rule regarding the tryline in this instance as although it was probably OK it makes the game look a bit silly.
Lots of lovely passing and kicking from France throughout, they play some beautiful stuff. I guess they will look back and feel Dupont did not need to play in this game at all let alone after half-time though I also imagine he would have been coming off very soon after he picked up the injury. Hope to see him in the QF, want the best players playing and I normally support France as my second team (it’s an 80s/90s thing that has never changed for me). I don’t think the tackle was any worse than other such incidents, just one of those things that the protocols etc are hoping to remove from the game though never entirely will.
The video that world rugby released a few years ago showed a player running at mid pace throwing the ball directly back over his head. It landed a good few meters in front of where it left his hands.
The one forward pass that I saw last night was from an attempt at a reverse pass during the run up to one of the tries, as mentioned above.
Flair, I like the bunker process, when it works. The idea being that the ref decides that a minimum of a yellow card threshold has been met so the player is sent off. The decision on red or yellow is then taken without multiple replays on the stadium screens with baying crowds trying to influence the outcome, meanwhile the game carries on.
What I don’t like is TMOs missing glaring foul play and then getting involved with something fairly minor.
I switched off at half time, so missed the Dupont injury. I really hope it’s just precautionary and that he’s back for the QFs at least. It would be a hammer blow to have both him and Ntamack out for France.
Scotland team to play Tonga in the Rugby World Cup 2023 (Pool B) fixture at Stade De Nice, Nice, on Sunday 24 September 2023, kick-off 4.45pm (BST) – live on STV and ITV:
There are a couple of surprises there. Chris Harris starting ahead of Huw Jones is definitely a surprise. Sutherland getting the nod over Schoeman is another one, Darcy Graham missing out to Steyn is less so, last year Graham was one of the best wingers int eh game, he has been short of that form since his long lay off due to injury against Munster in the league last October.
Gilchrist losing out to Cummings is anther one, I can only assume he is carrying a knock or is being fully rested
I’ve just had a look at the tackle again, it wasn’t remotely legal, leading with the head, slightly bent at the hips, far too high at all times. It’s exactly the sort of collision the game is trying to get rid of.
I gather Gats has not unreasonably concluded that the team he picked for the first game are a lot better than the one he picked for the second game so he’s gone back to that for Australia. Wonder if he’ll go the whole hog and not bring on any subs either.
Ticht, its all a bit sad really. If he hadnt dipped and had tried an Owen style upright shoulder hit, it would have been fine, just sent off, and we would still have Dupont. However, he did dip a little, which would have been fine against a taller forward, got it horribly wrong, and head butted Dupont. Absolutely a red, absolutely tragic for Dupont, but more a rugby accident than a no wrap shoulder to the chin ever will be.
Also, personally, I suspect that the constant pick and drives on the goal line are going to be far more damaging to long term health of players.
Ovally Balls 
They’ve got to get Dupont and Danty off asap
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Gwan Namibia, the fightback is on
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or not – Dupont took one on the head
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Intercept by the Namibia 23 and he’s in under the posts.
However, there was head contact on Dupont during a tackle in the buildup and it’s a yellow for Deysal, the 13.
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France go up the other end and score. The yellow is upgraded to a red.
Coillard picks off a loose pass and scores under the posts – but the TMO interrupts the conversion to check something. There’s an off the ball tackle by a French player and it’s scrubbed.
61-0 50mins
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Fickou is just 100% pure class, what a player
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Old man Piéter Jan Van Lill gave away a silly/cynical penalty there
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Just the 96 then.
Irrespective of who the opposition were, France were superb.
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Dupont is apparently in hospital getting a scan for a possible fractured cheekbone.
Fingers crossed for him.
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Forget the good rugby France played. This was a bad night for France. Meaningless game depriving you of your best player. Dupont really looked shaken and it doesn’t look good. Ach…
As a footnote, this was not a head contact, this was a headbutt. And yet the ref bottles it and only shows a YC. The TMO bunker thing is a great thing but it depowers the refs, doesn’ t it?
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CMW, I agree with you WRT some of those passes. Particularly the third (?) try initiated by Jalibert. Brilliant as it was, I think at least two passes were forward.
My only regret is that Dupont wasn’t subbed at HT. There was no point keeping him on the pitch when the score was 54/0.
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Yes, the try you mention was the most obvious one. I suspect the try after that as well with a player running diagonally throwing a sort of reverse pass too – totally normal for it to be given, but I have a sneaking suspicion that with his angle of running it would still be a forward pass to a physicist. The second try is a funny one as the winger about to go into touch threw it over the tryline to his teammate. Again I would expect it to be given and in this case I suspect it would be OK for physicists though again there is a sideways element to the passing player’s running so that may be a closer run thing than is believed by the decision-makers. I think I would bring in an extra rule regarding the tryline in this instance as although it was probably OK it makes the game look a bit silly.
Lots of lovely passing and kicking from France throughout, they play some beautiful stuff. I guess they will look back and feel Dupont did not need to play in this game at all let alone after half-time though I also imagine he would have been coming off very soon after he picked up the injury. Hope to see him in the QF, want the best players playing and I normally support France as my second team (it’s an 80s/90s thing that has never changed for me). I don’t think the tackle was any worse than other such incidents, just one of those things that the protocols etc are hoping to remove from the game though never entirely will.
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Aah, Dupont. That would be a disaster for the rugby world in general. Hope he is OK.
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The video that world rugby released a few years ago showed a player running at mid pace throwing the ball directly back over his head. It landed a good few meters in front of where it left his hands.
The one forward pass that I saw last night was from an attempt at a reverse pass during the run up to one of the tries, as mentioned above.
Flair, I like the bunker process, when it works. The idea being that the ref decides that a minimum of a yellow card threshold has been met so the player is sent off. The decision on red or yellow is then taken without multiple replays on the stadium screens with baying crowds trying to influence the outcome, meanwhile the game carries on.
What I don’t like is TMOs missing glaring foul play and then getting involved with something fairly minor.
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I really hope Dupont’s injury is very short term. He should never have come out for the second half.
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Also very much hope Dupont is okay. Although I may live to regret saying that.
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Dupont rumoured to be out for a month, possibly back for a semi final
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I switched off at half time, so missed the Dupont injury. I really hope it’s just precautionary and that he’s back for the QFs at least. It would be a hammer blow to have both him and Ntamack out for France.
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Ouch. Dupont’s out for at least a month. That is if he doesn’t get an operation, which is unlikely. Still in the hospital. Even if he could play in the SF, assuming France go that far, in what shape would he be then?
Deschamps used to be famous for his luck. Am afraid Galthié is an unlucky general. Too many major injuries.
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Scotland team to play Tonga in the Rugby World Cup 2023 (Pool B) fixture at Stade De Nice, Nice, on Sunday 24 September 2023, kick-off 4.45pm (BST) – live on STV and ITV:
15. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) 47 caps
14. Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors) 13 caps
13. Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby) 44 caps
12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) 20 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby) 32 caps
10. Finn Russell (Bath Rugby) – Vice-Captain – 73 caps
9. Ben White (Toulon) 17 caps
1. Rory Sutherland (Unattached) 24 caps
2. George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) 38 caps
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 60 caps
4. Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 76 caps
5. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) 30 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby) – Captain – 44 caps
7. Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors) – Vice-Captain – 12 caps
8. Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) 13 caps
Replacements
16. Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh Rugby) 9 caps
17. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) 24 caps
18. WP Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) 58 caps
19. Sam Skinner (Edinburgh Rugby) 28 caps
20. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 37 caps
21. George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 23 caps
22. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 40 caps
23. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby) 36 caps
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There are a couple of surprises there. Chris Harris starting ahead of Huw Jones is definitely a surprise. Sutherland getting the nod over Schoeman is another one, Darcy Graham missing out to Steyn is less so, last year Graham was one of the best wingers int eh game, he has been short of that form since his long lay off due to injury against Munster in the league last October.
Gilchrist losing out to Cummings is anther one, I can only assume he is carrying a knock or is being fully rested
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Reckon he’s going as fizzical as he can against the Tongans?
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I think so, BB, bringing on pace in the shape of Horne, Jones and Graham isn’t a bad way to finish a game
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Dupont is probably going to require surgery.
I’ve just had a look at the tackle again, it wasn’t remotely legal, leading with the head, slightly bent at the hips, far too high at all times. It’s exactly the sort of collision the game is trying to get rid of.
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I gather Gats has not unreasonably concluded that the team he picked for the first game are a lot better than the one he picked for the second game so he’s gone back to that for Australia. Wonder if he’ll go the whole hog and not bring on any subs either.
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Ticht, its all a bit sad really. If he hadnt dipped and had tried an Owen style upright shoulder hit, it would have been fine, just sent off, and we would still have Dupont. However, he did dip a little, which would have been fine against a taller forward, got it horribly wrong, and head butted Dupont. Absolutely a red, absolutely tragic for Dupont, but more a rugby accident than a no wrap shoulder to the chin ever will be.
Also, personally, I suspect that the constant pick and drives on the goal line are going to be far more damaging to long term health of players.
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New post shortly. Very short!
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Here it is.
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