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.
Fucking hell. Jonker cleared the try of obstruction and told Dickson to award it. Then after the conversion, they actually looked at it on the screen and scratched the try.
No doubt the best team won, but the more entertaining were the losers. After Uruguay and Chile, now Portugal. Great development.
I think there should be a Squeaky bum award at the end of the WC . At the moment, it definitely goes to Wales. Another last minute miracle.
Will do if other contributors would help me come up with more left field awards. The RoG award for the crazy action that changes the game, the Owen award for bad tackle, the most stupid RC, the worse haircut, the best legs, etc… it’s endless.
Flair, I switched to Duck Duck Go as a browser some weeks ago, and it’s caused problems, like liking comments. It logs me out of WordPress regularly, and I have to log back in (usually just by clicking the WP logo in the comment box, after clicking in it), then reload and then recommend.
It’s also not that great a search engine. Am thinking of dumping it.
Wow, I did not know Keith Earls had been diagnosed with a form of bipolar. Glad he’s got treatment. I did notice that he started a huge renaissance a couple of years ago.
Don’t know who you have got commentating, Thaum, but I am watching on Peacock TV in the US. All games live, and on replay shortly afterwards, so great coverage, but they have a bunch of commentators, usually one from each country playing, I think,most of whom seem to know absolutely nothing about rugby, or are commentating off a live radio feed, its absolutely dreadful. Haven’t had a single good commentary yet.
But ITV had done an interview with Keith Earls where he talked about his illness that was really quite astonishing. He said if he hadn’t got treatment, he probably wouldn’t be here today.
Alfie was talking the most sense after the Wales game. You could tell he can see that there are two games to come that we could very easily lose while Warbs was waffling on about quarter-finals.
Ovally Balls 
Fucking hell. Jonker cleared the try of obstruction and told Dickson to award it. Then after the conversion, they actually looked at it on the screen and scratched the try.
Jonker isn’t great, is he?
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That was an odd card too. Not usually awarded to the player with the ball when they make contact with another player in the air!
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And Faletau gets the BP try after clock’s gone red! He’s been Wales’s best asset today.
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No doubt the best team won, but the more entertaining were the losers. After Uruguay and Chile, now Portugal. Great development.
I think there should be a Squeaky bum award at the end of the WC . At the moment, it definitely goes to Wales. Another last minute miracle.
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Squeaky bum award! Maybe you can write the ATL that awards it after the Cup, Flair. :-D
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I’m getting nervous now. Tonga are no minnows, and we’ve seen some very good so-called minnows so far.
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Will do if other contributors would help me come up with more left field awards. The RoG award for the crazy action that changes the game, the Owen award for bad tackle, the most stupid RC, the worse haircut, the best legs, etc… it’s endless.
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Gwan Tonga, he says!
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The RoG award for the crazy action that changes the game
Excuse me, but the man was seriously concussed and would never have been on the field if it had happened today!
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I’m going to have to listen to ‘Tong-a’ without a hard G all evening, aren’t I? It’s driving me mad.
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Thaum, for some reason I cant like comments, but I fully agree with you about RoG .
The most mispronounced name Award .
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Flair, I switched to Duck Duck Go as a browser some weeks ago, and it’s caused problems, like liking comments. It logs me out of WordPress regularly, and I have to log back in (usually just by clicking the WP logo in the comment box, after clicking in it), then reload and then recommend.
It’s also not that great a search engine. Am thinking of dumping it.
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It’s nice that I can relax watching Wales these days in the knowledge that it’ll all be OK in the end.
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Wow, I did not know Keith Earls had been diagnosed with a form of bipolar. Glad he’s got treatment. I did notice that he started a huge renaissance a couple of years ago.
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Don’t know who you have got commentating, Thaum, but I am watching on Peacock TV in the US. All games live, and on replay shortly afterwards, so great coverage, but they have a bunch of commentators, usually one from each country playing, I think,most of whom seem to know absolutely nothing about rugby, or are commentating off a live radio feed, its absolutely dreadful. Haven’t had a single good commentary yet.
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We’ve got BOD, Rory Best, Bryan Habana (!) and someone else in the studio at the mo, SBT.
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But ITV had done an interview with Keith Earls where he talked about his illness that was really quite astonishing. He said if he hadn’t got treatment, he probably wouldn’t be here today.
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Alfie was talking the most sense after the Wales game. You could tell he can see that there are two games to come that we could very easily lose while Warbs was waffling on about quarter-finals.
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Miles Harrison (ugh) and Gordon D’Arcy on match commentary.
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The one saving grace – no more Stuart Barnes.
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Kiwi and an Aussie on commentary for this game, will have to find out who they are, not at all bad.
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Ooh, should have been a penalty to Tonga at the lineout.
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Was feeding the dog – didn’t see.
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The most mispronounced name Award .
Retshegofaditswe Nche will have to be up there. Nche isn’t pronounced the way you think it is.
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… who is now absolutely engrossed in the match. Honest to dog.
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Pass from Sexton to Lowe there way more forward than the Tonga one earlier. Come on Wayne, sharpen up.
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Deebee – ach (pronounced ox), away with ye.
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Did the dug eat tour homework too, Thauma? Need better excuses!
POM not happy being pinged! Wayne Barnes may need to get off the pitch pronto at oranges!
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TRY Porter after Tonga inexplicably drop the ball!
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Ah shite, no try. Knock-on.
Dog has lost interest in the match now.
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We are not going to beat SA playing like this.
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Tonga clinging on. But have the scrum. Didn’t think they’d have parity after 20 to be honest.
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TRY Beirne! (Maybe.)
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Yes! It’s good.
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Ooh, Beirne just got that to the line.
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We are not going to beat SA playing like this.
I really hope you’re right!
Ireland score, bursting through with flat passing and great timing. They’ve threatened a few times and now got it right.
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Silly and naughty from Tonga.
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TRY Doris!
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You can understand the temptation to run into Lowe.
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HAAAAANSEEEEEN! Whatta try!
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Oh, lovely by Hansen.
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I still don’t know how he did that, after watching it three times.
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TRY Sexton!
Am starting to think we might not get completely thumped by SA.
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I’d like to point out that Sexton was grinning broadly as he scored.
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We had a card coming.
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Come on Tonga!
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Tonga get a deserved try.
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In the 47th minute!
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Ireland have changed the entire front row and taken Sexton off after HT.
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Sexton looking far more anxious in the stands, and POM getting a bit of physio in the sin bin.
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