Round Three was full of excitement and correct results (see picture).
But I am not going to wear my little fingers to the bone typing a preview of this week’s matches when Deebee7 has already done it! Or, if you’re bored with the World Cup, you could look forward with him to the 2024 summer tours.
Stunned indeed! Italy were as woeful as the Kiwis were ruthless, so it’s difficult to know what to make of the result. Think I’ll mull over it whilst Europe clobbers the USA at the Ryder Cup.
I suppose the disappointing thing is that was the only game this weekend between two teams that both had any chance of qualifying however notional that may have been for one of them. I get that the scoreline is perhaps a shock, but 60 points wouldn’t really have been much of a surprise at all so it’s not that big a deal. I guess it’s also a big result in terms of the debates that go on about whether the gap is closing between the tiers etc – a reminder that Italy are still miles away from the top table despite being well ahead of some of the other teams whose claims are sometimes pushed. As someone who doesn’t mind whether or not the game grows beyond the countries who have traditionally enjoyed it I don’t think it’s anything to get too upset about, I would prefer Italy to have done better, but there we are.
If I have to watch ruthless bastards destroying weaker opposition in this way then I prefer it to be the ones in black doing it. Don’t know why really, guess it just feels more right as it’s always been part of what they do.
Must be honest, the only time I really enjoyed a similar scoreline was when the Boks put 90 on Wales in Pretoria, but I was young(er) and a twat, so I’m off the hook.
@Deebee – They do do it more to us than they do to others, for sure. But they still do it to everyone apart from England weirdly enough. And there are others that have done it to us at least as badly as the men in black.
I really don’t like watching green (either shade), white or yellow teams doing it, but I understand that properly even if green is my favourite colour. I don’t particularly like NZ doing it and would ordinarily avoid games in which it’s likely though there are essentially none of their games in which it couldn’t happen. I just find it more watchable and harder to switch off is all. Maybe I just like them more.
Two things stood out for me (Karl) in the AB display:
1. the quality/intensity of the support running in both defence and attack
2. the quality of kicking from the tee by both Mounga and McKenzie – it was spooky
For me, Mounga is the pick of the three, but what a shame you can’t have all three on the pitch at the same time. DMac has that extra bit of pizzazz that Beaudy used to have. BB has mellowed a little, and does some things a lot better now than he used to, think he is more of fit at fullback than 10. Next to the last two, Mounga can seem a little short on woosh factor, but I think that he is just a little bit more balanced in his controlling of the game. All three of them have shown the yips on occasion when put under intense pressure tho. Currently, any one of them would walk into the England team, captain Faz or no.
Watching New Zealand last night wasn’t as good as watching France in full flight last week, some of that attack play was jaw dropping
I think I was more disappointed in Italy than I was in Namibia, I expected more from them so perhaps that is why I was more enamoured by the French performance.
This feels like Fiji have regressed in their play. They seemed a lot more structured, going back to their match against England earlier in the summer. This kinda feels like the ‘old’ Fiji, although with a lot more dropped balls.
Well after all the forward passes that have been let go in the tournament on the two views we’ve had so far that didn’t really look like one. I guess we’ll see it again, but definite case for the ref not blowing up so he could check the replay.
Georgia have been much better and will be a bit gutted not to have scored a couple of tries though Fiji did do a fair bit of attacking close to the line themselves.
Fiji don’t need a wing and a prayer at half time, they need to just hold onto the ball! Georgia were superb in the 1st half, can they keep it going for another 40?
Handling on both sides has been terrible. Is it the conditions, or just crap play? Fiji hugely disappointing so far! Georgia doing a minnows 1-0 against the run of play football mugging.
Georgia could turn someone over if they defend like that and get a few of their final passes right. Can’t think of any candidates for that to happen to though…
I can’t see that happening next week CMW. I’m not Gat’s biggest fan, but his sides are most definitely not flakey, it would need to be Cadbury’s to the max for Georgia to turn Wales over.
I think he’ll put out a good enough team for it not to, but that squad probably has a team in it that could easily lose to them if they played as well as they did today. Was really impressed with them even if Fiji weren’t having their best day at the office.
Ovally Balls 
Stunned indeed! Italy were as woeful as the Kiwis were ruthless, so it’s difficult to know what to make of the result. Think I’ll mull over it whilst Europe clobbers the USA at the Ryder Cup.
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I suppose the disappointing thing is that was the only game this weekend between two teams that both had any chance of qualifying however notional that may have been for one of them. I get that the scoreline is perhaps a shock, but 60 points wouldn’t really have been much of a surprise at all so it’s not that big a deal. I guess it’s also a big result in terms of the debates that go on about whether the gap is closing between the tiers etc – a reminder that Italy are still miles away from the top table despite being well ahead of some of the other teams whose claims are sometimes pushed. As someone who doesn’t mind whether or not the game grows beyond the countries who have traditionally enjoyed it I don’t think it’s anything to get too upset about, I would prefer Italy to have done better, but there we are.
If I have to watch ruthless bastards destroying weaker opposition in this way then I prefer it to be the ones in black doing it. Don’t know why really, guess it just feels more right as it’s always been part of what they do.
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A bit of Stockholm syndrome in your smittenness for ruthless bastards in black, there CMW!
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Must be honest, the only time I really enjoyed a similar scoreline was when the Boks put 90 on Wales in Pretoria, but I was young(er) and a twat, so I’m off the hook.
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@Deebee – They do do it more to us than they do to others, for sure. But they still do it to everyone apart from England weirdly enough. And there are others that have done it to us at least as badly as the men in black.
I really don’t like watching green (either shade), white or yellow teams doing it, but I understand that properly even if green is my favourite colour. I don’t particularly like NZ doing it and would ordinarily avoid games in which it’s likely though there are essentially none of their games in which it couldn’t happen. I just find it more watchable and harder to switch off is all. Maybe I just like them more.
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Two things stood out for me (Karl) in the AB display:
1. the quality/intensity of the support running in both defence and attack
2. the quality of kicking from the tee by both Mounga and McKenzie – it was spooky
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For me, Mounga is the pick of the three, but what a shame you can’t have all three on the pitch at the same time. DMac has that extra bit of pizzazz that Beaudy used to have. BB has mellowed a little, and does some things a lot better now than he used to, think he is more of fit at fullback than 10. Next to the last two, Mounga can seem a little short on woosh factor, but I think that he is just a little bit more balanced in his controlling of the game. All three of them have shown the yips on occasion when put under intense pressure tho. Currently, any one of them would walk into the England team, captain Faz or no.
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I’m quite enjoying Chippy Shane, on comms.
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Argentina cruising this.
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Watching New Zealand last night wasn’t as good as watching France in full flight last week, some of that attack play was jaw dropping
I think I was more disappointed in Italy than I was in Namibia, I expected more from them so perhaps that is why I was more enamoured by the French performance.
Argentina have started strongly
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TRY Chile!
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Chile do a try!
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Oh. No try. Disappointing.
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Boooooooooo!
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Even the ref looks gutted about disallowing that Chile try (although the pass did look forward to me first time too).
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That was a great line from Argentina
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TRY Chile! (I think it will stick this time.)
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Dammit, I missed the Chile try
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Argentina running riot now that Chile are puffed out
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Now come on Fiji!
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Georgia aren’t messing around. Some lovely lines being run.
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Fiji’s handling has been uncharacteristically all over the shop
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Been all Georgia so far, but I did enjoy seeing Fiji’s tighthead do a kick and go.
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This feels like Fiji have regressed in their play. They seemed a lot more structured, going back to their match against England earlier in the summer. This kinda feels like the ‘old’ Fiji, although with a lot more dropped balls.
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Well after all the forward passes that have been let go in the tournament on the two views we’ve had so far that didn’t really look like one. I guess we’ll see it again, but definite case for the ref not blowing up so he could check the replay.
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Georgia have been much better and will be a bit gutted not to have scored a couple of tries though Fiji did do a fair bit of attacking close to the line themselves.
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On the half-time replay it looked very slightly forward – so a good decision, but given what gets let go I’d feel hard done by if I was Georgian.
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Fiji don’t need a wing and a prayer at half time, they need to just hold onto the ball! Georgia were superb in the 1st half, can they keep it going for another 40?
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Handling on both sides has been terrible. Is it the conditions, or just crap play? Fiji hugely disappointing so far! Georgia doing a minnows 1-0 against the run of play football mugging.
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Great finish by Fijian 13!
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Nice finish from Fiji
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Nayacalevu is having a good world cup
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Nothing for the Fiji player flying into a ruck, straight on the head of the Georgian 7?
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The dangerous ruck clear-outs have started from Fiji.
And Georgia never got possession from the knock-on just there.
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“The dangerous ruck clear-outs have started from Fiji.”
There was a bad one on a Georgian guy on the ground a minute ago
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@Refit- There were some dodgy ones in the Wales-Fiji match too, but they didn’t fit the narrative.
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Don’t think Fiji can blow qualification even if they lose and Georgia beat Wales? Hope not anyway. Anyone sure?
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Botia is a pretty special player
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Brilliant try!
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The pitch is currently littered with knackered Georgians.
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I make that Scrumpy Jack o’clock
It’s all that’s in the house
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Loved everything about that one.
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Oooof, good dancing from the 10
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“The pitch is currently littered with knackered Georgians.”
It does look a bit as though tackling Fijians has taken it out of them. Kind of understandable!
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Ah, it’s MatKAVA, not Mat Carver. Didn’t think it sounded particularly Georgian.
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Wow, Dickson actually spotted an injured player. Albeit he was almost standing on him.
Yellow & review for Tuisova.
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Georgia get a LBP. Almost nicked it at the end too.
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Georgia could turn someone over if they defend like that and get a few of their final passes right. Can’t think of any candidates for that to happen to though…
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I can’t see that happening next week CMW. I’m not Gat’s biggest fan, but his sides are most definitely not flakey, it would need to be Cadbury’s to the max for Georgia to turn Wales over.
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I think he’ll put out a good enough team for it not to, but that squad probably has a team in it that could easily lose to them if they played as well as they did today. Was really impressed with them even if Fiji weren’t having their best day at the office.
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