France just don’t look capable of having a good day.

They never do, but then, suddenly, they do.

They never do, but then, suddenly, they do.

They used to do that but when was the last time?

Scotland……they must be the only tier 1 nation that just pick out a new Captain seemingly at random for a rwc. McInally is a damn fine player, but two former captains in the squad over looked….madness.

Brilliant this

https://mobile.twitter.com/welshrugbyunion/status/1168146475509047297?s=12

England v Italy:

15 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 35 caps)
14 Ruaridh McConnochie (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
13 Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 2 caps)
12 Piers Francis (Northampton Saints, 7 caps)
11 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers, 46 caps)
10 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 72 caps) C
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 88 caps)

1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 61 caps)
2 Jamie George (Saracens, 39 caps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 88 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 60 caps)
5 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 74 caps)
6 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 12 caps)
7 Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons/Sale Sharks, 14 caps)
8 Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 44 caps)

I dont think thats much much of a surprise.  Good to see Watson at full back, although I remain confused about Piers Francis inclusion and the use of Joe Marchant who’s not in the RWC squad.   Let’s see if Young’s improves to his usual standard…

My XV of players who are, for various reasons, not at the RWC:

15. Israel Folau
14. Teddy Thomas
13. Huw Jones
12. Ma’a Nonu
11. Nemani Naholo
10. Danny Cipriani
9. Rhys Webb
8. Fecundo Isa
7. Steven Luatua
6. Liam Squire
5. Devin Toner
4. Will Skelton
3. Owen Franks
2. Dylan Hartley
1. Karl Tu’inukuafe

Brilliant this

https://mobile.twitter.com/welshrugbyunion/status/1168146475509047297?s=12

Bloody love it 😀

For any engerlanders bemused my the Welsh being cautious about their chances… take a look at the Scottish feedback on their squad 😀 Some decent players have been left out of the squad, there’s a new captain and they’ve been generally a bit pants even by their standards… and a bulk of fans seem to be upping their chances and heralding the player omissions as a sign of the depth of talent in Scotland 😀

Scotland……they must be the only tier 1 nation that just pick out a new Captain seemingly at random for a rwc. McInally is a damn fine player, but two former captains in the squad over looked….madness.

Hardly random, McInally has captained Scotland multiple times previously, including the last 2 games in this years 6 Nations so he was always likely to be first pick in my opinion. He’s also the only one of the 3 former captains likely to be guaranteed a starting place, Townsend has history for switching between Laidlaw and Ali Price while competition for the back row is so hot I expect they will rotate frequently.

For any engerlanders bemused my the Welsh being cautious about their chances… take a look at the Scottish feedback on their squad 😀 Some decent players have been left out of the squad, there’s a new captain and they’ve been generally a bit pants even by their standards… and a bulk of fans seem to be upping their chances and heralding the player omissions as a sign of the depth of talent in Scotland 😀

Not quite sure what you’re using to base your ‘bulk of fans’ claim on but it’s not the forums I read, that’s for sure.

Few grumbles that I’ve seen. Mainly around Hutchinson being left out in favour of Harris and Horne. Some complaining about Huw Jones being left out, though anyone that is has clearly not been paying attention to his form over the last year.

Jones didn’t deserve to go based on everything since he came to Scotland. Was he not dropped last year?

Not sure I’ll be able to watch this due to fear of injury!!

15. Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets) (81 Caps)
14. George North (Ospreys) (85 Caps)
13. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets) (75 Caps)
12. Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets) (17 Caps)
11. Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues) (13 Caps)
10. Rhys Patchell (Scarlets) (12 Caps)
9. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues) (8 Caps)
1. Wyn Jones (Scarlets) (14 Caps)
2. Elliot Dee (Dragons) (21 Caps)
3. Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs) (42 Caps)
4. Jake Ball (Scarlets) (35 Caps)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (CAPT) (127 Caps)
6. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons) (11 Caps)
7. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) (65 Caps)
8. Ross Moriarty (Dragons) (33 Caps)

16. Ken Owen (Scarlets) (66 Caps)
17. Nicky Smith (Ospreys) (30 Caps)
18. Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues) (14 Caps)
19. Adam Beard (Ospreys) (15 Caps)
20. Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues) (18 Caps)
21. Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (43 Caps)
22. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints) (72 Cap)
23. Liam Williams (Saracens) (57 Caps)

Jeez, thats a strong welsh team.   I’ve got to choose a NowTV pass to watch either England v Italy or Wales v Ireland.

It really has to be Wales V Ireland!

Jeez, thats a strong welsh team

I reckon thats the first 23
Biggar,Davies, Liam, Owens, Smith and maybe Navidi are first choice but Patch, Tomos Williams and Wainwright are in with a shout of getting in the first choice 15.

24 hour pass should do Eng and Wales games shouldn’t it Kryton?

Ireland v Wales on Channel 4

Tom B, thanks for reminder that 7pm plus 24 = 7pm.  A man in my line of work should be able to manage simple maths…

…but either way I might defer to Channel 4 on Saturday as I can view that in HD, which Now appears to be sometimes but not other – thanks Gauss

I didn’t realise the RWC will be televised free on ITV and S4C, great news.   Here’s the schedule:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-world-cup/0/rugby-world-cup-2019-tv-schedule-how-watch-match-itv/

Ireland v Wales, both teams looking good so far too me. Intense, high energy game.

I’m no rugby expert but this looks like a very high quality match to me. Both teams look excellent.

Hope Patchel is ok as Wales attack is shit with Biggar.

Pray for Patchell, he’s been so unlucky.
Disappointing second half, rather dull.
I struggle with the fairness of the high tackle rule at times; whilst it’s very important, I don’t understand how someone who’s been tackled at a good height can go horizontal and gain a penalty, or am I mis-seeing things?

So I think that’s the world Cup prep done isn’t it?

All of the 6 nations teams (bar Italy whom look worse than ever) beat each other at home/lost away. Ireland Wales and England seem so evenly matched.

I reckon that Russia might get spanked for the highest ever defeat you know, 140-0 was it? Italy put over 80 on them the other week!

Oh, and congratulations to Ireland going to World #1.
That’s England, Wales and Ireland now to hold the #1 spot, only Scotland to go.

Oh, and congratulations to Ireland going to World #1.

After people ridiculed Wales for being #1 without beating NZ it’s worth wondering how an Irish side who had a record spanking handed to them just a couple of weeks ago manage to be top. 🙄

I struggle with the fairness of the high tackle rule at times; whilst it’s very important, I don’t understand how someone who’s been tackled at a good height can go horizontal and gain a penalty, or am I mis-seeing things?

I fail to see how the ref can watch Sexton grab Moriarty round the throat to hold him up and give a scrum to Ireland and that Navidi tackle on whoever it was clearly wasnt high hit him well below the neck and the irish player fell head first into Navidi as both were almost on the ground. Ref was very much a homer imo, still thats life. Pointless game just hope no one got really hurt, did I see Earls limp off? I was watching a recording and FF the breaks in play.

Damn, spoke too soon didn’t I?

Good game without either side giving to much away.
Weirdly seemed to make it more physical because they weren’t showing their moves.
Henshaw MOM for me, despite the try. Good return.

Hope Earls, Patchel and Healy are all ok

Agreed re the ref aa.

Didn’t Sexton get North in an mma style choke hold at some point too? Or was that the Moriarty one?

Ireland beat wales both games didn’t they?

Yep

Oh yeah, so they did!

After people ridiculed Wales for being #1 without beating NZ it’s worth wondering how an Irish side who had a record spanking handed to them just a couple of weeks ago manage to be top. 🙄

You are Augustus Pichot and I claim my £5.

You are Augustus Pichot and I claim my £5.

I’ve never poked Colin Charvis in the testicles, so I’m not Pichot! 😁

AA, Sextons was high as well, he just missed it.

it’s worth wondering how an Irish side who had a record spanking handed to them just a couple of weeks ago manage to be top.

But NZ had a record spanking a few weeks ago too, so why should they be top?

Great first half from both teams, poor from wales in the second when Ireland reverted to their typical power play through the middle. Choked wales out of the game (literally in sex-waxes case) and far too many forced errors from wales, but we pretty much spent the second half in defence. Hope patch is ok as it was an almighty knee to the head and we looked more creative in attack with him at 10. Sadly don’t see us getting past the 1/4’s

AA, Sextons was high as well, he just missed it.

Yep, that was my point. It was bloody hard to miss though.
Another time Wales held up an Irish runner, maul was called, maul collapsed and he pinged Wales for collapsing, I have often thought teams should be pinged in that situation but I have never seen jt done!!!

Gets a lot of stick for being a chippy ****, maybe rightly but this shows class.

https://mobile.twitter.com/C4Sport/status/1170384006841417730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1170384006841417730&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rugbydump.com%2Fnews%2Fdan-biggar-praised-for-honesty-over-try-decision-against-ireland%2F

So circumstances have conspired for me to be in France during the first two weeks of the WC.
So how to watch the pool games in France? (In English preferably) the apartment has blazing internet and I have a VPN, can I get ITV player do you think?

PS Jones brown noser Kitson is at it again. I must apologise (again) for our countries journalistic behavior during the RWC.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/08/eddie-jones-england-world-cup-owen-farrell