Parkes has a bit of a bone fracture in his hand but they think he can pad that up.

“It shouldn’t be an issue for next week.

Oh… and please please please remove the pitch side microphone from the screaming woman (screaming anyone)!

The collapsed maul logic seemed to be it started so far out and moved so quickly that it wasn’t a deliberate collapse but inevitable.

No, he gave a yellow for a deliberate collapse on the line. He said that there were too many defenders to give a PT. Umm, yeah, that’s why they had to collapse the maul just before the line – they didn’t commit enough defenders to the maul. 🙄

Jake Ball was MotM? How well does Tips need to play? 😂

I need to pay more attention but hard when supposedly working!

Jake Ball was MotM? How well does Tips need to play? 😂

Tips having an awesome game was however impossible to miss! 😀

No, YOU’RE sniggering…

The only way Scotland are staying out in Japan is if they’ve booked their flights with Thomas Cook!

— Fatavesi (@Fatavesi) September 23, 2019

😂

Ouch! that burns!

Ali Price out as well . FFS!

Cory Hill going home, replaced by Bradley Davies, if he plays against anyone but Uruguay we are ****!!

Man real shame about all of those injuries already. Seems like a daft decision taking Hill in the first place now.

A mixed first round for the home nations.

Ireland looking focused and sharp, but sadly Scotland were no opposition. Still dangerous opponents if they click though.

England were sloppy, but still got a BP.

Wales showed good attacking intent, but got owned by the Georgia scrum – even their replacements.

All in all, round one to Ireland. England have the 5 points and no more injuries. Wales need to beat Aus, and Scotland …….. well…..never write them off, but..

but got owned by the Georgia scrum – even their replacements.

Thats interesting given in the warmups Scotland more than held their own

Scotland …….. well…..never write them off, but..

Ermmm – I think yo can write them off as contenders and even QF looks a long way away

But on their day in a knockout match they could easily ruin someone’s day.

Seems like a daft decision taking Hill in the first place now.

Not when you see the other options!

I watched the Wales Georgia game yesterday, scrums were odd. Wales were well on top with first 3 or 4. Then it became even, then we bought on a streek of piss flanker at lock, combined with weaker sub props and it all went a bit poor. Ref seemed to be guessing though. Pinged Georgia for not driving straight and walking it round in one scrum, they did the same at the next and pinged wales.
Our props are shit though, have been for ages.

Surprised England havent rested Billy V.

Wales need to beat Aus

Why?

Surprised England havent rested Billy V.

I can only assume that it is because he has said himself that he plays better with a run of games. Hopefully he’ll get subbed off early.

I just hope that we play better on Thursday than we did at the weekend.

Wales need to beat Aus

Why?

It will get them an easier quarter-final, plus they need to be able to beat stronger teams than Aus if they hope to win the cup. NZ, SA, Ireland, and England all seem stronger than Aus to me, so not being able to beat Aus would not bode well.

Wales need to beat Aus
Why?

Wales don’t need to beat Australia at all. They need to beat the other teams in the group to get through to the QFs. Once you’re there they are all tough matches. Iirc, if Wales win the group they are likely to play France/Argentina. If they are runner-up they play England. Ok, England are stronger, in theory, than Fra/Arg but Wales have beaten them all recently. (And England haven’t yet beaten Fra/Arg….) Granted, losing to Australia doesn’t suggest that they could beat NZ, but one game at a time and all that.

I thought this was worth a separate post:

World Rugby has issued an extraordinary statement that criticises the performance of officials at the Rugby World Cup in Japan, claiming that they have accepted their decisions over the opening weekend of the tournament “were not consistently of the standards set” at the highest level of the game.
A number of controversial incidents were highlighted in the wake of the opening round of fixtures, most notably the tackle from Australia wing Reece Hodge on Fiji’s Peceli Yato that left him concussed and resulted in a post-match citing, despite match referee Ben O’Keeffe and TMO Rowan Kitt insisting at the time that his tackle was legal.

O’Keeffe was also heavily criticised on social media for issuing a yellow card to Fiji centre Levani Botia, despite a video of the breakdown in question showing Wallabies captain Michael Hooper committing an offence by coming in at the side to clear him out.

The incident followed a similar one in Japan’s victory over Russia in Friday night’s curtain-raiser, when Japan lock James Moore escaped action for a no-arm tackle on Russia’s Vasily Dorofeev that was referenced on social media by former Namibia captain Jacques Burger as “looks like the officials missed a potential red card”.

The incident followed a similar one in Japan’s victory over Russia in Friday night’s curtain-raiser, when Japan lock James Moore escaped action for a no-arm tackle on Russia’s Vasily Dorofeev that was referenced on social media by former Namibia captain Jacques Burger as “looks like the officials missed a potential red card”.

Yet in an unprecedented move by the game’s governing body, World Rugby has admitted they are taking steps to improve the standard of refereeing at Japan 2019 as the current levels have not been up to scratch.

A World Rugby statement read: “Following the usual review of matches, the match officials team recognise that performances over the opening weekend of Rugby World Cup 2019 were not consistently of the standards set by World Rugby and themselves, but World “Rugby is confident of the highest standards of officiating moving forward.

“Elite match officials are required to make decisions in complex, high-pressure situations and there have been initial challenges with the use of technology and team communication, which have impacted decision-making. These are already being addressed by the team of 23 match officials to enhance consistency.
“Given this proactive approach, a strong team ethic and a superb support structure, World Rugby has every confidence in the team to ensure that Rugby World Cup 2019 delivers the highest levels of accurate, clear and consistent decision-making.”

The only previous instance of an incident where World Rugby have stepped in over an official’s performance came following the Six Nations match in 2018 between England and Wales, when Gareth Anscombe had a potential try incorrectly ruled out by TMO Glenn Newman.
On that occasion, World Rugby made the clarification to Wales head coach Warren Gatland via Alain Rolland, their high performance 15s match officials’ manager, which was then revealed by assistant Rob Howley in public that triggered a clarification.
The statement read: “World Rugby has clarified to the Wales team management as part of the usual review process with teams that the TMO made an error in the application of law during the England versus Wales match at Twickenham. In accordance with law 21.1 b Wales should have been awarded a try as the Wales player grounded the ball.”

… and today two shoulders to the head for two yellows… two Samoans knocked out and so far both continued (I guess we’ll see if there are subs after half time). Lots of controversy

If they are runner-up they play England. Ok, England are stronger, in theory, than Fra/Arg but Wales have beaten them all recently.

England are stronger in reality than the other two, it’s not a theory. Wales have a better chance of beating France or Argentina than England. Playing weaker teams in the knockout stages is much preferable to playing stronger teams if your aim is to make it to the final and take the big trophy home.

And avoid NZ in the semis. Plus, lose to Aus & you give Fiji hope.

England are stronger in reality than the other two, it’s not a theory

We beat them in our last proper game. It would be good to beat Aus, but likely we wont, will never do, its not the end of the world. We wont win the whole thing anyway so it doesnt rrally matter.

England are stronger in reality than the other two, it’s not a theory. Wales have a better chance of beating France or Argentina than England. Playing weaker teams in the knockout stages is much preferable to playing stronger teams if your aim is to make it to the final and take the big trophy home.

Yes, but the point is that Wales could still win the World Cup if they lose to Australia, so therefore stating that Wales need to beat Australia is incorrect. (Or, more likely, just shortened for brevity. 😋 )

England are stronger in reality than the other two, it’s not a theory

Well England did lose to (Grand Slam winning) Wales on their last competitive meeting. Besides, their two most recent competitive matches were failing to beat Scotland after leading 31-0 and scoring 10 fewer tries against Tonga than the ABs did. Hardly a resounding affirmation of their RWC credentials.

Granted, they thumped a nearly full strength Irish side but that’s indicative of Ireland s malaise as much as England’s improvements.

Wales have the best chance. Dull they may be but they’re very effective and they seem to have forgotten how to lose. A QF win over France and SF win over the Boks is entirely within their grasp if they overcome Australia.

Yes, it’s technically possible to come second in the pool but still win the cup, but no cup-winning team has ever lost a game. Coming second in your pool makes things more difficult, so winning every game is important.

A QF win over France and SF win over the Boks is entirely within their grasp if they overcome Australia.

Or rather a SF v Ireland. Be positive! 😁

Or rather a SF v Ireland. Be positive

Yeah sorry mate, shoulda said Ireland. Just think the RWC has come a year too late for them and at exactly the right time for the Boks.

Well England did lose to (Grand Slam winning) Wales on their last competitive meeting. Besides, their two most recent competitive matches were failing to beat Scotland after leading 31-0 and scoring 10 fewer tries against Tonga than the ABs did. Hardly a resounding affirmation of their RWC credentials.

Granted, they thumped a nearly full strength Irish side but that’s indicative of Ireland s malaise as much as England’s improvements.

This is all true, but also meaningless. England couldn’t beat Scotland, yet Ireland thumped them, and we thumped Ireland, twice.
Comparative form in the NH is meaningless as there is too much emotion and history between everyone else and England that how any NH team does against anyone else is irrelevant to how they do against England.
Personally I would rather avoid Ireland, Scotland or Wales at any time in this tournament as all have the desire and capability to beat us, they want it more than anything else in the world.

which was then revealed by assistant Rob Howley in public that triggered a clarification.

Hmm, this could be read with suspicion given recent events.  Maybe.

I would rather avoid Ireland, Scotland or Wales at any time in this tournament

Really? You’d rather face the All Blacks?

I take your point that the Celtic countries will always raise their game against England but I’d be happy enough to play Scotland or Ireland in a knockout match.

My point was that England have less chance of winning the RWC than Wales because they lack the leadership and ability to win tight matches that Wales have.

Scotland …….. well…..never write them off, but..

Ermmm – I think yo can write them off as contenders

😂 is that like being able to write me off as the next president of the USA?

Really? You’d rather face the All Blacks?

Of course, its the ultimate challenge. I’d rather lose to the AB’s than win the world cup against Wales, not least because what you are implying is that it would be easier.

I’d rather lose to the AB’s than win the world cup against Wales

Bloody hell, and they say we’re odd!

Pool A is looking close, with 3 teams on 5 points after their first game.

I’d rather lose to the AB’s than win the world cup against Wales

Fair enough – each to his own.

You’ll probably get your wish in the semis.

Personally I think there’s more chance of winning the RWC if someone else beats NZ for you. Think 1999, 2003 and 2007.

Personally I think there’s more chance of winning the RWC if someone else beats NZ for you.

All the more reason to face them then.

Did I ever mention that I’m part Uruguayan?

WOW!

That was just fantastic to watch! Thrilled for Uruguay.

Great win for Uruguay but 4 day turnaround for Fiji has done them, dont have the depth to make changes. Wonder if Gatland will still send out Wales B to play them, gives a short turnaround into quarters for any welsh play who plays v Uruguay.

Same for Russia I think (or maybe they are actually shit) but its a shame for them that with a short turnaround they have lost both games. Is there a better way than 4 days?