2019 Rugby World Cup

[redebreck]

Japan have just gone ahead 16 - 12 against Ireland.

Japanese side looking real quality.

And the crowd love it.

[redebreck]

Full time, Japan have beaten Ireland 19 - 12.

[CCTV]

Well deserved by the Japanese.

Ireland poor as well, poor line out, poor in the ruck, too many errors, disappointing in the scrum and braindead in open play.

Things can only get better :D

Group wide open - advantage JAPAN !!
Hope we get out the group!!

[stevie harkness]

Big result for Wales beating the Wallabies

[redebreck]

England slightly lucky against Argentina, who had a red card awarded against them.
Owen Farrell ducked into a challenge, causing the tackler to catch him a bit high.
Referee didn't award anything, not even a penalty.
But the off-field TMO decided a red card against the Argentinian tackler.
The game was spoiled thanks to it becoming an uneven contest, and England gained a bonus point win.
England may have won it any way, but the game was spoiled.
Too much off-field interference. Will football go the same way?

[stevie harkness]

Some matches cancelled because of a typhoon so they're recorded as 0-0 and carry on... Meaning some teams get an extra weeks rest over their opponents for the quarter finals...

[stevie harkness]

...and some teams basically get sent home early denied the chance to qualify for the knockout stages.

[toneata]

I see Scotland are threatening legal action if their game gets cancelled. I wonder if the men in suits would be so strict with the timing if a scratched game vs Scotland meant Japan being eliminated?

[CCTV]

England slightly lucky against Argentina, who had a red card awarded against them.
Owen Farrell ducked into a challenge, causing the tackler to catch him a bit high.
Referee didn't award anything, not even a penalty.
But the off-field TMO decided a red card against the Argentinian tackler.
The game was spoiled thanks to it becoming an uneven contest, and England gained a bonus point win.
England may have won it any way, but the game was spoiled.
Too much off-field interference. Will football go the same way?

World rugby confirmed that several of the penalty calls against Ireland v Japan were incorrect calls. Advantage to the home nation in a world cup shocker ;)
Still should have beaten them.

Not sure what's happening with Scotland v Japan. If Scotland beat them think we finish top and face south Africa, is it's a draw or Scotland lose we finish second and face New Zealand.
Not overly confident v either opponent in the knock out stages.

The northern hopes look like resting on the English and Welsh.
Englands game v France being cancelled probably welcome by both teams and keeps them fresher for the knockout stages

[CCTV]

I see Scotland are threatening legal action if their game gets cancelled. I wonder if the men in suits would be so strict with the timing if a scratched game vs Scotland meant Japan being eliminated?

Unfair, but those are the rules teams signed up to

[stevie harkness]

Scotland get their wish and their match with Japan is underway after all...and they are losing...

Welsh winger Hallam Amos had a hat-trick of tries disallowed as they won their match with Uruguay

[CCTV]

The quarters:

Saturday:
England v Australia
New Zealand v Ireland

Sunday:
Wales v France
Japan v South Africa

Scotland failed to beat Japan today.
28-21 in the end

[CCTV]

My gut says... England, New Zealand, Wales & South Africa.
Should be decent games to watch, if they're on TV

[redebreck]

My gut says... England, New Zealand, Wales & South Africa.
Should be decent games to watch, if they're on TV

..they're all on ITV in the UK, I believe..

[redebreck]

My gut says... England, New Zealand, Wales & South Africa.
Should be decent games to watch, if they're on TV
England have, surprisingly, given Australia a bit of a thrashing this morning.
New Zealand very much on top against Ireland 22-0 at half time.

[CCTV]

England have, surprisingly, given Australia a bit of a thrashing this morning.
New Zealand very much on top against Ireland 22-0 at half time.

Saw the second half England were good and good for the win, arguably the score a little flattering as Australia chased the game, smashed them.

New Zealand thonking Ireland presently, Ireland full of errors and New Zealand ruthless as usual. Not enough raw power or pace in the Ireland team to cause them any problems. Could be an ugly score come full time.

Think England have the tools to get at this New Zealand side. New Zealand as always favourites.

[CCTV]

29-0 now with 31 minutes to play

[redebreck]

Johnny Sexton has missed a number of important touch kicks for Ireland.
34-0 to NZ, 67 minutes gone, Ireland looking for their first score. 34-5 conversion to come.

[CCTV]

Johnny Sexton has missed a number of important touch kicks for Ireland.
34-0 to NZ, 67 minutes gone, Ireland looking for their first score. 34-5 conversion to come.

Poor all over really, he wasn't alone.
It ends 46-14. The 14 putting some respectability on the scoreboard!!

Smashed 57-15 by the English before the tournament in the warm ups, lost to Japan and unsurprisingly smashed by New Zealand today. Been poor in 2019.

England v New Zealand should be competitive, think England might do them.

[redebreck]

Two massive games this weekend, England V All Blacks, Wales V South Africa.
Would be nice to have a Wales v England final but not too likely.
Good luck to the home nations.

[CCTV]

Fulltime England 19 - 7 New Zealand

Well done Englishmen, doing the northern hemisphere proud.

[CCTV]

Fulltime Wales 16 - 19 South Africa

Tough on Wales looked like they had the momentum near the end, but the boks got a penalty and saw it out with minutes to play.

England and New Zealand looking like favourites for the final and third place play-off.

The walking wounded Welsh will face a pissed off New Zealand.

South Africa should be able to handle the English physicality, maybe not the pace though. England playing better rugby could smash them.

[redebreck]

The final could be brutal.
I fancy England to win it but not by much.

[stevie harkness]

England have been fined £2,000 for crossing the halfway line while facing the Haka in their semi final with New Zealand. That'll teach them.

What is the point of fines, and where does the money go?

[redebreck]

Wales fielding a vastly under-strength side in the 3rd place game, reportedly.
Maybe building for the future.
Hope they don't get too disheartened.

[stevie harkness]

Wales fielding a vastly under-strength side in the 3rd place game, reportedly.
Maybe building for the future.
Hope they don't get too disheartened.

The bronze play off is a strange one. Players have been battered for weeks and injuries have forced changes. The All Blacks make seven changes.

Both sets of players will be gutted after losing, perhaps new boys are more up for it?

It's both managers last match too. But all eyes on the final!

[Kev0909]

shite this

[stevie harkness]

The Boks just scored their first ever try in a World Cup final, they think it's all over...

[stevie harkness]

And then two come along at once. ffs

[Kev0909]

Utter shite

[redebreck]

South Africa have comprehensively beaten England. Expected England to win tbh.
In a way, this puts Wales' performance into perspective, the Welsh should feel extremely proud.

[Nineteenx]

England got done by a really basic ploy to win penalties by turning or collapsing England's scrum, made for grim viewing

[Kev0909]

England got done by a really basic ploy to win penalties by turning or collapsing England's scrum, made for grim viewing

not really a rugby guy, not changed after watching that.

I'll stick to my football as that was shite

[redebreck]

England got done by a really basic ploy to win penalties by turning or collapsing England's scrum, made for grim viewing

England and South Africa both won their semi-finals in a similar fashion.
Strength, brutality and the basic ploy you mentioned.
South Africa won their previous wc final against England in 2007 iirc, using similar tactics. S A have now won the W C three times, and this year is the first time they have scored any tries in the final.
Attacking rugby seems to go out of the window whenever most teams reach a W C final.