RWC 2019

[johng]

That's the lowest place we can finish if we finally win our first knockout game in 9 world cups

[OTT]

8 or 9 teams can win it. One of them won't make it out of the groups. They will all fail except for the winner.

[Dave Cahill]

That's the lowest place we can finish if we finally win our first knockout game in 9 world cups

Exactly

[FLIP]

Armitev has a great tash going

[IanD]

Happy World Cup Day everyone.

May your beverage always be cold and your view of the telly remain unobstructed.

[Oldschool]

Happy World Cup Day everyone.

May your beverage always be cold and your view of the telly remain unobstructed.

Post of the RWC.

[johng]

Me coffee wasn't great cold. I'll revise the recommendations for the next game

[jimbobjoe]

Happy World Cup Day everyone.

May your beverage always be cold and your view of the telly remain unobstructed.

Except for the coffee at 5.45am tomorrow

[LeRouxIsPHat]

They will all fail except for the winner.

Well that has sucked the excitement out of it all for me

[Ruckedtobits]

The graphics for the players names & numbers in the TV production are completely useless. The font on the numbers is too big (everybody knows what numbers follow No 1) whilst the player names don't need an initial and have too small a font, illegible on all bar the largest screen.

Big sceen viewers will be less than 10% of total viewers.

[fourthirtythree]

I've moved to cold brew coffee. It means I come downstairs in the morning and pour myself a coffee without having to have made a coffee in a decaffeinated state. Game changer.

My favourite thing about that first game was the Russian fans in the Sputnik Vostok era spacesuits.

[Oldschool]

Two big games tomorrow.
Fra v Arg - Think France will win this if they have 80 minutes under the bonnet, I think they do.
NZ v SA - NZ to win by more than a score.
Ask yourself this question, what did Rassie achieve with Munster that makes you think he has suddenly managed to turn SA into NZ beaters.
Very little, however this should be a close game because this NZ team are beatable, the gap has closed not only between the SH and the NH but between NZ and the rest. The very reason why the pundits and the punters think there are 5/6 genuine potential winners.
Anyway both games will be worth the admission money or the cost of getting ITV into your place of abode.
Are the pubs opening early, can they even?

[Ruckedtobits]

Just wondering whether Artemev mentioned Kilkenny College in his Captain's piece to the Russian team? He would certainly have remembered that 13-14 victory for the Kilkenny lads over the Blackrock College, 7/4 favourites for the Senior Cup, in about 2010, a year or so after he finished in 'Rock.

In knock out rugby, any decent drilled team who are prepared to tackle have a chance against any opposition who don't take their opponents seriously. Japan today may have been overcome by the occasion but Russia certainly played above expectations in both passion and skills. Well done Lynn Jones and good luck to Georgia, USA, Tonga, Fiji and any other Tier 2 countries who have been written off by the media.

Being organised, fit, passionate and a little bit lucky gives any team a shot over 80 minutes and I hope we see a couple more games like that.

[Ruckedtobits]

Two big games tomorrow.
Fra v Arg - Think France will win this if they have 80 minutes under the bonnet, I think they do.
NZ v SA - NZ to win by more than a score.
Ask yourself this question, what did Rassie achieve with Munster that makes you think he has suddenly managed to turn SA into NZ beaters.
Very little, however this should be a close game because this NZ team are beatable, the gap has closed not only between the SH and the NH but between NZ and the rest. The very reason why the pundits and the punters think there are 5/6 genuine potential winners.
Anyway both games will be worth the admission money or the cost of getting ITV into your place of abode.
Are the pubs opening early, can they even?

I'm with you @Oldschool in thinking France to beat Argentina. I actually think France by more than 12 points. I've had my only punt on them at 33/1, compared with Australia at 12/1. I think the relative odds are madness. As an avid follower of Midi Olympique I follow a couple of their journalists, both of whom are in Japan with the French Squad and they are both hugely impressed (unusually) with the atmosphere within the French Camp.

France have flown under the radar for this RWC but they are acutely aware that France are the next hosts in 2023 and will follow that with the Olympics in 2024 in Paris. This team is young and very conscious that 'Les Blues' have disappointed the nation for the last couple of years.

I also share your view re Rassie as a Coach. An excelent organiser and motivator but I've seen very little, other than his prowess as a selector, to recommend him as a top-level Coach or strategist. He's done a great job with their scrum (and Owen Franks possibly blames him for being able to watch this RWC from home). Equally he's done a great job on their line-out and half-backs. However, I really don't see any tactical genius akin to that of Hanson et al.

Finally, Australia v Fiji could be a cracker but the Australian eight should deprive the Fijian team of enough ball in open field to start with a win.

But, three great games to test the stamina, followed by a local derby, Marys v Terenure, in the afternoon in the last Leinster League Pool fixture.

Retirerment time to the scratcher on Saturday, is at present the subject of deferred planning with the prospect of another early start on Sunday. But, that's another day.

[TerenureJim]

Calling it here I think England peaked too early with S&C timing and could be in more trouble to get out of the group then the press are making out, also that many weeks in camp with Eddie J has got to eventually grate

[Ruckedtobits]

Yato departing for a HIA after 25 mins, but surely that was a no arms body charge that stopped him?

[Fan with smartphone]

Looked like it alright. He’s a big loss and Fiji 9 kicked away turn over ball and led to Australia second try. Really had them on the run up until that, but those are 2 key moments. I’d have thought they needed to have everything go their way here in order to win ...it’s not, but Fiji can still do this.

[OTT]

They have the Johnny May leading with the forearm down to a tee themselves to be fair, nearly every collision. Very entertaining all the same.

[Ruckedtobits]

French mid-field really showing how to play in first quarter.

[Ruckedtobits]

Gardner hasn't a clue whats going on in scrums and has loss respect of both front-rows, so lets watch for mayhem.

The reality is Herrero is illegal as is Creevy and Argies are afraid they cannot handle the French if they go legit. That's what NZ and SA did to them in the Championship