Barry's Blog

RUGBY WORLD CUP JAPAN 19-12 IRELAND FUKUOKA FANATICAL Carty knows he has a penalty in his pocket and from 15 metres in the front of the posts the fly-half dinks a lovely cross kick towards the right wing, where Ringrose gets above his man and spins over. Carty cannot convert though. Tamura will get a chance to cut the deficit almost immediately as Stander is pinged for offsideIt is not the prettiest kick you have ever seen but it is over and Japan strike back. There is a quick check for a knock-on as Rob Kearney gets on to Ringrose’s paddle back from another speculative Carty kick from near the try line to allow the full-back to bundle over Conor Murray holds on in the ruck and Tamura is able to knock over an easy kick from close range. Japan are keeping this close. Accidental offside from the Irish and it is a scrum for Japan 15 metres out. Fukuoka pounces after neat handling across the Japanese line, Lafaele in particular. Tamura knocks over the extras. What are ...

RUGBY LEAGUE SEMI FINAL CHAMPIONS SEMI FINAL ST HELANS 40-10 WIGAN PERFECT PRECIVAVAL St Helens' teamwork was matchless, their conviction unshakeable and a vibrant start led to Theo Fages grounding Lachlan Coote's kick to open the scoring. First, the outstanding Luke Thompson dived over from close range and England team-mate Jonny Lomax then did likewise. After the interval, Coote sent Zeb Taia over from close range and England centre Mark Percival finished off a delightful handling sequence inside the left channel before claiming his second with five minutes remaining. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-league/2019/09/27/st-helens-march-super-league-grand-final-victory-wigan-warriors/ MYIOINION St Helens showed in this match for sure why they are considered the best team in the league and whoever plays then in the final is going to find them a very tricky opponent but this was simply a dominant display and showed what Wigan have to change even for their mat...

AFL FINAL RICHMOND 114-25 GWS GIANTS HOULI  HAPPENING The shoulder got better, but Davis appeared to be limping when he did a light fitness test shortly before 1:00pm. The Giants skipper looked proppy all day, and while he got 15 disposals, he struggled to make an impact in defence and contain the rampant Tigers forward line. GWS had beaten the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane before prevailing in a preliminary final over Collingwood. But there were concerns over whether they would have the legs to run out four quarters against a Richmond side that had been shifting through the gears with wins over Brisbane and Geelong. In a fierce beginning to the contest, it took more than 20 minutes for the first goal of the game, as Jacob Hopper kicked an inside out ball high for Jeremy Cameron to outmark Dylan Grimes, outside 50 on the left. He went back and kicked it truly to give the Giants a five-point lead. GWS looked like they had weathered the storm, but the Tigers we...

RUGBY WORLD CUP ITALY 48-7 CANADA ZIPPI ZANI  Steyn snatching up the ball and powering for the line. This time, there’s no stopping him – and Allan adds the conversion.    A nice flowing move involving Campagnaro and Minozzi puts Canada on the back foot, and Dean Budd steps forward with the ball, Tierney completely misses his tackle and the captain steps through the gap. Allan adds the conversion. The pressure comes in waves, moving right to left, with Canada unable to slow things down and regroup. Eventually Sebastian Negri finds himself up against Nelson, who is physically outmatched and can’t keep the flanker from going over. Allan adds the conversion, and Italy are surely out of sight. Ah, but the wing’s hard work is undone by Matt Heaton, who went in low with a no-arms tackle in the buildup! It’s a penalty try and a yellow card for Heaton, who’s had a pretty dreadful day at the office. That wraps up a bonus point for Italy A terrific, flowing att...

RUGBY WORLD CUP URGUAY 30-27 FIJI SLIPERY SILVA  Fiji fullback Veitokani executes a beautiful chip and gather and he’s into open pasture and flings it wide left to Nakosi who is tackled but Uruguay are lying all over it. The penalty is put in touch and from the lineout hooker Delokoto gets it back off a short throw and is in. Uruguay are running it from their own 22 before Arata decidese this is silly and puts the box kick in. It looks a little too deep but nakarawa flings an offload to no-one but the ground which Arata pounces on to run in and finish in stepping style from 30 metres out. Berchesi slots the conversion.   Fiji win the lineout and it’s Delokoto again on the inside pop, but this time he’s hauled down, but Fiji still have it, moving it left and right. There’s very nearly a turnover after Freitas clamps on, but Fiji get it out and the prop is over from inches a couple of phases later. Matavesi makes no mistake with the kick   Lineout goes to...

RUGBY WORLD CUP WALES 43-14 GEORGIA WILLIAMS WASHES GEORGIAN Nice flat pass from Gareth Davies, nice running line, good try. But somehow, Dan Biggar smacks an very easy conversion against the left-hand post.  Georgia full-back Matiashvili gets a kick all wrong and Wales win a line out near halfway. Adams speeds through the defensive line thanks to a nice pass from Biggar, the Georgian defence is as a result all over the shop, and Justin Tipuric then sees a yawning gap and runs under the posts for the second try. Biggar manages not to hit the post from less than 10 metres. Wales are moving through the gears very nicely. The Welsh set-piece is functioning smoothly, and Adams needs no second invitation to run on to a little pop pass by Biggar off his left shoulder, straight past the floundering Georgian defenders, and into the left-hand corner. He has too much pace for full-back Matiashvili who makes a slightly half-hearted attempt to get back and cover. Biggar thumps...

RUGBY WORLD CUP SAT NEW ZEALAND  23-13 SOUTH AFRICA BARRETT BRIDGES GAP The Springboks started brightly and took the lead with a Handre Pollard penalty before the All Blacks hit back. Richie Mo'unga drew New Zealand level and two quick tries by George Bridge and Scott Barrett put them in front. Pieter-Steph du Toit's try and a Pollard drop-goal made it tense before Mo'unga and Beauden Barrett penalties. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49781330 MY OPINION The all blacks showed from this why they are the best nation in world cup history with this win and it shows that they are making a point but that ability not to get the bonus point may stick to them or South Africa it might depend on the Italy match. South Africa did show in the 4 nations in pre-season they could do it. FRANCE 23-21 ARGENTENA LOVIN IT LIKE LOPEZ   A suspected high tackle from Cubelli. It’s been a horror few minutes for the Pumas. They were right there, knocking ...

AFL SEMIS RICHMOND 85-66 GEELONG COLLIGWOOD 52-56 GWS

SUPER LEAGUE PLAY OFFS 4/5 TH PLAY OFF WARRINGON 12-14 CASTLEFORD MIGHTY MATAUTIA Adam Milner's try, converted by Peter Mata'utia, put Castleford 6-0 up at half-time after the Wolves' Stefan Ratchford had seen an early penalty kick at goal go narrowly wide. However, a converted try from Jordan Rankin and a Mata'utia penalty sealed the win, with the Tigers holding out to progress to the next round despite a late converted score from Chris Hill. https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/warrington-vs-castleford/52270 MY OPINION This was a battle that could have went either way and it went to the away side as I think they had more of a mentality to play for. They looked like as if they wanted it more and Warrington were more sealed to their fate 2ND/3RD PLACE  WIGAN 18-12 SALFORD WILLIAMS MAKES WARRIORS GO WILD   The sides went in all square at the break as a converted try from George Griffin just before half-time cancelled out one by Wigan...

RUGBY WORLD CUP JAPAN 30-10 RUSSIA MATUSHIMA MAGES MAGIC   Russia took an early lead through wing Kirill Golosnitskiy, but Matsushima replied for the hosts. Matsushima grabbed his second to put Japan ahead just before half-time and Pieter Labushagne broke away to add another after the break. Matsushima then ran through to claim a four-try bonus point for his side. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49768827 MY OPINION This gets the hosts off to a great start but this was the easy tie in the group by a long way. I think that when they play the Irish next weekend they will only then get to see where they are as a side. I do think that this will calm some nerves in the side

AFL RESULTS QUARTERS  GEEONG 88-68 WEST COAST BRISBANE 80-83 GWS

ALL IRELAND FINAL REPLAY DUBLIN 1-18 0-15 KERRY MIGHTY MURTUGH An absorbing first half ended with the sides locked at ten points apiece, though in the early exchanges it was all one-way traffic as the blue Dublin wave crashed into the Hill 16 end. After nine minutes they were 0-05 to 0-01 ahead and Paul Mannion dropped one short to keeper Shane Ryan. Such was their dominance at this stage that another point would have put real distance between the sides. Kerry tried route one early on, bombing ball after ball into David Clifford and getting absolutely zero return. Mick Fitzsimons took over the marking duty on Clifford from Jonny Cooper, who played a spare man in defence having been sent off before half-time in the draw. The Kingdom also tried a full-court press on Stephen Cluxton’s early kick-outs early, but the Dubs’ captain, just like the television ad, brings us the wonderful every day and he pinged the ball to his men, drawing appreciative applause from the crowd...