23-9-19 RUGBY WORLD CUP WEEKEND
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.
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 at the door
- and now as the gong sounds it’s the French with a chance to extend their lead
from the boot of Ntamack.
It wasn’t the best of his efforts, the youngster, but it
sneaks between the posts
Referee
Angus Gardner has been prominent early on. He’s not happy with this scrum - and
talks to both teams to improve their bind. It’s another scrum penalty against
the French, who go slightly too early.
Ntamack - the baby of the squad lines up a penalty attempt -
and it’s straight as an arrow.
That was razzle dazzle stuff from the French! They
didn’t have much room to operate in out wide, it was brilliant from Penaud, and
he’s backed up on the inside by the scrum half, Dupont! He scores in the
corner. Lovely.
And would you believe it - from the touchline on the other
side, it’s Ntamack who knocks over another perfect conversion.
Terrific running rugby from the French! It’s Penaud who
sparks it all with a lovely run - they swing the other side and it’s the two
centres Vakatawa and Fickou who stop and start, and pick their way through the
despairing Argentine defence.
And it’s an excellent conversion attempt from the touchline,
Ntamack adds the extras.
Lovely forward attack! They win the lineout and get the maul
driving. Petti’s at the end of it, and the big second rower crashes over -
there’s about five of them in blue and white over the line, they’ve bashed
through the French defence.
Sanchez adds the extras, good kick.
Lovely forward attack! They win the lineout and get the maul
driving. Petti’s at the end of it, and the big second rower crashes over -
there’s about five of them in blue and white over the line, they’ve bashed
through the French defence.
No mistake this time from Sanchez, from near dead in front.
And it’s the replacement hooker who crashes over! It’s the
driving maul once again. Under a penalty warning they couldn’t infringe,
France. It’s Old Skool Rugby from the Pumas, and the replacement front rower grabs
the five-pointer.
The French, but it’s ball to ground. Almost a comical moment
where nobody knew where it had gone, and Argentina almost capitalise just 20m
out.
It’s eventually cleared - but then a big bust from Los Pumas
backs! They have it midfield, it looked like there was a try begging out wide,
but the French defence hold on.
Penalty advantage, they’ll take the shot at three.
It’s the substitute Benjamin Urdapilleta who takes the
penalty, and it’s sweetly struck by the left-footer. Over the dot.
Penaud leaves the field with a heavy head knock - that’s a
concern for French fans. We have a TMO, no infringement from Boffelli on Penaud
as the two plays contested the aerial ball, game continues.
They elect for the kick, Argentina.
! Camille Lopez has hardly been on the pitch and he’s caught
Argentina napping, and slotted the drop goal from 35m out or so - it just has
the distance. That’s his first touch of the game!
MY
OPINION
This might be how a lot of
matches in this group tur out as there are a lot of big battles between big
sides. Argentina were dead and have to find out how to sort out that situation
very quickly as they go to play both England and Tonga as neither will be soft
touches. Argentina had show the fighting spirit but the reach did show that
ability they have to turn the tap on and off as they pleased.
AUSTRILIA 39-21 FIJI
LATU LICIOUS
Both teams invited early pressure onto themselves but Fiji
also shone and, inside 10 minutes, they had built an 8-0 lead.
Australian tacklers were scattered by Josua Tuisova during a
rampaging run down the right wing and openside Yato was on hand to finish the
attack.
Fiji were looking the better coached until Hooper
side-stepped over from close range after a series of raids down the left.
It was only brief respite as Fiji renewed their onslaught,
harvesting six more points from Ben Volavola's boot, but Australia were far
more ruthless in possession and when they next visited the 22, a try was worked
for wing Hodge.
Before that score, the Wallabies wing was extremely
fortunate to avoid a red card for a shoulder charge to the head of Yato - which
put the Fiji flanker out for the rest of the game, failing a Head Injury
Assessment. The match TMO chose not to even review the incident.
The Wallabies needed to settle quickly into the second half
but instead, they gifted the Islanders their second try as a botched midfield
move presented Nayacalevu with the loose ball.
The floodgates were now open as Fiji collapsed, with Kerevi
and Koroibete completing a one-sided scoreline that was unkind to the
Islanders.
MY
OPINION
Australia showed here that they
could get themselves out of a whole that they should never be in in the first
place and I think this team can go far but we will not know too much until they
face one of the big teams. This has to be seen as a learning experience
SUN
IRELAND 27-3 SCOTLAND
CRAFTY CONWAY
From there it was vintage Ireland 2018, a patient series of
recycling allowed Ryan to burrow over while playing a penalty advantage.
Eight minutes later captain Best forced his way over
after a lineout close to the line, with Johnny Sexton off target with the
conversion on this occasion.
If the first two scores came straight from the first page of
the Schmidt handbook, the third owed a lot to Andrew Conway's kick and chase,
the Munster winger forcing the backtracking Stuart Hogg to concede a 5m scrum.
CJ Stander got fast ball at the back of the scrum and prop
Furlong was on hand to barge over for his third international try.
All Scotland could offer was three points from the boot of
Greig Laidlaw
MY
OPIION
If Scotland play like this they will
find it difficult against Japan and Samoa that is for sure as they need to up
their level but Ireland are showing that sense of peeking at the right time but
it is all about what will happen in the later stages for them but they can definitely
build confidence from a result like this. They have to try to find them second string
that can do a job ow and show they have got strength in depth a thing that has
destroyed world cups or them over the years
ITALY 47-22 NAMIBIA
POLLEDRI PERFECTION
The Namibian part-timers took an early lead through Damian
Stevens before the Azzurri drew level with a penalty try.
Italy then took control with tries from Tommaso Allan and
Tito Tebaldi.
Edoardo Padovani, Carlo Canna, Jake Polledri, Matteo Minozzi
scored after the break, while JC Greyling and Chad Plato scored consolations
for Namibia.
MY OPINION
This was an easy win for the
Italians but now they know what is needed to compete with the big boys but have
got to understand that this was not one of them and getting the job done was a
huge advantage but they still have to learn. Namibia should be playing South
Africa more often in a African shield
ENGLAND 35-3 TONGA
TUILAGI KILLS TONGA
Two first-half tries from the buccaneering Manu Tuilagi and
a second-half rumble from Jamie George off a driving maul opened a gap, Owen
Farrell landing three penalties and two conversions.
Replacement hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie grabbed the bonus-point
fourth try late on but the expected avalanche of points never materialised.
MY
OPINION
If England are to play like this
against either France or Argentina they are very likely of being beaten as they
both showed that they have the grit to win it when it becomes tight and England
feel like at the moment they are going backwards and that is not a good thing
for a world cup. As for Tonga they can come out with a sense of pride that the
result went their way
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