30-9-19 RWC
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 we seeing
here?
Japan probe in midfield and earn a penalty as they make
their way in increments up the field. Tamura now with a chance to cut the lead
to just three points After missing one early the Japanese fly-half makes amends
as his kick bows back from left to right to dissect the post.
Japan have a seven point lead! They get their reward for
bravery in their own half, passing their way out and forcing a penalty. The
fly-half’s kick is drifting but it through. From the scrum Japan burst forward
again and Murray is pinged for offside. Tamura with a decent chance to extend
this lead
MY
OPINION
Ireland have to learn from this
experience in what is was that went wrong as they are definitely a better side
than this performance conceding so many penalties now they might have set
themselves up the impossible task with Smidts decision to rotate in the group
stage they do know that for people to get behind them they have to reach the
semi finals the4y have to look at other results now and get 10 points from 2
games
SA 57-3 NAMIBIA
MABIMPI MAKES MAGIC
South Africa produced four monstrous attacking
scrums early on to show their dominance, referee Mathieu Raynal showing
restraint as Namibia buckled and wheeled under the pressure.
The first three tries were all from rolling mauls following
line-outs, two for Mbonambi and one by Louw, before Mapimpi secured the
bonus-point inside 27 minutes with a neat finish out wide.
Namibia fly-half Cliven Loubser replied with a penalty
before Am crossed to hand the Boks a 31-3 halftime lead.
They took almost 10 minutes to find their rhythm after the
break but added a sixth try as Am sliced through a gap in the defence, Gelant
finishing off.
Mapimpi crossed for his second out wide and then regular
skipper Kolisi came off the bench to canter in, captain for the day Brits
adding the ninth with 16 minutes remaining.
MY
OPINION
I think that this was a huge win
and little can be learned by either team and maybe a challenge match should be
played every so often so Namibia could get up to the level of South Africa but
they did what was needed here
ARGENTENA 28-12 TONGA
MAGNIFICO MONTOYA
Lovely front of lineout set move leads to a Montoya
touchdown. The ball was caught, popped to Cubelli who short passed to a runner
on the switch to the short side who feeds Montoya to for free run into the
corner. Cracking move that created an overlap in five metres of crowded space. Urdipilleta
converts.
Catch, drive, try. If things keep going like this, hooker
Montoya could be on for tournament top try scorer. Tonga already look weary in
the forwards.No problem with the extras for Urdipilleta
Tonga’s answer to the hammering they are taking is to force
it in midfield, it’s already not the best of patterns before the last pass is
shovelled onto the ground for winger Carreras to pounce on and stroll over
unopposed from 45 metres. Conversion is good.
Montoya has a hat-trick and his team have a bonus
point within half an hour. It’s wave after wave at the Tongan line, Cubelli
getting runners working of him from the base of ruck and and sure as eggs is
eggs the Pumas hooker carries three tacklers up to the line and gets the ball
down.
Urdipilleta is absolutely creamed as he shapes to kick clear
on his own 22, he doesn’t look to be getting up quickly and meanwhile Tonga
have the spilled ball and actually put it through some phased structure without
dropping it. It’s worked to Veainu on the left who does his hotstepper routine
around two to score.Takalua adds the necessary extras.
New scrum half
Fukofuka pings left to Cooper Vuna, he sucks in two tacklers out right while
swinging the ball around one handed like an easter egg in his mitt, he then
flicks it out of the back of his hand to the onrushing fullback who executes a
dive finish in about 3 inches of room
MY
OPINION
Argentina deftly looked good in
this match and look ready to pounce on any team that comes near them they look
like they are ready to play for their lives against England but also know how
difficult that task might be
GEORGIA 33-7 URGUAY
BREGVADZE BAMBOZLES
Uruguay have given away two penalties at this scrum so
far with new man Rombys struggling. Wayne Barnes is not reaching for a card
yet, but it’s coming soon if they don’t sort it. It goes down again for another
penalty, but advantage is played and Georgia work it left to Todua who dots it
down in the corner.
Uruguay stay up in the scrum this time but it’s
still a wheeling mess. Georgia play it anyway and it’s given to the impressive
Otari Giorgadze who powers over with two players hanging off him. Conversion is
slotted.
A move off first first phase from the catch and drive puts
Silva through who feeds the supporting Vilaseca to score. Georgia looked very
tired in cover defence there
. Georgia have a scrum five after Silva carries
an awkward kick back over his own line. They win in and Giorgadze puts in
another huge carry before Chilachava drive it over in a crowd
Georgia catch and drive in the corner and the
full rumble is on and over the line for Bregvadze to simply fall over and
score. An easy two is added.
Georgia go off the top and spray it left through hands.
Uruguay’s drift defence deals with it and the grubber is mopped up by Leivas,
but the clearance sees Georgia come back, kick again and smother Uruguay in the
tackle on their own line. Giorgi Kveseladze pick it up and pushes
over from short range.
MY
OPINION
I think that this result puts
the |Georgians right back in the mix for this pool and shows that they are
ready for the next big challenge as for the South Americans they were simply
outclassed in this match and show that they are still learning as a nation
AUSTRALIA 25-29 WALES
HALLETT PETTY HEROIC
The first possession, and they pinch it, and the man with 10
on his back slots it sweet as a nut! First points, first blood Wales.
Welsh lineout about 20m out. They go deep and it’s North on
the run once again. A few phases, but Australia’s defence picks out the one-off
runners. Biggar kicks to the corner, and it’s Parkes who rises above Koroibete
to pluck the crossfield bomb and place it! Lovely from Biggar.And he converts
well from the touchline. Fine kick, Biggar.
It’s a good scrum from Australia - they win the penalty and
get out of danger (for now).Kerevi with another big carry, before Foley looks
crossfield with the kick, and it’s the veteran, Mr 120 (ish?) caps in for the
five-pointer!
Australia push wide, and it’s George North who gives away a
penalty. They play on, and it’s Kerevi with another monster run - he drops the
goose step and palms off a would-be tackler, before Biggar comes across with a
crucial try-saving tackle!
Foley slots it from 10m in from touch. It floats a little
ugly, but it flies between the sticks, which is the main thing for Wallabies
supporters
No mistake, Patchell. A fair reward for his brilliant hands
under pressure moments earlier. A lot of people who have come off the bench
would have looked up a little with a gold freight-train running at them, but he
took the hit, retained the ball, and ultimately it ends in points for Wales,
once again.
It’s Patchell from long-range and it hooks left - it
clatters the post, and it bounces off and just over!
I said it was a big ten minutes, and it’s Wales who
are playing the championship minutes so much better. Genia throws a chancey
one, and it’s plucked out of the air by Davies who’s far too quick, and he
sprints away for the try! Extras added by Patchell once again
Toomua with a half break, before Haylett-Petty makes a bust.
He looks inside for Toomua again. They’re about a metre short of the line -
some desperate tryline defence from the Welsh. But it’s Pocock who draws two
defenders before finding the fullback outside him once again. A fine flowing
move - is that a lifeline for Australia? Toomua lines up the conversion.
Straight over the black dot, he adds two.
Hooper pops up under the sticks, claiming it. That was pure
muscle from both sides. Such incredible defence from Wales, but the gold No 7
eventually finds a way. Toomua with the kick from in front,
Penalty
against Wales - an infringement in the scrum, and Toomua says, I’ll have a look
at the three points. What a see-sawing match this is turning into! Great drama.Toomua
strikes it nicely,
We’re back outside a
3-point margin. But there’s still eight minutes to play. Real championship
minutes, these. Great claim from Tipuric, and they earn a
penalty for Rodda jumping across in the lineout!
MY
OPINION
This was an epic match that could
have went either way and it felt like that at the end but the truth of the
matter is that the Welsh lost control of this match and in some ways did
deserve to lose it. Australia showed that they had fighting spirit and that
they could take on any challenge
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