Rugby World Cup 2015

JudgeDredd · August 14, 2015, 08:35:45 AM

It's on it's way - and here's Scotland's group

Some on 'Murica...or Scotland ???

Pinetree · August 15, 2015, 06:04:45 AM

The game against Samoa will be the key match for you guys.

Staggerwing · August 15, 2015, 08:48:21 AM

Quote from: Pinetree on August 15, 2015, 06:04:45 AM
The game against Samoa will be the key match for you guys.

Why? Is the team full of Mosi Tatupu clones?

Pinetree · August 15, 2015, 09:27:24 AM

I had to google him, yep they are :D, those boys are huge. But in the context of that pool, it's a toss up between Scotland or Samoa as to who will finish second and qualify with SA.

JudgeDredd · August 15, 2015, 09:40:47 AM

Quote from: Pinetree on August 15, 2015, 09:27:24 AM
I had to google him, yep they are :D, those boys are huge. But in the context of that pool, it's a toss up between Scotland or Samoa as to who will finish second and qualify with SA.

I wish I shared your confidence. ON paper yes - but in reality, the Scotland Rugby team has the same ability as the Scotland Football team...to fare well (note - not win...just fare well) against stronger teams but throw games away that they ought to win.

But we'll see. The Japanese are nippy wee buggers (pun intended) ;D

Pinetree · September 19, 2015, 04:45:32 PM

What a huge result this morning, Japan beating South Africa!!! Throws that pool wide open.

JudgeDredd · September 20, 2015, 08:47:03 AM

As as Scot I was worried...now I really am

bayonetbrant · September 20, 2015, 12:04:21 PM

Japan over SA in rugby vs US over Spain in 09 in soccer. Bigger upset? discuss...

undercovergeek · September 20, 2015, 12:59:59 PM

Quote from: bayonetbrant on September 20, 2015, 12:04:21 PM
Japan over SA in rugby vs US over Spain in 09 in soccer. Bigger upset? discuss...

id say this - South Africa want this bad, Spain couldnt be arsed about the Confederations Cup

bayonetbrant · September 20, 2015, 01:00:43 PM

that's a fair point

JudgeDredd · September 20, 2015, 02:11:03 PM

That win by Japan came from another planet. There is no way on earth that anyone (even people vastly more in the know than I) would've given a win to Japan against South Africa.

Like I said, as a Scot, I was already worried about Japan. Whilst I did expect that it should be a win for Scotland, I'm too much of a seasoned Scotland fan to take a win for granted. But now, I could see Scotland being beaten rather easily.

It wasn't just the win - it was the nature of the win. They were down on all the stats. Everything stats related would give the win to the Springboks. But more than that - the Japanese were just bullying SA - in a legal way. Just playing faster ball, clearing out the rucks better, even at the scrum where they seemed to be suffering a bit, they got it in and out fast. They played to their strengths and SA's weaknesses.

So a superb win for Japan. Very, very impressed. Great rugby. I didn't get to see the whole game. As I alluded to elsewhere, I was taking my daughter to university, but I did catch the second half at the hotel and I was blown away with the speed, efficiency and strength of the team.

I can't answer about USA v Spain because I don't watch football I'm afraid and I don't really know what Spain were like in 09 - though I'm sure it was impressive enough.

It's always a great thing to see minnows coming through - that's why I'm a Scotland supporter. When you support a crap team, it makes the win (when it comes) much more special! ;D

Pinetree · September 21, 2015, 12:53:28 AM

Quote from: bayonetbrant on September 20, 2015, 12:04:21 PM
Japan over SA in rugby vs US over Spain in 09 in soccer. Bigger upset? discuss...

I'm with Judge. Japan over SA by far. SA hate losing, rugby is a religion to them as much as it is to us in NZ. I'm not dissing football (soccer) here but rugby is the far more technical game. "Minnows" normally do not win in rugby against Tier 1 nations as there are so many things they have to get right; Lineout, scrum,kicking game, passing game, fitness in the last 10 mins. It's usually the last that gets most teams but Japan just got everything right.

What's amazing is Japan haven't won a RWC game since 1991, and that was against Zimbabwe (an even smaller rugby nation), while the All Blacks beat them 145-17 in 1995 and 83-7 four years ago.

What's even more amazing is this is the first time they've ever played each other. I'm still stunned by this result :o

JudgeDredd · September 21, 2015, 01:37:40 AM

As you say Pinetree...there's a lot to get right technically - and then throw in every player puling their weight.

And the last point you made was spot on - most teams run out of gas the last 20 minutes. Japan showed incredible speed, agility and manoeuvrability even PAST 80 minutes. Hell - they took a scrum - which against SA was by far their weakest looking part of the game - to go for the win rather than go for the draw.

I've seen bigger teams take a draw in that situation.

In the world of rugby - that was amazing.

We've got the buggers on Wednesday and I had rather arrogantly chalked that up as a win for Scotland - I have now re-evaluated and I now think Scotland will exit in the group stage (which to be honest was probably on the cards anyway with SA and Samoa. To be totally honest, as I said, a win for Scotland against Japan or USA (whilst I always hoped was in the bag) was not necessarily so - but Japan appear to have taken all doubts out of that.

Pinetree · September 21, 2015, 03:23:45 AM

It all depends on whether Japan can back it up or not. They'll probably be understandably flat after that game. Then again, after that result who knows? With Eddy Jones in charge, they have a real chance of being the 2015 equivalent of Argentina in 2007

JudgeDredd · September 23, 2015, 12:04:10 PM

ok - thankfully, this was not a huge worry and the "single entity" I had hoped it would have been turned out to be just that.

Scotland 45 - 10 Japan

They are dangerous in the drive and quite feisty at the breakdown if they get the chance...so hopefully they'll take some points from the opposition.

I'll take that 45-10 very graciously.

Not that Scotland didn't play well - I was especially disappointed to see Scotland take 3 points when they had the height advantage and weight advantage for a drive from the lineout. But it was refreshing to see Scotland score tries (as they have done in the last 10 or so games) but more so, defend well (which they haven't in their last 10 games or so...hence the loss run)

I am quietly confident after that result - but there's work to be done.