Big D wrote:Question for you. Italy have been denied the chance to qualify. If in a contrived scenario NZ lost to SA without a LBP but Italy got a LBP against SA do you believe that WR would call off the NZ vs Italy game and have it as a draw with Italy going through? Without moving it elsewhere or finding wriggle room to do something?
No, but that is a very different scenario from Italy needing to not only beat NZ for the first time, but to ensure that NZ don't get a bonus point without them getting one.
No-one is saying that the game is pointless or that Italy don't deserve to play or that it's not utterly rubbish that they're not playing (or, at least, they *shouldn't* be saying that). I am however questioning writing off the whole tournament as meaningless because of two games that probably wouldn't have affected qualification.
I will watch and will call the winners world champions. It will not invalidate it for me. But the whole point of the tournament is everyone gets given an equal chance to prove they are the best. Italy were alive in the tournament then nothing more than a lack of organisation and flexibility has stopped them being given a chance no matter how small.
Japan had never beaten Ireland or South Africa until they did at the last two world cups.
Rugby needs a field, players and a ref. There are bound to be enough pitches in Japan between now and Sunday to have played these games even if behind closed doors.
Mikey Brown wrote:McInally dropped. What the fuck?
Seymour in for injured Maitland.
I was wondering why the f*ck Brown was taken off after 30 minutes.
I'd have started George and I think Seymour over Maitland as well as Kinghorn over Maitland is questionable but given game time/turnaround/performances it's as good as we can manage I think.
P Horne & Kinghorn give near perfect bench coverage. Hastings would change that.
Watson aside... the fact that our starting back row has barely 25 caps combined reeks of piss poor planning. Wilson's limitations & Barclay's age should have been acknowledged long before the RWC.
Hopefully not all academic but bit of a statement from Toony dropping el capitano.
Think this shows we’re going to go hard up front and play this tight and tactical. Brown is a heavier scrummager, no question, and arguably a better defender - both in terms of defensive maul and the breakdown. Lots of kicking, territory and ball off the park, at other times contest the box kicks with Seymour.
If you're just going to assume the results, then why bother playing matches at all? I mean, it's not like Japan are going to beat Ireland or anything, is it?
Everyone can just stay at home and look at the World Rankings to decide who wins each game.
I don't actually care what happens with the Jap-Sco game now, the cancellation of the other games means, in my eyes, this World Cup has lost it's legitimacy as a sporting contest.
This times 100.
Really?
They haven't cancelled the matches just because they feel like it - it's a super typhoon! It's a natural disaster! I can't believe you're seriously suggesting that the entire tournament is worthless because NZ-Italy and England-France got called off in the face of something that's a hell of a lot bigger than a rugby game.
Puja
You might feel differently if England had been eliminated because of a cancelled game.
They haven't cancelled the matches just because they feel like it - it's a super typhoon! It's a natural disaster! I can't believe you're seriously suggesting that the entire tournament is worthless because NZ-Italy and England-France got called off in the face of something that's a hell of a lot bigger than a rugby game.
Puja
You might feel differently if England had been eliminated because of a cancelled game.
Currently Scotland are not eliminated because of a cancelled game. And, while I would be fuming if say, the Australia pool game in 2015 had been called off, denying us a chance to come back from losing to the Welsh, I wouldn't have called the tournament worthless because a weak England weren't in it anymore - there would have been a lot of rugby played after our elimination and there would have been little expectation of us going further.
However, that is not the same as being happy or even sanguone about the games having been cancelled. I think it's rubbish, really hope Scotland vs Japan can go ahead, and wish that the IRB had done better with looking for other options than cancelling. Just don't think it's worth binning off the whole RWC just yet.
I think that team is decent. Didn't see McInally being dropped but he does look a bit jaded. I would have had G Horne and Kinghorn rather than Laidlaw and Seymour but can understand them.
Cameo wrote:I think that team is decent. Didn't see McInally being dropped but he does look a bit jaded. I would have had G Horne and Kinghorn rather than Laidlaw and Seymour but can understand them.
Whilst I'm a big fan I think that George Horne showed some of his weaknesses in the Russia game, especially in his box kicking which was rarely contestable. Against Japan they'll run those back all day long. Not saying that I'd pick Laidlaw (who's kicking is better but not by much atm) but I can see why.
Cameo wrote:I think that team is decent. Didn't see McInally being dropped but he does look a bit jaded. I would have had G Horne and Kinghorn rather than Laidlaw and Seymour but can understand them.
Whilst I'm a big fan I think that George Horne showed some of his weaknesses in the Russia game, especially in his box kicking which was rarely contestable. Against Japan they'll run those back all day long. Not saying that I'd pick Laidlaw (who's kicking is better but not by much atm) but I can see why.
Maybe pick Horne and, I realize this is swimming against the tide but... dont box kick quite so much possession away?
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It was so much easier to blame Them. It was bleakly depressing to think They were Us. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.
I wonder how many non-Scots genuinely rate our chances today?
I'm actually pretty confident, and yes i realise that might be the kiss of death. I think our problems are more psychological and I dont think Japan will be putting the same blocks in place as playing against Ireland seemed to. Altho I suppose the situation might but I do really think the guys will show up in decent nick today and get the job done.
I am basing this on absolutely nothing at all.
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It was so much easier to blame Them. It was bleakly depressing to think They were Us. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.
Donny osmond wrote:I wonder how many non-Scots genuinely rate our chances today?
I'm actually pretty confident, and yes i realise that might be the kiss of death. I think our problems are more psychological and I dont think Japan will be putting the same blocks in place as playing against Ireland seemed to. Altho I suppose the situation might but I do really think the guys will show up in decent nick today and get the job done.
I am basing this on absolutely nothing at all.
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I agree with this. Japan are far better drilled & coached though. Another mental lapse or no-show from our lot today and they will savage us.
I suppose I think, individual man for man... we probably win at least 13 of the contests with one marginal one and labuschagne probably trumping Ritchie. But collectively Japan are ahead of us. If the 'good' Scotland show up, we won't have a problem IMO.
Donny osmond wrote:I wonder how many non-Scots genuinely rate our chances today?
I'm actually pretty confident, and yes i realise that might be the kiss of death. I think our problems are more psychological and I dont think Japan will be putting the same blocks in place as playing against Ireland seemed to. Altho I suppose the situation might but I do really think the guys will show up in decent nick today and get the job done.
I am basing this on absolutely nothing at all.
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I agree with this. Japan are far better drilled & coached though. Another mental lapse or no-show from our lot today and they will savage us.
I suppose I think, individual man for man... we probably win at least 13 of the contests with one marginal one and labuschagne probably trumping Ritchie. But collectively Japan are ahead of us. If the 'good' Scotland show up, we won't have a problem IMO.
I give Matushima, Lafele and Horie to Japan as well with Leith/Bradbury a push.
Donny osmond wrote:I wonder how many non-Scots genuinely rate our chances today?
I'm actually pretty confident, and yes i realise that might be the kiss of death. I think our problems are more psychological and I dont think Japan will be putting the same blocks in place as playing against Ireland seemed to. Altho I suppose the situation might but I do really think the guys will show up in decent nick today and get the job done.
I am basing this on absolutely nothing at all.
Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using Tapatalk
I agree with this. Japan are far better drilled & coached though. Another mental lapse or no-show from our lot today and they will savage us.
I suppose I think, individual man for man... we probably win at least 13 of the contests with one marginal one and labuschagne probably trumping Ritchie. But collectively Japan are ahead of us. If the 'good' Scotland show up, we won't have a problem IMO.
I give Matushima, Lafele and Horie to Japan as well with Leith/Bradbury a push.
Horie was the marginal one for me. He's fantastic.
Lafele - fair enough. We really do have better centres than him though, we just need them to play... and perform.
Matushima on form, probably yes but I have a feeling he's a bit of a flat track bully.
