[RWC2019][Pool A] Round 2 - Japan vs. Ireland (28/09/2019)

[Goodey]

I wonder if Japan is ready to join the championship?

Japan now are a bit like Italy in the early 2000s, better than a tier 2 side but every attention-grabbing win they pull off is still a shock.

We have seen with the Italians that improvement like that can stall pretty hard with the generation that comes after, I don't think we can expect too much of them.

What they are right now is a hugely entertaining World Cup side and that's enough for me.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Short highlights until tomorrow's extended one.

 

[petite]

You'd be surprised at the amount of hate we attract if it caught your eye on a normal game day. I think it's because we openly enjoy the good times more than anyone, I think we take a loss fairly well for the most part though but people forget that quicker.

A few losers in here enjoying the Irish loss more than the fantastic hosts winning with a great performance says more about the individual than anyone else though.

I must admit, I do enjoy that the old Kiwi tune of "You've never beaten us" has changed to "You've only beaten us twice" and they still think it carries weight!

I don't think there's nothing wrong with your rivals enjoying your loss. is normal.
doesn't mean they are losers.
when you say that you enjoy the good times some others think you are cocky.
it's OK to enioy an underdog wining and a rival losing no big deal

 

[Jockstap]

Relax, all part of Schmidts plan to lull the Saffers/ABS into complacency.

 

[petite]

just finished watching the complete game. yes Angus was a bit harsh on the Irish but no way influential in the result. (Japan could have easily score 2 more tries fist half after the kick and the unlucky rebound and in the final minutes the try saving takle) I mean it could have been worse..
Ireland looked clueless on attack. some Japanese where great. Mafif nbr9 nbr14, leach to name some.
don't know how b this Irish team is but they had importat players in. Murray best cj
guess they missed sexton to much.

 

[Jockstap]

I don't think there's nothing wrong with your rivals enjoying your loss. is normal.
doesn't mean they are losers.
when you say that you enjoy the good times some others think you are cocky.
it's OK to enioy an underdog wining and a rival losing no big deal

He's talking about any Irish related topic, if you have a look at the comments below say a yt or news site article nearly 50% is anti-irish bigotry, things don't suddenly change after hundreds of years of that though, we're all well aware of it but don't pay it any heed.

 

[Jimbo]

The Scots were rubbish, like really bad, they normally are against us too.


Sexton played two of those games. We've just lost to Japan and have to go back to last November for a result of any decent value, something has gone badly wrong in 2019, two wins against Scotland and one against France are the only results of any value and they were far from what can beat NZ. Its been a terrible season, we might not be embarrassed in a QF but we definitely won't beat NZ. SA maybe, I don't know how to rate them right now.

Ireland were very good in 2018 but were they ever as good as was thought I mean when England went on their winning streak many of the games were tight sometimes wins in tight games cover the cracks, then the loss to Scotland and they were broken for a fair time, they have been epically good in some games like against the ABs not sure if the physical encounter with England the week before had any bearing, Ireland are still a quality side capable of beating any team on their day, I just don't think they can consistently have their best day.

 

[Paulo]

This is an awful result for an ABs fan... Ireland way more likely to beat us than japan or Scotland. Need Samoa or Scotland to bowl japan now so Ireland still top the pool.

That result is a huge result for SA.

In my view, if we don't think we can beat who ever we face, we don't deserve to be champions. If we can't beat Ireland if we meet in a QF, or Grand Final or what ever, and Ireland go on to win the whole thing, more power to them. we can't be thinking we want an easy road, either we are the best or we are not. That's just my view.

If it is a bulls it call that loses it for us, of course I will back on here whinging and whining for a bit, having a group therapy session with the other AB fans, but then I will move on.

 

[petite]

He's talking about any Irish related topic, if you have a look at the comments below say a yt or news site article nearly 50% is anti-irish bigotry, things don't suddenly change after hundreds of years of that though, we're all well aware of it but don't pay it any heed.

don't get what you mean I'm talking about rugby. there's OK to "hate" when it comes to sport. when it comes to serious issues then yes you can say bigotry.
I know sometimes things mix up and then you may have a point (have some idea but I am not really into British internal political rivalities)

 

[Leinster Fan]

don't know how b this Irish team is but they had importat players in. Murray best cj
guess they missed sexton to much.

Other than Sexton missing and Farrell starting at 12 (both Aki and Henshaw are ahead of him) this was entirely first choice. In some ways an even bigger result than Brighton for that reason.

 

[bushytop]

Other than Sexton missing and Farrell starting at 12 (both Aki and Henshaw are ahead of him) this was entirely first choice. In some ways an even bigger result than Brighton for that reason.

Mitigated somewhat by it in being in Japan though.

 

[Brigantine]

I didn't dare to dream for this game, after the poor-ish showings vs South Africa and Russia. But this time everything clicked, and the high-risk strategy payed off. So glad I organized to watch that one.

This is huge, for the pool, for the QF match ups, for the rankings, for that Brighton Miracle movie. The Raeburn Shield. Ireland were #1 in the world a week ago.
Will the Sunwolves (28 of the 31 in Japan's squad) be joining Western Force in Global Rapid Rugby from 2021?

I'm still nervous about Scotland. Less so than before, but the Sunwolves are well known for claiming huge scalps one week and then returning to suffering a string of losses in easy games.
They're really aiming for that South Africa QF, and now it's very realistic. Best of 3?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Other than Sexton missing and Farrell starting at 12 (both Aki and Henshaw are ahead of him) this was entirely first choice. In some ways an even bigger result than Brighton for that reason.

How so?

The SA side was pretty much full strength too.

 

[Jockstap]

This is such a brilliant result for world rugby, well done Japan.

 

[Leinster Fan]

How so?

The SA side was pretty much full strength too.

Pretty sure there were a few players rested, this is the best team we could have put out.

 

[rugga658]

It gets worse for Ireland...

https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1177882125837557762

Jack Conan: fracture in his foot, flying home to IRE tomorrow
Jordi Murphy likely next man up in lieu of his late withdrawal from Ulster team

Weakest part of Irish team (backrow) has lost their most dynamic player in that position

 

[ratsapprentice]

Pretty sure there were a few players rested, this is the best team we could have put out.

Maybe, looking at the lineup from that game, I can't say I'd take your players over theirs.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Maybe, looking at the lineup from that game, I can't say I'd take your players over theirs.

Pfft, Zane Kirchner started, that cancels out any quality gap on the rest of the pitch.

 

[TheOvalBall]

Scotland are terrible.

I wonder if this win for Japan has sapped them a bit. It took a lot out of them. Might not bode well for the next game.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I wonder if this win for Japan has sapped them a bit. It took a lot out of them. Might not bode well for the next game.

They've got good rest periods between games, and Scotland only have 3 rest days after their game with Russia.
Whatever that's worth.