Tokyo Calling - Rugby 2019

[Hot Pepsi]

I see. Thanks

[Tony C]

The first three minutes of this Italy v SA game just confirm how dangerous life in the front row can be.

Kolbe scores an early try but the Italian tacklers didn't cover themselves in glory.

[Alex Anderson]

Uncontested scrums? I recognise them from the two Rugby League games I've watched the whole way through.

Took me til last week to realise the difference between a tight-head and loose-head prop. Now I know they're not just interchangeable squat blokes.

More fascinating stuff I'll forget over the course of the next four years.

[Ray de Galles]

Idiotic red card for Lovotti after he and Quaglio spear an SA player in to the ground. The latter is lucky not to be off too.

It was an Italian penalty on the opponents try line originally as well.. They're out of the competition for definite now.

[Alex Anderson]

Suicidal stuff. Boks look unstoppable but Italy were still technically well in the game at that point.

[Alex Anderson]

And the suicidal stuff from Gli Azzurri leads to exhibition stuff from the Boks. Bonus point a certainty now.

[Tony C]

"You have to feel for Lavinini" says the ITV commentator after the Argentinian second row gets sent off for a shoulder shot to Farrell's head.

Not really.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

England need to remember how strongly Argentina came back against France in their opening game, now.

[Sporting]

Not this time, I think.

[Ray de Galles]

Rogin was on the reverse badmind, no way Argentina were coming back with 14 men.

[Alex Anderson]

I just don't know why they didn't play that one in Sapporo - great trivia question chance missed.

[Alex Anderson]

Go on, Samoa! Please, in a continuation of the Pool A theme, fuck shit up.

[Ray de Galles]

Steady on! I love watching Samoa (unless they're playing us) but surely we all want Japan to make the quarter-finals and as group winners too?

Oh, hang on. Scotland fans won't, obviously. As you were.

[Sporting]

I just don't know why they didn't play that one in Sapporo - great trivia question chance missed.

Can you explain (well, to me at least; everyone else understands the reference)?

[Alex Anderson]

Steady on! I love watching Samoa (unless they're playing us) but surely we all want Japan to make the quarter-finals and as group winners too?

Oh, hang on. Scotland fans won't, obviously. As you were.

I'd be all for it otherwise, Ray.

Bit of an ask for Samoa on such a short turnaround - and then they do make life hard for themselves with the unnecessary yellows.

But, of course, four years ago it was Scotland who benefitted from Japan having that shockingly brief respite between Brighton and Gloucester.

[Southport Zeb]

Can you explain (well, to me at least; everyone else understands the reference)?

Presume it's a reference to England playing Argentina in the football World Cup in Sapporo

[Ray de Galles]

We really must stamp out these oblique references to soccer on this thread.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Now that things are shaping up for the latter stages I wonder if Eddie Jones wants to win against France. If England do, it's Australia next and almost certainly New Zealand (or Ireland). Lose, and it's Wales, then South Africa (or Japan). To be honest, as solid as Wales and South Africa are, I think that's the marginally preferable route? Or is that my ingrained fear of meeting New Zealand before the final?

[Alex Anderson]

Can you explain (well, to me at least; everyone else understands the reference)?

As Zeb says, Sporting. Maybe it's happened already but it would mean the same two nations have met on the same ground in both the IRB and Fifa World Cup finals. (same result at the same stage too). Apologies. I spend every Rugby World Cup drawing unimaginative parallels and making crass comparisons with the FIFA World Cup but ...

We really must stamp out these oblique references to soccer on this thread.

... this is not the place for them. Sorry, folks.

[Alex Anderson]

Japan look a tad nervous. And not in the way they were in the opener v Russia. Don't expect them to lose but failure to get the bonus point could be absolutely massive for Scotland.

[Ray de Galles]

Now that things are shaping up for the latter stages I wonder if Eddie Jones wants to win against France. If England do, it's Australia next and almost certainly New Zealand (or Ireland). Lose, and it's Wales, then South Africa (or Japan). To be honest, as solid as Wales and South Africa are, I think that's the marginally preferable route? Or is that my ingrained fear of meeting New Zealand before the final?

There's a lot of assumptions there :

- that we beat Fiji and then go on to win the group

- that England would prefer to play us in a quarter-final than Australia or would think about a semi-final before playing the quarter

- that any team in any sport can actually gerrymander their path through a tournament, however much it gets talked about (particularly where England are concerned, it appears to me)

I would expect England to protect players with any knocks against France and perhaps give players like M Vunipola and Nowell game time but nothing more drastic than that.

[Ray de Galles]

Japan's scrum is bloody awesome, simple & effective in attack and devastating in defence when it really matters. Brilliant stuff.

[Ray de Galles]

Lafaele is the best outside centre in the tournament so far, great player.

[Alex Anderson]

Ach shite. Why couldn't they just run the four ties in first half? "Last minute agony for Scotland" - even in games we're not playing ...

[Alex Anderson]

FUCK OFF! JUST KICK IT OUT!!!