The Road to Bilbao and Beyond: Rugby 2018

[Ray de Galles]

Finished 12-30 after a farcical final few minutes. Moriaty red carded for throttling a guy who should have got a yellow himself for cheapshotting him and the medic who got involved should he sacked. Then a comedy try for Argentina after the scrum half drops the ball and the bounce deceives the Welsh defence.

A silly end to a great game and Welsh performance.

[Antepli Ejderha]

The only thing that is tempering this for me is that Argentina have fallen off a cliff recently. They have won once in nineteen games against Tier One opposition (I think this is the twentieth) and that was Italy.

Only one home win in ten, that was against Georgia.

Ledesma has turned around Los Jaguares, perhaps he needs to be running both sides. They also need their overseas players to return, fresh ideas and a different set of training could really help them.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Monster handbags there, with a little bit of MMA

[jefe]

HOLY SHIT WE JUST BEAT SCOTLAND

[jefe]

USA Rugby seem to be leaving the promotion of these international matches primarily to locals, with the result that there is no continuity or similarity in the quality of the effort. The All Black matches in Chicago have been a huge success in part because the city and promoters pulled out all the stops to make it a real event that appealed to people who had never seen a rugby ball.

And in November Chicago gets a tripleheader: USA women v NZ women, USA men v Maoris, Italy v Ireland.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Pumas coach Daniel Hourcade says he will be stepping down from his post following next weekend's Test against Scotland. Probably for the best.

[Antepli Ejderha]

ITV4 is showing the U20 RWC final between England and France, it kicks off at 6pm.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

ITV4 is showing the U20 RWC final between England and France, it kicks off at 6pm.

That should be a cracker. I watched both semis and they were fantastic. Pity I'm in Burundi with no access to this evening's game. Watch out for the French no. 8 - he's a monster of a player and he's still only 17.

[Antepli Ejderha]

That should be a cracker. I watched both semis and they were fantastic. Pity I'm in Burundi with no access to this evening's game. Watch out for the French no. 8 - he's a monster of a player and he's still only 17.

France deservedly won, I cannot believe it's the first time they have ever won the U20 RWC.

Joseph is some player for only 17, the one who caught my eye was Demba Bamba, a tight head prop who can scrummage and get around the park. Think Sinckler with more talent and less attitude.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Lots of fall out from England's game against South Africa yesterday. Billy Vunipola broke his arm again, Ben Youngs walked away whilst doing a TV interview and two players, Joe Marler and Mike Brown, got into an argument with their own supporters. Uncle Eddie did the same thing last week.

Clive Woodward was scathing off Youngs but I've got no real issue with that. There's a lot of talk that Jones has lost the dressing room. He does seem to have a habit of this.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Indecision, spats and flogged players – England crumble under Eddie Jones

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...y_to_clipboard

Quite a decent article

[Antepli Ejderha]

Benjamin Fall's red card for France against New Zealand has been rescinded meaning he's free for the final test. France have given the All Blacks a decent series so far and the crucial decisions have gone against them in the two tests.

[Ray de Galles]

Lots of fall out from England's game against South Africa yesterday. Billy Vunipola broke his arm again, Ben Youngs walked away whilst doing a TV interview and two players, Joe Marler and Mike Brown, got into an argument with their own supporters.

I’ve seen it reported as being a row with England supporter so in some media and SA supporters in other.

[Ray de Galles]

All of discussion about Jones’s problems and speculation on his future reminded me about a comment that the much missed Toro Toro made in November 2015 when Lancaster had just been fired and the rumours were starting that Jones may be approached :

Eddie Jones has said he's definitely not doing it, he's committed to Stormers. Actually, it would be better if he did take it now, because he seems to get bored of every job he takes after about two years, and so would be definitely gone by the World Cup, whereas if they hired him in 2017 or something...

I have a feeling that he or someone else may have also made a comment just prior to/early in Jones’ tenure about his propensity for monstering players so much that they burn out within around two years. He really is becoming more and more like rugby’s Mourihno.

[Antepli Ejderha]

The comparisons to Mourinho keep coming don't they? The amount of injuries suffered by England in training camp is one thing, the severity of them is another. I know the leagues are different but look how Wales and Ireland have rested their Lions, Wales only took North and Moriarty on tour because they'd played so little rugby this season. Compare that to the England players, especially those from Saracens.

Uncle Eddie is in trouble and it's lovely to sit back and observe it. Gatland couldn't resist a dig at the weekend, sometimes I wish he'd shut up.

Saturday in Cape Town is huge, England have to perform.

[Flynnie]

There's a reason Eddie ended up in Japan in the first place and it isn't his heritage, he was basically unemployable after annoying the fuck out of everyone in Australia and then Saracens.

[Flynnie]

Also HELL YEAH WE BEAT SCOTLAND WOOOOOOOO

As a kid, Canada were still decent* and would beat Tier 1 sides from time to time - they beat Italy, Scotland and Argentina from 2000-2005 - and I was so jealous that the USA was still holding on to two wins over France from the 1920s. And now we finally have one.

No, it doesn't mean we're better at rugby than Scotland, but it means we might have a World Cup in 2019 where we expect to do more than win one game versus an amateur side.

Crucially, this Scotland game was the first in US rugby history where every player was professional, thanks to Major League Rugby. Something that may have won us the game, since the USA has had competitive matches versus Tier 1 teams where fitness ultimately cost the team.


* they just lost 43-20 to Russia, after Russia lost 62-19 to the USA the week before. Canadian rugby has really fallen through the floor. They haven't produced an international-class player since Jamie Cudmore, and are ranked 22nd in the world. That's actually an improvement on last year. It's a shocking state of affairs.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Heineken Champions Cup 2018-19 draw

Pool One: Leinster, Wasps, Toulouse, Bath

Pool Two: Castres, Exeter Chiefs, Munster, Gloucester

Pool Three: Saracens, Glasgow Warriors, Lyon, Cardiff Blues

Pool Four: Scarlets, Racing 92, Leicester Tigers, Ulster

Pool Five: Montpellier, Newcastle Falcons, Edinburgh, Toulon

Challenge Cup 2018-19 draw

Pool One: Northampton, Clermont Auvergne, Dragons, Timisoara Saracens

Pool Two: Pau, Ospreys, Worcester, Stade Francais

Pool Three: Sale Sharks, Connacht, Bordeaux-Begles, Perpignan

Pool Four: La Rochelle, Zebre, Bristol, Enisei-STM

Pool Five: Benetton, Harlequins, Agen, Grenoble

[Ray de Galles]

Are Heineken back on board then?

A London game for Cardiff is a good thing for me, though they’ll get smashed.

[Antepli Ejderha]

England end their winless run in Cape Town against a much changed Springbok team.

New Zealand beat France again, and again benefit from a refereeing decision. This time John Lacey creates a hole by blocking Baptiste Serin and the All Blacks score.

Ireland beat Australia to win their series and confirm they are number two in the world.

Now it's Argentina against Scotland, both sides really need a win.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

It's not going to be Argentina.

[Ray de Galles]

The Lacey block was astounding, he went to the TMO and even asked if he’d interfered but the try was still given :

https://twitter.com/theblitzdefence/status/1010436177978109952?s=21

Ireland and England’s results yesterday don’t count, the rugby season finished with Wales’ win in Argentina last week.

[Antepli Ejderha]

It's not going to be Argentina.

They were dreadful, I thought they would have turned up for their coach's farewell.

[Ray de Galles]

Wayne Pivac confirmed as next Wales head coach.

[Ray de Galles]

It’s the Sevens World Cup this weekend at San Francisco’s AT&T Park baseball stadium. Wales name XVs regulars Lloyd Williams and Cory Allen in the squad :

Wales Sevens squad: Luke Treharne, Ethan Davies, Lloyd Williams, Luke Morgan, Owen Jenkins, Tom Williams, Cory Allen, Afon Bagshaw, Adam Thomas, Cai Devine, Jared Rosser, Ben Roach, Will Talbot-Davies.