2019 Rugby World Cup about to start

Blackleaf

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Oct 9, 2004
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Dazzling display gives hosts shock victory over Ireland

Japan 19-12 Ireland



Hosts Japan pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Rugby World Cup history as they beat world number two-ranked Ireland 19-12 in Shizuoka.

Tries from Garry Ringrose and Rob Kearney saw Ireland lead at the break, although three Yu Tamura penalties kept the game to within one score.

Replacement Kenki Fukuoka dived over in the corner on 59 minutes to put the Brave Blossoms in front.

Tamura's 72nd-minute penalty sealed a monumental win.

Not since Japan's win over South Africa four years ago in Brighton has rugby witnessed a result that will resound around the world in the way this one will.

This was not a result borne of Irish indiscipline or stage fright, but of a truly stunning Japanese performance in front of a cacophonous crowd that lifted their side with a stunning noise that greeted every metre gained, tackle made and turnover won.

It is a result that will, regardless of what happens in the next six weeks of rugby, leave a legacy for generations to come, and will send rugby into a new stratosphere of popularity within the country.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49849736
 

Blackleaf

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Oct 9, 2004
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South Africa score nine tries in rout of Namibia

South Africa 57-3 Namibia



South Africa scored nine tries in a predictably one-sided drubbing of neighbours Namibia in their second Rugby World Cup outing.

Hooker Mbongeni Mbonambi ploughed over for two scores as the Springboks built a 28-point lead by the interval.

There was no let-up after the break with Warrick Gelant going over before scores for Makazole Mapimpi, Siya Kolisi and Schalk Brits.

Namibia's only points came via a solitary penalty from Cliven Loubser.

Things will not get any easier for the lowest-ranked side in the Rugby World Cup - in their next encounter, in eight days' time, they meet world number ones and two-time defending champions New Zealand in Tokyo.

South Africa's next match is a meeting with Italy in Shizuoka on Friday.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49864374
 

Blackleaf

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Gatland's men hold out to win World Cup thriller

Australia 25-29 Wales



Wales overcame a resurgent Australia in an utterly enthralling encounter in Tokyo to secure one of their greatest Rugby World Cup victories.

In a breathless start to the match, Wales burst out of the blocks to lead 10-0 thanks to Hadleigh Parkes' try and Dan Biggar's measured kicking.

Australia fought back with a try of their own from a cross-field kick as Adam Ashley-Cooper touched down, but then Gareth Davies intercepted a pass from Will Genia before sprinting clear to give Wales a 23-8 half-time lead.

Dane Haylett-Petty's try early in the second half renewed Australia hope and brought to Wales minds a foreboding sense of history repeating against a team who had beaten them agonisingly on so many occasions.

Those fears deepened as Michael Hooper drove over from close range and Matt Toomua kicked a penalty to reduce the Wallabies' deficit to 26-25, only for replacement Rhys Patchell to kick his third penalty to restore Wales' lead to four points.

Warren Gatland's side effectively had to navigate the final few moments with 14 men as full-back Liam Williams soldiered on with an injury, but they dug in admirably to record a famous victory.

With two wins from two, Wales are now in pole position to finish top of Pool D and earn a potentially more favourable draw in the knockout stages.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49869891
 

Blackleaf

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England are first team to reach the quarter-finals. Argentina are out

England 39-10 Argentina

At Tokyo Stadium



England ran in six tries against the 14 men of Argentina to make it three bonus-point wins from three and guarantee themselves a place in the World Cup quarter-finals.

With Tomas Lavanini sent off early for an illegal tackle on England captain Owen Farrell, Eddie Jones' side cut loose and first-half tries from Jonny May, Elliot Daly and Ben Youngs established a 12-point lead.

George Ford, Luke Cowan-Dickie and the returning Jack Nowell added further tries during a more subdued second half in sweltering conditions in the Japanese capital Tokyo.

The defeat puts the Pumas - semi-finalists in two of the past three World Cups - out of the tournament at the group stage for the first time in 16 years.

But England rumble on, building on the displays against Tonga and the USA, and know victory against France in a week's time will set up a likely quarter-final against Australia.

They were far from flawless once again, yet are exactly where head coach Jones would want them to be three weeks into a campaign that will surely become far more challenging in the coming matches.

Red mist costs Argentina as England cash in



England had not been behind in this tournament but after Matias Moroni ran on to Urdapilleta's cross-kick and kicked on again, only May's pace got him to the loose ball first to save the try.

From the subsequent five-metre scrum England were penalised and Urdapilleta landed the three points - yet England struck back moments later.

After an initial counter-attack down the right through Daly and Anthony Watson, they drove off a line-out to within a few metres, and with the Pumas defence committed fly-half Ford went left to May for the winger to accelerate into the corner.

It was a frenetic start, and the decisive incident stemmed from all that passion and energy spilling over.

As Youngs tapped a quick penalty and fed Farrell, Lavanini thumped into him at pace, his left shoulder crashing on to the head of the inside-centre.

Argentina had promised a war, but this was a clear illegal assault under the game's revised tackling protocols and referee Nigel Owens had no option but to reach for the red card.

Farrell hooked the subsequent long-range penalty, but England began to look for width to work and tire the 14 men.

Daly broke down the left to send May deep into the opposition 22, Manu Tuilagi charged on after the ball was worked right and after a series of forward drives to within half a metre Ford sent it out wide left to Daly again, who juggled the ball before accelerating past Emiliano Boffelli and over the line.

And with the half-time gong having sounded, England showed an impressive ruthlessness once more - Youngs diving over from three metres after his team went through 20 phases.

Only the inaccuracy of Farrell's place-kicking kept Argentina anywhere close, with all three conversions missed in addition to that penalty to keep England's lead down to 15-3.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49944723
 

Blackleaf

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Wallabies move top of Pool D with bonus-point win

Australia 45-10 Uruguay



Australia recovered from defeat by Wales to beat Uruguay 45-10 on Saturday and move top of World Cup Pool D.

The Wallabies lost an enthralling clash 29-25 to Warren Gatland's side in Tokyo last week, having also suffered a scare in their opening win over Fiji.

First-half sin-bins for Adam Coleman and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto contributed to another sloppy start before Australia hit their straps in Oita.

Teenage wing Jordan Petaia was among the scorers with a try on his debut.

Dane Haylett-Petty and Tevita Kuridrani also crossed in the first half and Kuridrani added his second after the break to make sure Australia earned a bonus point.

Will Genia and James Slipper - who scored his first international try in his 94th Test for Australia - also touched down and Haylett-Petty crossed for his second of the match, before Manuel Diana scored a consolation try for Uruguay.

"I thought we were just a little bit off the pace at the start and that's three times now," said Australia coach Michael Cheika.

"I'll have to get my pre-match speech a little bit better. We were reading the first half nicely but it looked like we were just a click away. And then we got the pace up in the second half."



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49943851


Hosts close to qualification for World Cup quarter-finals

Japan 38-19 Samoa



Hosts Japan moved closer to a first World Cup quarter-final with a dramatic bonus-point victory over Samoa.

The sides exchanged three penalties in a nervy start before Samoan-born centre Timothy Lafaele scored the opening try.

Kazuki Himeno, Kenki Fukuoka scored after the interval before Kotaro Matsushima sealed the late bonus point, while Henry Taefu scored a consolation.

Japan top Pool A and will qualify if Scotland fail to beat them and Russia in their final two matches.

The unbeaten Brave Blossoms face Scotland in the final pool game on Sunday, 13 October (11:45 BST) while Samoa, who are out of the tournament, will end their campaign against Ireland on 12 October (11:45).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49945731
 

NZDoug

Council Member
Jul 18, 2017
1,894
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48
Big Bay, Awhitu, New Zealand
Krappy tv coverage, they should have hired TVNZ.
No drone shots, no side line tracking coverage, few fan close ups, mediocre at best.
Looks like the RED CARD will decide the final.
Red VS. BLACK?
I think so.
 

Blackleaf

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 9, 2004
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France beat Tonga to set up England Rugby World Cup showdown

France 23-21 Tonga


France narrowly defeated the team that England thrashed 36-3

France will play England to decide who tops Pool C on Saturday after they finally subdued a battling Tonga.

France put in a characteristically fitful display - racing into a 17-point lead before being reeled in, then rallying before a late Tonga try set up a frantic finale.

However, Damian Penaud reclaimed Camille Lopez's restart to end the underdogs' hopes of snatching a win.

Pool C's winners will face the runners-up in Pool D in the last eight.

Australia look the most likely to finish second in Pool D, while Wales will top that group if they can negotiate matches against Uruguay and Fiji.

France head coach Jacques Brunel said his side would "need to go back to basics" before facing England to determine who will top the pool.

"We wanted a bigger scoreline but because of handling errors we were not able to achieve that," he said.

Those comments were echoed by stand-in captain Jefferson Poirot, who said his side "have a lot of work to do".

"England are tough and we know how difficult it will be," he said.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49951156

Top ranked team destroy lowest ranked team

New Zealand 71-9 Namibia



World champions New Zealand stretched out to a comprehensive 62-point winning margin over lowly Namibia, but only after the underdogs had held them up with a brave first-half display.

With 35 minutes gone, Namibia, ranked 23rd in the world, were within one point of the three-time winners.

But the All Blacks were in clinical mood in the second half, finishing with 11 tries.

New Zealand will top Pool B if they beat Italy next weekend.

That would set up a quarter-final against the runners-up of Pool A, which is boiling down to a three-way fight between Japan, Ireland and Scotland.

Pre-match expectations of a New Zealand rout were initially confounded as Namibia, the lowest-ranked side in the tournament, showed no sign of being awed by the prospect of taking on the world number one side.

To the delight of Welsh coach Phil Davies, the underdogs scored the first points of the match when impressive scrum-half Damian Stevens landed a penalty from out wide.

As well as a fast defensive line and a determination to get involved in the breakdown, Namibia showed some slick hands and incisive lines to make regular incursions into the All Blacks defence.

Hooker Torsten van Jaarsveld led the way for Namibia as they stayed close, before replacement prop Angus Ta'avao and full-back Ben Smith went over just before the break to give New Zealand a more comfortable 15-point cushion at the break.

New Zealand coach Steve Hansen, who gave Brodie Retallick his planned 30-minute outing on his first appearance since suffering a shoulder injury in July, seemed to fire up his side for the second half.

Prop Joe Moody went over within two minutes of the restart, the first of seven second-half tries as New Zealand pared their game down to basics to grind down Namibia.

TJ Perenara saved the best score for last as he and fellow replacement Brad Weber exchanged extravagant offloads - Weber's being a behind-the-back pass - before diving into the corner to dot down. A packed Tokyo Stadium stood to pay tribute to both sides on the final whistle after an entertaining encounter.


New Zealand and Namibia bow together at the end of the match



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49950278
 

NZDoug

Council Member
Jul 18, 2017
1,894
31
48
Big Bay, Awhitu, New Zealand
All Blacks vs. Italy weathered out!
First time in history a game has been cancelled.
0-0 draw.
2 points apiece.
No chance for a bonus point.
Not good.
No injuries, hopefully. (party)
 

Blackleaf

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 9, 2004
49,906
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England's game against France - both of whom have already qualified for the Quarter Finals - and Canada's game against Namibia earlier today were called off as Typhoon Hagibis hits. Scotland's game against hosts Japan tomorrow is also in doubt.
 

Blackleaf

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 9, 2004
49,906
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Japan knock Scotland out of the tournament to reach Quarter Finals for the first time

Japan 28-21 Scotland

In Yokohama



Scotland crashed out of the Rugby World Cup at the pool stage for only the second time after being beaten by an irrepressible Japan in Yokohama.

Gregor Townsend's side needed four more points than the hosts but, despite leading through Finn Russell's try and mounting a comeback, they fell short.

Kotaro Matsushima, Keita Inagaki and Kenki Fukuoka all crossed before half-time, before the latter blasted over again to secure Japan's maiden quarter-final - against South Africa in Tokyo on Sunday.

Scotland, forced to go for broke in a febrile contest that had been in doubt until about 03:00 BST because of the effects of Typhoon Hagibis, scored through WP Nel and Zander Fagerson after the break.

But that second-half rally was not enough to prevent a first defeat at the hands of the Brave Blossoms in eight Tests.

The result also means Ireland finish runners-up in Pool A and will face New Zealand in the last eight in Tokyo on Saturday.


Kenki Fukuoka crossed twice for the rampant Japanese


Japan and Ireland qualify

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50022086