2019 Rugby World Cup about to start

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New Zealand overpower Ireland to reach semi-finals

New Zealand 46-14 Ireland

New Zealand will meet England in the World Cup semi-finals after condemning Ireland to a seventh quarter-final exit with a 46-14 hammering in Tokyo.

Two tries from Aaron Smith and one by Beauden Barrett helped the All Blacks to a 22-0 lead at half-time.

The holders scored further tries through Codie Taylor, Matt Todd, George Bridge and Jordie Barrett.

Robbie Henshaw's score and a penalty try did nothing to recover what was a disastrous display for Ireland.

Billed as the defining final chapter in Joe Schmidt's tenure as head coach, Ireland's World Cup in Japan will go down as another failure with no indication that the team are any closer to the world's elite than they were when they exited at the same stage four years ago.

Meanwhile, the All Blacks will move into the semi-finals as even stronger favourites to lift a third successive Webb Ellis Cup than they were at the start of the tournament having produced a display that few, if any, sides would be capable of delivering.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50097586

 

[NZDoug]

New look to the All Blacks, surprise!
Got the young bucks firing.
Coach Eddie Jones has lost weight.
Whats with his eyebrows?
Looks like he might be a drag.
Red VS. Black will be heavy duty.
See ya next week.

 

[Curious Cdn]

You were "out Hakkaed" by the Irish.

 

[NZDoug]

You were "out Hakkaed" by the Irish.

That worked out well.
Swing low, sweet chariot time.
Beauden Barrett looks like Beavis, doncha thimk?
Its gonna be a mighty crash, one way or t'other.
And now, for something completely different!

 

[Blackleaf]

Wales into last four with thrilling win

By Gareth Griffiths
BBC Sport Wales in Oita, Japan

Quarter Final

Wales 20-19 France

Ross Moriarty's try was given after a TMO check

A dramatic late Ross Moriarty try booked Wales a World Cup semi-final place at the expense of 14-man France as Warren Gatland's side came from behind to win 20-19 in Oita.

France lock Sebastien Vahaamahina was sent off after 48 minutes for a blatant elbow on Wales flanker Aaron Wainwright in a decisive moment.

France were leading 19-10 at the time and Wales scored 10 unanswered points.

Warren Gatland's side play Japan or South Africa next Sunday in Yokohama.

Wales overcame the loss of centre Jonathan Davies just before kick-off to reach a third World Cup semi-final to follow their exploits of 1987 and 2011.

Vahaamahina, Charles Ollivon, and the brilliant Virimi Vakatawa scored France tries in a relentless first-half display, while Wales responded through Wainwright and Moriarty tries and 10 points from Dan Biggar's boot.

France won the only other previous World Cup meeting between the two nations in the 2011 semi-final when then Wales skipper Sam Warburton was red-carded.

This time it was a French sending off that proved pivotal.

Wales will be relieved after producing a disappointing performance but again resilience and character managed to clinch a victory in a game they trailed for 74 minutes as France imploded.

Moriarty shrugged off a first-half yellow card to score the decisive try with the ball not adjudged to have gone forward in the build-up following a rip from replacement scrum-half Tomos Williams.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50096013

 

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The last Quarter Final has just started. It's host nation Japan's biggest ever match, their first World Cup knockout game.

Over 60 million people in Japan are expected to be watching the game against mighty South Africa - a team Japan famously and surprisingly beat in Brighton in the 2015 World Cup. Rugby Union is becoming big business in Japan with the exploits of their team.

But it's a good start for South Africa. They are leading 5-0 with an early Mapimpi try.

 

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South Africa end Japan's World Cup run

Quarter Final

South Africa 26-3 Japan

Makazole Mapimpi's early try gave South Africa control from the start

South Africa ended Japan's dream World Cup run to reach the semi-finals after a bruising 26-3 win against the hosts.

The Springboks led after a powerful run gave Makazole Mapimpi a try, but went a player down when Tendai Mtawarira was shown a yellow card for a tip tackle.

Japan could only take a Yu Tamura penalty from the man advantage, making the score 5-3 at half-time in Tokyo.

Second-half tries from Faf de Klerk and Mapimpi plus Handre Pollard's 11 points put the Springboks out of reach.

The tries put paid to any hopes of a repeat of Japan's 2015 World Cup win against the same opponents and brought to an end a fairytale four weeks for the hosts.

The Springboks will now play Wales in the semi-final on Sunday, 27 October, with the winner facing England or New Zealand in the final.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50114773

 

[Blackleaf]

Semi-Finals

England vs New Zealand (Saturday 26th October)

Wales vs South Africa (Sunday 27th October)

 

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England's Australian coach Eddie Jones has told England fans to "get the beers in" for tomorrow's titanic Semi-final showdown against the All Blacks - despite the match kicking off at 9am UK time.

Tomorrow's game sees the two best teams in the world clash in what many say is the actual final - the winner will likely go on to win the tournament.

 

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England faced down the haka. They formed a V and two players ventured towards the All Blacks as they performed it and had to be sent back by the referee.

And what a start from England. 7-0 after 98 seconds and New Zealand have hardly touched the ball.

 

[NZDoug]

All Blacks down by 10 after the first half.
Keeping da faith!
GO BLACKS !!!

 

[Blackleaf]

England 10-0 New Zealand. Half time

 

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England have had a try disallowed for the SECOND time. Looks a bit of an iffy decision. England could be 24-0 up.

Still, the All Black always get dubious decisions in their favour.

 

[Blackleaf]

But England take a 13-0 lead.

New Zealand have to score next. If they don't England are going to win this game - and likely the World Cup.

 

[Blackleaf]

And they have done!

They score a try. 13-7.

But England then take a 16-7 lead.

 

[Blackleaf]

England 19-7 New Zealand

Just 10 minutes to go.

Come on!!

 

[NZDoug]

The better team won.
Congrats ENGLAND !

 

[Blackleaf]

England have beaten New Zealand 19-7 to reach the World Cup final

 

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Vintage England reach the World Cup final

By Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer, Yokohama International Stadium
BBC Sport
26 October 2019

Semi-final

England 19-7 New Zealand

England are into their first Rugby World Cup final in 12 years after a brilliant demolition of three-time world champions New Zealand.

England had stormed into a 10-0 lead, Manu Tuilagi's second-minute try and a long-range penalty from George Ford fitting reward for a blistering first half.

The 2003 winners could have been out of sight had tries for Sam Underhill and Ben Youngs not been ruled out by the video referee, but when Ardie Savea pounced on a wayward line-out throw to reduce the deficit to 13-7 the three-time world champions were on the charge.

Yet the superb Ford landed a trio of nerveless penalties and with the young dynamos Underhill and Tom Curry outstanding in the back row England held on in style to pull off one of their greatest victories.

The All Blacks had not lost a World Cup game in 12 years and had won 15 of the past 16 games between the two nations.

But England tore the crown from their head with a performance of unremitting energy and excellence on a night for the ages in Yokohama.

England nail perfect 10 in breathless first half

It was a start Eddie Jones' men would have dreamed of.

Anthony Watson escaped down the right, England came in white-shirted waves and after Kyle Sinckler and Courtney Lawes crashed on, Tuilagi dived over from two metres out.

Farrell landed the conversion for 7-0 with only two minutes on the clock - and when Tuilagi picked off a stray pass from Beauden Barrett and found Jonny May accelerating up on his outside shoulder it looked for all the world like a second try, only for flanker Scott Barrett to get across and force the winger inside and into heavy traffic.

The pace was ferocious, England playing with a glorious tempo and precision, New Zealand using full-back Barrett as playmaker as they struggled to exert their usual control.

England went close again before Owen Farrell spilt the ball deep in the opposition 22, and then a possible try for Underhill was correctly ruled out because Curry's run had blocked off two defenders.

But Jones' men were dominating the set-piece and the breakdown, Ford sending a long-range drop goal just to the right of the posts as England searched for the points to match their endeavour.

The points finally came right on the half-time gong after Underhill won a breakdown penalty, and Ford - with Farrell struggling with a leg injury - landed a precious three points from 45 metres out.

Champions dethroned by unremitting England

New Zealand had not lost a World Cup match since a quarter-final defeat by France in 2007

If 10-0 was the least England's dominance merited, it was a remarkable enough half-time scoreline.

Only once before have the All Blacks failed to score a point in the first half of a World Cup game, and not in 28 years.

Steve Hansen threw on Sam Cane for Scott Barrett in the second period but it was England who appeared to have struck the killer blow when Youngs darted over off a driving maul.

With the most kickable of conversions to come it looked like 17-0 and the game - but as Ford stood over his tee the big screens in the stadium showed a knock-on in the maul, and referee Nigel Owens, in consultation with the TMO, chalked it off to choruses of boos from the vast English support.

But Henry Slade came on for the struggling May and Dan Cole for a spent Sinckler and the white tide came again.

This time it was Billy Vunipola digging for the turnover, and with New Zealand infringing again in front of the posts Ford made it 13-0.
England were dreaming, but with 24 minutes still to go disaster struck.

Jamie George over-threw his line-out jumpers five metres from his own try-line, and Savea ran on to the ball and gratefully flopped over.

With Richie Mo'unga sliding over the conversion it was suddenly 13-7 and the outcome right back in the balance.

In a battle of heavyweights it was England who landed the next jab through Ford's third penalty after another tenderising tackle by the indefatigable Underhill.

And with tournament favourites New Zealand running out of ideas as the game entered its dying moments and English tacklers pummelling their ball-carriers, Jones had pulled off yet another underdog triumph.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50192618

 

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England fans (pictured in London) went wild as the country made it to the Rugby World Cup final after beating the reigning champions New Zealand in a thrilling 19-7 match

One female England rugby fan proudly boasts that she has been 'on the beers since 9am! King Eddie' in a sign that many people back home will be able to relate to

One fan opted for an England mask around his mouth as he headed towards the towering stadium in Yokohama, a city south of Tokyo

England fans react whilst watching the 2019 Rugby World Cup Semi Final between England and New Zealand at Brixton Jamm, London

As always, the All Blacks put on a passionate Haka - which was roared on by the huge crowd - but the Englishmen stood defiant in a v-shape and accepted the challenge (pictured)

Jack Goodhue of New Zealand gets smashed by Elliot Daly (left) and Owen Farrell during the first half. Farrell looked to be struggling after taking a knock

Maro Itoje competes with New Zealand's Brodie Retallick at a lineout as England look to close in on a hard-earned victory

George Ford was the hero from the tee as he hit four penalties to help England see off the huge threat from the Kiwis

New Zealand centre Anton Lienert-Brown is distraught as his heavily-backed team are dumped out of the competition

New Zealand coach Steve Hansen shows good sportsmanship by wishing England well for their World Cup final next week