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OT- Rugby World Cup

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16,409
Wales deserved to win.

How good was Japan beating Ireland? One of the great upsets. This World Cup has thrown a few up already.
Didnt catch the game, i was wondering how many Japanese were in the team when I saw them play an earlier game.

Dont tell me the host upset a better team than them? Smells of match fixing. ;)
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,478
Didnt catch the game, i was wondering how many Japanese were in the team when I saw them play an earlier game.

Dont tell me the host upset a better team than them? Smells of match fixing. ;)

Japan has close to the highest number (if not the highest number) of foreign born players.

They upset South Africa at the World Cup last time
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
37,542
Didnt catch the game, i was wondering how many Japanese were in the team when I saw them play an earlier game.

Dont tell me the host upset a better team than them? Smells of match fixing. ;)

I had a look at the last Japanese team sheet, it’s was maybe 50/50. The front row and backline were mostly Japanese, while the locks and looses seem to be mostly foreign born, unsurprising given the Japanese’s general lack of height.
Overall though they’re really not that much more stacked with imports than English/French/Aussie teams have been at times, pretty understandable for a nation that has a lucrative domestic comp that attracts a lot of foreign born players.
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
37,542
Fantastic performance by Japan vs Samoa. A win against Scotland and they’ll top their pool, a bonus point loss will probably be enough for second. Would be very unlucky to miss out from here (Scotland would need to beat them and deny them a bonus point to do it)
 
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2,839
Was in a pub in Shibuya watching that match v Samoa...rammed, and when their boys got up the place exploded. Truly an incredible tournament being put on by this country. Hoepfully wakes the dickheads in Europe up to the possibilities.

IMO, it's about time to expand the the RC to five atleast, six if you want a Pacific side in there.
 

Fufu Andronez

First Grade
Messages
8,464
Question for the group, has the RWC always been groups of 5 and then straight to the semi finals?

Or were there quarter finals in previous years with groups of 4?
 

Matua

Bench
Messages
4,529
Question for the group, has the RWC always been groups of 5 and then straight to the semi finals?

Or were there quarter finals in previous years with groups of 4?
There's always been quarter finals and will be quarter finals this year.

I think in 1999 they had 5 pools and then a weird play off system before the quarters.
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
37,542
Was originally 4 groups of 4, which was obviously tidy. Then in 1999 they added a 5th pool and had that extra quarter final play off round before switching to four pools of 5.
 

Fufu Andronez

First Grade
Messages
8,464
Radradra has taken to union quite well. Bloke was a beast against Georgia and backed it up again last night against Wales. Great to watch
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,478
Scotland v Japan is shaping up as the biggest match of pool play
 
Last edited:

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,478
Japan beat Scotland. I suppose it's not really an upset. But its a big result. Because they also beat Ireland, they finish top of their pool and will play South Africa in the quarter-final.

Quarters are confirmed.

On one side of the draw
NZ v Ireland
England v Australia

On the other side-
SA v Japan
Wales v France

So, all things being even, our path to a World Cup goes through Ireland, England and South Africa. But anything could happen
 

JJ

Immortal
Messages
31,738
Our side is stacked - assuming Ireland are still Ireland

Jaapies only have Wales to contend with - TBH only us, the Jaapies and perhaps England have looked decent - Wales perhaps, Ireland are dangerous... hard to see Straya, France (dangerous to say that with both of them) or Japan doing much - Japan have already done plenty
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,478
Our side is stacked - assuming Ireland are still Ireland

Jaapies only have Wales to contend with - TBH only us, the Jaapies and perhaps England have looked decent - Wales perhaps, Ireland are dangerous... hard to see Straya, France (dangerous to say that with both of them) or Japan doing much - Japan have already done plenty

Trying to figure out whether that's advantageous or disadvantageous
 

VillaTheGorilla

Juniors
Messages
508
Im picking All Blacks, Wales, England to all win (although on their day, any of the other teams can still win on their day).

SA v Japan is interesting. Head says SA and more than likely 13+, but my heart says Japan. There's something quite special about them this tournament and I can see them continuing their giant killing run.
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,478
Im picking All Blacks, Wales, England to all win (although on their day, any of the other teams can still win on their day).

SA v Japan is interesting. Head says SA and more than likely 13+, but my heart says Japan. There's something quite special about them this tournament and I can see them continuing their giant killing run.

I would love Wales to get through to the final
 

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