Rugby Union

[GiGi]

3 minutes ago, Bob Mahelp said:

It sounds almost daft to say it, but I thought Jamie Ritchie put in one of the all time great Scotland flanker performances today. 

He was everywhere. Winning turnover ball, head on tackles, carrying ball forward, in Japanese faces. He didn't deserve to be on the losing side.

In a disappointing tournament, his performances (and those of Bradbury) were diamonds in amongst the turds. At least that's something to hold on to. 

Not daft at all. Ritchie was immense.

[peasy23]

It sounds almost daft to say it, but I thought Jamie Ritchie put in one of the all time great Scotland flanker performances today. 
He was everywhere. Winning turnover ball, head on tackles, carrying ball forward, in Japanese faces. He didn't deserve to be on the losing side.
In a disappointing tournament, his performances (and those of Bradbury) were diamonds in amongst the turds. At least that's something to hold on to. 

Don't know what his final tackle count was, but he made 17 in the first half alone.

[edthebaw]

SA were my favourites despite losing to NZ in pools but Japan can beat ANYONE on current form. 

S A, will blow Japan away [emoji464]

[Enigma]

You just don’t see kids playing rugby out on the street anymore!

[John Lambies Doos]

The least gracious rugby fans in my opinion are the Welsh, if we are stereotyping them all together. The Irish can be cocky too, and forget they were hopeless in the 80s and 90s ; but NZ - what a fecking place though, brilliant people and lovely - rugby fans are probably the worst e.g imagine the least tasteless Welshman on speed for arrogance at rugby. You could argue they have a right to of late, but being there before the 2011 World Cup and yes - we are pish - but the tasteless way they talked of us (in a rugby sense) they like us as people ; I'll have to be behind my fellow Gaels and hope Ireland can beat them.
Be some fairy-tale if Japan could get by SA, but fear today's tough match and SA being a better team than us, they'll probably bow out.
England should be Australia ; and who knows what French side will turn up (or Welsh one - not great against Fiji or Uruguay - but then again got the job done).
From a Scottish perspective, I actually found myself willing Japan's defence to hold tonight. I couldn't take another gallus defeat - if we had scored to make it 28-28 and then nicking another one before the end to win 35-28, would be unbelievably Scottish, so in away it's nice to go out as losers rather than the plucky glorious failure often our teams will do.
I'd imagine Toonie will get the next 6 Nations, but not convinced at all. Russell is an infuriating player at times. I don't watch or know enough about the game really, but every game I've seen Kinghorn in he's looked very good and surprised he hasn't played more or started more games - then again, I don't know enough really about the game.

Agree with all of this.

[The_Kincardine]

2 hours ago, Mark Connolly said:

Let's take the positive here.

New Zealand are going to absolutely ruin Ireland as a result of that game..

Is that a positive?  I'd much prefer Ireland to ruin New Zealand...

[Mark Connolly]

1 minute ago, The_Kincardine said:

Is that a positive?  I'd much prefer Ireland to ruin New Zealand...

Nah, I'm now all in for Japan beating NZ in the final.

[John Lambies Doos]

Is that a positive?  I'd much prefer Ireland to ruin New Zealand...

An amazing positive

[Kejan]

21 minutes ago, John Lambies Doos said:

1 hour ago, Kejan said:

The least gracious rugby fans in my opinion are the Welsh, if we are stereotyping them all together. The Irish can be cocky too, and forget they were hopeless in the 80s and 90s ; but NZ - what a fecking place though, brilliant people and lovely - rugby fans are probably the worst e.g imagine the least tasteless Welshman on speed for arrogance at rugby. You could argue they have a right to of late, but being there before the 2011 World Cup and yes - we are pish - but the tasteless way they talked of us (in a rugby sense) they like us as people ; I'll have to be behind my fellow Gaels and hope Ireland can beat them.
Be some fairy-tale if Japan could get by SA, but fear today's tough match and SA being a better team than us, they'll probably bow out.
England should be Australia ; and who knows what French side will turn up (or Welsh one - not great against Fiji or Uruguay - but then again got the job done).
From a Scottish perspective, I actually found myself willing Japan's defence to hold tonight. I couldn't take another gallus defeat - if we had scored to make it 28-28 and then nicking another one before the end to win 35-28, would be unbelievably Scottish, so in away it's nice to go out as losers rather than the plucky glorious failure often our teams will do.
I'd imagine Toonie will get the next 6 Nations, but not convinced at all. Russell is an infuriating player at times. I don't watch or know enough about the game really, but every game I've seen Kinghorn in he's looked very good and surprised he hasn't played more or started more games - then again, I don't know enough really about the game.

Agree with all of this.

How is it with the Irish in your family, Lambo? The Irish fans I've met in Scotland and was in Belfast for last year's Six Nations were absolute gold and gracious winners (often on the back of cuffing us).

Met a group of Welsh a few times, and always seem to be so bitter and aggressive even after a Welsh win- think we sneaked past them in a Six Nations game - and they were just terrible winners.

They also seem to do us at football and rugby as well.

Edited October 13, 2019 by Kejan

[The_Kincardine]

16 minutes ago, Mark Connolly said:

Nah, I'm now all in for Japan beating NZ in the final.

Given that we're all Turning Japanese I reckon you got that wrong:

Fixtures are:

England vs Australia 
NZ vs Ireland

Wales vs France
Japan vs SA

So England vs Ireland semi and Japan vs France semi would be my pick with Japan beating England in the final.  This would cause seethe max.

[John Lambies Doos]

How is it with the Irish in your family, Lambo? The Irish fans I've met in Scotland and was in Belfast for last year's Six Nations were absolute gold and gracious winners (often on the back of cuffing us).
Met a group of Welsh a few times, and always seem to be so bitter and aggressive even after a Welsh win- think we sneaked past them in a Six Nations game - and they were just terrible winners.
They also seem to do us at football and rugby as well.

Tbh, my cousins are more hurling fans than rugby and in fairness fairly balanced. I still travel to Ireland a bit, always read RTE and used to spend a fair bit of time there. It's their media that are dismissive and overpowering plus a lot of people with no clue who have jumped on bandwagon. Not a fan of some of their players either , Heaslip was a c**t at the WC draw. My mum(irish)is not really into sport but my old man (Scottish)is, plus I'm born and brought up in Scotland so always Scotland. I like to see Irish football team do well mind, second to Scotland plus I still travel over for some hurling matches..

[Tony Ferrino]

3 hours ago, Grangemouth Bairn said:

I don’t watch a lot of rugby but tuned in to this as no football in that I fancied watching.

My thoughts were that Japan were better than us, fitter than us and better coached.

They well deserved to win.

Given that it’s Sumo with a ball it’s not surprising they’re good.

[GAD]

18 minutes ago, John Lambies Doos said:

29 minutes ago, Kejan said:

How is it with the Irish in your family, Lambo? The Irish fans I've met in Scotland and was in Belfast for last year's Six Nations were absolute gold and gracious winners (often on the back of cuffing us).
Met a group of Welsh a few times, and always seem to be so bitter and aggressive even after a Welsh win- think we sneaked past them in a Six Nations game - and they were just terrible winners.
They also seem to do us at football and rugby as well.

Tbh, my cousins are more hurling fans than rugby and in fairness fairly balanced. I still travel to Ireland a bit, always read RTE and used to spend a fair bit of time there. It's their media that are dismissive and overpowering plus a lot of people with no clue who have jumped on bandwagon. Not a fan of some of their players either , Heaslip was a c**t at the WC draw. My mum(irish)is not really into sport but my old man (Scottish)is, plus I'm born and brought up in Scotland so always Scotland. I like to see Irish football team do well mind, second to Scotland plus I still travel over for some hurling matches..

I'm the same, big Irish background, support them at every sport (except against Scotland) and would absolutely support England against them in rugby.

[The_Kincardine]

7 minutes ago, GAD said:

I'm the same, big Irish background, support them at every sport (except against Scotland) and would absolutely support England against them in rugby.

Strange.  I'd always support Ireland over England when it comes to rugby.

[Kejan]

33 minutes ago, The_Kincardine said:

Strange.  I'd always support Ireland over England when it comes to rugby.

A few fellow proddie Ulstermen to support?

[The_Kincardine]

10 minutes ago, Kejan said:

A few fellow proddie Ulstermen to support?

Shhhhh...I thought I'd got away with it.

[Radford]

Thought the performance against Ireland was far worse than today, against a good Japanese performance. Obviously there are criticisms that can be levelled at the players and coaching staff but it isn't the embarrassment that some are making out. 

Do agree though that the SRU need to evaluate whether Townsend is the man they see leading the squad going into the next World Cup. They were fortunate with the group they got in 2015 but will need to be capable of beating a fellow tier one nation if they are to progress in France. Think we've done that once at a World Cup, Ireland in 1991? His first two years were really positive but can't get away from fact that 2019 has been poor; one win in seven tier one games and the defeat today. 

Jamie Ritchie was very good but he has to build on it. How many back rows have we seen over the years who burst onto the scene but don't ever really match those early expectations? Appreciate injuries have done for a few of them. 

It'll be a different Scotland without Laidlaw but it's an exciting prospect. 

Really looking forward to all four last eight matches. 

[S7C]

20 minutes ago, Radford said:

Thought the performance against Ireland was far worse than today, against a good Japanese performance. Obviously there are criticisms that can be levelled at the players and coaching staff but it isn't the embarrassment that some are making out. 

Do agree though that the SRU need to evaluate whether Townsend is the man they see leading the squad going into the next World Cup. They were fortunate with the group they got in 2015 but will need to be capable of beating a fellow tier one nation if they are to progress in France. Think we've done that once at a World Cup, Ireland in 1991? His first two years were really positive but can't get away from fact that 2019 has been poor; one win in seven tier one games and the defeat today. 

Jamie Ritchie was very good but he has to build on it. How many back rows have we seen over the years who burst onto the scene but don't ever really match those early expectations? Appreciate injuries have done for a few of them. 

It'll be a different Scotland without Laidlaw but it's an exciting prospect. 

Really looking forward to all four last eight matches. 

I think Townsend has the 6 Nations to show a noticeable improvement. 

If not he's done.

[Enigma]

Given that it’s Sumo with a ball it’s not surprising they’re good.

New Zealand better watch out for the Mongolians when they cotton on to this.

[Snobot]

5 hours ago, GAD said:

Second half felt like a bit if a watershed, a changing of the guard if you like. Guys like Horne, Fagerson, Ritchie and Cummings stepped up where their more experienced counterparts failed. I expect Hutchison will be a starter come the 6 nations as well. Townsend might be done as well. A disappointing end for sure, but at least we went out on the pitch.

Totally agree. Cummings brings so much more to the game than Gilchrist. Thought Jonny Gray had a great game too.

As much as I like Laidlaw and what leadership he has brought to the team, it is going to be a completely different team with Horne at 9 and much more suited to our strengths.
 

In retrospect, Townsend picked the wrong squad and was too loyal to some players who were not in form or coming back from injury. Guys like Hutchinson may not ultimately have made a difference but I was impressed by the physicality and commitment in the 2nd half which is exactly what we need if we are going to compete in the 6N.