The Rugby World Cup - Japan 2019

First topic message reminder :

We're getting there folks. Less that 50 days to go til lthe big event.

Here's a place to talk about all things world cup as we lead into this most spectacular of events.

https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/

Full fixture list
https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/matches

Teams that are going
https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/teams

Pools:

Pool A

Ireland
Scotland
Japan (Hosts)
Russia
Samoa

Pool B

New Zealand (3x cup holders) Reigning champs
South Africa (2x cup holders)
Italy
Namibia
Canada

Pool C

England (1x cup holders)
France
Argentina
USA
Tonga

Pool D

Australia (2x cup holders)
Wales
Georgia
Fiji
Uruguay


Who do you think has the best chance?
Who will provide this competition's upset?
What pool will see the biggest fight for qualification?
Which of the non seeded teams are looking like they could do well?
Who has the current momentum going into the W/C?


I can't wait. If I could have swung it, I'd have gone over for it.

Fans mixing together    and top quality rugby being played over 6 weeks  

Creevy and Leguizamon?

Collapse2005 wrote:Nice question.

Rory Best
Frans Steyn
AWJ
Sergio Parisse

Which ones are these? The ones from 2007?

Collapse2005 wrote:Creevy and Leguizamon?

Leguizamon, yes.

Creevy - not according to the list posted

From Australia, Beale and Ashley Cooper.

The Oracle wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Nice question.

Rory Best
Frans Steyn
AWJ
Sergio Parisse

Which ones are these? The ones from 2007?

Yes and I think Parisse made the 2003 RWC too

Are there any Kiwis?

Collapse2005 wrote:

The Oracle wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Nice question.

Rory Best
Frans Steyn
AWJ
Sergio Parisse

Which ones are these? The ones from 2007?

Yes and I think Parisse made the 2003 RWC too

Correct. Parisse is the sole 2003 player at RWC 2019. Good innings that man

Collapse2005 wrote:From Australia, Beale and Ashley Cooper.

Cooper yes, Beale no. Cooper the only Ozzie.

Collapse2005 wrote:Are there any Kiwis?

No Kiwis!

The Oracle wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:From Australia, Beale and Ashley Cooper.

Cooper yes, Beale no. Cooper the only Ozzie.

Thats interesting because Aus is the most experienced team at the RWC

Jonathan Davies or Leigh Halpenny?

So far you’ve got:

2007:
Best
Steyn
AWJ
Leguizmon
Cooper

2003:
Parisse

Collapse2005 wrote:Jonathan Davies or Leigh Halpenny?

No, AWJ the sole Welshman

A difficult one because some of the more obscure nations' (Pacific Island, Japan, Namibia??) could have had players there in 2007. Teams that are there now might not have been permitted at the 2007 tournament either.

Besides Rory Best for Ireland, the only one who could have been around in 2007 is Rob Kearney? Possibly beast for SA as he seems to have been around forever now.

Think only best and Steyn for Ireland and SA. looked that up before. Cant think of anyone else.

Actually Michael Leich for Japan?

Luke Thompson Japan?

Thompson for Japan = correct.

Mikey is correct - there’s a few of the smaller rugby nations with players from 2007. Canada, Namibia, Georgia and USA have players on the list.

However, Italy have 3 more from 2007 too. And Scotland have one too!

Laidlaw or Nel?

The Oracle wrote:A bit of trivia that I pinched from Twitter:

Without looking it up.....

Can you name any of the 15 players from Rugby World Cup 2007 who have made it to RWC 2019?

Can you name the 1 player from RWC 2003 who has made it to RWC 2019?!

Wonder how many players from 2007 are coaches at this year's cup. Andy Farrell with Ireland. Steve Borthwick with England, and Mike Catt with Italy come to mind from the England 2007 squad.

Collapse2005 wrote:Laidlaw or Nel?

Nel was in SA. It could be Laidlaw or Barclay.

If Georgia are on the list then I'm going to take a wild guess, Gorgodze.

Sorry for the suspense.... went to bed!

Yes - Barclay is the Scot on the list.

Have a look for some of the old heads in the Italy squad! 3 of them on the list.

One of the Georgian players is fairly famous from memory.

The Oracle wrote:Sorry for the suspense.... went to bed!

Yes - Barclay is the Scot on the list.

Have a look for some of the old heads in the Italy squad!  3 of them on the list.

One of the Georgian players is fairly famous from memory.  

Yashvilli?

Zanni and Ghiraldini for Italy, dont know the players for the smaller sides.

Collapse2005 wrote:Zanni and Ghiraldini for Italy, dont know the players for the smaller sides.

Correct. Just realised that Parisse is listed twice for 2007 and 2003.

tigertattie wrote:

The Oracle wrote:Sorry for the suspense.... went to bed!

Yes - Barclay is the Scot on the list.

Have a look for some of the old heads in the Italy squad!  3 of them on the list.

One of the Georgian players is fairly famous from memory.  

Yashvilli?

Afraid not. Gorgodze is one (Montpellier and Toulon). Kacharava is the other.

The Oracle wrote:

tigertattie wrote:

The Oracle wrote:Sorry for the suspense.... went to bed!

Yes - Barclay is the Scot on the list.

Have a look for some of the old heads in the Italy squad!  3 of them on the list.

One of the Georgian players is fairly famous from memory.  

Yashvilli?

Afraid not.  Gorgodze is one (Montpellier and Toulon).  Kacharava is the other.

Thought Gorgodze had retired?

Pretty much there now so I'll just post the answers!

Its a good question. Here's another one. Which father and son together have played every world cup combined for their country(which their country has qualified for, 4 in total).

Collapse2005 wrote:Its a good question. Here's another one. Which father and son together have played every world cup combined for their country(which their country has qualified for, 4 in total).

Georgia are the only team to have played in four World Cups so far. Uruguay make their 4th this time around. The skipper of the 99 Uruguay team has a son in the 2015 and 2019 squads,  but the dad only played in one WC I believe, being their coach in 2003.

LondonTiger wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Its a good question. Here's another one. Which father and son together have played every world cup combined for their country(which their country has qualified for, 4 in total).

Georgia are the only team to have played in four World Cups so far. Uruguay make their 4th this time around. The skipper of the 99 Uruguay team has a son in the 2015 and 2019 squads,  but the dad only played in one WC I believe.

Ok you got me, I meant to include the upcoming one and yes its Uruguay.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/rwc-moments-ormaechea-the-granddaddy-of-them-all-1.4002302

Collapse2005 wrote:

The Oracle wrote:

tigertattie wrote:

The Oracle wrote:Sorry for the suspense.... went to bed!

Yes - Barclay is the Scot on the list.

Have a look for some of the old heads in the Italy squad!  3 of them on the list.

One of the Georgian players is fairly famous from memory.  

Yashvilli?

Afraid not.  Gorgodze is one (Montpellier and Toulon).  Kacharava is the other.

Thought Gorgodze had retired?

Was going to go to town to Oracle for this as yes, Gorgodze (great player by the way) did indeed retire from international rugby in 2017 but he does seem to be named in the Gerogian Team on the official rugby world cup site.

I'm sure there's been some form of clerical errror here!

He's come out of retirement for the world cup apparently.

The Oracle wrote:A bit of trivia that I pinched from Twitter:

Without looking it up.....

Can you name any of the 15 players from Rugby World Cup 2007 who have made it to RWC 2019?

Can you name the 1 player from RWC 2003 who has made it to RWC 2019?!

2003 - Stephen Jones with the late call?

robbo277 wrote:

The Oracle wrote:A bit of trivia that I pinched from Twitter:

Without looking it up.....

Can you name any of the 15 players from Rugby World Cup 2007 who have made it to RWC 2019?

Can you name the 1 player from RWC 2003 who has made it to RWC 2019?!

2003 - Stephen Jones with the late call?

Haha, no unfortunately not! Mentioned this one earlier...... it was Parisse for Italy.

I saw there was a guessing game going on and tried to scroll up so I could guess without spoiling the answer.

I miscounted the years, I knew Parisse had been around the longest but thought it was 4, not 5. 5 is one hell of a stint.

On another note, anyone seen the England RWC promo vid?!  Sorry if it's been posted elsewhere. I like it! I think...

:

I preferred 'make them giants'

Always knew Farrell was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

This is cultural appropriation at its worst and I expect pretty offensive to the Japanese.

Pie wrote:Always knew Farrell was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

This is cultural appropriation at its worst and I expect pretty offensive to the Japanese.

Hard to call. On one hand it is highly offensive on the other it's paying homage to Japanese history.

It would be the same if the WC was being held in Scotland and visiting teams did ads with them all in kilts running about the hills and glens. I'm sure many here would be appaulled at the portryal, but yet when you look  at things we sell like Porridge oats, whisky and shortbread, we're perfectly happy for this stereotype to be used when its working in our favour.

Anyway, I'm jsut laughing at the fact that Owen Farrell is wearing armoured shoulder pads - Shoulder Boi!

PS

24 Hours to go people!!!

tigertattie wrote:
PS

24 Hours to go people!!!

Oh you're goin to play the game before we turn up?

Hmmmm, some novel piece of coaching from Townsend.  He caught us completely out with that move

SecretFly wrote:

tigertattie wrote:
PS

24 Hours to go people!!!

Oh you're goin to play the game before we turn up?

Hmmmm, some novel piece of coaching from Townsend.  He caught us completely out with that move

Now now fly, this isnt the thread where Scotland posters advise Ireland how we're going to hand you 2nd place in the group (with Scotland topping before any Japan fans pipe up). this is the WC overall thread and the WC starts in just under 24 hours now

Did anyone see that Greatest World Cup Tries programme on ITV4 yesterday?

France v New Zealand 1999 is still one of my favourite matches of all time. The trouble is, I expect France to play like that every time I watch them!

Missed that one Luckless

France vs NZ 99 was indeed a smacker of a game. It was the absolute greatest example of showing you how a team can want it more than another.

Its really odd how the mentality of a team can ebb and flow form game to game (and even during a game). I'm not a Psychologist or the like, but I do find this kind of thing interesting.

A team can be a bit flat but then one player makes a massive tackle on someone and it seems to lift the collective spirits of the team. Then someone else in that team make a good break and this gets your team pumped again and before you know it you are all brimming with confidence and playing like posessed demons.

Teams can be like little hives of collectiveness

It's worth a watch - Jonny Wilkinson tries to explain how momentum can change like that, when they're discussing that match, as it happens.

I won't spoil it by saying what the number one try is!

Typhoon projected to blow through Kyushu and Honshu

https://www.jma.go.jp/en/typh/

So you think the game might be postponed?

Collapse2005 wrote:So you think the game might be postponed?

No-one is predicting that so far but we'll have to keep an eye on it. Main gripe in Japan is that it's a three-day weekend, with a holiday on Monday, and we could be washed out.

Rugby Fan wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:So you think the game might be postponed?

No-one is predicting that so far but we'll have to keep an eye on it. Main gripe in Japan is that it's a three-day weekend, with a holiday on Monday, and we could be washed out.

What part of Japan are you in? Any recommendations for things, to do, see, eat in and near Osaka and Kobe?

Tokyo here. I'm not as familiar with Osaka and Kobe but Shinsaibashi in Osaka is a treasure trove of good food and booze, while Kitashinchi has a wide variety of nighlife.

If anyone comes through Tokyo, drop me a message, and I'll see if I can hook up.