Rugby Union World Cup - France 2023

It was always going to be about 2 areas. England hitting Japan with up and unders and then challenging them with their excellent catching full back, and also the impact of the powerful England substitutes.

Although the up and under idea by England mostly failed, full back Stewart out jumped the Japan winger to score a telling try.
The substitutes totally turned the game around as Japan were starting to make more of the play.

But a big chunk of luck was responsible for one of the important tries when the ball rebounded off Marler's head and into Courtney Lawes hands, who walking in a try.

Score England 34 - Japan 12

I was impressed by Marcus Smith when he came on a a replacement. He wasn't at flyhalf but I believe as a winger. It allowed him to run at the tiring defense.

I'd like to see him as scrum half, he can kick, he can pass and he's very mobile. England don't seem to have anyone decent in that position and Marcus could easily fill that role in future years.

England's performance was similar to watching Wales Vs Portugal very sluggish and got the bonus point in the nick of time before everyone fell asleep
Marcus Smith came on at full back a bold idea can hold a benefit in the final 20 against some teams when the game could be opened up especially with his counter attack abilities

France's captain and world class scrum half, Antione Dupont could miss the rest of the Rugby World Cup with a suspected cheekbone fracture expected to keep him out for six weeks.

Now that was a proper hardcore game of rugby union from Ireland and South Africa.
Top notch stuff.

Snooks stands to applaud both teams.

It was a good win for Ireland against a very strong South African team.

It was an incredibly tense match, so much so I couldn't even enjoy it until the final whistle went

We seem to have come through without any major injuries too, big bonus, and Dan Sheehan is back also, that could be massive going forward.

No doubt Dublin and Paris would have been empty of Guinness last night and rightly so was a excellent effort by the Irish
Whilst Cardiff and Lyon right now will be a party and sea of red after Wales destroying the Aussies
Satisfied with the Scotland performance against Tonga just raging at yet another blunder with tmo and the bunker not punishing yet another head knock especially when our captain goes off for a hia and fails it

A right old wallabying (couldn't resist) for the 'Gold' (more and more tarnished by the day) from Wales. I am not sure what Wales can takeaway in terms of their prospects in the World Cup as a whole. I am certain though, that Australia will face a reaction the likes of which they can not have ever expected in their history! Is EJ cooked, or will - as Matt Williams (can't wait to hear his reaction - stand well back) - intimated after the Fiji defeat - the administrators accept their culpability for this debacle??

Must mention Georgia V Portugal! Fantastic contest, and one of the best so far! Surely the sport has to see the value in being more inclusive in bringing these nations into a fixture schedule that sees them in the spotlight more often?? No more talk, the sport has done that forever with no positive outcome. get it done!! - in the southern Hemisphere also.

May not be popular, and I don't have a blueprint, but maybe a European Championship replacing one six nations in a cycle between world cups is the answer. Personally, the six nations comes around now, and I am like........and??

I can't ever remember a Wallabies team that poor.
Why is it that every national team that Eddie Jones manages turns to rubbish.