2019 RWC - Squads

[Stargazer]

Tonga 2019 Rugby World Cup Squad

Siegfried 'Fisiihoi, Pau, Falaleu & ‘Utui (Vv)
Vunipola Fifita, Brumbies, Kala'au And Malapo (Tt)
Latu 'Talakai, Eastwood, Leimatu’a (Vv)
Paula 'Ngauamo, Agen, Vaini, Kolomotu'a, Fasi & Kolofo'ou (Tt)
Sosefo 'Sakalia, Asia Pacific Dragons, Ma'ufanga (Tt) & Nomuka (Hp)
Siua Maile, Shirley, Mata'aho (Eua)
Siua 'Halanukonuka, Glasgow, Hoi (Tt)
Ma’afu Fia, Ospreys, Ha'avakatolo, Holonga (Tt) & Olo'ua (Vv)
Ben Tameifuna, Racing Metro, Pea (Tt)
Sam Lousi, Hurricanes, Kanokupolu (Tt) & Leimatu’a (Vv)
Leva Fifita, Grenoble, Neiafu (Vv)
Sitiveni Mafi, Castres, ‘Ahau, Kolovai (Tt), Sailoame, Talau (Vv)
Sione Kalamafoni, Leicester, Matahau, Te'ekiu (Tt) & Otea (Vv)
Maama 'Vaipulu, Castres, Folaha (Tt)
Fotu 'Lokotui, Counties Manukau, Longoteme (Tt)
Zane 'Kapeli, Bay Of Plenty, Utungake (Vv)
Dan Faleafa, Austin Elite, Kolomotu’a & Kolovai (Tt)
Nasi Manu, Treviso, Vaini & Ha'ateiho (Tt)
Sonatane Takulua, Newcastle Falcons, Lapaha, Ma’ufanga (Tt) & Niuatoputapu
Leon 'Fukofuka, Auckland, Ha’avakatolo, Fo’ui & Ha’alalo (Tt)
Samisoni Fisilau, Auckland Marist, Longolongo (Tt) And Leimatu'a (Vv)
Kurt Morath, Doncaster, Leimatu’a (Vv)
James 'Faiva, Silverstorm El Salvador, Ngele’ia & Kotu (Hp)
Siale Piutau, Bristol Bears, Kolofo'ou & Folaha (Tt)
Malietoa Hingano, Bayonne, Makaunga, Talafo'ou, Nukuleka, Holonga (Vv) And Utuali'i (Upolu)
Nafi Tuitavake, Kolofo'ou & Fasi (T
Atieli Pakalani, Ha'ateiho (Tt) & Feletoa (Vv)
David Halaifonua, Coventry, Fatumu & Tukulalo, Houma (Vv)
Viliami Lolohea, Papatoetoe, Navutoka (Tt) & Niuatoputapu
Cooper Vuna, Newcastle Falcons, Houma (Tt)
Telusa Veainu, Leicester, Matahau (Tt) & Longolongo (Tt)

https://www.facebook.com/TongaRugbyOfficial/photos/a.1635983773295421/2668309323396189/?type=3&theater

Sep 1, 2019  /  Pacific

Sport: Tonga brings back stars, introduces one new cap for RWC

Inspirational leader Nasi Manu and star outside back Telusa Veainu have been named to return to international play as part of Tonga's Rugby World Cup squad, which includes one new cap.

[Rapido]

Renaldo Bothma has retired from test rugby 3 weeks before the tournament. 29 years old.
Will still play for Harlequins .....

Probably Namibia's best player.

Is Saffa born, so may be a plactic-Namibian. Pretty crap timing though.

Ca-ching.

Americas Rugby News  /  Sep 1, 2019

Renaldo Bothma Retires Ahead of RWC - Americas Rugby News

Renaldo Bothma has announced his retirement ahead of RWC 2019. The name of the Namibian N8 will thereby not be on the 31-man roster set to be confirmed tomorrow by Namibia to compete in Japan. In making the announcement on social media Bothma wished Namibia the best of luck at the World Cup. His...

[Rapido]

WR should (attempt to) make it a condition that any money distributed to it's member nations is dependent on professional domestic rugby being suspended during the staging of the RWC.

Harlequins received Central funding of £6.1m from the RFU in the last reported financial year.

The 10 Tier 1 nations each receive about £7.5 million (NZ$18 million) from World Rugby as compensation for lost revenue from the June and November internationals.

So by my back of an envelope calculations; you could make a case that Harlequins receive roughly £150,000 per year from WR via the RFU.

Big job to fix that though, when the tournament last 7 weeks.

[Rapido]

Not that I am trying to tar Harelquins as complete shitbags.

Tier 2 players who get their daily wage from Harlequins and who are appearing at the RWC are:

• Kunatani (Fiji)
• Goneva (Fiji)
• Paul Lasike (USA)
• Tevita Cavubati (Fiji)
• Elia Elia (Samoa)

[Rapido]

In better news. Mamuka Gorgodze is making a comeback to test rugby for Georgia.

I think Georgia's best loose forward got injured - out of the tournament - in their warm-up game v Southern Kings - and Gorgodze has answered the SOS.

What a f*&king hero.

[sparky]

This post is deleted!

[Daffy Jaffy]

Ireland – Rugby World Cup Squad 2019
Forwards (17)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 119 caps CAPTAIN
Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster) 8 caps
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 15 caps
Sean Cronin (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 69 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 35 caps
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 90 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 30 caps
Iain Henderson (Queens University/Ulster) 47 caps
Jean Kleyn (Munster) 2 caps
Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 59 caps
Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 17 caps
Rhys Ruddock (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 22 caps
James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 18 caps
John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 20 caps
Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 16 caps
CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 32 caps
Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 18 caps

Backs (14)
Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 19 caps
Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Munster) 19 caps
Jack Carty (Buccaneers/Connacht) 6 caps
Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 15 caps
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 77 caps
Chris Farrell (Young Munster/Munster) 5 caps
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 37 caps
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 91 caps
Jordan Larmour (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 15 caps
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 13 caps
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 73 caps
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 23 caps
Jonathan Sexton (St Marys College/Leinster) 83 caps
Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster) 20 caps

[mofitzy_]

@Daffy-Jaffy
Thought this was very interesting from the Vice-Chairman of World Rugby, Gus Pichot:

Doesn't specifically refer to Jean Kleyn but given his stance on residency I'd assume that's what he is referring to.

[Billy Tell]

The Irish team naming was one big fiasco - Schmidt planned to inform the players and send the list to WR...but release the list at the end of this week. Took about 2 minutes for the team to leak...and the IRFU to hurriedly organise a press conference...

Jean Kleyn is a terrible pick BTW - think Greg Rawlinson.

[Derm McCrum]

@mofitzy_ said in 2019 RWC - Squads:

@Daffy-Jaffy
Thought this was very interesting from the Vice-Chairman of World Rugby, Gus Pichot:

Doesn't specifically refer to Jean Kleyn but given his stance on residency I'd assume that's what he is referring to.

Hopefully, Dev’s answer to toerag Pichot is:
F**k you, you miserable ambulance-chasing, shit-stirrer.

[Stargazer]

FRANCE

La liste des 31 Bleus pour la Coupe du monde

Piliers : Jefferson Poirot (Bordeaux-Bègles), Rabah Slimani (Clermont), Demba Bamba (Lyon), Emerick Setiano (Toulon), Cyril Baille (Toulouse).

Talonneurs : Guilhem Guirado (Montpellier, cap.), Camille Chat (Racing 92), Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse).

Deuxième-lignes : Sébastien Vahaamahina (Clermont), Paul Gabrillagues (Stade Français), Arthur Iturria (Clermont), Bernard Le Roux (Racing 92).

Troisième-lignes : Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle), Charles Ollivon (Toulon), Louis Picamoles (Montpellier), Yacouba Camara (Montpellier), Wenceslas Lauret (Racing 92).

Demis de mêlée : Antoine Dupont (Toulouse), Baptiste Serin (Toulon), Maxime Machenaud (Racing 92).

Demis d'ouverture : Camille Lopez (Clermont), Romain Ntamack (Toulouse).

Trois-quarts centres : Gaël Fickou (Stade Français), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Sofiane Guitoune (Toulouse), Virimi Vakatawa (Racing 92).

Trois-quarts ailes : Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Alivereti Raka (Clermont), Damian Penaud (Clermont).

Arrières : Maxime Médard (Toulouse), Thomas Ramos (Toulouse).

https://www.ffr.fr/actualites/xv-de-france/le-groupe-pour-la-coupe-du-monde

Bleus : Picamoles, Lauret et Baille dans les 31 pour le Mondial, Lambey recalé

Lundi soir, l'entraîneur du XV de France, Jacques Brunel, a communiqué la liste des 31 Bleus sélectionnés pour le Mondial (20 septembre - 2 novembre). Longtemps en balance, Louis Picamoles, Wenceslas Lauret et Cyril Baille intégrent le groupe pour le Japon.

[Stargazer]

Georgia squad for Rugby World Cup 2019

Forwards:
Mikheil Nariashvili, Guram Gogichashvili, Shalva Mamukashvili, Jaba Bregvadze, Vano Karkadze, Levan Chilachava, Giorgi Melikidze, Beka Gigashvili, Giorgi Nemsadze, Shalva Sutiashvili, Mamuka Gorgodze, Kote Mikautadze, Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, Lasha Lomidze, Otar Giorgadze, Beka Gorgadze, Beka Saghinadze.

Backs:
Sandro Todua, Soso Matiashvili, Mirian Modebadze, Zurab Dzneladze, Davit Katcharava, Merab Sharikadze, Tamaz Mtchedlidze, Giorgi Kveseladze, Lasha Malaghuradze, Lasha Khmaladze, Tedo Abzhandadze, Giorgi Begadze, Vasil Lobzhanidze, Gela Aprasidze.

Media release:
http://site.rugby.ge/en/news-view/?newsid=7457&callerModID=17363&Title=$TitleUrl$

[mofitzy_]

@Stargazer said in 2019 RWC - Squads:

Good on Gorgodze for reversing his retirement after injuries to other squad members.

[Crucial]

@mofitzy_ said in 2019 RWC - Squads:

@Stargazer said in 2019 RWC - Squads:

Good on Gorgodze for reversing his retirement after injuries to other squad members.

Like the grizzled old clubby that gets a phone call on the morning of the game to finish the lawns and come and help out the firsts.

[Crucial]

I really think France are going to do their usual RWC stuff and throw out some bloody strong performances mixed with one bag of shit. The biggest sign is the ditching of Fat Bastard-reau. From captain to goodbye signals that it was time to focus.

[sparky]

This post is deleted!

[Billy Tell]

@Stargazer said in 2019 RWC - Squads:

FRANCE

La liste des 31 Bleus pour la Coupe du monde

Piliers : Jefferson Poirot (Bordeaux-Bègles), Rabah Slimani (Clermont), Demba Bamba (Lyon), Emerick Setiano (Toulon), Cyril Baille (Toulouse).

Talonneurs : Guilhem Guirado (Montpellier, cap.), Camille Chat (Racing 92), Peato Mauvaka (Toulouse).

Deuxième-lignes : Sébastien Vahaamahina (Clermont), Paul Gabrillagues (Stade Français), Arthur Iturria (Clermont), Bernard Le Roux (Racing 92).

Troisième-lignes : Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle), Charles Ollivon (Toulon), Louis Picamoles (Montpellier), Yacouba Camara (Montpellier), Wenceslas Lauret (Racing 92).

Demis de mêlée : Antoine Dupont (Toulouse), Baptiste Serin (Toulon), Maxime Machenaud (Racing 92).

Demis d'ouverture : Camille Lopez (Clermont), Romain Ntamack (Toulouse).

Trois-quarts centres : Gaël Fickou (Stade Français), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Sofiane Guitoune (Toulouse), Virimi Vakatawa (Racing 92).

Trois-quarts ailes : Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Alivereti Raka (Clermont), Damian Penaud (Clermont).

Arrières : Maxime Médard (Toulouse), Thomas Ramos (Toulouse).

https://www.ffr.fr/actualites/xv-de-france/le-groupe-pour-la-coupe-du-monde

Bleus : Picamoles, Lauret et Baille dans les 31 pour le Mondial, Lambey recalé

Lundi soir, l'entraîneur du XV de France, Jacques Brunel, a communiqué la liste des 31 Bleus sélectionnés pour le Mondial (20 septembre - 2 novembre). Longtemps en balance, Louis Picamoles, Wenceslas Lauret et Cyril Baille intégrent le groupe pour le Japon.

There's a decent French side possible with that mix. I certainly could see them get out of the pool and provide a decent quarter final for Wales or Australia.

[Crucial]

Predictions time:

Pool game 'Key Games'

• Australia bt Wales
• France bt Arg
• NZ bt SA

Pool other 'upsets'

• Japan bt Scotland
• Canada bt Italy

Quarters
SA bt Ireland
NZ bt Japan
France bt Aus
Wales bt England (wishful thinking)

Semis
SA bt France
NZ bt Wales

Final
I'm not going to predict because I'm a wuss

[Hooroo]

@Crucial said in 2019 RWC - Squads:

Predictions time:

Pool game 'Key Games'

• Australia bt Wales
• France bt Arg
• NZ bt SA

Pool other 'upsets'

• Japan bt Scotland
• Canada bt Italy

Quarters
SA bt Ireland
NZ bt Japan
France bt Aus
Wales bt England (wishful thinking)

Semis
SA bt France
NZ bt Wales

Final
I'm not going to predict because I'm a wuss

I think you'll find that all their hard work and training won't be all for nothing because of some silly prediction.

NZ to beat SA in the final. Comfortably

[Crucial]

@Hooroo 'Silly prediction'?. Do you not realise the anguish I would go through if I confidently predicted a win that didn't happen?

Actually it is more the likely chance of a French ref should we reach the final that scares me.