RWC: Japan v Russia (Pool A)
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After promising play by Russia they turn it over and the Russian fullback with lead in his legs has a shocker of a kick and Matushima in again.
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Hat-trick tine
Japan 30 - 10 Russia
70 mins gone -
Ball is like a bar of soap. Must be the humidity. No-one appears to be able to catch and hold the pass.
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@Stargazer With a number of their stars playing in the NH it is not unsurprising, I actually thought Russia would be better.
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@Jailbreak7 said in RWC: Japan v Russia (Pool A):
@Stargazer With a number of their stars playing in the NH it is not unsurprising, I actually thought Russia would be better.
Consifering their preparation time and results coming in to tonight they've been a revelation
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@Jailbreak7 said in RWC: Japan v Russia (Pool A):
Ball is like a bar of soap. Must be the humidity. No-one appears to be able to catch and hold the pass.
Get used to it.
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Not a bad opener.
Japan will have to get much better very quickly or that could be their only victory.
Well done Russia
Japan 30 - 10 Russia
Full-time -
Japan poor but the silver haired replacement prop was immense and the replacement 10 was good but can't even see them beating Samoa on that performance let alone the Scots.
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A good test for the Atomic Wedgies. They wll get better from the experience, nerves were definately a part of it.
You think Scotland's experience playing better opposition all the time would give them an advantage but Japan showed enterprise and I'm interested in how they go against a troubled Samoa.
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@MiketheSnow did it get better, I bailed at halftime.
Both Russian 9s were very average, although thier game plan that revolved around going left then right then back left on almost every phase was odd.
hopefully the humidity and lights were issues that contributed to some poor play as opposed to the lack of basics.
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@taniwharugby said in RWC: Japan v Russia (Pool A):
@MiketheSnow did it get better, I bailed at halftime.
Both Russian 9s were very average, although thier game plan that revolved around going left then right then back left on almost every phase was odd.
hopefully the humidity and lights were issues that contributed to some poor play as opposed to the lack of basics.
Both teams relaxed and played more rugby
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@MiketheSnow cool.
Japan just needed to slow things down a little, appreciate they wanted to play at pace but they were still trying a bit much i thought.
Russia have some good forwards but their 9 kicked (awfully) a lot of ball away needlessly...not sure they had the backs to close it out anyway.
Did think Japan were lucky Owens and the TMO didn't pick up that late shoulder on the Russian 9 when it happened, and oddly was about 7 or so mins later the match Dr took him off for an HIA.
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Russia were waaaaay better than I expected.
Japan have no hope of getting to the ΒΌ finals if they play like that
A reasonable opening game all things considered.
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Russia showed their inexperience and lack of rugby nous - to be expected. They should have scored a couple more tries but some unfortunate handling errors or poor options let them down. I noticed forwards were often in the way when the halfback was trying to clear from rucks.
Japan were disappointing. Joseph needs to rethink his fullback selection as the centre he is playing there has been exposed under the high ball in their last 2 games. They will be happy enough with the win but looked like a team with the pressure of the nation on their shoulders.
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Cool today with (hard) rain forecast to stay away until tomorrow - after which the weather is going to get pretty shit for a week - so might be ok for us tonight but pretty bad for games next week. Typhoon at Taiwan-ish area too which will push it up and then may come here itself.
