2018 New Zealand U20s

[Stargazer]

I admit to being a critic of Sky, but this shows how things deteriorate when Sky isn't the broadcaster in NZ. This year, we can only watch two games from each match day (on tv and online). IIRC, Sky used to televise two games (live) simultaneously on two different channels, and show replays of the other games.

This is Duke's broadcast schedule for match day 1 (on tv and online):

day	NZ date	NZT	Local	match	where	pool	watch/results
Thu	31 May	4.30am	6.30pm*	S Africa v Georgia	Perpignan	C
Thu	31 May	4.30am	6.30pm*	England v Argentina	Narbonne	B
Thu	31 May	4.30am	6.30pm*	Scotland v Italy	Béziers	B	Duke (live); replay 2.50pm (Thu)
Thu	31 May	7.00am	9.00pm*	New Zealand v Japan	Narbonne	A	Duke (live); replay 4.40pm (Thu) / 11.35am (Sat)
Thu	31 May	7.00am	9.00pm*	Australia v Wales	Béziers	A
Thu	31 May	7.00am	9.00pm*	France v Ireland	Perpignan	C

^previous day

.

Edit: all games will be livestreamed on the World Rugby website, but may be geo-blocked.

[Stargazer]

Remember this awesome 50-metre try from Georgian halfback Gela Aprasidze in 2017? He's back for his 3rd U20s tournament!

[Stargazer]

Wow, first try after 50 seconds. Will Tucker.

[Stargazer]

Trask can't convert from close to the touch line. 5 - 0 NZ

[Stargazer]

Great break from Xavier Roe; equally good off-load; Faingaanuku scores in the corner! 4 minutes played.

Trask again can't convert: 10 - 0.

[Stargazer]

This is the Japanese squad (15 - 1): Kyohei Yamasawa, Halatoa Vailea, Siosaia Fifita, Yuto Mori, Koga Nezuka, Hiroto Mamada, Shinobu Fujiwara; Asipeli Moala, Hisanobu Okayama, Kai Yamamoto, Ryuga Hashimoto, Kanji Shimokawa, Gakuto Ishida, Miyu Arai, Yusuke Yamada.

Reserves: Yuichiro Taniguchi, Ryunosuke Momoji, Rento Tsukayama, Kaito Aibe, Shota Fukui, Atora Hondo, Yu Saruta, Yoshiyuki Koga.

Some Pacific names in that squad.

[Stargazer]

Nice team try from Koroi. Ten minutes played. Trask converts: 17 - 0 NZ.

[Stargazer]

Stats after 14 minutes:

Tackles made:
15 by both teams

Tackles missed:
1 NZ
15 Japan

That will be more now. Spowart dots down after a pass from Roe after the line-out. Unfortunately, the pass was forward, so the try is correctly disallowed. 15 minutes gone.

[Stargazer]

Great finish from Leicester Faingaanuku after an equally good break from Roe. Trask adds the extras: 24 - 0 NZ after 20 minutes.

[Stargazer]

Wow, what an awesome coast-to-coast try from Bailyn Sullivan! Best try thus far. Should add that Japan's defence is awful.

Very good kick from Trask: 31 - 0 after 22 minutes. This is going to be a massacre. As expected, against the weakest opponent in the tournament.

[Stargazer]

Japan's no. 8, Asipeli Moala, dots the ball down, but the "try" is disallowed. He was offside. 28 minutes gone. Still 31 - 0 NZ

[Stargazer]

Try Tom Christie? Looked held up by Yuto Mori, but try awarded. Trask converts the try. 38 - 0 NZ. One minute to go in the first half.

[Stargazer]

Half time: NZ 38 - 0 Japan (6 tries to nil)

Faingaanuku, Roe and Tucker are my picks of the first half. Sotutu has been disappointing. Hands like Brad Shields; workrate not good enough.

[98blueandgold]

Defence and set piece highlights of nz first half. Agree about Sotutu, Flanders far better option

[Stargazer]

In the mean time, Xavier Roe has scored a try; not converted by Trask. 43 - 0 to NZ after 45 minutes.

[Stargazer]

Roe taken out in the air? Not penalised.

[Stargazer]

Willie Lose should stop talking up Koroi. He does good things, but also stuffs things up. He's not better than the rest.

[98blueandgold]

@stargazer noticed in 2nd try he got smacked in head. If that was nz wld be yellow card for sure, even if tried scored

[Stargazer]

@98blueandgold Yes, the refs have been missing a few high shots and other offending. Not sure that "tackling below the nipple line" has been followed.

Riedlinger-Kapa has replaced Tucker.

[Stargazer]

Try Akau'ola-Laula! Diving over after a good scrum close to Japan's try line.

Trask converts: 50 - 0 to NZ after 53 minutes.

Scott Gregory has come on for Koroi; Plummer replaces Proctor.