Japanese Top League - Now showing on Stan!

[Mr Wobbly]

Craving some rugby? The two semi final matches are on TV this afternoon.

Eurosport:

4:00pm Panasonic vs Kobelco
5:45pm Toshiba vs Yamaha

 

[Dan54]

Watched the Panasonic-Kobe game, quite enjoyed it, needed a taste of rugby after xmas. Was quite impressed with Daniel Heenan's game. Young Hayden Parker doing ok as a fill in for Berrick Barnes, 20 kick attempts in 2 games and missed none, seems to control game quite well too, though I liked him when he played for Otago anyway.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

I don't know what happened to the second match. Just some skiing nonsense instead

 

[Dan54]

Watched it this morning Mr Wob, bloody great game, seriouly enjoyed it and looking forward to watching final next week.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Yeah, I was lucky enough to catch most of the game. I found it was on about 25 mins into the first half. Kahui had a blinder, just about unstoppable close to the line.

Next week's game should be a cracker.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Top League grand final today from 4:00pm on Eurosport.
Panasonic vs Toshiba.

 

[qwerty51]

It's tomorrow

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Yep, it's tomorrow.

Eurosport have buggered up their schedule. I was recording the game on IQ, just checked and it's recorded some basketball game.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

poor old dusty sandlot pitch for the semi's. half expected to spot Beegee Williams circa 1976 tour of South Africa bustling across the parched plains.

Come on Japan, you can concoct a porn industry that's probably bigger than NZ's GDP, surely you can grow some bits of fuckin grass for a Saturday afternoon at the footy

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Official IRB Match Report

Panasonic: 27
Toshiba: 26
Steyn: 25 donuts

Woah what a finish. NOT helped by fat fuck Frannie Steyn, fuck me how many chances does he want? First his ratshit kick gifts it to Tanaka, hello trytime down the other end 10 seconds later then Kahui puts the bovine twit thru at the deth with no one between him and the bloody goal line and the fuckin pies and cakes weigh the bastard down and he doesnt even get close then after Kahui's genius crossfield kick results in trytime the podgy wally gets a shot at a fairly rudimentary kick to win the final with time up and he fluffs it

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Official IRB Match Report

Panasonic: 27
Toshiba: 26
Steyn: 25 donuts

Woah what a finish. NOT helped by fat fuck Frannie Steyn, fuck me how many chances does he want? First his ratshit kick gifts it to Tanaka, hello trytime down the other end 10 seconds later then Kahui puts the bovine twit thru at the deth with no one between him and the bloody goal line and the fuckin pies and cakes weigh the bastard down and he doesnt even get close then after Kahui's genius crossfield kick results in trytime the podgy wally gets a shot at a fairly rudimentary kick to win the final with time up and he fluffs it

Yep, a pretty exciting anti-climax. Just when you thought Toshiba were down and out - they were.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Highlights from the final

 

[Quick Hands]

poor old dusty sandlot pitch for the semi's. half expected to spot Beegee Williams circa 1976 tour of South Africa bustling across the parched plains.

Come on Japan, you can concoct a porn industry that's probably bigger than NZ's GDP, surely you can grow some bits of fuckin grass for a Saturday afternoon at the footy

Ah yes, those were the days.

Need a few of those rice paddy farmers to get involved.

 

[KevinO]

Highlights from the final

Talk about missing a kick when it counts

 

[TOCC]

poor old dusty sandlot pitch for the semi's. half expected to spot Beegee Williams circa 1976 tour of South Africa bustling across the parched plains.

Come on Japan, you can concoct a porn industry that's probably bigger than NZ's GDP, surely you can grow some bits of fuckin grass for a Saturday afternoon at the footy

Concerning that this will also be the home ground of the Sunwolves, first Super Rugby match will be held there in 4 weeks time.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Tuned in to watch Japan Top League and was amazed to see Mose Tuauali still running around. In great shape too. Even more amazed to see Juan Smith lining up. Still only 36.

Usually I give the fuck up on this league after about 2 rounds once the players shell every 4th pass but man on the 2 games I saw this morning, handling skills have really improved, much more ferocious at breakdown too compared to even 2 seasons ago too

 

[Dismal Pillock]

2020 and the locals have beefed up considerably. plus their handling is even more improved

Suntory: 22​

​

Sean Mcmahon: too weird that Aus let this guy get away. RA shouldve biffed the Pocock $$ this way. Reminds me of Mccaw in that he looks like he's never lifted a weight in his life but is still tough as hell.​

Nagare​

Matsushima- fresh and dazzling as well he should be having been cotton wooled for entire Soup rugby last year (?) prior to being wheeled out for 4 hours at RWC like a spiffy hot wheels showpony. 4 hours of rugby in the last 12 months? What a gig.​

Kerevi: alpha stallion​

Tevita goddamn Li?-OMFG.​

​

Bench​

Giteau​

Henrik Tui​

NTT: 10

Marx
Jimmy Tupou? wow, he must be elated to get a rugby contract away from the bumbling mess Auckland Blues organisation
Mafi - court date is next Monday 27th in Dunedin so he better pack up his shackles and little black and white hooped jumpsuit and high tail it down there to begin doing his hard time Rodeo in Joliet
Leiliafano

Bench:
Isaac Ross. haha this quite convincing facsimile of a rugby football lock forward is still on the payroll gravy train

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Over 30k turned up to watch Toyota/Panasonic yesterday.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Over 30k turned up to watch Toyota/Panasonic yesterday.

yep but player-wise really hitting home the extent to which the Shunwolves have ben cut adrift from Japan Rugby Inc. ALL the RWC players are back in Top League. For the first time I think these teams would be competitive in soup rugby

Yamaha: 24

Rory Arnold
Kwagga Smith
Tuipulotu: this brick shithouse on the wing looked like the second coming of Inga

Kobe: 36

BBBR: scored a nice go-go arm try
Tom Franklin. strong game. coupled with BBBR could be the fuck-you-up lineout that takes this team all the way
Dan Carter: It's almost over. A step late. Looked old and stiff and as if the next shot he took would be another six month injury layoff sabbatical. BUT. He hung in there and then started to pull the strings. Holy crap his 2005 Lions Tour magnum opus was 15 years ago now
Lafaele
Richard Buckman: this perennially scrawny drunk-looking bogan stoner is just a goddamn natural
Yamanaka: looks the part in an All-Airport XV sort of way

Bench
Andy Ellis

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

yep but player-wise really hitting home the extent to which the Shunwolves have ben cut adrift from Japan Rugby Inc. ALL the RWC players are back in Top League. For the first time I think these teams would be competitive in soup rugby

Yamaha: 24

Rory Arnold
Kwagga Smith
Tuipulotu: this brick shithouse on the wing looked like the second coming of Inga

Kobe: 36

BBBR: scored a nice go-go arm try
Tom Franklin. strong game. coupled with BBBR could be the fuck-you-up lineout that takes this team all the way
Dan Carter: It's almost over. A step late. Looked old and stiff and as if the next shot he took would be another six month injury layoff sabbatical. BUT. He hung in there and then started to pull the strings. Holy crap his 2005 Lions Tour magnum opus was 15 years ago now
Lafaele
Richard Buckman: this perennially scrawny drunk-looking bogan stoner is just a goddamn natural
Yamanaka: looks the part in an All-Airport XV sort of way

Bench
Andy Ellis

Which kind of would make a SA-less Super Rugby viable if you ask me. Have the Top League run in it's usual window (this years league was moved back to accommodate the RWC) and then have the top 5 join 5 from NZ, 4 from Aus (I would actually like to see how GRR turns out) and the Jaguares.