RWC: SAF v JAP (Brighton Stadium) Pool B

[ChargerWA]

Oh, and well played SA Supporters.

 

[maxdacat]

Two SA tries were from forwards jogging half the length of the field (i may be exagerating slightly to score after minimal defence.....so where were their backs?

 

[pjm]

Two SA tries were from forwards jogging half the length of the field (i may be exagerating slightly to score after minimal defence...so where were their backs?

Their backs are alright except for JDV, the ball just dies with him.

 

[light]

Went to bed at half time


Well done Japan! If the first half was any reflection on the game they certainly deserved it.

 

[Omar Comin']

Amazing result. Perhaps the coming of age for rugby as a truly global sport.

Pool B is going to be a great scrap. Even the USA are a bit of a threat to these teams.

 

[Scooter]

I watched the replay when I woke up this morning without knowing the result. My wife got up when there was five minutes to go and wanted to know why I was so into Japan.

I said there are three Rebels (two ex-Rebels) playing and Japan might be about to upset South Africa. 13th in the rankings defeating 3rd. You got to love the underdog winning (as long as its not against your team).

Commiserations to the South African fans at least you live to fight another day.

 

[Quick Hands]

Japan have still got three more must win games to top the pool. I reckon they'll lose at least one of them, just because they are not used to playing at 100% for four straight games and their opponents are roughly at their level. If SA win their last three it will come down to for and against etc. and I think they'll still top the group. But it is out of their hands, its Japan's to lose.

On balance of probabilities SA still win the group and therefore we still want to top our group for the easiest run into the final. SA usually beat England while we struggle with them, so optimum for us is to win the group and see how the cards fall.

The road ahead for SAF isn't as easy as you might think. Agree with what you say about Japan though.

 

[Quick Hands]

[quote="ChargerWA, post: 788360, member: 2975" And then Henyeke picks a bunch of old age pensioners to boot.[/quote]

Maybe he was a the same selectors school as the Australian cricket selectors?

 

[Blue]

Commiserations to SA, but there has been something wrong for a few years now. It's like all the political mind games has ever so slightly crushed the Bok belief. You only need to lose 1% of your belief in a game like rugby and you're vulnerable. And then Henyeke picks a bunch of old age pensioners to boot.

Thanks. Yup. It is just not a healthy environment to perform in. And then your two leaders (JdV and Matfield) are show up to be a yard behind all the time.

 

[Viking]

Wow what a game! Beautiful to watch.

JdV a hero in his time but not playing anywhere near his best - and when you have such a damaging runner in De Allende then you would be crazy not to play him.

Although hard to blame the loss on one player, it was truly a 15 man performance by Japan. SA didn't tank this game, they played okay, Japan were just too good!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Just watched a bit of the replay & would love to know how Japan weren't awarded a penalty try in the 29th minute, Sethfrickens blatantly pulled down a maul that was surely gonna result in a try. Also felt the first Bokke try had more than a hint of truck & trailer about it..........

 

[Mr Doug]

Did Bill Shorten know something we didn't, when he recently said: "One down (SA), one (NZ) to go"?! Are the ABs better than in 2011, or just older?

 

[BDA]

Stayed up late to watch this one and boy was it worth it.

Japan were just superb. Eddie Jones has done an amazing job with them. I found his post game interview very interest, he basically said that Japan have a lot of smaller faster players, so they have to play a particular style of rugby. They really executed their game plan perfectly.

The moment at the end of the game when the Japanese huddled around to decide whether to take the 3 points to draw, and decided that they'd come too far to throw away a chance at history, was one of the great moments in world cup history.

As for the boks, gee wiz. Taking nothing away from Japan the Boks looked horribly off their game. The Boks' pack was seemingly unable to flex its muscle at any stage. Their back-line play was no existent. No sign of their trademark physicality. Japan seemed to get over the advantage line with ease. It very concerning that the Boks were unable to impose their game plan on the Japanese.

It's possible that rust is to blame (particularly with such an old side). We've seen teams start slow and peak at the end of the tournament (ala France 2011). But looking at the way the team appears to have almost gone backwards through-out the test season, something is seriously wrong with the set-up.

 

[Pedrolicus]

Just watched a bit of the replay & would love to know how Japan weren't awarded a penalty try in the 29th minute, Sethfrickens blatantly pulled down a maul that was surely gonna result in a try. Also felt the first Bokke try had more than a hint of truck & trailer about it....

I agree, plus habana dives underneath it as it went to ground.

You could also argue that the penalty that led to the lineout was worthy of a penalty try.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^ that's the maul I meant: Seths get pinged for collapsing it, Japan take the lineout option, Leitch scores from the resulting drive.

 

[Pedrolicus]

^^^^^^^^^^ that's the maul I meant: Seths get pinged for collapsing it, Japan take the lineout option, Leitch scores from the resulting drive.

Hah sorry, I should have read that better.

I was talking about the maul that was called held up towards the end of the match.

 

[BDA]

Looking at the way the Boks played, I'm starting a conspiracy theory that the Boks threw the game so that the can try to come 2nd in the pool. The way they bombed the try in the 70th minute, it was like they were trying not to score. Theoretically coming second in the pool would suit boks, they'd avoid New Zealand and would (most likely) play England in the Quarters, a team they have a great record against.

I'm only half serious, but the theory is sound

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Hah sorry, I should have read that better.

I was talking about the maul that was called held up towards the end of the match.

I haven't seen that one yet as watching ITM Cup but will keep an eye out for it when I watch the rest.

 

[mst]

^^^^^^^^^^ that's the maul I meant: Seths get pinged for collapsing it, Japan take the lineout option, Leitch scores from the resulting drive.

I think "this ^^^^^^" was the icing and stand-out part of this win for me.
Japan got no favours, no rub of the green, no "charity" or sympathy, there was no "even it up" or "balancing up the ledger" by the ref because they were the minnows. Rather it was done on pure merit, graft, heart, skill and determination and was absolutely genuine and forged by their own hands!

There are no if's, but's or maybe's that can be used to water down this achievement!

 

[Quick Hands]

The best game of the tournament so far (and not because of the result). Only 7 scrums in the whole match. Also the best refereeing performance - a lot of refs would have sqibbed it and found a way to get the Tier 1 nation up.

Japan scored the two best tries of the match - the one from the lineout was superb.

Toom many tries from mauls, but from the games so far that seems to be what we're heading for at this RWC.