Man, I love the November International Test Window. There is so much rugby that you just can’t watch it all live. Thank god I’m jumping on a plane and flying to America early Monday. I’ve downloaded so many games onto my iPad from Stan that the whole trip is just going to be a total rugby festival of the boot.
So let’s have a little bo-peep at the games that have finished prior to writing Monday’s news. * Note this news is published at 0100 on Monday morning, so it won’t include the Wales v Wallabies game. So strap in, grab a big cup of that magical dark brown liquid ☕, and let’s get it on.
Ireland 22 defeated Argentina 19
Well, the Paddies have survived a brutal second-half comeback from the FISMs to squeak home 22-19 at Aviva Stadium early Saturday morning. The ‘Oirish’ were leading 22-9 at oranges after sticking to the Argies, who managed to get some cheddar 🧀, with two tries in the first seven minutes scored by Jack Crowley and ‘Aussie’ Mack Hansen.
Big Joe McCarthy (not of UFC fame) managed to dot down a third after Tomas Albornoz had kept the Argies in the game. I don’t know what Felipe Contepomi said at half-time, but a significantly motivated Argentinian side came out of the sheds, with Juan Cruz Mallia going ballistic and scoring the try of the game. On top of this, Albornoz cut the lead to just a penalty as the Irish errors of last week crept back into their game.
But the Paddies got hold of themselves, thanks to an impressive debut off the bench from 21-year-old flyhalf Sam Prendergast, and managed to get themselves over the line. Thus avoiding back-to-back defeats for the first time since 2021.
Scotland 59 defeated Portugal 21
The Flying Haggis Darcy Graham has equalled Duhan van der Merwe’s (great Scottish name that) national try scoring record as the Haggis Eaters clocked up nine tries in a 59-21 flogging of Portuguese Tarts (henceforth known as the Tarts) at Murrayfield on Sunday morning our time.
Head bagpipe blower Gregor Townsend rang in 14 changes to his team got beaten by the world champions South Africa last weekend. Nuggety Scottish prop Will Hurd bagged an early try for Scotland before Stafford McDowall scored their second. The Tarts conceded a penalty try in the 27th minute after Duarte Torgal was 🧀 for deliberately collapsing a maul.
Scotland made the most of being a man up, by grabbing another two tries. Edinburgh winger Graham scored his 29th try for Scotland before halftime, as he cruised past three opponents to move level with legendary Scot, Duhan van der Merwe. Josh Bayliss was barely challenged crossing for Scotland’s fifth try of the beatdown.
The Tarts saved their pants in the last minute of the first half when hooker Luka Begic crossed the try line on the back of a maul. Scotsman, Jamie Bhatti crossed over to keep up with the theme of Scottish scoring four minutes into the second half. But the Tarts refused to lay down and take it and Samuel Marques worked his way over the try line on the back of a scrum.
Arron Reed then put daylight between the Scots and the Tarts with a blitz of two tries near the 60-minute mark. The Tarts scored their third try through Raffaele Storti but it didn’t help as the Scots replied with another. And that rounded out the touch-up!
South Africa 29 defeated England 20
If you haven’t already done so make sure you read Keith’s great game review here.
Well, I have to agree with Keith, the score didn’t demonstrate the chasm between these two teams. England’s scrum and restarts are really average, and that’s being kind. Their lineouts and breakdown weren’t much better either.
The Bokke on the other hand? Hard to know, as they weren’t really pushed that hard and did what they needed to win the game, but also didn’t put their foot on the throat of the Soap Dodgers. They just did what they needed to.
France 30 defeated New Zealand 29
If you haven’t done so, read KARL’s excellent match write-up here.
I really do have to agree with KARL’s write-up. This was an excellent game between two heavyweights, socking it to one another. A game of fine margins and that’s what it really boiled down to. The Kiwis were very good in patches, but they were slower and faltered with Cortez Ratima meerkatting at the back of breakdowns. Cam Roigard on the other hand was quick and crisp.
France through le petit maître (Antoine Dupont) was quick, enabling multi-phase, quick through the hands attacking play. They were able to hold against the pressure of the All Blacks (although they were totally in white), and when it mattered held on to win the game. But this was a great game for a neutral to watch, just fantastic!
Other Games
And that ladies and gents, rounds out this weekend’s game (except for Wobs v Northern Hemisphere Sheep Shaggers). Anyway G&GRs, have at it!
