Rugby union?

Pigeon_Killer said:
Not watched many games, is the tempo usually that high? Second half was brutal.
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Japan are an unusually fast-paced team by modern standards, in terms of accelerating into contact, receiving the ball at pace and always having support runners ready for the offload. Only NZ are up to their standard imo.

England, Australia, SA all have their moments but none have executed with the accuracy that Japan manage consistently. Really a genuinely top table team these days, World Rugby has to get them into a T1 competition now.
 
Rather good day of rugby. Wales-Uruguay was a good match where the score at the end didn't reflect fairly IMO - Wales were ******* awful at times (to the point where the French might now be quite happy to be facing them), Uruguay only needed a few marginal decisions to go their way to be a lot closer. Then Japan-Scotland was a belter - watched most of it in my local with a crowd that was 50-50 on a) wanting Scotland to win because United Kingdom against dirteh dirteh foreigners and b) wanting Japan to win because **** the Grottish :D

@mid_gen - I would very much like to see Japan play top tier rugby competitions more often. Mind, there's lots of other teams I'd like to see playing top tier competitions as well - either we're for expansion of the game or not, much like Rugby League. If Japan beat SA (and, lest we forget, they've done it before) in the quarters then World Rugby might start facing calls that they can't ignore.
 
@JRS

I would love to see a two tier European competition with promotion and relegation. Italy have had plenty of opportunity, it's time for the likes of Georgia, Romania etc to have a go. If it means some years that the six nations is missing a founding nation, so be it.

Likewise, a pacific two tier league with promotion and relegation, SA, NZ, Aus, Argentina, Japan, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Uruguay.

Canada and US you could argue could work in either European or Pacific comps.
 
Well that was great value for money. What a game. I’ve loved watching Japan for years and they’ve been getting better and better. I admire their brand of rugby and commitment to the fundamentals. No clever tactics, no cheap tricks. Fast hands, solid defence, good set piece played to restart the game not to trick the ref into penalties.
 
I think that's the main difference between Japan and NH sides that they've found out.

Japan's foundation is pace, accuracy, and dynamism. Their game is based on this, and they execute it effectively.

NH sides found their game on their set piece, defence, and tactical kicking. The fast, dynamic attacking game is what we aspire to *after* we've got on top in the set piece.

They are a joy to watch, I really hope they inspire other teams to play the same way. Some of those offloads and support running today was miles better than anything we've seen in the 6n for years.
 
Japan vs Scotland is probably the best game of the tournament. One of the best games I’ve ever seen actually. The tempo was astonishing and the heart shown by both teams was sensational. For Scotland to have made so many tackles and have any gas in the tank for their partial comeback is insane.
 
Scotland got a soft ride from the referee at times, they performed very well at the ruck and breakdown and made yards when they ran. Their problem was they kicked the ball away far too much. I could almost hear Brian More going "stupid, stupid, stupid" you've worked hard to get the blasted thing, the opposition are capable of attacking and holding onto the ball and you keep winning it and then giving it back to them. Scotland's skills and physicality were well capable of beating Japan, they just lacked the brains to do it.

I swear modern players, particularly NH teams are incapable of decision making these days. All they can do is stick with the plan.
 
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