I OPTED out of the France v Namibia World Cup clash on Thursday night. I reckoned it was a case of: “how many?” so I watched, back-to-back, the Aberdeen and Rangers games, while recording events in Marseilles.
Watching the recording, on Friday morning (the joys of retirement); the big thing I took from the game was: [SHOCKEROONIE!!!] Matthew Carley and assistant Andrew Brace both had a good game, as did TMO Joy Neville. I have been (justifiably) critical of that trio, but, on Thursday night they were bang-on.
The big post-game talking point was the injury to Antoine Dupont, what a blow for France, and the tournament, to lose the face of the event. French resources are being sorely tested, but, I would not write them off just yet. Some of their tries were French 'Champagne Rugby' at vintage, Premier Cru level; mesmeric stuff.
The Dupont injury demonstrates once again the craven cowardice of World Rugby. I am not saying immediately imposing the sternum height tackle line, already in use in the club game, onto the professional game, would, at a stroke, put an end to the head-on-head collisions which did for Dupont. In the heat of battle, players will always make mistakes and we will, regardless of the tackle lines imposed, always continue to see such collisions.
However, if the players know high hits are going to cost them game time, if they know where the tackle line is – and if the coaches coach proper tackling technique and insist on it being applied – in time, we will banish such injuries from the game.
[A wee aside here. I came across a Facebook page: “Amateur Rugby League fights.” One of the thiings I noticed is, most of the tackles are high – chest and upwards, and a high hit often starts the fight. In professional Rugby Union, there are a lot of former Rugby League coaches, particularly defence coaches. Obviously, they are coaching the high tackles which are standard in their game. Thus, classical low Rugby Union tackling is all but a lost art in our elite game. Might I suggest, we ditch the Rugby League coaches and get back to coaching proper tackling. You never know, it might work and improve the game.]
The other thing I took from the game was that third French try – that one was as good as any they have scored; absolute classic Gallic flair, great running and support and brilliant off-loading.
ARGENTINA v SAMOA was a proper, old-fashioned arm wrestle, deservedly won by Los Pumas, who found an additional gear in the second half.
Samoa will be ruing the goal kicks which they missed, in the end, these misses proved costly. From a Scottish perspective, it was good to see Edinburgh's Emelliano Boffelli getting on the score sheet in a generally impressive performance. At least, the South Americans have now got their no-show against England out of their system with their 19-10 victory.
FRIDAY night's Watsonians v Ayrshire Bulls match in the FOSROC Super Series was a hard watch for fans of the Millbrae Men – on several levels.
Is skipper Blair Macpherson's new shaven-head look a case of 'Samson Syndrome' since he did not look at all like his usual self?
Once again their half-backs did not impose themselves – the link was too-slow while, for once, the Bulls back-row was well-beaten at the breakdown, where Kwagga van Niekerk has a storming game.
Were they suffering from ring rust, after a two week lay-off?
I am sure Pat McArthur and the Bulls' Brains Trust will sort things out quickly, but, it, for me, didn't help that Ian Kenny did not reach his usual standard as a match official. I felt he was quick to spot Bulls' transgressions, of which there were many, but less-inclined to spot and punish indiscretions from the home side. Still, on a bad night all round for the Bulls, I suspect Watsonians would still have won.
GEORGIA v PORTUGAL on Saturday afternoon was wonderful entertainment; two teams determined to have a go and producing a thoroughly engrossing match. I think in the end, it was right that it ended up as a draw, although, given the two nations' relative standing in the world of rugby, it perhaps will be seen as a moral victory for Los Lobos.
And, given the abuse the match officials have had to suffer in this World Cup, only some of which has been justified, the officiating team played a blinder.
THE REAL entertainment, however, came on Saturday night, when Ireland and South Africa locked horns. This was the real thing, two rutting Royal Stags, or 15 Alis v 15 Frasiers – Number One in the world v Number Two, a genuiine heavyweight competition.
I thought Ireland won for two reasons:
South Africa paid the price for not going with a front-line place kicker.
Ireland (yet again) played the referee better.
As I have been saying for years, the Rugby Union Law Book is now in such a mess and so badly in need of a complete rewrite, while refereeing interpretations differ so-much, more often than not, the side which plays the man with the whistle better wins. And in tight games like this, that is often the difference.
The likes of Peter O'Mahony are masters at working out how far they can bend the Laws and prevail and that certainly worked on Saturday.
Mind you, I still think we will beat Ireland when we play them. We maybe don't have the power to halt the Saffers, but, we do have the intelligence to nullify the irish, and, we are overdue a win against them.
It's this afternoon, against Tonga, that concerns me.
OF COURSE, it doesn't matter a jot, since, ater their demolition of a very-game, but limited Chile, the Masters of the Universe in the ITV Studio, and their foot soldiers on what used to be called 'Fleeet Street' have decided: “Rugby's coming home.” Aye Right!!
England has yet to face a good team, and, when they do, they will be found out big time. I always enjoy watching their media cheer leaders start to build them up, prior to the big let down. It's one of the joys of being Scottish.
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