Will 2nd October 2011 be forever remembered as Black Sunday now that Dan Carter has been ruled out of the RWC with a groin injury? This announcement has totally over shadowed this match & even another injury to McCaw.
The key points are now how Slade & probably Weepu at some stage of the game perform at number 10. For me the key is how the forward pack perform as the All Blacks now need a very big 240 minutes from them over the next 3 weeks if they hope to win the tournament. Simple as that.
Samoa came into this game needing to throw everything at the Japies & they certainly delivered that and more in the second half. The Boks controlled the set piece & effected a number of turnovers to ease out to a 13-0 half time lead. Samoa threw the structured approach out the window at half time & just attacked in true island style which made it a magnificent game to watch.
When Stowers scored the margin was only 8 points with an easy conversion & 30 minutes to go. Unfortunately Pisi missed the kick & even though they kept threatening the Samoans couldn't break through again. Here are the video highlights.
However probably the standout performance of this game came from the referee - Nigel Owens. He had an absolute shocker
I was enjoying the delight of Te Puke so didn't catch this match but it sounds like the Eastern European bash & kick tussle that I expected it to be. Only one try but Georgia will be delighted with their first ever RWC finals victory. Here are the limited match highlights.
Mussolini's Men are very much one trick ponies & that is using their scrum combined with rolling mauls and pick & go to batter their opponent's forward pack into submission. And so it turned out in this match but not before the Yanks put in a very spirited performance that worried the Italians. Here are the video highlights.
The Americans might have even come close to a huge upset if they weren't refereed off the park by an appalling display by George Clancy who lost control of the forward exchanges. Like many refs in this tournament he concentrated on one team & hammered the "minnow".
The battle for 3rd spot in Pool A has provided some good contests between the teams in red. This was a battle of styles as well with Canada's physical forward pack pitted against the expansive game of Japan. It was a see-sawing match which made very good viewing. Japan will be upset at blowing an eight point lead with 6 minutes left on the clock & the chance of only their 2nd victory in RWC finals history. Here are the match highlights.
Namibia completed their RWC campaign by playing their 4th games in 16 games (and 2nd in the last 5 days). Such a workload is only going to lead to one outcome - a real touch up. The Welsh complied by running in 12 tries but won't take much out of this game as they progress further in the tournament. Here are the numerous scoring highlights.
Probably one of the most important matches of the tournament so far with the winner likely to qualify for the quarter finals by finishing 2nd in Pool B. This was a real game for the purists which wasn't helped by the Wellington weather. Scotland dominated the match & led 12-6 with 8 minutes to go. Los Pumas were forced to expand their game & were rewarded with the sole try of the match to seal the victory. Here are the match highlights.
Any game where Ronan O'Gara gets man of the match you're not too upset about missing. The Irish came out of the gate hard to assure their thousands of fans that they had got over their celebrations from the victory over Aussie. Still the Ruskies don't just lie down & ran in two tries before wilting in the last 15 minutes as many of the lesser teams have done in this Cup. Here are the video highlights.
An afternoon game played in front of 60,000 vocal fans at Eden Park between two Pacific island sides - who could ask for more? Well a return of some the Pacific flair that has traditionally made these teams great to watch would be a good start! It was a must win game for Samoa so their approach was a bit more understandable but what has happened to Fiji? Here are the match highlights.
The first try didn't come until the 62nd minute & you just wonder if their are too many NZ coaches involved with these nations which has turned them into yet other pick & go exponents.
A very accomplished performance by the All Blacks for their skipper's 100th test with probably the only disappointed Kiwi in the Park being Mils (maybe Cory Jane as well.) An early French charge was repelled & from there the All Black pace & power was too much running up 3 tries & 19 points by the 21st minute. Here are the full match highlights.
Once again Nonu was a stand out in the backline & Carter had one of his better matches running at the line & even slotted another Eden Park drop goal.
