Japan 2019 - Pool D Australia Fiji Georgia Uruguay Wales

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Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Tries	PF	PA	+/-	BP	Points
Wales	2	2	0	0	8	72	39	33	1	9
Australia	2	1	0	1	9	64	50	14	2	6
Georgia	2	1	0	1	7	47	50	-3	1	5
Uruguay	2	1	0	1	4	37	60	-23	0	4
Fiji	2	0	0	2	7	48	69	-11	2	2

Australia 39 - 21 Fiji  
Wales 43-14 Georgia
Fiji 27-30 Uruguay        
Georgia 33-7 Uruguay                  
Australia 25-29 Wales                    


3 October 2019         Georgia v Fiji                           Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiosaka
5 October 2019         Australia v Uruguay                  Oita Stadium, Ōita
9 October 2019         Wales v Fiji                              Oita Stadium, Ōita
11 October 2019       Australia v Georgia                   Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi
13 October 2019       Wales v Uruguay                      Kumamoto Stadium, Kumamoto

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Straya

You're sitting in it. (old TV ad... never mind)

robbo277 wrote:So 5 points for Australia and 0 for Fiji. You feel like Fiji deserve more, but Australia have been very streetwise here.

Assuming Australia beat Georgia and Uruguay with 10 point wins, that should be enough to qualify them regardless of the Wales result. Fiji unlikely to take 15 points from their remaining 3 games.

If Wales can beat Australia and get to 14 points by the time they face Fiji, then they'll feel their safe too. Fiji could theoretically knock them out with a 5 point win if they've moved themselves to 10, but they'd have to deny Wales the bonus point as well.

Unfortunately for Fiji if they weren't to win they needed to stick in and get something, 1, maybe 2 bonus points. But they have fallen short here and now have a huge uphill battle. Their best hope is Australia beating Wales and setting up a knock-out game with Wales in the last match.

Wales have Fiji third, before Uruguay.

I actually thought a better referee might’ve blew Fiji off the park at the start. Their turnovers seemed a little iffy for me. That said, Wales were whistled off the park in their last game, so it could be a right penalty fest. It’s pretty obvious that Wales won’t be as loose as Australia were to start with, so Fiji will have to deal with that a lot earlier than they had to today.

As highlighted on ITV, disappointing to see two headshots missed today and yesterday.

The tmo was mia today. The fact Hodges tackle wasnt looked at, or worse looked at and seen as acceptable is very surprising.

RiscaGame wrote:I actually thought a better referee might’ve blew Fiji off the park at the start. Their turnovers seemed a little iffy for me. That said, Wales were whistled off the park in their last game, so it could be a right penalty fest. It’s pretty obvious that Wales won’t be as loose as Australia were to start with, so Fiji will have to deal with that a lot earlier than they had to today.

As highlighted on ITV, disappointing to see two headshots missed today and yesterday.

A huge turning point in the game was when Fiji were 21-14 up and there was a lineout just inside the Fiji half. A Fijian forward was clearly pulled backed by his jersey, denying him making a huge hit on the aussie SH. A penalty there could have had Fiji inside the aussie 22 and a yellow card for a professional foul. Instead Aus went on to have 20 mins of total dominance.

Abysmal refereeing given how obvious it was watching it live. The ref got no help from his assistants all game.

Fairly certain he would have been given offside had he not been pulled back in any case. I clocked it live as well.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

RiscaGame wrote:I actually thought a better referee might’ve blew Fiji off the park at the start. Their turnovers seemed a little iffy for me. That said, Wales were whistled off the park in their last game, so it could be a right penalty fest. It’s pretty obvious that Wales won’t be as loose as Australia were to start with, so Fiji will have to deal with that a lot earlier than they had to today.

As highlighted on ITV, disappointing to see two headshots missed today and yesterday.

A huge turning point in the game was when Fiji were 21-14 up and there was a lineout just inside the Fiji half. A Fijian forward was clearly pulled backed by his jersey, denying him making a huge hit on the aussie SH. A penalty there could have had Fiji inside the aussie 22 and a yellow card for a professional foul. Instead Aus went on to have 20 mins of total dominance.

Abysmal refereeing given how obvious it was watching it live. The ref got no help from his assistants all game.

The amount missed in both matches this morning has been an issue.

No 7&1/2 wrote:The tmo was mia today. The fact Hodges tackle wasnt looked at, or worse looked at and seen as acceptable is very surprising.

The guy who created the Decision Pathway for refs and TMOs to follow is flabbergasted that Hodge did not see red.


https://www.rugbypass.com/news/respected-sports-scientist-calls-into-question-high-tackle-in-australia-match/

Guess we have to wait and see what the citing teams have to say about the first few games.

If they want to put down a marker, there is plenty for them to work on!

Problem now is, should Hodge be banned it is Australia's future opponents who benefit. Meanwhile Fiji lost a key player and could miss him for a while yet. 

What is the point of using a TMO when they spend 5 mi utes reviewing a score yet ignore a shoulder to the head.

Australia had to dig very deep to beat Filj.  Fiji 21-12 up at one point. Looked like an upset was on the cards. But Australia turned it around after half time.

Hodge should have atl east been yellow carded maybe even a red card.
It should deffo be looked at by the citing officer.

Or are we going too see  teams like Australia get away with no arm tackles?

With regards to red card/s in the RWC, does the player getting a red card get banned from ALL game's or only so many?

maestegmafia wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

RiscaGame wrote:I actually thought a better referee might’ve blew Fiji off the park at the start. Their turnovers seemed a little iffy for me. That said, Wales were whistled off the park in their last game, so it could be a right penalty fest. It’s pretty obvious that Wales won’t be as loose as Australia were to start with, so Fiji will have to deal with that a lot earlier than they had to today.

As highlighted on ITV, disappointing to see two headshots missed today and yesterday.

A huge turning point in the game was when Fiji were 21-14 up and there was a lineout just inside the Fiji half. A Fijian forward was clearly pulled backed by his jersey, denying him making a huge hit on the aussie SH. A penalty there could have had Fiji inside the aussie 22 and a yellow card for a professional foul. Instead Aus went on to have 20 mins of total dominance.

Abysmal refereeing given how obvious it was watching it live. The ref got no help from his assistants all game.

The amount missed in both matches this morning has been an issue.

I can't believe how poor the officiating has been, I don't remember it being this bad at a world cup. The referee for this fixture was Ben O'Keeffe - some might not remember him but he reffed us the last time we played Aus, and he was awful. If he is reffing us against Australia next weekend we're going to lose.

LondonTiger wrote:What is the point of using a TMO when they spend 5 mi utes reviewing a score yet ignore a shoulder to the head.

It already feels like the refereeing is being made with 'growing the game in mind'. Even the ref mics appear to have been turned down - not hearing too much chat on the broadcasts, refs are clearly bottling big decisions, and opting for leniency when there's definitely a case to made for cards. Odd.

In all fairness to Hodge and the flow chart for red cards, I think there are mitigating circumstances. Those being the fact Hodge had been absolutely buckled twice already by Fijians and didn't fancy it happening a third time...

majesticimperialman wrote:With regards to red card/s in the RWC, does the player getting a red card get banned from ALL game's or only so many?

Depends on the severity of the offence. A 6 week ban will rule them out, a 1 week ban is just a game missed.

If Hodge doesn’t get a ban and plays against Wales, I’d certainly be swapping North back to the left wing.

He will be cited and banned. Has to happen with the noises of player safety.

He certainly will, but then again he should’ve been red carded and wasn’t, so I can’t say I have complete faith in the system.

O'Keeffe has a knack for this stuff, so if he's reffing us Vs Aus you can expect more off-the-ball-concussions.

You still have players like neil back defending it as well.takes some time to filter through to everyone.

mikey_dragon wrote:O'Keeffe has a knack for this stuff, so if he's reffing us Vs Aus you can expect more off-the-ball-concussions.

You have Poite, so I assume that does not make you happy either.

LondonTiger wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:O'Keeffe has a knack for this stuff, so if he's reffing us Vs Aus you can expect more off-the-ball-concussions.

You have Poite, so I assume that does not make you happy either.

Who does he like better, Irish or Aussies? Either way, I don't expect a single scrum to stay up.

Just a question is Foley in the Australian squad?

Yep, Quade is not. CLL and Foley are the 10, Toomua can probably back up but has little test work there.

majesticimperialman wrote:Just a question is Foley in the Australian squad?

Foley was playing today. Came on as a sub

Don't think he did Maesteg. Think it was Toomua. Foley out of the 23.

Reece Hodge has been cited.

Rugby Fan wrote:Reece Hodge has been cited.

Former top international referee Jonathan Kaplan said he had "absolutely no idea" how Hodge avoided being sent off.

"Going into this tournament, World Rugby have been very clear about contact with the head and what constitutes a red card under their new High Tackle Sanction framework,"

Not sure it weakens Australia to be honest. He's a long range kicking option, but not the most accurate. Typical Aussie outside back really, versatile, can play anywhere, but is easily replaced. Better than Haylett-Petty, but not a huge loss I don't think.

And the right result, if too little, too late.

miaow wrote:And the right result, if too little, too late.

We don't know what the result will be. The citing officer clearly think there's enough chance of the incident warranting a red that it deserves a look. A panel could still find it was only a yellow at worst (or nothing, like the TMO decided), and Hodge would be free to play.

Good point, forgot about that. Tbh I think it's a borderline red, so I expect he'll be free to play.

Will the roof be open or closed today? Anyone know who decides, as with the rain expected things could get messy if it is open.

Chieka seems to be taking player safety really seriously. The full thing is in the guardian
! I don’t find the way that they brought that (referral) in the spirit of the game at all, which is something you know from Fiji,” Cheika said on Monday.

“I’d prefer that they come up to me and get upset with me if they’re really upset about it, not to just talk to me in that nice, friendly chitty-chat way and then go behind your back and put in a referral. I don’t think I’ve ever referred anyone over my time.”

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-23/wallabies-coach-michael-cheika-slams-fiji-attitude/11538944

Pathetic from Cheika

Yeah that is pathetic really. Not sure what it is with O'Keeffe either, he's certainly in Aus's pocket.

I hope Hodge does get banned now and I hope Cheika picks up a fine and/or some other punishment, or otherwise what kind of message is being sent?

Bloody Bazzers... they deserve a rocket up their arse(s).

(My rocket is just out of shot... under my photo up over there)

OP updated with results and table.

What do people think about Fiji v Uruguay?

Right folks I need a prediction, Wales or Australia to win the group?

Another chapter in the Australia v Wales epic about to hit the cinemas.

Too close to call, rodders. The bounce of a ball or the whim of a French ref.

French ref! Is it? Hopefully not or Mikey will have a heart seizure.

SecretFly wrote:Another chapter in the Australia v Wales epic about to hit the cinemas.

Too close to call, rodders.  The bounce of a ball or the whim of a French ref.

French ref!  Is it?  Hopefully not or Mikey will have a heart seizure.

Romain Poite. (English assistants and Kiwi TMO)

Oh dear........

Cheika's either one of the few remaining savvy, gobby coaches who does the Mourinho role of manipulating the media to take the pressure away from something else. Or he's just a gob.

rodders wrote:Right folks I need a prediction, Wales or Australia to win the group?

The safe bet is Australia.

It shoudl be pointed out, for sake of balance, that the ref for today's game was born in Pontypool and was captain of Wales Exiles U16s.

Poite is atrocious, but let's hope he's atrocious in constantly penalising the Australian scrum after Wales win the first one.

miaow wrote:

rodders wrote:Right folks I need a prediction, Wales or Australia to win the group?

The safe bet is Australia.

Which would set up a likely showdown with England, right? That would be some prospect and Wales would fancy their chances...

miaow wrote:Cheika's either one of the few remaining savvy, gobby coaches who does the Mourinho role of manipulating the media to take the pressure away from something else. Or he's just a gob.

I think he just doesn't appreciate the fake smiles immediately after a game from people angry about an event they know they are going to object to later.  Think he just wants the anger directed honestly at him so that he knows where he stands.

He's a raw direct Aussie.  Some people are adverse to them, I like them.  Not always right but not always wrong either in calling out the fake smarmy side of human nature.  But he does owe us for the 85,000 Euro door he busted at Lansdowne!  Pay up, Michael, we're still sore about that.

Yes.

I'd back Wales against anyone in a one-off knockout game, with obviously NZ being the fear factor. But second to NZ in terms of teams I wouldn't want Wales to play in such a game would be Australia. Completely different mental attitudes and abilities - Wallabies can be awful but have that instinctive, communal know how which Wales completely lack. We've seen it for over a decade.

I think Wales could do a job on England in the QFs. I think Gatland has half an eye on them and will have a gameplan in store based largely on what happened in the 6Ns.

But there's no way we'd beat England and NZ in consecutive games, so really important to beat Australia and Gatland will have put everything in to preparing for that. I'd say it's about 40:60 Wales:Australia based on everything we know, though. There seems to be a really dismissive attitude to Australia, mainly because we don't really see too many Oz Union fans online I don't think, as well as their obvious up and down form. But the talent is there, and I think they put in one of the performances of the weekend against Fiji. To win from that position is the exact mettle that gets them to the latter stages.

I want Wales to win the world cup, but my head says Australia will beat us to send us in to the tough side of the knockouts, and it's 50:50 with England, and 95:5 v NZ if we get through that.

I wouldn't go far as to describe it as a "shock" but in my opinion it would be a genuine surprise if Australia beat you on Sunday

You've got a better style of play for knockout type rugby, and the mental edge from the long winning run won't have gone away because of a couple of defeats.

Looks like the bookies agree with me too