Ireland vs Japan

Japan are good value in attack. Could have gone in with a lead but Ireland have the edge at half time.

Injury watch: Jordan Larmour has gone off, and James Ryan is wincing a bit.

Japan unlucky not to be ahead at the break. They’ve played well.
We need to step it up second half.

Carbery is struggling, missing a lot of tackles and not managing the game well. Line-out and restarts are poor and defensively we're porous. Don't know how we're ahead, it feels like Japan are by far the better team.

It’s great watching Japan when they play like this. Ireland have a strong team out but they aren’t playing well.

Doris is really rusty, throwing some very poor passes.

Good game for Dillane, JGP and Keenann. Bealham, OMahoney and Killcoyne have been decent too but everyone else poor enough.

Japan’s discipline is killing them

Old Man wrote:Japan’s discipline is killing them

I think they have been a bit unlucky with some calls, look like they are tiring now though.

Van der Flier really stepping up this half. He's really turned a weakness into a strength with his improved carrying game this season.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Van der Flier really stepping up this half. He's really turned a weakness into a strength with his improved carrying game this season.

Thats true, he could afford to get a few more turn overs too

Terrible organisation for defending that kick return. 3 Japanese players in space on the side the ball was kicked.

Excellent result against an ever improving Japan side. Ireland have a lot of work to do to be in any way competitive for the next RWC.

While Japan looked good for a lot of that match, and had the lead at times, they were never in control. The penalties killed them in the end. Some were unlucky but we've all seen our sides in the wrong end, and you have to spend time being squeaky clean to remind the officials they can penalize the other side too.

The home side can't be happy at shipping so many points. I was watching what Japan did, more than Ireland, so it's wasn't clear what was going wrong in defence.

Wasn't watching that closely but how has Dickson ended up as one of the rfu s refs?

No 7&1/2 wrote:Wasn't watching that closely but how has Dickson ended up as one of the rfu s refs?

He has good biceps

Think Ireland did ok with all the Lions gone. Japan did ok v Lions so can't be too upset. It's the first game compared to Japan were this was their third test so more up to speed with their tactics and personnel.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Wasn't watching that closely but how has Dickson ended up as one of the rfu s refs?

When a former player wants to become a referee, unions appear to throw a lot or resources his way (c.f Glen Jackson). I'm not so sure this is the route rugby wants to go. A retiring player usually has some wear and tear on his clock which, coupled with a late start at officiating, means you'll be lucky to get 10 years from him in total. Of that only about half will be at Test level, if he makes the grade. By contrast, Wayne Barnes had 15 years as a senior international referee, and was fit enough to for a few more.

It's good to get feedback from former pros, but this isn't cricket, where Peter Willey could officiate until he was 65, and Chris Broad watched his son become a Test match player. Rugby overestimates the value of former players as referees. (One possible exception is Richard Haughton, who is going to the Olympics as a sevens referee. When he is officiating, even at 41, he still looks like the fastest man on the pitch)