Joe Schmidt (picture http://bbc.in/1Mm7McF)
New Zealand took on Tonga on Friday and got a good win. But they don’t quite look like the professional child eating monsters that obliterate all before them, like the 15 terminators we’ve been expecting. Tonga kept it decent for quite a lot of the match, and pulled enough errors out of the All Blacks to give everyone else a bit of hope.
Samoa v Scotland gave the real Samoans a chance to stand up, this was the form we’d been expecting from them in every match. Both teams started like a house on fire, but as the game wore on the Samoans started running out of steam, Scotland gained the upper hand, got a try – then generously let the Samoans back into the match to torture their fans unmercifully until they finally scraped home.
Wales v Australia was intense, powerful stuff to watch. The defining period of the match saw Wales camped on the Wallabies line for 10 minutes, 6 points behind, two man advantage, and an absolute bloody minded refusal by Australia to concede a try. That failure to score a try broke the Welsh, they continued to ship injuries, and won’t be looking forward to the Springboks. But with that sort of commitment, the Springboks won’t be underestimating their task. Australia meanwhile, look like the team to beat.
Argentina dispatched Namibia with ruthless efficiency, and if you enjoy watching 30 men wrestling, refereed by a tetchy Frenchman, Italy v Romania was for you. I unfortunately missed Italy get home in no particular style.
Then it was the big match of the weekend, the match of the tournament for Ireland, the match we’ve been anticipating ever since the draw was announced. Sometimes you want to write about what happened, sometimes you just want to write poetry! I don’t think I’ve ever seen such focus, such single mindedness from Ireland, that just got stronger as the match wore on, stronger as the injuries came, stronger the tireder they became. St Andre has stripped most of the flair away from the French team, Ireland took the rest, pounding the French physically and mentally. I’ve rarely enjoyed a victory more! We have picked up serious injuries, we haven’t won anything yet, but you just feel this team has more to give!
Finally, Japan rounded off a fairly tale world up, this time winning over the USA. They are the first team to win three first round matches and not go through.
Friday, October 9
New Zealand 47 - 9 Tonga
Saturday, October 10
England v Uruguay
Samoa 33 - 36 Scotland
Australia 15 - 6 Wales
Sunday, October 11
Argentina 64 - 19 Namibia
Italy 32 - 22 Romania
France 9 - 24 Ireland
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