Rugby World Cup in New Zealand...

[Tighthead]

I'll be watching. PVR has been in overdrive.

The Japan and Tonga games are pretty much even games. Canada seems a little better prepared for this RWC.

[notahomer]

... Because of the stiff competition in the pool, Tonga will be sitting 11 of their 15 starters against Canada, and our lads should be able to squeak out a win in this one.
...

Does this strategy still make sense? They've lost a game because most of their starters sat. I don't know enough about rugby rankings but will Canada play its starters the whole way thinking perhaps they aren't going to do well in their group, so leave it all out there?

[Tighthead]

... Because of the stiff competition in the pool, Tonga will be sitting 11 of their 15 starters against Canada, and our lads should be able to squeak out a win in this one.
...

Does this strategy still make sense? They've lost a game because most of their starters sat. I don't know enough about rugby rankings but will Canada play its starters the whole way thinking perhaps they aren't going to do well in their group, so leave it all out there?

Ugg. Just lost a long reply.

I think the 11 starters thing has been misreported (not by jc). They made 11 changes, but they likely didn't play their true first XV against the Kiwis as they have no shot in that game, and are hoping to beat France, Japan and Canada to advance. Also, many players are relatively interchangeable, so a change isn't that big a deal at many positions.

Great effort by Canada last night.

[Tighthead]

James - I had to laught at the description of the French as mercurial. I almost did the same - does any other team ever get described similarly, and do they ever get described as anything else?

I do recall them running the ABs into the ground in the 1999 semis. Just crazy good attacking rugby.

Canada had very few errors yesterday, and overcame some dicey calls as well. Very poised. Nice to see that the team no longer relies on players who are well past their best.

[notahomer]

... Because of the stiff competition in the pool, Tonga will be sitting 11 of their 15 starters against Canada, and our lads should be able to squeak out a win in this one.
...

Does this strategy still make sense? They've lost a game because most of their starters sat. I don't know enough about rugby rankings but will Canada play its starters the whole way thinking perhaps they aren't going to do well in their group, so leave it all out there?

Ugg. Just lost a long reply.

I think the 11 starters thing has been misreported (not by jc). They made 11 changes, but they likely didn't play their true first XV against the Kiwis as they have no shot in that game, and are hoping to beat France, Japan and Canada to advance. Also, many players are relatively interchangeable, so a change isn't that big a deal at many positions.

Great effort by Canada last night.

Thanks for clueing me in. What you are saying makes things a lot clearer. I did catch the last 15 minutes of the game. I had no idea Tonga does something similar to the all-blacks. Their pre-game ritual does look kinda intimadating but the Canadian lads didn't seem impacted at all.....

[Tighthead]

Should also point out that Canada's first choice at loosehead prop (the less demanding and cerebral prop position) is former Leos draft pick Hubert Buydens.

[Tighthead]

Always fun to think of gridiron to rugby conversions. Most guys would have to drop weight.

Lots of the Lions used to run with the Meralomas or the Kats in the offseason. Several All-American football players at Cal and Stanford played rugby as well, but they were all a little less bulky then.

Marshall (#3) was apparently a QB.

I always though Lomu would have made an amazing kick returner where he could get up to speed before contact.

Al Charron would have made quite the tight end going the other way, and I am sure Rees could have punted and kicked.

[notahomer]

Caught the first half of the Japan/Canada game. Missed the second half. Apparently ended in a 23/23 draw. IMO, Canada started strong but in the half I watched anyway, Japan kind of took over later. I really think the Canadians were lucky to be in it for the second half. Maybe the Japanese side tired out?

[Tighthead]

Canada was sloppy with the ball in the first half, and generally undisciplined. In the second half they got their heads on and played much better, still gave up an idiotic late penalty.

Canada left about 8 easy points on the board with missed kicks.

Definitely the worst effort by Canada in the tournament. They looked a little cocky the way they were offloading the ball in the first half. The first Japan try was the result of a gift turnover off a blind pass from a Canadian player who should have just took the ball into the ruck.

[Tighthead]

There used to be some talk of Canada joining the 6N, but nothing serious.

I think there is now a Pacific Nations series or something with Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Japan, Canada and US, maybe some others as well.

I think our backs now are almost as good as ever - DTH is class at centre, Monro and Pritchard are quite good. Pritchard being out hurt our kicking last night.

Our forwards are always reliable but often dumb. Too many forward phases last night at certain times, and O'toole and some others threw the ball around without a care early on. I also thought the captain had a poor game.