HEMISPHERES
The countries of the southern hemisphere are in spring, in full rugby season. While the countries of the northern hemisphere (Europe) are... coming back from vacation, and at the very beginning of their season. Canada and USA are an exception to northern hemisphere.
The "smaller" countries of the southern hemisphere are also now almost all trained by New Zealand coaches or other very experimented coaches.
So... expect the difference of level between the "smaller" southern hemisphere countries(and Canada and USA) and the old European countries to be lesss obvious at the 2011 world cup...
Although the 2 or 3 weeks training camp done by most other countries can also pay off if done well and in the same conditions of temperature / humidity / etc as found this week in New Zealand...
LAST 10 MINUTES
France finally beat Japan: two interceptions at the beginning of the game to score two long run tries, and in the last 10 minutes two tries the French way.
Japan had lost their number 9 to a suspension for drugs a month ago, but the Japanese number 10 made up for it. He is from New Zealand and playing in Nottingham - England, and he concluded all the efforts of Japan to keep them in the game until the last 10 minutes (two tries and conversions and two penalties).
Can France play like the last 10 minutes from the beginning of the game when meeting New Zealand? Answer September 24.
England finally beat Argentina (southern hemisphere...) after a try in the last 10 minutes, but after too many penalties for off-side, not releasing the ball, etc... including a yellow card at the end of the first half for repeated infrigements by the team and warning by the referee. I forgot, after also 7 attempts to score between the posts missed by Jonny Wilkinson... never heard of before. If England has a replacement kicker, we should see him at the next game against Georgia, an easier game than against Argentinians (half of them play in France first division).
By the way, the Falkland islands were not the prize for the winner (although it would be an idea to replace the wars by a rugby game)... but some tackles by the English players looked more done to hurt than to stop the player... Dangerous tackles could prove costly against Georgia, Romania, Scotland and... presumably France or New Zealand in quarter final? that is if the referees are briefed about dangerous tackles...
ENGAGED
Some referees keep using the old scrum command, PAUUUUSE... ENGAGED! as both teams engage a split second before the referee gives the order!
The referees all make the effort to space the last two commands in the first half, but then in the second half... old habits die hard...
Mind you, for the game this afternoon between Beaconsfield and the Barbarians, I did not have to give a single free kick for early engagement when I used the newly specified well spaced scrum commands. If Quebec B division reserve can apply the new scrum commands easily, certainly the world cup teams could... if the referees wanted to...?
PS: want a moment of calm between two rugby games...? try this video offered by Japan...
http://www.videobash.com/video_show/incredible-japanese-synchronized-gymnastics-13411
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