Rugby World Cup Round 2 Recap

Well another week of sensational rugby is in the books, and there are plenty of storylines to discuss. South Africa have resurrected their World Cup title hopes with a great win over Samoa, while the English players may have to tell their club mates they’ll be back sooner than anticipated.

What We Learned:

The Boks are still the Boks:
After their poor showing against Japan, many discussed South Africa’s perceived weaknesses. Samoa was now a very real threat, and there was a chance that South Africa could be faced with having two pool matches remaining and no chance at making the quarter-finals. The Boks shattered that idea with a 46-6 win over Samoa, which made a clear statement to Scotland and the US. The re-introduction of Damian De Allende made a monumental difference as he demolished the Samoans. He beat 7 defenders, and while he might have only made 36 meters in total, he was very much making the hard yards. The return of Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield, Fourie Du Preez, also made a huge difference for the South Africans, who looked a totally different side this week. However, they need to continue to play this way, as that early exit remains a very real possibility.

Ireland dominant again:
This one should really come as no surprise, as the Irish played Romania in a match that was largely decided before it had even begun. The big takeaway is, Ireland did not waste opportunities (for the most part) and were able to hang onto possession for huge chunks of the match. Romania were forced to make 136 tackles, and then you can add the 27 tackles they missed on to that as well. This may all sound like nothing more than Ireland defeating a team that is nowhere near their quality, but the simple fact is, Ireland played crisp, quick, and smooth, and these are all things that bode very well for their upcoming matches against Italy and France.

Fortune favors the brave, but that is no guarantee:
One week ago we were lauding the bold decision of Japan captain Michael Leitch, which set them up for their heroic and monumental win over South Africa. Now we lament Chris Robshaws decision to take the same course of action in England’s loss to Wales. I personally do not think that Robshaw can be faulted for the loss, but in the end I don’t know that going for the corner was tactically the right choice for England. Japan had nothing to lose, whereas a draw would have suited England well. Hindsight is 20 20, and none of us would like to find ourselves in his position, so we must move on.

Smaller Nations Improving:
Following Japan’s dramatic win over South Africa, a new attention was paid to all of the minnows in this year’s World Cup. During Fiji and Uruguay matches against the Wallabies the crowd was vociferous in their support of the smaller nations, and this can only be a good thing for the growth of our game. In nations like the USA and Japan where rugby is growing at an astronomical rate, good performances from the national sides add hugely to the momentum. Tries like the ones the US scored against Australia and last week against Samoa are sure to captivate, and encourage. The growth of these nations is obvious, and I for one, am very excited about the future of our game in the these new lands.

Burning Questions:

Can Wales survive these injuries?
It’s true that Wales were heroic in the win over England, but one looks at the casualty list and wonders how much longer they can hold on. 23 year old Matthew Morgan will make his fifth cap and 20 year old Tyler Morgan will make his second, as Wales are beginning to reach the very end of their list of international quality in the centers. There are two more rounds to go in the pool stages, so Warren Gatland will be keeping his fingers crossed for quite some time.

Will De Allende and Kriel find their TRC form?
During The Rugby Championship, the Springboks were a major disappointment to their fans. One of the bright spots however, was the explosive center pairing of Damian De Allende and Jesse Kriel. These two offered everything the Springbok fan has been longing for the last few years. Power, to smash across the gainline and make physical tackles, distribution, to release the likes of Habana and Le Roux on the outside, and agility, to pick good lines, step, and score. These two did all of that and were unstoppable for the Boks. They made fools out of Nonu and Smith, and ran rings around Giteau and Kuridrani. With Jean De Villiers announcing his tragic retirement, this is their chance to secure their jerseys, and get their names in Springbok lore.

Will Scotland top the pool?
As it stands, Scotland will take the top of Pool B, which would set them up to take the runner up of Pool A. Right now that would see them take on Wales, and you have to think that the Scots would fancy themselves in that matchup. Their renewed form has looked very good, and I think that the Scots could surprise a few people. They would still need to defeat the Springboks, which is not a walk in the park, and even if they did, there are no easy draws, with England or Australia the alternatives. But a Pool win would give the Scots a huge amount of momentum, and who knows what could come with that.

Team of the Week:

Cian Healy: The Irish Loosehead was destructive in his first start since returning from neck surgery. He has clearly added to his game in his time off, as he made 3 turnovers at the breakdown, in addition to his usual productivity, and that legendary 60 meter spiral kick.

Agustin Creevy: Another stellar performance from the Pumas captain. Creevy is rapidly becoming a star of this tournament, and his leadership is exemplary.

Dan Cole: It was a losing effort from England, but that does not reflect on the performance of their tight head prop. Cole did his job and did it well, winning an abundance of penalties for his side, and doing his bit in open play as well. Also the 20 year old American Titi Lamositele must be mentioned.

Eben Etzebeth: The Springbok lock was everywhere for his side, carrying and tackling with great frequency. He also worked superbly well in tandem with Victor Matfield, as the Springbok lineout was unstoppable once again.

Alun Wyn-Jones: Put in a huge shift once again for Wales. He played the full 80 minutes, and made an impressive 13 tackles, putting his body on the line for his side once again. It’s hard to find a more committed player than the Welsh legend.

Schalk Burger: Likely to retake the captaincy now that Jean De Villiers is out, Burger is a great leader and a huge part of this Springbok side. He was excellent in his return to the more familiar flanker role, and his partnership with Francois Louw and Duane Vermeulen is one to watch.

Sean McMahon: Arriving just to further complicate things in the Wallaby back row, McMahon was on fire against Uruguay. 2 tries, 67 meters made, 2 clean breaks, 5 defenders beaten, 1 offload and 13 tackles. I’ve always felt that McMahon should play a big role in this tournament, and he is making a strong case for the 6 jersey.

Taulupe Faletau: The Welsh number 8 played with passion against England, and emerged as one of the heroes of the match. He never seemed to tire, carrying the ball 13 times, and making 12 tackles.

Gareth Davies: Big mention for Fourie Du Preez who was outstanding, but Davies showed once again why Wales don’t need that Rhys Webb fella. Great service, and tons of heart from the Welsh 9 puts him firmly in place in this lineup.

Dan Biggar: Actually missed a drop goal for once, but other than that it was an outstanding day for the Ospreys 10. His proficiency under the high ball and absolute control of the match at all times means that he kept Wales in the match, until his decisive 74th minute penalty put them in front for good.

Keith Earls: The Irish back three was dominant, and there can be no denying that Earls is currently in outstanding form. Earls scored two tries, in addition to making 87 meters with ball in hand and getting himself involved whenever possible.

Damian De Allende: Jamie Roberts was phenomenal, but De Allende takes this one for me. He made 36 meters with ball in hand, and while that may not be all that catchy of a number, the next one is. He beat 7 defenders. He was only on the field for 47 minutes, but he clearly made quite an impact, just ask any of the Samoans he ran into.

Jean De Villiers: I might be a bit misty eyed while writing this, so please excuse me. De Villiers put his body on the line for his teammates as he has done his whole career. It’s a shame we wont see him on this stage again, and we wish him all the best.

JP Pietersen: Apart from one silly challenge, Pietersen had a great day for South Africa. A hat trick is always nice, and the Sharks wing offered his usual physicality, shutting down big Alesana Tuilagi. Tommy Bowe and Santiago Cordero also did very well on the weekend.

Simon Zebo: Rob Kearney’s injury is a concern, but Simon Zebo’s performance soothes it. Zebo didnt score, but like any good fullback, created tries all day. His acceleration and footwork made him very hard to stop, as he ran to 102 meters against Romania, and scored probably the greatest try that never was.