Chile v Japan

[Lizard]

The suprise first-time qualifiers probably have their best chance of an upset win here. Japan seem a bit off the boil compared to recent RWC years. Unlikely but possible Chile could have the best possible start to their RWC involvement.

[Lizard]

Quite looking forward to this. Chile are the first RWC debutants since Russia in 2011. Japan are arguably (with Italy) the worst team to have played in every World Cup (including 2023).

[bruce]

Get in Chile. Thought they'd made a hash of it but it's been awarded.

[bruce]

Ah shit Japan have levelled almost immediately

[Lizard]

Get in Chile. Thought they'd made a hash of it but it's been awarded.

Is that the fastest try by a team on RWC debut?

[Lizard]

This game is, broadly speaking, fucking nuts.

[Mr Mwenda]

Ireland and SA need to watch out, the Chilean anthem is long enough to challenge their pre-match singing.

[Puja]

Nick Berry adopting the attitude of, "If you can't speak English, I'd just say it again, but louder and slower". I can do 1 to 15 in both Spanish and Japanese, why can't an international referee who knows he's doing this match do better than "It was twelve offside. Tw-el-ve offside. T W E L V E."

Puja

[Lizard]

Nick Berry adopting the attitude of, "If you can't speak English, I'd just say it again, but louder and slower". I can do 1 to 15 in both Spanish and Japanese, why can't an international referee who knows he's doing this match do better than "It was twelve offside. Tw-el-ve offside. T W E L V E."

Puja

Ref won't speak foreign, Japan won't compete at rucks.

I think Japan are saving themselves for the 2nd half.

[Puja]

That is a shit decision. It is late, but not as late as the slow motion made it look and the first contact is with the Japanese player's thigh. It's unfortunate that he's hurt, but it's in no way a yellow card.

Puja

[Lizard]

I think it is yellow, but no more.

Anyway, Chile are looking spent already.

[Mr Mwenda]

Yellow for me, reckless, rackon.

[16th man]

Japan must be soft pedalling this a bit.

If Curry was a red, then that probably should be too? He can hope they see it as passive and accepting contact rather than causing it, but that's the only possible mitigation.

[16th man]

That is a shit decision. It is late, but not as late as the slow motion made it look and the first contact is with the Japanese player's thigh. It's unfortunate that he's hurt, but it's in no way a yellow card.

Puja

Its a cheap, potentially dangerous shot. You'd prefer to see them getting yellows at this stage of the tournament to try to deter anything more serious as we go on.

[Puja]

Japan must be soft pedalling this a bit.

I have the suspicion that they are treating this as a training match for the England game. Lots of funky lineout moves and peels that make sense when trying to avoid a fair fight with a bigger pack.

Puja

[Puja]

That is a shit decision. It is late, but not as late as the slow motion made it look and the first contact is with the Japanese player's thigh. It's unfortunate that he's hurt, but it's in no way a yellow card.

Puja

Its a cheap, potentially dangerous shot. You'd prefer to see them getting yellows at this stage of the tournament to try to deter anything more serious as we go on.

I think slomo makes it look worse than it is. He's only half a second late in real time and he does hit the thigh rather than "targetting the knees" as Berry saw it. Still feels unlucky to me.

The high shot might stay as a yellow as well. I think his hope has to be that the first contact was chest on chest, so that might be enough to mitigate it down.

Puja

[Lizard]

Japan must be soft pedalling this a bit.

I have the suspicion that they are treating this as a training match for the England game. Lots of funky lineout moves and peels that make sense when trying to avoid a fair fight with a bigger pack.

Puja

They have literally put no one into a defensive ruck for about the last 10 minutes of the half.

[Lizard]

<Taps the sign.>

This game is, broadly speaking, fucking nuts.

[Lizard]

Japan still not competing after the tackle.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Poor refereeing on Chile's first try. He clearly indicates a knock-on, is calling the players back and blows the whistle before the ball is grounded. Then he changes his mind and has the ko checked. Shame for the Japanese who stopped playing when he called the ko.