Rugby World Cup 2011

[Corzza]

Half Time:

Samoa 12 - 0 Fiji

[Corzza]

Samoa get a kick out of Fiji victory

AUCKLAND, 25 Sept. - Goalkicker Tusi Pisi was Samoa’s hero in their 27-7 victory over Fiji at Eden Park on Sunday.

Although the Samoans are better-known for their free-flowing rugby, it was the fly half’s 15-point contribution that swung the Pool D encounter their way.

After scoring all his side’s first-half points, Pisi continued to add to his tally five minutes into the second half with a penalty that put Samoa 15-0 up.

They then withstood sustained pressure on their own line, repelling two Fijian five-metre scrums.

Finally, in the 62nd minute, Samoa breached the Fiji line when number 8 George Stowers broke from a scrum and passed to Kahn Fotuali'I. The scrum half still had plenty to do before wriggling in at the corner.

Fiji hit back with a try from flanker Netani Edward Talei in the 67th minute, Waisea Sedre Luveniyali converting, but the Samoan response was immediate, with man of the match Paul Williams sending Stowers in at the corner.

Williams took over the kicking duties to nudge the score to 27-7.

Akapusi Qera had a chance to claw back a try for Fiji in the dying moments but was forced into touch, then Rupeni Nasiga lost control diving for the line.

Both sides tried to effect their trademark running game in a match that began under leaden skies, but too often the crucial final pass failed to go to hand.

A period of sustained Samoa pressure from the kick-off ended with a penalty opportunity for Pisi, the fly half slotting the three points.

Sailosi Tagicakibau almost scored a try but was amazingly held up by Fiji's Naipolioni Nalaga. From the resulting scrum, Fiji conceded penalty to allow Pisi to extend the lead to 6-0.

Pisi then kicked only Samoa's second drop goal in Rugby World Cup history.

Samoa continued to lay siege to their opponents' line, with Nemia Kenatale just managing to touch down as the imposing figure of Alesana Tuilagi chased a kick through.

Fiji finally had a chance to get on the scoreboard on the half-hour mark but Seremaia Bai’s penalty attempt went wide.

[Corzza]

Earls leads Irish try feast

ROTORUA, 25 Sept.- Ireland stayed unbeaten in Pool C after cruising home 62-12 against Russia at Rotorua International Stadium on Sunday night.

Ireland stamped their class late in the opening half when they crossed for three quick tres within three minutes to leave them 36-0 up at the break. In all, they ran in nine tries, with centre Keith Earls crossing twice, while fly half Ronan O'Gara landed six conversions and a penalty before going off in the second half.

The Irish, who had upset the tournament second favourites Australia in their previous game, were quickly into gear and their forwards were soon had the line in sight.

With a try beckoning, the Bears were caught offside right in front of the sticks, gifting O'Gara an easy three pointer to open the scoring after six minutes.

With the Russia fly half Konstantin Rachkov then sin-binned for a clinical knockdown, Ireland seized their opportunity to post two quick tries in his absence.

O'Gara's pin-point accurate kick to the right-hand in-goal area found wing Fergus McFadden and soon after they were over again, Isaac Boss doing well in the build-up to help send in flanker Sean O'Brien, who had looked menacing from the start.

O'Gara converted again and, at 17-0 up after just 15 minutes, the Pool C pacesetters looked comfortable.

Russia had their moments midway through the half when Vladimir Ostroushko took a kick that O'Gara had directed to his wing and raced 40 metres, but his pass inside went astray with the Irish defence stretched.

Ireland threw everything at the Bears late in the first half and were rewarded when Boss was able to ground the ball against the padding of the goalpost two minutes before the break for their third try.

A minute later, they had their fourth, Keith Earls scoring in the corner from the restart to put the Irish 31-0 up, with O'Gara adding his fourth conversion.

And Andrew Trimble scored the fifth try right on half-time to give them ample breathing space, but OGara missed his first conversion of the night, albeit from a difficult position.

Earls superbly stepped inside his marker to cross for his second try eight minutes after the break as Russia struggled to cope with the brute force of Ireland's forwards, who were making good yardage up the middle.

But, when the Bears finally broke through they did it in style. From a scrum, their No.9 Alexander Yanyushkin's well-timed pass unleashed full back Vasily Artemyev, who sidestepped through for his side's first points.

Their second try, launched near the half-way mark, was finished off with dogged determination in the left-hand corner through wing Denis Simplikevich, who carried two defenders over the line to post a five-pointer on his Test debut.

Ireland finally responded in the 68th minute, a long O'Gara pass setting up full back Rob Kearney's try - his side's seventh - and it seemed to spark the green men back into life.

O'Gara slotted home his sixth conversion of the night and then went off after another top-notch effort with the boot.

Replacement Shane Jennings went over under the posts with six minutes left and the biggest man in Irish pack,Tony Buckley, had the final say when he crossed in the last minute.

[Corzza]

Half Time:

Scotland 6 - 3 Argentina

[Corzza]

Late try gives Pumas one-point win

WELLINGTON, 25 Sept. - A pressure-packed arm wrestle in atrocious conditions ended in high drama with Argentina defeating Scotland 13-12 in their Pool B match.

They clinched the winning try through substitute Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino with six minutes to play and then held out a resolute Scotland in a nail-biting finish.

The match began at a ferocious pace as these teams were meeting in a virtual Pool B knockout clash - the loser was going to find it very difficult to get through to the quarter-finals.

Scotland showed their intention to run the ball early and play an up-tempo game but it was 20 minutes before Argentine captain Felipe Contepomi opened the scoring a penalty straight in front.

Scotland continued to run at the Pumas with wing Max Evans making some good breaks but Argentina's scrambling defence held them out and good work at the breakdown brought turnovers.

Territory see-sawed until Scottish pressure forced Argentina into defending on their own goal line. A lineout won against the throw brought another attack from the Scots which was again battered away by scrambling defence.

But the Scots refused to slow their tempo and a scrum penalty won right on the 22 gave Paterson a kick that he landed for Scotland's first points.

Argentina was struggling against the hammering from the Scots and several injuries, most notably to number 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and tighthead prop Juan Figallo who had to be replaced, wasn't helping.

A long-range penalty attempt by Scotland fly half Ruaridh Jackson from just inside halfway just snuck over to give Scotland a 6-3 lead at the break.

Los Pumas tried to level things up quickly at the start of the second half with a drop goal attempt from full back Martin Rodriguez but he fell well short, his second missed attempt for the match.

Evans continued to trouble Argentina who remained under pressure and were still troubled by injury worries with the game going on around players being treated on the ground.

The rain had become heavier making ball handling a lottery and the surface slippery. Mistakes were coming on both sides as the pressure mounted with Scotland still running at the Pumas, whose scrambling defence at times was extraordinary.

Both sides pushed forward but a charge down by Scotland's Graeme Morrison led to an incursion put Chris Paterson close enough for a drop goal attempt after 57 minutes but it went left.

The restart gave the Pumas a chance with an offside penalty 40 metres out missed left by Contepomi.

Both teams kicked in an attempt to gain territory until Paterson spilled a high ball that led to a penalty from a scrum for Argentina that Contepomi put through from 30 metres to level the scores with minutes to play.

This had the Scots piling the pressure back on and a mistake from the restart got them within drop goal distance and fly half Jackson was this time on target as the Scots dragged back the advantage.

Yet another restart and the pressure this time coming from the Pumas leading to another penalty from about 30 metres but Contepomi's shot bounced off the post.

Dan Parks came on to replace Paterson and his first touch was a kick that put them just five metres from the Argentine line. From the lineout Parks put over a drop goal that left Argentina needing a converted try to win it.

Up stepped Amorosino, who had just come off the bench. He received the ball on halfway and sliced through four defenders down the right to go all the way. Contepomi converted to give Argentina a one-point lead with six minutes left.

Despite several scares, including a missed drop goal by Parks, Argentina held on to win.

[Corzza]

Twelve-try Wales overwhelm Namibia

NEW PLYMOUTH, 26 Sept. - Rugby World Cup debutant Scott Williams scored three tries as Wales ran out easy 81-7 winners over Namibia in a Pool D match at Stadium Taranaki on Monday.

Williams' first try came in the eighth minute when Leigh Halfpenny made a break after some slick passing from a scrum and off-loaded to the inside centre, who raced within centimetres of the left touchline to score.

His second try came soon after the break as he got on the end of play at a breakdown and Wales had a bonus point. Williams' third came in the 70th minute when he broke through a tiring Namibian defence to dot down.

Having been kept scoreless for the last 22 minutes of the first spell to lead 22-0 at the break, Wales began scoring with the ease they started the match with.

Prop Gethin Jenkins scored with a 25-metre run in the 50th minute at the end of a move that went back and forth across the pitch. With the conversion the score was 36-0.

Then Namibia made their mark in the 52nd minute when Nico Esterhuyse intercepted a Welsh pass, offloaded to big second row Heinz Koll, who raced into the right corner to score a universally popular try. Theuns Kotze strode to the top RWC points scorer for Namibia when he converted for 36-7.

Yellow card

But Namibia were reduced to 14 men when replacement Raoul Larson was yellow-carded for collapsing a scrum.

George North, a 55th minute replacement, crept up alongside a Welsh scrum and sprinted over in the 61st minute for Wales' sixth try, converted by Stephen Jones.

A minute later North was again in the action when he made a break and passed to Jonathan Davies to race from the 22-metre mark to score. The Stephen Jones conversion, his last piece of action before being replaced, put the score to 50-7.

North, the youngest try scorer in RWC history at 19, scored again in the 66th minute, and the conversion from Rhys Priestland made the score 57-7.

Then Williams struck for his hat-trick of tries four minutes later and Priestland's conversion made the score 64-7.

Lloyd Williams then struck in the 75th minute wide on the left and Priestland hit a post with the conversion, before two minutes later Lee Byrne was on the end of a big overlap to score. Priestland again missed the conversion, with the score 74-7.

101st cap

It became 79-7 when Alun Wyn Jones went over in the final minute.

Stephen Jones had earlier celebrated the start of his 101st Welsh cap with the first points of the match, a penalty in the third minute.

Playing in a strong breeze coming from the nearby Tasman Sea and on a heavy field, where handling was often a lottery, both sides fumbled early opportunities.

After Williams had scored his first try, following more quick passing which made a mockery of the conditions, Bradley Davies broke a tackle in the 14th minute and fed big wing Aled Brew, who burst a weak Namibian tackle and raced to the line. Jones converted to make it 15-0.

Four minutes later Ryan Jones took a quick tap-penalty, passed to Toby Faletau who had a simple trot to the line, and Stephen Jones converted for 22-0.

[Corzza]

Japan and Canada to go all-out for victory

Japan coach John Kirwan has made two changes to his starting line-up

NAPIER, 26 Sept. - Japan and Canada have named full-strength line-ups for Tuesday’s massive Pool A clash at McLean Park.

The teams' respective New Zealand coaches, John Kirwan and Kieran Crowley, may have once played together for the All Blacks, but there will be no time for friendship come kick off.

Crowley’s Canucks have shown the slightly better form at RWC 2011 and have made just two changes to the squad that recorded a 25-20 victory against Tonga and a 46-19 loss to France.

Matt Evans returns from injury to replace Ciaran Hearn at right wing in Canada's first and only change to a RWC 2011 starting XV. Jeremy Kyne replaces Nanyak Dala on the bench.

Japan, meanwhile, come into the match following defeats by France, New Zealand and Tonga, but Crowley says these results will only make the Brave Blossoms hungrier for victory.

“Their result against Tonga (31-18) probably didn’t really reflect on the improvements that they’ve made, and I think you need to go back to their game against France (47-21) and that’s probably more where they’re at,” Crowley said.

“It’s their last game, they’ve got absolutely nothing to lose, and we’ve still got two to go.

Massive game

“They’ll be disappointed (after the Tonga match), but they will sort that out and come out with a massive game on Tuesday.”

Meanwhile, Japan coach Kirwan has also made only two changes to the line-up that took on Tonga last Wednesday in Whangarei.

Sione Talikavili Vatuvei replaces Itaru Taniguchi at blindside flanker and Nozomu Fujita steps in for Kensuke Hatakeyama at tighthead prop.

"It's a big game for the whole group,” Kirwan said. “We're all disappointed with what happened against Tonga, so the team's very motivated to have a good game.

"It's very, very important that, firstly, we front up physically. Canada are very physical, they took the game to Tonga.”

The Canucks and Brave Blossoms have faced each other twice since the last World Cup; in 2009, when Japan defeated Canada 27-6 in Tokyo and 46-8 in Sendai.

"They've improved massively since 2007," Crowley said. "We played them in 2009 and they beat us twice. They've put hundreds of thousands of dollars into their rugby programme, so they've put a lot into resources.

Getting ready

“But, at the end of the day, it’s another Test match. I’ve said all along that we’d never put one game in front of another and we’d always take them as they come, and you do as much work for, in this case, Japan as you do for France or we did for Tonga.

"So it’s about us doing our work and worrying about our game, and they’ll bring what they bring and we’ve got no influence over that.

“It’s about us getting ready, but when you have good performances you put expectations on yourself, and the pressure is on our guys to front up and perform.”

A Canadian win should be enough to secure a top-three finish in Pool A and qualification for RWC 2015. Defeat, however, could result in Crowley’s men dropping to the bottom of the pool.

For Japan, a victory would end a 20-year RWC drought. Their only RWC win came in 1991 when they beat Zimbabwe 52-8.

[Corzza]

Half time

Japan 17 - 7 Canada

[Corzza]

Japan and Canada end in stalemate

Kosuke Endo evades the despairing tackle of Jebb Sinclair to score Japan’s second tryNAPIER, 27 Sept. - Canada and Japan played out only the third draw in the history of the Rugby World Cup, finishing 23-23 at McLean Park on Tuesday.

The two teams also drew in their 2007 encounter.

Tries by Shota Horie and Kosuke Endo plus 13 points from the boot of James Arlidge seemed to be enough for John Kirwan’s Brave Blossoms to end a 17-match winless streak.

But a 79th-minute penalty from Canada's Ander Monro left the sides sharing the points in this Pool A match.

Determined running and resolute defence from both sides characterised the match, and with the second half only four minutes old Phil Mackenzie summoned all his pace and power to bring Canada back to 17-12.

Monro then notched a 64th-minute penalty but Arlidge hit back immediately to maintain a five-point gap.

Another Arlidge penalty made it 23-15 but a try by Monro left the match finely poised with five minutes left, then the same player slotted a penalty to make it 23-23.

An Arlidge drop goal attempt fell short in the dying seconds.

Canada had the best of the early exchanges but Japan hit back with two tries to lead 17-7 at half-time.

Canada’s DTH van der Merwe was denied only by a despairing tap-tackle in the fifth minute, then a move from a scrum was held up over the line.

Moments later van der Merwe shrugged off a tackler to cross under the posts, James Pritchard converting.

Japan replied almost immediately, hooker Horie burrowing his way over to score Japan's 50th Rugby World Cup try after Alisi Tupuailai's offload.

Arlidge added the extras then kicked a penalty to put Japan 10-7 up, but the try came at a price as Tupuailai was replaced soon afterwards by Bryce Robins.

Shaun Webb then almost squeezed in at the corner after a move that began in Japan's 22 but was nudged into touch.

Sustained pressure saw wing Endo race in on the stroke of half-time, again converted by Arlidge.

[Corzza]

Parisse sets sights on Ireland

NELSON, 27 Sept. - Captain Sergio Parisse hailed Italy's performance after they secured a potentially crucial bonus point with a 27-10 triumph in their Pool C match with USA at Trafalgar Park on Tuesday.

Parisse sent the Azzurri on their way with a third-minute try. Scores from Luciano Orquera and Martin Castrogiovanni followed while Chris Wyles kept USA in contention with a try, conversion and penalty before the interval.

A converted penalty try 14 minutes from time sealed victory for the Italians to maintain the pressure on Ireland and Australia and set up a showdown with the Irish in their final pool tie in Dunedin on Sunday.

Parisse said: "We are happy because we took the five points. It was the important thing for us. We scored four tries, so that’s important. Now we’re looking forward to our last match against Ireland with a lot of confidence.

"It was a difficult match for us and now we’re ready to take the maximum against the Irish."

The Italians got off to a flier in the third minute when Parisse collected in acres of space and ambled through to finish with a flourish under the posts after a surging move on the left exposed the USA defence. Mirco Bergamasco added an easy conversion.

Short of the line

The Eagles hit back after 17 minutes when centre Paul Emerick capitalised on a great lineout to break through three tackles before offloading to Wyles who charged over. The full back then kicked the extras to level the score.

Mirco Bergamasco and Wyles landed penalties at either end before a powerful drive from the Italian forwards opened the way for fly half Orquera to sneak through a gap and put his side 15-10 ahead just before the half hour. This time Bergamasco saw his conversion slip outside the right-hand post.

Prop Castrogiovanni muscled his way over at the left corner after Fabio Semenzato was halted just short of the line but referee George Clancy ruled out the try after consulting the TMO.

However, Castrogiovanni was not to be denied when he drove through a ruck of defenders on the stroke of half-time to plant the ball down.

The Azzurri secured the bonus point after 66 minutes when the USA pack collapsed under a surge from the Italy scrum and Clancy gave a penalty try. Bergamasco stroked over his third successful kick of the night to extend the deficit to 17 points.