Rugby World Cup

[Gob]

Hard luck USA

Scotland (6) 39
Tries: Visser, Maitland, Nel, Scott, Weir
Cons: Russell, Laidlaw 3
Pens: Russell, Hogg

USA (13) 16
Try: Lamositele
Con: MacGinty
Pens: MacGinty 3

Scotland recovered from a 13-6 half-time deficit, securing a bonus-point win over USA to top World Cup Pool B.

The Americans battered the error-prone favourites in the opening half, Titi Lamositele burrowing over the line.

A dynamic bench helped spark Scotland after the interval, though, as Tim Visser, Sean Maitland and WP Nel all crossed smartly.

Matt Scott picked a sumptuous line to score a fourth try, and Duncan Weir added a late fifth from close range.

Imbued with great transatlantic fervour, the USA defence made hay from Scottish inaccuracies during a maddening first 40 minutes for Vern Cotter's side, where attacking opportunities were bungled by loose passes and hot heads.

The likes of Nel, Scott, Tim Swinson and Greig Laidlaw, however, brought efficiency and control from the bench where Scotland had threatened to descend into chaotic rugby reminiscent of days sooner consigned to memory.

The major blight for Cotter will be an injury to key pivot Finn Russell, who was helped from the field midway through the second-half resurgence.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Ho hum

(and that's not a weekend activity, Gob)

[Gob]

Woot!!

Wales (17) 23
Tries: Davies, Baldwin
Cons: Biggar 2
Pens: Biggar 3

Fiji (6) 13
Try: Goneva
Con: Volavola
Pens: Volavola 2

Wales took a huge step closer to the World Cup quarter-finals by beating Fiji in a breathless Pool A clash.
Warren Gatland's team scored tries through scrum-half Gareth Davies and hooker Scott Baldwin, with 13 points from fly-half Dan Biggar's boot, but missed a bonus point.
But Fiji struck back after the break with Vereniki Goneva rounding off a stunning 60-yard move.
Fiji paid for small mistakes, with Ben Volavola missing two easy penalties

Oh dear!! If England do not beat the Aussies, then Wales and Aus go through to the play offs!!

[Lord Jim]

Oh dear!! If England do not beat the Aussies, then Wales and Aus go through to the play offs!!

[Reality Bytes]

[Reality Bytes]

[Gob]

England (3) 13
Try: Watson
Cons: Farrell
Pens: Farrell 2

Australia (17) 33
Tries: Foley 2, Giteau
Cons: Foley 3
Pens: Foley 4

England are out of the World Cup after being torn apart by a superb Australia display at a stunned Twickenham.

Two converted first-half tries and four penalties from Wallaby fly-half Bernard Foley in a virtuoso display brought a richly deserved win on a black night for England's men in white.

The result means both Australia and Wales are into the quarter-finals.

It is the first time in history that a host nation has gone out at the group stage of the tournament.

And to complete their humiliation, it is also the first time England have ever failed to make the knock-out stages.

[Reality Bytes]

[MajGenl.Meade]

Well it's nice to give the colonials and the other savages a chance

[MajGenl.Meade]

South African winger Bryan Habana equalled Jonah Lomu's record of 15 Rugby World Cup tries with a hat-trick in the Springboks' 64-0 demolition of the US to seal their place in the quarter-finals as pool winners.

That is SIXTY FOUR to ZERO

[wesw]

that s rugby right?

[MajGenl.Meade]

Maybe not the Zero - not much rugby in that!

[wesw]

I meant the group hug....

[MajGenl.Meade]

One of the rugger huggers

[wesw]

no wonder the americans lost so bad

our definition of hugging is much different.

that guy must ve been playing shag rugby....

[Gob]

[Gob]

Hard lines boys!!

Australia: (9) 15
Pens: Foley 5

Wales: (6) 6
Pens: Biggar 2



Australia weathered a Welsh storm to win World Cup Pool A with a 15-6 victory at Twickenham.

Wales paid a high price for failing to make their extra numbers count when the Wallabies were reduced to 13 men for seven minutes in the second half.

Fly-half Bernard Foley kicked all Australia's points, with Dan Bigger twice on target for Wales.

Australia now face Scotland in the quarter-final on 18 October, with Wales against South Africa the day before.

It was Wales' 11th consecutive defeat against the Australians, a run going back to 2008.

This was on at 2.30 am here, so we taped it and got up at 5.00 am to watch it "live", before I go into work. I thought the Welsh played heroically, and we did get the ball over their line three times. Shame we couldn't ground it!

[Gob]

Ireland: (9) 24
Tries: R Kearney, Murray
Con: Madigan
Pens: Sexton 2, Madigan 2

France: (6) 9
Pens: Spedding 2, Parra

Ireland beat France to avoid a quarter-final encounter with New Zealand, but suffered injuries to Johnny Sexton, Paul O'Connell and Peter O'Mahony.

Sexton suffered a suspected groin injury, before O'Connell was carried off at the end of the first half.

Leading 9-6 at half-time, Rob Kearney's try increased Ireland's lead before O'Mahony had to be taken off.

Conor Murray added a further late try as the gutsy Irish set up a quarter-final with Argentina next Sunday.

[Gob]

Bad luck USA, well done Japan.

United States: (8) 18
Tries: Ngwenya, Wyles
Con: MacGinty
Pens: MacGinty 2

Japan: (17) 28
Tries: Matsushima, Fujita, Mafi
Cons: Goromaru 2
Pens: Goromaru 3

Japan made unwelcome history as the first team to exit the World Cup having won three matches after they beat the United States.

Tries from Kotaro Matsushima and Yoshikazu Fujita helped them into an 18-8 half-time lead, with Takudzwa Ngwenya crossing for the US.

Amanaki Mafi burst through for Japan's third try before Chris Wyles crossed to give the United States hope.

But Goromaru's third penalty late in the game gave Japan a clear lead.

After their thrilling opening win against South Africa, Japan went on to add the scalps of Samoa and the US, but their heavy defeat by Scotland left them third in the group, and they miss out on a place in the last eight.

The Eagles finish having lost all four of their matches.

[MajGenl.Meade]

BBC she say, best attendance ever at World Cup of Rugby and quarters sold up to 97% capacity.... with an excuse....

In fact, England's elimination has increased the availability of tickets for Wales v South Africa and Scotland v Australia - the two quarter-finals that could have featured Stuart Lancaster's side - with fans selling them on at near face value rather than watch their rivals' matches.