Rugby Union World Cup 33 Everything

[Talannua]

I am flat on my back with my arms at my side.
I feel soft, cool, moist ground beneath me.
I feel the urge to keep my eyes closed.
The air is fresh and damp.
It has just rained.
The rain has made the air slightly muddy.
My legs are stiff and hard with fatigue.
I open my eyes.
It is incredibly bright.
I squint and lift my right arm to cover my eyes.
I can make out the light blue tint in the sky, with the dark gray off in the distance.
I look at the end of my right arm.
There is a hand with five fingers.
I lift my left arm and examine it.
There is no hand.
My wrist is bruised, mangled, and throbbing.
I try to sit up.
My back explodes with sharp, hot, rushing pain.
I try again, slowly, gingerly.
I sit up this time.
Grass, a flat plain, stretches as far as I can see.
I look to my left.
About one hundred yards away, I see a woman, laid down on the ground, motionless.
Her name is Sharon.
How did I just remember that?
Where am I?
I roll to my side, onto my hands and knees, and work my way to a standing position, my legs fighting and refusing to bend, but I push on and stand all the way up.
I look forward.
I don't know what's going on, or how I got here, or what happened to my wife Sharon, or what was happening before all of this I'm seeing now, or what to even do from here.
It's all blank.
I take a step forward.
Let's start there.

[Abanhfleft]

DISCLAIMER: Gaelic Gamers is an independents sports blogging website created by four cousins with a common liking and passion for sports of all kinds and is in no way or form affiliated with or organized by any official news organization in the Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft. All statements and opinions posted here are our own and not anyone else's.

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Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Rugby Rundown
with Graham O'Doherty

33RD RUGBY UNION WORLD CUP: THE BIGGEST CLASH YOU'VE EVER SEEN (SO FAR)

Hello guys, and welcome back to another edition of The Rugby Rundown with me, your gay Irishman Graham O'Doherty. Yes, I’m back, and I’m here to talk about the latest chapter in the rivalry between the Revolutionaries of Abanhfleft and the Elephants of Elejamie. Now this one has had a long and storied tradition of being some of the closest and greatest games that both teams have ever played. Which is fitting, considering the history and legacy of both teams. Elejamie may have been in the rugby scene longer than Abanhfleft, but in our own way, we’ve made our own impact in the history of rugger in the multiverse. We may not be the most successful rugby side out there (in terms of union, at least; it’s a different story in the other codes) but we’ve made up for it with the fire and passion of our supporters. I will admit that there have been rough episodes and ugly episodes from our supporters, but those are all isolated episodes and do not represent the rugby faithful of Abanhfleft as a whole. We’re all the same at the end of the day; we just want to see big sweaty muscle-bound men crashing into each other and grunting and moaning for eighty minutes straight! Oh, wait, was that just me? All right, ignore all that…

Enough waffling around about myself though. Let’s get talking about the latest chapter of the Abanhfleft-Elejamie rivalry! I have to say that it’s perhaps one of the most respectful rivalries I’ve ever seen in any sport. Both sides understand what they’re fighting for, and though things could get heated out on the pitch, once the final siren blows, everyone gets back to shaking hands, knowing that they did their absolute best to get the result that their team wanted. I don’t have the exact tally of all games between Abanhfleft and Elejamie in all codes on hand right now, but I do know that Abanhfleft has a 2-1 record in the really big games. Our Revolutionaries have won the final of both the 18th Rugby League World Cup and the cup final of the 6th Rugby Sevens World Cup against the same opponent, though Elejamie did get their revenge on us in the semifinals of the 19th Rugby League World Cup. Those contests were quite some time ago, and in that time, both Abanhfleft and Elejamie have not had many more meetings in the sport of rugby. I’m not sure if this is the first time the Revolutionaries and the Elephants were meeting again on the pitch, but you can rest assured that this was one match that both sets of fans were definitely looking forward to seeing.

The cheers were as loud as I’ve ever heard them once both teams came out to the pitch. Elejamie, as the “away” team, went out first to the cheers of the Elejamian faithful, followed by Abanhfleft, who were the “home” team for this match. Everyone was respectful for the national anthems; there were handshakes between both captains, and soon it was time to play. From the start, it was obvious that both sides were not going to give an inch to the other if they could help it. Both teams didn’t give up a lot of penalties in this game, but when they did, they made sure that it was at a place where the other team couldn’t take immediate advantage, hence the relative lack of penalty kicks in this game as compared to the previous two that Abanhfleft had played. But this titanic struggle sadly couldn’t go on forever without one side giving in, and it was Elejamie who blinked first.

Abanhfleft were pretty much just inches away from the end zone after passage of play that had gone on for 25 phases, but Elejamie were pretty much standing firm against our onslaught. However, they could only keep doing that for so long before the Revolutionaries finally found the breakthrough, and it was Phil Carlyle who found the gap in the Elephants’ defense to score the opening try of the game. And while Carlyle didn’t land the rock underneath the posts, the angle was well within Wayne Stanley’s kicking capabilities, and he also scored the conversion no problem. But now that their defenses had been breached, Elejamie knew that they had to get their act together quickly or risk another quick score from the Revolutionaries. Now, let’s be real, there was no danger of this becoming another blowout like the one that Abanhfleft had against Chromatika, but the Revolutionaries do have a bit of an opportunistic streak in them; if an opening shows up then someone in the blue, orange, and green is bound to go for it. It doesn’t even matter if they’re stopped almost immediately; once they see the gap, they’re gonna go for it.

Elejamie did manage to score a try as well in the first half, courtesy of Diego Peguero. However, he took the ball a little too far into the right corner, resulting in the Elejamian kicker sending the rock the wrong side of the right upright. That was to be the only action of note that we would have in the first half, and it was a similar story for the second one. Both teams pushed and pushed back, with neither side willing to concede ground once again. But as always, one side had to give eventually, and unfortunately for us, this time it was the Revolutionaries who gave in. Abanhfleft gave up a penalty inside the 22, and Elejamie decided to kick for the uprights that time, and with no wind blowing through the stadium at that time, the Elephants scored the kick calmly and without a fuss.

Elejamie may have retaken the lead this time, but the match itself was still close, and both teams knew that the next team to score could take the momentum and keep it at their side for the rest of the half. Both sides were determined to be that team, but they also didn’t want to give up their defensive solidity while pursuing the next score. But, as always, it was such a defensive lapse that paved the way for Abanhfleft to get past the Elephants and score the decisive game-winning try. Young Kihara Kamau, who had come on in place of number 12 Shelton Basch, was able to evade the tackle of George Finney and make a break for the end zone, grounding the ball with an emphatic thump. The conversion was easy enough for Wayne Stanley to make and, as predicted, Abanhfleft hung on for the win.

The Revolutionaries are now top of Group A because of this win, though we’re still level on points with Elejamie. There’s still enough time for another team to come in and spoil the fun though, so the lads will have to keep their eyes open for such an occurrence. Our own road is still tough and has a few more bumps up ahead. Our next opponent is the crew of the HMS Onslaught, the rogue submarine that’s been terrorizing the ferries in the north of Baggieland for many years. They’re not a team that you would fancy to beat Abanhfleft, but then again, they’ve just beaten bloody Quintessence of Dust. Quintessence of Dust! Those submariners have managed to beat one of the top rugger sides in the multiverse! If they could do that to the Quodites then what chance do our Revolutionaries have? Hopefully some, because I really want the lads to finally win the Union World Cup and complete our country’s rugby football grand slam. Fingers crossed about this whole thing, eh? XOXO from Graham…

Abanhfleft (14)
Try: Carlyle 12' c
Kamau 64' c
Con: Stanley (2/2)

Elejamie (8)
Try: Peguero 28' m
Con: Kicker (0/1)
Pen: Kicker 50'

[Elejamie]

While Elejamie sit pretty in second place with a 3-0-1 record, courtesy of three wins in their opening game and a narrow loss to Abanhfleft, the big question on everyone's mind is who'll be the next head coach for the national team. While interim coach Robert Mackay seems to be doing a good job in the position, there are still a number of doubts about whether he'll be head coach on a permanent basis, if he'll turn down the job or if he'll be rejected outright. Regardless, here's a small list of the three most likely people to take the job at the end of the competition, at least according to rumours or brief mentionings of interest:

---

Robert Mackay
SUMMARY: The interim coach taking over for Pablo Cartagena, the former Davenport Commandos lock seems to be doing a decent job at the helm. While none of his games seem to be massive walkovers due to him preferring a more defensive approach, there were still moments of excellence which either helped get them the win or help keep games as close as they were. While it's still early days, there's a good possibility that he might have what it takes to be a good manager. He just needs the right people, the right players and the right conditions.
PROS: Seems to be on good terms with the players; studied enough under Cartagena to carry on his work with little to no problems.
CONS: A bit too green on his own, meaning that his inexperience could cost big games.
VERDICT: Shouldn't be ruled out but there are some doubts about whether or not he'll be a good fit.

Reinaldo
SUMMARY: Currently the head coach for the Elejamian Universities XV, an invitational touring side made up of the best players in the EURC, Reinaldo Oliveira da Sousa is widely considered to be a frontrunner for the job. Ever since he took the post in 2013 his side has won at least one test match during their annual Summer tours and won 5/7 of them, although this year he had to settle for a series of matches against Division Two sides due to the ERF not organising a foreign tour this year after two straight years without one, he still did a good job with the EUXV winning 7 of their 11 matches; there were draws against L'elefant RFC, Aloc RFT and losses against Fosado and Newford.
PROS: Has a good eye for spotting younger talent which could provide more variety; prefers a more technical approach of each match.
CONS: His emphasis on fresh talent might see more established names being forced out.
VERDICT: The most likely candidate for the job, espeically since a few members of the squad had played under him, although whether or not his skills will easily transfer over for a much older set of players is anyone's guess.

Aaron Kim
SUMMARY: The former head coach for the national sevens team, with a brief stint managing the Darkmanian sevens side during their appearance at the 6th Rugby Sevens World Cup. Although he was later hired by Victorian Rugby over in Soria, Lisander to manage their VII and XV-a-side teams, his contract is expected to run out next Summer and there has been no news from either party about a potential extension or if he'll be taking the first flight back home. While there are rumours he might stay for a little while longer, he hasn't ruled out a potential second stab at managing one of his country's national teams.
PROS: Plays a fast-paced game; has a more hands-on approach with his coaching and managerial duties.
CONS: While not bad at 15s his strengths lie more with 7s.
VERDICT: Unlikely. While he could have a shot at it given his success with the sevens team, the normal union team might not be able to adapt to his schemes as well.

---

And that's not to mention how there is still the possibility of Elejamie's national rugby union team getting their first foreign coach. While there have been some at the club level to varying degrees of success, a foreigner in charge of the national team could provide a different view on things and maybe some different tactics that haven't really been tested out yet. However, there have been no real confirmation of who'll be getting the top job from a number of different sources; Mackay said that he wants to concentrate on the rugby, the players don't seem to have any particular favourites and the ERF don't want to cause any unnecessary distractions lest it ruins their run of good form. That being said, their next match will be against the hapless Acadiana (a team in dead last with their sole point so far being a losing bonus from their recent match against Chromatika) so chances are it won't make a world of difference really.

[Baggieland]

MD 4 cut off.

[Baggieland]

MD 5

Group 1

*Elejamie 26–10 Acadiana
HMS Onslaught 0–16 Abanhfleft
Natanians and Nosts 25–0 Quintessence of Dust

                          Pld   W  D  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts  BP
1 Abanhfleft                4   4  0  0   86  20 +66   17  1
2 Elejamie                  5   4  0  1   82  39 +43   17  1
3 Chromatika                4   2  0  2   47  56  −9    9  1
4 Natanians and Nosts       4   2  0  2   41  54 −13    8  0
5 Quintessence of Dust      5   2  0  3   39  70 −31    8  0
6 HMS Onslaught             4   1  0  3   29  42 −13    6  2
7 Acadiana                  4   0  0  4   32  75 −43    1  1

Group 2

*Elmyia 7–7 Arjunnagar
Kriegiersien 13–10 Cap Nord
Nova Anglicana 8–32 TJUN-ia

                       Pld   W  D  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts  BP
1 TJUN-ia                5   4  0  1  144  63 +81   19  3
2 Baggieland             4   4  0  0   66  28 +38   16  0
3 Kriegiersien           4   3  0  1   53  57  −4   12  0
4 Cap Nord               4   1  1  2   46  40  +6    7  1
5 Nova Anglicana         4   1  0  3   43  69 −26    5  1
6 Elmyia                 5   0  2  3   53  95 −42    5  1
7 Arjunnagar             4   0  1  3   13  66 −53    2  0

Group 3

*Kelssek 15–0 Darmen
New Eestiball 14–0 Kingdom of the UN
Oscioru 3–14 The Licentian Isles

                         Pld   W  D  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts  BP
1 Kelssek                  5   5  0  0   68   6 +62   20  0
2 Darmen                   4   3  0  1   70  32 +38   13  1
3 The Licentian Isles      5   3  0  2   53  57  −4   12  0
4 New Eestiball            4   2  0  2   29  18 +11    9  1
5 Hannasea                 4   2  0  2   36  37  −1    8  0
6 Oscioru                  4   0  0  4    9  49 −40    0  0
7 Kingdom of the UN        4   0  0  4   13  79 −66    0  0

Group 4

*Ko-oren 24–12 Commonwealth of Baker Park
Lisander 26–7 Godchouzetsu
Quebec and Shingoryeo 14–3 Talannua

                                Pld   W  D  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts  BP
1 Ko-oren                         5   5  0  0   75  29 +46   20  0
2 Commonwealth of Baker Park      4   3  0  1   85  41 +44   12  0
3 Quebec and Shingoryeo           4   3  0  1   41  13 +28   12  0
4 Talannua                        5   2  0  3   45  57 −12    8  0
5 Lisander                        4   1  0  3   36  59 −23    5  1
6 HUElavia                        4   1  0  3   42  69 −27    4  0
7 Godchouzetsu                    4   0  0  4   30  86 −56    0  0

[Ko-oren]

The 'new style' cabinet announced for the next six years represents a noticeable change from cabinets past. Instead of appointing twelve (senior) ministers for large and slightly hard to define policy areas and appointing twelve more junior ministers for slightly more defined policy areas, we're staring at a system with 18 senior ministers and a whopping 53 junior ministers. The 'double twelve' system is rooted in Ko-oren's traditional way of counting (duodecimal) and hid a huge amount of officials in charge of other policy areas without a defined representative.

To fill the seats of these public offices, the appointment committee is finding ex-ministers, ambassadors, and the high ranking officials that are already de facto in charge of the respective policies - all 'recruiting' them from the Meritocracy. There are rumours of members of parliament - the Democracy - also getting calls about filling in as minister, which would be a first for Ko-oren. Typically, parliament only audits the decisions, bills, and budgets coming from the Meritocracy. So while the members of parliament are fairly recognisable public figures, they're often not the political heavyweights that the Meritocracy seeks after. But a crossover between both sides of the coin would be what's needed to frame our meritocracy much more favourably in the international areas, who tend to view our system suspiciously and are only willing to accept it after careful scrutiny - never at face value. In international indices and statistics, Ko-oren doesn't rank very well in political freedoms and as a consequence looks mediocre in freedom rankings - and as the office for International Representation says, that's fully due to the methods not accommodating meritocracies.

Yes, the system of meritocracy can easily devolve into oligarchy if the government does not ensure that every group in society can enjoy education to the fullest and that everyone can explore their expertise, but Ko-oren is taking careful steps to avoid abuse of the system.

Three plans lie at the foundation of the addition of these ministries:
- Digital Future: securing Ko-oren's position (internationally) as a modern partner, while ensuring better services for inhabitants through a more intelligent government.
- New Meritocracy: keeping our systems up to date, involving the Democracy in a meaningful way.
- Solarpunk Present: showing Ko-oren's status as an environmentally friendly country and setting up systems for other countries to follow for a sustainable future: we are not afraid to continue making changes.

And with that follows the list of ministers (and ministries), with senior ministers bolded and new ministries in italics.

Minister of Domestic Affairs (Prime Minister)
Minister of Information and Communication
Minister of Governmental Affairs
Minister of Census, Data, and Statistics
Minister of Meritocracy, Ethics, and Integrity

Not much changes here, as the two newly added ministries were already semi-autonomous offices before. CDS was added as part of the high-tech, digital future plan, while MEI was added in the 'new meritocracy' plan.

Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Anaian Affairs
Minister of AO, Rushmore, and Esportiva
Minister of International Representation

A more bespoke strategy is needed to engage in Anaian affairs, as well as affairs in nearby friendly regions.

Minister of Defence
Minister of Territorial Interests
Minister of the Navy
Minister of the Air Force
Minister of the Coast Guard

A major break in tradition: we have never had an army - and it looks like we still won't establish one. However, projecting hard power across the seas (as an island nation) is ostensibly part of our future: is the government acknowleding that we can't win the world on soft power alone? It's a contrast to the Solarpunk Present programme - but our role in the international community has been an issue for a while now.

Minister of Education and Science
Minister of Schooling
Minister of Higher Education
Minister of Science and Innovation

Original plans showed some eight ministers in the education departments, but that has been tuned down to four. One per 'phase' in one's education. Research obviously doesn't stop at these ministries, though.

Minister of Justice
Minister of Police
Minister of Customs
Minister of Legal Affairs

The New Meritocracy does need attention to the separate legislative branch. A minister of customs fits in with the added defence ministries further up - a strange choice, but one that seems to come with a more mature role for Ko-oren internationally. If we want to have a say, we need to back it up.

Minister of Local Affairs
Minister of Yoshima
Minister of Aerellen, Mawr, Northeast, and West Coast
Minister of Cote Austral and Intermare
Minister of Greater Gehrenna
Minister of South Coast

The tradition of ministries for certain areas is completely new but something that's done more often in Rushmore. Local Affairs already was a strong policy area, but dividing it up for the five rough areas of the country - politically, culturally, and socially speaking - is an interesting choice. Yoshima is overdue some attention, while Greater Gehrenna arguably does not need it. AMNWC is a strange collection of periphery communities. CAI arguably is as well, but lobbed together for their combination of urban and rural populations located in Ko-oren's centre. The South Coast is also a strange choice.

Minister of Infrastructure and Transport
Minister of Water Management (with Minister of Fisheries and Water)
Minister of Public Transport
Minister of Urban Transport

One area in which the Solarpunk Present needs to establish itself is in transport: consume less energy by moving fewer goods and people around - though that needs to be balanced with the strong (domestic) tourism sector.

Minister of Digital Affairs
Minister of Information Security

The Digital Future already had a Digital Affairs ministry, but that, as well as the international position, apparently warranted an Information Security branch, who will operate close to Census, Data, and Statistics.

Minister of Finance
Minister of Revenue and Tax
Minister of Foreign Aid and Investment
Minister of Budget
Minister of Banking

As a reportedly 'naïve' country financially, the economy and budget has been given some overdue attention.

Minister of Commerce
Minister of Tourism
Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises
Minister of Innovation
Minister of International Trade
Minister of Industry
Minister of Consumer Protection, Workers' Rights, and Employer Responsibility

Always balancing social programmes and a green future with employment, these are precarious policy areas. We have to attract more foreign businesses - but we can't let it influence our democracy and meritocracy.

Minister of Culture and Sports
Minister of Arts and Culture

Minister of Environment
Minister of Natural Resources
Minister of Biodiversity and Conservation
Minister of Sustainable Development
Minister of Waste Management
Minister of Energy

These are the important ones. The Minister of Environment has long had an important voice, but they are now backed up by other ministries. Together they will construct a blueprint for Ko-oren and lead the way for other countries to follow suit.

Minister of Land Management
Minister of Housing
Minister of Rural Affairs
Minister of Urban Planning

Urban Planning is a Solarpunk Present plan. Rural Affairs feels redundant with the added local ministries.

Minister of Disaster and Emergency Management
Minister of Workplace Safety

Minister of Health
Minister of Food Safety
Minister of Primary Care, Home Care, and Prevention

Minister of Welfare and Employment
Minister of Youth
Minister of Insurance
Minister of Employment
Minister of Equality

The Equality ministry is part of the New Meritocracy plan.

Minister of the Primary Sector
Minister of Agriculture
Minister of Fisheries and Water (with Minister of Water Management)

An important part of our economy, yet also one that is at odds with a greener future. We can honestly say that we've got it much better than most countries, but we must maintain these industries to an extent to prevent relying on others too much.

Minister of Democracy

This is a new and interesting one. While polls and elections never showed that the people want more democracy, putting it this high up the political agenda suggests that there is more brewing below the surface. Is this a move to placate the international community, or is there more behind it?

[Abanhfleft]

DISCLAIMER: Gaelic Gamers is an independents sports blogging website created by four cousins with a common liking and passion for sports of all kinds and is in no way or form affiliated with or organized by any official news organization in the Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft. All statements and opinions posted here are our own and not anyone else's.

---

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Rugby Rundown
with Graham O'Doherty

33RD RUGBY UNION WORLD CUP: LOOSE LINES SINK SUBS (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT)

Hello guys, and welcome back to another edition of The Rugby Rundown with me, your gay Irishman Graham O'Doherty. Times are looking good so far if you're a fan of Fleftic rugby, but we all know that that can change in an instant. But while we’re on top of the world (so to speak), let’s enjoy the feeling while we can. Abanhfleft are currently holding steady at the top of Group A, and though we’re on the same number of points as the Elephants of Elejamie, we do hold the advantage over them in the tiebreakers thanks to our narrow victory over them just a few days ago. But we all know how quickly a campaign can change in the blink of an eye, especially in the first round of the playoffs, so let’s not count our chickens before they’ve hatched, shall we?

There’s still the matter of finishing up the group stage before we can even start preparing for the knockout stage. We’ve still got a few games left to play, and one of those games is against the crew of the rogue submarine HMS Onslaught. Now, I’ve already mentioned before that I think it’s highly strange that the crew of a rogue submarine responsible for the tens of hijackings and piracy-related events in the northern shores of Baggieland could so boldly and brashly set foot on the land of the nation that they’re terrorizing without suffering any consequences, or at least consequences that I could see. I don’t really know. Maybe they’re only allowed to go straight from their sub to the stadium where they’re supposed to play. No shortcuts, no stopovers, no bathroom breaks. Straight from the sub to the stadium, and then straight back right after the end of the game. Then again, international law hasn’t always been my strong suit. I prefer to stick to what I know, and that is the good old sport of rugby.

Now, say what you will about their behavior on the high seas, but when the crew of HMS Onslaught took to the pitch after our Revolutionaries, you could see why they were so good and efficient at their being a rogue submarine. This was a well-oiled group of men who had been drilled in the art of naval warfare, drilled to the point that once given a command, their way of executing it was pretty much muscle memory for them. I know I definitely wouldn’t want to bump into this lot when I’m on a cruise ship off the coast of a tropical paradise. They know how to eff stuff up, and I value my own possessions too much to give them up to these men even if I’ve always had a soft spot for navy men.

Sadly, I don’t think I could say the same for them when it comes to rugby. Sure, the crew of the HMS Onslaught know the rules of the game and could actually play a decent game of rugger, but in the end, they’re sailors first and foremost, and they don’t play the game in a professional capacity. They’re not gonna let something like professionalism get in the way of getting a result against our Revolutionaries, of course, but in the end our lads still had that edge over their opponents from the deep. The first half of this match was not as action-packed as the last one that we had against Elejamie, and that’s probably telling of the level of the opponents that we’ve played in those two games.

I’ll tell you all what though, guys, those submariners really know how to defend their line. I’m not sure how many attempts they’ve managed to stop on the line or just before it, and if it hadn’t been for them giving up penalties in good places for Wayne Stanley to make some kicks, the first half could’ve ended scoreless for both teams. As things stood though, Abanhfleft did manage to make it to the half-time with a six-point lead courtesy of the aforementioned Stanley, but there definitely was a feeling that we could have and should have scored more were it not for the stoutness of Onslaught’s defense.

That must have figured into the team talk at half-time because as soon as the teams went back to the pitch to start the second half, our Revolutionaries started probing the Submariners’ defenses, searching for a hole or a gap into which they could slip and finally score a try. It would definitely take some work on their part, and there were a few times where HMS Onslaught’s crew came close to scoring a try themselves, but eventually the Submariners’ walls were breached. Randy Gracie dropped his shoulder and got past Midshipman Waller, providing the Fleftic fullback with a clear path to the uprights. Wayne Stanley wasn’t going to miss the conversion from right in front of the posts barring something completely unexpected, and so the score was now 13-0 in favor of Abanhfleft. Another penalty kick made it 16-0, and that was the state of things upon the sounding of the final siren.

Once again, guys, I apologize for the shortness of this post. But there really wasn’t a lot of stuff to talk about in this match, unless you wanted to read about my boyhood fantasies about wanting to serve in the navy and being surrounded by muscular men with sweat dripping from their brows and glistening on their forearms and chests. And I’m not sure that that’s what my target audience wants to read about, unless someone wants me to do it? Or is it just me? Again, I apologize for the shortness of quality content this time around. You all better hope that the next game against Natanians and Nosts has a lot more action in it or else it’s going to be a similar story when it’s time for me to blog about that game.

Or maybe not. I am meeting up with our good friends from Baker Park Zane Anthony and Rick Gillingham in the next few days, so maybe I will have some more material to work with after our little shindig with our friends from Lots of Ruck. Feel free to drop by their blog as well and give them a gentle little reminder that our picnic is still on. Now, full disclosure time: they didn’t pay me to advertise or plug their blog so I’m not getting paid for it, but Zane and Rick, if you’re reading this, there’s always room in my bank account for a little donation, wink wink… I’m just kidding! Of course I would never ask for money from anybody, not even my family and friends. So if you see someone asking for money using my name then block them and report them to the authorities if possible. We don’t stand for any scammers here in Gaelic Gamers, and honestly, the thought of someone using my name just to get free money sickens me. And on that PSA, I leave you all with a little XOXO from Graham…

HMS Onslaught (0)
Try: N/A
Con: N/A
Pen: N/A

Abanhfleft (16)
Try: Gracie 50' c
Con: Stanley (1/1)
Pen: Stanley 12', 35'
Ramsey 63'

[Natanians and Nosts]

Natanians and Nosts
In far away Baggieland
Faces of Dust,
The Fifth essence.

In a fierce match,
Where both teams faced
An willing squad
Fearing obsolescence.

Blue sharks fared,
With six drop goals
In its favour,the score
Difference immense

And there also
Was a converted try.
Forming firmingly
25 points hence.

Quintessence of Dust
Failed to score
Its famed offence
Had a zero thence.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Ricky Gillingham: "Welcome back to Lots of Ruck, Baker Park's most popular rugby podcast. Say hello, Z-man"
Zane Anthony: "Hello Z-man. I'm Zane Anthony, he's Rick Gillingham and we're coming to you from Regis Island here in Baggieland"
RG: " Lots of Ruck is made possible by generous sponsorship from Sachsbier Premium Pilsner, Official Beer of the Westerly Challenge Cup, McDonald & Muir, applainces for Your Life, and Sid's Sandies, It's Gotta be Sids. Zane, a bit of a return to normal service on matchday 5 against Ko-oren."
ZA: "A 24-12 loss to the number four ranked side is not the disaster it looks like on paper. We're still in a good spot in the table, tied with Quebec for second place but the Blues & Grays are going to need a positive result in one of the final two matches that will played here."
RG: "Lisander are up next, coming off their first win of the World Cup, a 26-7 win over Godchouzetsu. We've talked about this since before the beginning of the tournament, that a win here would be huge. We thought this would be the match to steal a win to make the top four, and it still could be that but it would be a bonus alongside the victory over HUElavia."
ZA: "This has been a pretty close group when you look at the results. Only one bonus point has been picked up, by Lisander in a losing effort. Win or lose, a bonus point would help BP out in the worst way especially if it comes down to tiebreaking scenarios."
RG: "We'll be at the Maripasoula Stadium plenty early in order to meet up with VIP friend of the show Graham O' Doherty of The Rugby Rundown, to take in Abanhfleft against Natanians & Nosts in the opening match. My Deb is really eager to meet him, and we of course want to get his thoughts on the action in Group 1 and the rest of the tournament as well."
ZA: "We need to make sure we pick up the tabs, because he's always been generous with his time and the number of rounds he's bought. We've talked about how many new listeners he's provided to us through his plugging of the show. And of course there's a link to The Rugby Rundown at the Fleftic blog site Gaelic Gamers on our site, LotsOfRuck.co.bk."
RG: "That's all for this episode, we'll be coming to you from the Stadium for our next post. I'm Ricky G"
ZA: "And I'm Zane Anthony, thanks for joining us on Lots of Ruck."

[Baggieland]

MD 5 cut off.

[Baggieland]

MD 6

Group 1

*Abanhfleft 21–20 Natanians and Nosts
Acadiana 6–19 HMS Onslaught
Chromatika 3–23 Elejamie

                          Pld   W  D  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts  BP
1 Abanhfleft                5   5  0  0  107  40 +67   21  1
2 Elejamie                  6   5  0  1  105  42 +63   21  1
3 HMS Onslaught             5   2  0  3   48  48   0   10  2
4 Natanians and Nosts       5   2  0  3   61  75 −14    9  1
5 Chromatika                5   2  0  3   50  79 −29    9  1
6 Quintessence of Dust      5   2  0  3   39  70 −31    8  0
7 Acadiana                  5   0  0  5   38  94 −56    1  1

Group 2

*Cap Nord 3–17 Nova Anglicana
Arjunnagar 3–16 Kriegiersien
Baggieland 13–0 Elmyia

                       Pld   W  D  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts  BP
1 Baggieland             5   5  0  0   79  28 +51   20  0
2 TJUN-ia                5   4  0  1  144  63 +81   19  3
3 Kriegiersien           5   4  0  1   69  60  +9   16  0
4 Nova Anglicana         5   2  0  3   60  72 −12    9  1
5 Cap Nord               5   1  1  3   49  57  −8    7  1
6 Elmyia                 6   0  2  4   53 108 −55    5  1
7 Arjunnagar             5   0  1  4   16  82 −66    2  0

Group 3

*Kingdom of the UN 20–21 Oscioru
Darmen 8–0 New Eestiball
Hannasea 3–18 Kelssek

                         Pld   W  D  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts  BP
1 Kelssek                  6   6  0  0   86   9 +77   24  0
2 Darmen                   5   4  0  1   78  32 +46   17  1
3 The Licentian Isles      5   3  0  2   53  57  −4   12  0
4 New Eestiball            5   2  0  3   29  26  +3    9  1
5 Hannasea                 5   2  0  3   39  55 −16    8  0
6 Oscioru                  5   1  0  4   30  69 −39    4  0
7 Kingdom of the UN        5   0  0  5   33 100 −67    1  1

Group 4

*Godchouzetsu 0–17 Quebec and Shingoryeo
Commonwealth of Baker Park 12–10 Lisander
HUElavia 0–18 Ko-oren

                                Pld   W  D  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts  BP
1 Ko-oren                         6   6  0  0   93  29 +64   24  0
2 Commonwealth of Baker Park      5   4  0  1   97  51 +46   16  0
3 Quebec and Shingoryeo           5   4  0  1   58  13 +45   16  0
4 Talannua                        5   2  0  3   45  57 −12    8  0
5 Lisander                        5   1  0  4   46  71 −25    6  2
6 HUElavia                        5   1  0  4   42  87 −45    4  0
7 Godchouzetsu                    5   0  0  5   30 103 −73    0  0

[Baggieland]

[TJUN-ia]

After a 3rd win on the bounce practically secured a Top 4 spot, the Union Jaguars of TJUN-ia were certainly focused on trying to get as good of seeding as humanly possible. Jacob Peterson knew that getting as good of a seeding as possible will help us out in our quest to go as far as possible in the upcoming playoffs. But up on the horizon was our 2nd big test, in which our mental fortitude was certainly going to be tested before the bye week we will have on MD6. We certainly fought hard in our defeat to Baggieland on MD2, but Nova Anglicana are in the awkward position of having a losing record but still being a Top 5 team on paper. So how would this one go?

Well, quite well actually...which was certainly very surprising indeed. The Lions are certainly a good team, of course, Errol Anderson isn't just a nobody masquerading as a rugby coach, and this side certainly would find some points in the bag - Jamie Wilson scoring a try and Armand Cloutier getting a penalty kick. But we were just...too good for these Lions to take, which was certainly surprising considering where they stand in the rankings. Beka Chkoidze managed a hattrick of tries, Carl Crorker managed the 4th and while Jose Valbuena only went 3/4 on conversions, he did tack on 2 penalties to complete the final score. 32-8 was the final score and while it wouldn't last long, the Jaguars would enter the bye on top of this group.

Our final opponent will be Cap Nord, who will enter the final day 2 points behind Nova Anglicana and need a win and a Lions defeat in order to advance to the playoffs with us. It shall certainly be an interesting one, no matter whose side you are on. GO JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Group B)
MD1: vs Arjunnagar (36) - Cooper’s Field, Stoney Lane W 28-3 (1st)
MD2: vs Baggieland (1) - Birches Park, Bunn’s Field L 3-19 (4th)
MD3: vs Elmyia (UR) - Cooper’s Field, Stoney Lane W 42-18 (2nd)
MD4: vs Kriegiersien (20) - Birches Park, Bunn’s Field W 39-15 (2nd)
MD5: vs Nova Anglicana (5) - Birches Park, Bunn’s Field W 32-8 (1st)
MD6: BYE (2nd)
MD7: vs Cap Nord (UR) - Birches Park, Bunn’s Field

[The Republic of Covelandia]

Choose random players i dont have time right now
play style +0.5

[The Republic of Covelandia]

i dont have time can you please pick players that match up with my play style
play style +0.5

[The Republic of Covelandia]

sorry for the double post now triple post but i really need too go

[Abanhfleft]

DISCLAIMER: Gaelic Gamers is an independents sports blogging website created by four cousins with a common liking and passion for sports of all kinds and is in no way or form affiliated with or organized by any official news organization in the Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft. All statements and opinions posted here are our own and not anyone else's.

---

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Rugby Rundown
with Graham O'Doherty

33RD RUGBY UNION WORLD CUP: HOW CLOSE WAS THAT?

Hello guys, and welcome back to another edition of The Rugby Rundown with me, your gay Irishman Graham O'Doherty. We’re getting close to the sharp end of the group stage of the 33rd Rugby Union World Cup, and after having just survived the challenges of Natanians and Nosts here at Maripasoula Park, I can’t say that I’m not looking forward to seeing the end of all of this. I’m not going to lie; this was literally the closest that the Revolutionaries have come to losing their undefeated record, and the closest we’ve come to letting Elejamie back into top spot. Now I’m not sure about how tiebreakers work in this particular Rugby Union World Cup, but I’m pretty sure that we would have retained first place over Elejamie because of our victory over them, but I can’t be too sure. Someone please look it up for me because I’m a lazy-ass bastard!

But let’s forget about tiebreakers for the moment and turn our attention to the game at hand. Abanhfleft versus Natanians and Nosts. Revolutionaries versus Blue Sharks. In order to avoid a kit clash, Abanhfleft had decided to put on their orange change strip while Natanians and Nosts kept their light blue strip. In any case, now it was easy for everyone to tell apart the two sides, and that was the main reason why change strips existed in the first place. Now, here’s an interesting fact about Natanians and Nosts: they don’t really care for tries that much. No, their whole system is built around drop goals. I’m not entirely sure how this philosophy came to be in their country, but I suspect that it might have something to do with the fact that football (the one that some other countries call football because it actually involves the ball getting hit by a foot) looks like it’s more popular in Natanians and Nosts than rugby.

In any case, it was this affinity (love affair, even) with drop goals that allowed Natanians and Nosts to take an early lead against us. Another surprising thing about the N&N strategy is that they’ve trained everyone in the team to take these drop goals. Yes, even the props and the hookers and the flankers. I have to admit that it’s a strange sight seeing players wearing the low-numbered shirts taking pot shots at the uprights, but apparently it’s what works for them. And for a team like ours who actually focus more on the beating and banging side of things, this was a bit of a surprising development. And I’m not just talking about N&N taking the lead over us, it’s the fact that their drop goals are actually going in. They’ve clearly trained for this style of play, and it’s showing. It’s also showing that we haven’t done our homework, our due diligence. This is not a strategy that the Revolutionaries are used to dealing with, and in the first half of this game, N&N took full advantage.

The initial problems for the Revolutionaries lay in the fact that they were used to putting up a barrier before their opponents, keeping them out of our 22-yard area as much as possible. For your average rugby team, that’s pretty much a sound strategy, because they want to score tries, and the only way to score tries is by getting into the end zone and grounding the ball. But for a team that actually prefers to keep their distance from the uprights, keeping them beyond the 22-yard line is actually an invitation to shoot, and that was what N&N did. Honestly, I would be laughing at the sight of Mihai Carolus César and Caeso Paulus Augustus kicking drop goals were it not for the fact that they’re actually scoring those drops!

Abanhfleft was able to make a dent in the Blue Sharks’ seemingly inexorable advance, albeit a small one. Darrin Ramsey broke loose from Octavius Caeso Numésio and made it all the way to the uprights, allowing Wayne Stanley a clean shot at the conversion. But there was still a good way to go to make up the deficit that N&N had on us. But since this was still the group stage and not the playoffs, Abanhfleft were still more than capable of clawing back a positive result. The only time that the Revolutionaries really bottle it is in the playoffs, no matter the sport, although it does appear that this is a problem that’s more prevalent in football than any other sport. But talk is cheap; we still have to put our money where our mouth is.

The second half saw a change in the Fleftic strategy. Gone were the days of keeping N&N away from the 22-yard line because that was how they had done most of their damage against us anyway. Now, the Revolutionaries were deliberately giving up territory in the hope that by keeping the Blue Sharks close to the end zone but not close enough to the uprights that they could continue their drop goal strategy, they would force N&N to play some actual rugger for once. Well, that was easier said than done. The first part of the strategy, which was to keep the Blue Sharks at bad angles to the uprights, was working perfectly, but the other part of the strategy, forcing them to go for tries, was not going so well. N&N were truly beholden to their “moar drop goalz” strategy that it almost looked like they were not paying attention to the gaps in the Fleftic defense in their desire to find a good angle to take a pot shot drop goal.

Things were now going much better for the Revolutionaries as well. Once they had figured out how to stop bleeding points in the form of drop goals, Abanhfleft could now focus on scoring some points themselves. Mohammed Wilcox was the first man to score for the Revolutionaries in the second half, and then substitute Niko Byrd scored his first ever try for the national team alongside his first cap. What an achievement for the young man. And that was how what had seemed like a daunting 15-0 deficit had become a 21-15 lead in our favor. But the Blue Sharks were not done yet. Sometime in the 70th minute, they finally realized there was a faster way to put up more points on the board than by just scoring drop goals, and now they finally tried to score a try. See the wordplay there? In any case, Caeso Paulus Augustus finally broke through the Fleftic defense to score N&N’s first try of the game, but the angle was such that the conversion could not go in.

Now that was a cracker of a match, even if most of the nail-biting action happened in the last ten minutes, but once again, I’ll be lying if I didn’t say that I wanted nothing more than to crash in my hotel and take a good long nap. But I couldn’t do that just yet because I still had a few friends to meet. Zane Anthony and Rick Gillingham were waiting for me at the Maripasoula Stadium, and after not having seen each other for some time, it did feel like a bit of a family reunion. I finally got to meet Deb and Lindsay, Rick and Zane’s wives respectively, and though I couldn’t introduce them to my partner Paddy (he doesn’t really like to travel outside of the country), it was still a great meeting and picnic nonetheless. They’re all lucky to have finally found the people that they were going to spend the rest of their lives with. Once again, I wish them all the best of luck and long and fruitful years of partnership.

After the usual greetings though, it was time to talk about how our teams have been doing. Zane and Rick will cover Baker Park's progress through the Rugby Union World Cup on their site, Lots of Ruck, and I'll be covering Abanhfleft's progress right here and right now. I have to say that the Revolutionaries' path through the group stage has been mostly straightforward, with Natanians and Nosts being the biggest surprise so far, but in the end the Blue Sharks were barely even a speed bump. But the toughest test for us is yet to come, however. We still have to play Quintessence of Dust, and though they're currently languishing in sixth place, they've still got two wins to their name. And if the lads are not careful, we could very well end up being their third win. It probably wouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but I still would like to keep our undefeated record in this group stage intact, even if it's just for pride and nothing else. After all, I know a thing or two about pride. But in any case, good luck to our boys! Let's get that sixth win of the tournament. XOXO from Graham...

Abanhfleft (21)
Try: Ramsey 33' c
Wilcox 49' c
Byrd 59' c
Con: Stanley (3/3)

Natanians and Nosts (20)
Try: C. P. Augustus 75' m
Con: Kicker (0/1)
Pen: G. I. da Silva (5', 30')
C. P. Augustus (13')
M. C. César (22', 38')

[Baggieland]

i dont have time can you please pick players that match up with my play style
play style +0.5

Sorry, but the sign ups have already closed and the tournament begun. Look out for the next rugby union / league / sevens sign up thread.

[Natanians and Nosts]

Natanians and Nosts will face Acadiana at the last round of the 33rd Rugby Union World Cups group stage.Thanks to defeats to Chromatika and Elejamie,both failing to get close in score and achieve a bonus point,and to a combination of results,the squad now sits fourth in the group,with two wins,and nine points (defeating both HMS Onslaught and Quintessence of Dust,and losing by one pint to Abanhfleft).This situation is shared by Chromatika,whose offence was not as productive and deffence was more permissive.The thrid-placed team (HMS Onslaught) has one more extra point than either,while the fifth-place (Quintessence of Dust) has one less.All four with a 3-0-2 record.
Chromatika and HMS Onslaught will face each other in this decisive matchday,in a match whose result is of extreme importance to the Blue Sharks.Elejamie got a bye.Abanhfleft will face the Quintessence of Dust.
Natanians and Nosts will have to win its match and cheer for both an HMS Onslaught and a Fleftic win.In case of defeat,Crhomatika must not get any points (be it victory,draw or bonus),nor can the Quintessence of Dust gain more than one,and if the points of either do not surpass Natanians and Nosts',the point difference must also be more negative than that of the Blue Sharks.
If Natanians and Nosts qualifies for the knock-out stage and it finishes fourth,the more likely scenario,the team will play the unbeaten Kelssek,undisputed leader of group three,having to travel all the way to Stoney Lane to play for the first time this world cup in Cooper's Field.

[Baggieland]

MD 6 cut off.

[Baggieland]

MD 7

Group 1

*HMS Onslaught 9–10 Chromatika
Natanians and Nosts 29–0 Acadiana
Quintessence of Dust 6–11 Abanhfleft

                          Pld   W  D  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts  BP
1 Abanhfleft                6   6  0  0  118  46 +72   25  1
2 Elejamie                  6   5  0  1  105  42 +63   21  1
3 Natanians and Nosts       6   3  0  3   90  75 +15   13  1
4 Chromatika                6   3  0  3   60  88 −28   13  1
5 HMS Onslaught             6   2  0  4   57  58  −1   11  3
6 Quintessence of Dust      6   2  0  4   45  81 −36    9  1
7 Acadiana                  6   0  0  6   38 123 −85    1  1

Group 2

*Kriegiersien 7–19 Baggieland
Nova Anglicana 10–0 Arjunnagar
TJUN-ia 15–14 Cap Nord

                       Pld   W  D  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts  BP
1 Baggieland             6   6  0  0   98  35 +63   24  0
2 TJUN-ia                6   5  0  1  159  77 +82   23  3
3 Kriegiersien           6   4  0  2   76  79  −3   16  0
4 Nova Anglicana         6   3  0  3   70  72  −2   13  1
5 Cap Nord               6   1  1  4   63  72  −9    8  2
6 Elmyia                 6   0  2  4   53 108 −55    5  1
7 Arjunnagar             6   0  1  5   16  92 −76    2  0

Group 3

*New Eestiball 3–0 Hannasea
Oscioru 6–9 Darmen
The Licentian Isles 11–3 Kingdom of the UN

                         Pld   W  D  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts  BP
1 Kelssek                  6   6  0  0   86   9 +77   24  0
2 Darmen                   6   5  0  1   87  38 +49   21  1
3 The Licentian Isles      6   4  0  2   64  60  +4   16  0
4 New Eestiball            6   3  0  3   32  26  +6   13  1
5 Hannasea                 6   2  0  4   39  58 −19    9  1
6 Oscioru                  6   1  0  5   36  78 −42    5  1
7 Kingdom of the UN        6   0  0  6   36 111 −75    1  1

Group 4

*Lisander 9–7 HUElavia
Quebec and Shingoryeo 7–3 Commonwealth of Baker Park
Talannua 18–0 Godchouzetsu

                                Pld   W  D  L   PF  PA  PD  Pts  BP
1 Ko-oren                         6   6  0  0   93  29 +64   24  0
2 Quebec and Shingoryeo           6   5  0  1   65  16 +49   20  0
3 Commonwealth of Baker Park      6   4  0  2  100  58 +42   17  1
4 Talannua                        6   3  0  3   63  57  +6   12  0
5 Lisander                        6   2  0  4   55  78 −23   10  2
6 HUElavia                        6   1  0  5   49  96 −47    5  1
7 Godchouzetsu                    6   0  0  6   30 121 −91    0  0

[Baggieland]

Round of 16

Abanhfleft vs New Eestiball @ Waverley Oval
Baggieland vs Talannua @ Birches Park (1st match)
Kelssek vs Chromatika @ Cooper's Field
Ko-oren vs Nova Anglicana @ Maripasoula Stadium
Elejamie vs The Licentian Isles @ St. George's
TJUN-ia vs Commonwealth of Baker Park @ Birches Park (2nd match)
Darmen vs Natanians and Nosts @ The Archway
Quebec and Shingoryeo vs Kriegiersien @ Dartmouth Hill

[Baggieland]

[TJUN-ia]

After pulling off a major win against a Top 5 team before the bye, the Union Jaguars of TJUN-ia had just one more match to go before they knew both where they were finishing in this group and who they would be facing from Group 4 in the Round of 16. They had a slight chance of finishing as the best team in this group, but that would require a slip-up from hosts and defending champs Baggieland - which seemed almost impossible at this point. Jacob Peterson knew that getting as much momentum as humanly possible was going to be key to any potential playoff success this team aspires to do, so winning the 4th game on the bounce was certainly deemed as necessary for the road ahead.

Our opponents for this final showdown would be debutants Cap Nord, who still had a mathematical chance of qualifying for the playoffs if things went their way. Theodore Ringer managed to cobble together this team with some last-minute changes but they have certainly fought valiantly and their performance today was certainly one they can take home and be proud of. This game was, to put it lightly, very fucking tight and certainly a slog to put into the record books for all to see. All we can say is this entire contest was settled by only a single point and it certainly was hard fought. Florent Hadjim managed to score both of Cap Nord's tries while both conversions from Darren Teiko were successful. As for us, Suke Hoshinawa and Kennedy Vakatawa would score both of our tries and while Jose Valbuena missed one of his 2 conversions, he would effectively win the contest with a penalty kick. 15-14. What a way to end this group.

We did end up finishing 2nd in our Group, meaning that the 3rd team from Group 4 would be our opponents in the Round of 16 phase. That team will be the Commonwealth of Baker Park and it's even being played back at Birches Park, so no real travel issues will be at hand. CBP are always fun to face, no matter the sport, so we've certainly got an interesting game at our hands. GO JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Group 2)
MD1: vs Arjunnagar (36) - Cooper’s Field, Stoney Lane W 28-3 (1st)
MD2: vs Baggieland (1) - Birches Park, Bunn’s Field L 3-19 (4th)
MD3: vs Elmyia (UR) - Cooper’s Field, Stoney Lane W 42-18 (2nd)
MD4: vs Kriegiersien (20) - Birches Park, Bunn’s Field W 39-15 (2nd)
MD5: vs Nova Anglicana (5) - Birches Park, Bunn’s Field W 32-8 (1st)
MD6: BYE (2nd)
MD7: vs Cap Nord (UR) - Birches Park, Bunn’s Field W 15-14 (2nd/23pts/+82PD)
--------------------------------------------------
Ro16: vs Commonwealth of Baker Park (22/4-3)- Birches Park, Bunn’s Field

[Kelssek]

Six wins from six, but many imperfections

Key wins against tough opponents have put Kelssek into the knockout rounds with a perfect record. They’ve been less than perfect on the pitch, but the final scores are what count and in that area, Kelssek have won all six of their group stage matches in Rugby World Cup 33 with the two latest being against Darmen and Hannasea.

“The wins have not always been convincing but the best you can say is they were professional operations,” says NSN pundit Porter Coleman. “They’ve had good discipline and have show a lot of determination to get through tough situations, so that’s been a bright spot even if there’s been some technical gaps and lack of imagination on the attack.”

Some of the frustrations from fans have focused on the excessively blunt and conservative battering-ram approach that the attack has often taken once Kelssek gets into the opposing 22. This is not the flair and skill the RWC33 winners showed. The sense that Kelssek is capable of better certainly fuels the discontent. Indeed, Kelssek has the lowest points total of any group winner, and was outscored by second-place Darmen.

It’s not glamorous, but the watertight defence has been key to getting this far, with Kelssek conceding only 9 points all tournament. Even if some of this might be due to poor opposing kicking, it’s an impressive record. And they always say it’s defence that wins championships.

Hannasea 8 IO Error{{PalpableDisgust}}
Kelssek 13 tries: Smither, Papalouka; pen: Wood

Kelssek 15 tries: Bailey, Aburiya; pen: Wood; conv.: Wood
Darmen 0