( 3 tries) Russia 17 - 53 Italy (9 tries) - Live match thread / Full Time

[Shifty]

Anyone else watching the game today?
15 minutes gone and the Italian second team are 3 tries ahead, things look very bad for Russia, I was hoping this wasn't going to happen to them, but this looks frightening.

[Shifty]

4 tries and a bonus point already

[Davie]

Can we have scores updates please for those of us at work?

[yappysnap]

Is it a Russian first choice team though? Are any of the prem players in it?

[Shifty]

31-0
5 tries to italy, 28 minutes gone, some of the russian players look close to tears and russia have changed their scrum half.

[Davie]

Thanks Alyn

And I only had Italy by 10 on SG

[Shifty]

Italy player yellow carded for an awful late tackle on a Russian, the russian is off injured.

[Shifty]

Russia kick to touch from the penalty / yellow card, and get a try!

[bedfordwelsh]

Think it was always going to be a bit one sided, but Russia will only go on from here.

The interview with KJ before the game said he only has 70 players in total to pick from.

Getting to the WC itself was huge achievement for them.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Can we now get over the idea that these sides should be in the 6 nations and that there should be promotion relegation? Learn to play rugby before you fly aeroflot

[Shifty]

6 try for Italy, basically walking through the Russian defence.

[Rocky]

What about Georgia and Romania who lost by 9 and 10 points to Scotland? They deserve a chance to get more competitive games against the top Tier countries?

[Shifty]

Half time 38-7.
Frightening so far considering it's a Italy B team.
both teams have made subs already to save players for later games, Bergomasco is off.

[Shifty]

Russia aren't that bad a team the problem is you's expect them to be big massive tough Eastern Europeans. The reality is their more like Japan used to be, small, fast and skillful, and their up against teams that are simply massive and they can't compete.
Their like Japan in the 90's to be honest.

If they get smashed against Italy, Australia and Ireland you can bet the Russian government will plow money into their sport to improve the situation.

[mckay1402]

Italy looking pretty good but Russia are dangerous on the counter. Been looking forward to this. Didn't expect it to be so one sided.

[bedfordwelsh]

I think IRB and NH teams should look at doing more to promote Georgia, in the late 80's Romania were strong but they wer ignored and went backwards.

I have said for a while that some of the games in the European B 6 Nations or whatever it is called should be played as curtain raisers to the main 6 nations.

That way teams will get exposure on TV and gate recipets etc etc. What about replacing Georgia as one of the AI games instead of the Pacific Ireland teams?

[Rocky]

Ye replacing the Pacific Island teams wouldn't be a bad idea, especially considering the split loyalties on the team. It must be hard for Russia to be expected to play Ireland on Sunday with such a short turn around.

[Shifty]

Romania were strong in the 80's because the government employed all their players in the army and their only job was to get fit and play rugby, in essence they were professional.
Romania got weak because many of their players were killed in the revolution and because funding was stopped to sports, and players left the game in droves.

It's wrong to say they were ignored because they were given games, the problem was within their own country and in amateur days players had jobs, so trecking to Eastern Europe was expensive and difficult during the Soviet Union days.

Even when invitation were extended to Eatern European countries they were often rejected for political reasons, Russia refused to play in the 1987 world Cup because South Africa were only suspended not expelled from the IRB because of apartheid.

I agree though more should be done to give games to 6 Nations B sides, why not have a 16 team mini European cup when the Lions are on tour?
And why don't the IRB ask the home Nations to go on an A team, 3 week tour in Europe, to Romania, Russia and Georgia, or possibly Portugal, Spain and Germany.

I'm not sure I agree with Georgia, because most of their players are French based, when you look at Spain and Russia nearly all their players are home based, Russia and Spain are building up their own teams, stadiums, training facilities and professional leagues, the Georgians just look for French players with Georgian heritage or move any decent players over there, that is not a way to achieve long term success, it is taking a short cut.

[Shifty]

Anyway back to the match, hairy prop Castrogiovanni has come on and Italy score a try straight away.
43-7

[Shifty]

but straight from the kick off Russia score one themselves, monumental man sausage up from the Italians winger there, but very funny!

[mckay1402]

I have a feeling that one of the results of this world cup is that we'll see more of the tier two nations on tv. I certainly would tune in to watch Russia v Georgia or Zimbabwe v Namibia...remember Zimbabwe? They used to be ok...and the Ivory Coast.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

I have a feeling that one of the results of this world cup is that we'll see more of the tier two nations on tv. I certainly would tune in to watch Russia v Georgia or Zimbabwe v Namibia...remember Zimbabwe? They used to be ok...and the Ivory Coast.

They could show girls rugby instead.

[Shifty]

I have a feeling that one of the results of this world cup is that we'll see more of the tier two nations on tv. I certainly would tune in to watch Russia v Georgia or Zimbabwe v Namibia...remember Zimbabwe? They used to be ok...and the Ivory Coast.

You can watch ALL the tier 2,3,4 etc nations now. The Asian 5 Nations, Pacific Nations Cup, 6 Nations B are all online!
Hell I even watched Sweden a while back!

Try there mate, you can even watch Finalnd (rank 93) Vs Israel (rank 67) if you fancy something different!
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/BV.aspx?ref=IE8Activity&a=http%3A%2F%2Frugby.opticon.hu%2Fegyebvalogatott.htm



This is a nice place to see Hungarian games, who play in the 6 Nations C
http://rugby.opticon.hu/magyval.htm

This is also a fantastic rugby website
http://ksawa.es/partidos-de-rugby-online/

This is also a general sports one, just type in the game and sport you want at the top. It's where I managed to find the Russia against Newport Gwent Dragons game!
http://forum.rojadirecta.es/forumdisplay.php?15-Partidos-en-descarga-(Full-matches)&s=2ea1bf308bdc25c94319821b62409ef6

[mckay1402]

Alyndavies

Nice work old fruit. I will definitely be checking them out. My wife will be chuffed...as if I don't watch enough rugby.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler

They should show girls rugby.

[Shifty]

3 try for russia!
he passed about half way across the pitch and the Italians didnt see him, very good and cheeky!

[Shifty]

They should show girls rugby.

I was put off it when our clubs youth team played the womens rugby team! I have generally stayed away from womens rugby since!

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

They should show girls rugby.

I was put off it when our clubs youth team played the womens rugby team! I have generally stayed away from women since!

Dont worry its a lot more normal and acceptable in rugby these days, peope arent so small minded and childish as they used to be.

[Shifty]

Dont worry its a lot more normal and acceptable in rugby these days, peope arent so small minded and childish as they used to be.

We walked on the pitch as a youth team and many came off as men, that was the story of the game!
I doubt there has even been a game with so much groping and touching ever, lol.

[Cymroglan]

Yes the women do that but having short hair and wearing dungarees what else did you expect.

[mckay1402]

I remember watching a scratch womens side play a charity game against our local team. I was asked to play and am so glad I turned down the opportunity. let's just say there was some play that would have made Bakkies wince...

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Italy couldve played Bergamasco's sister at Scrum half and won

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