2018 June Internationals

Stargazer

Fiji squad to take on Samoa:

1 Campese Ma’afu
2 Talemaitoga Tuapati
3 Manasa Saulo
4 Apisalome Ratuniyarawa
5 Leone Nakarawa
6 Dominiko Waqaniburotu
7 Viliame Mata
8 Akapusi Qera (C)
9 Henry Seniloli
10 Ben Volavola
11 Vereniki Goneva
12 Sevanaia Galala
13 Jale Vatubua
14 Benito Masilevu
15 Kini Murimurivalu

Reserves:
16 Ratu Vere Vugakoto
17 Eroni Mawi
18 Ropate Rinakama
19 Sikeli Nabou
20 Nemani Nagusa
21 Serupepeli Vularika
22 Alivereti Veitokani
23 Timoci Nagusa

http://www.fijirugby.com/latest-news/flying-fijians-set-for-powerful-start-against-samoa/

Kruse

@mn5 said in 2018 June Internationals:

@stargazer said in 2018 June Internationals:

A game we will probably not be able to watch in NZ: Canada v Scotland

Scotland squad:

Geez a shitload of unknowns in that team. Denton and Jackson are the only ones I'd recognise.

Average caps - under 10.
Have they just given up on EOYT/Spring-Tours/November-Internationals - realising they always seem to get the "leftovers"?

Crucial

@mikethesnow said in 2018 June Internationals:

@mn5 said in 2018 June Internationals:

@stargazer said in 2018 June Internationals:

A game we will probably not be able to watch in NZ: Canada v Scotland

Scotland squad:

15 Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) – 2 caps

14 Lee Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 8 caps
13 Chris Harris (Newcastle Falcons) – 2 caps
12 James Lang (Harlequins) – uncapped
11 Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks) – 3 caps

10 Ruaridh Jackson VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 32 caps
9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Scarlets) – 9 caps

1 Allan Dell (Edinburgh) – 10 caps
2 Fraser Brown VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 31 caps
3 Simon Berghan (Edinburgh) – 8 caps
4 Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) – 9 caps
5 Grant Gilchrist CAPTAIN (Edinburgh) – 22 caps
6 Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) – 2 caps
7 Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) – uncapped
8 David Denton (Leicester Tigers) – 39 caps

Substitutes
16 George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) – 2 caps
17 Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) – 8 caps
18 Murray McCallum (Edinburgh) – 1 cap
19 Lewis Carmichael (Edinburgh) – uncapped
20 Luke Hamilton (unattached) – 1 cap
21 Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 16 caps
22 Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors) – uncapped
23 Mark Bennett (Edinburgh) – 20 caps

http://www.scottishrugby.org/news/18/06/06/gilchrist-captain-scotland-summer-tour-opener

Gavs son.

Geez a shitload of unknowns in that team. Denton and Jackson are the only ones I'd recognise.

Enough to make a loss to Canada a major set/stepback

Not really. The top 8 target for RWC qualifying/seeding is not a consideration at the moment (although you wouldn't want to make life too difficult for yourself when it comes back around).
If you knowingly use a game to grow depth/experience and it ends up a loss then you learn about those players.
I think it is quite valuable for teams without great depth to have these type of games. You get something out of them no matter what.

Contrast that with England/SA or Wales/ARG where both England and Wales are in a bit of a shite situation. They can't afford to dabble in the selection pond too much and there are expectations on them. You also risk damaging the self belief of senior players if they can't pull the team through.

MiketheSnow

@crucial said in 2018 June Internationals:

@mikethesnow said in 2018 June Internationals:

@mn5 said in 2018 June Internationals:

@stargazer said in 2018 June Internationals:

A game we will probably not be able to watch in NZ: Canada v Scotland

Scotland squad:

15 Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) – 2 caps

14 Lee Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 8 caps
13 Chris Harris (Newcastle Falcons) – 2 caps
12 James Lang (Harlequins) – uncapped
11 Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks) – 3 caps

10 Ruaridh Jackson VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 32 caps
9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Scarlets) – 9 caps

1 Allan Dell (Edinburgh) – 10 caps
2 Fraser Brown VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 31 caps
3 Simon Berghan (Edinburgh) – 8 caps
4 Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) – 9 caps
5 Grant Gilchrist CAPTAIN (Edinburgh) – 22 caps
6 Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) – 2 caps
7 Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) – uncapped
8 David Denton (Leicester Tigers) – 39 caps

Substitutes
16 George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) – 2 caps
17 Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) – 8 caps
18 Murray McCallum (Edinburgh) – 1 cap
19 Lewis Carmichael (Edinburgh) – uncapped
20 Luke Hamilton (unattached) – 1 cap
21 Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 16 caps
22 Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors) – uncapped
23 Mark Bennett (Edinburgh) – 20 caps

http://www.scottishrugby.org/news/18/06/06/gilchrist-captain-scotland-summer-tour-opener

Gavs son.

Geez a shitload of unknowns in that team. Denton and Jackson are the only ones I'd recognise.

Enough to make a loss to Canada a major set/stepback

Not really. The top 8 target for RWC qualifying/seeding is not a consideration at the moment (although you wouldn't want to make life too difficult for yourself when it comes back around).
If you knowingly use a game to grow depth/experience and it ends up a loss then you learn about those players.
I think it is quite valuable for teams without great depth to have these type of games. You get something out of them no matter what.

Contrast that with England/SA or Wales/ARG where both England and Wales are in a bit of a shite situation. They can't afford to dabble in the selection pond too much and there are expectations on them. You also risk damaging the self belief of senior players if they can't pull the team through.

But both SA v Eng and Arg v Wales are matches which could go either way and require the best available on show.

Scotland should thump Canada with this 23. If they don't then it's back to the drawing board for Townsend

Stargazer

The schedule in the first post has been updated. For info where and when you can watch this weekend's games in some other countries than NZ, see at the end of that post!

Stargazer

Tonga team to play Georgia

1 Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, 2. Paula Ngauamo, 3. David Lolohea, 4. Leva Fifita, 5. Joe Tu'ineau, 6. Dan Faleafa, 7. Fotu Lokotui, 8. Nasi Manu,

9 Sonatane Takulua, 10. Kurt Morath, 11 Penikolo Latu, 12. Siale Piutau (c), 13. Nafi Tu'itavake, 14. David Halaifonua, 15. Sione Fifita.

Bench
16 Sefo Sakalia, 17. David Feao, 18. Ben Tameifuna, 19. Valentino Mapapalangi, 20. Mike Faleafa, 21. Suke Tuumotooa, 22. Latiume Fosita, 23. Viliami Lolohea.

Tighthead prop David Lolohea, number eight Nasi Manu and fullback Sione Fifita will make their test debut against the Lelos in Suva.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/359055/sport-three-debutants-to-start-for-ikale-tahi

.

Georgia:

15 Soso MATIASHVILI (Akademia Tbilisi)
14 Anzor SITCHINAVA (Akademia Tbilisi)
13 Davit KATCHARAVA (Enisey Krasnoyarsk)
12 Giorgi KVESELADZE (Armazi Marneuli)
11 Sandro TODUA (Lelo Saracens Tbilisi)
10 Lasha KHMALADZE (Batumi)
9 Vasil LOBZHANIDZE (Brive)

1 Kakha ASIESHVILI (Brive)
2 Shalva MAMUKASHVILI (Lokomotivi Tbilisi)
3 Levan CHILACHAVA (Toulon)
4 Giorgi NEMSADZE [Capt] (Ospreys)
5 Nodar TCHEISHVILI (Chambery)
6 Shalva SUTIASHVILI (Angoulême)
7 Otar GIORGADZE (Clermont )
8 Mikheil GACHECHILADZE (Enisey Krasnoyarsk)

Reserves:
16 Jaba BREGVADZE (Sunwolves)
17 Giorgi TETRASHVILI (Agen)
18 Irakli MIRTSKHULAVA (Oyonnax)
19 Kote MIKAUTADZE (Montpellier)
20 Saba SHUBITIDZE (Akademia Tbilisi)
21 Giorgi BEGADZE (Lokomotivi Tbilisi)
22 Lasha MALAGHURADZE (Yar Krasnoyarsk)
23 Merab KVIRIKASHVILI (Lelo Saracens Tbilisi)

Crucial

That Tonga/Georgia game looks like a nightmare for a commentator. Would entail a lot of pre game practice on those names.

Chester Draws

So Georgian forwards get overseas contracts and Georgian backs don't.

Higgins

@crucial said in 2018 June Internationals:

That Tonga/Georgia game looks like a nightmare for a commentator. Would entail a lot of pre game practice on those names.

Normally Ken Laban does these games in the Islands so we should get him for this and the Fiji v Samoa one that follows this match in Suva this afternoon. Be interesting if he maintains his impeccable knowledge of what school each player was "a superstar" at!

mimic

@higgins said in 2018 June Internationals:

@crucial said in 2018 June Internationals:

That Tonga/Georgia game looks like a nightmare for a commentator. Would entail a lot of pre game practice on those names.

Normally Ken Laban does these games in the Islands so we should get him for this and the Fiji v Samoa one that follows this match in Suva this afternoon. Be interesting if he maintains his impeccable knowledge of what school each player was "a superstar" at!

I enjoy it. Just like how the NFL usually say which College each player has come from.

Machpants

Georgia knocked over Tonga in a close one, Tonga got the tries but gave away the penalties 16-15

Stargazer

@machpants said in 2018 June Internationals:

Georgia knocked over Tonga in a close one, Tonga got the tries but gave away the penalties 16-15

Tonga:
71' Lolohea, 79' Halaifonua tries;
79' Takulua con
35' Takulua pen

Georgia:
7' Matiashvili try;
8' Matiashvili con;
21', 38', 60' Matiashvili pens 3x;
46' Gachechiladze YC, 79' ? YC

I tried watching this game about half an hour into the game but the livestream was frozen, so I gave up.

Now, watchin Fiji v Samoa.

Rapido

Paltry crowd in Suva. For a double header including their national team v closest traditional rival.

Doesn't fill me with confidence about a Super Rugby expansion team up in Fiji.

I noticed this last year as well. Bumper crowd for the Chiefs v Crusaders. Then small crowds a few weeks later for their June internationals. They had good quality visitors last year iirc including win over tier 1 Italy, but still not many turned up.

I am/was pro getting a team up there. I'm now edging towards was.

I don't think they can sustain the week in week out numbers required. To pay for a top pro team. Although a young Drua-like team churning out young low paid players for a year or two before they move on would still arguably provide more interest some our teams in the S18.

Stargazer

@rocky-rockbottom Where are you watching that game?

Edit: forget that question, I found a legal stream to watch Japan v Italy:

https://video-it.eurosport.com/rugby/rugby-test-match-giappone-italia_vid1098253/video.shtml

Stargazer

HT: Japan 17 - 14 Italy

Stargazer

Full time: Fiji 24 - 22 Samoa

Match (scoring) stats: https://www.worldrugby.org/pnc/match/25892

MN5

@rocky-rockbottom said in 2018 June Internationals:

Japan vs Italy.

Japanese national rugby team with their front row, halfback and that one nippy winger being the only actual Japanese people on the team. All the rest, ring-in Islanders. Jamie Joseph sending a great message to Japan's up and coming young players. "Yeah nah."

Italy do a fantastic impersonation of a test rugby team. They have some burly guys and nice blue jerseys and coloured rugby boots and everything. Walking 10 metres away from EVERY single lineout to have a mini conference then slowly sauntering back to the lineout got real old fast. God they are dogshit. Walk around. Drop it. Stand at some ruck like you just want to go home. Just fuck off then.

They're great to have in the Six nations. It means Scotland don't get a wooden spoon.

MiketheSnow

@mn5 said in 2018 June Internationals:

@rocky-rockbottom said in 2018 June Internationals:

Japan vs Italy.

Japanese national rugby team with their front row, halfback and that one nippy winger being the only actual Japanese people on the team. All the rest, ring-in Islanders. Jamie Joseph sending a great message to Japan's up and coming young players. "Yeah nah."

Italy do a fantastic impersonation of a test rugby team. They have some burly guys and nice blue jerseys and coloured rugby boots and everything. Walking 10 metres away from EVERY single lineout to have a mini conference then slowly sauntering back to the lineout got real old fast. God they are dogshit. Walk around. Drop it. Stand at some ruck like you just want to go home. Just fuck off then.

They're great to have in the Six nations. It means Scotland don't get a wooden spoon.

Or England this season

cgrant

Japan 34 - Italy 17.

Stargazer

https://twitter.com/SARugbymag/status/1005383851965911041

The Silver Fern

2018 June Internationals