Pool C: Australia v Russia

Pool C: Ireland v Russia

Pool C: Italy v Russia

We are halfway - that was game 20 of 40 for the pool phase, and it was another great example of the favoured team not having it all its own way. The Russians got killed on territory and penalties when you look at the numbers, they really did spend a bit of time in their own half and 22, but when they did have the ball and go wide, they looked great. And they can handle the ball well too.

The Italians will be pleased with 9 tries no doubt, but they have two major games left against the USA and Ireland for which they will need to improve. Is there still a chance for them to qualify for the next round? As long as air puffs in to Castrogiavani’s lungs ... you bet ya!

A sold out house at Nelson tonight? It looked full, and that is wicked. The Cup is alive and well out there in those towns where coffee comes in one flavour - expresso.

I’m kidding. Hell, Nelson brought us rugby apparently, and when 1,000 schoolboys do a haka on the main street, you know this place is behind the World Cup. O for Orsome, Nelson.

I hope the Russians get more games and a leg up from The IRB - Russia, how cool is it that they were here in NZ playing rugby? The Bears: tonight they got their first ever World Cup point, and their first tries - all 3 of  ‘em. Love it.

Remember, we here at ruggerblogger just put pictures and cheeky words with hard numbers calculated for us by ruckingoodstats.com - so check the full range of his downloadable charts and stat breakdowns on every game, yours free. It really is amazing.

Pool C: Russia v USA

Bugger me, but sorry, I was raised under the fear of a Nuclear Winter. MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTIOJ!!!!  I was led to believe that should I ever hear the phrase on television, “…Russians about to breach the American lines…” then it was really time to duck and cover. Mushroom cloud. All over, red rover.

RED DAWN!!!

But no. The Cold War Rematch did not really deliver to the level of other so-called ‘Minnow Match-ups’ that RWC2011 has coughed up so far. To be fair I think the Russians need to come back to another World Cup to get it. Somewhere in Russia lurks a line-out dominance that was embarrassingly absent tonight, they just lacked the polish of a Top 20 nation ... it will come.

USA: Well, they showed real pace and munter-ability, but it does not get any easier for them either in this pool. Are they the most populous nation to appear at RWC? I think they are. But I expect better frankly - this ‘sleeping giant’ bullshit needs to grow legs. They have pace, they have power, they have sheer bloody determination in the likes of Clever, but they will not really sprout into the Top 10 unless they knuckle down and do it ugly to begin with. They can’t Wham Bam Super Bowl it to the Rugby World Cup knockout stages without playing Test rugby. Hyper Power maybe but baby steps in Test Rugby.

Reposted with correct team now - I was enjoying a leetle too much of the sponsor’s product earlier. Hic.