Less than a month till Japan - woo. Rugby World Cup has entered it's nail-biting stages. I thought NZ v Ireland would be a huge task, but we won convincingly. Onto England in the Semi-final and if we overcome them, it's either the old foe South Africa or Wales in the Final. Before the whole competition began, people were picking NZ v South Africa as the final so there's an almost inevitable feel about what will happen. Still, two matches to decide what really will eventuate. Japan have been, undoubtedly, the coolest hosts this sport has seen. Their fans have been routinely printing off the lyrics to other teams anthems, attending the matches in the outfit and singing along. They don't have to do that, they don't even have to attend but they rock up to every match and add their voices to the occasion. It's just so damn wholesome. Also, the NZ Haka got drowned out by the Irish singing Fields of Athenry which never fails to send chills down my spine: Finally got in to see a physio about this weird lower back pain I've had for a month. It's been affecting my training which affects my mental health so I'm glad I finally went in to see them. She's been great, really understanding and has a very clear plan in place. So far, I've noticed less pain on a day to day basis which is excellent. Turns out, the injury is probably not what I thought it was. I assumed I was being foolish while warming up but she thinks the culprit is my SI joint as the pain seems deeper than ever before, and I can still quite literally bend to touch my toes without any pain. As well as squat with a heavy load. Turns out I may have been exaggerating some kind of pelvic tilt in an effort to save my lower back from aggravating an old injury, then the joint took too much on board as a result of the tilt. She popped me on the table and used an ultrasound to watch my transverse abdominal muscle work which was cool. We were initially confused as she thought I may have neglected glute work and so perhaps they were the weak link, but she got me to do an isolation exercise and was expecting me to find it hard after 20 reps but I wound up getting to 55 before she made me stop, so clearly that wasn't the case. I wouldn't have minded having such an easy answer, but hey at least I'm thiccer than a snicker. TBH, I think training will take a big back seat until the New Year. I'm shifting our Dept across campus once more, then shifting things into my new place, then Japan for two and a bit weeks, as soon as I come back I properly move in and clean up the old place. Then it's Christmas! Hoping I can launch into training with a belly full of beer and Christmas ham, then set a PB by squatting Jupiter. Most of you are in the States right? Always wanted a winter Christmas, but mine have all been beach related. It's really nice but there's something magical about snow on Christmas, everyone tucked up next to the fire. Does Hubski do a Secret Santa at all? Was wondering about that - not sure if the logistics are too difficult for people to take part but I've always enjoyed sending gifts to other parts of the World.
The RWC has been amazing. I wish Japan had been able to give RSA a closer match, but the score line didn't represent how close the game actually was. Japan has put Tier 1 on notice, that it is coming for them, and coming at them hard and fast! I'd like to see England put away New Zealand. They've worked hard for it, and if they can keep their head together and just execute execute execute 80 minutes of focused rugby, they can do it. But those damn Barrett brothers are a force to be reckoned with... Sadly, I don't think Wales can beat Faf de Klerk. That guy is unreal. Wales is a solid team that gives other Tier 1 teams a very strong competitor, but they aren't a world-beating side yet. RSA is. So I could see an England vs RSA final. If it came down to that, I'd bet on RSA, but cheer for England...
I am hoping that Japan can join the Rugby Championship - SANZAAR would be insane not to want them in. So much money to be made and Japan can clearly foot it with the best of them now. I am a little nervous about England - NZ playing Barrett at 6 leads me to think they're going to try and get parity in the set-pieces. If NZ can do that, it's their match to lose as they have too much firepower out back to be contained. However, if Underhill and Curry can pressure the 9-10 axis in Smith and Mo'Unga they're in with the best shout of any team. Though if NZ do win, I'd expect them to beat either Wales or South Africa in the final - Faf de Klerk won't have the awful game he did when the two met in the first pool match, so that will be a bruising encounter but I do think NZ have finally laid their cards on the table and it's up to someone to try and counter it.
My excitement for Japan is two-fold: another culture represented at the highest levels of rugby, and a model the US can follow to build a world-class rugby program. 15 years. Japan dedicated themselves to it, and in 3 Rugby World Cup cycles they went from a joke to a semi-finalist that has earned the respect of the Tier 1 nations. After decade of the MLR in the USA, I expect we field an Eagles World Cup side every bit as exciting and competitive as Japan. Heck... with our population and the NFL talent pool to pull from, I could see the US being competitive in the next RWC, and a semifinalist in the one after that. TODAY's high school kids would have grown up with rugby in schools, pro rugby on TV, and a mature league to play in... if the sponsorship dollars start flowing in ASAP, of course. Rugby in America dies in 24 months if the big names don't start opening their wallets...
Ahh well, I can talk about it now. England did eactly what I hoped they wouldn't - Curry and Underhill dominated the breakdown and the entire team got in our faces. A deserved loss but one that stings given how ready we must have thought we were. A silver lining though, the 2007 loss entirely revamped the NZ rugby structure and mindset, the 2019 might do the same.