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Only three days in and this world cup, unlike any other before it, has a “don’t blink or you’ll miss it” feel – which is just wonderful.
More Rugby World Cup:
» SPIRO: Pumas good, the All Blacks very good
» LORD: No surprises in Wallabies team
» Wallabies team announcement
» Rugby World Cup Winners and Losers
» Rugby World Cup fixtures
» Rugby World Cup results
» Rugby World Cup highlights
» Rugby World Cup news and opinion
Not all of the rugby has been inspired or from the top shelf, but every contest has been willing and drenched in colour and atmosphere.
There is a notion in cricket circles that the UK is by far the best location for a world cup, because of the relative proximity of venues to each other, and because the diverse population provides a ready-made cheer squad for all competing nations. The same applies to rugby.
It is one thing for Japan and Georgia to claim famous scalps against the odds, but the emotional reaction of the players, and the sense of occasion was heightened because of the fan’s willingness to be a part of the moment with them.
The opening match at Twickenham will not be remembered so joyously, a curious affair which ended with a predictable enough score-line, but which didn’t play out in the manner most expected.
Fiji bought an impressive physicality, and a set piece that for the most part, exceeded expectations. But somebody forgot to tell them that they were ‘playing England’, not ‘playing like England’. The amount of ball they kicked away was astonishing, big ones, little ones, aimless ones, and the goal-kicking too was sub-par.
Only once did a Fijian player light up the stadium with trademark swerve and speed, halfback Nikola Matawalu jetting 50 metres for what, at first glance, looked to be a thrilling, audacious try. A belated replay told a different story however and, as if put off by the experience, Fiji reverted to kicking. The only thing they have left to kick is themselves.
Post-match, England will have that cliched “we didn’t play well but still came away with a good win, no injuries and plenty to work on in a long tournament”, kind of feeling. Which, while true, doesn’t completely mask deficiencies in the loose and a lame, pedestrian backline.
Much was made of Julie Burgess’ emotions when three of her sons won the 2014 NRL premiership with South Sydney, and she must again have felt proud as punch to watch son Sam make his debut Rugby World Cup appearance for England, off the bench. He acquitted himself well enough too, providing, along with Billy Vunipola, much needed impetus.
France too fall into the same category. Not firing on all cylinders but doing enough to always have control of Italy. They were less fortunate on the injury front, inspirational winger Yoann Huget blowing a knee in a most innocuous looking situation.
Ireland will be well satisfied, putting seven tries and 50 points on Canada, in Cardiff. With the shock of the Japanese result still reverberating, Pool D now looks the most predictable, with France and Ireland left only to jockey for position on their way to the quarter-finals.
In Gloucester, Georgia showed how team spirit and good, old-fashioned grunt in defence still counts for plenty, hanging on for a thrilling 17-10 win against more fancied Tonga.
Tonga dominated possession but took far too long to figure out how to break down the swarming Lelos defence. Georgia had earlier extended their second half lead through a try to flanker “concrete boots” Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, featuring the slowest, most tortured run-in from five metres ever seen in Test rugby.
Words can barely do justice to the effort of the Cherry Blossoms, it is incomprehensible to imagine that their first win in 18 world cup matches would come at the expense of rugby superpower South Africa.
It wasn’t just the result itself, but the manner in which victory was achieved, which was most breathtaking – turning down a likely draw to coolly and ruthlessly work the ball into space for Karne Hesketh to ice the game after the siren. Magnificent.
While Jean de Villiers and Heyneke Meyer were gracious afterwards, there is surely, without taking anything away from Japan, something seriously wrong inside the Bok camp. Desperate fans meanwhile, are left to grasp the two bonus points like hungry beggars, and proceed in hope rather than any certainty.
A buzzing Wembley stadium was the stage for an inspired Pumas display against cup favourite New Zealand. Controlling the ball for long periods, and providing no space for the type of broken field play New Zealand thrives on, for 55 minutes at least the unthinkable seemed possible.
Just as impressive however was the All Blacks’ second half. Without any sense of panic, they upped the intensity and skill level, in the process visibly draining the self-belief from the Pumas.
It was Aaron Smith, once again providing impeccable service from halfback, who finally broke the game open with a darting try. Another major factor was Sonny-Bill Williams, enjoying some of his finest moments in an All Blacks jersey.
If the half-time deficit of one point flattered the All Blacks, in the end the final margin of 10 points probably flattered the Pumas, with Nehe Milner-Skudder and Sam Cane both fumbling certain tries into the Wembly turf.
Make no mistake, Argentina will be a mighty handful for whoever they meet in the quarter finals. New Zealand meanwhile now enters a hiatus period of sorts, looking to navigate their remaining pool games without injury.
With Japan on everybody’s lips, the underlying concern about the role of the TMO, which reared its head as early as game one, took a back seat. But there is a disturbing feeling, rather like that first tingle of a sore throat, that there is bigger trouble still to come.
The issue is complex but manageable, only made more difficult than it needs to be by the introduction of changes immediately at the world cup, rather than earlier in the season, to allow time to bed them in.
Nobody surely has any issue with the right decision being made – in the case of Matawalu’s try reversal – providing that the instigator of the replay is a neutral official and not a partisan TV producer.
Similarly, if the IRB’s edict is to effectively stamp out attacking of the head and neck, then it is up to all players to adjust, or wear the consequences.
But the process, and the boundaries under which the TMOs operate, need clear definition so that everyone, in particular the TMOs themselves, know exactly what is acceptable and what isn’t.
Interrupting play to review a possible incident, on suspicion of something which may or may not have happened phases earlier, is surely unacceptable. If the TMO finds definite evidence of foul play, then that is one thing. Go back and deal with it.
But both Sean Veldsman and George Ayoub seemed too eager to jump in at any suspicious contact, and start a conversation with the referee, instead of first making sure of things in the privacy of the booth.
Nigel Owens again showed why he is the leading whistleblower, by ignoring Ayoub’s determined request to penalise a Georgian forward for incidental neck contact, and getting on with the game. But the point is surely that he shouldn’t have to do that.
The other concern is the time taken over some of the decisions. Why wasn’t one replay of Nemani Nadolo’s try sufficient to confirm the score? Or one replay of Matawalu’s drop? One could even hear Stevie Wonder and Jose Feliciano shouting to get on with it.
For the credibility of the tournament this must be fixed up, and quickly – and to be fair things seemed to function more smoothly at Wembley.
The assumption of course is that the TMOs are up to the task. Let’s face it, the reason George Ayoub is a TMO is because he wasn’t much chop as a referee in the first place.
Otherwise the best we can hope for are more Japan-like surprises, Georgian delight, Irish skill and All Black precision, where the quality of performance leaves no choice but to focus on the positives.