Kobe edge dour affair

 

Vissel Kobe 1

Oita Trinita 0

 

Vissel Kobe grabbed another important win at Kobe Home Stadium to keep alive their dreams of a first J-League title. The opponents were tiny Oita Trinita, an obscure football franchise who are having something of an Indian Summer this season. The game was between two sides, tied at second in the league.

Argentina find some form at last

Argentina could have been excused for feeling apprehensive about the trip to Marseilles to face France last Saturday evening. This despite an extraordinary run against Les Bleus which had seen them win six of the previous encounters, including embarrassing their more illustrious hosts twice in the game’s global showpiece in 2007. Marcelo Loffredo was replaced by the wonderfully named Santiago Phelan and since then Argentina had won just one of their next four encounters.

France failing the virtues of Rugby Union

Marc Lievermont, in the build up to last night’s match against Argentina, spoke of abandoning the ridiculed selection policy he adopted during his first twelve of months in charge of Les Blues, and also to start playing the style of rugby that fans across the globe have become accustomed to from the French.

Intriguing start to the European season

Rugby’s finest global showcase began on Friday night as holders Munster squeezed past tiny Montauban; Biran O’Driscoll was on sparkling form as Leinster won in Edinburgh, and the Ospreys myth continued a pace as they were beaten in Leicester. The weekend’s happenings are discussed at lenght.

Curse of Duncan looms large over Leinster

For Barcelona , read Alfredo di Stefano; For Europe, read Jimmy Demaret; For England, read Australia ; For the Boston Red Sox, read Babe Ruth; and for Leinster , read……… eh……… Duncan Hodge?

Okubo on song as Kobe thrash the hapless Sanga

Vissel Kobe 4

Kyoto Sanga 1

 

On a warm Saturday evening in Kobe, about 20,000 Vissel fans descended on Home Stadium for a game which could make their season. A win could move Vissel Kobe as high as second place, and recent suspensions and injuries had finished. The opposition was Kyoto Purple Sanga another team with high aspirations this season. Kobe are the ultimate underachievers in the J-League, a team with huge financial backing and a large fan base in a city with no baseball team, Kobe were made for big things.

Leinster to edge evening of tension

There is no doubt Leinster Rugby loves days like this. It won’t be long before Van Morrisson is asked to perform on the half way line as the stadium announcer reads out the teams. Great pleasure was taken in hijacking the official site last Monday, loudly boasting the game was “sold out”. Leinster versus Munster is big league now. The 18,500 people will make this the most viewed game anywhere in home nations (excluding the Twickenham scramble) so far this season.

Leinster edge past the Ospreys in tight encounter

A spectacular try from Luke Fitzgerald and two Isa Nacewa drop goals guided the defending champions to a second successive victory after a titanic battle with the Ospreys at the RDS.

Player ratings: Leinster vs Edinburgh

Leinster secured their first win of the season with a six try demolition of a dreadful Edinbugh side at the RDS. Tries from Luke Fitzgerald (3), John Fogarty, Shane Jennings and Chris Keane, plus 22 points from the boot of Felipe Contepomi continued Leinster’s remarkable home form.

Season of promise begins with a stalemate

A try midway through the second half from new signing Isa Nacewa saved Leinster from an opening day defeat to last seasons closest rivals, but Michael Cheika and Alan Gaffney know vast improvement is imperative if this season is to be as fulfilling as many suggest.