Bleater's Blog
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  13. The Six Nations - Happy Days
  14. 2023 Has Arrived
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  32. 2021 at last! A year of renewed hope!
  33. A New Premiership Season
  34. Still NO Grassroots Rugby!!!!!
  35. It Continues - NO GRASSROOTS RUGBY!!
  36. No End In Sight To The Madness
  37. Autumn Internationals BUT Still NO Crowds
  38. We're Back - In Part At Least
  39. The Restart is Still a Long Way Away
  40. When will we play again?
  41. Time for a beer and a haircut!!
  42. It's easing apparently???!!!
  43. Behind Closed Doors or ...... ??
  44. Lockdown or not to lockdown
  45. The Debate Continues
  46. Yet another new page
  47. The Nightmare Continues - the blog
  48. The Season Grinds to a Halt
  49. The Season Moves On
  50. It's Official - The Drought is Over
  51. 6 Nations Starts
  52. Another New Page - Sorry
  53. 6 Nations Beckons
  54. Welcome To A New Decade
  55. It'll soon be over. Xmas that is
  56. Xmas is Coming
  57. Back to the Grassroots Game
  58. Bleater in Japan
  59. The Grassroots Season Starts
  60. Not Long Now!
  61. Japan Still Beckons
  62. Japan Beckons
  63. Nearly Time To Look Ahead
  64. The Summer Break is Here
  65. The Final Countdown
  66. Yet another section of drivel
  67. The Season Continues for a Little Longer
  68. The 6 Nations Continues
  69. Six Nations and More
  70. It's RWC Year!!
  71. Its Definitely Winter
  72. Winter is here. Brrrr!!!
  73. Its the Autumn, soon to be Winter
  74. We Are Off And Running
  75. The New Season Approaches
  76. Still the Summer Tours Go On
  77. The Summer Internationals Plus, Plus
  78. The Season Climax Approaches
  79. Summer is Coming
  80. Another Section, More Drivel
  81. 2018 Already!!!! It'll soon be Xmas
  82. The Season Approaches the Half Way Point
  83. The Season Takes Shape
  84. The Season Starts
  85. More Pre-Season Build Up
  86. Pre-Season and Other Stuff
  87. The Lions Tested
  88. The Lions Roar
  89. We Are Still Counting Down
  90. It's All About The Lions
  91. The Countdown to Season's End
  92. The Season Continues Apace
  93. It's Time for the 6 Nations
  94. 2017 - Let The Fun Begin
  95. The Big Man Will Be Here Soon
  96. Let's Countdown to You Know What
  97. It's Time For Europe
  98. The Season Is Well Underway
  99. At Last Let The Competition Begin
  100. Not Long to the New Season
  101. Not So Much Rugby Now
  102. Still Plenty of Rugby to Debate
  103. The Summer Break
  104. Here Comes Summer
  105. They Think It's All Over
  106. Jones - A New Era
  107. It Was A Grand Slam!!!!
  108. 6 Nations - A Grand Slam??
  109. Six Nations 2016
  110. A New Captain, A New Start
  111. Welcome to 2016
  112. The Countdown to Christmas
  113. Winter Has Arrived
  114. November Movember
  115. The World Cup Is Over
  116. Rugby World Cup Quarters
  117. Rugby World Cup into the knockout stages
  118. Rugby World Cup Day 9 to Day 24
  119. Rugby World Cup Day 1 to Day 8
  120. Sept 9th to Sept 17th
  121. August 24th to September 7th
  122. August 11th to August 23rd
  123. July 16th to August 9th
  124. July 1st to July 15th
  125. June 17th to June 29th
  126. June 2nd to June 16th
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Bleater's Blog
  1. The Season Run In
  2. It’s Six Nations Time!
  3. 2024 Has Arrived
  4. It’s Nearly Here…… January
  5. Countdown to Chri….. January!
  6. RWC 2023 - The Final Approaches
  7. Rugby World Cup 2023 Plus
  8. The Rugby World Cup Approaches
  9. The Summer Break
  10. The Final Countdown
  11. The Summer Tours Up Next
  12. Rugby Continues Thankfully
  13. The Six Nations - Happy Days
  14. 2023 Has Arrived
  15. The Halfway Point of the Season
  16. The Season Continues into Autumn
  17. Here we go! A new season
  18. The Twilight Zone
  19. The Season is Nearly Over
  20. The Six Nations and Some
  21. The 6 Nations Begins
  22. 2022 and All THAT!
  23. Christmas is nearly upon us!!
  24. We’re Still Waiting
  25. The Season Progresses
  26. At Last - We are back
  27. The New Season is Nearly Here
  28. Lions Tests are Here!
  29. The Lions Up next
  30. Now It’s Europe
  31. 6 Nations Beckons
  32. 2021 at last! A year of renewed hope!
  33. A New Premiership Season
  34. Still NO Grassroots Rugby!!!!!
  35. It Continues - NO GRASSROOTS RUGBY!!
  36. No End In Sight To The Madness
  37. Autumn Internationals BUT Still NO Crowds
  38. We're Back - In Part At Least
  39. The Restart is Still a Long Way Away
  40. When will we play again?
  41. Time for a beer and a haircut!!
  42. It's easing apparently???!!!
  43. Behind Closed Doors or ...... ??
  44. Lockdown or not to lockdown
  45. The Debate Continues
  46. Yet another new page
  47. The Nightmare Continues - the blog
  48. The Season Grinds to a Halt
  49. The Season Moves On
  50. It's Official - The Drought is Over
  51. 6 Nations Starts
  52. Another New Page - Sorry
  53. 6 Nations Beckons
  54. Welcome To A New Decade
  55. It'll soon be over. Xmas that is
  56. Xmas is Coming
  57. Back to the Grassroots Game
  58. Bleater in Japan
  59. The Grassroots Season Starts
  60. Not Long Now!
  61. Japan Still Beckons
  62. Japan Beckons
  63. Nearly Time To Look Ahead
  64. The Summer Break is Here
  65. The Final Countdown
  66. Yet another section of drivel
  67. The Season Continues for a Little Longer
  68. The 6 Nations Continues
  69. Six Nations and More
  70. It's RWC Year!!
  71. Its Definitely Winter
  72. Winter is here. Brrrr!!!
  73. Its the Autumn, soon to be Winter
  74. We Are Off And Running
  75. The New Season Approaches
  76. Still the Summer Tours Go On
  77. The Summer Internationals Plus, Plus
  78. The Season Climax Approaches
  79. Summer is Coming
  80. Another Section, More Drivel
  81. 2018 Already!!!! It'll soon be Xmas
  82. The Season Approaches the Half Way Point
  83. The Season Takes Shape
  84. The Season Starts
  85. More Pre-Season Build Up
  86. Pre-Season and Other Stuff
  87. The Lions Tested
  88. The Lions Roar
  89. We Are Still Counting Down
  90. It's All About The Lions
  91. The Countdown to Season's End
  92. The Season Continues Apace
  93. It's Time for the 6 Nations
  94. 2017 - Let The Fun Begin
  95. The Big Man Will Be Here Soon
  96. Let's Countdown to You Know What
  97. It's Time For Europe
  98. The Season Is Well Underway
  99. At Last Let The Competition Begin
  100. Not Long to the New Season
  101. Not So Much Rugby Now
  102. Still Plenty of Rugby to Debate
  103. The Summer Break
  104. Here Comes Summer
  105. They Think It's All Over
  106. Jones - A New Era
  107. It Was A Grand Slam!!!!
  108. 6 Nations - A Grand Slam??
  109. Six Nations 2016
  110. A New Captain, A New Start
  111. Welcome to 2016
  112. The Countdown to Christmas
  113. Winter Has Arrived
  114. November Movember
  115. The World Cup Is Over
  116. Rugby World Cup Quarters
  117. Rugby World Cup into the knockout stages
  118. Rugby World Cup Day 9 to Day 24
  119. Rugby World Cup Day 1 to Day 8
  120. Sept 9th to Sept 17th
  121. August 24th to September 7th
  122. August 11th to August 23rd
  123. July 16th to August 9th
  124. July 1st to July 15th
  125. June 17th to June 29th
  126. June 2nd to June 16th
  127. May 19th to June 1st
  128. May 7th to May 17th
  129. April 28th to May 6th
  130. April 22nd to April 27th
  131. April 13th to April 21st
  132. March 13th to Aprill 11th
  133. March 5th to March 12th
Bleater in Japan
Bleater's Blog 58 of 133

58. Bleater in Japan


Tuesday 5th Nov: 09:00

As I type we are at 38,000ft high over Siberia chasing the sun towards Helsinki. Having had a great lunch, several glasses of champagne and several glasses of Riesling there is no better time than now to bring the curtain down on our Japanese adventure.

Yesterday the “farewell” lunch was excellent so a quiet evening of sushi, a bottle of wine and an early night followed.

Let me start with our tour company Venatour. As many of you know I can moan for Britain but I have found absolutely nothing to moan about on this trip. The organisation, attention to detail and the people have been fantastic. Yes it was eye-wateringly expensive but every aspect was delivered with excellence and you felt regardless of being alone, with a small group or with a large group that you were the most important people in Japan. Guess what? We are looking forward to South Africa 2021 with Venatour.

A mention for the people we travelled with too. I doubt any of them read this but they were great company. The Welsh contingent were excellent fun and really made the first half the tour thoroughly memorable. The second half with the English group was harder as it was a bigger group with several friends travelling together. Nonetheless a great experience. Thank you.

How did the tournament go? Forever and a day there will be the “what if” question. What if England and France had gone ahead? Would things have been different? What if Italy had sprung a huge surprise and beaten New Zealand? We will never know but sadly that will always hang in the air. The Japanese organisation was brilliant with packed stadiums, wildly enthusiastic volunteers, good match day presentations with some amazing games of great quality and others throwing up huge surprises: Japan beating Ireland, Fiji losing to Uruguay. The Japanese people embraced the games and filled the stadiums in the early rounds with their polite enthusiasm. There of course were games of poor quality: Wales v South Africa but inevitably that will always be the case in big tournaments with high stakes. Out of tragedy came a highlight: Yokohama Stadium being playable after Typhoon Hagibis struck. It was a miracle and what a game it was too: Japan beating Scotland to go through to the quarters. If there was one criticism it was the toilet and food facilities in the grounds. Japanese stadia are not set up to sell food and drink so long queues formed and worse of all the toilets were woefully inadequate with very long queues snaking around the concourses most of the time. In the mix of things this was a brilliant World Cup with South Africa worthy winners and the Brave Blossoms doing the tournament and the game as a whole a great service.

Japan is an amazing country and we have been lucky to explore many parts of it. There are huge swathes of the country that are mountainous and tree covered so uninhabitable and there are matching swathes of the country that are sprawling masses of humanity. The countryside is beautiful with amazing vistas, usually against a backdrop of mountains. You wouldn’t call the cities with their towering office and apartment blocks beautiful but with their cavernous underground passageways teeming with shops and restaurants they are fascinating. The temples, shrines castles and parks break things up too. The night-time neon is something to behold and the transport system is excellent whether it be buses, trains, subway or car. The food is great even if at times you question what it is you have eaten. The place is clean and tidy and very safe.

The people are courteous, polite, respectful, diligent and hard-working. Queuing and bowing are art forms perfected by the Japanese people. They are incredibly honest and in the main welcoming of foreigners. It is not always the case but that tends to be in bars and clubs that are very local and for very local people. They are hugely proud of their country and look after it. They are respectful of their history and present it well. If there was a criticism they can be inflexible. When things are ordered and clearly directed then things go well. Trying to go “off piste” is hard and often frowned upon. Basically if it is not on the list it is not possible no matter how very obvious it is to make it possible. Being on a well organised tour, in a very disciplined country going to events with very clear timetables meant it was very infrequently we encountered anything but “open arms” as the welcome. The Japanese are very resilient and resourceful. The way they have coped with Hagibis is testament to that. We in the UK could learn a lot from the Japanese.

Putting all of the above together it has been the most wonderful experience with the rugby almost becoming incidental. Our thoughts are still with those affected by the typhoon and our sincerest thanks go out to Japan and its people and to our great game of rugby.

NIPPON ARAGATO KOZIMAS. SAYONARA.

Sunday 3rd Oct: 11:00(JPN)

Our last full day in Japan before we head home tomorrow and it is a shame we won’t be leaving with a Northern Hemisphere World Cup win to discuss on the flight home but more on this in a moment.

Let me give my view on Friday before we get to England and South Africa. After a morning of touristy stuff and a very tasty bento box for lunch it was off to the game. By the way except for the rice I couldn’t tell you what else was in the bento box but it was delicious. The atmosphere around the Tokyo Stadium was brilliant: really good live bands, great activities to watch and lots of chat with supporters of both Wales and the All Blacks who were disappointed not to be in the final but looking forward to a good game. I think we got a good game. Wales 2nd XV gave a good account of themselves by playing an expansive game and for periods putting the All Blacks under a lot pressure. Hallom Amos and Josh Adams threatened and Rhys Patchell kept things moving. As expected though the All Blacks were too good and their superior ball skills and ability to open up a defence told in the end.

Wales can rightly be proud of their achievements despite never really playing well. Unless Wales can improve their strength in depth across the board then they will always be the bridesmaid and never the bride. Alun Wyn Jones got a rousing send off when he left the field and we can only applaud the contribution of Warren Gatland and his team of coaches to the Welsh game. Likewise Steve Hansen’s record speaks for itself and the cheers for Ben Smith’s tries spoke volumes for his role in the All Blacks success over the years.

A great occasion, a pretty good game, just a shame Wales couldn’t have snuck a win or have been a little closer on the scoreboard.

The evening was rounded off with a very nice traditional Japanese meal with good friends.

So to Saturday. The day dawned brightly and after breakfast it was our last big touristy “tick in the box”. No fancy lunch pre-match just burger and fries then the coach to Yokahama Stadium. The three coachloads of Venatour clients were quietly confident planning their post-match celebrations as we got closer to the ground. Me, I still felt there was a sting in the tail and having some eight weeks ago said the Springboks will win I tried to keep a lid on the optimism. Strangely the events around the ground weren’t a patch on the previous night and it was clear the white of England was the dominant colour. The anthems were belted out and off we went.

Kyle Sinckler going off after two minutes was a huge blow as Dan Cole became a weak link throughout. From that moment there was a strange feeling that all wasn’t right in the England camp. The ferocity of the South African defence was expected but the lack of creativity early on from England, the early penalties conceded by the men in white and the basic mistakes were not in the script. England from where we were sitting seemed to have learned absolutely nothing from Wales defeat to the Boks. They tried and tried again to batter their way through the enormous green wall and when that failed they kicked the ball away. Instead of using the skills of Watson, Daly and May they just kept thundering up the middle. Handre Pollard kept South Africa ahead even though Owen Farrell was on target when required.

England’s scrum was a mess putting to one side Faf de Klerks uncanny ability to feed the ball straight to Dwane Vermeulen and whilst England won plenty of their lineout ball it wasn’t used as effectively as it was in the semi against the All Blacks. As time ticked away England’s heads dropped and for me when King Eddie decided to give George Ford the shepherds crook I felt the writing was on the wall. The Mapimpi try was a thing of beauty but it could so easily have been called back and Cheslin Kolbe’s try was at a stage when I think England had just about exhausted their reserves of energy. England were hugely disappointing and yet again with no expense spared they have failed to deliver when it really mattered.

A couple of observations: I said pre and post the All Blacks game that that was the World Cup Final and that win might have sapped some of the fire and desire out of the team. Having watched New Zealand miss-fire in the lineout against Wales and in the same game produce sloppy passing and uncharacteristic handling errors perhaps the win over the All Blacks might not have been as impressive as first thought (debate?). Finally whilst they will never admit was there a tad of over-confidence in the England camp, not necessarily overtly but sublimily.

Despite some in the crowd thinking Jerome Garces was bias and poor I thought he had a good game. I was disappointed with England’s attitude with regard to accepting defeat gracefully and the medal that goes with it. I also have to say there were some in the crowd supporting England who were an embarrassment. Big mouthed, ill-informed morons. Hey ho!

Well done South Africa.

The journey back as very subdued but we still stayed out until 01:30 helping the Boks celebrate and the English drown their sorrows.

Friday 1st Nov: 10:45(JPN)

Today is the day of the game no-one wants to be in, the Bronze Final. We’ll be there as will many others including many Kiwis based on the throng of them at Haneda Airport yesterday afternoon. The general consensus is a New Zealand win and a comfortable one at that but the sincere hope is for an entertaining game. Only time will tell.

Obviously all eyes are on the final and for the first time anyone can remember King Eddie has named an unchanged side. There is much talk about whether England can repeat the outstanding performance of the semi-final. I personally don’t think they will but I think they will still have enough to beat South Africa. There is one caveat to that and that is they must play an open game as they did against the All Blacks. If they get into an arm wrestle and allow South Africa to frustrate then things could go horribly wrong. Cheslin Kolbe returns and whilst one player doesn’t make a team that is a big boost for the Boks. He is electric.

We were with the venerable Mick Cleary last night and he outlined how calm everyone in the England camp is. He was at the morning press conference and had expected some angst and nerves to show through but no there was just a sense of serenity amongst all those he spoke to. Not of over-confidence or smugness but simply one of knowing what is expected and that is what they will deliver.

After posting Wednesday’s missive we went back to the beach as planned. The evening was spent with our fellow travellers with a few beers, some sparkling sake and a couple of bags of nibbles. This unfortunately was instead of the planned for sunset cruise which was cancelled at the last minute. We then enjoyed an excellent BBQ. Several different cuts of meat, a stack of vegetables and of course the obligatory large bowl of rice was accompanied by the local hooch which is called awamori, a vodka like spirit. It was great fun cooking on the BBQ set in the middle of our table and discovering the many sauces and spices they give you to cook with.

The next day we awoke to the news that the Shuri Castle in Naha City, a world heritage site and one of Japan’s most revered temples had been burnt to the ground. Whilst the building itself only dates back to 1945 when it was rebuilt after being destroyed by the US army there has been a castle/temple on the site for over 600 years. The place was completely destroyed in the devastating blaze and the story even this morning dominates the headlines.

The flight from Okinawa to Tokyo was seamless so once checked-in to the hotel and unpacked for the final time it was off to Cooch’s tavern. Present were Shane Williams, Ian Robertson, Mick Cleary and Steve Smith (he is a paying Venatour traveller). Mrs Bleater and I had a long chat with Shane about many things but of course about last weekend’s game. No surprise that he was as disappointed as we were and not only with the result. He was confident the boys would give it a real go but felt the All Blacks will have too much firepower and will prevail.

It was pretty unanimous amongst the pundits that England will lift the trophy but they were also consistent in the view it will be a tighter affair than many expect. We’ll know by Sunday morning.

Before I go a quick mention for the Friday Club who will be watching the Wales v New Zealand match at the club today, keep up the good work and I look forward to getting back into the fold in a couple of weeks time.

Wednesday 30th Oct: 14:15(JPN)

The weather here in Okinawa is gorgeous, so much so it is acceptable to come away from the beach at lunch time to grab a cold beer and write a blog.

Let us start with the rugby. Jerome Garces has been awarded the final ahead of the injured Nigel Owens leaving Wayne Barnes doing Wales v New Zealand, this being his retirement gift from World Rugby. Garces has been under the spotlight since Sunday as there were accusations he changed his approach to certain situations in the closing 10 minutes or so of Sunday’s semi, changes that were to the benefit of South Africa. Move on is what I say.

England have been hit with a four figure fine for their “v” shaped acceptance of the haka. Allegedly some of the players crossed the halfway line in contravention of World Rugby rules. What a load of tosh. Let teams do what they want or stop New Zealand and the other South Sea Islanders doing the haka.

Yet again the RFU have screwed grassroots rugby. It is reported there is a £6m bill awaiting the RFU if England win the World Cup. With no insurance and an England win, which is not certain, where will the money come from? The funding that was earmarked for the grassroots of course. Likewise if King Eddie is kept on with his enormous salary then grassroots rugby will be hit yet further.

Lots of chatter about selection: Kyle Sinckler, Owen Farrell and Johnny May are all rumoured to be fit so I go for an unchanged side. If he is fit South Africa are certain to bring Cheslin Kolbe straight back into the starting line-up.

South Africa have said they won’t change their style for England and state you “write us off at your peril”.

Wales and New Zealand have made a raft of changes for the Bronze Final as Warren Gatland and Steve Hansen face off in their farewell games. Looking at the teams New Zealand clearly have the edge and like a wounded dog will be wanting to bite back following the England defeat. As much as I want a Wales win I would rather see an open exciting contest in this consolation prize of a game than a turgid affair like we saw last Sunday.

Some fascinating stories about the lengths people are going to to see the World Cup Final. Mrs Bleater and I will be there cheering for England as our tickets are secure in the hotel safe and all the plans in place to get us to and from Yokohama Stadium.

Okinawa prefecture is made up of a number of islands of which Okinawa is the largest. It is about 2.5 to 3 hours flying time away from Tokyo and has a population of about 1.6m. Being on the same latitude as Miami and Cancun it has a very pleasant year round climate. Okinawa was once an independent kingdom with it being under the US administration post World War II before being ceded back to Japan in the 1950s. During the 1941-45 conflict with the United States Okinawa saw one of the fiercest land battles of the campaign with approximately 240,000 killed. Once away from the urban sprawl the island is famed for its beaches, its abundant wildlife, its varied sealife including many very dangerous species of fish and sea snakes and of course it’s beautiful scenery.

Having enjoyed the beach, the sea and the pool we ventured out last night. Our plan A restaurant was packed, our plan B restaurant was closed but we struck lucky as the young couple just closing up their Mexican style bistro took pity on the group of six of us and reopened to serve us. The food was great, they were great and the craic was good to boot. Three of us then blagged our way into the grand opening party of the restaurant next door and listened to an amazing band from Osaka.

As soon as I have finished this it is back to the beach for another beer and then a swim. For me there is the added bonus of the hotel being close to a US military base so there are C135 Hercules, USMC helicopters, USMC Ospreys, Boeing troop carriers and even the big US airforce AWAC flying low over the beach. It’s like being at Fairford. Happy Days.

Tuesday 29th Oct: 10:00(JPN)

The morning after the morning after! Having mulled over the events of Sunday evening I have come to the same conclusion: the semi-final between Wales and South Africa was a very poor affair indeed. Two sides bereft of ideas on how to break down rock solid defences with the only tactic applied by either side being to kick and chase or to pass short and try and bully your way through the man in front of you. The skill levels were equally poor with wayward passing and an inability to retain possession. This was perhaps one of the worst games of the tournament.

It was a World Cup semi-final so you can expect nerves to be jangling and semi-finals are often close fought tense affairs but why Wales didn’t try and keep the big South African wildebeests moving around as Japan tried to do I don’t know. Wales played into the Boks hands and when they did try and move the ball they were simply unable to create any space to break through. I think several players were playing carrying injuries and I question whether Dan Biggar had had an early knock to the head which seem to cloud his judgement. At one point he froze like a startled rabbit in the headlights. Wales losing was not as disappointing as the way they lost.

That said South Africa were equally dire and one dimensional. Handre Pollard was the only bright light but even then compared to the lights we saw in the England v All Black encounter a pretty dim light. South Africa played like the playground bullies but never quite getting control over the little kids who stubbornly resisted their advances. Faf de Klerk faffed around and the midfield had their moments scoring a try through weak Welsh tackling. If the men in green have any chance against England on Saturday a dramatic transformation is required.

I haven’t trawled through the papers yet for injury news or other rugby updates yet but what I can tell you is Liam Williams’ injury looks quite bad. He is in a substantial boot and on crutches. We saw him as we left the hotel yesterday morning.

We have left Tokyo for Okinawa. ANA was our carrier for the three hour flight south. A tiny cup of juice is all they provide so we stocked up on food and beer to keep us going. Slightly bizarre that you can take your own beer on board but who is complaining. Okinawa airport is an active airforce base so plenty of F15s, AWACS and other surveillance aircraft on view. The journey to the resort was about an hour long which took us past the city of Naha and other large towns and many industrial complexes. Gone were the traditional Japanese style gable ended houses and the large apartment blocks, in were the Southern Mediterranean style flat rooved square two and three story houses and apartments. The rice fields were replaced by field after field of sugar cane. The pine tree covered mountains gave way to more tropical species with the highway lined by palm trees.

The resort is beautiful overlooking a golden sandy beach with a large swimming pool and a variety of (expensive) restaurants. Happy Hour works with all you can drink between 18:00 and 19:30 for £16, a challenge we rose to with excellence. A day of R&R and a nice dip in the Philippine Sea beckoning plus some research into the history of the island for tomorrow’s missive.

Thanks to Geoff, Paddy, Bill and many others for your feedback. It would be great to have views on the final. Forget the Bronze Final as that will be a walk in the park for the Kiwis. Bleater@crowbroughrugby.com

Sunday 27th Oct: 23:00(JPN)

What a crock of shite. I am more disappointed by the quality of the game than the result. I have the game on the TV as I type and quite frankly it is no better. At half time I asked Coochy, who was equally frustrated, if I could get my money back from World Rugby under the Trade Description Act. If there had been a net across the half way line you could have been excused for thinking you were at Wimbledon watching a new sport of kick tennis. You wouldn’t have minded if the kicking had been accurate rather than the rubbish we watched and to make matters worse the fielding of the kicks was woeful.

Both sides were bereft of ideas and if South Africa think they have any chance of beating England based on tonight’s performance then they have to dramatically change their plans. Wales will get hammered by New Zealand on Friday night if they don’t think more creatively. Dan Biggar was poor and it might not have come across on the TV but his whinging at the officials was embarrassing. George North limping off was disappointing but in truth he has done nothing of note in the tournament. Jonathan Davies and Hadleigh Parkes were both playing injured and that didn’t help and whilst Leigh Halfpenny did his best from start to finish but we missed Liam Williams.

The South African try was a result of three missed tackles whereas the Welsh try was well worked.

Jake Ball was a lucky boy. On a different day that head to head contact could have been serious.

Jerome Garces did well and might just get the final.

The atmosphere was strange as there were lots of Kiwis, Aussies and the Irish in addition to the vast numbers of English present. The Welsh outnumbered the Boks but it was still a bit muted. The highlight of the evening was Sweet Caroline at half time.

A massive well done to the Japanese and the organisers: loads going on before the game, plenty of beer and food stalls on hand and the access and exit to the ground was so easy despite the security measures in place.

Before I wrap up as I need to pack for our trip to Okinawa it was great to bump into Dr Mark Ironmonger in the stadium. He was on good form.

Hope to be back tomorrow from Okinawa with perhaps a more measured view.

Sunday 27th Oct: 11:00(JPN)

Let me start at Steel Cross where the boys enjoyed a hard fought win against Old Alleynians in what sounds very trying conditions. A win is a win and I’ll take that later today when Wales and South Africa go head to head.

What a win for England. Before the game there was the usual mix of optimism, hope and expectation mixed with the thought that the men in white would crumble in the face of the mighty All Blacks. They weren’t so mighty yesterday. England were terrific with their defence being as good as I have seen for a very long time. They snuffed out the All Black attacks time and time again and won the battles at the breakdown, lineout and scrum. Being objective the All Blacks looked weary and indecisive and that certainly contributed to England’s dominance but the bottom line is England won and won it well.

At last there appeared to be a Plan B, C and even D. The scrum and lineout were the platform and the backs used the ball wisely and kept the All Blacks on the back foot. Maro Itoje was simply immense as was Courtney Lawes. George Ford at #10 pulled the strings and Ben Youngs was back to his best. As the game developed you had to question the selection of Scott Barrett at #6 as he was ponderous and out of his depth on the flank. Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett failed to ignite the New Zealand back line and when they did get going they were cut down by thumping tackles from all the men in white.

The supporters around us were quite rightly euphoric but I have to say some were not best behaved and some of the comments about the TMO decisions were wide of the mark. In no order, the Sam Underhill try was a marginal call and having watched it in the pub post-match it could have gone either way. I think it was the right call. Chalking off Ben Youngs try was a result of technology spotting a knock-on in the maul. Hotly debated in the pub by some with the Red Rose eye patch on but I think the officials got this one spot on. Where I think a tougher line could have been taken was with Henry Slade. On another day in another competition with a different referee he might have had ten minutes on the naughty step. Likewise I think Sam Whitelock should have warmed his backside for ten too after being a brain dead muppet. I thought Nigel Owens refereed with empathy and despite the abuse from a minority in the crowd he added to the game.

A couple of small niggles. Anthony Watson obviously had a serious smack to the head. With eight players on the bench I was surprised he didn’t go off for a HIA. It was quite a clout. Owen Farrell had a smack to the face too but I felt he milked that in an attempt to get Sam Whitelock off the field. If he didn’t milk it then again I am surprised he didn’t get checked out. People who witter on constantly as if they are a cross between the late great Bill McClaren and Miles Harrison but actually know jack about our great game need to shut up. Finally there are some in the crowd who were better suited to the terraces of any soccer ground. There is a certain etiquette associated with our great game and it isn’t hurling abuse at the supporters of your opponents.

In summary it was a very good game to watch and England were excellent and now must be considered run away favourites to lift the trophy.

Who will stand in their way will depend on today. I think Wales can beat the South Africans but my head says we won’t. This is based on our poor showing to date and our inability to be creative when we have the ball. I am also concerned about the fitness of key players such as Jonathan Davies and the strength of the South African bench. Bottle up the pocket rocket Faf de Klerk and thwart the juggernaut of a pack then we are in with a chance. Never say never and wow wouldn’t an England v Wales final be something to behold.

We are now back in Tokyo after leaving a very hot a sunny Nagasaki behind to land Tokyo on the back of quite a rain storm. It was a hair raising flight to say the least but with a nun on board our safety was guaranteed. It took forever to get to the hotel because of flooded roads but we still made it to the evening with Coochy, Ian Robertson and Martyn Williams. That was good fun.

Yesterday was touristy stuff pre-match then post-match we jumped on the subway and went to Shibuya. This is where the most famous of Tokyo’s mass crossing is. There were thousands of people there under the glare of the neon advertising hoardings. With Halloween just around the corner many of the youngsters were in serious fancy dress but based on Japanese fashion who knows. It was bonkers.

Off to the tropical island of Okinawa tomorrow morning so a report on Wales might be delayed.

Thursday 24th Oct: 15:45(JPN)

Not sure how many people are still reading this nonsense but if you are “aragato”. Another laugh out loud moment today with Mrs Bleater telling me to be quiet but more on this later.

How was last night? Pretty damn good actually. Got soaked on the way to the restaurant as expected as lovely Japanese lady on terry had predicted we would as “rots of rain in Nagasaki”. Having seen how it was done previously the Shuba Shuba was a piece of cake last night. Actually it was two boxes of beautiful thinly sliced beef and pork and a stack of vegetables cooked in broth served with rice, noodles and a load of unpronounceable spices plus of course a couple of Kirin. It was great fun and I think the restaurant staff were mighty impressed at us knowing what to do, and how to order in Japanese. The paying wasn’t painful either as it was great value.

The rain had relented post meal so a gentle stroll back to the hotel for a night cap watching the Fukuoka Sea Hawks win the Japanese equivalent of the World Series. Baseball is huge in Japan and the result was lead story on the news along with the path of typhoon 21 which thank goodness will skirt Japan.

After a good breakfast of crispy noodles and vegetables, squid, ham and prawns in a sweet sticky goo with Worcestershire Sauce added for good measure it was out before the rain arrived. Yes the Japanese lady on the terry said “lots rain today”. We strolled along the Dejima Wharf to Oura Cathedral and then onto Glovers Gardens where the “guygokojin” or foreigners settled in the latter half of the 19th century. An enormous cruise ship was berthed in the harbour and dwarfed everything else within sight. It made an interesting backdrop to the views from high up on the hill and the gardens. Lots of colonial style houses and nicely tended gardens all well-presented. Sadly the weather took a hold which slightly dampened the enthusiasm but it remained well worth the visit. On the way down we invested £4.80 in an additional umbrella which served us well until the rain became torrential and the thunder and lightning rolled in. After a sandwich and a coffee and a gentle stroll around the covered shopping arcades we gave in and headed back to the hotel for a cold beer or two and some R&R.

As we sat down for our sandwich and coffee so the Beach Boys and the “Sloop John B” came on. Being another oft sung tour song when we were with the Aberdare “massive” and Sean I joined in rather too loudly much to the merriment of the locals but the embarrassment of Mrs Bleater. By the way despite today’s rain this is not the worst trip, this is still (one of) the best trip(s) I have ever been on.

Nagasaki is a small but vibrant port city on the island of Kyushu. It is a gateway to China via the East China Sea. The tram network is limited but covers all the key tourist locations costing £1 a journey regardless of the number of stops. The trams are old and shake, rattle and roll but that adds to their appeal.

The All Blacks have announced their squad. Scott Barrett makes a slightly surprising move from the bench to blindside flanker with Sam Cane going the other way. The world’s best player; Beauden Barrett remains at full back with Richie Mo’unga pulling the strings at 10. It is a very strong side with a powerful bench.

King Eddie still hasn’t announced his side but I expect Ford at 10, Farrell at 12 and Tuilagi at 13. My best guess will be an otherwise unchanged side that is unless Johnny May is not fit. If that is the case then Jack Nowell starts.

In other news Prince Charles called in at the Welsh training session. Great observation your highness but we all the South Africans are “bloody big buggers”. He would have seen Jonathan Davies training which hopefully means he is fit and ready for the semi-final.

Michael Cheika and his boss at the ARU; Raelene Castle had to be separated during a function held at the Australian embassy recently. Players had to intervene as things became heated. What a sorry state of affairs.

That’ll do for now. We fly to Tokyo tomorrow (sod you Extinction Rebellion) so I have no idea when the next missive might be. Keep reading though and your thoughts on the semis would be most welcome. Bleater@crowboroughrugby.com

Wednesday 23rd Oct: 16:30(JPN)

A little bit to add to yesterday’s adventures. When we arrived in Nagaski at 12:49 precisely because that was the time the train was due to arrive we went straight to the hotel, just 90 seconds walk away. As we strolled into the foyer we were met by a very nice girl that advised us check-in was not until 14:00 precisely. Didn’t matter whether the room was ready or not if Japan lady says 2pm check-in then it is 2pm check-in. This is one minor downside of Japanese culture; they can be a little inflexible.

The weather was hot so we went for a gentle stroll to the Dejima water front. This was the entry and exit point for all trade in the 16th century when the Dutch ruled the roost and had a monopoly on trade with a “closed” Japan. As it was a public holiday: the Emperors enthronement, there were lots of people in the park and along the waterfront soaking up the rays. We did much the same by walking to the Dutch quarter and then back to the waterfront where a couple of large glasses of Kirin awaited. Kirin, another fine Japanese beer.

After a long hot day we had an early night but not until we had enjoyed a bottle of wine and some nibbles from the Family Mart. Blimey Bleater that’s boring. Maybe, but tonight it is out on the town followed by Shuba Shuba: the cook your own meat and vegetables in hot spicy broth accompanied by all things Japanese: rice and noodles.

Before I get to the rugby, this morning was a trip to the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Park and Museum. No less harrowing than Hiroshima, no less difficult on the emotions. The park was beautifully done with touching memorials to the dead enhanced by sculptures gifted by many nations. The museum was difficult as it was less crowded than Hiroshima therefore you had more time to dwell at the exhibits and take in the true horror of what happened on August 9th 1945 at 11:02. As was the case in Hiroshima no punches were pulled and the madness of nuclear weapons became very clear. The real nightmare is the fingers on the trigger right now are people with little self-control and the thought of North Korea and/or Iran getting nuclear weapon capability fills me with dread. As I said last time I defy anyone not to struggle to hold back the tears.

A couple of thoughts. The bombs did bring an end to the conflict and whilst 150,000 people lost their lives in Nagasaki it probably saved many more with the declaration of peace. On the flight to Japan I watched a film about Red Joan who gave the Russians the secrets of atomic weaponry. Found guilty of treason history might just prove she ultimately did the world a favour. A good film, try and watch it.

The rest of the day has been spent visiting shrines, temples and other tourist attractions such as the Meganebashi Bridgh aka Spectacles Bridge. With the weather forecast to rain we retreated to the hotel to catch up on the news. By the way the rain arrived precisely at 15:40 as forecast by Japanese lady on terry.

The rugby news is pretty bland. King Eddie is shooting his mouth off again. He is such an arse. Winding up the opposition achieves nothing. He also believes his training sessions have been spied on. God that must have been boring for the spy: kick, chase, smash up front, kick, chase, smash up front, second verse same as the first just a little bit louder, a little bit worse.

Moriarty tells of his relief only to receive a yellow card. Yep! Probably rightly so.

Jaco “the elbow” Peyper has been removed from the spotlight with Nigel Owens taking centre stage with England v New Zealand and Jerome Garces handling Wales v South Africa.

Wales have called up wing Owen Lane to replace Josh Navidi. I would have gone for Scott Williams as we are short of centre cover.

Michael Cheika resigns. No surprise there.

Now to an apology: there will be many great players retiring after this tournament but I want to applaud two. Rory Best and Michael Leitch have been amazing servants to their country and I stand and applaud their contribution to our great game.

I also apologise for not mentioning Hove v Crowborough. It sounds as if it was a good game in which we nearly came back from being a long way behind to snatch victory. Well done boys.

Tuesday 22nd Oct: 16:30(JPN)

Let’s get Jaco Peyper out of the way first. There are two schools of thought here. Firstly it was light hearted banter but secondly it was misguided and an ill-timed gesture by a referee who might have been in line for the final. Having read all the articles and looked at picture I think there is an element of naivety in Peyper’s action but in the mix of things it is pretty harmless stuff. Rather than looking inwardly at the row between coach and players, the appalling action of Vahaamahina, and their pretty ordinary contribution to the game over the last few seasons the French will whinge like spoilt brats over this, maybe to deflect attention. Move on.

England are in Disneyland. You couldn’t make it up but it is true. We think either the Boks or Wales will be staying in our hotel in Tokyo when we arrive there in three days time.

The salary cap investigation has been delayed until after the World Cup. Yawn!

Brexit. Mickey and Minnie Mouse and even Pluto could do a far better job than any of our politicians and by the way when is John Bercow going to be strung up by his gonads for treason?

We had one last drink with our travelling companions yesterday evening before an early night. This morning we waved goodbye to Sean Holley, who has been an absolute star, when we left Fukuoka for Nagasaki. The train journey was fantastic. Not a shinkansen but an express that wound its way through the outskirts of Fukuoka before passing many small towns and villages. After about an hour we hit the coast when the train twisted and turned as it followed the contours of the bays that bordered the track side. Some stunning views to say the least.

This was our final train journey so we took the opportunity to follow the example of the Japanese and had a bento box for lunch. A bento box is basically a packed lunch of rice and fish and other bitesize snacks. Absolutely delicious and great fun. When we arrived at the station we burst out laughing much to the bemusement of the locals. Playing on the tannoy system was The Beatles and Yesterday, this being a tour favourite of the past few weeks we just found so apt and really quite amusing.

The weather is again searingly hot so we are taking a few minutes to unpack, get our bearings before heading back out for the rest of the evening. The Peace Memorial is the No.1 agenda item for tomorrow.

I’ll leave it there and the picture is us with our Sean and Naomi our Japanese “lifeguard”.

Monday 21st Oct: 17:40(JPN)

I am not going to apologise for the lateness of the blog because after all I am on holiday and there are extenuating circumstances too. The journey to Oita Stadium is about 2 hours 30 minutes so by the time you get out of the ground on the bus then stop for a pee break after an hour it is close to 10 pm by the time you are back at the hotel. Based on the fact some of our fantastic touring party were leaving this morning we had to have a drink and of course there was a game to discuss so the blog went out of the window. Just after midnight after one too many celebratory G&Ts is not a good time to write a blog.

Then this morning feeling somewhat fragile it was necessary to get some sea air and a stroll along the beach. After that it was time to catch the bus for the farewell lunch for those of our fantastic party who leave tomorrow which included copious amounts of free drink so it would have been madness to try and put words on a page. Thankfully I am now safely back in the room with a cold soft drink: Sapporo one of the many local beers and can give you my view on yesterday’s games.

It was never in doubt that Wales were going to win. Mrs Bleater had her lucky knickers on so why worry. Worry, there was a palpable air of nervousness around the ground and when the French anthem was belted out with enthusiasm there was that “oh shit” moment when you realised this might not be as easy as everyone had predicted. A fact enhanced when Jonathan Davies was missing from the line-up. The French were by far the better side playing some great rugby. The second try was the French at their best. The atmosphere around the stadium became one of French delight and typical Welsh gloom and doom. Wales missed too many tackles and at times the kicking made no sense, and when it did make sense it was inaccurate.

Never write this Welsh side off however and never expect the French to keep a lid on proceedings. Aaron Wainwright kept us in it and then in the second half came the turning point; the sending off of Sebastien Vahaamahina. It was an outrageous act of foul play which disgraced the game and the French. From then on there was always a chance for a Wales victory. The poor defending of the first half was gone and the more resolute defence of old was back. France with a man down struggled at the scrum and Wales stopped making silly mistakes and started to play what was in front of them. The screw ever so slowly was being turned but that said the French playing a man down were still threatening. Then with nails down to the quick, nerves jangling and heart rate soaring came the Moriarty try. I thought Piper was very eager to cancel it but the ball didn’t go forward and was touched down correctly. Elation, relief, joy and many other emotions before the final whistle and Wales being awarded the “get out of jail free” card.

France deserved to win that game but they didn’t. Wales did and if there was some sort of omen it must be that Wales can only get better and if George North decides to join in the fun at some point then please don’t write the Welsh off yet.

The injury to Josh Navidi looks as if he is on his way home with no further part to play. Jonathan Davies remains doubtful but fingers crossed.

Jaco Peyper might be in a spot of bother. More on this tomorrow.

The South Africans spoilt the party by beating Japan. The Japanese gave it a good go though and that gives hope to Wales. By the miracle of modern technology we watched this game on the coach on the way to the hotel from the ground. Watching was accompanied by plenty of singing, not from yours truly of course, but plenty from those who know how to hit a note correctly. The Boks were just a little too streetwise for the Japanese and they snuffed out their lightening quick attacks, not easily but effectively. Faf de Klerk ran the show again and eventually the big Springbok forwards took control. It was a good game though with plenty of open play and plenty of bruising encounters. Despite going out Japan can feel rightly proud of their contribution. The tournament continues without them but I am certain the enthusiasm of the locals won’t be diminished.

Tomorrow we travel to Nagasaki but very sadly without the group who we have just spent many happy and laughter filled days with. We wish them all well on their journeys home. Mind you one of the party when recommending reading this guff said “you’ll enjoy it but he is right of Ghengis Khan”. I’ll take that as compliment in this lily-livered, bleeding heart, politically correct world that we live in.

Saturday 19th Oct: 23:00(JPN)

I know all you want to hear about is the England game but I am going to do it chronologically. As you know we arrived safely in Fukuoka and are now staying in an enormous Hilton Hotel on the sea front a little way away from downtown.

After posting yesterday’s blog we headed into town for the Venatour Cooch’s tavern. Free drink and free food were laid on in a nice bar/restaurant. Coochy was on fine form and we were able to reacquaint ourselves with Lee Mears. Sean Holley, Lee, and Tom May were the guests doing a Q&A about the tournament thus far and the prospects of both England and Wales. It was good stuff. I took the opportunity to chat to Tom about Sevenoaks who he played for last season. He holds many of the same opinions as us in that there are local clubs who have gone down the paying player route and this is a recipe for disaster at the grassroots level.

Once the free food and drink was finished it was decamp to the paying bar where the “Follow Wales” element basically took over and sang their hearts out for several hours. I was asked if I knew the words to many of the songs and of course I did. I was somewhat put out when I was asked if I could just mime rather than try and sing. Mrs Bleater belted them out with gusto. Sean Holley was choir master or perhaps ring master would be better.

Breakfast beckoned before the early bus to Oita. For us it was the second trip but for many who had only arrived this week, some just on Friday it was all very exciting. We also found ourselves unable to lounge about like rock stars on the coach as the new arrivals filled the vehicle. Our stadium seats were right down the front, a little bit too low down for our taste but with no-one in front we had a great view. We also had the very great pleasure of finally hooking up with Shorty and Faye.

So to the game itself. It was nice to be able to sit and watch fairly impartially. I thought Australia started really well and looked a real threat. England’s defence was excellent and that set the tone for the game. England looked composed for the most part although I still thought they kicked when ball in hand would have been the better option. There was a steely determination about the team which I think has been missing for some time. Though Tom Curry was a good pick for man of the match I thought Ben Youngs played very well as did Sam Underhill. For Australia Kurtley Beale did his best and the Marika Koroibete try was something else. England were mighty impressive and will definitely give the All Blacks a game. It would be churlish to pick fault but Slade was clearly not battle hardened and I am still convinced George Ford is King Eddie’s best option at #10. In summary England were very good and only in the closing stages did the Aussies lose the plot a little.

We got to watch most of the Ireland v All Blacks game on the journey home and whilst Ireland weren’t bad I feel the men in black never really needed to get out of third gear. England v New Zealand is going to be a cracker. We can’t wait.

I love Australia and most of the Aussies I’ve met are great. Tonight dispelled the myth a little as we encountered some seriously sore losers. I can be a pillock but a couple of them overstepped the mark and I was forced into saying something to highlight the point that they lost a game of rugby unlike many Japanese who have lost much more due to the typhoon. Mrs Bleater was quite proud as twenty plus years ago I might have taken a different course of action.

Good luck to the boys who weather permitting will be kicking off against Hove shortly and good luck to Twickenham RFC the club of John a fellow tourist and a top bloke who might have a marble or two missing because he reads this crap.

The big one beckons: Wales v France tomorrow. Wales at full strength and the enticing prospect of facing either Japan or South Africa. 11:00 we depart for the ground for several hours of nail biting.

Friday 18th Oct: 16:00(JPN)

Not long now before the quarter-finals start. Ireland look a strong side on paper but are they up to the task. Will Johnny Sexton fire on all cylinders and can Connor Murray keep his forwards moving forward and service the backs with quick ball. The Irish will miss the bullocking runs of Bundee Aki. I go New Zealand and it could be an easy run to the semis for them.

Michael Cheika has thrown a curve ball into the mix with the selection of Jordan Petaia. The 19 year old is ready according to the abrasive Aussie and states he has no qualms about the ability of the 6ft 3in, 15st 6lbs youngster. I am surprised by the omission of the experienced Bernard Foley and the selection of Christian Lealifano at #10. I would have started with Matt Toomua for whom the English would be of no concern. Kerevi is going to be a threat and watching him against Tuilagi will be like watching two rampaging bison on heat. Kurtley Beale and Reece Hodge will be a threat going forward but will need the ball and this is where I think England have the edge. The English forwards seem fitter and more dynamic than the Aussies. That said the Aussies, unlike England who have had an easy ride, are battle hardened. Too close to call is my view.

For the record I still think King Eddie’s selection is conservative and defensive and this could open the door for a Wallaby win.

What a shame that Uruguay’s World Cup has been tainted after two players were arrested after assaulting a member of staff in a night club. The Japanese are wonderful people so why someone would want to start a fight in a night club beggars belief.

How was last night? Excellent in a word. We stopped off at an Irish pub for a beer and a rerun of the Wales v Uruguay game. Wales were worse than I thought on the day. We then strolled through the narrow lanes of Kyoto to the restaurant we had identified. Restaurant is a loose description as it was basically a small bar with 6 stools in front and three small indoor gas barbecues sat atop the bar counter. We ordered our steak, vegetables and side salad which was substantial and off we went. Cook your vegetables first then piece by piece your steak. Liberal helpings of soy sauce and a nice glass of red wine and there you have it a great meal and great fun.

A gentle stroll back through the lamp lit lanes; a mix of hotels, restaurants, houses and sleazy night clubs where scantily clad ladies do what scantily clad ladies do. We did stop at a convenience store for a couple of tiramisu and a bottle of wine to round the evening off back in our hotel. I have been asked about the wine and I may have misled you the good readers. Wine in bars and hotels is prohibitively expensive as a norm. In the supermarkets it is much more reasonable but most hotels frown on you sneaking wine back to your room so generally we have stuck to beer which is about £6 a pint.

Right now we are on the shinkansen to Fukuoka. Nothing new to report; simply an excellent service where the train crew bow as they enter and leave each carriage. Actually there is one difference: it is raining. I understand Crowborough has been inundated with the stuff whereas here today it is the only second time we have had any rain at all. The forecast for tomorrow is good and even better for Sunday.

This will be the last few days with our touring partners as many go home after the quarters and some like us go their separate ways until the semis. It is a great mix of people. There are several couples like us, two brothers, a single female traveller, four great blokes from Aberdare (my grandmother’s home town) plus Sean Holley and the lovely Naomi our Japanese guide from …………… Oxford. For much of the time we all do our own thing but when we get together it is a good crack and thankfully timekeeping is important to all.

Tonight we meet up with the rest of the Venatour groups and hopefully, whilst he is not with Venatour, one David Shortland and his lovely wife Faye. I am a miserable bugger at the best of time so Mrs Bleater is awfully worried that even this deep into our trip I still haven’t found anything to moan about. Venatour have been thus far excellent. If you are thinking Lions 2021 then think Venatour.

Finally, what separates a tier one nation and a tier two nation?

Hadrian’s Wall

A Scotsman walks into a bar. There was supposed to be a Welshman, an Englishman and an Irishman there too but they were all in Japan.

Thursday 17th Oct: 16:30(JPN)

Let’s do the rugby news first. George Ford is dropped for the match against Australia. Wow! I didn’t see that one coming. I thought the Ford/Farrell axis had worked well and had helped open space up for England’s back three. Henry Slade fills Farrell’s spot alongside Manu Tuilagi. Personally I would have had Tuilagi on the bench with Slade alongside Farrell. In the forwards Mako Vunipola gets the nod ahead of Joe Marler with brother Billy being fit to take the No.8 shirt. Courtney Lawes starts ahead of George Kruis. Again, not what I would have done. Lawes can be a liability so is this a risk? In my opinion this is a safe selection with King Eddie giving himself the option to bring Ford on as the game develops. The bolder option would have been having Ford start. Will the Wallabies interpret this as England being negative and therefore vulnerable?

Sean Cronin is out of the tournament with Rob Herring flown in as cover. If he is thrown straight into action he will face the strongest possible New Zealand side. A side with Beauden Barrett at full-back and Richie Mo’unga at #10. The pack looks awesome. Even with Ireland at their best I can only see one winner here.

There is a great piece in the Organ of Truth about how Japan have included “fast twitch” rock, paper, scissors in their gruelling training regime. Well worth a read.

As the Premiership season approaches we still await the outcome of the investigation into Saracens and the salary cap.

To the touristy stuff. Kyoto was once the capital of Japan before that honour was bestowed on Tokyo. It lies some 300+ kilometres south west of Tokyo just a few kilometres north of Osaka. It is a city rich in culture and whilst the downtown area is very much like the rest of Japan we have visited there are many more heritage sights where you can find “old” Japan. That is narrow lanes filled with homes, and small restaurants and small ryokan where the weary tourist can rest. It is also a city filled with shrines and temples of all persuasion. If you are not careful you can succumb to either shrinitus or templitis or worse both. To be fair the temples and the pagodas and the shrines are something to behold.

Last night we worshipped at an alternative temple: The Hub, that great Japanese pub chain that is a sanctuary offering decent beer and wall to wall rugby coverage. Having feasted at lunch time on tempura prawns with all the usual Japanese trimmings it was going to be a quiet night. In the pub we met a fellow traveller from both our New Zealand 2011 excursion and our Australia 2013 Lions tour. He joined us and as it was happy hour the rest was history. History mainly about the good old Black & Ambers: Newport RFC and all things Newport. The plan to have one then go find a Japanese snack went out of the window. In flew too many beers and a Hub roast beef and mash and a pizza.

Today we have breakfasted well, as always, before heading out. We caught up with Gareth, Coochy to you, about how the tour was going. He hit the nail on the head by saying how Britain could learn so much from the Japanese; courtesy, willingness to please, respect, tolerance, abiding by the rules, and an absolute dedication to cleanliness. Litter, what litter? Another thing that highlights their honesty and decency is the ubiquitous nature of the drinks vending machine. You find them everywhere and not a single one has been vandalised. You simply cannot imagine that in the UK. Within minutes some scroat would have smashed up the machine for the cash before stealing all the drink to sell on for his or her drug money. I prefer the Japanese way.

Tonight the plan is for beef cooked on the stone Japanese style with fresh vegetables and pickles. Of course that will be accompanied by a beer or two as wine is expensive, very expensive.

Wednesday 16th Oct: 18:00(JPN)

We have just arrived at our hotel in Kyoto after a second day in Hiroshima yesterday. The day was spent simply meandering through the streets into the heart of the city where we caught up on modern day Hiroshima and its bright lights. The rivers that run through the city are tree lined and have fascinating sculptures to enjoy along the way (today’s picture). We meandered aimlessly through the mecca to consumerism before ending back at the Peace Memorial Park. It was still as poignant as before but we decided on visiting the rebuilt castle which originally dated back many centuries.

Inevitably you are faced with more gruesome tales of the bomb and its impact. The castle was like many we have visited to date detailing the lives of the shogun and their impact on the regions history. Close by just next to the location of the original Hiroshima baseball stadium is the new Green Arena where the World Volleyball Tournament is currently being held. The “sold out” signs were up sadly.

Having walked miles yet again it was time to catch the tram back to the station and a nice cold glass of Kirin, the best of the Japanese beers thus far. Back to the hotel for some R&R and then out for dinner. Lunch by the way was a soft drink and a bag of peanuts. We opted for okonomiyaki which is a pancake based or omelette based, depending on what side up they serve it, cabbage, bacon and bean sprout filled plate of food. We opted to have the added squid, octopus, prawns and scallop. Once this is all layered in together they slather on a load of delicious thick sweet soy sauce. You sit at the counter and watch them cook before devouring it with gusto because it is truly delicious.

This morning it was the shinkansen to Kyoto. The same brilliant experience as previously described. Once in Kyoto we grabbed a quick lunch before the party was whisked off to the Golden Pavilion Temple. Stunning but for the first time in Japan it felt a little too much like a tourist trap. The ice cream was nice though. Here we have met up with Gareth Chilcott for the first time. We know him from the New Zealand World Cup in 2011.

What about the rugby news. World Rugby are thinking about sanctioning Scotland for the fuss they kicked up during the typhoon. Let it go I say. The Scots have gone home with their tail between their legs and having seen more of the devastation on TV it seems rather churlish to be taking action now.

All the teams are talking up their chances.

Bundee Aki is out of the tournament after being hit with a three match ban.

My good friend Paddy O’fez has been in touch asking what odds on England v Wales in the final. Very long I suggest. I have gone for New Zealand v South Africa with England v Wales as the 3rd/4th play-off.

I agree with him that the most intriguing is the Japan v South Africa match. Who knows? I would love to be proven wrong…….. again!!!

Do the Japanese supporters clean the stadium post-match? Yes and no. The Japanese are manic about rubbish and you see them pondering over which recycling bin to use. They tend to leave nothing behind but sadly those of other countries are not so disciplined. There are an army of cleaners on hand at each game so rest assured within a short space of the time the stadiums are spotless.

It has been suggested Japan joins the 6 Nations. The geography simply won’t work in my mind.

Finally the discipline of Japan. It was time for a change of crew on the local train out of Hiroshima. The guy gets out of the cab in his uniform which includes cap and white gloves. He stands directly opposite his replacement similarly attired and they salute each other. Then in a perfectly synchronised way check their paperwork, then check their watches and say “hi” meaning yes, then salute again before swapping over. That is Japan for you. Can you imagine the uproar if Mick Loadsa cash got involved over here?

Tuesday 15th Oct: 11:00(JPN)

“Never underestimate man’s ability to reap destruction upon itself.
Never underestimate man’s ability to recover from devastation and adversity.
That is Hiroshima”
Bleater: October 2019

Yesterday we left Fukuoka for the 1 hour 15 minute train journey to Hiroshima. The shinkansen continues to amaze as you speed effortlessly through the Japanese towns and villages that border the route. The ubiquitous mountains ever present in the distance. Our hotel overlooks the station so a short walk to dump the bags then a short tram ride to the Peace Memorial Park.

I defy anyone not to be moved by the remains of the Hiroshima Exhibition Hall that stands as a permanent reminder of the terrible events of August 6th 1945. As you wander around the gardens you come across the monument to the dead, the monument to the children who perished and poignant and moving monument to those who tragically lost their lives as a consequence of the bomb sometime after 6th August. The museum is a touching tribute to all affected by the events of that day in history and as you wander through the halls of exhibits it is very difficult to hold back your emotions.

Hiroshima today is a vibrant city with the usual plethora of garish neon selling you everything from Coca Cola to toilet seats. Yes Mr Toto is big out here in Japan. As we have come to expect the central train station is also the location for your very impressive underground shopping mall and a great choice of restaurants. Last night we went for fish; a grilled saury. Basically an enormous sardine like fish complete with some its guts. Once you got passed a) having to do a little bit of gutting and b) managing a whole fish with just chopsticks you are away. The fish was excellent, the accompaniments were excellent, the beer was fine and the experience was great. Having not slept well the night before we opted for a 7Eleven dessert and a bottle of red and back to the room for a quiet night watching a rerun of Wales v Fiji. That Jonathan Davies off load is something else.

The papers are full of the pre-quarters nonsense such as King Eddie winding up Cheika, the Australian players having a go at the press for asking stupid questions and how you can’t write the Irish off.

We are off for some more gentle sightseeing but I will leave you with two things to mull over.

In the entrance to the museum is a clock showing the exact time the bomb was dropped; 08:15. Underneath are two counters showing firstly the amount of days passed since the bomb was dropped: c. 27367, and the number of days since the last atomic weapons test: JUST 244.

Finally, in the park is a flame that burns brightly. Not one of remembrance but one of hope. Hope that when the world is free of atomic weapons the flame can be extinguished. I fear in a world of lunatics such as Trump, Putin, Jong-Un, Johnson, Li, Netanyahu et al that day might never arrive.

“6th August 1945 at 08:15 the world changed for ever.”

Monday 14th Oct: 16:00(JPN)

I replied to an email from Bill by saying “if the Japan v Scotland game goes ahead it will be a bigger miracle than the moon landings”. So alongside my scrambled egg and smoked salmon I’ve yet again had to eat my words.

Before we get into the rugby let me add my condolences to those who have tragically lost their lives, have lost family and those who are suffering through the devastation of the typhoon. Here in Fukuoka yesterday you would not have known there was a typhoon. The sky was bereft of cloud and the sun was beating down on the calmest of calm days.

Having wandered for over 14km on Saturday including around the wonderful Ohori Park it was just a gentle stroll yesterday before getting the coach to the game. Fukuoka is a pleasant city with a myriad of fine temples and shrines and of course plenty of places to worship at the altar of consumerism. The park was enormous and included an athletics stadium, a baseball pitch where the locals were playing and a full size soccer pitch, and that ignores the fact there is a very large ornamental lake and the ruins of Fukuoka castle within its boundaries.

On Saturday night we watched Ireland play very, very well in their win over Samoa. To keep Samoa scoreless when down to 14 men was impressive. The sending off was the right, albeit a tough call. After the game we left the hotel bar for a local pub where we enjoyed one too many beers with some old and new friends.

So to yesterday and being whisked off to the game on the coach. The ground was awash with red shirts but throughout the atmosphere was a little flat. Wales had qualified and I think many like me were thinking about the victims of the typhoon rather than the game. Wales were disjointed and sloppy. Uruguay played well in defence and had some good moments in attack. In the end superior fitness told but Wales are going to have to raise their game if they are to extend their campaign beyond the match up with France. It must b