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Episode 2713: Scots Get Scary, France Lose Two Stars, Farrell Out Of Tackle School Tokens

Mon 14th Aug 2023
Eoin, Ken, Simon, Tom English

A while back we dared to dream of Rugby World Cup semis and finals, but a proper look at the draw soon sobered us up as the reality of facing France or a fast-improving NZ in a QF hit home. Now with Scotland beating and then pushing France close in successive weekends, we’re getting increasingly worried about making it out of the pool stages (and let’s not even mention Tonga for now).

©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

We ask Tom English, chief sportswriter with BBC Scotland, if Scotland are now the fifth-best team in the world, and why he thinks they have a better chance of beating South Africa than of beating Ireland.

©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

France just about won the game on Saturday but lost two stars, Romain Ntamack and Cyril Baille, to injury. This is the first major blow to their long-term plan to win a home world cup – are France finally feeling the pressure?

 

Owen Farrell has run out of “tackle school” tokens and faces a ban after his latest reckless challenge, this time on Wales’ Taine Basham. We ask why so many players are losing their discipline when their RWC place depends on them keeping it.

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