Rugby World Cup: And the Winner is...

Caligastia · September 25, 2007, 21:56

Once again, I will go with Finbar's thread title suggestion...

Havak · September 26, 2007, 05:49

It's actually very hard to tell if Richie is a better skipper than Cozza as he has the advantage of helming a much better side right now. The quality of a captain comes through much more clearly in adversity and Richie's time for dealing with that may well come (presumably when he moves to Saracens in a few years?)

But I should have broadened the point beyond Richie as I don't think there are any stand out skippers at the moment. No Eales, No Fitzy's and no Johnsons.

McCaw may well be the pick at the moment (I don't think Smit is thats for sure!) but I've not seem him really galvanise the ABs under adversity yet. Perhaps I haven't seen the right games.

finbar · September 26, 2007, 05:58

His big test will be skippering from the sin bin.

LDiCesare · September 26, 2007, 06:50

Yes, and the Italians could teach him, given their own large experience of captaining from the sin bin.

Nugog · September 26, 2007, 06:54

Originally posted by finbar
His big test will be skippering from the sin bin.

Now now - just because he is extremely good at what he does does mean he is cheating............

finbar · September 26, 2007, 07:00

Originally posted by LDiCesare
Yes, and the Italians could teach him, given their own large experience of captaining from the sin bin.

Now now - just because he is extremely good at what he does does mean he is cheating............

Is there a typo in there somewhere? Or is it one of the greatest sledges of R. McCaw of all time?

finbar · September 26, 2007, 09:29

Glad to see Knuckles giving the Barnes boy a rest. Looking highly unlikely S. Larkham will take any further part in the tournament, so B. Barnes becomes precious goods. Nice also to see S. Staniforth starting, providing his shoulder is all right. Good player. J. Huxley at #10 is a case of last man standing. He's played there a couple of times in S14.

Havak · September 26, 2007, 10:26

Classic sledging - even if unintentional

Larkham stills seems hopeful of the SF - his comments having been carefully presented by the BBC to look dismissive of England and Tonga in the QF. Thats fine by me - if we do make the QF Aussie over confidence can only help us.

And be fair - you do have the option of drop goal specialist Mr Dunning at Fly Half.

Can you see Barnes languishing at Reds much longer?

finbar · September 26, 2007, 10:45

If they make the semis, and if Larkham is fit, he won't have played, and will hardly have trained, for six weeks or more. He would be bench at best, I'd've thought. Their only other serious back-up is M. Giteau at #10, but he doesn't like #10. If he doesn't play #12, he'd rather play #9. If you follow all that.

I'm sure they'll all be chasing B. Barnes when his Reds contract expires. As it happens, the Reds have another top quality youngster called Quade Cooper, now playing #12 because Barnes plays #10. Along with Kurtley Beale, the Wallabies are well off for quality halves for another generation.

Enough said about M. Dunning.

LDiCesare · September 26, 2007, 11:18

If he doesn't play #12, he'd rather play #9. If you follow all that.

Perfectly. It's all the same as my own preferences, except that I play #2.

finbar · September 26, 2007, 12:08

The Wallabies could do with a #2 who can cover #9, #10 and #12. Polish up your Australian accent and I'll give you the coach's phone number.

Nugog · September 26, 2007, 15:07

Originally posted by Nugog

Now now - just because he is extremely good at what he does does mean he is cheating............

Um yeah - typo - should be:

just because he is extremely good at what he does not mean he is cheating............

finbar · September 26, 2007, 16:44

Stick with the typo version.

Nugog · September 26, 2007, 21:32

Havak · September 27, 2007, 03:39

He's an openside. He cheats. It's all very straight forward.

There are no innocent opensides.

Finbar's original point though was that in the tri-nations referees seemed to be marking him out for attention and he was yellow carded several times.

Finbar are any of those young lads capped yet? Any with English parents or a desire to travel up north?

*edit* Todays report that our club versus country row is almost resolved for the next eight years has come out of left field for me.

It sounds a sensible deal but now the RFU needs to relaise that time with the players is only half the equation. Getting the right coaches is the complimentary part of the whole.

Andydog · September 27, 2007, 04:48

But surely Havak, McCaw must be the worst openside cheater of them all?

Havak · September 27, 2007, 05:21

He's not even close Andydog.

Another five year of test rugby and he might be approaching it though.

Surely you didn't think I was criticising him?

I admire McCaw hugely - the best openside in the world right now for me (with apologies to George Smith).

But a 'good' seven does not stay within the laws all the time - and I defy anyone to claim differently.

MikeH · September 27, 2007, 08:01

Really enjoyed the 2 games at Murrayfield, now v. interested in the games this weekend to see who I'll be watching in Cardiff!

Havak · September 27, 2007, 08:09

I have a feeling it will be France - much to LdiCesare's disgust.

MikeH · September 27, 2007, 10:06

I'd love that.

LDiCesare · September 27, 2007, 10:30

Yes, I think it's more likely France than anyone else.
I don't think Ireland stands much chance of beating Argentina.
Remind me, is it tonight that the Tongas beat England? Or will Wilko manage to get enough out of his backs and kicking game to reach teh QF?

Havak · September 27, 2007, 10:38

It's Friday at 9pm French time.

The backs are not the key - closing Tonga down is. Something the Bok B pack failed to do - and something we simply have to do. It might not be pretty but strangling them of possession is the way to go I think.

Caligastia · September 27, 2007, 11:26

I'd really like to see Argentina get to the semis. They have a good chance of doing it too, as they will only have to beat Ireland and then Scotland or Italy. If you guys remember, Ireland pipped Argentina back in 2003 to keep them out of the QFs, so the Argies should have plenty of motivation to win.

LDiCesare · September 27, 2007, 13:19

It might not be pretty but strangling them of possession is the way to go I think.

And that's about the only thing the English team can do right now anyway.

As for the Argies, they're very likely to reach the semis indeed. And don't forget they bet the Irish to the QF in '99, so there's a bit of history between them and the Paddies.

finbar · September 27, 2007, 16:46

Originally posted by Havak
Finbar are any of those young lads capped yet? Any with English parents or a desire to travel up north?

The halves?

1. No.

2. No.

3. Absolutely not.

Kurtley Beale is the mercurial one. I don't want to put the kiss of death on him but he has a touch of the Ellas about him. Apart from sharing a heritage, too. B. Barnes, at 21, is the oldest and, in rugby terms, the most mature.

And that's about the only thing the English team can do right now anyway.

I knew I could absent myself from the thread for the day and leave Havak in good hands.

I just got home from teaching six Americans to cook Italian food. What a weird world we live in. And how weird for me to end a sentence with a preposition. I must be tired.

Havak · September 28, 2007, 03:33

I think you are safe - remember the company you are in. We think a preposition is something you do to a girl you find attractive.

Now then - what permutuation is needed for France to go out?

I hear Tonga have all dyed their hair green as part of some sponsorship deal by the way. Whatever floats your boat I suppose.

*edit* I see the IRB has exercised it's usual sense of humour and banned the dyed hair as 'advertising' (it's an irish turf accoutnant who have sponsored Tonga).

finbar · September 28, 2007, 04:32

Now I know which comedy writer has been penning the England rugby script over the last four years.

What a tedious mob the IRB are. The Tongans can't die their hair green, the All Blacks and the Haggis Munchers can take the field in virtually identical strip.

Havak · September 28, 2007, 04:56

The comedy to which you refer is well beyond my humble skills.

It was "too late" by the time the IRB realised the shirt clash apparently. And they have always been precious about advertising at the RWC - it is quite something to watch their ground preperation crews who blank out all commercial logos at every ground so only IRB 'customers' have visible advertising.

It's commercial sense not to give freebies - but the IRB seem to exercise excessive dillgence (they will even blank out stand names unless it's an IRB sponsors name involved).

I wouldn't have really minded Tonga coming out looking like tomatoes.

finbar · September 28, 2007, 05:15

Apparently the All Blacks, reasonably enough, left their all black strip back at their base. The issue had been decided. Whichever IRB bod is responsible for deciding the strip issue was shown photographs, but even from the photographs the abundance of grey must have been obvious. I still can't fathom why so many strips bear so little resemblance to the team colours. The Haggis Muncher strip in this tournament has next to no colour. And the Paddys look like they're playing in something your auntie might have used to upholster the couch 50 years ago.

Havak · September 28, 2007, 06:01

The Black strip probably wouldn't have been any better given the royal blue the munchers use in their patchwork shirt?

Just wait until you see your mobs change shirt - very hard on the eyes (they wore it for one of the warm up tests - it's the one I described as very L***** like).

I need to work out the maths to see what is needed for France to go out. I'm not wishing it on them I should stress - this is purely so I can bait the paddies down the bar tonight (IF England win of course).