Rugby - Advantage!

[Frozzy]

So? At least you can't cast your jinx on innocent Stade Toulousain

[finbar]

I'm sticking my pins in my Jerome Cazalbou, Jerome Fillol and Joseph Ilharreguy dolls as I type. I shall only stop when Tamerlin coughs up his Mum's Cassoulet recipe.

[Havak]

Well, yes, I'm stepping rather well, I think.

Rather too well most of the time.

Between now and the end of the RWC and you're on.

Before I commit to this can you find out for me who the refs are in the NZ and Aussie games? If they are SH I can’t take that bet – their Unions will be quite keen for them to card Jonno I would have thought. Not that the SH Unions would ever stoop so low.

I'll sketch a retired tight head with a pork pie addiction and a high forehead and post it at Customs!

Oh I’ve been stopped by your customs before – just like ours they all see themselves as comedians.

Supplying what? I or T?

Both – but it really is too boring to go into any detail on.

As I recall, we were talking about the WRC final, not other French teams in other years.

But I like my step.

Okay I’ll brush aside the 91 final for the moment – but 99 was very much a case of Australia’s best game of the tournament and France’s worst. France blew a golden chance there – I’ll never be convinced otherwise.

Mmmmm. Some would wonder why they got into the position in the first place.

Oh that’s easy. They pressed, got caught, panicked and got caught again. And Flatley could never have taken that ball from an onside position – it wasn’t physically possible. That’s where England struggle – playing sides that ‘push’ the laws that little bit further than you get in six nations tests.

Subtle?

I really don't know what the matches will prove in terms of the WRC.

Let me take a wild stab – if England win both they will prove nothing (and NZ despite the names they field will only have put out a ‘development’ side no doubt). If England should lose both the games will be hugely significant no doubt?

Some of the best french players crossed the Channel to play in England and now that English players are crossing it the other way the shepherd is suddenly shouting the wolf is coming.

Terrific line Tamerlin. :b

But what great players were sent this way? Castaignede is the only one – the rest were workmanlike like Califano or Brouzet. And personally the loss of Luger to France doesn’t worry me, nor the loss of our Peter Short to Narbonne. And I’m sure Richard Cockerill is having a huge impact on Montferand. My only concern in this is making sure the playing field is level. If France does not have an effective salary cap then we shouldn’t either – and if we do they you should have to my mind.

IMO again, the situation between England and France is becoming more or less equal IMO.

Love the way you stress this is IYO.

This is all a storm in a teacup I think? Although it does seem that USAP are being a little silly – they are almost inviting the French authorities to investigate their finances surely?

So a lot of it is "government" money?

Don’t forget it is a country where over half the adult working population is in the public sector. ‘Government’ is into almost everything in France – those local entities as described by Tamerlin will be the equivalent of an English county council and the sub-ordinate borough councils but probably with four times the number of staff per capita.

And nobody cares about the map I have made up for you...

Actually I found it very useful thanks – I hadn’t realised Montferand was so adrift of the core area.

This is a simple jpg image... try a good browser like IE6.

Never forget that Finbar, as a creative soul, is cast adrift on the see of Macintosh based surfing.

Believe me I have never given a cent to Bill...

Whatever does he mean?

"Moins on a de culture, plus on l'étale" (the less culture one has, the more one displays it)...

My god Finbar – this is tailor made for the ‘outback’ boys isn’t it?

As, indeed, I recall that English vehicle regos used to end - and maybe still do - with a letter that signified the year the vehicle was registered.

Actually it is even less logical now. Frozzy is on the right lines but a little wrong in the details – for example a G prefix was August 89-July 90. And the three letters grouped in the plate give the area of registration. The number that tells you year of registration is now in the middle of the plate. Cars from Mar-Aug this year carry 03 in the middle. Cars from Sep-Feb will have 53. Then next year 04 and 54 and so on. For example the form is xx03 yyy. Yyy tells you the geographic origin within the UK if you are nerdy enough to want to look it up! Irish plates also have the year number at the end I believe.

In those days, a letter was tacked on to the end to signify date. As I recall, my vehicle rego was AYF 717T, with the T standing for either '78 or '79.

Pretty much spot on. :b My first car was a 78 S plate.

*Havak turns a darker shade of green*

No he doesn’t.

Tigers 27 Buck Shelfords Sarries 20

Tigers return to take Tamerlins boys on next year. In fact as lowest English seeds we may end up in their group. If this happens could I ask that Finbar please supports Toulouse.

The game went to extra time and over 110 minutes of rugger was played in 85 degree conditions – key England players like J, Backy and Hilly were involved. Woodward must have been hopping mad!?

Typical of a team I support to stumble at the final hurdle. This doesn't auger well for Toulouse, Tamerlin.

I take no satisfaction in it Finbar but they were ripped apart. The Wasps pack destroyed them – only Tigers at our place did anything similar all season.

It’s opened a huge debate here. You know we like our leagues and Glaws did finish 15 points clear. They then had to sit around for three weeks with no games while Wasps kept ticking over with a play off and the Challenge trophy final.

Yes I feel slightly sorry for Glaws – and there is something I never thought I would say!!

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
I'm sticking my pins in my Jerome Cazalbou, Jerome Fillol and Joseph Ilharreguy dolls as I type. I shall only stop when Tamerlin coughs up his Mum's Cassoulet recipe.

None of the players you cited are playing for the Stade Toulousain and one is even playing for the Stade Français...



For my mother's recipe, "tu peux toujours courir" (you can always run) as we say in France, this is a family secret...

[Havak]

Purely off the top of my head Finbar should start sticking those pins in Ntamack, Garbajosa and Michalak?

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Before I commit to this can you find out for me who the refs are in the NZ and Aussie games? If they are SH I can’t take that bet – their Unions will be quite keen for them to card Jonno I would have thought. Not that the SH Unions would ever stoop so low.

I'll check. Regardless, if he doesn't do anything wrong, he can't be pinged, can he?

Okay I’ll brush aside the 91 final for the moment – but 99 was very much a case of Australia’s best game of the tournament and France’s worst. France blew a golden chance there – I’ll never be convinced otherwise.

Firing on all three cylinders today!

That’s where England struggle – playing sides that ‘push’ the laws that little bit further than you get in six nations tests.

Subtle?

Just as we struggled against a side, a ref and an assistant ref who interpreted tries differently to the rest of the rugby world at Twickers a couple of seasons ago. I assume Dan Luger is taking his own set of try-scoring rules to France with him?

Let me take a wild stab – if England win both they will prove nothing (and NZ despite the names they field will only have put out a ‘development’ side no doubt). If England should lose both the games will be hugely significant no doubt?

Ultimately, they might mean something for confidence for the RWC, but not a lot more.

Never forget that Finbar, as a creative soul, is cast adrift on the see of Macintosh based surfing.

Cheerfully, perversely so. Actually, I have IE, Netscape, Mozilla and Safari installed. I'm easily bored.

Tigers return to take Tamerlins boys on next year. In fact as lowest English seeds we may end up in their group. If this happens could I ask that Finbar please supports Toulouse.

All depends on Tamerlin and his Mum's recipe for Cassoulet.

Yes I feel slightly sorry for Glaws – and there is something I never thought I would say!!

Well, yes, but they did have a habit of losing some matches they should have won. Look at the HC debacle. I'm sure 3 empty weeks was a big handicap, but not enough to warrant that sort of pasting.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
None of the players you cited are playing for the Stade Toulousain and one is even playing for the Stade Français...

Then you should suggest to your backward rugby club that they update their website!

For my mother's recipe, "tu peux toujours courir" (you can always run) as we say in France, this is a family secret...

M-hm. Okay. I gave you your chance. I am now staying firmly on the Toulouse bandwagon, meaning they are destined to lose the final. And I'm emailing the club to advise them of your family's culinary xenophobia, which, I shall point out, will guarantee their loss in the final. Though, if the club's website is anything to go by, my email is likely to disappear without trace into the Gallic ether.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Purely off the top of my head Finbar should start sticking those pins in Ntamack, Garbajosa and Michalak?

I've settled for sticking pins in my Edith Piaf CD. Une grenouille's pretty much the same as another grenouille.

[Hydey]

You should stick to sport finbar!

Your spamming lacks bite.

[Havak]

I’m guessing IE was the last you tried with the map then?

Regardless, if he doesn't do anything wrong, he can't be pinged, can he?

He can in the SH. He might compete for the ball or something else 'evil' like that.

Firing on all three cylinders today!

As can be seen above there is not much compression on number three…

I assume Dan Luger is taking his own set of try-scoring rules to France with him?

One can only hope. Which did you prefer – the desperate Balshaw/Luger kick and score or the incision of Cohen going through the middle of the defence?

I’m sure it was an SH ref that day btw.

Ultimately, they might mean something for confidence for the RWC, but not a lot more.

They will also be useful raw material for this thread of course.

All depends on Tamerlin and his Mum's recipe for Cassoulet.

Well at the very least can I assume you will not be on the Tigers bandwagon?

Well, yes, but they did have a habit of losing some matches they should have won. Look at the HC debacle.

The less said about that the better.

Yes they messed up. The players should have been well rested and fit. The problem was a fired up Wasps pack put the Glaws forwards on the back foot and there seemed to be no plan B. Only their young loose forward Forrester was out injured – and the loss of one player, however talented, should not be fatal. Vickery was back but looked exactly what he is – ring rusty. He needs this tour to be ready for RWC.

It seems Glaws time in the sun may be very brief. Given their financial state it seems likely Henry Paul will step into Fly Half next season. That will go some way to neutralising their young talent they have out wide – Paul’s distribution is not reliable to say the least.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Hydey
You should stick to sport finbar!

Your spamming lacks bite.

Listen, Hydey, I can spam in more than one language!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
I’m guessing IE was the last you tried with the map then?

Anything Bill Gates has had his grubby, greedy, hermaphroditic paws on is always a last resort for me.

As can be seen above there is not much compression on number three…

Get out and push!

One can only hope. Which did you prefer – the desperate Balshaw/Luger kick and score or the incision of Cohen going through the middle of the defence?

A non try is a non try is a non try. I'm pretty sure Gertrude Stein said something like that. Or maybe she was talking about roses.

Gee, Gertrude Stein. This is a literate thread.

I’m sure it was an SH ref that day btw.

Bluffed by the cheating Poms.

They will also be useful raw material for this thread of course.

Absolutely. Who was it who once worried that these threads wouldn't survive through an off-season?

Well at the very least can I assume you will not be on the Tigers bandwagon?

As I said, it's up to Tamerlin and his Mum. Though from his bit of culinary xenophobia earlier, the Tigers are looking safe at this stage.

It seems Glaws time in the sun may be very brief. Given their financial state it seems likely Henry Paul will step into Fly Half next season. That will go some way to neutralising their young talent they have out wide – Paul’s distribution is not reliable to say the least.

Henry Paul to fly half, hm? I wonder if there's room on the Wasps bandwagon?

[Havak]

Yes Bill has always given me that impression too.

Not sure if I am up to pushing but I’ll thrash the two cylinders that are working.

A non try is a non try is a non try

Yes Mr Maybank proved this to us twice on Saturday. As for that Luger try of course it was a try. You will seldom see a ball grounded better than that. Or was that quicker?

Gee, Gertrude Stein. This is a literate thread.

Would it ruin that if I say, quite honestly, that I have no idea who that is without looking it up?

Bluffed by the cheating Poms.

Beware the apprentice for he has been taught too well.

Who was it who once worried that these threads wouldn't survive through an off-season?

That sounds very much like one of my thought processes?

the Tigers are looking safe at this stage.

My fingers are firmly crossed.

I wonder if there's room on the Wasps bandwagon?

Could you tolerate riding alongside Larry-Dally?

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak
Purely off the top of my head Finbar should start sticking those pins in Ntamack, Garbajosa and Michalak?

And I thought you were for my part...



By the way Finbar, supporting the Stade Français is considered as the most supreme heresy everywere in France, except in Paris of course where the inhabitants have suddenly discovered there is a Rugby team in their city because they are qualified for the final...

Love the way you stress this is IYO.

IMO, there is IMO an "IMO" too many in my original sentence... IMO of course.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
As for that Luger try of course it was a try. You will seldom see a ball grounded better than that. Or was that quicker?

It does help to be in the field of play at the time.

Would it ruin that if I say, quite honestly, that I have no idea who that is without looking it up?

American novelist, first published before WW 1, died in the 1940s, from memory. Spent a lot of her life in Paris, lived with - in the conjugal sense - Alice B. Toklas. Her most famous quotation - and possibly the most paraphrased quotation ever - is "A rose is a rose is a rose". Just to save you lookin her up.

That sounds very much like one of my thought processes?

Actually, it was the New York-resident Kiwi.

My fingers are firmly crossed.

In which case I shall increase the pressure on Tamerlin for his Mum's Cassoulet recipe.

Could you tolerate riding alongside Larry-Dally?

Depends if he has more than nostril hair up his nose.