Rugby - Advantage!

[Tamerlin]

[Havak]

It is getting very interesting indeed, the Frog & Rosbiff is waiting for us...

You bet we are. I am backing Toulouse all the way – I’d rather have a trip to Tamerlin land in the autumn than Paris.

Do you realize you are asking Finbar to support a Pom's team?

Actually I wasn’t.

In any case he is happy to do so at need – as long as it is not Tigers. Witness the effects of his support on Glaws.

Glaws have a messageboard too Finbar by the way. Want me to dig out the URL? I am reliably informed it has been flame city since last weekend.

Glaws are plagued by the lack of a decent s***** side in the area meaning the muppets flock to Kingsholm – and the board reflects that darker side of their fan base.

Hey, as long as Havak and Finbar are around this thread will always be alive and kicking!

Well if a Pom and an Aussie can’t keep a dialogue going there is something badly wrong.

So...is anyone the least bit excited about SA v Scotland or Australia v Ireland?

Actually yes I am – when these fixtures were last played last November the NH sides actually both came out on top (Scotland truly embarassing the Boks in fact). It will be a useful guide for me of how far SA have recovered and whether Ireland or Australia have the greater strength in depth – both are injury ravaged in the backs.

I have a feeling Ireland remain more potent though – my suspicion is they have the greater depth. If Murphy adjusts well to the centres the Wallabies could have a torrid evening. Best of all the game is on live in the UK on Sky at 10am so I get to see it and still have a small extra kip.

Are France playing the Maoris too Caligastia?

No, only for a referee who understands that scrums are made to be pushed...

It will be interesting to see if the IRB has had the courage to use NH refs for these tours? It gets rather samey to have Kiwis ref our games with Aus and Aussies ref the ABs meetings. Very nepotistic of the Antipodean sides and as tamerlin will remind you they share the same flaws.

Maybe we should adopt the SANZAR tactic of “we will only tour if the referees are from our hemisphere”?

Damn I just can’t out any real heart into my bait these days.

Austin is proved to be an even bigger idiot for letting such bilge be printed under his name and Justin can be just as big an idiot for different reasons.

He made a huge error of judgment. On the same magnitude as his trying to play fly half. He deserves the consequences. What continues to worry me is the double standard – Austin gets vilified for mildly racist comments – Burke and Gregan can spout what racist nonsense they like and generally get portrayed as “good Aussie blokes” by the Aussie media? Tell me that’s fair?

Preaching to the converted on Decimated by the way.

I shall watch the matches, though, with great interest - mainly to see how the tyro Wallabies perform.

What bothers me is that Ireland have a formidable pack. Wales forwards are huge (but not very mobile). What happens is the Wallabies pick up three or four more injuries before England arrive?

Anyway let me say the players I think you should watch on Saturday. Murphy you need to keep an eye on. Humphreys the Fly Half is a kicking machine – he’ll punish penalties. The scrum half Stringer is tiny but a real live wire. O’Kelly in the second row is a potent line out threat.

I’m really looking forward to this actually!

The Pumas in Puma Land can, as we know, be a handful.

Huge scrumming side normally – Tamerlin will be in hog heaven.

it will be revealed that the destruction of a once fine French rugby club was the result of a simple act of culinary xenophobia.

Ahh right – apologies. Please stay on it then. And Tamerlin, keep up the Xenophobia please.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Glaws have a messageboard too Finbar by the way. Want me to dig out the URL? I am reliably informed it has been flame city since last weekend.

Glaws are plagued by the lack of a decent s***** side in the area meaning the muppets flock to Kingsholm – and the board reflects that darker side of their fan base.

I wonder what would happen if I posted in a West Country accent.

Actually yes I am – when these fixtures were last played last November the NH sides actually both came out on top (Scotland truly embarassing the Boks in fact).

That was the Boks at their lowest. I'll be interested to see what's happened to the Boks in the meantime. I will be especially interested to see whether the coach's subsequent prattle about cleaning up their onfield act is just prattle.

It will be a useful guide for me of how far SA have recovered and whether Ireland or Australia have the greater strength in depth – both are injury ravaged in the backs.

It looks like our new cap centre Morgan Turinui will start after all. Matt Rogers has been released to play his first game in 3 months at club level.

Are France playing the Maoris too Caligastia?

I saw a Maori team selection t'other day, but I forget who they were picked to play against. Very useful team it was, too.

Damn I just can’t out any real heart into my bait these days.

Yeah, much too easy to hit the Delete key.

He made a huge error of judgment. On the same magnitude as his trying to play fly half. He deserves the consequences. What continues to worry me is the double standard – Austin gets vilified for mildly racist comments – Burke and Gregan can spout what racist nonsense they like and generally get portrayed as “good Aussie blokes” by the Aussie media? Tell me that’s fair?

I thought I'd give the Delete key a rest. It was starting to emit smoke.

Preaching to the converted on Decimated by the way.

I've never known why people make the mistake. Must be because the word sounds like a rout.

What bothers me is that Ireland have a formidable pack. Wales forwards are huge (but not very mobile). What happens is the Wallabies pick up three or four more injuries before England arrive?

Yeah well, who knows? The A Team are only playing a short tour of Japan - two matches, I think - so at least they'll be available. As it stands, if anyone is injured between now and when they return, we're totally stuffed. I'm sure a couple of the A Team are destined to be tried in some of the Tests. I hope so anyway. There's some bright young talent.

Anyway let me say the players I think you should watch on Saturday. Murphy you need to keep an eye on. Humphreys the Fly Half is a kicking machine – he’ll punish penalties. The scrum half Stringer is tiny but a real live wire. O’Kelly in the second row is a potent line out threat.

I've written down the names.

I’m really looking forward to this actually!

Me too, as I said. I always enjoy watching new kids getting a go. One always crosses one's fingers for them.

Huge scrumming side normally – Tamerlin will be in hog heaven.

I can see Tamerlin packing down into the scrum machine in his lounge room as we speak.

Ahh right – apologies. Please stay on it then. And Tamerlin, keep up the Xenophobia please.

Typical arrogant bloody grenouille when it comes to food. They're all the same.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
Typical arrogant bloody grenouille when it comes to food. They're all the same.

True, come to France if you want a decent Cassoulet!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


True, come to France if you want a decent Cassoulet!

I did, and I did. The best one I had was, from memory, in Sarlat.

I found the hotel where I stayed in Sarlat!

http://www.perigord.tm.fr/~cdt24/hebergements%20et%20restauration/hotels%20et%20restaurants/logis/logis_pgdnoir/page_couleuvrine.htm

[Havak]

I wonder what would happen if I posted in a West Country accent.

Apart from me taking an instant irrational dislike to you? Well you’ld receive a number of replies saying “I caaant be doooiiing with thaaaat”. They elongate the vowels very extensively.

That was the Boks at their lowest.

Almost. They reached rock bottom with that shameful display at twickers?

I don’t think the coach can turn it around – ion Wales he gained a reputation for coaching teams into the biff (not that unusual for Wales so if they noticed a huge difference with him it must be bad).

It looks like our new cap centre Morgan Turinui will start after all. Matt Rogers has been released to play his first game in 3 months at club level.

Sensible – it would be suicide to throw a player straight back into test rugby (although we have done it this year with Tindall).

I saw a Maori team selection t'other day, but I forget who they were picked to play against. Very useful team it was, too.

We play them on Monday. Johnson and Wilkinson are confirmed as being rested. It looks like King may be Fly Half (he orchestrated Wasps win). He is talented but nowehere near the same league. Think of him as McMullen to Larkham?

I thought I'd give the Delete key a rest. It was starting to emit smoke.

Well I guess we will never see exactly eye to eye on the dual standard Aussie sporting morality (aka ‘anything goes to harm the oppo’?).

I've never known why people make the mistake. Must be because the word sounds like a rout.

Totally down to journalistic mis-use of the word I feel. A mistake that will never feature in one of your scripts.

I'm sure a couple of the A Team are destined to be tried in some of the Tests. I hope so anyway. There's some bright young talent.

Why aren’t they staying in Japan? The England side in Canada heads there after the Churchill cup – we could have had a three hander with Englands third string testing the young Wallabies.

I've written down the names.

The one missing is Keith Woods of course. He is there with them but training solely with a view to RWC – he missed almost the whole season with injury (neck I think). They miss him hugely – Shane Byrne (who has long hair as a superstitious thing btw) is okay but not the same class.

Me too, as I said. I always enjoy watching new kids getting a go. One always crosses one's fingers for them.

Yes there’s some exciting young talent in the Paddy line up all right.

Typical arrogant bloody grenouille when it comes to food. They're all the same.

I rather like Catalan cuisine myself – as it seems to mainly consist of as many varieties of meat as you can get on one plate. So what is this mythical Cassoulet?

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Apart from me taking an instant irrational dislike to you? Well you?ld receive a number of replies saying ?I caaant be doooiiing with thaaaat?. They elongate the vowels very extensively.

It's actually one of my favourite accents. Even if the intellect's as slow as the speech.

We play them on Monday. Johnson and Wilkinson are confirmed as being rested. It looks like King may be Fly Half (he orchestrated Wasps win). He is talented but nowehere near the same league. Think of him as McMullen to Larkham?

I wonder when J**** and Wilkinson will get their outings? Or against whom?

Totally down to journalistic mis-use of the word I feel. A mistake that will never feature in one of your scripts.

Unless, of course, it happens to feature an ignorant character. It's great fun writing characters who didn't learn to speak proper.

Why aren?t they staying in Japan? The England side in Canada heads there after the Churchill cup ? we could have had a three hander with Englands third string testing the young Wallabies.

Yeah, sure. The A Team are our only replacements.

Yes there?s some exciting young talent in the Paddy line up all right.

And it will be interesting to see Keith Gleeson lining up against his old mates again. Good player, a bit short of being good enough.

I rather like Catalan cuisine myself ? as it seems to mainly consist of as many varieties of meat as you can get on one plate. So what is this mythical Cassoulet?

Mmmm. Okay. Well, where to start? To the uninitiated, it's a stew. The basis is always haricot beans. They're cooked very slowly with pork - bits and pieces of the pig, sausages, etc - and sometimes mutton and sometimes duck or goose. There are myriad different versions of it, but there are three classic interpretations - one of which, of course, is the Toulouse version. (The others are the Castelnaudary and Carcasonne versions) The interpretations differ largely according to the meats used. I have the recipes for the three classic versions, so I don't really need Mrs Tamerlin's recipe - I was just interested to see an individual take on the traditional.

The interesting thing is that the integrity of the dish has been looked after by - for want of a better term - legislation. Offically, a cassoulet must consist of at least 30% pork (including sausage and Toulouse sausage), mutton or preserved goose; and 70% haricot beans, stock, pork rinds, herbs and flavourings.

I read somewhere once that canned cassoulet accounts for a big percentage of all pre-cooked canned food sold in France. Next time you're in the SW, do yourself a favour. A good cassoulet is heaven on earth.

[Alexander's Horse]

finbar - friday night is civ night..........

[Hydey]

yeah, like dad said !

[Havak]

It's actually one of my favourite accents. Even if the intellect's as slow as the speech.

It does come across that way. But watch yourself – many west country folk possess the cunning of a fox.

I wonder when J**** and Wilkinson will get their outings? Or against whom?

Both will play NZ is my prediction. Neither may face Australia depending how Ireland do?

It's great fun writing characters who didn't learn to speak proper.

You don’t write Neighbours do you? Sorry – only kidding!

Yeah, sure. The A Team are our only replacements.

*whistles* 37 players with Woodward, another 37 in Canada…

And it will be interesting to see Keith Gleeson lining up against his old mates again. Good player, a bit short of being good enough.

Well he wouldn’t trouble the England selectors that’s for sure. He might well have got a shot with you right now though? As you say a good player – got the physicality, just seems a little short on the ‘art’ side?

Offically, a cassoulet must consist of at least 30% pork (including sausage and Toulouse sausage), mutton or preserved goose; and 70% haricot beans, stock, pork rinds, herbs and flavourings.

It sounds quite interesting. God bless the French – only they could blithely ignore EC legislation on food and still legislate themselves.

Of course it does look like a trip that way is on the cards for me so I’ll have to look out for a tin of the article in question.

I hope Tamerlin will still speak to me after we stop them getting through the group stages though.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak

You don’t write Neighbours do you? Sorry – only kidding!

Some things are not joking matters!

*whistles* 37 players with Woodward, another 37 in Canada…

Yes, you prefer quantity, we prefer quality.

Well he wouldn’t trouble the England selectors that’s for sure. He might well have got a shot with you right now though? As you say a good player – got the physicality, just seems a little short on the ‘art’ side?

He struggled to hold his spot with the Waratahs. That's why he left. You got it pretty right - not a hugely skilled player. Good trier.

It sounds quite interesting. God bless the French – only they could blithely ignore EC legislation on food and still legislate themselves.

I don't know exactly who made the law, but it happened a few years ago now.

Of course it does look like a trip that way is on the cards for me so I’ll have to look out for a tin of the article in question.

Do yourself a favour. When you get there, have a night away from the local equivalent of the Wimpy chain, take yourself to a nice little traditional restaurant, and you're bound to get a good one. You'll end up feeling so full you'll swear you won't eat for a week.

[Havak]

Some things are not joking matters!

My lowest blow ever.

Yes, you prefer quantity, we prefer quality.

Such a good riposte that I will leave it alone – at least until after tomorrow.

I don't know exactly who made the law, but it happened a few years ago now.

Similar things do happen here. There’s a move to protect certain varieties of pork pie in the same way.

have a night away from the local equivalent of the Wimpy chain

Such diabolical fast food joints are used only in emergency on tour. My tour party likes it’s food. Hell one of them is a restaurant owner. We pick nice places to eat I can assure you. That I can’t remember what I eat or who I met the day after is purely my own problem.

It would have to be very filling indeed to make me feel full up.

The Maori have picked someone called Flavell - that names rings a bell with me - is he a bad boy?

Oh they've picked Cullen too - 1/64 a Maori good enough it seems?

[LDiCesare]

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...

Yes, the Stade Francais is not very liked. Even I, who spend lots of time in Paris, played against the "folklo" team of the Stade Francais, play with a player who plays with some lower level team in the Stade Francais (auite a fast full back btw) when he doesn't play with us... Even I, though I spent onr month or so ago an evening in the very very very nice clubhouse of the Stade Francais (actually a nice bar-restaurant inside the Parc Des Princes area), will still support Toulouse. Although I would like Galthié to win a final, since he really deserves it, but then he might get a chance at the world cup?
But their clubhouse is really nice.

[Tamerlin]

Too many things to read for the moment... I will answer to all these rants later when the little tadpole ( ) will be asleep.

Thanks for your support LDiCesare, I agree with you about Galthié but I really can't support the Stade Français...

I would only add that though the Stade Français is not liked at all, many would like the Stade Toulousain to stumble tomorrow as its repeated successes are attracting the dislikes of many...

[LDiCesare]

Tamerlin, I understand some people want the Stade Toulousain to stumble, but, IMO, they already stumbled last year and that's enough for me. Biarritz made a beautiful champion. Toulouse should win.