Rugby - Advantage Over!

[Havak]

Okay, the Bokka might be slightly better than France right now...happy?

It might make him happy – but it isn’t true. You will see this yourself during the tri-nations. Scotland gave them some real problems in the two tests and haven’t caused any for the French in a very long time.

Also the behaviour of Thorne was inexcusable

What did he do? I totally missed it (only paying sporadic attention Saturday)

Baby All Blacks beat Baby Wallabies 22-10 in the final of the U 21 World Cup

Yes it was televised here in fact but I couldn’t raise any enthusiasm to watch it when more important things were happening (like England winning the Churchill Cup at a canter for example). Actually I was busy elsewhere but I thought that was more provocative.

It has to be positive for both sides that there is so much U-21 talent. Lets hope some of the lads make the step. Not least so that the ABs stop naturalising every talented player in the Australasian area. So this ‘Cocky Rocky’ lad – where in New Zealand was he born again lads?

The referee was not unfair, he was just bad. Which is rather good for a SH referee.

Not naming names of course.

Of course.

We can look at it with the view that at least we won. France can take the attitude that they improved quite a bit. I think they got the better deal.

What worries me is that Finbar has been arguing for several weeks that it’s early season and that the ABs can and will play better. Saturday seemed to be a real step backwards from the solid performance of the week before? Okay it was a different class of opposition but the fact remains that highly rated young pack the ABs now have should not have stuttered against a second string Frenchie line up?

I think the ABs are going to shock us and maybe not win the tri-nations you know. Then again I might just be indulging in wishful thinking.

Okay, here's your chance to be specific instead of just spraying like a Tom as you usually do

What a sublime line! ‘Spraying like a Tom’ – there’s one to store and bring out for Sunday best!

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
Okay, here's your chance to be specific instead of just spraying like a Tom as you usually do. What, apart from letting both teams stray offside, did he do wrong in your humble opinion?

List of typical forgotten fouls:

- Non straight line out throws (why bother sending the ball straight nowadays)
- Entering from the side (and even the rear) of a maul or an open scrum (only the elephant like fouls where whistled)
- Dummy runners
- Off sides (very loosely watched at)
- Blocking (especially with shoulders) instead of tackling
- Grabbing the ball in an open scrum with the hands without having the two feet on the ground
- Keeping the ball after a tackle (sometimes whistled too early sometimes not)...

Add a few fouls that were not real and you should get a picture.

I would have liked to be more accurate but the game was played saturday morning.

IMO, the fact your newspapers are appreciating Mr Watson is just reflecting that Mr Watson is refereeing like you like it, in a typical SH style. I think that a referee that would not whistle for a whole game would be considered as the best umpire of the history of Rugby.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
What did he do? I totally missed it (only paying sporadic attention Saturday)

One of Les Grenouilles grabbed him off the ball so he let fly with a fist. No one saw it except the assistant ref who finally caught up with Watson 45 seconds later and 75 yards away. Watson asked if it was serious and the assistant ref called it "very serious". An assistant ref seeking a moment of glory, IMHO.

Yes it was televised here in fact but I couldn’t raise any enthusiasm to watch it when more important things were happening (like England winning the Churchill Cup at a canter for example). Actually I was busy elsewhere but I thought that was more provocative.

I'll excuse that effort on the grounds that it was a slow Monday morning start.

It has to be positive for both sides that there is so much U-21 talent. Lets hope some of the lads make the step.

A couple of the Australian U 21s - Josh Valentine and Mark Gerrard, in particular - will be Wallaby candidates next season.

So this ‘Cocky Rocky’ lad – where in New Zealand was he born again lads?

That far northern suburb of Auckland called Fiji.

What worries me is that Finbar has been arguing for several weeks that it’s early season and that the ABs can and will play better. Saturday seemed to be a real step backwards from the solid performance of the week before? Okay it was a different class of opposition but the fact remains that highly rated young pack the ABs now have should not have stuttered against a second string Frenchie line up?

Yes, I thought the ABs were disappointing. Not to take anything away from Les Grenouilles who really showed some nouse and fight. I wish I'd seen them against the Pumas to know how their effort compared. What puzzled me is what puzzled Caligastia - why the ABs opted not to contest so many Grenouilles' lineout throws?

I think the ABs are going to shock us and maybe not win the tri-nations you know. Then again I might just be indulging in wishful thinking.

They might not win the Tri-Nations. Who knows? I'll be interested to see the team that Mitchell thinks is their A team. He said he would unveil it in the Tri-Nations. We're now getting some players back. It could be an interesting little series.

What a sublime line! ‘Spraying like a Tom’ – there’s one to store and bring out for Sunday best!

You may use it free of royalties. He ignored it. That, or he's out looking for the latest edition of Le Petit Orphys.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


List of typical forgotten fouls:

- Non straight line out throws (why bother sending the ball straight nowadays)
- Entering from the side (and even the rear) of a maul or an open scrum (only the elephant like fouls where whistled)
- Dummy runners
- Off sides (very loosely watched at)
- Blocking (especially with shoulders) instead of tackling
- Grabbing the ball in an open scrum with the hands without having the two feet on the ground
- Keeping the ball after a tackle (sometimes whistled too early sometimes not)...

Add a few fouls that were not real and you should get a picture.

He missed all Les Grenouilles' dummy runners, too. All up, the list pretty much includes everything Mr McHugh of the NH missed the week before.

IMO, the fact your newspapers are appreciating Mr Watson is just reflecting that Mr Watson is refereeing like you like it, in a typical SH style. I think that a referee that would not whistle for a whole game would be considered as the best umpire of the history of Rugby.

See above.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
He missed all Les Grenouilles' dummy runners, too. All up, the list pretty much includes everything Mr McHugh of the NH missed the week before.

I did not mention any side because he was equallly wrong and lenient with the two. The fact you are citing Mr McHugh confirms what I am writing since a few weeks:

- International referees are not good whether they are from the NH or the SH
- NH refs are more and more helming game like their SH counterparts

It is pretty interesting you only mentionned the Dummy Runners. Are you suggesting that the other fouls I listed were only commited by the ABs?

About spreading like a tom, I suppose this is related to the tommy gun and means spraying bullets everywhere. I don't need le petit ophrys for this one and there is the equivalent in France : "tirer dans tous les sens".

[Havak]

Never a truer word spoken - Mr McHugh missed those naughty Wallabies doing all those things and more. England as always were totally innocent

It is a shame Tamerlin chose not to respond to being accused of marking his territory indiscriminately I have to agree.

*edit* Even better that he chose another, yet still masculine, interpretation.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
- NH refs are more and more helming game like their SH counterparts

You've been watching and learning from Havak's stepping. Pity you're just as clumsy!

It is pretty interesting you only mentionned the Dummy Runners. Are you suggesting that the other fouls I listed were only commited by the ABs?

I started to type out the fouls committed by Les Grenouilles but a couple of problems arose - there was insufficient cyberspace to contain them all, and RSI struck. So I gave up.

About spreading like a tom, I suppose this is related to the tommy gun and means spraying bullets everywhere. I don't need le petit ophrys for this one and there is the equivalent in France : "tirer dans tous les sens".

No, it has nothing to do with tommy guns, or, indeed, any weapons. Have another try.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak

*edit* Even better that he chose another, yet still masculine, interpretation.

Yes, and with a slightly more attractive odour - gunpowder.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
Yes, and with a slightly more attractive odour - gunpowder.

le petit ophrys is not very useful in this case.

Are you talking about the habit of some male animals to pee on anything in order to mark their territory.

I started to type out the fouls committed by Les Grenouilles but a couple of problems arose - there was insufficient cyberspace to contain them all, and RSI struck. So I gave up.

On the contrary, listing the regular actions of the SH players would not require even a single octet.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


le petit ophrys is not very useful in this case.

Are you talking about the habit of some male animals to pee on anything in order to mark their territory.

Got it! "Tom" is an abbreviation of "Tomcat", the male cat that pees to mark its territory. It's called spraying. Of course, when I noted that you "sprayed like a Tom", it had nothing to do with your bodily functions. A Tomcat sprays everywhere, totally indiscriminately. As do you in relation to SH refs!

Feel free to use the line anytime you like and totally baffle your amis grenouilles.

On the contrary, listing the regular actions of the SH players would not require even a single octet.

Of course. Because they're so well known that they don't need to be publicised.

[Havak]

Personally I think I have a great step - but thanks for shattering my confidence.

[Frozzy]

Tamerlin really should leave SH refs alone... for they only give the fans a nice flowing game. Tamerlin obviously prefers referees that blow their whistles like steam trains

[Havak]

Tamerlin would argue that SH fans get a 'nice flowing game' because they don't understand and don't have the patience for a real game of Union that is played to the laws of the game.

We've seen continuity rugby at it worse (S12) and I am sure both he and I are happier with the type of rugby we see in our own leagues as it gives afar better platform for Test level IMHO.

And now over to Tamerlin...

[MikeH]

It doesn't matter now. England have learnt to exploit all these things the SH have been getting away with for years. Instead of trying to play fairly and getting beaten we are starting to win.

[Tamerlin]

You have summed it up adequately Havak...

Frozzy, continuity of the game... but which game of Rugby? You are happy with the SH way of umpiring a game because they are furthering the game of Rugby you have been used to since you are in swaddling clothes... and the game as it has been perverted to suit Murdoch's needs.

We've seen continuity rugby at it worse (S12) and I am sure both he and I are happier with the type of rugby we see in our own leagues as it gives afar better platform for Test level IMHO.

Exactly!

It doesn't matter now. England have learnt to exploit all these things the SH have been getting away with for years. Instead of trying to play fairly and getting beaten we are starting to win.

Oh yes it matters, it is a shame the NH teams have to adapt themselves to the SH way of umpiring the game in order to shine on the international scene.

Winning is good of course but this is not enough. The day all the games will look like this SH Rugby Union/L***** hodgepodge à la Murdoch I will no more go to the stadium.

Sorry for the "angry" smiley but I have been asked to use them regularly as Apolyton has ordered a ton of them... and I have been warned I have not used one since two or three posts.