Rugby - Advantage Over!

[MikeH]

Yeah, I know what you mean. Rugby L***** is an abomination and should be destroyed.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Personally I think I have a great step - but thanks for shattering my confidence.

Your mate Mr Loosey would leave you with a shirtful of sore ribs.

[finbar]

Havak:

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...

Tamerlin:

Exactly!

As a duo, they sure put Thomas the Tank Engine and the Fat Controller to shame.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
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.

Spraying like a Tom again? They can't control their most basic, primitive urges either.

[Havak]

Instead of trying to play fairly and getting beaten we are starting to win.

We still need to be careful for my taste - lest the pupil totally overtake the master.

As for Lewsey Finbar old bean he could nail anyone here regardless how good their ‘step’ is. Typical young agressive Sandhurst Wallah.

I’m not sure I would have used the same analogy but I am quite happy to be counted with Tamerlin on the club issue. We both support long established City club sides rather than assembled franchises and we both watch domestic rugby policed more similar to test rugger than those franchises enjoy as far as I am concerned.

But then it’s an old hobby horse so perhaps it is inevitable those of us from the ‘old world’ will hold those views.

I choose my targets carefully incidentally.

Bad news – Woodward has just signed a deal that lasts until RWC 2007. Win or lose he now has a job after the world cup this year. The whole of Australia will be happy?

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak


We still need to be careful for my taste - lest the pupil totally overtake the master.

Well, this WRC is your big chance. Probably your last one, too, for a little while unless you turn up another J****.

As for Lewsey Finbar old bean he could nail anyone here regardless how good their ‘step’ is. Typical young agressive Sandhurst Wallah.

Yes, Gordon Bray - the commentator who knows his trivia - told us he was one of those. I could tell just from the fact that his eyes were too close together.

I’m not sure I would have used the same analogy but I am quite happy to be counted with Tamerlin on the club issue. We both support long established City club sides rather than assembled franchises and we both watch domestic rugby policed more similar to test rugger than those franchises enjoy as far as I am concerned.

The trouble is, that MikeH has now joined in. So now it's a trio. I don't know whether T.t.T.E and T.F.C. have an offsider.

I choose my targets carefully incidentally.

Neutered, hm?

Bad news – Woodward has just signed a deal that lasts until RWC 2007. Win or lose he now has a job after the world cup this year. The whole of Australia will be happy?

I suspect he will quit if he doesn't win the WRC. I'm not sure he could handle missing out. Or if he doesn't quit, the din will drive him out.

[Havak]

Well, this WRC is your big chance. Probably your last one, too, for a little while unless you turn up another J****.

Actually I can’t agree. Jonno is certainly a one-off and he leaves big shoes to fill as both a player and a captain – but someone will turn up in both roles given time. Australia after all survived ‘Nobody’ going without falling totally apart (though nothing currently in your second row is even close to that quality).

The change in out national side in the last Eight years has been remarkable. The last four years in particular have seen us take huge leaps – from a joke to the SH sides to very serious threats. We should realistically challenge at every World Cup from now on. Sure there will be up and downs in the cycle but we’ll never sink back to the completely non competitive side of amateur days.

I could tell just from the fact that his eyes were too close together.

The place is slightly less exclusive these days. Pale Blue blood can get you in.

I don't know whether T.t.T.E and T.F.C. have an offsider.

Congrats. You have me baffled here.

Neutered, hm?

Nope – just too lazy to want to defend all that random spraying.

Or if he doesn't quit, the din will drive him out.

I’d be amazed if the media allowed him to continue – even if we lose the final by one point to the greatest display of running rugby ever seen from the other team.

I’m curious about the timing of this new contract though. I’m sure the existing one went past the RWC. It smacks of the RFU proving it’s a gentlemans club still in some ways:

“I say chaps lets give Clive a vote of confidence before the big bully off in October. Shall we say four more years?”

[Caligastia]

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

They didn't actually replay the incident until Thorne came back on 10 minutes later.

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.

How nice of you to be so concerned.

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.

Who would you like to see win the Tri-nations?

[Havak]

ENGLAND?

[Havak]

The serious answer is that whilst I can admire the qualities of the Wallabies I could never support them as such. The Boks - well I don't think so, not at least whilst Krige is still involved. I'll be backing the ABs as per normal.

But the fact I'm backing them doesn't alter the fact I also expect them to slip up.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
The trouble is, that MikeH has now joined in. So now it's a trio. I don't know whether T.t.T.E and T.F.C. have an offsider.

Some subtleties of the English language are still a mystery to me...

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Actually I can’t agree. Jonno is certainly a one-off and he leaves big shoes to fill as both a player and a captain – but someone will turn up in both roles given time. Australia after all survived ‘Nobody’ going without falling totally apart (though nothing currently in your second row is even close to that quality).

Yes, but it boils down to how much England depends on him. The evidence is, as you have already observed (and even, on one occasion, bemoaned), that it depends on him to an almost unhealthy degree. We never depended on The Person To Whom You Refer to anywhere near the same degree you depend on J****.

Who, out of interest, do you think the next J**** might be? Given, obviously, that there can never, literally, be another one. But in the spiritual sense? Ben Kay strikes me as a very good player, but, unless there's a side to him that I haven't seen, not a Leader Of Men as J**** is. And that's the magical ingredient in the recipe - leadership.

The change in out national side in the last Eight years has been remarkable. The last four years in particular have seen us take huge leaps – from a joke to the SH sides to very serious threats. We should realistically challenge at every World Cup from now on. Sure there will be up and downs in the cycle but we’ll never sink back to the completely non competitive side of amateur days.

Of course you won't. Calamity aside, with the structures you have in place, you can't. And I wasn't suggesting you would. Of course everything is cyclical, and England's turn at the top of cycle happens to coincide with a WRC year.

The place is slightly less exclusive these days. Pale Blue blood can get you in.

The place should be abolished. As should fox hunting, which would be if the House of Lords were abolished too, which it should be. Gee, President Tony can't take much of a trick these days, can he? Rolled within his own party over fox hunting too? Oh, and I'm following with great interest the dispute between Alistair Campbell and the BBC journo. I suspect Alistair has bovver-boyed once too often.

Congrats. You have me baffled here.

I baffled Tamerlin, too, which was, with great respect, a bit more fun. Don't let on to him, but they were just acronyms - Thomas the Tank Engine, and The Fat Controller. I know I can divulge them to you without him finding out - he never reads my posts. He just replies to anything I post with angry smilies as a matter of course these days.

Nope – just too lazy to want to defend all that random spraying.

Sometimes I wish I were lazy enough to let some of those angry smilies through to the 'keeper.

*Tamerlin reaches for his Petit Orphys*

I’d be amazed if the media allowed him to continue – even if we lose the final by one point to the greatest display of running rugby ever seen from the other team.

That's what I think. It's also another reason why his media performance here was silly. Winning with grace makes it much easier to lose with grace.

I’m curious about the timing of this new contract though. I’m sure the existing one went past the RWC. It smacks of the RFU proving it’s a gentlemans club still in some ways:

“I say chaps lets give Clive a vote of confidence before the big bully off in October. Shall we say four more years?”

Mmmm. These things are never a one-way street. I wonder who initiated it.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin




Some subtleties of the English language are still a mystery to me...

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
...which would be if the House of Lords were abolished too, which it should be.

As far as I remember, the House of Lords has already been abolished...

I baffled Tamerlin, too, which was, with great respect, a bit more fun. Don't let on to him, but they were just acronyms - Thomas the Tank Engine, and The Fat Controller. I know I can divulge them to you without him finding out - he never reads my posts. He just replies to anything I post with angry smilies as a matter of course these days.

I read all the posts, this is the reason why I don't have the time to reply.

Sometimes I wish I were lazy enough to let some of those angry smilies through to the 'keeper.

You can't... you can't help!

Gentlemen, I am away until the 20th of July and will not be able to connect to the Apolyton Site until then (Aaaargh!).

Havak and MikeH, you are now the only defenders of the NH against the SH heretics. You have all my support and confidence... have fun!

Finbar: don't be too harsh with them...









(just as a matter of form)

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


As far as I remember, the House of Lords has already been abolished...

No, unfortunately not.

I read all the posts, this is the reason why I don't have the time to reply.

Yes, I suppose between all that reading and all that thumbing through ton Petit Orphys there aren't enough hours left in the day for you to post!

You can't... you can't help!

Just watch me! When you get back ...

Gentlemen, I am away until the 20th of July and will not be able to connect to the Apolyton Site until then (Aaaargh!).

A-ha! Laporte has called on your services to coach the team in your preferred Bronze Age brand of rugby!

Havak and MikeH, you are now the only defenders of the NH against the SH heretics. You have all my support and confidence... have fun!

A-ha! The master leaves the apprentices in charge of the fort.

*finbar salivates and ties on his bib*

Finbar: don't be too harsh with them...

No more harsh than any hungry, bad-mannered lion would be with any pair of innocent baby zebras he stumbled across.









(just as a matter of form) [/QUOTE]