Rugby - See You In Ten!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
And just for Finbar here is the second string for tomorrow:

England: D Scarbrough; J Simpson-Daniel, J Noon, S Abbott, D Luger; A King, A Gomarsall; J Leonard (capt), M Regan, J White, D Grewcock, S Shaw, M Corry, L Moody, J Worsley.
Replacements: D West, W Green, S Borthwick, A Sanderson, A Healey, D Walder, O Smith.

Mmmm. Bucket Mouth earns a bench spot for the Second XV. Presumably he would run on with a Third XV?

[finbar]

Originally posted by Andydog
Also, it will be a hard ground in Aussie at that time of year.

And stinking hot. Mid-winter and it's already averaging mid-20s in Brisbane. I fear the NH teams will really struggle in the heat. Particularly those with ageing packs.

[Havak]

Um - the French pack is fairly young and we have some young players fit again too.

In any case our Dad's army could play 160 minutes against any SH pretenders and still run rings around them.

Is there a pinochio icon?

he will get under your English mauls quick as lightening and bring them down

Quite illegally of course. Not that I’m surprised.

McCaws a good lad – but Backy is better even now – and Backy in his prime was far better – though McCaw may season some yet.

I’m really hoping Moody is fit because them McCaw will be speared off the ball all the time.

who will then face our backline Magicians, as Finbar put it, who made some crunching tackles on the Aussies last weekend.

You know our back line is a little better than I make them out to be. Having said that we are going to triumph in the forwards anyway – a magician is useless without his wand.

and sorry but Johno relies on his kicking..

Now that is funny – I’ve seen Johno kick and it’s not his strong point – did you mean Johnny?

We are pretty used to seeing Wilko underestimated by the SH or written off as a kicker only (funny given Mehrts was never anything else?). I’m surprised a Kiwi makes the mistake now though – try re-watching the November game and watch as he chips your defensive line when Blair drifted – tell me Spencer has better vision or skill than that and I’ll be calling you a big fibber.

His boot is sublime, his hands are good, his vision excellent and his tackling quite shattering – Wilko is just damn good and has been for years. He’s ahead of the mercurial (but not proven consistent) Spencer at this stage – even when parts of his game misfire the kicking does compensate (see NZ in June).

Mmmm. Bucket Mouth earns a bench spot for the Second XV. Presumably he would run on with a Third XV?

He’s on the bench as he hasn’t played since at all since early April – and has only played 60 minutes since November. They will run him to test his fitness and I’m afraid I expect him to make the RWC squad Finbar – he is too useful in too many positions and he remains one of the few players I have seen single handedly turn games. His personal qualities pout to one side I have a lot of time for the lad as a player. Strangely he is likely to come on a scrummy tomorrow.

I'm off now - enjoy the rugby gents - catch you all in September.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak
His boot is sublime, his hands are good, his vision excellent and his tackling quite shattering – Wilko is just damn good and has been for years. He’s ahead of the mercurial (but not proven consistent) Spencer at this stage – even when parts of his game misfire the kicking does compensate (see NZ in June).

Without any NH chauvinism I have to back Havak on this issue. Whatever the quality of Carlos Spencer, Johnny "Wilko" Wilkinson, is definitely the best fly half on the market. But watch for Frédéric Michalack, you will hear about him in the months to come...

[finbar]

I thought Havak would never leave! Now we can really bag his ageing Neanderthal team!

[Tamerlin]

I am here and I won't let you do... :cerberuslook:

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
Without any NH chauvinism I have to back Havak on this issue. Whatever the quality of Carlos Spencer, Johnny "Wilko" Wilkinson, is definitely the best fly half on the market. But watch for Frédéric Michalack, you will hear about him in the months to come...

I don't think hemisphere chauvinism enters into it. IMHO, Wilkinson is the best fly-half currently going around. Maybe, a bit more than twelve months ago, I'd've ranked Steve Larkham better, because he was doing everything Wilkinson could do and more. Larkham is now, sadly, showing the signs of having been smashed a couple too many times.

I think we have to wait till after the WRC to know exactly where Carlos ranks in the scheme of things. He's a very gifted player - capable of magic in the same way Larkham was, albeit of a different kind - but the true test is being able to produce the goods consistently at the highest level, which is what Wilkinson has done. This is, after all, Carlos' first season - in this incarnation - at the top level and the season has only just started. I hope he can do it, because, as I've said before, rugby needs great players with his brand of magic.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
I am here and I won't let you do... :cerberuslook:

*looks around, strains to hear*

Did someone speak?

[LDiCesare]

I saw the second half of France-Romania yesterday (score 56-8). France only scored 3 tries in the second half. Apparently, they showed a nice game in the first, scroing five tries. I saw a replay of one pass by Michalak which was quite nice.
The problem here is the full back: Elhorga replaced Poitrenaud who is hurt, Brusque is hurt, and, of course, Pepito Elhorga hurt himself during the match. This means Traille (who play full back in Pau) played full back, and he's very good there (particularly, he managed to jump and get one ball in a very acrobatic manner), but if he was to play full back, we'd miss him as a center...
Romania is really less than the shadow of a team. They committed a number of knock-ons that is pitiful to witness. I think that only scoring three tries in the second half was a poor performance for the French.
The good news is that Michalak didn't miss any conversion (he passed the 7 he tried).

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
Romania is really less than the shadow of a team. They committed a number of knock-ons that is pitiful to witness. I think that only scoring three tries in the second half was a poor performance for the French.
The good news is that Michalak didn't miss any conversion (he passed the 7 he tried).

I only saw the second half and France's performance was not good as you already said it in your post. Fabien Galthié lack of shape is becoming more and more worrying, I found him slow and not very confident of his choices. France's problem IMO is not about the individual qualities of its players but about the team as a whole, the players seem to have troubles working together where this is obviously the strength of teams like England or New Zealand. The real test is coming next week with France-England, wait and see...

[finbar]

I gather they ran in a length-of-the-field try along the way?

Oh, and I notice that England's 2nd XV fell in against Wales. Lucky for us Havak's on holidays.

[Frozzy]

NPC update:

Waikato -d- Wellington 23-18

Cullen's farewell game, and gets murdered by a thunderous Keith Robinson tackle. Waikato dominate in all areas. MVP: Entire Waikato Pack

Taranaki -d- Northland 34-12

Blowing a gale at the 'naki, shown by a penalty going from the far right side of the field all the way to the far left when directed right. 'Naki's forward pack crushed the Northland defence, which put up a bloody good fight against Canturbury last week.

Speaking of Cants...

Canterbury -d- Bay of Plenty 31-26

Last season's whipping boys were unlucky not to pinch the win and the Ranfurly Shield from Jade. Even game, Merts had a couple of line breaks, Blair notches 8/10 kicks.

Current Standings:
Taranaki
Otago
Auckland
Wellington
Waikato
Canterbury
Bay of Plenty
Northland
Southland
North Harbour

'naki are surprise leaders, but already the top 5 from last year are in the top 6, even with missing ABs.

[finbar]

Mehrtens started or came off the bench? I did read somewhere that Blair was designated goal kicker instead of him.

[Frozzy]

Mehrts started.

[NeoStar]

Hi all,

Ummm did anyone have the foresight to all their tickets last year? This latest round was a farce - I only managed to grab a couple to Argentina vs Romania (I know they were once good but now its flogging after flogging). I really should have got more last year I think.

Anyone really benefit from last week?

And another thing, Australia is no doubt in a slump of sorts but am I right in thinking they should be alright until the potential encounter with NZ in the semi finals? Even then...well, I suppose we'll see how much of a plus the home advantage gives them. Finbar, you're good at analysing their ups and downs, despite the bashing in the media (and to the Kiwis not long ago )they can regroup, can't they?