Rugby - See You In Ten!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Do you think I'm wrong to be overconfident Finbar? I honestly think unless France improve enormously it will be a comfortable win on Saturday.

Thanks to FoxSports, I didn't see the game! So I have absolutely no idea.

And I can also tell the difference between thanking a crowd and triumphalism.

Oh look, les grenouilles like a parade, you know that.

[finbar]

And yet the side that won this years tri-nations contained how many of that tour party?

And of those new caps who played against us did you say? We faced the core of the side that became this years ABs - minus Jack and McCaw.

Here's the AB team that played England at Twickers last November:

Prop Joe McDonnell
Hooker Andrew Hore
Prop Kees Meeuws
Lock Keith Robinson
Lock Ali Williams
Flanker Marty Holah
Flanker Taine Randell (c)
No.8 Sam Broomhall
Scrum Half Steve Devine
Fly Half Carlos Spencer
Right Wing Doug Howlett
Centre Keith Lowen
Centre Tana Umaga
Left Wing Jonah Lomu
Fullback Ben Blair

Reserves:
Danny Lee
Andrew Mehrtens
Brad Mika
Mark Robinson
Keven Mealamu
Carl Hayman
Rodney So'oialo

I'd call it very much a 2nd 22.

[Andydog]

And yet the side that won this years tri-nations contained how many of that tour party?

And of those new caps who played against us did you say? We faced the core of the side that became this years ABs - minus Jack and McCaw.

The NZ starting 15 against England at Twickenham on 9 Nov 02 was as follows:

15. Ben Blair, 14. Doug Howlett, 13. Tana Umaga, 12. Keith Lowen, 11. Jonah Lomu, 10 Carlos Spencer, 9. Steve Devine, 8. Sam Broomhall, 7. Marty Holah, 6. Taine Randell (c), 5. Keith Robinson, 4. Ali Williams, 3. Kees Meeuws, 2. Andrew Hore, 1. Joe McDonnell.

Merhts replaced Spencer at half time.

The NZ starting 15 against Australia for the Tri-Nations/Bledisloe final on 16 Aug 03 was:

15. Mils Muliaina, 14. Doug Howlett, 13. Tana Umaga, 12. Aaron Mauger, 11. Joe Rokocoko, 10. Carlos Spencer, 9. Justin Marshall, 8. Jerry Collins, 7. Richard McCaw, 6. Reuben Thorne, 5. Ali Williams, 4. Chris Jack, 3. Greg Somerville, 2. Keven Mealamu, 1. Dave Hewett.

So, as can be seen, only 4 players are common, Howlett, Umaga, Spencer and Williams. Mate, just accept it. Our second rate team came within 3 of your full strength side at Twickenham.

[Andydog]

Ah Finbar got in there just before me I see!

there is plenty to see in Leicester but the council make very little of the city's history so I can see how a visitor would fail to find the interesting things.

I bet you never even made it to Welford Road?

No didn't make it that far, there was nothing in the Lonely Planet about it. I take it there is a disgusting amount of bitter to be drunk there?

[Havak]

Last time I looked the ground had at least eight bars.

Well if that was a 2nd 22 it did make beating it and your first 22 rather enjoyable regardless.

Noit that io think you can count the ever changing front row as being different to be honest - Mitchell has tried every inadequate beefy boy who qualfies in the last year.

Did I mention we have beaten you twice in less than a year by the way?

[finbar]

Originally posted by Andydog
Ah Finbar got in there just before me I see!

When it comes to proving Havak wrong and jamming it up him, you have to get up very very early to beat me!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Last time I looked the ground had at least eight bars.

Call me a pedant, but presumably you're always looking from within one of them, meaning you can only see at least seven.

[Andydog]

Havak is clearly someone who recognises pubs by the colour of their roofs. Eight different colours either means eight different pubs or he's managed to spew that accursed pork pie into his eyes again.

[Havak]

A pedant you may be - but in this case accurate you most certainly are.

And I never waste good food - once eaten it stays eaten.

So that XV from November - how many figured in the tri nations this year that didn't play in that very last game?

You guys are trying to paint me in a very bad light methinks.

[lightblue]

Originally posted by finbar
Yes, the All Blacks wore them a couple of times during the Tri-Nations. Or at least some of the players did. They're designed to make them harder to grab. I don't know what they'll be like to wear in the hot weather during the WRC, though. There will be little or no air circulation.

I saw the game highlights on Sunday Grandstand (not a rugby fan, but it was after the rowing coverage). The tops look slightly out of place on 19st guys

Air circulation should not be trouble any trouble though. Rowers, cyclists, track athletes, italian football team and the australian women's basketball team all wear skintight lycra based outfits and (at least for rowing, which is the only one i got experience with) the summer material cools the skin by the same tactic as the Nike Dryfit soccer tops (it draws the sweat through the material). In winter I assume they'd slap some Coolmax in and then they're fairly hot.

Problem they seemed to have with the numbers and tearing are slightly more worrying probably.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
And I never waste good food - once eaten it stays eaten.

I wonder what the collective noun for regurgitated pork pies might be. A "reappearance" of pork pies? A "here's looking at you again" of pork pies? A "Christ, did I eat that many!" of pork pies?

You guys are trying to paint me in a very bad light methinks.

"Trying to paint"? I think you meant "succeeding in painting". Obviously a typo on your part.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Andydog
Havak is clearly someone who recognises pubs by the colour of their roofs.

Okay, call me a pedant again, but given that he's more often than not flat on his back on the bar floor, I'd've said ceilings rather than roofs.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak
Did I mention we have beaten you twice in less than a year by the way?

This is starting to sound more and more like your " AB's haven't beaten England in almost 4 years" arguement, knowing full well that it'd been almost 4 years since they'd last faced off.


Here's a rather delightful comment from an Englander regarding the recent game vs France ...

"After reading all the Sunday newspapers [and your review] I found the first thing mentioned was that in fact this was not the full England side. As I remember correctly the ABs have not fielded full strength sides in their last two defeats to England and the mere mention of this was met with derision from the great white hopefuls , and rightly so.

And now that the size 14 rugby boot is on the other foot the great white hopefuls are perhaps a little more accepting of the concept of losing after electing to field a second string side ... ?

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
So that XV from November - how many figured in the tri nations this year that didn't play in that very last game?

Okay, because I've just finished 10 months non-stop work, and I'm now on hols, I've done the exercise for you. Here are the players who figured in this year's Tri Nations who weren't in the team last November:

Prop - Dave Hewett (started all 4 matches)
Hooker - Keven Mealamu (started 3, reserve once)
Prop - Greg Somerville (started 3, reserve once)
Lock - Chris Jack (started 3, reserve once)
Lock - Brad Thorn (started once, reserve 3)
Flanker - Richie McCaw (started 3)
Flanker - Reuben Thorne (started all 4 matches)
#8 - Jerry Collins (started all 4 matches)
Scrum Half - Justin Marshall (started 3, reserve once)
Centre - Aaron Mauger (started all 4 matches)
Left Wing - Joe Rokocoko (started all 4 matches)
Full Back - Mils Muliaina (started all 4 matches)

And there are various other players who started on the bench during the Tri Nations who didn't appear last November.

To quote Ming - "Case closed!"

[finbar]

Originally posted by ravagon


This is starting to sound more and more like your " AB's haven't beaten England in almost 4 years" arguement, knowing full well that it'd been almost 4 years since they'd last faced off.


Here's a rather delightful comment from an Englander regarding the recent game vs France ...




And now that the size 14 rugby boot is on the other foot the great white hopefuls are perhaps a little more accepting of the concept of losing after electing to field a second string side ... ?

Hang on, it's only Tuesday. You're not ravagon, you're an imposter!