Rugby World Cup 2003 - Crunch Time!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Great to see Tamerlin back and on form – there should be a :disdain: smilie there really should.

Only it would be a :dédain: smilie.

Income tax is reasonable here – but god help you if you want to actually spend some of your money – indirect taxes are ridiculous (are we the only country in the world that taxes petrol as a ‘luxury’?).

The idiots in this country who voted for the government that introduced the GST - your VAT - were promised that it would result in the reduction of indirect taxes. I assume you were told the same thing?

I guess it’s possible McCaw would have ousted Josh by now – but I don’t think its certain by any means.

Probably on age. Kronfeld was a super player. Pity he tossed it in.

I can’t be convinced of this easily – maybe in six weeks time he may have firmly convinced me himself - one way or the other.

I think he's a good promising player at this stage. No more, no less.

And Straeuli has been quoted yet again as saying every bok side should be very Physical.

Interesting to see how they behave on the world stage. I wouldn't be surprised if they behaved reasonably well.

Perth is Foster’s territory isn’t it – that’s the ultimate way to make a Chip buttie lethal – add that muck to it.

Perth? Foster's territory? Swan Lager, more like.

Is there anything more frustrating for a writer than having the audience miss a carefully crafted gag totally by the way…?

At least Tamerlin got it and English is his seventeenth language!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Andydog
Big Brad Thorn starts the game at lock, in place of the injured Williams. Thorn getting more experience at test level can only be a good thing I guess.

Yes, but all the experience in the world doesn't amount to a hill of beans if you're not good enough in the first place.

Dan Carter gets the hot seat for this first game.

Goodoh. A back-up for Carlos if his kicking falls apart.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak
Your healthy sense of humour lightens the threads.

Would you agree with me that Betsen, on form, is the man in his position?

On form... yes.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
I assume you were told the same thing?

As everybody knows it the French are the proud inventors of the Taxe sur la Valeur Ajoutée, this invention has been so successful and has been so much enjoyed by everybody that it is today a "Sine Qua Non" condition before a country can enter the European Community. This invention was made a long time ago at a time when the politicians did not bother to argument their decisions.

[Havak]

Only it would be a :dédain: smilie.

My French Dictionary tells me that means ‘scorn’?

I assume you were told the same thing?

It came in before my majority but so I understand, yes. Now they are slowly putting in on everything that was originally assured as being exempt (childrens clothes for example – now there is a luxury). I believe petrol draws both Fuel Duty and VAT at point of sale – classic double dipping.

Probably on age. Kronfeld was a super player. Pity he tossed it in.

Suffers with his ankles periodically – has that clutter clearing surgery on them. Continued International duty might have crippled him I guess – it’s a big thing knowing when to walk away?

I think he's a good promising player at this stage. No more, no less.

Duly noted.

I wouldn't be surprised if they behaved reasonably well.

Hard to call – they know they are under scrutiny but they also know an effective ploy against England would be trying to provoke a reaction…a week and a bit and we’ll know the answer.

Perth? Foster's territory? Swan Lager, more like.

Even better suited to the purpose at hand then.

At least Tamerlin got it and English is his seventeenth language!

I’m not claiming it’s my first one either.

On form... yes.

He had a weak six nations – and I don’t recall seeing him in our two tests? Has he travelled to Oz Tamerlin?

The French are to blame for Value Added Tax? I’d keep that a bit quieter if I were you.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


As everybody knows it the French are the proud inventors of the Taxe sur la Valeur Ajoutée

Gee. Taxe sur la Valeur Ajoutée, la guillotine, Jean-Marie Le Pen ... you grenouilles have a lot answer for! If you hadn't invented Gauloise, you'd be in a lot of trouble with me!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak


My French Dictionary tells me that means ‘scorn’?

Oh! Found it now, have we?!

Tonight's been a festival of rugby and rugby-related stuff on Fox Sports as a lead-up to the tournament. I just watched an hour-long profile on John O'Neill. Some interesting stuff came out of it -

I hadn't realised that it took quite a time for John Eales and Rod Macqueen to establish a relationship. Early days, apparently, were very tense. Neither seemed to be able to explain why, beyond that they didn't really know each other. Must've been more to it than that.

Rod Macqueen all but quit after that first loss to the Pumas. He wasn't happy with the way the media slaughtered him, and certainly wasn't happy with some of the attitudes within the team. Which may relate to the situation above.

And the ARU coughed up a million quid to get the Lions out here.

Oh, and I looked for a retired tighthead with a high forehead and a beaker of bitter in his humungous mitt in the crowd in the highlights package but didn't spot you.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
Just for the RWC. In order to satisfy the official sponsors of the World Cup, the IRB required that all ground ad signage - and jersey ad logos - be removed for the duration of the tournament so that the official sponsors wouldn't have any advertising competition.

This is what led to New Zealand losing the co-hosting role. The NZRFU, in its wisdom, refused to agree to remove the ad signage at their grounds. They decided, in their wisdom, that the ad revenue their clubs received from their signage was far more beneficial than the multi-millions the RWC would bring. They even went as far as to say that the NPC was more important to Kiwis than the RWC anyway.

How ridiculous!

Thus, as soon as the NZRFU lost the co-hosting gig, a broom was put through the NZRFU hierarchy and some people with brains were installed in place of the idiots. Just a bit too late, unfortunately.

I wonder who's in line to host the next few RWCs? Hopefully New Zealand will get a another chance at some point.

On another, brighter note. I've just looked at the schedule for tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday. Tomorrow night, of course, I have Australia -v- Argentina to watch. On Saturday, I have NZ -v- Italy at 2pm, followed by France -v- Fiji at 7.30pm, followed by South Africa -v- Uruguay at 10pm. With highlights of Ireland -v- Romania on another channel at 9.30pm.

On Sunday, I have to make do with Scotland -v- Japan at 8.30pm, England -v- Georgia at 10pm, and the highlights of Wales -v- Canada at midnight.

You will, no doubt, understand why I've instructed Mrs finbar not to agree to any social engagements for the next month or so. Well, to be truthful, I told her she could, on her behalf, but that she should tell everyone I was unavailable on account of I'd died suddenly.

...and gone to heaven.

The RWC doesn't start till Monday evening for me, thanks to the delayed broadcast. It beats paying 20 bucks at the door to see it live at a pub though.

After tomorrow I'll have to make myself scarce around here...

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Havak


And yet sponsorship free shirts are seemingly not available in the UK through official channels. Not that this really surprises me in the slightest.

Couldn't you just order one from that website I linked you to?

http://www.worldrugbyshop.com/shop/product_detail.asp?ProductGroupID=1060&Department=6

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
The idiots in this country who voted for the government that introduced the GST - your VAT - were promised that it would result in the reduction of indirect taxes. I assume you were told the same thing?

It's kind of like saying "We're going to take some more of your money, but don't worry, we promise to give some back one day".

[Havak]

Oh! Found it now, have we?!

Yes thanks.

And the ARU coughed up a million quid to get the Lions out here.

The Lions have no Home Union of course – they rely on the hosting Unions and sponsors. Even so I am sure it proved to be exceptional value? Even the SMH, whilst at times assuming we were all Austin devotees and sub-humans in need of instant deporting, acknowledged that the presence of Lions plus fans was a cash cow wherever they went.

I was there – but I didn’t exactly stand out from the company I was in.

I’m too tight Caligastia – at nearly £60 before shipping it’s too rich for my blood. There may be some Celt in me after all.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Havak
I’m too tight Caligastia – at nearly £60 before shipping it’s too rich for my blood. There may be some Celt in me after all.

How much would you expect to pay if it was available over there?

[Havak]

A much more reasonable £50 plus shipping.

Like I said - I'm tight.

*Edit* I've also got a wardrobe full of older ones including the classic all white one with the pre-Nike rose design.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak
My French Dictionary tells me that means ‘scorn’?

Scorn can be translated as dédain or mépris in French, the dédain is the act of disdaining something while mépris roughly means "not worthy of attention", not exactly the same thing but rather close.

The French are to blame for Value Added Tax? I’d keep that a bit quieter if I were you.

There are so few things we can boast about having invented since a few decades that we cling to anything we can.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Havak
A much more reasonable £50 plus shipping.

Like I said - I'm tight.

*Edit* I've also got a wardrobe full of older ones including the classic all white one with the pre-Nike rose design.

No great need for a new one then.