Rugby World Cup 2003 - Crunch Time!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak

I will be making sure that I get to post during the tournament (sorry Finbar).

That's what you think!

[Frozzy]

I don't think I've ever seen a thread with so many smilies.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
They won't - don't worry. And a chance is all you will get.

How much should I elaborate? Woods is for me the best hooker still playing the game.

I consider him to still be better than Thompson for example - would you rate this lad you named better than Thompson?

The Paddy is real class in a period, worldwide, IMHO, of pretty average hookers. But he would stand out in any period. Mealamu is, by comparison with the Paddy, promising.

On which note Finbar he is currently fit and should be present for the big RWC game with them - I don't expect the abject surrender up front they made to you in June.

But I read this morning that someone else is now injured. The way they're travelling, they'll be lucky to field a team.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Frozzy
I don't think I've ever seen a thread with so many smilies.

Yeah. Once Tamerlin finds a new toy, he flogs it.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Caligastia


Well I can tell you that I certainly appreciate it.

Mmmm...prosciutto...I think I'll have Italian for lunch today. Little Italy is just down the road...

And, just for Frozzy's benefit:

[finbar]

Updated weather report. Now we know why we couldn't get to sleep last night. It was Sydney's highest overnight September minimum for 57 years - 22C.

[Havak]

That's what you think!

Oh no – is the O’Neil secret service after me?

Clearly they realise how critical I am to our chances?

Mealamu is, by comparison with the Paddy, promising.

What strikes me most is that nobody from that particular front row this year has struck me at being any good at the core front row skill – the scrum. A hooker can be as mobile as you like and throw on a dime (not that I noticed this working too well either) but if he can’t scrum he aint no damn good as they say.

The way they're travelling, they'll be lucky to field a team.

And I tempted fate on their behalf – Woodsy had minor elbow surgery earlier in the week to cure a mobility problem with the joint. His coach says it was minor and no worry for the RWC. Personally if my elbow locked up I would worry.
The loss of Murphy though I would say has disproportionately ruined their chances of going far in the tourney.

On a different note there’s an irreverent sport quiz show on the Beeb here called "They think it’s all over". One thing they do is a picture round where three faces are rolled into one and the teams have to get all three names. Jonno figured as the middle part of one of these last night and was fairly easy to spot.

The presenter Nick Hancock summarised with “the 6’7” nineteen stone Johnson has the nickname Muppet to his team mates – and we’ll be taking the P out of that….just as soon as we know he has safely landed in Australia”.

Well it tickled me anyway.

[Andydog]

Originally posted by Havak
They won't - don't worry. And a chance is all you will get.

How much should I elaborate? Woods is for me the best hooker still playing the game.

I consider him to still be better than Thompson for example - would you rate this lad you named better than Thompson?

*edit* If it helps to clarify Keith is almost single handedly responsible for Irelands win over England in 2001 - his work rate and presence around the park that day beat anything I've seen from a hooker since Pit Bull packed in in the mid nineties. He missed the next two Anglo-Irish games both of which were crushing defeats for the Green - and I am sure his lack of presence affected that hugely (as indeed big J missing the 2001 game no doubt hampered us).

So when you claim that Woods is in a "totally different class" to Mealamu, you mean that Woods does more work and inspires the team by example? Given the NH style it's not surprising that he does more work, but I still think that Mealamu displays more talent.

And the last time I watched Thompson play he hiffed almost every lineout ball way past the forwards to nobody. You were lucky the French were under performing, you won't get away with throws like that in the WRC.

J (as in dangling hook )

[Havak]

We must be watching different teams. Yours appear to be a fantasy side given how average the AB front row has been this year even against moderate opposition like the Aussie fornt row.

Beyond that I'm not climbing on the hook.

Sorry to see Williams is now doubtful - does that mean that shambolic hulk who got a run in the tri nations will now partner Jack? lets hope the ABs don't meet a decent set of forwards then eh?

[Andydog]

No fantasies. I wasn't arguing about our entire front row, just our hooker. I’ve written before about our forward pack's deficiencies and what needs to happen for us to beat England. But you must admit, the likes of Mealamu and McCaw show a lot of promise.

As far as Williams goes, if it turns out he can’t play then we do have options available to us for that position should we require them. Mitchell has involved specific players in our preparation at various stages during the year and is monitoring their form and will continue to involve them in our preparation.

I read an interesting article about Thorne – despite him having the one of the most stressful jobs in NZ, when the quacks turned up at the AB training camp and assessed the players for stress, Thorne was found to be the most relaxed of them all. He must know something we don’t!

[Havak]

McCaw certainly so - but so far the other guy has not given me that impression. But then he is about to get chance to so do isn't he - I'll try to keep an open mind. I'm sure you will do the same watching Keith?

Tell me more about those options - Williams always struck me a workaday partner to the more clearly talented Jack - so what kind of quality are these 'options'?

Thorne may know something we don't - now what might that be?

[Havak]

By the way is there any truth to the rumour that a former Bok player has been physcially escorted away, and subsequently totally barred, from the AB training camp?

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
Updated weather report. Now we know why we couldn't get to sleep last night. It was Sydney's highest overnight September minimum for 57 years - 22C.

What? No air conditioning? Are you trying to pretend you're in France?

[finbar]

Originally posted by Andydog


So when you claim that Woods is in a "totally different class" to Mealamu, you mean that Woods does more work and inspires the team by example? Given the NH style it's not surprising that he does more work, but I still think that Mealamu displays more talent.

I just think the Paddy - at this point in time - is a much better all round hooker. Vastly more experienced, better scrummager, et al. Mealamu remains, by comparison, IMHO, promising.

And the last time I watched Thompson play he hiffed almost every lineout ball way past the forwards to nobody. You were lucky the French were under performing, you won't get away with throws like that in the WRC.

He won't fall for that rancid old bait. Anyway, Thompson proves my earlier point - there's a dearth of quality hookers at the moment.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak

Tell me more about those options - Williams always struck me a workaday partner to the more clearly talented Jack - so what kind of quality are these 'options'?

I'd like to know more about these lock options too. There were only three in the squad and Brad Thorn, the third, was found wanting in his only outing in the Tri Nations. One of the websites reports that Troy Flavell - he who stomps people's heads - is in contention, and if that's the case, I'm calling off our bet, Havak!

Thorne may know something we don't - now what might that be?

I suspect Reuben has borrowed some of Tamerlin's magic weed.