Rugby World Cup 2003 - The Rugby Widows Weep!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Oh I’m sure I could persuade the RFU to. I’ll set Tamerlin on the FFR. And lets face it there are no other ‘strong’ Unions – are there?

But it would mean VD wouldn't score a RWC jersey. Unless there's a team representing Old Car Boots.

[Havak]

Finally I'm the best at something then (albeit utter drivel).

The young lad is called Hougaard apparently. I wonder if he has pushed Mr Koen out of contention?

*Edit* Young Austin is actually from the Wirral. At the risk of offending other posters if you know of the area it explains a great deal about the mouthy nature of the lad.

[Mickeyj]

The young lad is called Hougaard apparently. I wonder if he has pushed Mr Koen out of contention?

I would hope so, Koen was about as good as getting a backline going as Braam van Straaten, embarrassingly poor. Koen also has a history of choking in big games S12 and currie cup finals.
A lot of the SA press are toting Hougard (20 or 21years old) as our next big thing but he'll probably be overlooked by the next coach and move to the UK.

As I’ve been in the UK I haven't seen much of his play but he apparently (hate to quote the journos) is pretty good at getting his backline away and an 80% kicker.

Where is Hendy Olonga these days?

Good old Henry is in political exile in the UK playing for one of the counties. He's recently been made and honorary member of the MCC, very posh.

[Andydog]

Originally posted by finbar
Sorry, AB fans, but I thought tonight's match was pretty much meaningless.

Well to me it wasn't so meaningless - it was the first game where the players really started to click. At last we are playing with momentum, structure and continuity. Yes the Tongans were generally crap, I’d agree appalling in the second half, but they were physical - mainly in the first half - but we still totally dominated them physically.

And we will get better still, you can be sure of that!

[LDiCesare]

You are welcomed to find any way to prevent Dimitri playing for France.

Don't worry, Tamerlin, I think Dimitri is the least likely of all the French squad to play a game. Michalak is de facto scrum half replacement, with Merceron as fly half and they could even use Merceron as scrum half and Traille as fly half in case everyone else was unfit.
Nice to see you like Bobby Lapointe btw.

I feel sad for the Japanese. I won't see them play against the U.S., but wish I could.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Andydog
Tamerlin, it was the domination of our forwards that won turnover after turnover, setting our backs up for try upon try. There is plenty to keep something about it matey.

I am sorry but I don't agree, I have seen one of the worst game of Rugby this year. Several knock-on each minute from both teams, unimaginative Tonga players bumping into a wall of AB that didn't need to organize themselves to stop them, inefficient AB mauls unable to move forward with 5 or 6 All Blacks blocked by 2 or 3 lazy Tonga players, unpushed scrums...

If your forwards have been good it is certainly not in the phases where they are supposed to use their strength... As usual they have been used to pierce through the opponent's defense, a job I agree they do fairly well.

Tonga are one of the stronger minnows - Wales only beat them by 7 pts.

So what?

You would beat wales by 60 points...

IMO you definitely need to reassure yourself and you are thus clinging to what you can.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak
Oh I’m sure I could persuade the RFU to. I’ll set Tamerlin on the FFR. And lets face it there are no other ‘strong’ Unions – are there?

No, of course there are not...

About the nationality problem I must admit I am pretty found of the concept of representing the federation instead of the nation itself. It sets Rugby apart from the other sports and I like it. IMO, it would not solve any problem, the situation will change when the minor nations' federations have the financial clout to pay their internationals and the players staying in their national championships.

Originally posted by LDiCesare Don't worry, Tamerlin, I think Dimitri is the least likely of all the French squad to play a game. Michalak is de facto scrum half replacement, with Merceron as fly half and they could even use Merceron as scrum half and Traille as fly half in case everyone else was unfit.

May he who rules the universe if he exists at all hear you!

Nice to see you like Bobby Lapointe btw.

Someone who has really listened one of his songs can only like him.

I must admit this is really far from my usual metal and jazz diet.

I feel sad for the Japanese. I won't see them play against the U.S., but wish I could.

Instead of showing us insipid games during which one team is scoring 91 points, France Télévision should broadcast games like USA - Japan.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Finally I'm the best at something then (albeit utter drivel).

Don't rest on your laurels.

The young lad is called Hougaard apparently. I wonder if he has pushed Mr Koen out of contention?

He should. Koen is pretty much a kicker and nothing more. Hougaard actually directed play and otherwise involved himself. Scored a nice try too.

*Edit* Young Austin is actually from the Wirral. At the risk of offending other posters if you know of the area it explains a great deal about the mouthy nature of the lad.

I await clarification with bated breath.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Mickeyj

A lot of the SA press are toting Hougard (20 or 21years old) as our next big thing but he'll probably be overlooked by the next coach and move to the UK.

Koen's nicking off to the UK after the WRC anyway. I would have liked to have worked some more acronyms into that sentence but couldn't.

Good old Henry is in political exile in the UK playing for one of the counties. He's recently been made and honorary member of the MCC, very posh.

More power to him. Brave chap.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Andydog
Well to me it wasn't so meaningless - it was the first game where the players really started to click. At last we are playing with momentum, structure and continuity. Yes the Tongans were generally crap, I’d agree appalling in the second half, but they were physical - mainly in the first half - but we still totally dominated them physically.

I hear what you're saying. But they really started to click for the first time against no opposition. They would have had stronger contests at match practice training. Given that I've backed the ABs to win the tournament, what concerns me is that they haven't, in these pool matches, faced anything remotely resembling the sort of pressure and strength they will later. I know it's not their fault - they didn't devise the pool groupings - but it still concerns me. Still, you can only beat what's put in front of you. Witness the Wallabies -v- Namibia today.

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
I feel sad for the Japanese. I won't see them play against the U.S., but wish I could.

I'll watch it and give you a running commentary. It will be an interesting match. The Americans aren't as physically strong as the other teams they've played, so the Japanese shouldn't have to take as much out of themselves competing. I'm not sure whether it was just the intensity of the match against the Fijians, but the Japanese looked a bit tired against them, as if so many matches, at this level, in such a short space of time, had caught up with them.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
I must admit this is really far from my usual metal and jazz diet.

Hey Tamerlin. Is it true that, shortly after receipt of a package from a San Diego laboratory, you were timed to run the 100m in 7.7 seconds?

[finbar]

Half time score:

Wallabies 69
Namibia 0

Our turn for an exhibition match. The Namibians are yet to get inside their 22. When will Eddie Jones realise that Lote Tuquiri is vastly more talented than Wendell Sailor?

[LDiCesare]

69-0 and this is half time score? Poor namibians...

[finbar]

It got worse for them, LDiCesare.

Final score:

Wallabies 142
Namibia 0

3 points short of the ABs' WRC points record against Japan, but the biggest winning margin ever. The Namibians did make into their 22 in the second half, coughed up the ball, and Matt Rogers punished them with an 80 metre try. Chris Latham set a Wallaby Test record with 5 tries. Still, it was good to see Matt Giteau displaying his skills at 5/8, even if under absolutely no pressure at all. He will be a very high class player.