Rugby World Cup 2003 - The Rugby Widows Weep!

[finbar]

Hey Havak. Sensible - relatively speaking - article from S. Jones. As usual, though, can't say much for his grasp of grammar. Can you spot the errors?

[Tamerlin]

I have never seen something more ridiculous than two singers dressed like national flags singing the national anthems with a pretty-pretty voice and look...

[finbar]

Halftime score:

All Blacks 28
Canada 3

The first 30 minutes were possibly the most ordinary 30 minutes of rugby played by the ABs for a while. The Canadians are trying hard and defending well, the ABs are all over the place - bungling their lineouts, mishandling, mistiming passes, et al. They've scored four tries to half time, but they've come from isolated breakouts. There may well be a flood of tries in the second half as the Canadians tire, but those who took Canada this morning with a 76.5 points start must be feeling pretty happy.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
He wasn't debating the maul situation, he was complaining about the English habits in the lineout! See below:

It seems I should have read the article more carefully, as we say in France I have read it en diagonale, and not very well.

Half time:

NZ 28 - Canada 3

This is the game of the B-teams, as far as I remember the All Blacks have not scored a try after a move they initiated themselves. They have only scored tries after the Canadians lost the ball...

One of the first dummy runners has been sanctionned by Mr Spreadbury (a british referee) after the NH teams complained that they were not whistled... Mr Spreadbury should not have forgotten the tens commited before this one. Dummy runners are IMO far more problematic than the spurious debate started by the SH about England.

Another ridiculous thing is that only one player out of ten coming from the side of the mauls and spontaneous scrums is sanctionned by the referee... I can only remember few scrums and mauls (perhaps one or two) in which an AB player did not came from the side.

Otherwise, a relatively poor game, though the Canadians are defending rather well their attacks are too slow or too foreseeable to be efficient.

[Tamerlin]

NZ 68 - Canada 6

The All Blacks recovered some of their automatisms in the sceond half with the replacements and a tired Canadian defence. Nothing new under the sun though I found this AB B-team rather clumsy as they lost many balls.

[finbar]

Yes, not one of the All Blacks' finer efforts, even if it wasn't entirely the A team. They gained some rhythm in the second half, but only in patches. And the Canadians really stopped to a walk. It's a pity the Canadians were always so short of attacking options because, particularly in the first half, they had enough of the ball.

Interesting to note that Carter - not Carlos - did all the goal kicking for the ABs. And did it, as always, very well. I suspect that means Carter will probably be Umaga's replacement when the crunch games come.

Edit. Oh, Tamerlin. You had more luck in the match they replayed after the replay of the 1987 RWC final! They showed the Wallabies -v- France First Test from 1972. You drew 14-all in Sydney. I'm just glad they didn't show the Second Test! You won 16-15!

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
Edit. Oh, Tamerlin. You had more luck in the match they replayed after the replay of the 1987 RWC final! They showed the Wallabies -v- France First Test from 1972. You drew 14-all in Sydney. I'm just glad they didn't show the Second Test! You won 16-15!

Give me back my 20 €...

[Andydog]

NZ 68 - Canada 6

Bugger. bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger !

[finbar]

Andydog obviously watched the match.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
Give me back my 20 €...

Why hasn't my keyboard got a Euro key!

[Tamerlin]

Buy a real PC!

[Andydog]

Originally posted by finbar
Hey Havak. Sensible - relatively speaking - article from S. Jones. As usual, though, can't say much for his grasp of grammar. Can you spot the errors?

How does someone, in a matter of weeks, go from such quotes as these about South Africa:

The bitter twisted Welsh turncoat wrote:

It is all very well hundreds of ever-hopeful Kiwi fans lauding their team (no doubt, among them are hundreds of Kiwi fans who savaged their team until recently). Yet as the All Blacks prepare for a lap of honour in their two home Tri-Nations matches, I have to ***** some of the general euphoria by pointing out that a team led by my late grandmother would also have taken the crown this season, without breaking sweat....

....But we must remember the abject surrender of the opposition teams in the last few weeks, and judge the All Blacks only when they have beaten a proper international rugby team, rather than the washed-up Wallabies and the sad Springboks....

To quotes such as these:

The bitter twisted Welsh turncoat wrote:

Maybe, in what will be a fantastic contest with shuddering hits and massive tensions, the team that keeps the coolest collective head will win....

....What impressed me about South Africa against Uruguay was the pace and conviction with which they went about things. Not since the era of Nick Mallett have the Springboks played with clarity in their gameplan, but considering this is a team in its formative stages they gelled well.

Their back row was very upright, but the return of Corné Krige will give them a low-level battler alongside Joe van Niekerk and Juan Smith and while their front five did not appear to have so much sheer footballing ability as their English counterparts, they then have a nice combination of grunt, and energy in the loose.

Richard Bands, in outward appearance, is an old-time farming-stock Bokke prop, but defences do have a habit of opening in front of him as he thunders on his way. Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield are willowy enough and dextrous enough to pose a threat to the England ball in the line-out......

...England should just about do it. I have never shared much of the rampaging optimism which has swept England ever since they thrashed the Springboks by 50 in the English winter of 2002. The impetus of the draw, and of impending humiliation, can make up for so many Springbok weaknesses. It could even be that if England do win and do motor on to take the title itself, then events at Subiaco on Saturday will be seen as their hardest hour-and-a-half. In a week of major margins, it is hard to see this as anything other than a narrow squeak.

Just quietly, it sounds like someone's starting to sh!t himself and might be realising his previous quotes are going to bite him fair and square in the arse! Stephen Jones's last thread of journalistic integrity… meet toilet… I'm sure you'll make a wonderful couple!

[Havak]

Well Stephen Jones writes what he thinks the Times readers will lap up in the prevailing climate - treat it wth a pinch of salt.

Finbar - I took the day off and forgot to mention it - I will catch up and read the article in due course I promise.

In the meantime good luck England!

The thoughts of the georgia coach bother me as much as a pub running out of lager - Neil Back is innocent I tell you, innocent, and our line out totally legal.

That just about covers it?

The loss of Dawson may be a problem, the loss of Hill brings Moody in - he was very sharp last week and i'd like to see if you think he is still the player of potential he was before his shoulder went last November?

Swing low, Sweet Chariots...

[LDiCesare]

Is there an attack of Tamerlinitis around here? The thread is already full of ...

Now let's talk about serious business for a change. I have to let you know that my team has beaten the team of the France Champions. I mean I, as a player, bet the Stade Francais.

Of course, it was not the team that plays in first division, but the folklo team, that's to say a vet team, but anyway, I've got bits of skin missing on my thigh, so I thought I could boast a little.
As a result I'm so tired that I spent half the day sleeping and I'm not sure I'll wake up for the matches tomorrow...

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
Is there an attack of Tamerlinitis around here? The thread is already full of ...

Now let's talk about serious business for a change. I have to let you know that my team has beaten the team of the France Champions. I mean I, as a player, bet the Stade Francais.

Of course, it was not the team that plays in first division, but the folklo team, that's to say a vet team...

That is not important, every team that beats the Stade Français must be supported.

As a result I'm so tired that I spent half the day sleeping and I'm not sure I'll wake up for the matches tomorrow...

You can't do that, France is playing at 11:05 am.