Rugby World Cup 2003 - The Rugby Widows Weep!

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
Should fièvre be plural in this case?

No!



I am too kind.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


Figure it out by yourself!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


No!

Phew! So it's a bit like the English - one Gin and Tonic, two Gins and Tonic; one Governor General, two Governors General.

I am too kind.

You've got to admit it was creative bile, though!

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar

You've got to admit...

Never!

[finbar]

You were out of luck again last night in the FoxSports replays of vintage rugby Tests. It was France -v- Wallabies in Sydney in 1986 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. You lost 14-27! Serge Blanco scored a couple of tries.

They'd better not show the 1987 Test between us when you won 30-24!

[Havak]

I've just wiped off my screen. It was dripping with your sarcasm.

It was rather ladled on wasn’t it?

I think the scoreline of the England SA game didn’t reflect how close that game really was

Within a couple of penalties for them I think it probably did to be honest. They were never going to score a try from open play. Perhaps they should have got that penalty try – it wouldn’t have saved them as Keon could not hit a barn door but it might have made them feel better.

Kieran was very naughty – but some blame goes on the Aussie ref too – I mean who could have got that one wrong? A collapsed maul gets up, oppo scrum half is buried underneath – hmm, tough one!

Wilko = four penalties, one conversion and two drop goals. Hell yes the lad is an asset to us. Compared to his opposite number last week he is priceless. And he still didn’t have a good game outside the kicking – watch out when he does.

The drop goals are the point of interest – you just know that Carlos would have spun it wide and had the fast boys buried by the Bok defence – Wilko obeyed orders and kept the scoreboard ticking – absolutely the right option against a team chasing the game. The team then gets criticised for lacking ambition and not going for the tries – moral of the story being England can never ‘win’ with the SH even when they ‘beat’ them?

Whether our pack can play that intensely against yours is the question.

And is the question that is intriguing us all I suspect. I have to say I don’t agree that you dominated them up front in that home game – you held them certainly, and took some good opportunities when they were offered – but dominate means something rather different to me at least.

Its going to come down to the side that can get their loose forwards over the ball quicker and I think that'll be the All-Blacks

Please don’t quote bath players at us. Even though he was correct on this one occasion. As Tamerlin says though we didn’t play that well Saturday – and still ground the win out. But then as a UNIT I suspect the Bok loosies can hold their own with the ABs too.

So for flankers we have McCaw and Thorne. Versus two from Back, Moody and Hill. There’s no gap there in the AB favour that I can see. I rate McCaw very highly but as a UNIT I would take Magne/Betsen over the AB combination too. Don’t expect McCaw to have that all his own way at all - sorry I meant “at all his own way”.

On this one I’m with Zinzan who picks Hill then Moody for his choice of blindside.

I still believe on his day Betsen is the best in that position – but the days are getting scarcer.

[finbar]

I thought Neil Back looked his age against the Boks for the first time since I've been watching him.

[Mickeyj]

I thought Neil Back looked his age against the Boks for the first time since I've been watching him.

I'd have to gree with finbar on that and i don't think Moody is in the same class as McCaw, Smith or Waugh. Hey but that's just my opinion.

I reckon the Irish are looking pretty confident and could scrape a draw on the 1st . Its definitly the biggest game left in these preliminary rounds.

[TheStinger]

Can you imagine the vitriol that would be poured on England if we lost by 19 points and said that actually the team who beat us were no good and it showed them up.

And the Aussies call us whinging.

[Andydog]

Originally posted by Mickeyj
I don't think there can be too much dispute in the fact England have a superior tight five than the All-Blacks who in turn have a far more elusive backline. Its going to come down to the side that can get their loose forwards over the ball quicker and I think that'll be the All-Blacks

Absolutely. I’ve written before on how our pack will dominate the English pack in some areas but not others, and the loose play was the area I mentioned. And even Tamerlin agreed with that!

I agree that the England tight five are superior but lets not forget (and Havak probably doesn't want to hear this) that this English pack is the best in the world largely due to Mitchell's initial handiwork.

I have a lot of faith in Mitchell. I think he's the best coach we've had for a long time. If anyone knows how to beat England, he does, having spent all that time with them as assistant coach. He’s chosen our pack to suit our game plan, and it’s a plan that I am seriously starting to think will win the cup, so long as we stop coughing up the ruddy pill!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Andydog
but lets not forget (and Havak probably doesn't want to hear this) that this English pack is the best in the world largely due to Mitchell's initial handiwork.

Mmmmm. Sneaky rip to the body, that one.

Actually, I'm watching a replay of the 2nd Lions -v- Wallabies Test from last time. Joe Roff has just scored his intercept try. Care to put some of your hard-earned on the Lions, Havak?

They're following this match with a replay of the 3rd Test. I wonder whether Justin and J**** will be watching it in their respective TV rooms.

[MikeH]

Originally posted by TheStinger
Can you imagine the vitriol that would be poured on England if we lost by 19 points and said that actually the team who beat us were no good and it showed them up.

And the Aussies call us whinging.

[Andydog]

Originally posted by Havak
The drop goals are the point of interest – you just know that Carlos would have spun it wide and had the fast boys buried by the Bok defence – Wilko obeyed orders and kept the scoreboard ticking – absolutely the right option against a team chasing the game. The team then gets criticised for lacking ambition and not going for the tries – moral of the story being England can never ‘win’ with the SH even when they ‘beat’ them?

Yes Carlos would have spun it wide, but whether the fast boys would be buried by the Bok defence we don't know. Certainly the (potential) quaterfinal will answer that!

I don't think there has been any questioning of the drop goal tactics, most agree it was the right option. But these tactics were employed toward the later stages of the second half after a lucky try resulting from a chargedown. Before that the only team that came close to scoring a try was the Boks.

[MikeH]

I didn't see the game at all (I was out of the country), but the scoreline says we kicked their arses and the only team that scored a try was us.

Everything else is meaningless whinging.

[Havak]

I thought Neil Back looked his age against the Boks for the first time since I've been watching him.

Possibly. The tournament is his swan song after all.

I'd have to gree with finbar on that and i don't think Moody is in the same class as McCaw, Smith or Waugh. Hey but that's just my opinion.

Indeed it is. On current form he is definitely as good as McCaw and better than both Aussies. That’s my opinion.

Absolutely. I’ve written before on how our pack will dominate the English pack in some areas but not others, and the loose play was the area I mentioned. And even Tamerlin agreed with that!

Did he really – I think you mis-read him. The AB pack will dominate us in the loose? Errant nonsense!

(and Havak probably doesn't want to hear this) that this English pack is the best in the world largely due to Mitchell's initial handiwork.

He did some very good work for us that’s for sure – but his replacement has built on that and taken them to where they are now. A guy called Andy Robinson – it will mena nothing to you but any Englishman worth his salt will recognise the credentials of the man..
Mitchell is a good lad. He has made a great job with the material to hand down there. No doubt like all AB coaches he will get stabbed in the back at some point – and when he does I hope he heads back here.

Care to put some of your hard-earned on the Lions, Havak?

AH Roff’s interception that changed the game – Jonny’s worst hour in any shirt bar Falcons colours?
Care to explain how Grey stayed on the field after that “tackle” on Hill by the way. Or how Owen stayed on the field at all (he was like a killer robot on overdrive). Darned blind SH refs!


Jonno has never had anything negative to say about either Justin or the Australians with regards to the Lions trip. Other players on the tour have at various points done both – and complained about the more arrogant members of the Aussie squad (take a bow Mr Burke). But that’s all been very well documented and there’s no point in opening it back up.

No my target of choice at the moment is the ABs and their fans utter confidence in them despite the fact they haven’t played anyone who can offer them a challenge as yet. Come on you Boks?