Rugby World Cup 2003 - Finals!

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
These shorts are a lesser evil when you compare them with those tight shirts, the later are on par with those ridiculous operatic anthems: ridiculous.

What makes you call the Haka operatic? It seems more like a chorus of grunting and shouting to me. A great tradition.

[LDiCesare]

I think the blue shorts are awful. French colors are blue, white and red, and now there's no white left. And both shorts and shirts are ugly.

I must comment a bit on what I said, that the AB forwards were rather good. I ment in defense (tackling) in comparison with their backs, who I thought were rather unorganised in defense.

Does anyone think there is a possibility that a meteor will fall down from the sky in time to prevent Kaplan from refereeing France - Ireland? The probability looks higher than his doing a good performance.

I must confess that I like the policing of tunnels in the WC. I've played a match yesterday and the players were always side to side in the lineouts. As a result, they prevented one another from jumping, but, more importantly, it was much clearer to everyone that my throws weren't straight. A wide tunnel would have made this less obvious. Note the ref didn't whistle the forward passes much here either, and we even got a penalty against us when our scrum half (not the president but a real scrum half) made a "cuiller" (you know, tackling by just catching the foot of the player with your hand when he's running). I also bet my personal record of different props in a single match (we lacked props so I had 6 different props in the match: one real prop, a lock, 2 flankers, a center-turned-flanker and a center-playing-like-a-forward). For some reason, all of them but the regular prop, and, to a certain extent, the lock, said they wanted to never play prop again. We didn't even push the scrums (sigh) as we lacked real front rowers. This definitely proves, if needs be, that flankers and backs are sissies (except Laurent Rodriguez).

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
Note the ref didn't whistle the forward passes much here either

But...but...you live in France! Tamerlin told us that forward passes carry a penalty of 10 years hard labor over there.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Caligastia


What makes you call the Haka operatic? It seems more like a chorus of grunting and shouting to me. A great tradition.

Of course this is a great tradition and I hope it will last as long as the AB themselves.

Havak and I were grumbling this afternoon against the operatic anthems sang by sissies dressed like peacocks before each game. I ended up saying that the next step of this perversion would be the operatic haka.

I hope we will keep our fanfares in the NH as there is nothing as great as hearing the crowd singing its national anthem before a game.

But...but...you live in France! Tamerlin told us that forward passes carry a penalty of 10 years hard labor over there.

Even the French referees are getting perverted by the SH taint.

This definitely proves, if needs be, that flankers and backs are sissies (except Laurent Rodriguez).

All to the exception of Christian Labit...

Note that a few years ago I would have added Didier Lacroix, the man who put his hands where no Rugbyman dared put even the foot.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
Havak and I were grumbling this afternoon against the operatic anthems sang by sissies dressed like peacocks before each game. I ended up saying that the next step of this perversion would be the operatic haka.

Hmm...something I find rather difficult to imagine.

I hope we will keep our fanfares in the NH as there is nothing as great as hearing the crowd singing its national anthem before a game.

Nothing like a good singsong with some alcohol in your veins and good rugby to look forward to.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak


Reds or Brumbies?

Either or.

Almost. He came to Harlequins, got given the captaincy then hardly played for two seasons as the physical side of English rugby caught him at the wrong end of his career and he was consequently always injured.

I meant that he'd retired from serious rugby.

Did you notice Eddie’s latest digs – at McGeechan? Apparently Geeks teams play last resort rugby because that’s all they are capable of.

Hmm lets compare international records – Geeks a grand slam winning coach with Scotland and a three times Lions head coach winning two of those series for the British Isles (the only lost series being NZ). And Eddie’s record? A world cup win in waiting and a tri-nations on points difference?

Silly thing for Eddie to say. Things are getting very poisonous here. O'Neill's public statement about it being time the team repaid some of the massive investment went down like the proverbial with the team. Relations between the ARU and Eddie and George, never healthy, were seriously stretched over the dispute re RWC payments and bonuses, and now this.

What on earth on you talking about you two – something about farts in helmets?

Mr is having his day in the sun. As soon as my Petit Ophrys arrives, he will live to regret every single word he's posted!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
All to the exception of Christian Labit...

Who didn't make the team, I notice. Off having her veins done, presumably.

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
I must confess that I like the policing of tunnels in the WC. I've played a match yesterday and the players were always side to side in the lineouts. As a result, they prevented one another from jumping, but, more importantly, it was much clearer to everyone that my throws weren't straight.

made a "cuiller" (you know, tackling by just catching the foot of the player with your hand when he's running).

We call that ankle-tapping. I've never been sure that it should be legal. It can lead to very unpleasant injuries. In fact, I'm very sure that it led to Rokococo's hamstring injury in the ABs' first match.

I also bet my personal record of different props in a single match (we lacked props so I had 6 different props in the match: one real prop, a lock, 2 flankers, a center-turned-flanker and a center-playing-like-a-forward).

Well, you could always enlist Tamerlin. He claims to be 190cm and 120kg, able to run like a gazelle, with hands as soft as a fair maiden.

[Tamerlin]

Half time:

AB 13 - Springboks 6

Very ordinary game, physical and clumsy Boks against running and clumsy AB. When do the game starts?

"Tous ces joueurs sont à côté de la plaque, il va falloir qu'ils ouvrent grand leurs esgourdes pendant que l'entraîneur leur parle du pays".

[Tamerlin]

Logical victory from the AB who faced a surprisingly clumsy and physically diminished South-African team. The AB have sometimes shown that they are able to play with their forwards albeit not consistently. As far as I am concerned I have found the game played by both teams rather poor, the AB game is still based on individual feats and few actions were really built and thought ahead of time by Spencer and Marshall whose job is mainly to pass the ball to the backs or the forwards.

I hope the game to come will display a more imaginative and serious Rugby.

[LDiCesare]

Note that a few years ago I would have added Didier Lacroix, the man who put his hands where no Rugbyman dared put even the foot.

Okay, I had forgotten Lacroix. I officially exempt him from being called like the others.

Tamerlin, I disagree with your comments on Marshall. I think he had a good game, and gave an impulsion several times by running himself. There were times, however, when he gave the ball to a forward that was idle, not running, two meters behind him, which consistently resulted in a Bok tackling the lad like a sitting duck. This should have taught them to run before they receive the ball, but appraently not.
The boks were really unimpressive, and totally unable to launch an attack.
And Spencer may not use a strategy, but he adapts to the game very intelligently (most of the time - he started doing chisteras and blind passes as though he had lost his brain at the end of the game). Mc Caw looks like a great player. I'm looking forward to seeing him more.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
Who didn't make the team, I notice. Off having her veins done, presumably.

"Faudrait tout de même pas essayer de me faire prendre des vessies pour des lanternes avec vos fariboles. Christian est un sacré gaillard qui va vous en mettre plein les mirettes."

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
Okay, I had forgotten Lacroix. I officially exempt him from being called like the others.

Thank you...

Tamerlin, I disagree with your comments on Marshall.

OK, I agree he has from time to time allowed his team to advance but I have not seen him really influencing the game consistently.

And Spencer may not use a strategy, but he adapts to the game very intelligently (most of the time - he started doing chisteras and blind passes as though he had lost his brain at the end of the game). Mc Caw looks like a great player. I'm looking forward to seeing him more.

Right, he has attempted a few things but I have noticed him for a few individual acts rather than for his strategical vision of the game.

[Tamerlin]

Australia 9 - Scotland 9



Go Scotland!

Who is the worst referee of the World Cup? Mr Walsh seems ahead of his comrades, but wait and see as it can always be worst as far as SH referees are concerned.

Not an Australian attack without one or more decoy runners... pathetic Mr Walsh!

[LDiCesare]

Australia - Scotland half time 9 - 9.
Abysmal performance by both teams. The Aussies use decoy runners a lot and even managed to get one penalty for it. The referee is well... he is there... The Scottish lineout is better than the Australiand one, which is really bad news for Australia. The Scot props and Paterson look good. Tuqiri is dangerous, but really didn't have to shoulder charge Smith. This and Sailor punching a Scot means the Aussies are really in poor form, both physical and mental. If Redpath starts passing the ball to his fly half instead of throwing it vaguely in the general direction of his centers, teh Scots might cause a big surprise.