Rugby - Ball's Out!

[Havak]

You need a Petit Ophrys yourself. You could slag Bath supporters mercilessly and they wouldn't be any the wiser.

No need. English is quite sufficient for that task. As with Bristol and Glaws they are so close to Wales we consider them taffs anyway – they are certainly as hard to comprehend.

Yes, but they play L***** there. Has to be the other one.

FoxSports has tons of rugby. It's now the only television outlet for rugby.

I’m sure you could compose an elegant note asking them what on earth is going on with not showing the 6N?

Hasn't stopped them winning WRCs overseas before.

Wales hardly counts – and the win in England predates the Professional era (in the NH). I just don’t see them being ranked above NZ, France or England for the 2007 tournament. They certainly shouldn’t be on paper (looking at comparative resources).

Anyone further south than Brisbane wouldn't have been so politely described

He wasn’t particularly polite as it was…the mind boggles how much worse he could have been!

The man you said couldn't coach.

Ruined Stade Francais and totally buggered Swansea – I thought I was on a safe bet!!!

Incidentally Wasps are going to beat Bath to the title – put your money on it.

I wonder what it is about Scotland. Apart from an easy win.

The idea is coming from their Union because we are the only team they can rely on filling Murrayfield for…and they are in financial crisis…

Very sensibly so.

I agree with you entirely. As it is I myself will have to slum it in Paris in four weeks time – such a hard life…

[LDiCesare]

Wales hardly counts

I love those rock-hard arguments.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
I’m sure you could compose an elegant note asking them what on earth is going on with not showing the 6N?

I'm going to.

Wales hardly counts – and the win in England predates the Professional era (in the NH). I just don’t see them being ranked above NZ, France or England for the 2007 tournament. They certainly shouldn’t be on paper (looking at comparative resources).

I love bowling that one up just to watch you blithely dismiss history.

Still, Oxford University has appointed its third Australian captain in four years. The barbarians aren't at the gates, they've pinched them and used them to build barbeques.

Ruined Stade Francais and totally buggered Swansea – I thought I was on a safe bet!!!

So what's the difference this time? Were Stade Français and Swansea accidents waiting to happen anyway?

Incidentally Wasps are going to beat Bath to the title – put your money on it.

Even if they do, Bath's revival is quite amazing.

The idea is coming from their Union because we are the only team they can rely on filling Murrayfield for…and they are in financial crisis…

Yes, but how did they score two Tests out here? Any idea what Ireland are doing later this year? I'm sure the ARU would have tried them first.

I agree with you entirely. As it is I myself will have to slum it in Paris in four weeks time – such a hard life…

Monsieur je-sais-tout!

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare

I love those rock-hard arguments.

TAFFY #1: "What about Leicester?"

TAFFY #2: "Lester who?"

[Havak]

I love those rock-hard arguments.

It is my favourite style. My next salvo would have been that we all knew Australia would have lost if only France had turned up.

I love bowling that one up just to watch you blithely dismiss history.

Oh not at all – I love recent history. Say anything from January 2000 onwards?

The barbarians aren't at the gates, they've pinched them and used them to build barbeques.

Still it helps to explain why you are drafting in Bok children down there?

I can’t remember the last OxBridge nonce who went on to represent England. Several headed for Wales and Scotland in the early nineties. Plenty of lads with good degrees play professional rugby but it’s becoming much more common for non graduates to be Pros as clubs now throw players into 1st team action very young indeed…

So what's the difference this time? Were Stade Français and Swansea accidents waiting to happen anyway?

Swansea certainly. SF had built a team entirely around Dominguez and I don’t think he was allowed to change much. Bath is tricky to explain – it’s a young squad on the whole and struggled for several seasons. Maybe the youngsters matured just in time to make the Queenslander axis look good? Or maybe he is a really good coach who took time to prove it?

Even if they do, Bath's revival is quite amazing.

No it isn’t – it’s an affront to the sport. They should have been relegated two seasons ago and were saved only by last minute legal trickery at Rotherhams expense. They are a despicable club. And I am totally unbiased.

The paddies have two tests in South Africa in June. That should be very interesting given the state the Bok Union seems to be in!

I’ll have to have that damn book away from you – were you calling me Mr Know-it-all or saying that you know all - or neither?!!

And have you ever been to Wales? Taffy #2 would have said “Cheating English b******” automatically.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
It is my favourite style. My next salvo would have been that we all knew Australia would have lost if only France had turned up.

Handy defence that. Delete Australia, insert whomever as the need arises.

I can’t remember the last OxBridge nonce who went on to represent England. Several headed for Wales and Scotland in the early nineties. Plenty of lads with good degrees play professional rugby but it’s becoming much more common for non graduates to be Pros as clubs now throw players into 1st team action very young indeed…

It's interesting how many of the Wallabies have studied or are studying. Al Baxter has a science degree. Former flanker, now management, Brett Robinson is an orthopedic surgeon - and, scarily for his hands, was when he was playing. John Roe, the Reds' #8 who made the WRC squad, is a doctor. Stirling Mortlock is (or was) studying something like marine biology. Ben Darwin, now retired after his neck injury, is going back to do psychology. Steve Larkham and Joe Roff are recent graduates. Even the Plank has a degree in sports admin. Probably a hangover from the rugby-private school nexus. Most L***** players, OTOH, would be lucky to be able to write their names.

Maybe the youngsters matured just in time to make the Queenslander axis look good? Or maybe he is a really good coach who took time to prove it?

I think the jury's still out. He didn't achieve much with the Reds. But then no one else has either.

No it isn’t – it’s an affront to the sport. They should have been relegated two seasons ago and were saved only by last minute legal trickery at Rotherhams expense. They are a despicable club. And I am totally unbiased.

Point taken. Anyway, had they been relegated, they'd've been back the next season.

The paddies have two tests in South Africa in June. That should be very interesting given the state the Bok Union seems to be in!

They should be here instead of there! That aside, the Boks continue to implode. And Butch James earned a red card for his tackling last week!

I’ll have to have that damn book away from you – were you calling me Mr Know-it-all or saying that you know all - or neither?!!

I was calling you a "clever d*ck". It's a wonderful book.

And have you ever been to Wales? Taffy #2 would have said “Cheating English b******” automatically.

I've been there several times. Obviously I was lucky I didn't enter into debates about England.

Edit. Interesting S12 match today. Blues -v- Crusaders, both coming off opening round losses. The Blues got home by 9 points after trailing at half time and looking in trouble. The Blues are relying on outstanding individual efforts - Caucau scored three tries - and the Crusaders, while a lot more committed than last week, are at half rat power. They missed something like 15 tackles and butchered a try in the last minute that would have won them the match. Instead, from the scrum after the knock on, Carlos threw one of his speculators 20 metres across the goal face, found a team mate, barely missing a Crusaders player, and the Blues finished up picking up another try. That could, thanks to Carlos' lunacy, have been a gift winning try to the Crusaders. Oh well. When it works you're a star, when it fails, you're a moron. Interestingly, for the second match in a row, Mehrtens was on the Crusaders' bench, even though, for the second match in a row, the pairing of Aaron Mauger and Justin Marshall wasn't working.

[Havak]

Even the Plank has a degree in sports admin

It seems most of them were mature students then? The stereotype English rugby player of years gone by would be graduating at 21.

Of course we had that remarkably intelligent lawyer chap play for us – what was his name? Ah yes – Brian ‘Pitbull’ Moore.

There was also a Surgeon who played fullback in the early nineties who retired specifically to protect his hands – Jonathan Webb.

I think the jury's still out. He didn't achieve much with the Reds. But then no one else has either.

I genuinely hope he stays with Bath – and proves to be a terrible coach.

Point taken. Anyway, had they been relegated, they'd've been back the next season.

It’s actually not very likely. Last years relegated side (Bristol) lie ninth in the Division One table. I think it very likely Brownsword and a lot of senior players would have left if Bath went down and they would have struggled to come back up quickly.

They should be here instead of there!

It does beg the question of how tours get arranged I suppose?

That aside, the Boks continue to implode. And Butch James earned a red card for his tackling last week!

And with Brumbie’s totally destroying Cats where now does Bok rugby turn?

I was calling you a "clever d*ck".

I was half way there then.

Most of the rumours still suggest Tigers have Spencer tied up from September by the way – and it would appear Mehrts is yesterdays man all round if a non working pairing is getting game time ahead of him?

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
It seems most of them were mature students then? The stereotype English rugby player of years gone by would be graduating at 21.

I think the mature ones studied part time, accommodating their rugby commitments. Joe Roff started full time but couldn't manage both. Owen Finnegan is another one. Some, though, managed both. I recall one of the locks taking his books away on tour.

It does beg the question of how tours get arranged I suppose?

Bit like cricket, I suppose. A matter of availability and fiscal guarantees.

And with Brumbie’s totally destroying Cats where now does Bok rugby turn?

Mmmm. I was out last night, taped the match and watched it when I got home. The Brumbies are playing as well as they ever have - Gregan without the captaincy to distract him is reborn. The Cats aren't the strongest Boks team but, with an Australian coaching them, they seem to play the least Bok-like rugby. Except they're just not good enough. They ran in four or five tries thanks to some very sloppy Brumbies' defence, but they were scoring so often at the other end that they didn't seem to worry. It had better not become a habit. I think the Bulls are supposed to be the strongest Bok team, but based on the Bok stereotype - a monstrous lumbering pack. None of the Bok teams are expected to be competitive, so I really don't know where they turn.

Most of the rumours still suggest Tigers have Spencer tied up from September by the way – and it would appear Mehrts is yesterdays man all round if a non working pairing is getting game time ahead of him?

Carlos was doing his razzle dazzle all over the place. He blew it a couple of times with sheer over-confidence or even arrogance. His speculator across the goal face with a minute to go could have cost them the match. If he does end up with you, it will be fascinating to see how things mesh.

I gathered from the Kiwi commentators that there's still a lot of friction around Mehrtens and the franchise. Robbie Deans, after all, is the coach, and it was said to be Deans who blocked Mehrtens' path to the last ABs' outfit. The Mauger-Marshall combo simply isn't working. What's more, Mauger's brother, Nathan, has started the first two matches at outside centre and has done nothing but cough up the ball. The Crusaders are now 0-2 and in the cellar, even though it's early days. If Mehrtens doesn't start this week, well, you really have to wonder what he's doing there.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar


Yes well, he didn't look first. Hard to blame him, though, I think. Carlos had started an all-or-nothing length-of-the-field attempt virtually from behind the Brumbies' try line catching even his team mates off guard. They were too slow to move to support Caucau. He knew he was covered so he threw a speculator. When it works, you're a hero. When it doesn't, you look stupid.

True, but Giteau was still in Caucau's line of sight. I'll forgive him though considering he scored 3 tries this week.

[finbar]

Stupid DP.

[finbar]

True. And if Carlos' speculator across the goal face hadn't found its mark? And the Crusaders had strolled in for a try?

Waratahs 48 -d- Sharks 14

A match of two very different halves. Waratahs dominated the first, Sharks probably had the better of the second although the scoreboard says otherwise. Tactically dumb game from the Sharks. They have a very quick, very talented back three but the ball was contantly kicked to no great advantage, never giving the back three a chance to use it. Gregor Townsend was a major offender. Whatever they're paying him, he should give most of it back. When, finally, the Sharks actually used the ball late in the second half, they looked dangerous. Ominous signs for the Waratahs, though. Their lacklustre second half looked pretty much like the lacklustre efforts that have plagued them in the past.

Reds 39 -d- Chiefs 25

Ragged game of a standard typical of teams who will hover around the middle and lower levels of the competition. The Reds, at times, seemed utterly directionless.

Oh, and Leicester -d- London Irish 22-9. Strange match report on the BBC site. Reading the text, you'd think London Irish had won.

[LDiCesare]

Gregor Townsend was a major offender.

Do you mean he kicked a lot? That's not his style as far as I remember.

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare

Do you mean he kicked a lot? That's not his style as far as I remember.

Yes, he kicked, mainly grubbers and chip kicks. It must have been a team tactic because they were all doing it. He's really struggling with the tempo of S12.

[Frozzy]

Australian and RSA teams don't look too bad this year.

It'll be close

[finbar]

Which RSA teams?