Rugby - Swinging Handbags!

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
Sorry. Stormers 31 -d- Sharks 24. Taking them to third spot, relegating the Chiefs to fourth spot:

Just finished watching the game. The Sharks really let themselves down. Butch James being sent off didn't help things, but the Sharks squandered a lot of try-scoring opportunities.

It's actually, I think, a very fair end result. The most consistent teams during the season were rewarded. The Blues saved their very best till far too late

Yes, I tend to agree. The Blues had plenty of chances earlier in the season to pick up a bonus point. I can't say I'm not disappointed though. In their current form they would have had a pretty decent shot at making the final.

So next week it's Crusaders -v- Stormers in Christchurch, meaning the Stormers have to travel all the way back to New Zealand. A big ask. And I bet Corne Krige is regretting his stupidity. The Stormers are going to be fired up, and the Crusaders will want to lift their game from this week's effort.

The other semi is Brumbies -v- Chiefs in Canberra. The Brumbies at home are a frightening proposition.

Well the Chiefs weren't daunted by that prospect last week, so I expect another close game. The Crusaders should cruise past the Stormers though.

[Havak]

It's scary how well you guys sum me up in a sentence.

It's almost like I lack substance or something.

Anyway as Finbar is letting us down on the English scores here are two:

Bath 41 Glaws 7
Wasps 17 Tigers 48

Bath finish top of the league and go straight into the play off final. Wasp play at home against Saints for the other place.

Wasps play Toulouse in three weeks I think. Tamerlin will have noticed that Tigers just posted a record home defeat on them in the premiership.

Having been one above Rotherham for five months we ended up finishing fifth in the league and now have a home semi in the wildcard.

Tigers are back!

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak
It's scary how well you guys sum me up in a sentence.

You force me into it.

Wasps 17 Tigers 48

Did they play with their full squad or did they put some of their players to rest in preparation of the final phases?

Wasps play Toulouse in three weeks I think. Tamerlin will have noticed that Tigers just posted a record home defeat on them in the premiership.

The H-Cup final is played the 23rd of may.

Results of the French play-offs:

Pool A
Union Sportive des Arlequins de Perpignan 35 - Club Sportif de Bourgoin-Jailleu 21
Association Sportive de Béziers 15 - Castres Olympique 19

Pool B
Club Athlétique de Brives 9 - Stade Toulousain 29
Stade Français 13 - Biarritz Olympique 6

Though the results are logical the level of the games is very worrying. Though I can't tell anything about Béziers vs. Castres I have seen the games of the Stade Toulousain and Perpignan and they were very, very poor. My stepfather told me that the game won by the Stade Français the day before was even poorer. The terrible level of the French championship is very worrying as I have the feeling this is all the French rugby that is weakening itself. Though I still prefer our rugby to the game played in the SH (you all know what I think about it) this is very sad.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak
Tigers are back!

At least until they manage to Havak things up again anyway ...

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
The terrible level of the French championship is very worrying as I have the feeling this is all the French rugby that is weakening itself. Though I still prefer our rugby to the game played in the SH (you all know what I think about it) this is very sad.

What are you saying? Poor skills? Too many imports? Decline in standards? If so, why? What's going on in French rugby?

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar


What are you saying? Poor skills? Too many imports? Decline in standards? If so, why? What's going on in French rugby?

I don't have too much time this morning, this is a problem I have already talked about before. Some of the main problems IMO are lack of technical skill and tight game plans killing what remains of the famous "french flair" in order to reduce the chances of a loss. The stakes are so high the clubs are not playing with the intent to win but with the intent to not lose.

Since 1996 the French game is becoming poorer and poorer and more and more games are terrible to watch. Very sad, they are about to kill "la poule aux oeufs d'or".

[finbar]

Ah, I see. Negative defensive play? Fair enough. Shame.

[Havak]

Did they play with their full squad or did they put some of their players to rest in preparation of the final phases?

Gatland played the best side he had fit – meaning that Dowd and Shaw were missing as both are Injured. The loss of Dowd has had a huge and immediate impact on their pack. They still fielded a star studded side captained by Dallymuppet. We had a very good day at the office – they didn’t.

VD scored a brace.

The terrible level of the French championship is very worrying as I have the feeling this is all the French rugby that is weakening itself

I’ll have to wait for 23rd to be able to judge – we don’t get to see any domestic French rugger any more.

At least until they manage to Havak things up again anyway ...

It’s the nature of rugby that they will do so. We are developing a knack of playing well at the wrong times.

I see Mitchell is off his medication again – saying England pose no threat in the summer because Clive got his selection wrong, claiming NZ have all the best players in the world (eh?) and then admitting Carlos was a mistake because he ‘pre-meditates’ his attacks. Huh? Carlos pre-meditates? Get Mitchell back on the drugs quickly!!

So…

Crusaders v Stormers
Brumbies v Chiefs

How exactly did two NZ franchises manage to sneak in?

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak

I see Mitchell is off his medication again – saying England pose no threat in the summer because Clive got his selection wrong, claiming NZ have all the best players in the world (eh?) and then admitting Carlos was a mistake because he ‘pre-meditates’ his attacks. Huh? Carlos pre-meditates? Get Mitchell back on the drugs quickly!!

Give him a break. He got the first bit right. As to the second bit ...

So…

Crusaders v Stormers
Brumbies v Chiefs

How exactly did two NZ franchises manage to sneak in?

Simple, really. They played consistent rugby for the second half of the tourney. Unlike certain other teams - no names, no packdrill, you bastards in the light blue jerseys - who could beat the top team one week and toss away a 20+ lead to lose against an ordinary team another week.

[Havak]

How much of it is down to the loss of Rogers I wonder?

As for the Mitchell quotes I didn't see him get anything right - he even thinks the team is in good hands with Graham Henry.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
How much of it is down to the loss of Rogers I wonder?

They obviously missed him terribly. He was igniting the whole team. But he remains one player. And they came out and beat the Brumbies three weeks ago without him. Harrison and Vickerman dominated line outs all season, the pack was one of the strongest in the comp. But the team, as a whole, can't cut it.

Every shrink - amateur and otherwise - in Sydney is trying to diagnose their problems. A complete change of coaching staff this season with no change in the bottom line - play like champions one week, schoolboys the next. And it's now twice in two seasons that they've thrown away 20+ leads beyond half time to lose. This season against a team with 14 players, a match they only had to win to secure a finals berth!

They're certainly lacking a class fly half, someone who can control a game. Apparently they had a chance to pick up Matt Giteau from the Brumbies prior to this season but blew it. And Chris Whitaker is a fine half back and a lovely chap, but he's not a strong enough personality to skipper. All these individual problems are easily identified but there's a much deeper problem, something cultural. They don't have - and have never had - the determination, discipline and killer instinct of, say, the Brumbies. Give the Brumbies an inch and they will slaughter you. The Waratahs don't even have the determination and discipline of the Reds, a team that only seems capable of lifting itself once a season - against the Waratahs. The problem has existed for generations of players and management. It's very, very bizarre.

As for the Mitchell quotes I didn't see him get anything right - he even thinks the team is in good hands with Graham Henry.

I think you'll find he's waiting quietly in the wings for Henry to stuff up and the door to be re-opened.

[Havak]

A complete change of coaching staff this season with no change in the bottom line - play like champions one week, schoolboys the next

As you say quite bizarre - It’s hugely worrying when considerable coaching changes like that fails to change previous systematic behaviour. Are there junior coaches or senior players affecting it I wonder?

This season against a team with 14 players, a match they only had to win to secure a finals berth!

When a team loses against 14 it sends up a huge distress flare – Tigers did so at the start of their decline in the 02/03 season.

I think you'll find he's waiting quietly in the wings for Henry to stuff up and the door to be re-opened.

Now that would be a novelty wouldn’t it – an AB coach being quickly and summarily dismissed from the post?

I bought one of our AB style shirts by the way – couldn’t resist.

So our home semi in the wildcard kicks off at 7:15pm BST on Saturday. I won’t be there – silly time for rugby as there is drinking to be done.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak

So our home semi in the wildcard kicks off at 7:15pm BST on Saturday. I won’t be there – silly time for rugby as there is drinking to be done.

Give him the choice between the Tigers and a good pint and he throws his favorite team through the window...

Havak, don't say I am not a real supporter because I am not following the Stade Toulousain away from home anymore before the final phases.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
Ah, I see. Negative defensive play? Fair enough. Shame.

Exactly, add that the major teams are managing the season in order to preserve the players and you have the full picture. It is really a shame and also against the spirit of the game of Rugby as the major teams plan to win against the weaker teams away from home while they plan to lose the away games against the other major teams in the same time.

[Caligastia]

I see much is being made of Tuiali'i's claim that his headbutt was a reaction to a racist slur.

Now there are calls for rugby rules to include protection against racist taunts.

Are players now going to be excused from any subsequent bad behaviour as long as they claim it was a reaction to "racism"? What a load of bollocks.