Rugby - Swinging Handbags!

[Havak]

Finbar old boy check this out – it is totally, totally wrong. Serves me right for trusting auntie beeb!

A Proper reply to stuff tomorrow hopefully. Work getting in the way again.

where did they get this?

[finbar]

Mmmmm.

Here's the BBC's table:

Super 12
April 14, 2004

1 ACT Brumbies 36
2 Otago Highlanders 29
3 Western Province Stormers 26
4 Natal Sharks 23
5 Northern Transvaal Bulls 22
6 NSW Waratahs 20
7 Auckland Blues 20
8 Canterbury Crusaders 19
9 Waikato Chiefs 18
10 Wellington Hurricanes 18
11 Queensland Reds 14
12 Transvaal Cats 10

And here's the Sydney Morning Herald's table:

Brumbies 30
Sharks 24
Stormers 23
Crusaders 20
Chiefs 18
Bulls 18
Waratahs 17
Blues 17
Hurricanes 17
Highlanders 17
Reds 11
Cats 7

How very, very odd.

[ravagon]

Looks as though the BBC sports section is being run by a Scotsman.

With regard to the master blaster [TNG] batting on, I completely agree with it. The series was lost anyway, there was hardly a surety of actually winning the game and, now that it's over and done with, that's what the series will be remembered for.

Team loyalty is all well and good but sometimes ones team owes that same loyalty to one of its players.

[Havak]

The Wasps once again...

Much as it pains me to say it they are a good side now. Naturally we beat them a Welford Road this season of course.

That's probably the same guy that a commentator described as having "got into a fight with a bottle of Janola (bleach) and come off second best" a couple of weeks ago

Certainly beats the Miles Harrison-Stuart Barnes interplay we get – “I had a nice Shiraz last night”/”Really, how was she?”

Isn't C. Cullen with Munster? How's he going?

And I wonder how much C. Latham is regretting turning his back on them?

Cullen is at least now playing. Not been a good buy so far – maybe the HC final stages will let him shine?

I think I saw Matt Henjak – hair up in the air like someone just spooked him?

OTOH, both of his world records have been against the Poms!

Thought you might like that.

Lets face it world cricket is nearly dead. The Proof? Poms third ranking in the world according to the ICC?

As for Zimbabwe – stuff the place and stuff it’s cricket side. They have long been used simply as a brick bat by sub-continent ICC reps to hit England over the head with – sooner they disappear the better. Even in this situation some ICC voices have been blaming England – explain that to me!

there was hardly a surety of actually winning the game and, now that it's over and done with, that's what the series will be remembered for.

Only in the colonial backwaters dear boy. We know how much you love us.

In good old blighty it will be rightly remembered as England Three Windies Zero.

Nice knock Bri – achieved nothing in the end.

[Havak]

Worcester (just secured promotion to the top flight) have denied signing Larkham - so expect him to fly over here any time now.

*Edit* Blues smashed at home by Stormers? Carlos took a huge blow on the chin and apparently contributed greatly to the opposition effort afterwards?

Blues fall from Champion status has been spectacular hasn't it?!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Worcester (just secured promotion to the top flight) have denied signing Larkham - so expect him to fly over here any time now.

Larkham was talking about it on TV tonight. His preference is to stay here. He's in negotiations with the ARU for another two years. We'll see what happens. I'd be surprised if he went. He has always said that, with a young family, he'd rather not uproot.

But apparently Northampton have offered Queensland's Steve Kefu a lot of money. Talented centre but hasn't realised his potential. Goes missing for slabs of the game. Eddie had plans for him, played him in the first couple of Tests last season, but he didn't produce.

*Edit* Blues smashed at home by Stormers? Carlos took a huge blow on the chin and apparently contributed greatly to the opposition effort afterwards?

Blues fall from Champion status has been spectacular hasn't it?!

The Stormers were ultra impressive, the best I've seen them play. They've discovered a wonderful young winger - black, born in Zimbabwe, burnt off Rokococo to score the first try.

The Blues' cause wasn't helped by losing Rokococo and their halfback - who was in for the injured Devine anyway - in the first twenty minutes. They then lost someone else to injury before Carlos got smashed. He stayed on the field but played very little part. At one point he was at full back. He looked concussed. I have no idea why he stayed on the field.

The Blues were well in the game for the first 20 minutes before the Stormers just exploded. A couple of intercept tries - the Blues will insist on throwing those long, looping passes - and it quickly became carnage. The Blues just didn't have a structure to fall back on. Last year, for all the razzle dazzle, they also had some structure. Not so this year. Hard to know why. It's more than just missing Caucau and Rokococo.

Bulls 23 - d- Reds 17

Yet again the Reds surrendered a half time lead to lose. Last week, the Stormers; this week, the Bulls. I liked commentator Greg Martin's line: "The Reds have become the team that plays the oppo into form". Chris Latham aside, the Reds are inept. He tries very hard, sometimes too hard, but there are few in the team supporting him. Wendell scores the occasional try but does little else. They're injury-ridden - tonight featured their fifth 5/8 for the season thanks to injuries - but their basic skills are shocking. Only Bulls' errors kept them in the game.

[Havak]

Saints seem very confident that they will get their man on the Kefu front.

And to be honest I suspect Larkham is trying to lever his ARU contract negotiations - but you never know.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Saints seem very confident that they will get their man on the Kefu front.

Well, Kefu let his big chance slip last season. Eddie gave him several chances and he didn't step up. There are now a number of players in front of him. On that basis, his income will only be S12, so the Saints money will far outstrip that. It will be a shame for the Reds. They're just about to launch into a team rebuilding programme and will need all the experience they can get. Since last season they've lost Totai Kefu, Dan Herbert, Matt Cockbain and several other very experienced players. This season has finally exposed what has always threatened Queensland rugby - a real lack of depth.

Waratahs 49 -d- Hurricanes 31

Entertaining match. The Waratahs, playing at home for the first time in a month, returned to their early season form. In fact, bettered it. Very strong, cohesive effort for 90 minutes, with some outstanding work from the forwards. Havak might even have nodded approvingly at their rolling mauls. The Hurricanes were reduced to pulling them down, bringing a final warning from the ref. The downside was the tendency to drop intensity immediately after scoring, letting the Hurricanes score in reply. Next week it's Waratahs -v- Brumbies. If the Waratahs can reproduce the same intensity - particularly in the forwards - it will be a very interesting match. Tana Umaga has either lost a couple of yards of pace after his injury or isn't yet fully fit. He really laboured at times tonight.

Oh, and I caught a replay of the Munster -v- Stade Francais HC QF. Munster were very impressive for a lot of the game. Pity they let SF back into the match.

[finbar]

Crusaders 39 -d- Cats 37

Damn! I missed what has to be one of the great comebacks of all time. I watched the first half and into the second half. The Crusaders were leading 36-6 and enjoying a walk in the park. I changed channels to watch something else. Later, I decided to check how much the Crusaders had won by. I changed channels just as the Cats potted a field goal to take the lead 37-36 with about a minute to go. They'd scored 31 unanswered points in my absence! The Crusaders looked like they'd been hit by a steamroller. Tragically for the Cats, they conceded a penalty within kicking distance with seconds to go and Daniel Carter didn't miss. And I missed what must have been half an hour of amazing rugby!

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
And I missed what must have been half an hour of amazing rugby!

When I do it, I don't do it willingly... me.

[finbar]

But you don't miss amazing rugby, you only miss NH rugby.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
But you don't miss amazing rugby, you only miss NH rugby.

You are a jealous lot...

[Caligastia]

Considering I didn't get to see the Crusaders match, I'm getting a bit sick of seeing NZ super 12 teams get thrashed.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak

They have long been used simply as a brick bat by sub-continent ICC reps to hit England over the head with – sooner they disappear the better. Even in this situation some ICC voices have been blaming England – explain that to me!

You're looking for an explanation based on logic and reality? Here?
I think you may be a little lost.
Either that or you've received a nasty bermp on le head.

Only in the colonial backwaters dear boy. We know how much you love us.

You are, of course, quite welcome at Eden Park anytime. I'm making up my "NZ 3, England 0" placard as we speak.

Originally posted by finbar
Crusaders 39 -d- Cats 37

Didn't catch the game - only the highlights. Yikes. It sounded like an absolutely stunning comeback. The cats must've been over the moon until the last few seconds but they'll still take something from it. It might be a little late this season but next season's ladder may have a new bottom rung.

[finbar]

Originally posted by ravagon
It might be a little late this season but next season's ladder may have a new bottom rung.

Yep. The Blues.