Rugby - Swinging Handbags!

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Who would be an All Blacks skipper? Incumbent Reuben Thorne has not only lost the captaincy but his place in the All Blacks squad for the coming Tests. How many recent AB skippers has that happened to now?

Interesting, too, that three specialist locks have been picked - Chris Jack, Simon Maling and Keith Robinson. No Brad Thorn. To quote Graham Henry: "(Thorn) still wasn't as natural a rugby player as we'd like him to be. He's a great athlete and in the next six to 12 months he's just got to continue to work on that." Say what you like about Henry's coaching, at least he has recognised what some of us have been pointing out for 12 months or more. I will be surprised if Thorn stays around. I read an interview with recently in which he was tossing up about his future. He said playing for the ABs was the pinnacle for him, and his aim, but he didn't rule out returning to L*****.

[Havak]

Special note for Caligastia – the fibre comes from all the hops and is very good for the digestion – as your significant other seemed to note.

Clearly Ravagon thought Hugh Vyvyan was from the 19th choice side then?

Finbar nailed it - Men against boys really. Nearly 800 caps facing 43 (30 of them to the hooker Regan). The youngsters had chances but lacked that finishing edge. Finny had a storming first half though gave away several penalties for coming in from the side. He looked bemused at the Taffy ref for those and never re-appeared in the second half. Skinstad replaced him and promptly got sin binned for killing ball.

Just one note – the most capped player in world rugby is JASON Leonard. Was his brother Justin playing too?

Almost unplayable without the patch that is, fortunately, available on the web. With the patch, it's fun.

Yes it’s the same game.

I would recommend anyone not French to spend time modding the database or download one. The French sides are all ridiculously good to begin with and all internationals not either French (or Irish for some reason) get a setting of ‘cantankerous’ and find it hard to stay on the field. Well balanced it is not.

There is also a silly cheat – edit your stadium size and your income increases accordingly…never used it myself.

I see that yet again the important scores have been missed out so:

Tigers 48 – Sale Sharks 27

Tigers qualify for the H cup. Bizarre game. Totally in control up front we even shunted Sale off of their own defensive 5M scrum to score a pushover. Two bits of mercurial magic from Robinson kept them in touch (how England will miss him down south). Cruising at 41-20 up with about 10 mins to go we have a ruck just outside our 22. Martin clearly has the balled trapped in the ruck by his foot and then Steve Hanley comes round offside, picks the ball up and sprints to the tryline. The inimitable Spreadbury lets it stand. Probably the worst reffing decision of the year so far.

Bath 6 – Wasps 10

What a dire game! One breakway try in the second half by the stingers who are now champions. Bath, who ‘won’ the nine month league stage, finish the season with absolutely nothing. It has re-opened the debate here about play offs. I think if we plan to keep them we need to split our top flight into two pools and handle it that way so that our boys are playing less rugby before Dally’s muppets steal the trophy from them. Zinzan got one thing right – some teams can coast now without putting maximum effort in and still know they get a shot at the title. Wasps second in the table two year running and champions both times. Hmm, I’m getting to like them less and less all the time.

Close season movements have started – our young number 8 Adam Balding has defected to Gloucester on a two year deal. He had great promise but never developed quite the way he should have – I wish him well never the less.

VD has signed a new two year deal (and scored a great try last weekend too) – as have Harry Ellis and Andy Goode. I wait with interest to see who comes in before August.

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Originally posted by Havak
Finny had a storming first half though gave away several penalties for coming in from the side. He looked bemused at the Taffy ref for those

I love his bemused "Me? What did I do wrong?" look. He has perfected it over the years.

Just one note – the most capped player in world rugby is JASON Leonard. Was his brother Justin playing too?

Who cares? He steamrolled an England prop for a try!

Tigers 48 – Sale Sharks 27

Oh yes. Noticed that. Forgot to post it. And I made a mental note. And tied a piece of string around my finger.

Bath 6 – Wasps 10

What a dire game! One breakway try in the second half by the stingers who are now champions. Bath, who ‘won’ the nine month league stage, finish the season with absolutely nothing.

Gloucester last year, indeed.

VD has signed a new two year deal (and scored a great try last weekend too)

So that's his try as required by the two-year contract?

[Havak]

He has perfected it over the years.

And he still came in second to Mark Andrews on the day.

Nathan Grey had a solid game too. Taine was very quiet – but Oliver had a cracking game. Burke looked like he had his mind on the Worcester deal.

Oh and some guy named Magne made an appearance. Looks a decent enough prospect at flanker – might even make something of himself.

Who cares? He steamrolled an England prop for a try!

His wife probably cares!

The young props who started were Worseley and Morris – Quins and Saints – so what did you expect? I think the replacement was a Glaws lad – it says it all really.

Glad you saw the Tigers result. I cannot tell you how delighted I am that we built form and momentum just in time for…the close season.

Glaws last year won the League by a bigger margin than Bath did this year. Both should feel aggrieved. Damn them Wasps!

I hate to tell you this but with a consistent three months without injury VD has been looking quite sharp again.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak
Oh and some guy named Magne made an appearance. Looks a decent enough prospect at flanker – might even make something of himself.

When he remembers that he is on a field to play Rugby he is one of the best flankers in the world. The problem is that he forgets why he is there nine games out of ten.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Glad you saw the Tigers result. I cannot tell you how delighted I am that we built form and momentum just in time for…the close season.

At least they're in form for playing with themselves over summer.

Glaws last year won the League by a bigger margin than Bath did this year. Both should feel aggrieved. Damn them Wasps!

Money-making exercise.

I hate to tell you this but with a consistent three months without injury VD has been looking quite sharp again.

It's the hair.

Matt Williams finally got Scotland over the line. Against a NSW Country XV, 48-10. Next up is a match against what amounts to a Waratahs 2nd (in some areas 3rd) XV.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by finbar
Some SH rugby housekeeping has been going on.

1. S12 will become S14, but with an additional team each from Australia and South Africa. There won't be any Pacific Island Combined team or even Japanese team or even Argentinian team. Pity. A Pacific Island Combined team would not only be entertaining, it would help to support rugby in that part of the world.

Now that's a real let down - i agree completely about the Islanders - this almost amounts to a slap in the face. They're struggling to get some matches in and they're overlooked before even being considered.
SANZAR don't even know where the new Australian team is going to come from after having already announced their intent to bring it into being.
Perth and Melbourne have been highlighted as possible contenders, and, as much as I hate to say it, I hope it goes to the Vics. I just don't see the support over here to warrant it, sadly.

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Originally posted by ravagon


Now that's a real let down - i agree completely about the Islanders - this almost amounts to a slap in the face. They're struggling to get some matches in and they're overlooked before even being considered.

I don't know what the justification was. If they were after entertaining rugby, which, for better or worse, is the basis of S12, the Islanders would have fitted the bill perfectly. The Argies were always going to be a problem with travel time between here and there.

SANZAR don't even know where the new Australian team is going to come from after having already announced their intent to bring it into being.
Perth and Melbourne have been highlighted as possible contenders, and, as much as I hate to say it, I hope it goes to the Vics. I just don't see the support over here to warrant it, sadly.

I think the Perth push is predicated on the expat Bok and Pom population over there. The Melbourne push is predicated on the population's passion for sport in any form and the massive crowds that attended the Tests played down there. Tests, obviously, are special events, but I think Melbourne would probably support a S12 team more than they're supporting their L***** team. Week in, week out L***** is a lot less attractive proposition than half a dozen S12 matches.

[Havak]

Scotland beat the Cockatoos? Not a huge thing to have on a CV is it?

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Indeed. The game wasn't telecast, but apparently they - Scotland - were pretty ordinary in the process. The Country XV is literally that. Keen amateurs. They had Scott Staniforth (soon to be ex-Waratahs) and Scott Fava (ditto Brumbies) on the bench but that was the extent of their quality. Scotland could only lead by 10 at half time and scored a couple of late tries that inflated their score. How I wish someone like Ireland were out here instead.

[Havak]

Well you do have a lantern jaw, boy wonder and Billy Whizz deficient England arriving soon.

I still don't know why Ireland are only touring South Africa.

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Originally posted by Havak
Well you do have a lantern jaw, boy wonder and Billy Whizz deficient England arriving soon.

Yeah, it'll be like playing Scotland all over again.

I still don't know why Ireland are only touring South Africa.

I expect they think they're being sensible.

[Havak]

Just like Scotland - but with forwards and backs actually capable of taking the game to you.

If Ireland think they are being sensible a few bruises (and the odd concussion) will soon disabuse that notion.

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Originally posted by Havak
Just like Scotland - but with forwards and backs actually capable of taking the game to you.

Care to hazard some guesses at scores?

Pity you didn't see any of the ABs' trial match. You'd have been giggling. G. Henry certainly wasn't at the end of it.

If Ireland think they are being sensible a few bruises (and the odd concussion) will soon disabuse that notion.

It will be interesting to see whether the Boks can take some confidence from their improved S12 effort into the matches. The Stormers, in particular, played some quality rugby.

[Havak]

I saw Umaga's considered reaction and that can be paraphrased as "not good enough".

I remain hugely concerned about Dally leading the boys and Clive's selection policies. My honest expectation is to see them lose all three by 7-10. I wouldn't be surprised if we get a walloping in one. Just not enough Tigers anymore you see.

Having said all that we will be 40 points closer to any of you than Scotland could be. And if Lantern jaw was still active we would beat you all by the same amount of course.

It is a huge test for the Boks - can I remind you that the Irish were the first side to beat the reigning world champions this year. The Boks bets hope is that Ireland think they are playing France - they never turn up mentally for that fixture. Then again the rock hard surfaces might help too?

*edit* I should also say that if we do lose all three I fully expect Clive to come out and accuse both NZ and Australia of cheating.