Rugby - Truck and Trailer!

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Originally posted by Havak
I would think that series is unlikely to be re-aired just at the moment with everyone suddenly looking back at Reaganism through rose tinted glasses.

Everyone? I put him in the Thatcher category for all-time political a*seholes. This revisionism that's going on - even from his strongest opponents - sickens me. He destroyed a lot of lives.

Fingers crossed that tomorrow brings NZ their fourth loss at Dunedin in 101 years.

Well, for what it's worth, Phil Kearns tips you.

You know Wendell could do very well against Scotland – I am not sure they are equipped to deal with a powerful direct runner in their defence.

Yes, he'll probably score a hatful, unfortunately. He wouldn't be there if Mortlock were fit. Rathbone would be on the wing, Sailor would be out. Still, it will be interesting to see Rathbone where I think he really belongs. He'll feel at home, too - 9, 10 and 12 inside him are all Brumbies.

Good to see Tuqiri has not done an Iestyn Harris as well?

Yes, great news. Even more interesting that he has stuck with the Waratahs. The Brumbies made a big play for him.

So Pug face Waughy is shining pine? Not sure Scotland deserve what they will get when he comes on really?

I think it was a toss up between him and his mate. Smith probably had a stronger second half of the S12, for what that's worth. And Smith has done a bit of lineout jumping.

I had Lyons pegged as a fixture so interesting to see you saying he may not be the form player.

Compared to John Roe's S12 season, he wasn't the form #8. Roe was probably the Reds' best for the season. He's not the man mountain Lyons is, but tough and mobile. I think Eddie stuck with Lyons after his good World Cup form. The final aside. I'm not really complaining. I think Lyons has a big future providing he keeps up his work rate and concentrates.

This is Will Johnson, younger brother of Martin. A solid club player he has always just missed out on international recognition (probably as he played blindside mainly until last season and we have them in spades). Since then he has started to play 8 instead and is probably the primary reason Balding was shipped to Gloucester amnd why Will has now got his chance to wear the rose. I wish him well in taking his chance if he gets it. We need a Johnson in an England shirt after all – if only for annoyance value to you Finbar.

How old is he? Does he have a future beyond the A team? I won't ask about his jawline!

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Originally posted by Havak
"England's reputation for killing ball"?

Back's and J****'s retirements will have put a dent in England's ability to kill the ball. Still, I suppose they will have groomed someone else.

[Havak]

Phil Kearns tips us? The lad who sells himself on the speaker circuit as being ‘Universally acknowledged as the worlds best hooker’? I’m not sure how to take that.

It’s nice to be underdogs though – what with kiwis thinking they will ruck us out the game.

So Mr Rathbone, Bok U-21 captain, makes his Wallaby debut at last. Shame it’s against such weak oppo?

And Smith has done a bit of lineout jumping.

This might be key. It is one area of Scotlands game that works – and works well at that.

The final aside. I'm not really complaining

There was nothing wrong with the final that I can recall?

Will Johnson is 30 – and realistically has slim prospects beyond the A squad for that reason.

And I admit again our forwards are adept at killing ball – Woodman and Dallaglio are masters of it – but 1-8 they know their job. I just wonder if the Kiwi fans do watch their own teams – I’ve never seen anyone as close to Backy in the skill as Kronfeld was – and McCaw is not far adrift, neither was the previous skipper. Even the highly rated Chris Jack lies all over ball when it suits the team. Kiliing ball is all part of the game – it just so happens the 2003 England squad were better at it than their SH rivals. Oh and we never gave up rucking.

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Originally posted by Havak
Phil Kearns tips us? The lad who sells himself on the speaker circuit as being ‘Universally acknowledged as the worlds best hooker’? I’m not sure how to take that.

He said he thought you'd win it in the forwards. By the time you read this, of course, he will have been proved right or wrong. That aside, Mr Kearns is one of the few truly genuine wits to come out of rugby. As his onfield career recedes into history, thus his talents are monumentally magnified. He is, also, the chap who did the TV ad in NZ in which he walked down the street hand in hand with Fitzy. There should be more Phil Kearnses in the world.

So Mr Rathbone, Bok U-21 captain, makes his Wallaby debut at last. Shame it’s against such weak oppo?

Yep. If their defence is as crap as they say, he should have a picnic. He's a very strong runner. But who knows? Their forwards might upset everything.

This might be key. It is one area of Scotlands game that works – and works well at that.

Yes, forwards and lineouts seem to be the strengths. But nothing much beyond #12. We shall see.

There was nothing wrong with the final that I can recall?

Will Johnson is 30 – and realistically has slim prospects beyond the A squad for that reason.

So what's he doing there? Why not an up and comer?

And I admit again our forwards are adept at killing ball – Woodman and Dallaglio are masters of it – but 1-8 they know their job. I just wonder if the Kiwi fans do watch their own teams – I’ve never seen anyone as close to Backy in the skill as Kronfeld was – and McCaw is not far adrift, neither was the previous skipper. Even the highly rated Chris Jack lies all over ball when it suits the team. Kiliing ball is all part of the game – it just so happens the 2003 England squad were better at it than their SH rivals. Oh and we never gave up rucking.

Not only do you do it better, you do it more often. It's a fundamental part of your strategy.

[Andydog]

NZ 36-3 ENG



Let the world witness the power of our forwards.

NZ were too solid and too committed up front, and way, way too fast out back for the World Champions. The AB scrum held its own and even managed to push the English pack around. Lots of biffo to at the start to sort out what’s what, just what the doctor ordered. Jonno Gibbes was a stand out taking lineout ball at will and quick to the breakdown. Rocokoco played well as did Mealamu whose throwing started off a little shaky but was quickly corrected. Robinson had an outstanding game and added the mongrel element to the AB pack that has been missing for a long while. McCaw pure class as always, wise of Henry to ease him into captaincy not putting too much pressure on him.

The English seem to have lost cohesiveness in their pack - it really looks like the Martin Johnson factor is sorely missed ala Fitzpatrick in 98. Not to mention Jonny's tactical nous which really was the deciding factor.

That said, the NZ forwards were clearly on top and our set piece was fantastic. Great lineouts, the lifiting from Hayman was class. I think the Spencer/Marshall combo looks a bit out of sorts at times and Marshall did a bit of crabbing.

I expect England will improve 100% for the next game. I don't think Hodgson will start next week his kicking was extremely poor imho.

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All Blacks 36 -d- England 3

Mmmm. England were slow, leaderless, bereft of ideas (apart from kicking the ball away) when they actually controlled the ball, the one-on-one defence was crap, and the vaunted forwards were remarkably average. I haven't seen so many England mauls stall - or be pushed backwards - in a long time. Simpson-Daniel should be banished back where he came from and taught how to tackle, as should Hodgson, who seems as timid a #10 as I've seen in a while. And Thompson should be banished back where he came from and taught how to throw to his jumpers. Dawson also had a shocker. To be charitable, he looked rusty. The Kiwi back row made the England back row look old, slow and lazy. S.O.S J****.

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Originally posted by Andydog

The English seem to have lost cohesiveness in their pack - it really looks like the Martin Johnson factor is sorely missed ala Fitzpatrick in 98.

Yes, and his leadership.

Not to mention Jonny's tactical nous which really was the deciding factor.

Sorry. You outplayed them all over the paddock.

[LDiCesare]

I just came back from Toulouse this morning. Glad to say we bet the Airbus team. I managed to play very little since I ripped an ear and it bled a bit.
I heard that the Stade Toulousain would try to win their match against the Stade Francais, so Tamerlin's bet that they play to win seems good.
I must say that, although my visit to Toulouse was very pleasant (can't remember the name of the restaurant, le cos d'oc or something like that), the city of Toulouse itself seemed very ugly to me. A hotel worse than anything I ever saw, a canal with whores on the borders just every other meter. And the first toulousain we saw was crossing the same canal with an anti pollution facemask, and the night-club we went to was rather bad...
But the guys there were cool, the field a very good pitch, and the restaurant great. The hooker against whom I played was a nice guy too. Great place for rugby.

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Originally posted by LDiCesare
I just came back from Toulouse this morning. Glad to say we bet the Airbus team. I managed to play very little since I ripped an ear and it bled a bit.

He says blithely. Watch out for cauliflowers!

A hotel worse than anything I ever saw, a canal with whores on the borders just every other meter. And the first toulousain we saw was crossing the same canal with an anti pollution facemask, and the night-club we went to was rather bad...

Presumably a part of the city to which Tamerlin has never been.

But the guys there were cool, the field a very good pitch, and the restaurant great. The hooker against whom I played was a nice guy too. Great place for rugby.

That's why Tamerlin lives there!

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Boks 31 -d- Ireland 17

I watched the first half and ten minutes of the second half before sleep smashed me over the head. What I saw was entertaining. It always struck me, though, that Ireland seemed to have a tad more class, that they genuinely threatened more than the Boks did. I have no idea what happened in the rest of the second half. Damn sleep!

And, reflecting overnight on the All Blacks-England match, it occurred to me that England's plight very much reflected a more extreme version of what happened in the early rounds of the World Cup. They were outplayed - on the back foot and struggling. In the early rounds of the World Cup, however, they came back to win via (a) regrouping; and (b) their opponents' inability to (i) maintain their pressure and (ii) deliver killer blows. I can't help but conclude that J**** wouldn't have let yesterday happen as it did. I don't think England would have won under him, but I think the circumstances would have been different.

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Wallabies 35 -d- Scotland 15

Typical Wallaby early-season, rusty, sputtering effort against an immensely courageous, swarming Scotland defence. The dam broke late in the second half when the Scotland defence tired and the Wallaby machine clicked. Scotland only threatened the try line a couple of times and let themselves down with bad handling at crucial times. Yet again, our scrum was pushed around, but why should this season be different? Great debut from Rathbone, Samo worked hard and provided the vital extra lineout option, and Plank's work around the paddock was terrific. Phil Waugh's work when he came on midway through the second half made George Smith's earlier effort look a tad lacklustre. But - oh dear - the Wallaby pack ...

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
Presumably a part of the city to which Tamerlin has never been.

A friend of mine is living around here.

Certainly not one of the beautiful parts of the town, fortunately the city of Toulouse can not be compared with this place. The pretty parts of the town, and they are many, are at the opposite.

That's why Tamerlin lives there!

Not the only reason why.

About the Stade Toulousain, well... I won't reval the score as I am too ashamed of it. The Toulousains certainly didn't come in Paris to win. At least I hope so...

The semi-finals will be:

Stade Toulousain - vs - Union Sportive des Arlequins de Perpignan

Club Sportif de Bourgoin-Jailleu - vs - Stade Français

[Caligastia]

Well so much for the great England forward pack. Their rolling mauls went no-where, and even their scrum was turned.

This was definitely a positive start for NZ, but as Finbar already pointed out, the real test will come when the Tri-Nations start.

It was also great to see Nick Evans and Sam Tuitupou get a good 15 minutes in their first test match. Tuitupou is one of my favorite players, and Nick Evans also looks like a very exciting player.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
Boks 31 -d- Ireland 17

I watched the first half and ten minutes of the second half before sleep smashed me over the head. What I saw was entertaining.

Damn! I didn't want to know that result yet...oh well, if what you saw was entertaining then I suppose I'll watch it anyway.

[finbar]

A mixed weekend for English sport

The Negatives

1. Dunedin. Say no more.

2. This morning I woke at 5 o'clock and couldn't get back to sleep. I knew the England -v- France s***** match was on in the Euro-whatever-it-is competition. I turned on the TV. Well into the second half, England were leading 1-0, the French were swarming, but the England defence was coping relatively comfortably. On one of their rare journeys forward, an England player was fouled in the penalty box. Up steps Mr Posh Spice to take the kick. The grenouille goalie saves it. Oh well, not to worry, it's still 1-0 and the defence is holding up well. Full time approaches, and les grenouilles earn a free kick outside the penalty box. Turns out to be a corker, over the wall, curling, leaving the England goalie stranded. Oh well, 1-1 in injury time, think England. A win would have been nice but it's only the first round, a draw will do. Twenty seconds later, an England defender passes the ball back to his goalie. Without really looking. He slots it straight into the path of a grenouille. The England goalie charges off his line and fouls the grenouille in the penalty box. Penalty! The penalty is slotted home easily, injury time runs out, the whistle blows, and England have gone from leading 1-0 to losing 1-2 virtually in injury time.

3. The England U21 rugby team were put to the sword by the All Blacks U21 team.

The Positive

There was one? Yes, there was. Providing England wants to claim a Welshman as one of its own. Which, the way they're going, wouldn't be a bad tactic. Welshman Huw Lobb, 27, made history when he became the first man to win Britain's annual man -v- horse marathon over 35km over countryside and moorland in mid-Wales.

Clive and Sven are, no doubt, on the phone to Huw as I type. Clive might even be on the phone to the horse. Apparently the neddy can tackle.