Rugby - Autumn Beckons!

[LDiCesare]

And Sale has found a gem – a bullocking French number 8 called Chabal. If he keeps playing like he did yesterday he might get a call up from Laporte?

Yes Chabal is very good. He's particularly strong at tackling and at pure strength. Being charged by Chabal is something that would make a sensible rugby player think of leaving the pitch immediately.
Of course, there are no sensible rugby players.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
As I also posted the other day, the extra franchise offers a great opportunity for very promising players who are currently back-ups to top players in teams. Matt Henjak is the prime example. He's a young, very talented scrummy, who is patently obviously George Gregan's replacement with the Wallabies when George retires. Currently, he warms the Brumbies' bench behind Gregan. Getting him into the new franchise, where he would be the starting scrummy, will help his career enormously. Whether the Brumbies would want to let him go is another matter.

I can definitely see this benefiting Australian rugby in general then, but what about SA? It seems they barely have enough quality players to fill the teams they already have.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak


Bitter as in the drink I hope?

Nah. They drink some slop that's even worse than bitter.

Ravagon is a Pom isn’t he? His love for blighty shows in every word he writes.

Well, he's two hours behind me. Might as well be a Pom.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Caligastia


They've been talking with Mrs Finbar again haven't they.

Actually, she wanted to record the NPC. She thought it was a gardening show - Nancy Pansy Club. She could have a point, actually.

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare

Yes Chabal is very good. He's particularly strong at tackling and at pure strength. Being charged by Chabal is something that would make a sensible rugby player think of leaving the pitch immediately.

He's already played for France? Will he do so again?

Of course, there are no sensible rugby players.

You took the words right out of my wife's mouth.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Caligastia


I can definitely see this benefiting Australian rugby in general then, but what about SA? It seems they barely have enough quality players to fill the teams they already have.

There was a suggestion in the press the other day that the extra Bok team would come about by splitting the Cats franchise. It's currently built around two provinces combined, with the two provinces being long-time, less-than-friendly opponents. Whether the individual provinces have the talent pool to field individual teams is, as you suggest, another matter.

On related matters, I note that Tana Umaga gave the All Blacks' flat backline approach a bagging at a lunch in Brisbane the other day. He said it needed a skilled, running fly-half, someone like Steve Larkham, to make it work. And neither Carlos nor Mehrtens, gifted in other areas, have those requisite skills.

[LDiCesare]

He's already played for France? Will he do so again?

It's likely. Chabal has been on the bench several times. There are quite a few good third rowers around, however, so who Laporte picks is certainly not for me to tell. I think if Betsen gets hurt, Chabal would be the best replacement considering his tackling skills. I'm not sure whether he's of any use in a lineout, however, so that may limit his chance as a number 8.

[finbar]

As long as he doesn't go to the same hairdresser as Mam'zelle Labit!

I heard a rumor that Leicester might have won on the weekend. I'm sure Havak will be along soon enough to confirm or deny the rumor. In glorious detail.

[Havak]

Of course, there are no sensible rugby players.

He had another very good game against Wasps. England must suit Mr Chabal.

I heard a rumor that Leicester might have won on the weekend. I'm sure Havak will be along soon enough to confirm or deny the rumor. In glorious detail.

Oh they won all right – but in a now familiar hero and villains split personality game. Some of it was very very good – and some of it was quite worrying. Better teams than Leeds will ask us serious questions.

Leicester 42 – Leeds 20.

The strong points for me were the forwards – they were immense and caused Leeds all sorts of trouble. They were lucky only one penalty try ensued.

Jonno brough the house down when he opened the scoring by spinning in a tackle and placing the ball over the lines with an outstretched mit. Rabeni scored on home debut. Boht Tuilagi brothers looked in good form. Most importantly the young English fly half Ross Broadfoot got his first team debut under his belt – and although he looks like he needs more bulk the lad looks to have considerable skills. He certainly has fast hands.

The bad? Finbar’s mate Mr Healey took the wrong (selfish) option several times and wasted scoring chances – worse than that he even got turned over resulting in a Leeds try when we had a run in overlap. We didn’t manage to bring Murphy into the game from fullback properly. The final execution in the oppo 22 let them down time and again – and worst of all both starting half backs had a touch of the George Gregan 2002 about them – both taking 2-3 steps before offloading. The speed and penetration of our game improved when they were replaced. And Ollie Smith had a very muted game lasting less than a half – something must be wrong there.

Oh and Wasps and Bath both lost again.

Bath zero points at the foot of the table.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak


He had another very good game against Wasps. England must suit Mr Chabal.

Everyone plays well against Wasps these days!

Oh they won all right – but in a now familiar hero and villains split personality game. Some of it was very very good – and some of it was quite worrying. Better teams than Leeds will ask us serious questions.

Okay, there have only been two games but have you seen any discernible difference between the two regimes?

Finbar’s mate Mr Healey took the wrong (selfish) option several times and wasted scoring chances – worse than that he even got turned over resulting in a Leeds try when we had a run in overlap.

Obviously I don't include him in my question (above).

Oh and Wasps and Bath both lost again.

Gee, having The Nose available full time has done wonders for them.

Bath zero points at the foot of the table.

Dear dear, it makes the Waratahs -v- Reds rivalry look like kindy stuff.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar


Actually, she wanted to record the NPC. She thought it was a gardening show - Nancy Pansy Club. She could have a point, actually.

As opposed to the Australian version: No Provincial Competition.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
On related matters, I note that Tana Umaga gave the All Blacks' flat backline approach a bagging at a lunch in Brisbane the other day. He said it needed a skilled, running fly-half, someone like Steve Larkham, to make it work. And neither Carlos nor Mehrtens, gifted in other areas, have those requisite skills.

I think Mehrtens could pull it off if he was given more game time. He's never been a slouch as far as his running game goes. Either let him play or give up on the flat backline.

[Havak]

Okay, there have only been two games but have you seen any discernible difference between the two regimes?

Well the head coach has been in place since February but one can see the influence of the new boys in parts – the forwards are reflecting Cockerills style of unbridled aggression and the backs are showing the Howard influence in that they are playing with less structure and more ambition.

It’s a huge shame that VD Westhuyzen is not there – he would be the spark Howards plan needs I suspect.

I still don’t know how ‘good’ the team might be – it certainly isn’t a return to the dominant Tigers of three years ago.

But goodness me if martin did not look like he was enjoying himself for once – still the ref was a newbie still in his twenties and somewhat over awed at times.

Gee, having The Nose available full time has done wonders for them.

they need a year devoid of trophies to bring them back down to earth. Sadly they visit Leeds this Sunday and should take a first win of the season. There are actually some tasty fixtures next weekend – Sale v Sarries, Saints v Gloucester and Worcester v Bath (the last being a battle to prop the table up).

We face London Irish away on Sunday – the team where Mike Catt is earning his pension. On paper we should stroll past them.

Dear dear, it makes the Waratahs -v- Reds rivalry look like kindy stuff.

The rivalries are deeply ingrained – and probably at the root of why we get such good crowds for the Domestic league.

And Tigers-Bath is an age old rivalry that surpasses all angst with temporary Champions like Wasps.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Well the head coach has been in place since February but one can see the influence of the new boys in parts – the forwards are reflecting Cockerills style of unbridled aggression and the backs are showing the Howard influence in that they are playing with less structure and more ambition.

Oh beaut. J**** more aggressive. Less structure and more ambition? That should make for entertaining rugby with equal parts success and disaster. Are there any free thinkers in the backs? Some players find it hard to ad lib.

I still don’t know how ‘good’ the team might be – it certainly isn’t a return to the dominant Tigers of three years ago.

Nor, I'd've thought, could it be expected. In a couple of years, perhaps, if the right players and plans are put in place.

But goodness me if martin did not look like he was enjoying himself for once – still the ref was a newbie still in his twenties and somewhat over awed at times.

"Just leave the decision-making to me, son".

We face London Irish away on Sunday – the team where Mike Catt is earning his pension. On paper we should stroll past them.

And I see the Human Hairdo has been called up by Bob for the Barbs.

The rivalries are deeply ingrained – and probably at the root of why we get such good crowds for the Domestic league.

Same as here with Queensland and NSW. It often goes beyond jibes to genuine hostility. There are a couple of smaller-scale versions in Sydney club rugby too. Good to see the tribal aspect of the game at work. It used to be a very strong part of AFL here, too, back in the days before it was the AFL. Victoria had the VFL and the other states had their own comps. The VFL had 12 suburb-based teams with suburban home grounds. Utterly tribal with immense rivalries. All gone now in the pursuit of the almighty dollar. There are now 10 teams based in Victoria, and, after this season, no suburban home grounds. All games played at the MCG or under the roof at the Dome. Tragic.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by finbar

Perth is full of Boks and Poms. And ravagon. It seems to be a four-way competition for the franchise - Perth, Melbourne, Gosford on the NSW Central Coast (where they played a number of RWC matches), and the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast would be the longest odds, followed, perhaps, by Gosford. Gosford has a good stadium, sport-mad local population, and the backing of a billionaire advertising/media mogul. Melbourne's appeal would be its inhabitants' passion for any form of sport. A good S12 franchise would be very successful down there. From what I read in the press, Perth is the front-runner. Strong local ex-pat support, it's a damn sight closer for the Boks than anywhere on the east coast, and, perhaps most telling, the ARU has chosen Perth over Melbourne in the last couple of years for a couple of major Test matches.

Actually this is a very good point regarding the number of ex-pats in WA. I hadn't considered that in my earlier (negative) opinion of the viability of a new Perth-based franchise. The number of interested locals is still rather limited but they could certainly count on a lot of support from the immigrants.

Originally posted by Havak
Ravagon is a Pom isn’t he? His love for blighty shows in every word he writes.

:moral outrage:

I would be far more indignant but you really can't take a Welshman too seriously.