Rugby - Autumn Beckons!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
You will be happier somewhere up here. I recommend the UK as nowhere else has beer anything like as good.

Oh well, given that I only drink Italian and Belgian beer, I suppose the UK, as a base, would put me close enough to Italy - I've been to Belgium twice, which was twice too often - to pop over whenever I feel like. I could even speak the lingo in the UK. Well, parts of it.

And being clapped out we don't need to keep buying cruise missiles to upset our (rather non democratic) northern neighbours when our F111 fleet retires. Wonder who I am alluding to there?

I would really like to help Tamerlin out by relating the issue to you - but whatever it is has not made news here at all. I have noticed that the Top 16 have fixtures on the dates of French games this season - meaning they are making the same mistake our league does. Is that it?

I notice that he's explained it. Without making anything any clearer!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin

The IRB recently revealed four international calendar proposals produced by a consulting company that are blatantly ignoring the reality of Rugby in the Northern Hemisphere that is based on clubs. Three of the four proposals are, for example, placing the Final of the French Championship in February. Even the Fédération Française de Rugby, usually unable to support efficiently the teams, has been upsetted by this calendar. As far as I know, the English clubs are not happy with those proposals neither (not sure about the place this "neither" should be at in this sentence).

"Either" rather than "neither", exactly where "neither" sits in the sentence.

I haven't heard anything about this either. Either you're wasting too much time reading Midi Olympique or I'm not wasting enough time reading my rugby news!

[Havak]

This is not what a German would say!

Having never tasted real ale one can forgive them their ignorance.

Some German and Belgian lagers are very good – but they are not in the same league as a good real ale.

1664 is passable as well.

As far as I know, the English clubs are not happy with those proposals either

I’ve heard nothing about it through the club gossip channels. It sounds a typically loopy IRB idea.

Unfortunately for us, the Poms settled this continent

True in a sense – but only as a dumping ground for Celts and the lower classes. And you wonder why your nation lacks a cultural identity?

Personally, from time to time, I don't think Mars would be far enough.

However as a male you know you can’t win over a maternal bond?

I could even speak the lingo in the UK. Well, parts of it.

You would fit in nicely with the Brit habit of self deprecation and constant P taking of one another too.

I have noticed from touring that your average Belgium lad lacks a sense of humour – and that Italian and French lads are too trapped in a ‘macho’ culture to make arses of themselves the way Brit tourers are happy to.

I notice that he's explained it. Without making anything any clearer!

Sounds like an attempt to re-organise the season so domestic and International are totally separated on the calendar. Not a bad idea in itself but the real answer has to be to change the season so the SH are touring right after the six nations surely – and have the six nations at the start of our seasons in September with the SH lads arriving a month earlier than currently in October. Of course it means moving the NPC down in Kiwi land but that is no real problem is it?

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar

They're all escrocs! I did ten minutes of a Law degree, I should know!

I did five years...

[Havak]

As predicted Rob Andrew has kept Wilko at Fly and moved Mr Burke into the Centre's.

Come on Tigers!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
True in a sense – but only as a dumping ground for Celts and the lower classes. And you wonder why your nation lacks a cultural identity?

Truth be told, it's the lower classes who actually brought something to the country in the way of character. The gentry just gave each other massive parcels of land and established a mini-Britannia that exists to this day. The current PM, a very lower-lower-middle class bloke from a background that doesn't suggest conservatism, has attached himself to the mini-Britannias like a leech. There's ample opportunity in this country for a cultural identity and it could be a truly interesting one given the massive immigrant population. Sadly, the locals are in the majority, and they are, at heart, a conservative, selfish, inward-looking mob.

However as a male you know you can’t win over a maternal bond?

I realised that years ago.

I have noticed from touring that your average Belgium lad lacks a sense of humour –

The Belgians, Dutch and Austrians were all somewhere else when the senses of humor were handed out.

and that Italian and French lads are too trapped in a ‘macho’ culture to make arses of themselves the way Brit tourers are happy to.

Italians less so than the French, I think. Tamerlin, of course, is the exception, standing out like a beacon, happily making an arse of himself here day after day.

Of course it means moving the NPC down in Kiwi land but that is no real problem is it?

Let the NPC suffer the same way your domestic comp would suffer.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


I did five years...

I wasted ten minutes of my life and you wasted five years?!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
As predicted Rob Andrew has kept Wilko at Fly and moved Mr Burke into the Centre's.

Come on Tigers!

Mmmm. I think I might have to support the Novocastrians. If you're watching the game, I'd like a report on Burkie?

[Havak]

You can rely on a totally non biased report on his performance from me.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
You can rely on a totally non biased report on his performance from me.

Thought so! Okay, I'll ask his Mum for her report.

[LDiCesare]

I recommend the UK as nowhere else has beer anything like as good.

Belgium. But then I like stout and don't like ale a lot, so Ireland is also on the list. You can find better Guinness in the UK than in France, and I haven't had the occasion to taste enough belgian stouts to know if one of them is better (though the Charles Quint is good if anyone can put a hand on it).
Speaking of stout... Yesterday evening, in the restaurant after my first match of the season, I asked the barman which stout he had, having sighted an empty Murphy's bottle somewhere. He told me he had no Murphy's. When we later went to the bar, I saw they had Murphy's on the tap. That barman was pitiful.
I managed a very impressive game by the way, since I got most of my lineouts thrown right. An unusual match since, for once, our pakc totally blew the other pack to pieces. The referee was utterly pitiful, and so were most of our backs (but then we missed our usual fly half, the one who played came back after one year not playing due to some wound and was hurt by one of our flankers and got 10 'points de suture' on the head and out at the end of the first half. This led another thrid rower to play as a center in the second half. That and a winger playing his first match, another one playing full back for the first time and fast backs among the opponents, and you'll understand why we decided to play the second half keeping the ball with the forwards.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar


I wasted ten minutes of my life and you wasted five years?!

Wasting my time is what I know how to do the best!

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
Belgium. But then I like stout and don't like ale a lot, so Ireland is also on the list. You can find better Guinness in the UK than in France, and I haven't had the occasion to taste enough belgian stouts to know if one of them is better (though the Charles Quint is good if anyone can put a hand on it).
Speaking of stout... Yesterday evening, in the restaurant after my first match of the season, I asked the barman which stout he had, having sighted an empty Murphy's bottle somewhere. He told me he had no Murphy's. When we later went to the bar, I saw they had Murphy's on the tap. That barman was pitiful.
I managed a very impressive game by the way, since I got most of my lineouts thrown right. An unusual match since, for once, our pakc totally blew the other pack to pieces. The referee was utterly pitiful, and so were most of our backs (but then we missed our usual fly half, the one who played came back after one year not playing due to some wound and was hurt by one of our flankers and got 10 'points de suture' on the head and out at the end of the first half. This led another thrid rower to play as a center in the second half. That and a winger playing his first match, another one playing full back for the first time and fast backs among the opponents, and you'll understand why we decided to play the second half keeping the ball with the forwards.

Still, you're a man with the right priorities - drinking and rugby!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


Wasting my time is what I know how to do the best!

You and me both!

[finbar]

And here's an example. I've been listening to a radio broadcast of Newcastle -v- Leicester via the BBC website. Leciester leading 17-7 at half time running with a strong breeze. Wilkinson just missed a penalty. I go to bed confident that Newcastle will come home strongly with the breeze.