Rugby - Running Out of Titles

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


:utmostcontempt:

Hey. I was reading in this morning's paper that Napoleon's hand-written draft of his memoirs has been sold for $430,000. Complete with myriad spelling mistakes. The little chap couldn't spell! OTOH, I'm sure he didn't use the American z in place of an s!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
I am not a huge fan of the new home shirt Finbar

It's just the club's colours thrown together. I thought the old original jersey was great.

(well I say new but it changes in August on it’s two year expiry cycle)

I hate that! Fundraising by forcing the fans to buy new jerseys!

A question of my own – who was opposite Cueto in the defensive pattern when he scored from phase one ball (how very un-English of him)?

You mean after the decoy runners had obstructed the defence? But it was a very S12 move, wasn't it? From memory, I think Cueto marked Tuquiri on the day but I don't know whether Lote was opposite him. I honestly can't remember.

You won’t have seen much of Ellis yet but trust me he is the ‘better terrier’. In fact he is an all around better ball player than Dawse – and also possesses good speed (can and has played on the Wing at League level).

Get him into the team. But, of course, I know I'm preaching to the converted.

I can save you time:

Dayglo (scowling): “they are doing X give us a penalty”

Dawson (whining): “they are doing y give us a penalty please sir” (a polite whiner).

Jonno (scowling and casting an eyebrow shadow on the whole pitch): “What? Are you going to be fair to both sides mate?”

Referee (blowing whistle): “Penalty to Wasps – upsetting Lawrence. Retreat 10 please Martin.”

Martin Corry (speechless through rage): *&^%$!

Harry Ellis (held in the air by the scruff by Dayglo): THWACK (sound of a punch landing).

Oh and amongst all that somewhere we will hopefully score enough tries to offset their penalties.

It's a pity I'll know the result. They're showing HC matches here on Fox Sports about a week after they're played. In fact, I'd better keep an eye out for last weekend's match. Last night they showed Edinburgh -v- Dragons. Talk about dreary.

[Havak]

I thought the old original jersey was great.

The classic broad hoops of the late 80s and early 90s? Yes they were tiger shirts all right.

Changing Jerseys is now such an important commercial part of any clubs life that it is not going to go away. Shame – but that is Professional Sport for you.

You mean after the decoy runners had obstructed the defence?

Yes why were the Wallabies running in front of their own tacklers like that?

Get him into the team. But, of course, I know I'm preaching to the converted.

Absolutely. One more howler from Gomersall under pressure (probably against Wales) and I think the time will be upon us.

Last night they showed Edinburgh -v- Dragons. Talk about dreary.

What is most sad is that Wales, Scotland and Ireland have all formed Super Provincial sides to play in this competition – and most are just as low quality as these two. You will see decent showing from Leinster, Munster and sometimes Scarlets but the rest are a waste of space…

Dallaglio has declared himself available for the Lions on the grounds he played against players that would be going last weekend and felt up to it. Sorry Dayglo but Corry was by far the best number 8 on the field. No bias there.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
Hey. I was reading in this morning's paper that Napoleon's hand-written draft of his memoirs has been sold for $430,000. Complete with myriad spelling mistakes. The little chap couldn't spell!

A military career is not compatible with a good spelling. He proved to be very talented as a military from the very start of his enlistment so we can imagine it is genetical rather than a typical case of Acquired Literacy Deficiency Syndrom.

OTOH, I'm sure he didn't use the American z in place of an s!

Typical case of ALDS!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
A military career is not compatible with a good spelling. He proved to be very talented as a military from the very start of his enlistment so we can imagine it is genetical rather than a typical case of Acquired Literacy Deficiency Syndrom.

Wellington only won Waterloo because he could spell. Just imagine - if la petite grenouille had been a half decent speller, you'd be Havak's lord and master today instead of vice versa.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak

Changing Jerseys is now such an important commercial part of any clubs life that it is not going to go away. Shame – but that is Professional Sport for you.

You should start a campaign along the line of Classic Ale. Classic Jerseys!

Yes why were the Wallabies running in front of their own tacklers like that?

That's the sort of thing I'd expect from Tamerlin.

Dallaglio has declared himself available for the Lions on the grounds he played against players that would be going last weekend and felt up to it. Sorry Dayglo but Corry was by far the best number 8 on the field. No bias there.

Is he serious? Or stupid? Probably just an egomaniac. He was past it when he retired. In fact, it was one of the more cunning retirements. Just in time. A bit like Clive's.

[Havak]

Wellington only won Waterloo because he could spell. Just imagine - if la petite grenouille had been a half decent speller, you'd be Havak's lord and master today instead of vice versa.

Between the two Generals there is no comparison. The undefeated Iron Duke versus the dyslexic serial loser of battles.

Was Wellington the greatest Englishman who ever lived? Probably, excepting the fact he was Irish of course.

Classic Ale. Classic Jerseys!

Classic Ale and Classic Jerseys – a new Mulitbuy idea for the club shop! Cheers!

That's the sort of thing I'd expect from Tamerlin.

I didn’t have time to think of anything better. Heck yes we use decoys – but we still trail a long way behind the Wattle and the Black in doing so to maximum effect.

Is he serious? Or stupid? Probably just an egomaniac

Certainly the latter. Only a muppet would pick him ahead of Corry right now. Oh dear.

I watched the rugby club on Sky last night – all the pundits picked Corry over Dally from last weekends game as being more effective but still picked Dally for the Lions as he is a “true warrior” whatever that means?

They did a number of player v player verdicts from the Wasps game and Tigers won every one – Ellis over Dawson, Moody over Worseley and most pleasing Jonno over Shaw by what Dewi Morris called “a country mile”.

Morris was an England scrum half and played the then 22 year old Dawson. He said he was surprised to hear Matt saying that he was old school and didn’t approve of Ellis roughing him up as “it’s exactly what Matt did to me at that age”.

In other news just as Smith is fit and playing superbly (all three Sky pundits tipped him to be England’s 13 for the six nations) Tindall has a stress fracture of the foot and will miss the first two games (although it’s the same injury that kept breaking down on Moody and keeping him out for ages).

I’ll have a little wager with you lads that England’s backs will line up like this against Wales:

9 Ellis
10 Wilko
11 Healey
12 Hodgson
13 Smith
14 Cueto
15 Robinson

Finbar will have noted number 11. Oh yes VD has declared he wants back in (though I’ll spare you the quotes) – and who knows what will happen unless Lewsey steps up in form.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Was Wellington the greatest Englishman who ever lived? Probably, excepting the fact he was Irish of course.

Gee, imagine him lining up beside O'Driscoll. What a handy pair.

I didn’t have time to think of anything better. Heck yes we use decoys – but we still trail a long way behind the Wattle and the Black in doing so to maximum effect.

But getting better. Les grenouilles, of course, invented it. I've been hunting for a photo or video of the Cueto try to see who he beat. The only photo I can find shows Latham hanging onto his legs just as he crosses the line.

Morris was an England scrum half and played the then 22 year old Dawson. He said he was surprised to hear Matt saying that he was old school and didn’t approve of Ellis roughing him up as “it’s exactly what Matt did to me at that age”.

Yes. The times I've seen Dawson, he wasn't afraid to dish it out. And commit professional fouls.

Tindall has a stress fracture of the foot and will miss the first two games

All that unexpected goal kicking.

I’ll have a little wager with you lads that England’s backs will line up like this against Wales:

9 Ellis
10 Wilko
11 Healey
12 Hodgson
13 Smith
14 Cueto
15 Robinson

Finbar will have noted number 11. Oh yes VD has declared he wants back in (though I’ll spare you the quotes) – and who knows what will happen unless Lewsey steps up in form.

Oh well. Recycling fringe players instead of looking to the future. He's better than H Paul, but the point remains the same. Sad, really. Hodgson at 12? I hope the Taffys have some muscular chaps who will run straight at him and scare the bejesus out of him.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
That's the sort of thing I'd expect from Tamerlin.

That is something I noted, and disapproved, all along the game but it was so sound a defeat, and the reasons behind it were so numerous, that it is actually something very accessory.

[EDIT] I have just realized ( ) you were writing about the France - Australia game and not about the France - AB Waterloo.



The same note is available for the AB though. [/EDIT]

[Havak]

If only France had turned up to that game it could have been a classic. As it was it was an exhibition match.

Gee, imagine him lining up beside O'Driscoll. What a handy pair.

Well I guess Umaga et al might be a little surprised to find BOD crashing ball with the Heavy Cavalry on his heel?

I've been hunting for a photo or video of the Cueto try to see who he beat. The only photo I can find shows Latham hanging onto his legs just as he crosses the line.

I think there was a forward in the mix. I’ve got it somewhere so will see if I can face watching it again.

Yes. The times I've seen Dawson, he wasn't afraid to dish it out. And commit professional fouls.

Cannot stand the chap. Except in an England shirt of course where he is totally innocent of everything you suggest.

Hodgson at 12? I hope the Taffys have some muscular chaps who will run straight at him and scare the bejesus out of him.

The Centres are not bulky men that I recall – but there is Thomas and Shanklin behind them to do that job.

Healey is backwards looking I agree - but in the short term he may help as we need to win the 6N and Healey is a winner. We should have beaten you with him playing as Plank would have seen red very quickly I suspect - Plank hates being danced around as I recall?

The Hodgson at 12 experiment has been tried before so I can see it happening. Plus Centre is becoming a problem position – Smith is very much the only shining light at the moment. There are others (Noon, Stephenson) but they have never convinced me.

You know the more I think about it the more amazed I am that Wales pushed the ABs so hard – and that France capitulated. Strange series of games.

*edit* I see Perth has secured the S14 franchise that was on offer to Aus?

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak


Between the two Generals there is no comparison. The undefeated Iron Duke versus the dyslexic serial loser of battles.

I disagree with the word "serial".

Was Wellington the greatest Englishman who ever lived?

I am rather surprised by the question, I thought it was undubitably Mr Jonno himself...

I didn’t have time to think of anything better. Heck yes we use decoys – but we still trail a long way behind the Wattle and the Black in doing so to maximum effect.

So you are not guilty because you are less guilty than the others.

[Havak]

No we are guilty all right - I just wish we were as good at being guilty as the others are.

Serial = multiple or consecutive losses = Boney?

Undefeated = never lost a battle he commanded = Wellington?

Absolutely it is Jonno btw.

I was poking fun at the fact that Wellington has featured in polls as the 'greatest Englishman ever' when he was actually born in Dublin.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak

Healey is backwards looking I agree - but in the short term he may help as we need to win the 6N and Healey is a winner. We should have beaten you with him playing as Plank would have seen red very quickly I suspect - Plank hates being danced around as I recall?

Wishful thinking on your part that he would have succumbed to VD, I think. He was too committed to the cause. He had several opportunities to go over the top during the match and restrained himself. Besides, I think the carry on between them from the Lions trip is old hat now.

You know the more I think about it the more amazed I am that Wales pushed the ABs so hard – and that France capitulated. Strange series of games.

Very strange. Every team seemed to have a blinder, followed - or preceded - by a rubbish match. Very inconsistent. Their first half against us aside, England was probably the only team that was consistent. We were crap in the extreme against France - while they had a blinder - but we came out against you and played our best half of rugby for 12 months. Yes, we traditionally lift, but the performance fitted an odd autumn pattern.

*edit* I see Perth has secured the S14 franchise that was on offer to Aus?

Probably inevitable, and probably the right decision. Melbourne offered much more sponsorship money, a better stadium, probably bigger crowds. Its downsides were (a) the competition from AFL with its ten teams based in Melbourne. Even though the timing and structure of S12 means the two codes would only clash on three or four days (or nights) in a season, there was a perception that rugby would get lost; and (b) its location on the eastern seaboard alongside Sydney and Brisbane, already home to teams.

OTOH, Perth only has two AFL teams - it's always been an AFL-oriented state, but an outpost - and a s***** team. There's room for rugby to take hold and grow, and its location - away from the eastern seaboard - is seen as a chance to spread the game nationally. Its location also means less of a hike for the South African teams. Currently, they travel to and through Perth on their way to play in the eastern states. Now the journey will be broken to play a match. Of course, it makes for a very long trip for the Kiwi teams. Tough sh*t. And, a factor that seems to have weighed heavily - while Melbourne offered more sponsorship money, it was all Government and corporate. Perth offered less, with a lot of it Government and corporate, but a fair slice of it community-based. In other words, there was potential for the community to embrace the team. Which is the story of the ACT Brumbies.

[LDiCesare]

Altarian Prophecies has just come out over here (the boxed retail version I mean) and I need opinions. Worth it or not?

It's worth buying if you like scenarios or large maps with many races (you can have up to 7). I'm not sure it adds much more to the game. There are new ships, but I personally never saw/used them, so that didn't add much to the game or me. I'd suggest playing the original galciv first and but the expansion only if you feel like starting the campaign.

Now back to rugby.
I must say that we just beat the teal of the referees yester'evening. Both teams short on replacements (we were 16, they were 17, we ended 15 and they 14), but we beat them. I am particularly proud that I managed to collapse a maul and get them penalised. The ref didn't see my small frame and thought they had fallen all by themselves (yeah...) and then they did some blunder playing the ball on the ground and got penalised. I fooled 16 referees!
An interesting tidbit of the match: We lacked players so we played a back as prop. The guy wore the gloves that are apparently fashionable among players wearing 2 figures on the back of their shirt. You may have seen them, gloves with cut fingers ("mitaines") that are supposed to let you better grip the ball. On the hands of a prop. Lots of fun commenting these under the scrum.

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
I am particularly proud that I managed to collapse a maul and get them penalised. The ref didn't see my small frame and thought they had fallen all by themselves (yeah...) and then they did some blunder playing the ball on the ground and got penalised. I fooled 16 referees!

That qualifies you for an England jersey!

An interesting tidbit of the match: We lacked players so we played a back as prop. The guy wore the gloves that are apparently fashionable among players wearing 2 figures on the back of their shirt. You may have seen them, gloves with cut fingers ("mitaines") that are supposed to let you better grip the ball. On the hands of a prop. Lots of fun commenting these under the scrum.

And contested scrums with a girlie playing as prop? Your national team should take note!

EDIT. I also note that Toulouse reversed the result against Saints. As they should have! Now it's fingers crossed for Wasps to do the same against Tigers!