Rugby - Last Feet!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Someone ask him if he can spell 'Socialist'.

But be careful - I think you get repatriated out of the States if you can.

Plucked off the streets, held for questioning without access to legal advice, and so on, and so on. Our George Witless Bush clone - little Johnny Howard - tried to force that sort of legislation through Parliament just before it rose for Christmas. A marathon 24 hour sitting. Thankfully, our otherwise gutless, insipid Labor Party stuck to its guns.

Hey Havak - I've just finished watching FoxSport's replay of one of the Heineken Cup round 4 matches. Guess what? Leicester -v- Beziers at Welford Road.

My first look at Leicester and at Welford Road. You're right - everyone in the crowd is an ample, retired tighthead prop with a receding hairline and a couple of pints of bitter clutched in each mighty mitt. I looked for you. Do you have a usual seat at the ground? Or is it find a seat where you can?

Anyway, while Leicester cleaned up Beziers, it wasn't an incredibly inspiring effort, was it? Some pretty scrappy stuff amongst some terrific individual efforts. Precisely what Austin Healey's doing at #10 rather puzzles me. His passing is, on the whole, shoddy; his vision is pretty ordinary; and his choices don't seem to exhibit a great deal of planning. Tugboat Kafer was solid, I thought, playing his typical busy, bustling game. It was nice to see him in action again. He'd be a far better bet at #10 than Healey, even if he lacks some speed. He certainly reads the game better than Healey.

OTOH, your #15 - Someone Murphy? - looks like a very classy player. And your Kiwi winger, given half a yard of space, can do a bit of damage too. Well, 3 tries worth of damage in that game.

I like the ground too. It looks even more intimate than the Gloucester ground, with about six inches between the sideline and the grandstand. Must be a terrific atmosphere.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
I am a moderate

I'm not!

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
I'm not!

Rest assured they are some subjects I have no moderate opinion about, things like equality, social justice and so on which is certainly enough to be qualified as an anarchist or a marxist in the USA.

I would rather say I am a humanist rather than a leftist though it must be difficult to be both a humanist and a defender of true capitalism.

About Leicester, Welford Road is a great Stadium, keep it this way and don't let the business man build another field.

The performances of the Tigers remind me of the Stade Toulousain in 2001-2002, victories but not convincing ones and a half-final lost as a result. It seems typical of a team where an older talented generation is slowly replaced by a younger generation.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar


It's actually quite remarkable to find so many of us in the one thread. Well, a thread that isn't politically oriented, anyway.

I wonder where most rugby players are politically. Is there an ideology that is more prevelent? I suppose it would differ from country to country, also younger people tend to be more to the left.

Stick with us, Cal, we're taking over the world and setting it straight!

Ahhh...no comment.

Okay, you qualify as an honorary leftist! And we promise not to tell anyone ...

I used to be pretty left when I was back in New Zealand, but I've grown up somewhat since then.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Havak
Someone ask him if he can spell 'Socialist'.

But be careful - I think you get repatriated out of the States if you can.

While the States does have a reputation for being more to the right, the funny thing is that most of the leftist politically correct nonsense comes from here..

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Caligastia
I wonder where most rugby players are politically. Is there an ideology that is more prevelent? I suppose it would differ from country to country, also younger people tend to be more to the left.

In France, most of the Rugby players and the greater part of the crowd are voting for the right wing of our parliament.

I used to be pretty left when I was back in New Zealand, but I've grown up somewhat since then.

Wa' da' ya' mean partna' ?

Spit!

Ding!



Post Scriptum : I have a new spitoon Finbar as I have thrown away the full one.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Caligastia
While the States does have a reputation for being more to the right, the funny thing is that most of the leftist politically correct nonsense comes from here..

It is a pity as the "politically correct" is a threat to thought. But as most people are currently too lazy to think anymore there is a fertile ground for the growth of such shameful things.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


In France, most of the Rugby players and the greater part of the crowd are voting for the right wing of our parliament.

Wa' da' ya' mean partna' ?

Spit!

Ding!



Post Scriptum : I have a new spitoon Finbar as I have thrown away the full one.

It is a pity as the "politically correct" is a threat to thought. But as most people are currently too lazy to think anymore there is a fertile ground for the growth of such shameful things.

I totally agree.

[Havak]

While the States does have a reputation for being more to the right, the funny thing is that most of the leftist politically correct nonsense comes from here..

If you think the left there is radical be careful coming to Europe. We legislate everything PC to the nth degree.

It make me rather anger management challenged at times.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Havak


If you think the left there is radical be careful coming to Europe. We legislate everything PC to the nth degree.

It make me rather anger management challenged at times.

I can forgive you for being left as long as you're against PC.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Caligastia
I wonder where most rugby players are politically. Is there an ideology that is more prevelent? I suppose it would differ from country to country, also younger people tend to be more to the left.

Any answer would be a guess and a generalisation at that. Given that, rugby in Australia, historically, has been of the "private school" (as distinct from "public [Government-funded] school") milieu - and the "private schools" are the greatest breeders of conservatives in the country. Hopefully, though, some of them have seen the light.

I used to be pretty left when I was back in New Zealand, but I've grown up somewhat since then.

Interestingly, I've headed in exactly the opposite direction.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Caligastia
I can forgive you for being left as long as you're against PC.

PC, or some version of it, has its place. It's about the only means of regulating the racists, homophobes, et al, who, left to their own devices, can wreak havoc on society.

[finbar]

ARL supremo John O'Neil has just ranked the Big 5 rugby nations as he thinks they stand at this point in time:

1. England
2. France
3. All Blacks
4. Australia
5. Springboks

I wouldn't disagree. And before anyone jumps in and asks why a nation like Ireland wasn't ranked, he was asked to rank the Big 5, not the world's rugby nations.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
1. England
2. France
3. All Blacks
4. Australia
5. Springboks

Though it matches Nick Malett's list, I can't agree with England as number one until the Six Nations Tournament is over.


Ludovic Mercier's performances with Gloucester seem to have catched the eye of the french enlisters. The "Association Sportive Montferrandaise" (ASM) would be in contact with Ludovic Mercier since several months as its relationship with Gérald Merceron (current Half-Fly of the ASM and the French team) would have deteriorated to the point they would like to replace him.

Bernard Laporte thinks Ludovic Mercier is now France's Half-Fly number 3 and would like to see him playing with France A in the Six Nations Tournament to come.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
Though it matches Nick Malett's list, I can't agree with England as number one until the Six Nations Tournament is over.

I think it's actually a ranking based on common sense. But you're absolutely right. England have to be tested away from Twickenham. Although did I notice that you play them first at Twickers?

Bernard Laporte thinks Ludovic Mercier is now France's Half-Fly number 3 and would like to see him playing with France A in the Six Nations Tournament to come.

I noticed that. I've only seen him once - in the Heineken Cup match a fortnight ago - and he looks like a very talented player. Most importantly, his game appears very well organised - he knows exactly what he's doing - and he seems to have the time to do it. I suppose it's a question of whether he can take the next step up in class.