Rugby - Hemisphere Wars!

[LDiCesare]

Tamerlin, I bet you to it!
Very nice attacks from the Azzuri. Mircea Bergamasco in paticular as a full back was very offensive, the third row was excellent, and Mauro Bergamasco as a winger played quite well. I think the welsh fly half will remember him.
Now on to Twickenham, hoping the blues will be as successful as the other blues.

[LDiCesare]

England 25 - France 17
Good game from the English. 1 try, 1 drop, penalties.
The French made many fouls, were weak in defense in the center (probably because Garbajosa isn't used to playing with Traille and Merceron), and missed lots of kicks but scored 3 tries (the first one lucky).

Well, at least the Italians won.

[Havak]

And just about a fair result I think? Not perfect from England but they did enough to overcome the Grand Slam holders.

They pushed us hard in the first half but in the first twenty of the second half we controlled the game completely and took it beyond them really.

Having said that the second half tries were well taken. The first half one I choose to skip over as Hodgson messed up big time.

let me just say that the margin of victory was higher than France achieved in Paris last year when they got praised to the rafters worldwide. Can England expect some acknowledgement from the international press now having beaten the other four of the top five
sides in the world in just three months? Somehow I suspect not.

It's up to the boys not to choke in Dublin now. Wales were truly awful in Rome and they must be concerned about our arrival in Cardiff next weekend.

Still a win is a win - and our destiny is in our hands now.

[LDiCesare]

Yes the game was England's. Where France missed several kicks, England messed one or two tries by forgetting players after having made the difference. The French lacked discipline and suffered too many penalties from entering rucks/mauls from the side, which proves the pressure from the English was very important.

[Tamerlin]

LDicesare you have summed up the weaknesses of the French players, the Defence was rather good (to the exception of the central defence in the first half) but the attack was terrible.

The English players displayed a solid game and deserve their victory. In my opinion the French team is no more the top level team it was last year. Very worrying actually.

[finbar]

The England -v- France game started at 3am my time and there was no telecast! As luck would have it, I happened to be awake listening to the BBC World Service, as is my wont when I can't sleep. I heard the broadcast of the first 15 minutes of the match. Heard the England half fumble the ball and the French going over for the try. The excitement sent me straight to sleep! I woke up this morning to hear the dread result.

Still, as LDiCesares said, at least Italy won. I heard the BBC report on the match. Delivered by a Welshman. He was, um, depressed, calling it a new low.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Can England expect some acknowledgement from the international press now having beaten the other four of the top five
sides in the world in just three months? Somehow I suspect not.

There's that dang lack of self esteem again. A healthy self esteem wouldn't give a hoot what anyone else thinks. Methinks therapy is called for.

[Havak]

Yes but for me or for the team?

It was a strange game - but it was a win. I don't think the french lads need to get too depressed about the result, all modesty aside they lost narrowly to a damn good side.

LDiCesare was right btw - in particular Hodgson failed to look right after a clean break and missed giving Greenwood a straight run in. Silly errors abounded (e.g. Gomersall pinged for feeding at the scrum leading directly to the second french try).

But it is the first game of a tournament and we should improve. I doubt anyone is looking forward to playing us now.

Oh and Ireland are stuffing Scotland 16-3 as I write...

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Yes but for me or for the team?

Go for the bulk discount rate.

It was a strange game - but it was a win. I don't think the french lads need to get too depressed about the result, all modesty aside they lost narrowly to a damn good side.

From my reading of various reports, it seems England did pretty much what they did against the Wallabies and ABs - get into a good position and not go on with it for whatever reason. Can't keep doing that.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak
Yes but for me or for the team?

The English team has exhibited a solid game and has constantly harassed the French defence which is the only satisfaction of the game (though not in the first half). The English players have played as they were supposed to, no surprise as far as the tactic is concerned, they have played as they were expected to which should have helped the French team. I must admit I am very angry against the French players and especially the attack. Too many handling errors and a lack of support from the 2nd and 3rd raws have aborted all the occasions. In spite of a try Olivier Magne has played like a as**ole and has commited some serious mistakes Wilkinson has instantly used to score points. Olivier Magne can be one of the best players in the world but he is forgetting he is playing a game called Rugby most of the time. Merceron was in a bad day and missed the penalties he was in charge of scoring.

Even if the English team largely deserves its victory it should be noted that the English try has been scored after Jason Robinson quickly played a ball kicked out of the field by a French player by sending the ball to another player in a direction we can not decently call straight. The referee should have stopped the action and ask for a scrum (introduction France) as it is the case when the ball is not thrown straight in a lineout. At the very least he should have interrupted the action and ask for a lineout (English throw). But Mr Honiss is already well known for its leniency.

I am angry not because of the referee but because of the french attack, really... not a decent performance as far as it is concerned. The mountain has given birth to a mouse.

Oh and Ireland are stuffing Scotland 16-3 as I write...

Bad day for the Scottish Rugby:

Ireland 33 - Scotland 6

As usual, Brian O'Driscoll has been nominated Man of the Match.

[Tamerlin]

Finbar, I am online and we can test ICQ if you want.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Tamerlin

You will find the patch here:

http://hometown.aol.com/cedricgreene/mge.html

Download the 2.42 to MGE.exe to upgrade a Classic Civ2 updated with the 2.42 patch. It might be possible to update from FW with the MGE Zips file.

Kudos. I'll give it a try. If it works though it'll be the first of at least 3 attempts.

And still no excuse from Ravagon...

Uh oh. You'll have to enlighten me on that one... To which of my infractions are you referring (there have been so many )?


Hehe. Another suggestion. Great Wall ---> Fortress Twickenham.
I'm sorry I missed it by the sounds of things. Seems to have been quite entertaining. I'm rather surprised that France failed on the offense though. Traditionally (from what I've seen anyway) they have a reputation for a good attack but poor defense...

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
Even if the English team largely deserves its victory it should be noted that the English try has been scored after Jason Robinson quickly played a ball kicked out of the field by a French player by sending the ball to another player in a direction we can not decently call straight. The referee should have stopped the action and ask for a scrum (introduction France) as it is the case when the ball is not thrown straight in a lineout. At the very least he should have interrupted the action and ask for a lineout (English throw). But Mr Honiss is already well known for its leniency.

Mmmm. I expect Havak will apply the Luger Convention - bad luck, it's on the scoreboard.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
Finbar, I am online and we can test ICQ if you want.

Let the world know that the SH is communicating directly with the NH.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by ravagon
Kudos. I'll give it a try. If it works though it'll be the first of at least 3 attempts.

You give a software three chances, fair enough. Sometime I just throw away the whole thing when it does not work the first time.

Uh oh. You'll have to enlighten me on that one... To which of my infractions are you referring (there have been so many )?

This is a story about a great amount of beans as far as I remember... Ask Finbar.


About Jason Robinson one:

A french player kick the ball outside of the field in the english side, Jason Robinson (in the first half as far as I remember) received the ball and throw the ball to another player in the field. He was perfectly entitled to do so as the ball had not touched someone of the crowd but he does not throw it straight as he is still required to do so under the law of the game, and the fault is really obvious.

I am angry because England could be beaten as the defence managed to repell the English attacks (though it was far from easy). The whole French attack was deficient.

Hehe. Another suggestion. Great Wall ---> Fortress Twickenham.

I'm sorry I missed it by the sounds of things. Seems to have been quite entertaining. I'm rather surprised that France failed on the offense though. Traditionally (from what I've seen anyway) they have a reputation for a good attack but poor defense...

Many handling errors and no support from the 3rd and 2nd raws.