Rugby - Crouch and Hold!

[Tamerlin]

LDiCesare is right, at least as far as France is concerned, most of the time penalty tries are awarded after a team has committed repetitive offences in order to prevent the opposing team to score a try (for example after having crumbled several progressing scrums started on their own five meters line)...

Stade Toulousain 37 - CS Bourgoin Jailleu 19

At last a good game from the Stade Toulousain and beautiful tries. Though there have been some handling errors and the first 20 minutes were a bit worrying (Bourgoin was then leading 10-0) the Stade Toulousain players have finally elevated they game level and started scoring. The forwards have been very good and the defence has been very solid all along the game. Bourgoin's players proved to be rather limited though it is difficult to say if their players are to be blamed or if they we "struggled" by the excellent defensive work of the Toulousains.

William Servat (playing as flanker when he started the season as Hooker), Xavier Garbajosa, Yann Delaigue, Trevor Brennan, Emile Ntamack and Clément Poitrenaud have all been very good.



I am now waiting for Northampton with less apprehension.

[finbar]

Waratahs 34 -d- Crusaders 31

Talk about a weekend of upsets. First, the Highlanders roll the Blues, now the Waratahs roll the Crusaders. I only saw the last 15 minutes of the Highlanders -v- Blues, but it seemed the Blues took some very wrong options, and Carlos Spencer, for whatever reason, wasn't the force he was in earlier matches. That aside, though, the Highlanders have been playing some very good rugby recently, so maybe the upset wasn't really that much of an upset.

As to the Waratahs - what a schizophrenic bunch they are. Boiled lollies to chocolates in the space of a week, and, against the Crusaders, missing both Matt Burke and Matt Rogers from the starting lineup. For the last two weeks, they've lacked organisation, they've coughed up the ball, they've looked very ordinary. Last night they jumped the Crusaders from out the ouset, playing quick, rhythmical, attacking rugby and, with exceptional handling, had two tries on the board before the Crusaders knew what had hit them. The cleanouts were exceptional, driving the Crusaders backwards, and the pick and drive option, very well executed, kept the Crusaders going backwards. When they weren't picking and driving, the great cleanouts provided quickly recycled ball, giving half back Whitaker time and space to work his moves.

It was especially good to see Phil Waugh in absolutely top form at the breakdown, winning a number of penalties with his strength and tenacity. I think he's playing himself back into a Wallaby jersey. And David Lyons, the baby giant at #8, is also going to threaten for a Wallaby jersey. He's having a terrific season in a team that hasn't always been terrific. For such a huge man, he's astonishingly quick and creative, a terrific back up to his sheer strength. I've always had high hopes for him.

Of course the Crusaders fought back, but the Waratahs, instead of falling in a heap as they've done before, stuck to their guns, reverting to the pick and drive and keeping the Crusaders going backwards.

The end was pure Hollywood. Scores level with 20 seconds to go, and a penalty to the Waratahs 45 metres out, just short of halfway. 5/8 Shaun Berne, who had been kicking eratically all night, stepped up and slotted it, the ball just making it over the bar.

BTW, Havak, I think Shaun Berne had a season - or part of a season - over your way. I seem to recall he broke his leg and came home. He started this match in place of your mate Duncan Macrae. He's a solid #10 rather than anything outstanding. But he can sure kick a distance under pressure.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
LDiCesare is right, at least as far as France is concerned, most of the time penalty tries are awarded after a team has committed repetitive offences in order to prevent the opposing team to score a try (for example after having crumbled several progressing scrums started on their own five meters line)...

Yes, but has "probability" of the try being scored been a factor? Or is the penalty try simply a punishment for repeated offences?

Stade Toulousain 37 - CS Bourgoin Jailleu 19

[Bearcat]

Eastside-Scappoose Post-Game

Played the match at Scappoose Middle School which is about a forty minute drive from Portland. The weather was fairly cooperative, the skies were overcast and it was cold out but it didn't rain during the game. Scappoose came out very aggressively as our coach had warned us they would. Our rucks just disintegrated and they kept coming through and picking up the ball and driving forward. The coach stuck me in at second row, not a very enjoyable experience. I also happened to be consistently one of the first forwards at the breakdown but I was constantly overpowered by the sheer size of the Scappoose forwards as I only stand at 5'10'' and weigh about 72 kilograms. The whole first half was scoreless as they kept driving forward, but we managed to stop them every time.

I got pulled during the second half and was replaced by a larger forward, and I watched the rest of the game from the sidelines. The second half started well for us, as we drove up the field in good fashion and managed to finally start rucking well, and holding them off the ball. Part of our earlier problem with ball control, had been their habit to constantly come in from the side and it wasn't easy for the referee to see, since the rucks were quite crappy. We almost scored but somehow lost the ball and they started up the field. It turned into another back and forth affair for pretty much the rest of the half, but in the last quarter of the game we finally got inside their 22 and with a series of penalties on them, we were able to put a try in to make it 5-0 and we held them off the rest of the match.

I have to give them credit for playing agressively and together and for their constant offensive pressure. We were never able to get things going offensively, and we had far less time in their 22 than they did ours, so we didn't really deserve to win. They also played somewhat disorganized too, as their backline tended to dissapear a bit after the first couple rucks or so, and their offense became an affair of "who wants it?" with the ball. Our major weakness was lack of preperation as many people hadn't attended practice this week and we are missing our starting flyhalf (vacation) and eightman (injury), so that degraded our game.

I think if we can get more people to practices and work on fitness though, we will have a much better game next week, as we are playing Lincoln a team we beat 10-5 last year, and they beat us as the pre-season tournament so we have a chip on our shoulder and will be motivated for a win. Also, the coaches need to put me back at openside flanker, no more of this locking crap

FINAL SCORE
Eastside - 5
Scappoose - 0

[finbar]

Originally posted by Bearcat
Also, the coaches need to put me back at openside flanker, no more of this locking crap

Start a petition, Bearcat. We'll all sign it.

It's vitally important that you stay away from lock. You'll develop a lantern jaw, a surly attitude, and claim, bizarrely, to be a merchant banker.

[finbar]

Brumbies 55 -d- Chiefs 31.

Brumbies led 41-3 at half time and took their foot off the accelerator badly. When they're good they're magical; when they lose concentration it's a criminal waste.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
It's vitally important that you stay away from lock. You'll develop a lantern jaw, a surly attitude, and claim, bizarrely, to be a merchant banker.

Finbar, you should not speak about Havak like this...

[Bearcat]

Well it's not like a want to be a lock, nor am I fit to be a lock. I think they need to put the current opensider at lock or eightman instead.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


Finbar, you should not speak about Havak like this...

Havak isn't a lock, he's a retired tighthead. Retired tightheads are more known for their inability to see their toes when looking down, their high foreheads, and a predilection for Pork Pies.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
Havak isn't a lock, he's a retired tighthead. Retired tightheads are more known for their inability to see their toes when looking down, their high foreheads, and a predilection for Pork Pies.

Sorry for the misunderstanding Finbar, I feel guilty now...

[Havak]

BTW, Havak, I think Shaun Berne had a season - or part of a season - over your way. I seem to recall he broke his leg and came home

I can’t place him – but bizarrely McCrae had leg problems too before leaving Sarries to return home and nobble O’Gara.

Sadly Graeme Bond was the beneficiary of a huge Tigers mess up behind the scrum yesterday and scored a soft try. We still waver between excellence and farce. 25 to nil up on 40 minutes we were 25-14 up at 42 mins and only won the game 33-20. It flattered Sale as even their second try was a result of two missed tackles (the last one from Healey – first game back since November). Great sides don’t leak soft scores like we did yesterday. Bit worrying as it’s Munster on Sunday.

I also discovered yesterday that Healey did his Achilles by falling off a ladder in a team building exercise at Tigers!

Finbar, you should not speak about Havak like this...

From what I can tell he was advising Bearcat not to aspire to be the best player in the world for some reason?

I’ve always looked upon locks favourably however and tried to keep on good terms as it only takes a slight mistake in binding for even the hardest of front rows to cry like a baby.

Retired tightheads are more known for their inability to see their toes when looking down, their high foreheads, and a predilection for Pork Pies.

All of those things – and a worrying new addiction to Guinness.

Murphy got man of the match yesterday btw. The World cup should provide the ideal stage for him right now.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak

From what I can tell he was advising Bearcat not to aspire to be the best player in the world for some reason?

Vanity, thy name art Havak?

[Havak]

Well I have a healthy ego all right.

But I was actually responding to Finbar's dig at my admiration of the England Captain.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak


I can?t place him ? but bizarrely McCrae had leg problems too before leaving Sarries to return home and nobble O?Gara.

I did some checking. Shaun Berne is a former Youth and U 21s national rep, contemporary of Phil Waugh. Had a couple of seasons with Bath until last year and came home. Good thing too.

Sadly Graeme Bond was the beneficiary of a huge Tigers mess up behind the scrum yesterday and scored a soft try. We still waver between excellence and farce. 25 to nil up on 40 minutes we were 25-14 up at 42 mins and only won the game 33-20. It flattered Sale as even their second try was a result of two missed tackles (the last one from Healey ? first game back since November). Great sides don?t leak soft scores like we did yesterday. Bit worrying as it?s Munster on Sunday.

Sounds like the Brumbies on the weekend. 41-3 up at halftime and let the oppo back into the game without ever looking like losing it.

I also discovered yesterday that Healey did his Achilles by falling off a ladder in a team building exercise at Tigers!

"Lips, do not unpurse". - The King, Wizard of Id

From what I can tell he was advising Bearcat not to aspire to be the best player in the world for some reason?

Advising him not to be the surliest side of beef this side of Iceland.

I?ve always looked upon locks favourably however and tried to keep on good terms as it only takes a slight mistake in binding for even the hardest of front rows to cry like a baby.

Yes, I've often thought the locks have you forwards at their mercy. Like, for instance, you wouldn't have wanted to have chatted up one of their girlfriends before the match.

All of those things ? and a worrying new addiction to Guinness.

That's a liquid step in the right direction from the usual.

[finbar]

Originally posted by ravagon


Vanity, thy name art Havak?

Stick to Fridays! As Havak pointed out, I was bagging Ol' Lantern Jaw, he whose Mist is Reddest.