Rugby - Crouch and Hold!

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak
I’d like to claim quick study (I learn the layout of new bars quickly if that counts?) but sadly it was a case of petard hoisting. Stitched myself up like a kipper there.

AH, AH! You all have forgotten I have a secret thrust named "le petit ophrys".

Is that just because we are such an awfully expensive place to actually be? Getting here is fairly reasonable – Ryanair flights from various south of France airfields fly to Stanstead and the train from there runs all the way to Leicester. Tickets for both can be booked cheaply in advance over the net.

And I suppose you are now waiting for me to sign with my own blood at the bottom of the vellum you are handling to me.

Rather like asking an English club to play Stade Francais in a final at Parc de Princes?

Far more easier than playing the Stade Toulousain at the Stade de France (the finals are, alas, played here now), Paris is almost our garden now and the supporters always sing: "We are at home..."

[Tamerlin]

About colloquialisms, try this one:

"Etre rond comme une queue de pelle..."

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
No! Tamerlin loves a challenge. He's a Toulouse supporter, after all. And if you think that's coming the raw prawn, you need your head read before you drop your bundle, kick over the traces, give the turps a nudge and shoot through like a Bondi tram.

Ah, ah! Les doigts dans le nez...

There was an earnest conversation in which we were deciding which Superhero Tamerlin most resembled. He fancied the red and yellow colours of ... I've forgotten which Superhero.

Robin, but in the Comic strip or the earlier cartoons, yes the slim one in a red and yellow pair of pyjamas

Oh. I pictured you at your desk with the Union Jack waistcoat. Yet another fantasy trashed.

Havak, don't tell me you don't wear a melon hat...

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by Havak
Or he might think it’s a load of old cobblers, not that I want to put the dampers on as you seem to be a dab hand at this kind of old yarn. I’m on a hiding to nothing trying to keep up.

I am suspecting that "le petit ophrys" is somehow omniscient... when I am not finding the meaning by myself thanks to my superb capacities of deduction.

Of Robin! The very suspect ‘ward’ of Bruce Wayne.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
About colloquialisms, try this one:

"Etre rond comme une queue de pelle..."

To be as round or tight as a shovel's bottom, tail or arse?

[finbar]

I'm away for Easter till Monday. Don't overdose on chocolate, anyone!

[Caligastia]

I'm off to Niagara Falls for the next four days, but I doubt anyone would notice my absence seeing as I get to post so infrequently these days anyway...

The two super 12 games I get to see this weekend will be Hurricanes v Highlanders, and Blues v Stormers. I'm pretty ambivalent with regard to the first game, I suppose I might lean towards the Highlanders because they are lower on the table and the more NZ teams up there the better. The Blues shouldn't have a problem with the Stormers, but I look forward to watching them play.


Pity I won't get to see Waratahs v Brumbies - of those two I would have to pick the Waratahs as my hatred of the Brumbies exceeds my hatred of Matt Burke .

[LDiCesare]

How hard can it be to chase a lump of rock down an ice rink with a broom?

I thought it was actually getting chased by a lump of rock while sweeping the ice? Now how did such a sport come into being?

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare

I thought it was actually getting chased by a lump of rock while sweeping the ice?

I suppose it could be if the guy who pushes the lump of rock gets his timing wrong!

Now how did such a sport come into being?

This is what I'd like to know too. I lie awake at nights wondering.

Obviously the sport started in one of those arctic-type countries where there's nothing much better to do in winter than chase a lump of rock across ice with brooms.

But how did it come about? Chasing a lump of rock across ice, per se, sort of makes sense. Greyhounds, after all, chase an imitation rabbit around a track. Maybe it started out as a fitness thing. Lars could have looked at himself in the mirror one day, discovered he couldn't see his toes anymore, and turned to Sven - "We're putting on too much weight, Sven, let's go and chase a rock across the ice".

But how did the broom enter the picture? Was Sven doing some sweeping when Lars suggested chasing the rock across the ice and he couldn't be bothered putting it down? Or was it so cold that the broom handle stuck to Sven's hand and he couldn't put it down?

But the greatest mystery of all is this - Why don't they ever catch up to the lump of rock? I mean, it's patently obvious they could if they wanted to. But they don't. Do they worry about the rock's self-esteem? Are they concerned the rock will slip into a blue funk if it's constanty overtaken by guys on skates with brooms in their hands?

I've worried about this all over Easter. It ruined by Easter break.

Thus I shake my fist at whomever first chased a lump of rock across the ice with a broom and I curse him or her!

[Bearcat]

Yesterday we played the Vancouver B team. Last year we got beat by Vancouver 35-0 (the mercy rule), but this year they split into the A team, the Sharks and the B team, the Barracudas. I was never very worried, seeings as Lincoln the team we beat last week 27-0 beat them. I wasn't unduly surprised. We must of scored three tries within at least the first ten minutes of the game and never looked back. I'm pretty sure they envoked them mercy rule, so we beat them like 35-3 officially. But we scored a lot more tries and they even managed to put one in, on a clearing kick gone awry. We must of scored like 7 or 8 tries in total.

But the referee got on my nerves. Like some sort of evil SH referee from Tamerlin's worst nightmares. I was also ready to break their scrumhalf in half by the end of that game. He was one of the biggest whiners I've ever played against

So because we have a record of 4-0-1 we're advancing to the playoffs as the 2nd seed in the North division and we'll play the 1st seed in the South, which is either McMinnville or the Vancouver A side. We beat McMinnville 17-7 in a friendly earlier this year, but they've improved a lot since than. They were playing the Sharks after our game on Saturday and were leading like 18-0 at the half when I left.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Bearcat
But the referee got on my nerves. Like some sort of evil SH referee from Tamerlin's worst nightmares.

Just what I'd expect from a blindside flanker!

[finbar]

As predicted, Bob Dwyer is stepping aside from the Waratahs' coaching position at the end of the S12 season into a "Director of Coaching" role specialising in seeking out and developing new talent. It was scheduled anyway, but after next season. This season's disappointing results have hastened the move.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by finbar
But the greatest mystery of all is this - Why don't they ever catch up to the lump of rock? I mean, it's patently obvious they could if they wanted to. But they don't. Do they worry about the rock's self-esteem? Are they concerned the rock will slip into a blue funk if it's constanty overtaken by guys on skates with brooms in their hands?

The Norse are well known for their fits of anger that are culminating into the Frenzy. The individuals prone to the most dangerous fits of rage were known as the Berserkers. I think this game was the first attempt at Sophrology which goal was to teach the said berserkers to fight the temptation and master their rage... This game was so succesfull that the Northern countries have been civilized and can only play girly games like S*****.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin


The Norse are well known for their fits of anger that are culminating into the Frenzy. The individuals prone to the most dangerous fits of rage were known as the Berserkers. I think this game was the first attempt at Sophrology which goal was to teach the said berserkers to fight the temptation and master their rage... This game was so succesfull that the Northern countries have been civilized and can only play girly games like S*****.

Yeah, I knew S***** had to enter into it somewhere.

[Tamerlin]

Just a little note to warn everybody Apolyton is back, at last.

The previous week-end the Stade Toulousain won 55-33 against the Section Paloise, an interesting game though not the fantastic game the public has given the best mark of the year.

Bad news as far as the H-Cup is concerned, two players have been wounded, Yann Delaigue (fly half) and Emile N'Tamack (winger of experience playing more like a third center), the two players were in really good shape and their participation in the semi-final is uncertain. More worrying, Jean-Baptiste Ellisalde (who is playing scrum-half or fly-half) was already wounded and the Stade Toulousain could play the semi-final without an experienced scrum-half.