Rugby - Crouch and Hold!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Bearcat
Preview of Eastside vs. Wilson

I guess that's what they get for being coached by a gal.

Tsk-tsk.

but I imagine it will just be a slaughter in our favor.

Sometimes I could swear you're a Havak DL.

We will be missing our flyhalf (he's on vacation)

Now that's what I call dedication to the cause.

[Havak]

There’s only one Havak – though Bearcat shows great promise.

And I’m not seriously looking to bait you at the moment Finbar – that’s why the lack of subtlety currently.

What a great afternoons rugby!

Wales 24 – Ireland 25. A drop goal either way in injury time seeing the Irish through by the skin of their teeth. Having worked hard to control it at half time a strangely subdued Irish side nearly gave it away.

England 40 – Scotland 9. A nervous first half followed by a solid second half.

The Grand Slam decider is on. Dublin – stock up your Guiness for Havak’s boys are coming.

The referees were poor – Lander (English) was pedantic in the Celtic clash. Lewis (Ireland) was shockingly inconsistent in the England game. And he is another of these refs who issues endless warnings (to Scotland for permanent offside infringements) without doing anything about it. Still being an Irishman it was nice to here the constant “I see advantage” from him. And not a “through the gate” in sight.

On the plus side the way the lads played in the second half was very encouraging. Some of the offloading in the tackle to the strike runners was really enjoyable – a try for Lewsey, one for Cohen and a brace for Robinson.

So our defence was rock solid – a third game with no tries leaked – and Irelands was shocking in the second half.

Our pack was awesome – Ireland got shoved around by a feisty Welsh pack that couldn’t do that to England.

England’s strike runners looked scary – Ireland’s were anonymous in the face of the Welsh backs.

It all points to England being red hot favourites even in Dublin.

The only slight doubt? Well, It’s ENGLAND isn’t it? You can never be sure with them.

[Tamerlin]

News from the Six Nations:

Wales 24 - Ireland 25

Ireland has gone out of a tricky situation thanks to a last penalty. I have not seen the game myself but it seems it was a good one.

England 40 - Scotland 9

The score does not reflect the resistance from the Scottish players who were only dominated 9-16 at the end of the first half. Though Scotland was playing well the English players' realism stroke as England scored almost each time the team entered the Scottish part of the field. The second half was another matter though, the English players started playing better Ben Cohen scored after Matt Dawson had legally hindered Redpath and prevented him from kicking. Two beautiful tries from Jason Robinson in the second part of the second half have then increased the score...

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Havak
Sure both England and NZ are better sides than Australia as far as I am concerned – although NZ have this annoying tendency to lose to them unlike ourselves So are France in all probabilitiy despite losing to them the last two times. It doesn’t really matter. They will move heaven and earth to make sure they win RWC – fair means or foul it doesn’t really matter how they win as long as they win.

For a second there I thought you were talking about SA
I wouldn't say I have seen nearly as much foul play from Australia as I have from South Africa over the last few years. Of course, I can never forgive them for RWC 95.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
Blues 62 -d- Reds 20

The Blues steamroller rolls on. The Reds are in a sorry sorry state. Missed tackles galore, even more handling errors.

Yeah, the reds seemed to show some potential on the odd occasion, but every time an opportunity opened up for them they butchered it. Oh well, GO BLUES!!!

That and the Highlanders-Sharks game( ) were the two I got to see this weekend. I wouldn't have minded seeing the Stormers beat the Waratahs.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Caligastia
Yeah, the reds seemed to show some potential on the odd occasion, but every time an opportunity opened up for them they butchered it.

Roughly half the Reds' team are Wallabies and there are others considered future Wallabies. This was the first match this season where they had a full-strength team, but they were no better - and, arguably, worse, given they were at full-strength - than in the earlier matches.

Andrew Slack - ex-Wallaby skipper - is now coaching them. The last couple of seasons, under Mark McBain, they were considered stolid under-achievers, but they made the semi-finals at least twice. It was always said that they never played to their potential - which is to say, they never expoloited their talent out wide. Andrew Slack came to power promising to fix that problem. Thus far, they've gone backwards from being "stolid under-achievers". It's hard to know where the problem lies - whether it's Andrew Slack, or a problem of culture.

I wouldn't have minded seeing the Stormers beat the Waratahs.

The game should be archived as a classic example of a team - the Stormers - proving that no problem is insurmountable if you have the guts, determination and dedication. Equally, it's a classic example of a team - the Waratahs - losing an unloseable game. If anyone ever gets a chance to see the match, I highly recommend it.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar


Roughly half the Reds' team are Wallabies and there are others considered future Wallabies. This was the first match this season where they had a full-strength team, but they were no better - and, arguably, worse, given they were at full-strength - than in the earlier matches.

The Blues just seem more confident. It really is perplexing to see the Reds do so badly when their team is certainly not short on talent. I suppose they have been doing badly for so long now it has affected the team's morale.

The game should be archived as a classic example of a team - the Stormers - proving that no problem is insurmountable if you have the guts, determination and dedication. Equally, it's a classic example of a team - the Waratahs - losing an unloseable game. If anyone ever gets a chance to see the match, I highly recommend it.

I would love to see it, but it's impossible. I'm stuck with what FSW chooses to air.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
There?s only one Havak ? though Bearcat shows great promise.

Yes, but he's a fit, strapping, athletic, young flanker, albeit with a muddy jersey. Methinks he has myriad gallons of Bitter and truckloads of Pork Pies ahead of him before he reaches the Pantheon of Retired Tightheads.

The referees were poor ? Lander (English) was pedantic

Just out of interest - how did this manifest? I recall, I think, you preferring to translate my definition of pedantic reffing as, in your view - in the context of fine NH refs, as against inadequate SH refs - applying the laws of rugby as they are writ.

*finbar wheels Havak's petard into place and ponders the physics of hoisting a retired tighthead*

[Bearcat]

Eastside vs Wilson Post-Game

We played in very wet and muddy conditions again today. As expected Wilson got the **** kicked out of them, provided they at least knew how to ruck this time. We scored a try in under five minutes after kick off, as we were awarded a five meter scrum and our eightman picked it and ran it in. I sat out of the first half, and watched us do a lot of beating. Wilson was completely dominated, they simply couldn't put a play together and every time they got a penalty they would kick for touch, every time! We scored again putting us up 10-0, I think it was run in by our flyhalf.

I came in at half and got several chances to run with the ball. We scored twice more, including one try by our tighthead that was held up. They also managed to run in one try at the very end, the only real dissapointment of the game, besides an injury to one of our centers. The final score was something like 22-5, I believe. We all ended the game very muddy, but ultimately happy. The Wilson coach complimented us a game well done, especially our backline.

[Tamerlin]

Congratulations Bearcat, when do you start your international carreer with the Eagles?

[finbar]

Originally posted by Tamerlin
Congratulations Bearcat, when do you start your international carreer with the Eagles?

Congrats, indeed. I notice, in particular, that the mud theme continues. Careful, Bearcat, you might develop a psychological dependence on mud to the point where the sight of a dry ground will freak you out.

[ravagon]

Tonga d Korea Republic 119-0, hence go through.
So end the hopes of the brightest star in the northern hemisphere.

Looking over some of the RWC odds being offered atm it almost looks worthwhile backing ... England??!! The AB's aren't worth it at just under 2:1. Australians at 2:1 aren't a good bet either but the Brits are rated 3rd at 7:2.
I'm almost tempted to back them but this thread, and its previous incarnations, have given me a pretty good idea as to the accuracy of my past guesses so I won't.

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by ravagon
I'm almost tempted to back them but this thread, and its previous incarnations, have given me a pretty good idea as to the accuracy of my past guesses so I won't.

I would not know you Ravagon I would have thought you were just looking for a petty excuse for not backing England.

[ravagon]

Moi???!!!

I am deeply wounded that you could think such a thing Tamerlin. Deeply wounded.

[finbar]

Originally posted by ravagon
Tonga d Korea Republic 119-0, hence go through.

The ref, presumably, was North Korean.