Rugby - Hands Off, Wattle!

[Havak]

Second hand car prices are in my experience lower in all of mainland Europe than in the UK. As are new car prices.

It's called "rip off Britain" for good reasons. The car industry is only just keeping ahead of the OFT and MMC with it's UK pricing - at some point their house of cards will come crashing down.

Suffice to say that money would probably not get you that car here.

My original comment was meant in, um, the political context.

I know - but give me an inch...

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Second hand car prices are in my experience lower in all of mainland Europe than in the UK. As are new car prices.

It's called "rip off Britain" for good reasons. The car industry is only just keeping ahead of the OFT and MMC with it's UK pricing - at some point their house of cards will come crashing down.

Suffice to say that money would probably not get you that car here.

You're not wrong. I just did some checking on the 'net. The same car as ours, with more miles on the clock, is selling for 1800 Euros more in the UK.

I know - but give me an inch...

Wait till we see how the Lions Tests pan out and I might consider it.

[Havak]

It's a good job you don't drink much as our beer prices are as artificially inflated as our car prices. This is a pet crusade of mine - I like to kick landlords who complain about their trade being down - dumb industry cannot see the link between prices and pubs way emptier than twenty years ago.

As I say a pet hate of mine are beer prices.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak

As I say a pet hate of mine are beer prices.

And bears sh*t in the woods.

[Havak]

Rather you should say "And French farmers like subsidies."

*edited to put it in the same context as your original*

[finbar]

[child of Thor]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/4102388.stm

Otago 19 - Lions 30

Thats more like it!(although we give away too many points) And nice to see a strong mention for Ryan Jones

[LDiCesare]

I just read that France and South Africa managed a draw (30-30). I was so busy being dizzy today that I didn't think of checking for the match on tv . It was apparently a great match, with 4 French tries vs. 3 from the Boks (and a few missed conversions from us).

[ravagon]

In another bit of news the Italians beat Argentina 30-29.
Would have liked to have seen this one.
Apparently the Pumas had three of their stars back from the French league so they were significantly strengthened over the side that drew with the Lions not so long ago.
I'm not making the suggestion that even Italy could beat the Lions however ...

Hmmm. The cricket just keeps getting worse for Australia doesn't it? This, plus the Italians success has something to do with finbar relocating I'll be bound.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak

Really? They appear to be behaving very similarly to Aus in 2001 and I expected better of them. The hot topic in their media – Clive has cancelled a school visit by the players a few days before the first test because he doesn’t want the squad distracted in wake of the Maori loss (seems fair enough to me?) and the media are ripping him to bits for it. The same Kiwi media who saw no wrong in ‘fortress AB’ during RWC 2003 where no one got anywhere near their squad. The same kiwi media ignoring the fact the ABs are making no such social commitments themselves in the week before the first test. Can we spell Hypocrites?

Hypocricy?
So did 'fortress AB' make commitments and then break them then?
Are the current AB squad doing the same?
Someone needs a dictionary - and not just to look up his spelling ...

[Havak]

One cancelled helicopter flight to a totally out of the way school three days before the Christchurch test? Someone needs a dictionary for ‘mountain’ and ‘molehill’.

I love your inference that the ABs have the moral high ground because they don’t do anything for the community though.

One of the best things about the Lions tours has always been their work with the communities they visit. Unfortunately things soured with the last tour when they were met with a rabid hostile press wherever they went and to my deep regret the NZ media has carried on where the Aussies left off – and I expected much better from NZ.

Future Lions tours will involve nothing but the games – and instead of blaming the Lions take a long hard look at your press for the reasons the Lions will adopt an AB like Fortress mentality in future.

Anyway onto the last game – after all the bellicose nonsense coming from the coach of Otago in the build up the game was something of a let down. Simply put the front five were not quite up to scratch and by 50 mins the Lions had ground them out of the game. Once again only awful execution stopped it being a total thumping. Presumably the missing Hooker, Prop and Lock with the ABs would normally be the heart of the Otago pack – because without them it was pretty weak. The Otago Fly half looked useful though.

I have a question though – if the Otago coach believes as he said that this is the worst Lions squad ever to visit NZ and his team lost to them how does that place him as a coach? One of the worst Otago coaches ever to face the Lions? Or just one of the worst coaches ever?

You will have seen from the squad news for Southlands that Henson and Murphy will not make the first test. That’s criminal as it means Clive is thinking of playing Jones-Wilko at 10 and 12. Jason Robinson is not named for tomorrow as that’s even more criminal if Clive is thinking of playing him in Christchurch – he simply hasn’t done anything on tour to warrant such selection. I have to say I am worried – Clive said he would pick on form but it looks like in certain positions he is going to pick favourites again.

[Frozzy]

*cough* I think the Henson not playing 1st test thing is bull**** meself. It wouldn't be beyond Woodward to play mind games ahead of a major game, and I think Henson will play at IC.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak
Someone needs a dictionary for ‘mountain’ and ‘molehill’.

Someone needs to look up the term 'rugby thread'.

I seriously hope that there isn't ill-will between the Lions and the NZ rugby public though. Media, everywhere, are hardly representative.
In other words don't judge the country by the lowest common denominator.

Greenwood isn't picked for tomorrow so he may make it to the first test.
D'Arcy is in the Tuesday squad so I guess we won't see he and BO'D teaming up on Saturday either ...

[Frozzy]

D'Arcy is in the Tuesday squad so I guess we won't see he and BO'D teaming up on Saturday either ...

Shock. Horror.

[Havak]

Well I would guess the Lions relations with the NZ public are a little better than Formula One's in the US at least.

Much of the negative stuff is certainly media created as you say - but the cancelling of that school visit has been taken out of all proportion by some parties.

It's worth checking out the tour blog on the BBC website. I'd pick out two comments:

One Stephen Williams: "I would also like to add that the touring 'Barmy Army' are being made to feel very welcome all over New Zealand. The hospitality is second to none. Thanks New Zealand."

And Julie from Auckland: "If you don't like what the press in NZ is saying about the Lions don't read the papers. I very rarely buy a paper here because they are like the British tabloids - rubbish."

Check out the full blog for Stephen's thought on Murray "I see only black shirts" Mexted.