Rugby - Hands Off White!

[LDiCesare]

Here's a (translated) question to Bernard Laborte and his answer:

A quel poste allez-vous le faire jouer ?
Nous avons pris deux ouvreurs avec Yann Delaigue et Frédéric Michalak. Thomas sera donc remplaçant au centre et à l’arrière. Mais c’est vrai qu’à terme, nous aimerions le voir jouer en 10. Cela donnerait d’autres solutions.

Where will (Castaignede) play?
We took 2 fly halves, Delaigue and Michalak. Thomas will thus be replacement at the center and full back. But it's true that in the long run, we'd like to see him play 10. This would give other solutions.

Also note that for this match, they selected only 2 backs and 5 forwards on the bench, so Michalak fills the role of scrum half replacement. I don't know whether he will start at fly half or Delaigue will do. It's also quite likely that Castaignede will come in for Fritz (or Jauzion) during the match, unless, of course, someone gets hurt.
Speaking of which, Leicester may not have much trouble facing the Stade Francais when you meet them. They have something like 14 hurt players right now, hardly anybody to don the fly half shirt because they can't bring players not listed in the cup to replace hurt ones (they probably can't field Penaud in the HCup for that reason).

[finbar]

I wish I could think of something positive to contribute about my adopted country's rugby team.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
And please god don't let those huge Samoans/Fijians* injure Murphy - he is far too important to Tigers's chances this year.

(*delete as applicable)

Incidentally Mark Van Gisbergen is English - just in case anyone asks.

I was wondering whether you'd have the gall. Silly me!

[LDiCesare]

I wish I could think of something positive to contribute about my adopted country's rugby team.

You can go to the stadium and get a nice tan while looking at their match in Rome?

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak

Incidentally Mark Van Gisbergen is English - just in case anyone asks.

He'd be from South Plymouth then?
Or perhaps South South Plymouth?


Speaking of Tamerlin ...

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140144

[Havak]

So Tamerlin is still alive? Personally I thought he was in hiding after May when Toulouse replaced Saints as winners of the most boring final ever. Two French teams in Scotland duking out a poor game decided by kicking?

When I went to Stadio Flaminio in 2000 it was sunny but rather cool. Nicer surroundings than Twickenham though.

We want to do Rome again in Feb Finbar – but the canny Italians have wised up to the event and prices have gone through the roof!

Also note that for this match, they selected only 2 backs and 5 forwards on the bench

This is for the game with Australia? That’s a strange balance against a team not noted for it’s attrition of opposition forwards?

It doesn’t appear to be a sanctioned test either? Is it outside the agreed IRB window?

Speaking of which, Leicester may not have much trouble facing the Stade Francais when you meet them

I hope you are right. On our day we can beat anyone – but we were probably a better side than Toulouse last year and got it badly wrong on the day.

Wherever Thomas plays he will do a great job for France – it’s such a shame he is languishing away at a club like Saracens.

I wish I could think of something positive to contribute about my adopted country's rugby team.

They have wins over Wales and Scotland in the 6N.

Remind the Welsh of that when you hear them talking of dominant/form teams like the poster CelticJinker does on the BBC boards. And ask them when they last beat SH opposition whilst you are at it.

Or perhaps South South Plymouth?

He’s a pure blood Londoner – from Wycombe.

Brits are often in a minority in London after all.

He’s a decent enough full back – and a solid kicker both from hand and at the posts – but I don’t think he would ever have troubled the AB selectors so I wonder why we are so keen on him?

So the ABs are arriving in the UK and BOD-gate is back in the news.

Henry is desperate to close the issue: "I think we need to move on. There was no intention to hurt anybody in that incident."

Poor Graham – intent was never the root of this really – he must have been mortified to see an IRB official state the following : “If you watch television, it was very, very hard to get an exact idea of what happened and this footage was not available. But now we have seen this footage - and we have also been monitoring the sport - we are of the opinion that dangerous tackles like this have no part in the game."

Worrying stuff Ravagon? Looks like the PR job of ‘Saint’ Tana is finally seeing his halo slip on this one? Not malicious – but a very dangerous reckless action. Particularly loved that they are not taking action simply because there’s no provision for retrospective penalties – but had this footage been available at the time…(they leave it hanging)

Look on the bright side – it hands the ABs perfect ‘siege mentality’ motivation ahead of the tour matches (like they need it – playing their best rugby in a decade right now)?

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare

You can go to the stadium and get a nice tan while looking at their match in Rome?

And one more in honour of the absent Toulousian -

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
When I went to Stadio Flaminio in 2000 it was sunny but rather cool. Nicer surroundings than Twickenham though.

We want to do Rome again in Feb Finbar – but the canny Italians have wised up to the event and prices have gone through the roof!

Yes, but think of the wonderful food and wine before and afterwards. Oh, and it will be rather cool-ish in February. Even in Rome. We, further north, could still be snowed in around that time. They had snow here till April last year.

Most important of all, though, Mrs finbar has come around to the notion of buying a place here next year.

[Havak]

Congratulations on acheiving your objective.

Turnip thinks we are on course to retain the World Cup:

"In each of the eight games we have played, we have had opportunities to win, but ended up winning four and losing four. We are on target, but we have to look at our ability to close games out."

The man must be of far more limited intellect than I initially suspected - England were dire against Wales and France this year (True Wales and France were also awful in those games too but they took the points). We failed to beat an Australian side that we should have comfortably whipped last November. And the loss to a misfiring Ireland was just a joke.

If the man thinks these were positive things in any way he is in the wrong job. His family motto must be "Clutchus attus Strawus"

[ravagon]

Originally posted by finbar

Most important of all, though, Mrs finbar has come around to the notion of buying a place here next year.

Hmmm.
Dare I ask how the great finbar novel is going?
That one you were writing in exchange for moving over there?

[Havak]

"The Aussie-Italian cook book"?

[finbar]

Originally posted by ravagon


Hmmm.
Dare I ask how the great finbar novel is going?
That one you were writing in exchange for moving over there?

Sssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[Havak]

That well eh?

[LDiCesare]

I thought novellists started working a few weeks after they were supposed to have finisjed the job anyway?

[finbar]

You have inside knowledge!