Rugby - Hands Off White!

[Havak]

No surprises that Corry has been named Tigers skipper this season. He has started well though with this quote pitched to please the fans:

"The important thing is that I don't try to copy Martin. Sure, we both lead by example, but I don't have all his attributes, starting with his technical knowledge and captaincy experience. All I can do is to be true to myself - as a captain you want your players to trust you and they won't trust you if you try and change who you are."

[LDiCesare]

I mostly ment the kiwi supporters. I think the players are professional and good enough not to get over confident. Even if they did, they'll probably do so one match and then realise they shouldn't.

I also got the impression that straightness of the throw in the line out is this years big IRB instruction to referees?

If you're trying to scare me, it's useless. We rarely get real referees at the level I play. The coach of either side is often what we have to do away with. I even refereed a few times, but my captain doesn't like me to tell him "10 metres", so they look for other people now. Plus they need a hooker.

[finbar]

Drier than a dead dingo's donger, as the Australian saying goes.

[finbar]

Interesting to see the ABs succumb to the Boks. Apparently the Bok defence was even further offside than against us.

Also interesting to see the Australian XI beaten by Andrew Flintoff disguised as the England XI.

[Havak]

If you're trying to scare me, it's useless

Apparently the Bok defence was even further offside than against us.

Calling it a rush defence really isn’t fair anymore as it implies they start from an onside position – and they most certainly do not. Why are there officials on the line in the first place if they never call this?

Still interesting to see McCaw catch a touch of the Moody’s and give away penalties at the breakdown. His look of feigned innocence would not have convinced anyone.

It’s a good result for the tournament I suspect – even if not a popular one with the Kiwi boys. I have a feeling it could be home wins all round again.

Also interesting to see the Australian XI beaten by Andrew Flintoff disguised as the England XI.

I think we did say a while back that it was time Freddie made the break through his potential has been suggesting he could?

Did you catch much of it Finbar? It might not have been the best technical game of cricket but by crikey it was the most enthralling test match I have ever seen I think. Warne’s ball that took Strauss in the second innings – I have just never seen the like of it. Freddie’s first over on Saturday was also quite amazing.

Just a shame it had to end in controversy with a wrong decision. Although had England lost it would have been fatal for the series of course.

G Jones has got to go – not performing with the bat or the gloves. And Bell is not convincing either. Neither is the skipper of course. For the Aussies the top order need to get in the nets – and someone needs to give Warne a course in spatial awareness!!

[Havak]

Umaga is struggling with ankle ligament damage and they are having to toss in an uncapped scrummy against Gregan? Hmm, I think the Aussies have a real chance here?

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Calling it a rush defence really isn’t fair anymore as it implies they start from an onside position – and they most certainly do not. Why are there officials on the line in the first place if they never call this?

I wonder the same thing. But it's tough, crowding and aggressive defence that has caught out the ABs in the past. It's the Wallaby specialty, only starting from an onside position. For the most part.

It’s a good result for the tournament I suspect – even if not a popular one with the Kiwi boys. I have a feeling it could be home wins all round again.

I think you could be right.

I think we did say a while back that it was time Freddie made the break through his potential has been suggesting he could?

Good to see him rising to the occasion. He's the real deal. And he's pretty much carrying England at the moment, with bat and ball.

Did you catch much of it Finbar? It might not have been the best technical game of cricket but by crikey it was the most enthralling test match I have ever seen I think. Warne’s ball that took Strauss in the second innings – I have just never seen the like of it. Freddie’s first over on Saturday was also quite amazing.

Just a shame it had to end in controversy with a wrong decision. Although had England lost it would have been fatal for the series of course.

G Jones has got to go – not performing with the bat or the gloves. And Bell is not convincing either. Neither is the skipper of course. For the Aussies the top order need to get in the nets – and someone needs to give Warne a course in spatial awareness!!

I listened to a lot of it via Radio 5 through the computer. We're playing carelessly, ending up with backs against the wall and fighting back. They're at half ratpower at the moment. This result could be the kick in the a*se they need. With sufficient runs on the board, England are always going to struggle against Warne. The occasional ball aside, he has lost a lot of his variety after his injuries and operations. For the most part, he thinks them out these days.

Flintoff is carrying England. Harmison and Jones aren't consistent enough. They can be dangerous, but fall away. OTOH, Gillespie seems to have lost it, and Kasprowiscz has forgotten how to bowl. I'm sure we'll see Shaun Tait in the next Test. Very quick, a slinging action not unlike Jeff Thompson's of years ago, very strong. We might also even see Stuart MacGill in tandem with Warne.

[Havak]

It's the Wallaby specialty, only starting from an onside position. For the most part.

For the most part indeed.

Were I to pick on an aspect of play where the Wallabies currently get away with murder (and why not?) I would say it’s the scrum. They have become adept at fooling referees in the scrum. It’s admirable in a way.

I think you could be right.

Well the Boks generally just don’t win away anymore in the 3N? Much rests on whether the Aussies can turn over the ABs twice therefore. So lets hope the Wallabies have all read the latest stinky tripe from Laurie Mains then (“the players dislike Eddie” – how would he know this?)? He appears to have become the Stephen Jones of the NZ press?

And he's pretty much carrying England at the moment, with bat and ball.

Plus claims this morning that he has given up alcohol for the duration of the series. Now that is dedication!

For the most part, he thinks them out these days.

At least the ‘Straussbuster’ has made horse happy.

I see Brett Lee is in hospital now? Good job old Trafford is a spinners playground I guess. I will admit it worries me what Warne might do there – he may have to think them out these days but he has a psychological hold over the England top order.

We might also even see Stuart MacGill in tandem with Warne.

Has Ponting named his side yet? England went unchanged though I would have been sorely tempted to swap Bell for Collingwood. It must be Bell’s last chance. GO Jones (the Aussie raised Welsh wicket keeper) is at the last chance saloon too.

Popping back to rugby Robinson named his Elite squad for the upcoming season yesterday and finally both Smith and Deacon have been called into it (rather than the Academy squad). Nine Tigers make this humungous list of 61 players – that will make a nice hole in the side on some international weekends!

Most bizarre, if somewhat predictable, inclusion is Andy Farrell, former GB skipper in the *cough* other code. The new Saracens signing has yet to play a single game of Rugby Union so his inclusion would be an interesting one to try and justify?

[child of Thor]

Originally posted by Havak

Were I to pick on an aspect of play where the Wallabies currently get away with murder (and why not?) I would say it’s the scrum. They have become adept at fooling referees in the scrum. It’s admirable in a way.

edit.......

something the english have a 1st dan in too

The Boks beat NZ - i missed the match, but was it a full streangth NZ side? Anyway i'm not massivly surprised the boks have been in good home form. Still do you think people are maybe taking them too lightly. They've put in some good aggressive perfomances against some of the current best sides in the world? A South African world cup coming up is looking a possibility now?

[Havak]

Both the Boks and the ABs have the same question mark over them that hung over England until the 2003 summer tour - can they take their A game on the road with them (the ABs game with France not withstanding as it was their A++ game!).

A strong autumn tour from the ABs will do much to convince me of the justification for their inevitable favourites tag in 2007.

At the moment I still rather fancy France. They were truly shocking against the ABs last autumn but they will be smarting to set that right and they are a younger side. They also seem to have an endless supply of quality centres and loose forwards coming through.

Time will tell.

Naturally I disagree with you about the scrum - only UK sides know how this set piece should work properly and England are the purest practitioners of this cunning art of course.

[Andydog]

Bad game that. We lost patience and started to panic when the offside boer defence rushed at us constantly taking away our space. The ABs don't like their space being stifled do they.

We should have just pumped the corners for field position and taken it from there. The boers didn't really offer much with the ball in hand and so if we had only kept our composure and played intelligently, then the boers would have had to do the running and be the ones making the mistakes.

Also, my greatest fear, a shoddy NZ lineout, became reality. Why were we not competing when the boers were 5 yards from the line for frigging sakes.

Hats off to the boks though, they played intelligently to their strengths and their patience won out. To beat this side we need to play for field position and bring in some variation for when the Boers rush all day - more runs from around the ruck/maul, inside balls from the first receiver to the blindside wing, and kick, long, with the wingers chasing like demons.

[finbar]

Difficult to counter defence that's on your doorstep yards quicker than they legally ought to be.

[Havak]

Wayne Smith suggested - and I believe he is right - that kicking the ball deep behind them (and a few grubbers too) would have paid dividends because they were so far up on the ABs all the time.

It will be interesting to see if the ABs counter the rush defence a bit better at home?

The Wallabies side has a new look - interesting test for Mitchell and Gerard? And who is this Loe character who has consigned the bulldog to the bench??

Surprised to see Mortlock there - assumed he would be dropped after Laurie Mains said he was rubbish in the Kiwi press.

[finbar]

I think you mean John Roe. Queensland backrower, bigger than Waugh, but in the same playing mould. Usually plays #8 for the Reds. I don't know why he has been preferred to Waugh, unless he's going to join in the lineouts. The changes are all the result of injuries but it's as good a time as any to see what the younger brigade is made of. Mitchell is very, very talented. Can play almost anywhere in the backline. Gerard would have started before this but for ongoing hammy problems. I wonder what has prompted this sudden reapparance of Laurie Mains after all this time?

Anyway, what are you doing post before 9am? Couldn't sleep? Got to work early? Worked late? Didn't bother going home?

[Havak]

I'm in at 8am every morning. I would normally have a coffee and chill before posting though.

Roe indeed. No idea where I got Loe from to be honest.

Lauries Mains has resurfaced thanks to a lucrative newspaper column I suspect. He seems intent on stirring people up and attacked little glum Eddie last week as an appetiser to the Wallabies upsetting the form books again this weekend (possibly?).

I LMAO at Horse cautiously conceding in the Ashes thread that Freddie might make the Aussie side. The Aussies are the best team in the world still - but not as far ahead as they have been accustomed to being. A (very) few of the England team might pip their Aussie counterparts to a World XV right now. Just possibly.

Have you heard of Paul Franze at all Finbar? The Exiles have signed him from Aussie RL side Penrith. As far as I can see The Exiles will once again be the only top flight team not troubling six nations selectors again this season as they remain a primarily Foreign Legion (although a lot of the squad are there on tenuous EC connections and hence not counted as 'foreign').