Rugby - Hands Off White!

[LDiCesare]

Well, I finished two novels, after all. None of them ever got published and certainly never will, but that gives ideas.
I'd like to hear from our English friend about the Leicester Tigers' match. I couldn't see it on tv, but the result surprised me.
Biarritz and the USAP also won, but Bourgoin lost. Overall, a good day for French clubs.

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
Well, I finished two novels, after all. None of them ever got published and certainly never will, but that gives ideas.

Well, that's two more than I've ever finished. I keep telling Mrs finbar I have the opening sentence done. Polished and perfected. She says - "Well, you've only got about 249,990 words left to write". At which point I visit this forum for some sensible conversation.

I'd like to hear from our English friend about the Leicester Tigers' match.

I wasn't going to mention it. You're a braver man than me.

[Havak]

You fear a rant?

Tigers blew it really - the game was there for the taking but they made error after error in good field positions. It wasn't a particularly good Stade Francais outfit and they had that old paris malaise of not being able to stand up (straight off their feet at the slightest provocation).

The most notable thing all game ws probably the Argentinian prop Roncero - broke Corry's nose with a head butt, stuck his finger in Moody's eye. He used to play for Glaws and was a thug then - he doesn't seem to have changed much. The Irish officials were weak - but then Paddies always are in France (thats right Finbar - I've worked in the fact David McHugh nearly cost us the 2001 final in Paris again).

Roncero hasn't even been cited (Tigers don't cite of course - and clearly the ERC official was either French or asleep?) - he should consider himself very lucky!

[child of Thor]

Hi guys i do poke my head in often to have a look, usually to get scared of bythe very indepth discussion going on still i've only just found this out:

Wales vs New Zealand on saturday!! lets see if boy wonder has focused on his rugby enough since his book came out

I wonder how many welshmen are willing to bet their roofs on wales winning? I think we have a small chance of not getting hammered, with a smaller chance of sneaking a shock victory.

[LDiCesare]

I think we have a small chance of not getting hammered, with a smaller chance of sneaking a shock victory.

That you believe the Welsh have an (even very) small chance of winning against the Blacks proves you are welsh indeed.

[Caligastia]

Well, with the NPC over, FSC are not showing any more rugby, and certainly no NH stuff.

[child of Thor]

Originally posted by Caligastia
Well, with the NPC over, FSC are not showing any more rugby, and certainly no NH stuff.

not even the SH tour of the NH? thats poor.

@LDiCesare, well i'm probably more of an opptomist than most - which doesnt say much for Welsh chances still with a good bit of Hywl and some great singing( i hope Max Boyce is in usual good form pre match) we might give the boyos a chance of some magic making?(or maybe i'm living in the 70's when it comes to welsh rugby)

"Wales, who have not beaten New Zealand since 1953, are on an eight-match unbeaten run which stretches back to last November - when they lost by a point to the All Blacks." - bbc sport website article.

common the reds! 1953 is far too long ago!

full article here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/4397204.stm

[ravagon]

Originally posted by LDiCesare

That you believe the Welsh have an (even very) small chance of winning against the Blacks proves you are welsh indeed.

Did you just call me Welsh??!!
[/Havak]


Ok. I admit the chance of a Welsh win isn't exactly high, but they did win the 6N and they do have a 'small' possibility of pulling it off playing at home.
I wouldn't care to estimate just how small mind you.


Go All-Blacks! The previous Welsh win in 1953 is just fine thankyouverymuch.

[Havak]

I’m very sorry CoT but the Orange wonderboy is injured so will not feature for Wales until the 6N at the earliest.

And I’m afraid it falls to me to point out that due to other injuries the Welsh side named does not look at all strong. I’d be amazed if this Welsh outfit can trouble the All Blacks. Sorry.

Fortunately France have named a very strong side to meet the Wallabies (who are on tour with a squad comprising of school kids I think?).

but they did win the 6N

Probably the weakest 6N in fifteen years Ravagon (with misfiring Irish, French and English sides). Not to mention that the Welsh side that runs out on Saturday will not be the one that beat France (or even England) earlier this year. I don’t think they can stop the All Blacks – so the ABs will have to work very hard to lose this one.

Don’t get me wrong – I would like to see the ABs lose it. But they won’t.

I can’t even watch it – I’m at a bonfire party all day.

By the way Ravagon have you seen the new footage of BOD-gate – defend those two reckless AB players to me now if you dare! They got away with it – but no one ever will again.

Henry is very sensible to talk of not playing Umaga in Dublin. The excuse is that at 32 he cannot play four games in a row after all. Oops, it appears that Martin Johnson could when two years older, but then lock is a far less demanding position than centre.

Wrap him in cotton wool and stop those naughty paddies breaking his halo.

This is the welsh team:

Wales: G Thomas (Toulouse, capt); K Morgan (Dragons), M Taylor (Sale), C Sweeney (Dragons), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (Clermont-Auvergne), M Phillips (Blues); D Jones (Ospreys), M Davies (Gloucester), A Jones (Ospreys), B Cockbain (Ospreys), R Sidoli (Blues), J Thomas (Ospreys), C Charvis (Newcastle), M Owen (Dragons).
Replacements: R Thomas (Dragons), C Horsman (Worcester), L Charteris (Dragons), R Sowden-Taylor (Blues), G Cooper (Dragons), N Robinson (Blues), L Byrne (Scarlets).

Weaknesses at Hooker, Scrum half and both centres I would suggest?

And an Englishman on the bench (Horsman)

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare

That you believe the Welsh have an (even very) small chance of winning against the Blacks proves you are welsh indeed.

For what it's worth, Australia A - that's the kindergarden version of the schoolboy Wallaby touring team - saw off the French Barbarians.

[Havak]

Consider that a minor miracle - the real one will be if the junior class overcome France themselves.

[Havak]

Martyn Williams is missing for Wales too - I've never rated him that much but it doesn't help Wales as I suspect this means Charvis at openside?

The big (English) lad Charvis is many things - but he aint no openside. The All Blacks are therefore resting McCaw for the later games and throwing in a greenhorn
called Chris Masoe. The ABs are also blooding a new prop - Neemia Tialata (from North Auckland perhaps?).

Against the Welsh pack from the 6N I would expect Tialata to get a rough ride - but of course Gethin Jenkins is out injured too. In fact Wales are missing so many players from their Slam squad that I fear they might get very heavily trounced indeed come Saturday.

So Wales - over to you to prove me wrong.

*edit* Oh boy I just checked the referees.

Chris White (Eng) helms Wales v NZ - I predict that the Kiwis will hate him.

The unpredictable Honiss helms France-Australia (Finbar will be pleased).

The only SH ref that the ABs get for their tour is Kaplan (in Dublin).

[Havak]

So I take it we all agree it's a clean sweep for the home nations then?

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
So I take it we all agree it's a clean sweep for the home nations then?

I'm more concerned with trying to find online coverage of the Wallabies-France match!

[Havak]

I hope you find it in time for the following weekend.

With what Turnip has done this last week I think your schoolboys will stuff us.

For example:

Borthwick back in the squad and likely to start with finger-biter (Borthwick is not international standard and had been tried and failed many times - plus Deacon is fit so Borthwick should not even be thought about!).

Talk of Lee Mears starting at hooker (not even a decent club standard hooker IMO)

Abbott was told he is out the squad because 'Barkeley offers a kicking option'. This means turnip will almost certainly be picking barkeley at 12 and making the same godawful mistake he made last season in doing so. kick the ball away to Aus and NZ backlines? Yeah that makes sense!

The way for us to beat the SH sides this month is to be very strong in the contact area and then play an expansive game. To my mind that means Sanderson at openside and Tindall-Smith in the centres. I expect Turnip to pick Hazell (same description as Bothwick applies) and play Barkeley-Tindall in the centres.

The only bonus I can see to letting turnip carry on with his self delusions is that losing all three games would force the RFU to sack him. Of course if we get hammered by Aus and NZ then whup Samoa he will make some excuse about how the losses were really 'wins' and he is 'getting it right'.

What does Robinson have to do to get sacked (I would have sacked him after the French result earlier in the year - that game should never have been lost)?