Rugby - Hands Off Black!

[child of Thor]

Yeah i like Billy Connolly I watched that series too - it was a goodun and i quite liked the look of Dunedin - it reminded me of parts of rural wales i grew up in

I dont have a problem with NZ hosting the World Cup - even if facilities might not be up to it - i think the NZ experience will be fun for most visitors, after all anyone you stop in the street will be able to talk rugby to you.

[finbar]

Re: RWC Fact Sheet

Varndell is a great player - big loss to Tigers but a big gain for England.

I think he's the chap I saw last season in one of the delayed replays of HC matches that Foxtel were showing. Very impressive.

Originally posted by Andydog

I thought I'd attach the fact sheet for the naysayers:

I'm just dashing out to buy Berlioz's Japanese For Beginners book. Hang about and I'll translate and post the fact sheet from the Japanese bid.

[finbar]

Originally posted by child of Thor
after all anyone you stop in the street will be able to talk rugby to you.

There's a limit to the number of times you can put up with hearing "Good as gold".

I'll let Andydog explain that one to you.

They got to the lower half of the South Island. "It's pissing rain sideways? Perfect! Stop here!"

[Havak]

Varndell is more impressive than Voyce - so naturally Robinson has started the latter and kept the former on the bench. And Robinson doesn't use benches of course.

In fact his team selection is so bizarre I just cannot follow his thinking. He has kept in a lot of players we know all about already, dropped some untried lads totally (including the Kiwi fullback such a fuss was made about) and kept some real talent on the bench (Forrester, Varndell).

I am pleased to see Deacon and Ellis start, and trying JSD in the centres gives us a centre who can go forward (but cannot defend) I suppose.

Anyway here is Bizarre coaching selections 101:

England: Lewsey; Cueto, Simpson-Daniel, Tindall, Voyce; Hodgson, Ellis; Sheridan, Thompson, Stevens; Borthwick, Deacon; Sanderson, Moody, Corry (capt).

Replacements: Mears, Freshwater, Shaw, Forrester, Dawson, Barkley, Varndell.

I'm pleased of how our players have gone this autumn but I have a niggling idea it is despite the Coach and really not because of him.

[finbar]

Mmmmm. The sight of Simpson-Daniel in the path of some of those Samoans will be worth the price of a ticket alone.

[Caligastia]

Re: RWC Fact Sheet

Originally posted by Andydog
Lancaster Park

I notice you refuse to recognise "Jade Stadium" - well done.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak
It's interesting to look at the differing approaches of the two coaches last weekend. Henry used his bench extensively - as he has all tour. Turnip used one player from it. So Henry via bench use and squad use has 40 players he trusts to step in and do the job for the ABs. Turnip has 16. What a prat Turnip is.

Did you mistype in there somewhere?
You seemed to utter something not unpleasant about one G. Henry. More to the point you even included the word 'prat' in the same paragraph, apparently without reference to the above individual. Nary even a spot of frothing at the mouth?
I think I'm in shock.

Incidentally, if Leicester do lose any more players to England he might even be able to lend you a team. He's made another 13 changes to the lot going up against the Scots this weekend so likely has a spare on hand.


Andydog,

Again, while I am not a 'naysayer', that 'fact' sheet seems very light on, um, facts?
It might include actual figures for upgrades at Eden Park and in Auckland but I don't think it's Auckland that presents the problem. The bigger question was over some of the others. These may also be in the process of being upgraded but to what capacity?
Somehow I tend to think that, if the only figure stated was 7000 for Eden Park, that the other grounds (which probably need them more) would be getting lesser upgrades?

Oh well, I guess we'll find out soon enough ...
I'm sure it'll be good as gold in the end.


Incidentally, something for both Havak and yourself ...

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/11/23/england.drinking.ap/index.html

[Havak]

Only in England Ravagon.

Did you know these new 'licencing' laws actually require places that don't even serve alcohol (take aways, shops, petrol stations) to apply to the local authority for these lciences if they wish to stay open after 11pm? And that communication fo this fact was shambolic meaning most places have not applied? It's another cash cow for local government - pure and simple.

Also the time you say you will close is the time you have to shut the door on an empty pub or it's a 20K minimum fine. Previously your 'closing' time then had a 20 min 'drinking up' period - that has gone now.

My local has therefore applied for 12:30 on Friday and Saturdays so they can serve until midnight.

The legislation has been drafted by idiots I think.

As for Mr Henry he is still capable of prattish behaviour (witness the debacle where he mistook media for RFU spies - what a wally!) but credit where it is due - he is developing strength in depth for the ABs by using the shocking tactic of blooding lots of guys.

Turnip on the other hand has used more than two players off the bench on only one occassion in ten tests (five of which he lost). This speaks volumes to me - a coach who does not use the bench even when losing at the death of a game is a clueless coach indeed.

[finbar]

Yup. And, last season anyway, the change - there was rarely more than one - was by rote. At around the 70 minute mark: Ellis off.

[Havak]

Yes that was his favourite last season. Expect a repeat on Saturday as Ellis starts. This year MVG made a cameo during a Cueto blood bin and he pulled Sheridan off for Stevens very late on last Saturday.

He doesn't inspire confidence with his use of a bench that is certain.

In other news after their brilliant autumn Wales have just agreed a significant pay rise for their players. I'm not kidding - you couldn't make this stuff up!

Wales are also throwing a 27 year old debutant centre (Matthew Watkins) in against the Wallabies. Henson is well down the pecking order if he ever gets fit again?

Oh and Samoa lost their last tour game before Saturday last night - going down 29-15 to second flight Quins.

[finbar]

There's a very ugly, very personal campaign now being waged to oust Eddie. The lily-livered ARU - gee, John O'Neill had his downsides but at least he knew his own mind - doesn't know which way to turn. You can read some of it here, with the despicable Alan Jones weighing in further down the page in the International and Off The Field sections.

[Havak]

It's very easy to kick a man when he is down - plus the two targets (Mckenzie and Nucifora) are still pretty green.

The Wallabies have lost a lot of games - but Eddie has spotted and targetted the weaknesses. It's not like his fellow coach turnip who has lost games, not spotted the weaknesses and then lauded those same weaknesses as being strengths.

So what happens if, as I expect, he wins another game comfortably tomorrow. I am fairly sure he will - despite Dunning playing (even the hair bears are great front rowers in comparison).

*edit* Dawson injured himself in training so Richards of Gloucester comes in on the bench. The tractor boys rate him highly so it will be interesting to see him get a run.

[finbar]

The despicable Alan Jones has had an agenda against Eddie for years. He opposed Eddie's appointment in the first place.

What I can't get over is the waffle in Growden's piece listing the necessary changes, including having impressive assistant coaches who can line up with the coach at press conferences because it looks good? Growden has been the leader of the media pack to oust Eddie and George Gregan.

A win against Wales won't silence them. They want Eddie's head. Whether they get it or not depends on how much guts the ARU has. Ewen McKenzie is a coaching novice but promising nevertheless. It concerns some people that his preference is for essentially defensive rugby with lots of kicking. Nucifora, to me, remains an unknown quantity despite his S12 success. The Brumbies of those days dripped talent. And it was his communication skills, or lack of, that got him into trouble.

[LDiCesare]

The sight of Simpson-Daniel in the path of some of those Samoans will be worth the price of a ticket alone.

Indeed...
You might be interested ot know that even the French journalists (Midi Olympique) find it weird that England fielded Tinfall and Noon when they had Smith and Barkley on the bench and never used them.

btw finbar, you should have noticed that Italy actually managed to win some rugby matches?

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare

btw finbar, you should have noticed that Italy actually managed to win some rugby matches?

I didn't mention it in case no one believed it.