Rugby - Hands Off Black!

[ravagon]

You really think it's that high?

[Edit: Hmmm. The PR match prediction is interesting ...

Prediction: Crusaders by as many as they want.

]

[Havak]

I think it is around that level yes.

[Havak]

By the way big Jonah broke his ankle last weekend playing for Cardiff. By all accounts he was having a strong game up to that point.

It means his time at Cardiff is finished and also that he will be late for NPC duty (has signed for North harbour I think).

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by ravagon
Tis the time of reckoning in the S14 down this end of the world. The Crusaders vs the might of the Western Force.
I'm almost confident enough to bet finbars house on it. What with elephants being skittish around mice and all.
It could happen ...

Hope springs eternal.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
By the way big Jonah broke his ankle last weekend playing for Cardiff. By all accounts he was having a strong game up to that point.

It means his time at Cardiff is finished and also that he will be late for NPC duty (has signed for North harbour I think).

Oh well, presumably he's now pencilling in the 2011 World Cup. I think it's time he got himself a life.

I read today that young Matt Giteau is moving to the Western Farce for $6m over 5 years. The vast majority of the amount coughed up by private business sponsors. There's now talk - by those franchises who don't have access to bottomless business pockets - of the need for a salary cap. I suppose he's classy enough for the lack of talent around him not to hamper his development. Unless, of course, J. Mitchell has covered that problem by organising ravagon to pop down to training weekly to put the lad through his paces.

[LDiCesare]

I saw Biarritz-Bath, which ended by a Biarritz victory. I thought Bath played rather badly, violently at times, with only Barkley and Bory doing some nice moves. I was a bit shocked by the way the Bath players behaved. So much foul play... I would ask Havak if they always play that harshly but I suspect a little bias in the answer.

[Caligastia]

Unbelievable...the Force managed to tie with the Crusaders. From what I read, they came very close to winning it too. They were ahead 20 - 8 at half time.

[LDiCesare]

Cali, you're sure? What about ravagon's house bets now?

[Caligastia]

All bets are off.

[finbar]

The rumor is that the Western Farce bet on the Crusaders but couldn't get that right either.

Bath? The home of D. Grewcock? The psychopath?

[LDiCesare]

Grewcock, yes. I think he was the one to get yellow carded. A Biarrot got sent off too because it was starting to degenerate into a mass punching battle.

[Havak]

There's now talk - by those franchises who don't have access to bottomless business pockets - of the need for a salary cap

That’s very understandable – even though it is Aussie dollars by my reckoning that equates to 500K sterling per annum. That makes him better paid (in salary terms only) than any player in the UK and Irish Leagues. Salary caps do level the playing field a little – but they are easy to abuse. What amazes me is that businessmen are prepared to put so much into a franchise that is struggling so much on the field.

Mind you a draw is a start – maybe they will win a game next season? Crusaders must be kicking themselves though.

Caught a very small bit of Brumbies versus Hurricanes. I think I saw Mortlock crashing over the line at one point?

I would ask Havak if they always play that harshly but I suspect a little bias in the answer.

They have discipline problems yes. They had two forwards carded in the last ten minutes of the QF. But having had both sides visit Welford Road I would say they and Biarritz are well matched on that score – BO are certainly no angels. Are you saying the fault for the violence was entirely Bath’s?

I didn’t watch the game though (I’d rather watch Super 14 than Bath – yes really) so I will take your word on their conduct. Grewcock is most definitely a liability at times. Although I still say Mealamu’s fingers had no business being where they were last summer (try to rip someones cheek and you deserve to get bitten perhaps?).

As for Msr Bory – the French winger playing for Bath – he makes Matt Dawson look well behaved on the field. He never stops whining and moaning at the referee.

My other pick was wrong then – Munster did an excellent job on Leinster in the end. Not sure how to call the final – I guess one has to see the Irish as favourites?

The big news of course is that Tigers beat Wasps on Saturday and replaced them in second place in the table. According to McGeechan (Wasps coach) they dominated every aspect of play but the scoreboard. I found that quite interesting as whilst they missed two penalties Andy Goode had one of his nightmares and missed 19 points with the boot – whilst he also threw the wild pass that led to Wasps interception try (their only try). I felt we generally had pretty good control of the game. And one Tom Varndell scored all three of our tries – the first of which was as beautiful a one on one as you will ever see against his opposite number Paul Sackey.

It really isn’t going to be possible for Robinson to ignore Tom any longer.

[Havak]

An interesting development from the yellow cards in that game - the Biarritz skipper has been cited by the independent official for alledgedly gouging Mr Grewcock. Three months minimum ban if found guilty.

That would certainly explain a great deal of the niggle LDiCesare picked up on. Interesting though that no Bath players were cited...

[finbar]

The Munster effort surprised me. They're going to be up for the final. I'll put my hard-earned on them.

How much are the Ospreys paying J. Marshall? Or, rather, who bankrolls them? What a strange choice.

[Havak]

It does appear Munsters time has come at last.

Marshall is a great player that is for sure - but his decision making is hugely suspect. One mistake can be accidental but two suggest and underlying reason?

He left Leeds because he wants to play top flight rugby - then signs for the hugely over-rated Gavin Henson's thuggish Ospreys? What a chump. LMAO!

He turned down approaches from Wasps, Bourgoin and Quins. Insanity! It can only be that he went for the biggest pay packet. He will find the Celtic league very frustrating and Ospreys inevitable early exit from Europe and the Anglo-Welsh cup very disappointing.

Has he perhaps picked a side he knows will not get very far in anything - and therefore wont ask him to play too many games in his dottage?

He trotted out almost identical quotes about Leeds last year btw - suggesting he hasn't actually seen Ospreys play either!

*edit* As with all Welsh provincial sides the WRU underwrites the books to a certain extent but Ospreys have a healthy support base too - Neath and Swansea (rugger mad areas).