Rugby - Hands Off Green!

[Havak]

Who would be a conservative and 'safe' choice - so it is almost certainly true. Wouldn't want the RFU to have to think outside the box now would we.

Nice to see so many posts in our regular trolls own girlie code thread.

[finbar]

Indeed. I've added an Anti-L***** add-on to Firefox in case I'm ever tempted to check out the thread. I'll get 40,000 volts through the keyboard.

[Havak]

And you'll deserve it.

As does Nonu who is committing (what I presume is) treason in NZ by talking about dropping down to the inferior code after the RWC.

[finbar]

His defence has always been suspect. He's never been a first choice centre.

[Havak]

Not their strongest link certainly - but surely this type of move is heavily frowned upon in the land of the long white cloud?

Why would anyone move in that direction - where is the personal challenge?

[Caligastia]

I see we've been banished to the sports forum.

[Havak]

It's easy enough once you get used to it.

So Finbar - Glen McGrath is another Campese for the Aussies I think? No tact, no grace and a hugely over inflated opinion of himself. Contrast that with the decorum Ponting has shown in his easy triumph and it is easy to see why the latter is captain.

And the verdict from the England camp? Even Collingwood (a player I greatly admire) still claims that England did absolutely nothing wrong. It is that national disease of denial - it is clear to everyone outside the squad that the selections were wrong from the start and that the batsmen threw away the second test but the squad itself still persists with this nonsense about Lee and his reverse swing (and Lee did not do the damage in that innings if you recall - the soon to be gratefully missed Warney did that).

I only like cricket once every five years or so (when England manage to win a test series).

On the plus side the Aussie born lawn ornament they took on tour (Geraint Jones) has been dropped from the one day squad after his pair in the third test. Did you know Jones holds the record for the most consecutive test innings without a duck - and that this pair ended it for him.

Such a shame most of his forty odd starts hardly made double figures.

*edit* On the plus side at least neither England nor Australia has stopped to breaking the spirit of the game in order to sneak a result. That was a very naughty run out by the Kiwis yes?

[finbar]

Was that when the batsman wandered down to congratulate his partner and was run out? The ball wasn't dead. The fielding team were perfectly entitled to do what they did. I think sometimes the definition of sportsmanship - or bad sportsmanship - gets stretched. There are laws.

I don't think it would have mattered how long the Poms had prepared in Australia, or who they selected. The 2005 Australians were a badly misfiring outfit and the result was still a close-run thing. This year's team is not only firing, but seriously motivated. Panesar would certainly have done more damage than Giles in the first two matches - Reid might have contributed more runs than Jones - but I suspect the respective margins might only have been closer than they were.

Collingwood, as committed as he is, isn't a Test #4. Or even a #5. I'm not even sure that he's a genuine Test #6. His double century was admirable, but then Jason Gillespie scored a double ton a year or so ago.

Apart from skills, you have to examine attitude. For whatever reason, I can never see the Poms seriously fighting back from a down position. Get the Australians down, and that's when they're dangerous. It's a mental thing.

But you're right. They continue to delude themselves.

Back on topic. I don't think anyone over there seriously worries about Nonu crossing to L*****. Except, perhaps, his S14 franchise. If the ABs were less strong than they are, it might be different. If he goes, it would obviously be for the money. If you're not in the ABs team, you don't, relatively speaking, earn a great deal in New Zealand.

Poor old B. Ashton. A man on a hiding to nothing.

[Havak]

I think sometimes the definition of sportsmanship - or bad sportsmanship - gets stretched. There are laws.

Where teams from the subcontinent are involved?

but I suspect the respective margins might only have been closer than they were.

I do agree – but it is a better batting line up in particular in relation to the Aussie bowling attack than the results have indicated. It should have been closer without the selection errors.

but then Jason Gillespie scored a double ton a year or so ago.

Any double ton against Australia is admirable. Was Gillepsie’s against Bangladesh?

Get the Australians down, and that's when they're dangerous. It's a mental thing.

True.

The only England side I have even seen display the same attitude was the Jonno led rugger side of 2002 (and that amazing game in NZ in 2003). Both Australia and NZ had them on the ropes in the autumn games that year but they escaped mainly through sheer bl**dy mindedness.

If he goes, it would obviously be for the money

Without any doubt. I’m just curious what the prevailing view of such moves is on the principle (that the other code is like watching paint dry)?

Poor old B. Ashton. A man on a hiding to nothing.

Expect the “it was a caretaker appointment” excuses after the first 6N game.

Although we will beat Wales in Cardiff I suspect – they play an attractive game for sure but no other side in the 6N is so over rated based on their actual results over the last year.

And that’s it for me – I’m off shortly and will not return until well into the new year. Happy holiday season and may you spend it doing what you enjoy most.

[finbar]

Although we will beat Wales in Cardiff I suspect – they play an attractive game for sure but no other side in the 6N is so over rated based on their actual results over the last year.

One parting shot left to hang in the breeze till the New Year!



Have a good one!

[LDiCesare]

Is Ashton planned to be sacked after the 6Nations or after the World Cup?

[finbar]

Based on the precedent of them keeping A. Robinson too long, B. Ashton will probably be sacked in ... 2012.

[LDiCesare]

Well, if they replace the head coach by teh assistant coach everytime, once they run out of assistant coaches maybe they'll promote the masseuse as head coach someday. Might still fare better than Robinson.

[finbar]

And then there's Havak waiting in the wings. A team trained on beer can't go wrong. He might pick you. If your wife lets you out.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak

I only like cricket once every five years or so (when England manage to win a test series).

If you can stand odi's there's an Aus-Eng-NZ tri-series next year. You mightn't actually win it but you probably won't come last either.

*edit* On the plus side at least neither England nor Australia has stopped to breaking the spirit of the game in order to sneak a result. That was a very naughty run out by the Kiwis yes?

I can understand them actually effecting the runout on the field. Not calling him back though, especially after overnight deliberations, was pretty unforgivable.

Incidentally, what did everyone think of the new tactic employed against Sangakarra. Which is to say that instead of trying to get him out they find it easier to knock over the rest of the team instead.

I don't think anyone over there seriously worries about Nonu crossing to L*****. Except, perhaps, his S14 franchise. If the ABs were less strong than they are, it might be different. If he goes, it would obviously be for the money. If you're not in the ABs team, you don't, relatively speaking, earn a great deal in New Zealand.

I think that last probably clinches it. If the guy can make a better living doing something else then good for him. Or more correctly, if the guy can make others think he might opt for that something else then they might be more inclined to better his present living.
However it turns out it won't be the first/last time players go down a level or two to an inferior competition to make a buck.
Some of them even end up in the Premiership.

And that’s it for me – I’m off shortly and will not return until well into the new year. Happy holiday season and may you spend it doing what you enjoy most.

Er, yes. Happy drinking to you too.

There was an interesting article on coaching performance stats over the last 10y. It placed most of the upper echelon teams at around 60% wrt their respective win-loss records over that period. I was rather surprised to see the Wallabies/Eddie come in in the mid-fifties as I generally regard them as being mostly in the #2 spot.
Of course, boiling down a coaches tenure to a single number may not be the best way of looking at such things and I guess the poor showing in the last 9-10 months may've weighted it a bit unfavourably.
Ireland was rather impressive however and looks as though they would probably have come in second spot.