Rugby - Hands Off Green!

[Havak]

No choice.

He gave a cracking speech last week, the essence of which was his solution to the huge pressure our Health Service is under is that people should buck their ideas up and stop being sick so much (he said "take more responsibility for improving their own health" in politico double speak of course). He has never sounded more like his spiritual leader George Dubya.

This on top of his Health minister standing up at a nurses conference shortly after thousands of nursing redundancies had been announced and claiming the NHS had had "it's best year ever". And then she gets upset because the delegates prevent her finishing the speech!

When parties have been in power for a long time they lose touch with the electorate.

Tony is finally on borrowed time thankfully - refusing to ditch ministers caught in compromising situations, taking the country to war without parliaments consent and passively supporting Dubya in a certain current situation have damaged him irrepairably.

Unfortunately the new Tory leader "Call me Dave" Cameron is all sound bites and no substance and the leader of the liberals "Ming the Merciless" is pretty much a laughing stock (scores lower in polls than the man he replaced!) so it all looks like we will get Gordon Brown forced on us at the next election.

I agree with Caligastia that Howard seems to be a model Republican - such a shame therefore that he is supposed to be an Australian Liberal party leader??

[Caligastia]

If I recall correctly, the term 'liberal' used to mean you were in favor of limited government. Nowadays it seems to mean you are in favor of limited government when it comes to moral issues, but expanded government when it comes to anything else.

Personally, I'm in favor of limited government in all areas of life. I guess that makes me an old-school 'liberal'.

[ravagon]

Hmm. Over here the ARU is starting to play games, messing around with the Boks match preparation for this weekend.
Gave them very limited notice before moving their warm up to another ground. One with very below par facilities and much further away.
The excuse was that one of the local RL sides needed it for an extra training session. Said excuse was pretty much blown out of the water when a few of the Bok media paid a visit to the ground in question and found it utterly deserted.
Springbok management were incensed. If the Wallabies cop a broken cheekbone or two in the next game I won't be surprised.

Not only that but they still have to go to the RSA next for the last of the 3N games and will end up meeting whatever the Bok administration over there has to dish out.

I'm reminded of the story about the 3 old crones who shared one eye between them. The ARU does something similar with a brain.
I guess the one with the brain was out to lunch that day.

[Havak]

Australians playing dirty tricks? Whatever next? Is there a 'faux shock' smiley?

In the UK Caligastia Liberal effectively means "never having to govern so can say any old rubbish". The Liberal Democrats are the tertiary party here and serve mainly as an avenue of protest.

My reading of the Aussie Liberals - they are what I would call a Centre right party currently drifting steadily further right. It does seem however that the Aussie opposition makes the British Tory party look effective and organised in comparison.

[Havak]

This one for Finbar - seek out the BBC Sport page report about Andy Farrell.

Martyn Thomas, Chairman of the RFU (and a good example of why the RFU needs completely reforming IMO) is suggesting that a 31 year old who has yet to play a single minute of Union in his life has the same qualities (and will make the same impact) as Martin Johnson.

Methinks I spot a desperate attempt to justify the silly money the RFU spent on bringing him over from the pitty patty code 16 months ago. 16 months a Union player - and not one minute of game time!!!

[finbar]

I saw the article and the J**** reference. I didn't bother reading it. Fools.

EDIT. And it's nice to see the Wallabies NH tour will be something approaching a tour instead of a hit-run job. Four Tests, four midweek matches.

[Havak]

A good old fashioned tour - smashing.

[finbar]

Sounded like the stinker of all time on Saturday night.

[Terra Nullius]

Quote of the Day: "... a phase-less game of ping-pong."

[kittenOFchaos]

Sadly the second match Percy Montgomery lost for the Boks this Tri-Nations with his boot.

[Caligastia]

To be fair, Butch James also took a kick.

[kittenOFchaos]

Originally posted by Caligastia
To be fair, Butch James also took a kick.

Only cos the South African coach eventually clocked Percy was kicking craply, again.

[Havak]

And George is under fire again in Oz. He seems to have made some powerful enemies for some reason.

[finbar]

Nah, it's the same lynch mob who were after him last time.

[Havak]

One Eddie Jones quoted this time around as suggesting Giteau be given a chance at scrummie.

Said with a mischievous glint in his eye perhaps?