Rugby - Hands Off Green!

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Originally posted by Havak

One for Finbar - Marcus Trescothick. Is he the first cricketer to leave a tour twice because of clinical depression?

I'm sure he is. I'm just not sure why they're still using the term "stress-related illness". Presumably to spare him, but it's transparent in the extreme. It can be a hideous, crippling thing. The daughter of friends of ours suffered it for a period. Her idiotic boyfriend was plying her with too much dope which can trigger it in certain people. I wish M. Trescothick well. It's treatable.

Yes, strangely enough, some etymologic dictionaries pretend this English word would come from latin via old French. These guys should look at rugby matches to understand that discipline cannot possibly be a latin word. It's probably derived from some unknown German root intead.

Worthy of S J Perlman!

*wonders whether S J Perlman is known in France*

[LDiCesare]

Never heard of S J Perelman before, though I probably saw the Marks brothers movies he wrote for.
I believe short humorous writings don't get translated much. Only a few comics strips manage to get translated, but otherwise it's mostly novels. Maybe some plays have been adapted, but I know about nothing about theatre (I leave that to my brother, who conversely knows very little about rugby).

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It is possible to know about both.

[MOBIUS]

I'll be off to see the Welsh caning of Canada tomorrow!

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The Canucks? Gee, the Taffys love a challenge.

[MOBIUS]

Well, we wouldn't want anyone injured for the highlight match of the Autumn Series: The All Blacks!

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I'd've thought any injured players would consider themselves the lucky ones.

[Havak]

Thats what I love about the Welsh. Keep in mind here that they finished below England in the Six nations.

They drew with an experimental Aussie side that should have caned them (and that struggled against Italy), hammered an Islanders team that thought it was playing Sevens, have lined up the Canucks for a training run and yet are still optimistic that this is the perfect preparation to trouble an ABs side that just totally blew away France.

I really wonder if they should have tried for a few harder games in the run up?

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Like -v- Romania or something.

[Havak]

I was thinking Pumas or Boks - but fair point.

Welsh passion is going to have to count for a lot to stop the ABs going past the half century IMO.

Scotland are playing the Islanders tomorrow and are busy talking them up just in case.

Oh try and hunt down Jonno's comments from yesterday - he fingers the RFU for having no long term strategy in place for when the Sainted Knight threw his rattle away back in 2004.

[MOBIUS]

Originally posted by Havak
Thats what I love about the Welsh. Keep in mind here that they finished below England in the Six nations.

With literally the entire 1st team injured and the Mike Ruddock debacle...

They drew with an experimental Aussie side that should have caned them (and that struggled against Italy),

Actually apart from the opening 20 minutes or so it was more like the other way around - there were two tries that Wales blatantly shouldn't have allowed. Giteau tapping and scooting was careless and sloppy, but allowing Latham to run down the outside of the pitch was sheer stupidity!

I was there thinking we're going to nail him in excellent field position - two Welsh tacklers were right on top of him as he received the ball at about the halfway, and BOTH of them tried to close down the centre allowing him outside - you NEVER let someone outside, you marshall them inside to get help from other tacklers if need be! Even I know that and I still barely know the rules!

Take away that try and change Giteau's converted try to a 3 pointer and the score would have read 29-20 to Wales. We was robbed!

hammered an Islanders team that thought it was playing Sevens, have lined up the Canucks for a training run and yet are still optimistic that this is the perfect preparation to trouble an ABs side that just totally blew away France.

I really wonder if they should have tried for a few harder games in the run up?

What, like England?

[Havak]

Oh the ABs, Pumas and Boks are all capable of beating Wales - so yes, Exactly like England.

May I remind you that in their worst sustained run ever – and with more players missing injured than poor old Wales – that England still beat you this year.

Australia scored four tries to two – and for any fortune in the Latham score the returned favour of the poor covering of Shane Williams paid that one back. I can’t agree that the Aussies should have lost therefore.

Wales need to beat the ABs before we can take them seriously. The injuries excuse doesn’t wash for their poor performance in the 6N (England and Australia both faced them with far more first choices unavailable) , Ruddock has a far better coaching pedigree than the new incumbent (just wait and see how he sprays like an angry old Tom when things go against him!) and I stress again that Australia-PI-Canada is not a great lead up (or order of games) to prepare for the ABs.

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Originally posted by MOBIUS

What, like England?

That tack doesn't work anymore with Havak. While A. Robinson's in charge, Havak is in complete agreement with the sentiment. Pity. It's taken a lot of the fun out of my day.

[MOBIUS]

Originally posted by Havak
May I remind you that in their worst sustained run ever – and with more players missing injured than poor old Wales – that England still beat you this year.

Are you sure about that - virtually every Welsh Lion was crocked last year for starters.

Australia scored four tries to two – and for any fortune in the Latham score the returned favour of the poor covering of Shane Williams paid that one back. I can’t agree that the Aussies should have lost therefore.

And Giteau? 29-25 then...

Ruddock has a far better coaching pedigree than the new incumbent (just wait and see how he sprays like an angry old Tom when things go against him!) and I stress again that Australia-PI-Canada is not a great lead up (or order of games) to prepare for the ABs.

When I say Ruddock debacle, I mean the ousting of a perfectly good coach and the destabilising effect it had on the team...

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Premiership clubs have agreed to release their England players for the remaining two autumn Tests.

So there goes A. Robinson's next excuse.