Rugby - Laissez la balle, Bleus!

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
The maximum player roster for S14 is 30. The whole set up is designed for an entirely different competition - in terms of demands - so it's a fairly pointless debate.

Yeah, that's basically what I was alluding to when I said it wouldn't be a fair way to judge the merit of each side, but my brain wasn't able to eke out any more than "no fair".

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
And it gives ravagon something to do to pass the time in Perth. Watching paint dry never caught on over there. Too stimulating.

I can only assume all your paint is dry at this point.

[finbar]

You ever been to Perth? Remember the Li'l Abner comic strip? Think Dogpatch, only about a tenth as exciting.

[Caligastia]

No, but after a quick google I get the idea.

[LDiCesare]

Who reminded me that I haven't bought any ticket for the WC yet? I definitely should. But then I'd like to drag my boy, daughter, and, much harder, my wife there. Won't be easy.

As for the SH franchises thing, look at what they'd play against. The Stade Francais for instance is a rough mix of the Argentina and France national teams, with a few Italians (like Mirco Bergamasco, best try scorer in last year's 6N) put to fill the empty slots. Not really an easy target even for the best of the S14. I suppose we'll have to wait for Michalak to go there and back and tell us what he thinks of it.

[finbar]

My wife has now conceded defeat. She watches the matches with me. Sometimes.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Caligastia
No, but after a quick google I get the idea.

Okay, something a bit closer to home. Perth is about a tenth as exciting as Dunedin during University vacation.

[finbar]

Yes, Havak, I know, internationals resting on the bench, but still. Worcester are Worcester. EDIT. Oops. Forgot to mention. The one bright spark in the game was T. Croft. As I said last season, he's going to be a star. Incredible athleticism for such a big lump. His running, jumping gather from the restart was exceptional.

I saw the Waratahs for the second time in two weeks. Goodness knows what's going on, but they're playing absolutely crap rugby. The Cheetahs cut them to shreds in the first twenty minutes. They probably could have ended up winning - it was a glorified sevens match - but they've gone seriously backwards. The tragedy out of the game was P. Waugh's ankle injury in the opening 30 seconds. Ligaments, apparently. Yet to be confirmed, but could be up to six months.

The interesting thing for me was a first look at Kurtley Beale, touted as the brightest young fly-half talent in generations. He has gone straight from school footy to S14. And he's seriously talented - blinding speed, wonderful hands, thinks quickly, steps beautifully. He scored a gem of a solo try. And still a teenager. What he has in front of him is to learn how to manage a game. Presumably it will come. The World Cup is probably six months (at least) too soon for him, but I wouldn't be surprised if they took him for the experience.

[ravagon]

It's rather bad form to quote oneself but, well ...

Originally posted by ravagon
Oh and, erm ... The cricket.

[finbar]

Cricket isn't known in Italy.

[Havak]

Yes Crofty is going to be a star all right.

Scrappy game with poor execution from tigers throughout. Fortunate really that Worcester are so poor. A reasonably competitive pack but behind them they only have Drahm and Delport who are of any real quality. Hard to see them escaping relegation.

Three years ago Marcel Garvey was tipped for a big future – I think the hilarious moment where he dropped the ball on the line shows why it never happened?

And the two disallowed tries Finbar? Okay with the first one you couldn’t see for sure Whitey had grounded it OR that a Worcester hand got underneath it so I understand the TMO’s decision there but the second disallowed try by Jennings was perfectly good – the ref simply got that one wrong.

Kurtley Beale? Sounds like a character in Eastenders.

Better keep an eye out for him though – after all you spotted Croft before I had marked him out as one to watch so it is often worth listening to your tips.

Except the one a few weeks back about watching Scotland beat England that is.

Cricket? Did Australia lose again. What on earth is going on?

[finbar]

They're minus Ponting, M. Clark, Symonds and Gilchrist, resting and injured, four useful batsmen in the top six or seven. And B. Lee injured. And that's as well as the Kiwis can play. I suspect they're mentally tough enough to regroup when it matters later in the year. Still, it has brought some cheer to ravagon. Lord knows he needs it in Perth.

I thought the decision on the first try was fair enough. You couldn't tell. The second one was wrong. I thought the ref had given it at first.

Pity S. Drahm isn't playing with a better team. He's improved enormously since he left Queensland. Then again, ravagon would improve enormously if he left Western Australia.

The Sale -v- Wasps match was much better viewing. Wasps were very strong. Pity their passing is C-grade.

You didn't see that (I think it was an U-21) England match last season in which T. Croft had a blinder. He stuck out, then, like the proverbial. His mobility and coordination reminds me of J. Eales. And he's so young.

K. Beale has all the potential in the world. If you get a chance to see some Waratahs coverage, he's worth a look. Given his youth, he's doing things he could get away with in the past against other schoolboys - skipping with the ball in one hand, showing it - which will get his head knocked off against seasoned, top class oppo. But he will learn.

[Havak]

And very much do so the hard way.

I'll try to catch another 'tahs game - bad news about Waugh.

High praise indeed for Mr Croft there. I hope he does justice to such lofty comparisons in due course.

Australia with injury worries. Australia losing lots of games on the bounce. Are they turning into England do you think?

Drahm started slowly at Saints but has turned into a pretty good player over the seasons. Worcester are playing him at fullback - I think he is better at stand off myself.

And I just cannot praise Wasps. The endless chidlish booing of Chabal by the insects football-mentality fans really got on my nerves. Did you see how easily Dayglo got Chabal wound up though? Veteran nounce at work. I'm not surprised Laporte is resting the volatile back rower against Wales.

[finbar]

He struggled against Ireland after a big effort against, um, us. I was wondering why they were "resting" him.

Drahm's wasted at fullback. He spent most of his time doing a fly half's job anyway.

I just found this:

An 11-year-old boy has made history by recording Junior Mastermind's highest-ever score in his specialist subject - Andrew Flintoff.

Callum racked up a perfect 19 points in the first round of Monday's final, but was eventually beaten into second place by a point, after finishing on 32.

The Leicestershire schoolboy won a special trophy for his efforts,

Nephew?

[Havak]

Worthy young man though he is no nephew of mine would be called "Callum".

The reason he was beaten incidentally was that his general knowledge round was not quite so perfect.