Rugby - Laissez la balle, Bleus!

[Havak]

Henry V as England coach? Now there is an idea.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar


How long ago? Let me count the centuries. In those days your son wasn't even a twinkle in your eye. In fact, in those days, you wore jim-jams with bunnies on them, too.

I was 13 back in 87. Hardly a jim-jams-with-bunnies-on age.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Havak
I missed the word “another” out Caligastia.

Not that the 87 one really counts given only NZ and Australia were Professional back then?

How on earth did France make it to the final then? And if I recall correctly, everyone was amateur back then.

[Caligastia]

We wuz robbed in 95!

[LDiCesare]

France made it to the final in 87 out of us being able to beat anybody in a semifinal just to lose pitifully in the final. Hey, we were robbed in 95 too! We should have been awarded at least one try by Galthié or a penalty try for the umpteen scrums collapsed by the Boks on their line.

[Havak]

95? I think we perhaps all have some concerns (to varying degrees) that the tournament was engineered by the hosts to bring a Bok victory upon their reinclusion into the rugby world?

We robbed Australia, NZ robbed us (are we absolutely certain Jonah’s kidneys failed due to a ‘genetic condition’?), the Boks alledgedly completed the job with a most unpleasant bit of skullduggery. Alternatively a ‘patriotic’ Bok chef made a daft decision off his own back?

I don’t entirely rule out the 95 food poisoning story as in Englands second test in South Africa in 2000 several players, including Jonno, had to be subbed off early due to upset stomachs. Normally you had to crow bar Jonno off a pitch so he must have been genuinely ill.

Moral of the story – take your own chef to the RWC.

How on earth did France make it to the final then? And if I recall correctly, everyone was amateur back then.

Officially everyone was. It’s no secret however that NZ and Australia were already remunerating players in the 80s. ‘Boot money’ if you like.

And France made the final because France have always been capable of doing that. Their split personality existed long before the game turned Professional. Remember 99 when they destroyed NZ in that second half of the semi then completely failed to turn up for the final? That was a good Wallabies side – but the French performance from that SF should have been good enough to defeat them.

England made the final in 91 – but they most certainly were amateur (a side stacked full of Lawyers, Doctors and Policemen) and faced a Wallabies side that was already blatantly Professional.

I have just seen that Munster travel to Llanelli in the QFs – now that will make for a cracking party in Llanelli (there will be joyous solidarity amongst the Celts until Llanelli lose the game).

[finbar]

Scotland captain Chris Paterson is wary of an English backlash in the Six Nations opener at Twickenham.

I'd heard that haggis can warp your brain.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Havak
95? I think we perhaps all have some concerns (to varying degrees) that the tournament was engineered by the hosts to bring a Bok victory upon their reinclusion into the rugby world?

We robbed Australia, NZ robbed us (are we absolutely certain Jonah’s kidneys failed due to a ‘genetic condition’?),

Are you alluding to possible steroid use?

the Boks alledgedly completed the job with a most unpleasant bit of skullduggery. Alternatively a ‘patriotic’ Bok chef made a daft decision off his own back?

I don’t entirely rule out the 95 food poisoning story as in Englands second test in South Africa in 2000 several players, including Jonno, had to be subbed off early due to upset stomachs. Normally you had to crow bar Jonno off a pitch so he must have been genuinely ill.

Moral of the story – take your own chef to the RWC.

Yep. And I'm not alleging foul play mind you, as we all know that South Africans are far too honorable and fair-minded to attempt any such thing.

Officially everyone was. It’s no secret however that NZ and Australia were already remunerating players in the 80s. ‘Boot money’ if you like.

And France made the final because France have always been capable of doing that. Their split personality existed long before the game turned Professional. Remember 99 when they destroyed NZ in that second half of the semi then completely failed to turn up for the final? That was a good Wallabies side – but the French performance from that SF should have been good enough to defeat them.

England made the final in 91 – but they most certainly were amateur (a side stacked full of Lawyers, Doctors and Policemen) and faced a Wallabies side that was already blatantly Professional.

I have just seen that Munster travel to Llanelli in the QFs – now that will make for a cracking party in Llanelli (there will be joyous solidarity amongst the Celts until Llanelli lose the game).

That reminds me, I should take a look at the Munster/Leicester game.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Caligastia
Are you alluding to possible steroid use?

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[Havak]

Is that the sound of Finbar cogitating?

He was huge and very fast - in a way that we have become used to from huge backs ten years into an openly Professional game. I think it is reasonable to explore all possible reasons why he may have been so so far ahead of his contemporaries.

I level no accusations - but nor do I necessarily accept that this superiority was entirely natural.

How about that for fence sitting?

The Tigers-Munster game is a classic for fans of forwards power. It was played in truly awful conditions. And ironically both Tigers tries were scored by backs.

It transpires that we can in fact meet Munster again in the semi final!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Is that the sound of Finbar cogitating?

He was huge and very fast - in a way that we have become used to from huge backs ten years into an openly Professional game. I think it is reasonable to explore all possible reasons why he may have been so so far ahead of his contemporaries.

I level no accusations - but nor do I necessarily accept that this superiority was entirely natural.

How about that for fence sitting?

A RFU man to your bootstraps.

Last night I saw footage of J. Wilkinson actually on the paddock and training. Without hurting himself. Still, give him time.

[Havak]

Newcastle are actually thinking of playing him on Saturday. When they visit Welford Road.

Not an ideal place to make your latest comeback.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Havak
Is that the sound of Finbar cogitating?

He was huge and very fast - in a way that we have become used to from huge backs ten years into an openly Professional game. I think it is reasonable to explore all possible reasons why he may have been so so far ahead of his contemporaries.

I level no accusations - but nor do I necessarily accept that this superiority was entirely natural.

How about that for fence sitting?

Didn't they have some kind of drug-testing at the 95 RWC?

The Tigers-Munster game is a classic for fans of forwards power. It was played in truly awful conditions. And ironically both Tigers tries were scored by backs.

It transpires that we can in fact meet Munster again in the semi final!

I saw the first try, which was a cracker, but didn't get to see the rest of the game because the broadcast fizzled. Of the little I did see, the Tiger forwards looked impressive. I look forward to their next game.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Caligastia
Of the little I did see, the Tiger forwards looked impressive. I look forward to their next game.

How on earth did Havak get Caligastia's log-in in order to post this?

[Caligastia]