Rugby - Laissez la balle, Bleus!

[Havak]

Lesser of two evils? Best club side in the world versus Dayglo's mob and you are backing Larry as the lesser evil ?

Knee Ligament damage for Ellis - a big shame for the lad. But his understudy is handy and we have seen in recent weeks how Andy Goode is better than James Hook and Stephen Jones - so we have a decent chance?

As it happens Gloucesters young fly half Ryan Lamb is quite handy. But it's Gloucester. They need to lose so their fans can keep harping on about how they were the best English side before the league system began.

Also Dean Ryan coaches them - and I've never had any time for him. 'Uncompromising' as a player is the sanitised way of saying it these days. Think Flavell and other ways of saying it might come to mind.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
It's taken us about four months to get this far in this thread. The World Cup starts on September 7th. That's four months away. How far through the thread will we get before the comp starts? Bear in mind that, after Leicester shortly lose to Wasps, Havak will swear off rugby, thus we can't count on his posts.

Will there be any NH rugby to speak of between that and the RWC? If not, the conversation rate might slow down a bit...

[finbar]

I think you meant to ask whether there would be any NH rugby of quality to speak of. No. The Italian club season will be over.

[Havak]

[LDiCesare]

any NH rugby of quality

I should play my last match till summer next week.

[finbar]

Oops! Sorry! Let me rephrase myself:

"I think you meant to ask whether there would be any NH rugby of quality to speak of. No. LdiC's season and the Italian club season will both be over."

[Havak]

Tigers win the treble and it will even mitigate my disappointment at England's upcoming loss to the USA at the RWC.

[finbar]

Keep an eye out for the Boks. There's every likelihood there could be an all-Bok Super 14 final.

[Havak]

Do either the Bulls or Sharks franchise play at altitude?

My instincts tell me an all Bok S14 final is good for the upcoming RWC. It should concentrate the minds of the ABs that little bit more in the run up (should such ever be needed).

Of course we still might get the all Kiwi final too.

[finbar]

The Bulls' home ground is at altitude. They murdered the Auckland Blues there two weeks ago. They have the Crusaders there this week in the semi. Could very well win. The two Bok semi-finalists is the best thing that could have happened for S14. And for the ramifications.

Both Sharks and Bulls have been playing v. impressive rugby. Powerful, quick, skilled. Which isn't to say it can be pulled together in a Bok national team. But if it is ... at least one of my Kiwi mates, a realist, is bothered by them.

[MOBIUS]

Going to the top of the table clash between the Blues and Leinster tomorrow!

Whoever wins might win the Magners league assuming the Ospreys don't win big at Borders (which they will...).

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Havak
My instincts tell me an all Bok S14 final is good for the upcoming RWC. It should concentrate the minds of the ABs that little bit more in the run up (should such ever be needed).

You've already given up on England then? Welcome to the ranks of the NZ supporters.

[finbar]

Leicester v. v. impressive. Even if the first try was the TMO joke of all time. The only downside, I have to say, is that for all their qualities, and there are many, they're of not much direct benefit to English rugby. Too many of the strengths are ineligible.

And we have an all-Bok S14 final. Deservedly so. The Sharks, at one point, looked like they were going to choke and blow it. But they got it together again. The Blues are a shadow of their former selves.

The Bulls were monstrous against the Crusaders, completely shutting down the Crusaders' backline with superb, aggressive defence. Helped by some appallingly arrogant disregard of the laws by the Crusaders, resulting in countless penalties, all of them warranted. As was R. McCaw's yellow card. Warned, given a final warning for infringements, he dragged down an attacking Bulls' maul. I've no doubt the Crusaders will complain about the penalty count. Tough.

On the evidence of yesterday, the Bulls would have to be favorites next week. They had a tougher job against the Crusaders than the Sharks had against the Blues, and executed the job almost faultlessly.

If anything can be drawn from the matches in terms of the All Blacks, Eddie Jones' 2003 World Cup strategy against them still holds true.

[Joe Kick Ass]

Cullen decides to end his career

New Zealander Christian Cullen has retired with immediate effect.

The 31-year-old full-back, who played his last game for Munster last month, said injury problems were the main reason for his decision.

"I've hung up the boots for good," he said. "My mind is fresh and feels like I could sign another four-year deal.

"But there comes a time when you have to be a realist and I know my body has had enough. I can't remember the last time my ankles and knees didn't ache."

He added: "At the back of my mind I'm always worried that I might be a tackle away from injuring the shoulder again.

"So, in the end, it's an easy decision to retire. I will miss a lot of things about the game but I can't sign a new deal knowing my body has had it."

Cullen is the All Blacks' all-time record try-scorer in Tests with 46 in 58 appearances.

He joined Munster four years ago after being left out of the World Cup and scored 14 tries for the club, but only played 44 matches because of injury.

"I have loved every minute of my time in Ireland - apart from the injuries," he said.

"The club and supporters have been terrific to me but I can't help feeling that I have let them down.

"When I signed in 2003 I felt like I could reproduce the type of performances I was able to put on for the All Blacks but three shoulder operations put paid to that.

"Munster will always hold a special place within me. The toughest thing about retiring is walking away from Thomond Park.

"I just wish I could have done more for the club, my team-mates and Munster's great supporters."

Cullen is moving back to New Zealand in August to pick up business interests.

[Joe Kick Ass]

I haven't posted in this thread since Blues screwed up at Stradey, and then the Dragons fielded a second XV (the Dragons ffs... ) against the Os, making Friday's match a dead rubber from the home perspective. Predictably then, the best performance of the past few months.

So, mainly as a result of Ben Blair's erratic (****) kicking performance in Connacht, in the wait for a league title, it's now 10 years and counting...

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Havak, Leicester fielded inelligible players? I had to look on google, but it said a 1 point penalty? wft? 1 point?