Rugby World Cup 2007 - Twiddling Our Thumbs!

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Even the aged 22 should have played better than that though Finbar. There is more wrong than just the obvious I feel.

I think it's explicable. Confidence. I'd love to know the private thoughts of the England players in terms of what they think they're meant to be doing on the field.

And they won last time because they were the best side in the world for the 18 months leading up the the Cup. Anyone who truly thought NZ (or even more ridiculously Australia) were better sides in 2003 is simply indulging in rose tinted revisionism.

Gotcha. Still, in your defence, it wasn't stinky old bait.

Speaking of the aged Owen Finegan skippered Tigers in their last warm up game. They have won all five warm up fixtures.

Change his name to Forsyth-Smythe and get him on the first plane to France.

Convicts - hard to tell, they put on a good performance but it was against Japan. They did what they needed to do and won convincingly, but they rely on their stars a lot don't they. Injuries to any of them are a big risk to their team.

That's why S. Larkham kept as low a profile as possible.

[Havak]

What are they meant to be doing on the field? Providing endless amusement for confident Kiwis of course!

[Andydog]

Finally England are good at something!

[finbar]

At times like this, I really wonder about my move to the NH.

[Caligastia]

Good for the Argies, I always like seeing them do well. Hey, waddiya know this thread made it to the start of the RWC!

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Only because Havak has been too depressed or drunk or both to post.

[Havak]

Hmm...both I think.

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The thoughts of M. Ford, England's defence coach:

Ford warned that anyone expecting a try-fest in Friday's encounter will probably be disappointed.

"International rugby nowadays, when you get to the top eight nations, is a game of field position.

"Sometimes it is better if you don't have the ball and for the opposition to have it, because it is harder to attack in rugby union.

Only according to you. Try telling that to the All Blacks. Or even the Boks. Or, in fact, anyone with a functioning backline.

"It becomes a game of turnovers, about keeping your discipline, kicking your penalties, keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

Oh puh-leeeeeeeeeeeze!

"When you are up against the top sides in the world, that is the game.

No, that's England's game. Hence their dire straits.

There won't be many tries on Friday night.

Not from England. There could be quite a few from the Boks.

"You can talk about attack all you want but it rarely happens at this sort of level."

Hullo? All Blacks?

[Joe Kick Ass]

Gavin is playing tonight then. Thought he wasn't fit, Gyppo?

tw*t.

[Havak]

Picking on England and their coaches at this point is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel which is why I'm not climbing on anyone's hook.

The braver satirical option for you SH chaps would be to pick on the chokers or the convicts as there is just so little to pick on with two such perfect sides surely?

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What's to satirise? The All Blacks, if beaten, will undoubtedly have beaten themselves. The convicts will be found out by anyone with a half-decent pack. End of story.

Idiot coaches, OTOH, who hang themselves publicly with their own verbiage are a different barrel of fish altogether. If you'll pardon a plethora of metaphors.

Gavin is playing tonight then. Thought he wasn't fit, Gyppo?

tw*t.

Of course he's fit. He announced he was fit around the time the squad was selected. The coach didn't want him. I don't know whether he would add anything anyway.

[Joe Kick Ass]

Originally posted by finbar
Of course he's fit. He announced he was fit around the time the squad was selected. The coach didn't want him.

Well we know Jenkins didn't want him, but he was sh*t scared of making the decision himself. That's why he took Henson to Aus and only gave him 10 minutes, so he could pass off his eventual exclusion as being down to fitness*.

However, it looks a bit silly now if he's going to be involved with the Os, subbing for Sonny Parker who's at the WC with Wales...

Originally posted by finbar
I don't know whether he would add anything anyway.

Over who? Given choice, I'd have Shanks in that position, with J Robinson on the outside, but surely any other combination in midfield is pretty much a second rate Henson substitution?



*even though he was involved in full contact training that week, and even though in the training match that week, he picked Henson and Hook on opposing sides, Henson at 10, and Hook at 12.

[Havak]

I don't think we have time to pick on every ridiculous statement made by an English coach - the cup is only six weeks long (plus you would rapidly run out of metphors).

Barkley injured himself in training this morning - so cutting Flood and Geragthy is now starting to look really stupid on Ashton's part.

[Havak]

Shanklin has long been the pick of the Welsh centres.

Clutching at straws there is some good news for me - Dayglo and Cueto dropped. They were woeful enough to stand out even amongst the other generally terrible performances.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
I don't think we have time to pick on every ridiculous statement made by an English coach - the cup is only six weeks long (plus you would rapidly run out of metphors).

I have a bank of metaphors and this thread is my ATM.

Barkley injured himself in training this morning - so cutting Flood and Geragthy is now starting to look really stupid on Ashton's part.

Mmmm. M. Catt to #10, and guess who at #12?

I think this one tops even the defence coach's utterance:

"No-one is dropped in a World Cup tournament, you just pick a different team," said Ashton when asked about the omission of Dallaglio.

What hold does Nose have over these people?