Rugby World Cup 2007 - Twiddling Our Thumbs!

[finbar]

The only mystery to me is why it took the ABs so long to stop fumbling the ball, running into each other, and otherwise doing a fair impression of the Keystone Cops. They were, I thought, always potentially a class above the Boks and it was their Keystone Cops carry-on that kept the Boks in the match.

That, and one of D. Carter's more ordinary days on a Test pitch.

That, and one of the most useless locks I've ever seen in Test rugby who goes by the name of G. Rawlinson. While he was on the field, the Boks were effectively playing with sixteen. Why he was played in front of R. Filipo, I'll never know. Filipo is not Test class, yet, but he's a vastly more skilled player than Rawlinson. T. Flavell, I thought, earned his keep on the day.

I suspect it's going to be a long time till we again see such a clumsy AB effort. And in the three or four minutes of the match in which they actually put it together ... they were scary indeed.

Havak will have liked what he saw of A. Mauger, about the only AB to keep his wits about him for most of the game. The nitwit pass from flat on his back aside. Don't like the look of the biggest leg bandage in the history of rugby, though.

Gee, S. Berger can play a bit.

Oops. Forgot to note how interesting it was to see the Bok pack crumpling against a less-than-full-strength AB pack.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
Who? Moi?

Anyway, as someone once probably said, and if they didn't they should have, better to be egged on than to have it all over one's face.

Hm...I thought you would pick up on the reference to Rotorua's eggy smell.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
The only mystery to me is why it took the ABs so long to stop fumbling the ball, running into each other, and otherwise doing a fair impression of the Keystone Cops.

Yes, it was it "Laurel and Hardy" for a while, wasn't it?

I also thought the ref was a bit slack in penalizing offside players, but I suppose I'm just summoning sage nods of agreement from Havak with that one.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by finbar
The only mystery to me is why it took the ABs so long to stop fumbling the ball, running into each other, and otherwise doing a fair impression of the Keystone Cops. They were, I thought, always potentially a class above the Boks and it was their Keystone Cops carry-on that kept the Boks in the match.

A little something called lack of match practice may've had a bit to do with it ...

Canada and a very second (third?) string French team at home in the last month don't really do a very good job of getting one ready for playing the Boks over there.

[Havak]

Quite right - so why did your Union take those fixtures?

I also thought the ref was a bit slack in penalizing offside players, but I suppose I'm just summoning sage nods of agreement from Havak with that one.

He had a remarkably good game by his own standards. He tends towards the pedantic normally. He doesn’t penalise offside though – few refs do these days. I noticed he was pretty blind to the odd ‘lateral’ pass from a black shirt too.

It is essential you keep Mauger fit for us – he has lots to offer our club both on the field and in terms of nurturing talent.

For once I caught the whole game – it was quite reassuring to see that Mr Carter does have a human side – deny him time and space and he is fallible. But the ability the ABs have to strike from anywhere, and the way they keep the ball alive at times, is very impressive and a real pleasure to watch.

Next weekend now becomes crucial – win in Australia and the ABs will finally slam the tri-nations I feel – perfect preparation for losing to France in October.

And now here is an agenda driven piece of appalling journalism that for once does not originate from the UK.


Kiwi talks twaddle

Notice how from a squad of 47 he has cherry picked just the eldest players. He names just 14 players from that 47 who are 29 or over. That is just under 30% of the training squad. So 70% are under 29 and he doesn't even mention it? And the man believes J. Wilkinson only had three strong minutes in the last RWC final? Well he is entitled to his (incorrect) view but on the age of players it is shoddy journalism indeed.

I take it that he is a well known anglophobe? he certainly does NZ little credit - we English had always naievely assumed that all Kiwis knew their rugby and gave credit where it was due. I guess we were wrong and that you do have your own Stuart Barnes and Jerry Guscott types?

[finbar]

Never heard of him. Just a heavy-handed piece of stirring. The same angle could have been pursued with finesse. He doesn't have that in his repertoire.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. The Boks lack a genuine playmaker, an orchestrator. That's what is going to sink them.

[Havak]

I'm guessing someone English once crossed the gentleman in question and he is pursuing his extended revenge.

Probably right about the Boks. The ABs on the other hand have few weaknesses - but lock is certainly one. You are quite right about Rawlinson - way short of international standard. Quite telling that the ABs went long with their first line out and that it always looked fragile.

[Nugog]

Originally posted by finbar
Yes. In Rotorua.

Enquiring minds want to know WTF is wrong with Rotorua?

[finbar]

You'd get a shorter answer to the question "What's right with Rotorua?".

[Caligastia]

It is essential you keep Mauger fit for us – he has lots to offer our club both on the field and in terms of nurturing talent.

Yes, we're very concerned about that. As you know, promoting the vigorous health of English rugby is our #1 priority.

Next weekend now becomes crucial – win in Australia and the ABs will finally slam the tri-nations I feel – perfect preparation for losing to France in October.

That's the plan.

I take it that he is a well known anglophobe? he certainly does NZ little credit - we English had always naievely assumed that all Kiwis knew their rugby and gave credit where it was due. I guess we were wrong and that you do have your own Stuart Barnes and Jerry Guscott types?

Sorry to hear your illusions have been shattered. I swear he's the only one.

[Nugog]

Originally posted by finbar
You'd get a shorter answer to the question "What's right with Rotorua?".

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak
Quite right - so why did your Union take those fixtures?

Not sure that we actually had much of a choice. We certainly didn't have too much of a say in planning the composition of the French team.

I've never heard of the guy either.
I'll play devils advocate though because, well, it's what I do really.
Most of his comments regarding the age of the English players do seem to be directed at the big names in the team. Of course those might be the only ones he knew.
I'm surprised that you didn't appreciate the way the article ended however.

And, as Cali stated, we do have the future of English rugby as a high priority uppermost in our minds. Somebody has to after all?

You'd get a shorter answer to the question "What's right with Rotorua?".

It's one of the few places in the world that makes Australia look, well, not quite so bad really?

[Nugog]

Originally posted by ravagon
It's one of the few places in the world that makes Australia look, well, not quite so bad really?

[ravagon]

In all actuality Rotorua isn't such a bad place to visit - It's just that the frequent geothermal ventings rival those in a small pub in Leicester wherein everybody knows Havaks name.

[Nugog]

It can be a bit wiffy - but it is not a bad place to grow up........