Rugby World Cup 2007 - Twiddling Our Thumbs!

[Havak]

The rather unhelpful answer to that would be which younger Tuilagi? There are five brothers in all. If you mean the other one capped by Samoa recently (Anitelea – known as Andy) then he just left Tigers to join Leeds (we had loaned him out to them last season anyway). Freddie (the eldest brother) was with Tigers for several seasons but is now the agent for his younger brothers

Henry Tuilagi is also on Tigers books – a barnstorming number 8 who has been plagued by injury for two seasons now. And there is a fifth brother younger than even Anitlelea – I think he might be with our Academy.

You are not confusing the Shaw incident with mad Danny –Dickinson did send him off for rucking near the head. The only problem is there actually was no rucking near the head – which is why the disciplinary panel dismissed the card and why I keep harking on about what poor reffing it was.

I hope he can keep his head because he has ability - strong, mobile and creative - even if he's below the top class.

Williams has never convinced me – the best AB pairing I’ve seen in recent times was Jack and Robinson. I’m sure Flavell can do as good a job as Williams – but can he really keep his cool against the Boks?

I wept for you when I read about it. Honestly.

I’m not sure why but I’m just not getting the sincerity coming over here.

[finbar]

Cripes. A plague of Tuilagis. The one who scored the try on Saturday was playing #13. Must be the one now at Leeds. He did well on Saturday.

Strange how the ref saw what I saw - rucking around the head - but the IRB didn't see it.

Ali Williams is better than Troy Flavell. You just haven't forgiven him for some of the indiscretions you've witnessed. Williams' problem is attitude - he misbehaved (off-field) all over the place during the S14 season, was dropped because of it, but didn't seem to be trying very hard when he was on the field anyway.

I weep for the fact that you doubt my sincerity.

[Havak]

I would never doubt it - I am sure you despatched it, I regret that it simply never arrived intact.

It was indeed the Leeds based Tuilagi (which shows how much attention I paid to the Test in question).

Perhaps you share the wattle coloured glasses with Mr Dickinson whilst I share rose coloured ones with Mr Shaw. The IRB disciplinary panel clearly wore no glasses whatsoever?

So Williams still has an attitude malfunction then? It could cost him dearly if someone like Troy can seize their chance.

[Havak]

Some good news - Grewcock has received a six week ban for his latest episode of punching and that should end his lingering slim chances of world cup selection.

Hunt down his charge sheet on the beeb Finbar - I am temtped to forgive him the May 03 punch incident (as it was Dayglo he hit).

I have a feeling Ashton will keep Corry as one of the locks in any case (he was very pleased with him after he switched him there in the 6N) and there is Shaw, Kay, Deacon, Palmer, Brown and even Borthwick competing for spots. He should consider the Crofts, Evans and Blazes (the young guns) but I have a feeling he won't.

Of course he certainly won't be able to pick Shaw if Mr Dickinson is helming any of our games.

Number 8 I think he is going down the Easter or Ward-Smith (if he gets fit) route though outside chances for Crane and the great nasal ego also exist.

[finbar]

I saw the footage (for the first time) of Grewcock's punch last night. P*ssweak effort it was, too. He's got away with vastly worse than that in the past.

I only ever saw glimpses of Ward-Smith before he was injured. In fact, I saw the match where he was injured. Is he any good? I'd've thought N. Easter had the inside running until either he screws up or someone better comes along.

Now, I will weep tears of blood if you overlook the sincerity in my delight that the English cricket team has just steamrolled one of the powerhouses of world cricket.

[Havak]

They actually did their very best to try and lose it of course.

Ward-Smith I saw more of after his injury than before it when Sky's rugby pundits showed clips to back up why he was being touted for England. He is big, fast and a very powerful runner off the base of the scrum. I can see why Ashton was interested - but yes Easter has done enough to take pole position I think.

I actually think that the Saxons pair - Dowson and Crane - are worthy of the squad too but Ashton so far has proven happy to pick young backs but has not given many young forwards a look in as yet.

[Havak]

Jonno still talks common sense – he was asked his opinion about the nasal ego being recalled for the World Cup:

"He has to be playing well enough to get in. He didn't play in the Tests against South Africa, and he didn't play in the Six Nations. He played well for Wasps in the Heineken Cup final, but only for 50 minutes,"

"They should look at who is playing best and pick them, if guys aren't performing, they can't live off what they did a couple of years ago."

[finbar]

But of course.

Kindly do me a favour? Have a word in the lughole of the big sage one? Ask him to share his wisdom with the Wallaby selectors vis a vis starting a hooker who can't throw, simply because he's a couple of inches taller and a stone heavier than his alternative, on the basis that his size will be more useful against the huge Bok pack, regardless of the fact that his crap throwing will hand the Boks even more of an advantage than they already have in the form of the best line out exponent in the world?

Grazie.

[Havak]

I'll try to drop it into the conversation.

I take it you are not a fan of Moore then?

[Joe Kick Ass]

Gyppo is the world's worst....

Cockbain is out, Michael Owen and ROB SIDOLI make the squad. Great stuff, eh?

Also, comfortably our second best openside gets to sit at home twiddling his thumbs, just so gyppo can pick a fellow turk...

And though Henson at least makes the 40 man squad (sorry, Havak, response here to Henson has been positive since Aus.), having seen our coach drop him in at 15 when he had the perfect opporunity to try out the Hook-Henson partnership....I guess he's still considered a 'utility' back...

Seriously, everybody else think this guy's an idiot?? yes???

OH, and lest we forget - Charvis, who was too old for international rugby during the 6n, has somehow managed to reverse-age himself in the following months, being our best played in Aus, and he's now sure of a WC squad place.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
I'll try to drop it into the conversation.

I take it you are not a fan of Moore then?

The d*ckhead can't throw. When you're up against one of the great line out exponents in V. Matfield, you want everything possible going for you. He was dropped for Adam Freir after his abysmal throwing against the Taffys. He came off the bench to replace Freir against Fiji and his first three throws were - you guessed it! They've picked him in front of Freir only for his size, when Freir is better at line out time and more mobile in the loose.

(sorry, Havak, response here to Henson has been positive since Aus.),

Why? Can't be for anything he did against the Wallabies.

OH, and lest we forget - Charvis, who was too old for international rugby during the 6n, has somehow managed to reverse-age himself in the following months, being our best played in Aus, and he's now sure of a WC squad place.

He worked hard and tackled hard against the Wallabies. More than some of his mates did. But still ... it's shades of S. Chabal making the French squad.

[Joe Kick Ass]

Originally posted by finbar
Why? Can't be for anything he did against the Wallabies.

Perhaps it's for what Sonny Parker did against the Wallabies...

Nobody expects much out of him playing at FB, but he's still obviously got more class than any of our other options at IC.

Originally posted by finbar
He worked hard and tackled hard against the Wallabies. More than some of his mates did. But still ... it's shades of S. Chabal making the French squad.

I think the issue is that 6 months ago, he was past it, and now, he seems set to line up at number 6...

He's been better than the competition in that position for months, and I think he was by far our best player against Aus. You don't think so?

Gyppo is just stubborn.

And an idiot.

[finbar]

I agree. He probably was your best player. I've always liked his effort. But I don't know whether he's up to doing it against better teams than the Wallabies. Still, if he's the best available ...

Coaches are notorious idiots. See my harangue (above) about picking a hooker who can't throw for nuts simply because he's two inches taller and a stone heavier than the alternative.

[LDiCesare]

about picking a hooker who can't throw for nuts simply because he's two inches taller and a stone heavier than the alternative.

Hahah! In my team, we semect a hooker who's consistently inches smaller than his opponent and can't... Errr, stop, who am I talking about now?

As for the French team:
Chabal has been selected as a second row, while Papé hasn't been selected at all. I think Chabal would in fact be better as a lock than as a number 8, but he isn't trained in that role so who knows what he'll be worth in that role? Will he be able to charge and tackle when he gets out of the scrum much later?
Another funny thing is that Beauxis has been selected when he was replacement for his own team in the final, behind Hernandez and Skrela. I think Beauxis is a great player, but it's still funny to have a third choice in club be third choice in France team.

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare

Hahah! In my team, we semect a hooker who's consistently inches smaller than his opponent and can't... Errr, stop, who am I talking about now?

You've joined my campaign to roll back metrics and reintroduce imperial measures! Thank you! I always thought metrics were a passing fad.

Why didn't Papé make the squad? He was good enough to captain the team to New Zealand. He also didn't get much chance to prove himself - he spent a lot of both games either on the ground injured or off the ground injured.