Rugby World Cup 2007 - Twiddling Our Thumbs!

[Havak]

He truly has turned into his predecessor Finbar. Any excuse will do...

MacIntosh is a former Boks coach apparently.
Richie Dixon once coached Scotland. Not sure what that qualifies him for!

But with the exception of McQueen how recent is any of their experience of the game? And even with Rod it isn't recent any longer!

And why was there no English, Irish, Welsh, Italian or Argentinean input?

I’m truly not sure I want to watch Stellenbosch rugby when it is forced on us in 2008. You can’t simply rip the heart out of a game to make it more accessible – or you end up with League.

And to see a Frenchman involved – I hope LDiCesare is suitably ashamed.

That explanation about the maul is priceless. “Teams found it hard not to cheat so we are going to let them cheat”.

*edit* I do actually know that Paddy is a Kiwi, so I've edited out the Kiwis from the input line. That doesn't mean that I now think all Kiwis are in favour of the changes.

[finbar]

Isn't it too silly for words? If there were some sensible, practical reason for that change, it could be argued.

[LDiCesare]

Villepreux was a back to begin with. He's never been famous for his coaching of forwards, although he would produce good backs play.
I can't imagine why anyone in their right mind would want to remove mauls from the game, which is what the rule amounts to: A maul of 3 vs 2 players? Collapse it, and you've got one more defender.
As for not using the hands in rucks, there have been so many laws passed to make it easier to keep the ball and to make rucks cleaner that I think this one is a step backward. It'll also lead to more fouls and injuries as you'll have to kick hands off the ball.
The creating space thing for scrums is quite ok with me, but why 5 metres when lineouts are already 10m?
I'm ok with the corner post thingie though.
But if they want simpler rules for the referees, why don't they simply turn the game into a goal kicking contest without scrums, mauls, rucks and all those annoying parts of the game in which penalties can be awarded?

[finbar]

Indeed. Especially when England have already perfected that game.

[Havak]

Perfect Delivery.

I see LDiCesare was proved quite correct again - Marconnet is confirmed as being out of the RWC.

[finbar]

I think LdiC is B. Laporte.

[finbar]

I note that Leicester have furthered the cause and development of young English scrum halves by signing a grenouille old enough to have marshalled the grenouille forwards at Waterloo.

[Havak]

Indeed. Old enough to be the father of Ben Youngs with whom he will have to compete for the shirt!

With Ellis and Bemand both carrying long term injuries we did need someone else short term.

I've heard good reports about the other old man Mr Finnegan by the way - he scored a try in the latest warm up match last weekend. Still got a bit of dog about him apparently.

[finbar]

"Mongrel".

[LDiCesare]

Luassucq is a good player, though not outstanding. He's been selected for France a few times, but that was mostly because his club shone at the time (Stade Francais), and not because he was the best player around. Still a very decent player, and he'll play in a better club than where he was, so it's a good deal for everyone I believe. Of course, Leicester and England need youngsters at scrum half, but it's a French plan to prevent them from growing talent in order to ridicule them in the next 6Nations.

[Havak]

He will be playing alongside an 18 year old English scrum half - so that is the plan then, to come over and nobble Ben Youngs chances with England?

(nobble means 'negatively affect' or 'ruin' by the way).


I was talking about his looks Finbar rather than misquoting the Aussie saying (thats my story anyway!).

[finbar]

Originally posted by LDiCesare
it's a French plan to prevent them from growing talent in order to ridicule them in the next 6Nations.

No, it's a French plan to have everyone in the Premiership singing "Eeevvery Leeeeetle Breeeeeeeeeeze Seeems To Wheeeeesper Loooeeeezzzzeeee".

That's an obscure Maurice Chevalier joke.

You're too young to remember M. Chevalier, LdiC. Look him up on wikipedia.

[Havak]

Interesting man.

The Aristocats theme song being the highlight of his career.

On a different note one of the reasons I dislike the sugar daddy who runs Northampton is his unfortunate habit of airing dirty laundry in public. Well that and the fact he made his money from that god awful free hawking rag 'Loot'.

Ben Cohen has had a very prominent falling out with the club. The owner of Saints thought going public with it was appropriate. I think he should have shown more class and kept quiet. Which is not to say Ben has acted very maturely either.

[finbar]

Originally posted by Havak
Interesting man.

Interesting politics, anyway, depending which sources you believe.

Ben Cohen has had a very prominent falling out with the club. The owner of Saints thought going public with it was appropriate. I think he should have shown more class and kept quiet. Which is not to say Ben has acted very maturely either.

Seems to me they deserve each other. I suspect the bottom line to B. Cohen's performance is that he'd prefer to stay in the Premiership.

[Havak]

Probably so - but with Ben there is always the fact that he effectively lost his father to non-natural causes and I do wonder if that sometimes informs his more eccentric behaviour.

Saw the references to Communism on Wikipedia. Not a popular thing in post war France as De Gaulle rewrote history with himself centre stage (and playing all the supporting parts too).