Rugby World Cup 2007 - Twiddling Our Thumbs!

[finbar]

We won't waste ether on the last nonsensical point.

Good question about playing the ball on the ground after losing control of it. And he did. It rolled behind him, out of his grasp. Here's a paraphrase of the law:

When players are tackled, they must immediately let go of the ball so that play can continue. It is illegal to lie on the ground and keep tight hold of the ball. Tackled players must either immediately pass the ball or release it by placing it on the ground in any direction (ideally, the ball should be placed backwards but that isn't always possible).

Once the tackled player has released the ball, he must attempt to roll away from the area, which means he can have no further involvement in play until he regains his feet. If the tackled player tries to play the ball in any way while still on the ground, he is liable to be penalized.

Is touching down the ball considered playing the ball?

[Havak]

It's a valid question. One does wonder how it could be anything other than 'playing the ball'?

No wonder it took the official over four minutes to make a call on this one.

[finbar]

Dougie Howlett off to Munster. He'll do well. Not as quick as he used to be, but he - unlike some other speedy wingers - has had the nouse to develop other areas of his game. Excellent defence, very good reader of the game.

[Havak]

...and would the last All Black out of NZ please turn off the lights?

[finbar]

Still, Nose has finally come out publicly with the great unmentionable.

[Havak]

The obvious truth that no one else has dared mention? That the RFU got almost everything as wrong as they possibly could have post 2003? Yes he has - but the timing is less than great in terms of squad morale.

Still the RWC is almost upon us - and within two months we will know if the ABs can finally end their jinx.

[Havak]

And hot on the heels of nose telling the truth the previous (sacked) coach showed that he still lives in cloud cuckoo land.

Apparently we are 'guaranteed' to make the semi-finals.

[finbar]

What else is he going to say? Admit that he screwed things?

[LDiCesare]

Interesting team announced for France vs Argentina.
The full back will be Cedric Heymans, who usually plays winger. Although he had a good game at 15 against the Welsh, he hasn't played this position for 5 years, and the only full back of the team, Poitrenaud, won't play.
It was risky of Laporte to have only one full back in the team. Poitrenaud hasn't been anything better than ordinary against England, so I can't say I'll miss him, but it's still a funny choice for the team. There'll be 5 forward replacements, which is the reason why Laporte picked players able to play in 2 positions...
Whatever, the French are expecting a strong match in the puma forwards and this shows in the selection. Just let me hope Hernandez, Roncero and their pals won't ruin the World Cup for the French on the opening day.

[finbar]

I'm glad to see S. Chabal coming off the bench. I reckon that's his most effective role.

[Havak]

The Pumas looked extremely rusty against Wales but their pack did start to function well in the second half.

I think it should be a great game for the neutral.

And yes Finbar I would like to see Robinson admit to his errors. I always ask the impossible.

[finbar]

Well, you're an England supporter, after all.

B. Ashton is set to name his "strongest" - how many times have we heard that before? - team tomorrow. My tips - M. Catt at 12, J. Noon at 13, T. Rees and Nose and A. Farrell on the bench, M. Corry somewhere in the starting mix, with N. Easter and J. Worsley.

[Havak]

Partly right.

A strange team, not helped by Wilko breaking himself again before the cup even starts!

No place for Easter at all, spot on at 12 and 13 and with Fazza on the bench, an all Wasps starting back row and Corry on the bench.

A pretty good bench in my books - excepting no fly half cover (Catt will slot to 10 if Farrell comes on methinks - been there, tried that and it didn't even work ten years ago!!!)

As I say a rather strange team. My conclusion would be he is taking the USA for granted - I hope it doesn't bite him on the a***!

England: M Cueto (Sale); J Lewsey (Wasps), J Noon (Newcastle), M Catt (London Irish), J Robinson (unattached); O Barkley (Bath), S Perry (Bristol); A Sheridan (Sale), M Regan (Bristol) P Vickery (Wasps, capt), S Shaw (Wasps), B Kay (Leicester), J Worsley (Wasps), T Rees (Wasps), L Dallaglio (Wasps).

Replacements: G Chuter (Leicester), M Stevens (Bath), M Corry (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), P Richards (London Irish), A Farrell (Saracens), M Tait (Newcastle).

[finbar]

Oh well, the back row was always a lottery. The centres were always predictable - one ball player, one battering ram. Who is the available fly half cover anyway?

And is G. Henry going to pay the price for taking only three locks? K. Robinson has done his calf again.

[Havak]

Well he describes Ali Williams as a 'first choice' so I think he knows lock is a problem position.

The Fly halves are Wilkinson, Barkley and as cover...Catt I believe. Flood and Geragthy were both released in the squad cuts. The nearer the RWC got the more conservative Ashton got ditching nearly all the young guns.

So whats up with Paddy O'Brien - I've tried to follow what he is saying about the reffing at the cup but it mainly seems to boil down to "we are going to penalise the shirts teams are wearing and stop touch judges doing anything other than ignoring offside players"?