Rugby - New Year, New Coaches, New Laws

[finbar]

Now that I'm refreshed after a night's sleep - though I did wake up screaming at 3am after reliving, in my dreams, Skrela's re-start actually going backwards - can anyone explain to me how the Italian skipper missed out on being MOTM?

[Havak]

Have you got a gig on a cruise ship Ravagon? Good luck with it anyway.

Things never got quite so bad that I would like Turnip back - but I still want Ashton and Andrew gone.

Congrats to Wales - a better Slam than 2005 I think, even if various opposition sides made it easy for them again. That win against the head around the 60 min mark was awesome - even I enjoyed it for the Welsh boys.

But what were France up to? Why do they get sucked so easily into the type of game their opponents are better at? Our old codgers pulled them into a tight game where their adolescent squad were at sixes and sevens. And yesterday trying to run through Wales from your own 22 all the time? Sheesh.

As you say Finbar we learnt very little about England as Ireland never turned up. But there were nice glimpses from the youngsters - and Crofty almost got away at the end didn't he? I was impressed by how Tom has become the go to option for line outs and restarts so quickly.

A few more young uns drafted in, a different coach and DEP and maybe, just maybe, the autumn series might go better (we will certainly not win either NZ test in June).

Mind you the Welsh boys would be disappointed if I didn't say this - I doubt they will win another test this year unless they have slipped a really low ranking side (say Ireland? ) into their Invesco autumn series.

Oh yes - that young arrogant cove Ciprinai did quite well - and then uttered a mild profanity live on the post match interview. I think we have our new Healey in this boy. Something Finbar will be delighted to hear.

Keep your eyes peeled - Eddies O'Sullivan is likely to be sacked this week.

*edit* the final damning condemnation of the quality of this 6N? England were the runners up!!!

[finbar]

Thought Crofty got better as the game went on. He's obviously one of the options they've been missing. Obviously! That canter with the ball was exactly what he did the very first time I spotted him in that (from memory) U-21 England match when he scored a try. Cipriani did well but with, as he admits, an armchair ride and under next to no pressure. Wilko probably would have played as well under the same circumstances. There was one very worrying defensive moment when he was, well, timid. Who knows what the result means? Ireland were just dire.

France resorted to trying to run out of their 22 because, for whatever unknown reason, they were entirely bereft of other ideas. I'd've hoiked Skrela at half time. He was never functioning. The indecision amongst the backs was incredible. Enough said about some of the handling. The Welsh defence was outstanding but their jobs were made so much easier by blue jerseys running straight into them.

Much better Welsh team and effort than the 2005 GS. Gatland has given them structure and brains. They lacked the former, had the latter but tended not to use them. And you can only beat the oppo on the day, no matter how poor they are.

[LDiCesare]

can anyone explain to me how the Italian skipper missed out on being MOTM?

Because Strokosch was obviously the bast back row player on the field! Let's compare Strokoch's game versus Parisse to better understand.
First of all, Strokosh stayed on the field all the time, while Parisse limped for a few seconds, delaying the game in an unsportsmanly way (I'm not sure that was an English word, but it doesn't matter).
Second, Parisse captained a team that struggled against Scotland, and managed to get a win only thanks to a last minute drop-goal. This is obviously a poor captain's job. In contrast, Strockosh wasn't the captain of a losing side, so he's got the upper side here again.
Next, Parisse made a pass that looked slightly like a forward pass, leading to Canale's try. And the pass was ugly because it bounced. Strocosh didn't make bouncing passes. He's therefore much better.
Parisse also looked a bit slow on that occasion, when he was being caught up by Scots. Srocotsh never looked like he was going to score a try and then be miserably caught up by the opponents.
Parisse,as a captain, can be held responsible for the two penalties his side yielded, leading to 6 points for Scotland, whereas Roscotsh was only responsible for 3 points when he was penalised at the 70th minute.

I could go on and on. It was obvious that Scorotsh was the man of the match, while Parisse made such an average game I can't even spell his name correctly.



I'd like to point out the penalty try awarded to Italy followed what I think is the most beautiful scrum I ever saw. Castrogiovani was awesome, going down and then rising again to move forward. Absolutely huge.

[LDiCesare]

I thought England played well. I don't have aby idea why Sackey was on the field when Tait was on the bench, but then I have no idea how Ireland managed to dive into nothingness after 10 minutes.

Wales clearly deserved their victory. I think it was deserved too the two Williams, Shane and Martyn, scored the tries. They are obviously the best players in their team (along with Shanklin).
The French plan of attacking by hand from their 22 showed its limits against England, but Lièvremont seems to like it, so they did it again. Of course, having Skrela fumble every ball he got for 20 minutes didn't help. Generally speaking, the French backline was somewhere between pitiful and catastrophic. I think the coach should have looked at the way Wales defend and tried to adapt. Of course, it's easier said than done, but the French clearly didn't manage it.
Although Lièvremont can be creditted for fielding young players like Barcella, Ouedraogo and Floch, I'm not confident his gameplan can lead to victories against food teams. It will only provide great games against weaker teams, but losses against stronger ones. Or England.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by Havak
Have you got a gig on a cruise ship Ravagon? Good luck with it anyway.

Ha!
Seismic survey ship actually.
It may actually look a bit like a cruise ship though, but that's until you read the fine print underneath with a teeny tiny little disclaimer ...


LDiC I heartily applaud your logic above. Eminently sensible.
You may have cause for concern here however, as many things I find sensible others find ... not ...

[finbar]

Originally posted by ravagon
Ha!
Seismic survey ship actually.

Heck, I'd board the Titanic if it were getting me out of Perth.

I could go on and on. It was obvious that Scorotsh was the man of the match, while Parisse made such an average game I can't even spell his name correctly.

Thanks for the journey through the warped mind of a MOTM judge!

I also suspect you've been picking the England team this season.

[Havak]

All the best with that seismic survey stuff. I hope they let you take lots of beer onboard.

Talking MOTM it was Jamie Noon in the England game!

[MOBIUS]

I’d just like to thank the other teams for being great sports and deciding to all have poor games against us, because after all, that was the only way we could have won the grand slam…

[finbar]

Bravo to you for recognising it, too.

[MOBIUS]

Now we just need the Saffers to play a couple of poor tests against us this upcoming tour...

[LDiCesare]

Talking MOTM it was Jamie Noon in the England game!

At least Noon scored a try and did his usual tackling. You can't really say the same about Scotchrosh.

[finbar]

Indeed. You're un tipo saggio .

Now we just need the Saffers to play a couple of poor tests against us this upcoming tour...

Depends if they're going to pick their overseas players. If not, depends who's coming back. Victor Matfield is, to play the latter stages of S14 anyway.

[finbar]

Mike Tindall compounds his rugby-induced liver damage with some self-inflicted liver damage before getting behind the wheel. Someone tell him he's not a front rower.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by finbar

Heck, I'd board the Titanic if it were getting me out of Perth.

You may've boarded it already.

Should Mrs finbar ever conclude that the great novel is naught but a myth then you may find the S.S. finbar drifting perilously close to arctic waters ...


ICC seems to have reinstated the 'reformed' Darryl Hair. Inzamam and co., not surprisingly, less than impressed ...


Oh, and my deepest condolences to everyone English with the death of the inestimable Arthur Clarke.
Another of the true SF greats ...