Rugby - New Year, New Coaches, New Laws

[finbar]

Originally posted by ravagon
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 ...

Nuh. She's having even more fun here than I am. She was always interested in painting, had a couple of lessons many years ago, never had time to pursue it seriously thanks to her career. Now she has the time and the inspiration provided by the different surroundings and culture.

A record of her progress: http://havedogswilltravel.blogspot.com

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

He's an officious bustard, Inzy & Co are as dodgy as all get out. They deserve each other.

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

Never been remotely interested in SF. I've always put it on a par with Rugby L*****.

[classical_hero]

Some interesting games are coming up in the S14. One that is about to happen in 1/2 hour's time is Crusaders vs Warratahs. I really think that the Crusaders crush the 'Tahs. A game that should be as interesting as watching paint dry is on afterwards, with the Brumbies faciing the Cheetahs. This could be an awful match to watch.

[Havak]

And it was.

The most remarkable thing about it being that Walsh is becoming quite a stocky little official these days.

I am assuming Cheetahs are the weakest Bok franchise as Wales have nothing to fear from anything that wore an orange shirt today.

I see Hernandez has openly told the French media he wants to move to Tigers in the summer. That will be the end of Andy Goode I think.

And for Finbar - I have no idea why Jonno would consider a role working alongside Ashton and Andrew - he has nothing to gain from trying to paper over the cracks those two losers have created. Strange situation really. Obviously I am happy to see Jonno involved - but I'd prefer a clean sweep of the upper management too.

[Joe Kick Ass]

We won the f*ckin slam. Again.

10 out of 10 for super Gav.

[finbar]

Originally posted by classical_hero
Some interesting games are coming up in the S14. One that is about to happen in 1/2 hour's time is Crusaders vs Warratahs. I really think that the Crusaders crush the 'Tahs. A game that should be as interesting as watching paint dry is on afterwards, with the Brumbies faciing the Cheetahs. This could be an awful match to watch.

The Crusaders are a class above everyone else, including the Blues and the Sharks. The comp is theirs to lose. They missed Stephen Brett today - he, when fit again, will line up alongside Dan Carter with the ABs, and a devastating pair they will be - but still made the Waratahs look ordinary. I despair of the Waratahs, and Ewen McKenzie, in particular. Kick, kick, kick, play in the oppo half and wait for mistakes. Pathetic. Lote Tuquiri will catch pneumonia.

The Brumbies, given the horrendous injuries they have, given that they're forced to play 18 year olds, are coping surprisingly well. The Cheetahs are undisciplined and unfit and otherwise pretty ordinary. The wingers aside.

You saw the game, Havak? You saw the younger Smith brother? He's not travelling too badly for pretty much a rugby novice. He came to the Brumbies from a couple of years in L***** in one of the northern English suburbs.

The J**** thing is a beat up, methinks. The BBC seems to have picked up an unsubstantiated report in one of the tabloids. But you're right, he would be off his head. Which is why I doubt it will happen.

[classical_hero]

Wekk i have some good news that the Force won again. It does seem that they going to be the only Australian team to make a showing in the finals this year. They were a bit unfortunate to lose the games they did, but they have been against the only two unbeaten teams, so it great. Now there are only two more away games all season for the force, so they have an excellent shot at playing well into the finals this year.

[finbar]

They're currently the best of the Australian teams. It certainly helps having Matt Giteau firing on all cylinders. The Brumbies, at full strength, if they ever achieve that, might push them. The Force are probably also the only team who can threaten the Crusaders. Problem is, they play similar games, only the Crusaders do it consistently better.

[finbar]

Good effort from Leicester, looking a bit more like the better team of old. The Argie chasing his job seemed to put a rocket under Andy Goode.

Slack effort from Ospreys, who would be eaten by Leicester on that performance. Shane Williams, in the form of his career, almost singlehandedly engineered a scoreline that flattered the team's performance. Aided by a very ordinary Sarries effort. I've seen Sarries half a dozen times this season and, for all the money they've spent, I'm nowhere near convinced they have the class to warrant their places in the various comps.

The love affair with Gav is assuming embarrassing proportions. One of the BBC commentators today - the one with the Scottish accent - needs to take a long cold shower. Gav did well today, did some very nice things with some touches of class. His try was the softest you would see thanks to Andy Farrell's pathetic tackle attempt. Gav should have been stopped in his tracks. Instead, our BBC friend with the Scottish accent nearly wet his pants with excitement. Finally, after the third or fourth replay, he reluctantly conceded the crap tackle let Gavin through.

Finally, bizarrely, Gav won MOTM. Presumably whomever judged it hadn't noticed Marty Holah was on the pitch.

[Havak]

I only saw the tail end of that S14 game and didn't register the young Smith - I will look out for him next time.

Same man who lathered up over SuperGavs easy try - Andy Nicol decided the MoTM award.

Given the choice from both those games I'd play Hipkiss over the Orange one any day. Hipkis gets his hands dirty and his body raked for his team mates. You can never accuse the media tart of either of those.

Ospreys again - and we have absolutely no fear of Neath/Swansea.

[Caligastia]

+1 for the New Zealand-American Community:

David Aaron was born at 12:02pm on Tuesday March 18 weighing 9lbs 12ozs. Mum and baby are doing well.

[finbar]

Cripes, nearly 10 lbs. That's dang near Havak proportions. And good to see imperial measurements instead of this new-fangled metric rubbish.

Anyway. congrats! But now we know what you've been up to instead of obsessing about rugby!

[classical_hero]

He is going to be forward, considering how big he is at such a young age.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by finbar
Cripes, nearly 10 lbs. That's dang near Havak proportions. And good to see imperial measurements instead of this new-fangled metric rubbish.

Anyway. congrats! But now we know what you've been up to instead of obsessing about rugby!

Thanks, yeah, and I'm afraid the rugby obsessing might have to wait till this guy starts sleeping through the night! Daddy is tired!

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by classical_hero
He is going to be forward, considering how big he is at such a young age.

I was 10lbs 10ozs when I was born but it didn't make me very forward. I'm more of a shy and retiring type.

[Havak]

Congratulations.

I think he has to be bound for the coal face - but will it be for the ABs or for the Eagles?