Rugby - Tours Tours Everywhere!

[Havak]

Hitting it fairly hard I would say.

The Official inflation figure is a nonsense - for most people it must be three times that (if you drive or eat food anyway).

[Andydog]

How much is it for a pint of bitter in Leicester these days?

[finbar]

You might have to ask someone who buys the rounds.

[Havak]

Sometimes I am sure Finbar has cameras on me.

"Too much" is my all too predicatable answer.

Session Beer at 3.8% typically £2.40
Real Ale at 5% typically £2.70

Knock 90p off both for the Weatherspoons type places

How about the prices down in the big smoke?

On the inflation front I'm also paying 20% more for unleaded petrol than I was in January. You have to throw in a lot of non-inflationary items to magic that down to 3.8%.

We appear to have signed a french scrum half from BO. A young one this time too. Perhaps LdiC can appraise him for me?

[finbar]

What's his name?

In the meantime, with reference to Mr Hougaard:

Tigers chief executive Peter Wheeler said the club was delighted with the signing and he believes the Guinness Premiership and Heineken Cup will suit Hougaard's playing style.

Either he hasn't seen Hougaard play or his judgement of the Guinness Premiership and Heineken Cup is way off. Kicking half backs who play deeper than the Atlantic Ocean don't win either of those comps these days.

[Havak]

His name is Julien Dupuy. He will compete for the shirt against Ellis and Youngs (the latter two will both be missing on representative duty so it is a good signing on that basis).

Wheeler never admits downsides until AFTER the firing.

[finbar]

Jolly good. I'm crossing my fingers for the new Afrikaner mentor not to win silverware in his first season, to be sacked, and the executive to remain, yet again, culpable but, apparently, blameless. Or, on the other hand, and more likely, for the new Afrikaner mentor not to win silverware in his first season and not be sacked, rendering the executive hypocrites.

Dupuy seems to have quite a good history. He's a goal kicker, too. Presumably this move was why he didn't make the squad that toured Australia. Or maybe he was injured.

[Havak]

Or maybe he had more sense?

Can I take option C - Afrikaner wins lots of silverware and doesnt get sacked?

[finbar]

No. Sorry.

[Havak]

At least I asked.

If Chris Patterson is to be believed the real kudos are in the Magners League anyway.

[finbar]

Funny about that. His informed opinion is based on watching Premiership matches from the bench. His move to Glos was pointless in the first place.

[Havak]

Every comment he made was laughable to be honest - it would have been more honest for him to say "I couldn't cut it in that League so have fled home to what I know best - a league where I don't get physically challenged"

[finbar]

Remarkable. The Wallaby forwards stood up, even if the Boks were looking jaded after their efforts across the Tasman, last week in particular. Big effort, though, from the Wallaby back row. I can't bring myself to praise the front row for not folding like the proverbial. The Boks back home, fresh, will be a different matter altogether.

Luke Burgess' distribution at #9 remains a worry. Particularly in the first half, his erratic passing was causing minor chaos outside and behind him. The 9-10-12 axis was never really functioning as it could and should. I would persist, though. Burgess is very inexperienced - 4 Tests and not many more S14 matches - and he remains the best prospect.

Peter Hynds on the wing has been a minor revelation. In S14, he was known as an outright speedster and not much more. In his couple of Tests, he's proved himself not only quick but able in defence and a good thinker. I also truly admire the way Lote Tuquiri has reinvented himself, working ferociously hard all over the field.

Bok Thuggery Watch: Bakkies Botha deliberately driving his shoulder into Stirling Mortlock's unprotected skull when Mortlock was on the ground, sending him from the field, dazed. I await John Smit's diatribe about foul play.

[finbar]

Italy contemplating bidding for the RWC? Good grief. If they're remotely worried about the lack of suitably-sized and equipped stadia in New Zealand, heavens knows what they will make of Italy's pitiful collection of same. Rome is obviously home to the only half-decent rugby stadium but it's not big enough. Italian club rugby is played on what amount to suburban ovals. Unless they're thinking of utilising the various large s***** stadia, of which there are obviously many. But that would mean avoiding the s***** season, which runs from August to May.

Ah, the Italians. God bless 'em.

[finbar]

Bakkies in action: http://www.findinternettv.com/Video,...193810142.aspx