Rugby - Tours Tours Everywhere!

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Richie McCaw signed till 2011 at the same time Carter signed his contract with the French Get Rich Quick clause. He (McCaw) said he wasn't interested in (what's euphemistically called) sabbaticals, only that he might take a break altogether at some point prior to 2011.

EDIT. Tee-hee! I just read Rob Andrews' comments and the various responses. How long is the list of better England back rowers who spent more time on the wrong side than the right side? Andrew is just trying to word up the ref - I think it's Jonathan Kaplan - for the next match. Actually, McCaw is yellow carded several times a season in S14.

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Nice to see Matthew Tait finally getting a chance. For one of the most skillful players in England, he's had a terrible run with the selectors. I thought Brown did a competent job but he seems to lack a yard and was indecisive with ball in hand. The new halves were predictable. But why bother? As predicted, Jamie Noon comes in to shore up midfield defence. Noon and Tindall at #12 and #13. What ridiculous, short-term, negative thinking. Topsy and Tom Varndell had better take a recent photo of a football onto the field. It's the only one they'll see all day. Same locks, a lesser prop replacing Sheridan. The AB scrum should enjoy themselves again.

Oddly, I know little about the two AB replacements.

[Havak]

I hope Richie sticks to his guns then. I suspect a French outfit might offer him a lot of money when he takes that ‘break’.

Whilst inevitable the selection of Noon at 12 is still disappointing. As you say the ball will never make it past our midfield (except when the All Blacks are running it past them!).

You think Tait has had a raw deal – I tend to agree - but put yourselves in the shoes of Tom Croft. He could be in Canada staking a claim for an Elite squad place but instead is sat in the stands in NZ whilst the old (and always workmanlike) Worseley is in ahead of him. As he sits there all his peers are staking their claims in NZ or Canada so he could pay very dearly for Rob Andrews decisions on this tour.

To the ABs - please don’t hurt Flood. I would like him fit for Tigers for the new season. I fear the AB loosies will give him a torrid time.

Looks like my solace will once again have to come from the Saxons as they take on Scotland A. The senior side will lose by a bigger margin than last week I suspect.

Ojo-Tait-Varndell is a very talented attacking back line – but what does that matter without the ball? Just like two years ago Varndell gets thrown in at the deep end – I hope he doesn’t get smock-ravelled a la Tuquiri 2006. Still it is far and away the paciest back line England have fielded this century. Thats something I guess?

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The only solution is for Varndell or Topsy to do what Lote Tuquiri is now doing - go and get the bloody ball! It's amazing how Lote's game has returned since Ewen McKenzie gave him a roving commission with the Waratahs this season. Robbie Deans has extended the licence. Trouble is, Lote's a bit bigger, tougher and stronger, and has more mongrel, than either Varndell or Topsy.

Re Tom Croft. It's just bizarre that Worsley is in front of him. The selection process is idiotic. An interesting, probably creative set of halves; potentially dazzling back three; two lumps of wood in the centres. There's no big picture, just one-off positional changes.

[Havak]

A lovely bit of playing to the Welsh public from Gatland

"I'd be happy for us to be out here for the next 10 weeks playing the Springboks because it will only make us a better side.

"This is no disrespect to the Six Nations teams but if we'd been playing any of them today we would have won.

"This is a new level for us and we think we are only going to get better."

"We don't want to sit on our laurels and say we can make the quarter-final of the World Cup."

"In three years time, we want to be reasonable contenders and believe if we can get everything right on the day and get a few decisions that go our way, we can beat anyone."

I'd worry for his sanity if I thought he was being serious.

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I don't have a problem with the first para at all.

And Leicester have done all right with the HC draw.

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I noticed the Scots bet Argentina in Buenos Aires. Has anyone een glimpses of this match?
The result is quite surprising considering what Scotland usually produces these years.

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I noticed the result too. I thought it was a typo.

In the meantime, four England rugby players - names as yet unknown - are reportedly in trouble in New Zealand for behaviour. I believe they're to be charged with impersonating Test-standard rugby players.

[Havak]

I seem to recall an inferior squad to this current one beating Australia last time up?

When you go on an antipodean tour you can expect allegations like this to happen at times.

I do hope there is no substance at all to any allegations made against these lads - I suspect that no charges will ever be brought and that this will all quietly go away after the ABs are 2-0.

Toulon now have Collins signed up - they do seem to be blatantly splashing cash about.

*edit* As for Scotland I saw brief highlights - it is one of those periodic games where the Scots raised their game massively. The Pumas, reaping the legacy of coaching upheaval, looked somewhat out of sorts. Not the most cutting analysis I know but essentially, despite what Hadden might have said, Scotland haven't suddenly become a good side.

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Heck, even England have beaten the Wallabies with a squad inferior to this one. Look at 2002, 2003, et al.

I wonder whether one of the offenders is Charlie Hodgson. I read that the defence coach has committed to helping him improve his defence. Which amounts to teaching a 27 year old professional rugby player how to tackle. Anyway, maybe Charlie took on a room-service waiter. The waiter got past and dotted down the tray over the line, of course.

EDIT. Mmmm. The Bangkok Post, of all journals, is reporting that it's a rape complaint. I hope not.

[Havak]

Stinky old bait about the 02-03 squad don’t you think? I think you knew full well I meant England rather than NZ in reference to the Wallabies anyway.

I hope these allegations are the traditional case of some opportunist chancing their arm – I hate to even consider any of the squad would be capable of that.
Stupid of the four involved if they let anyone return to their hotel rooms of course – it invites potential trouble of this nature.

Not a bad draw for Tigers – I’m keen to get at the Ospreys and take some revenge. They sacked their (loose cannon mouth) of a coach this season as well.

Referencing your earlier post Warren’s first paragraph was fine – what about the other four?

I’d also somehow missed that Shame Williams was 31. he looks like an infant after all He will do well to make the 2011 RWC? Or perhaps we should start calling it the “surely NZ will win it this time” cup?

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Originally posted by Havak
Stinky old bait about the 02-03 squad don’t you think?

In Andydog's absence, we haven't had any for a while.

I hope these allegations are the traditional case of some opportunist chancing their arm – I hate to even consider any of the squad would be capable of that.

I've found references online to a Maori maid. The thing is, there hasn't yet been an official complaint, and failing one, nothing will come of it. Though I'm not altogether sure how the police are already involved without an official complaint.

Referencing your earlier post Warren’s first paragraph was fine – what about the other four?

That was my (obviously way too) subtle point. While they did play well, I really think the Boks let them into the match with their less than focused performance.

[Havak]

You were more than subtle enough - I just like to labour a point to death.

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Boys will be boys on tour.

The woman, who is not the person at the centre of the allegation to police, said she spent the night at the hotel with an English player.

She told of another incident involving players several hours after the matter that police are investigating.

The 22-year-old woman, who wanted to be known only as Angel, revealed the team was drinking at an Auckland bar after Saturday night's loss to the All Blacks.

She said she "hit it off" with the players after meeting them at the Pony Club bar in the central city.

She continued drinking with them at the bar till the early hours and then went back to the Hilton Hotel at the Viaduct Basin with one player.

She understood about five other girls went back to the hotel with team members.

Angel said the players got up about 9am on Sunday for a swim and physiotherapy and then returned to their rooms.

"After that ... I was in the room with the guy I was with and there was a knock at the door and there was about four of them at the door," she said.

"They were pretty persistent so [we] eventually let them in."

"We were chatting for a while then all of a sudden one of the players pulled the duvet off them. He was almost nervous to do it," Angel said. "I was sort of semi-dressed so it wasn't too bad."

The players then ran out of the room with the duvet and down the hallway, where they were "told off by a maid".

The player she was with apologised for their behaviour, saying it was "just the young ones", Angel said.

She believed other women who went back to the hotel with players also had their duvets pulled from them. "They were doing the rounds."

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In other, more interesting news, the Azzurri are taking on the Boks on the weekend. With an understrength team thanks to club commitments. So why bother? But then the same can be said of all understrength tours. The incumbent fly half, Signor Masi, has asked to move back to the centres. Fair enough, too, he wasn't a fly half. The new #10 is a 20 year old Australian - with an Italian mamma - who played at full back for one of the teams in the short-lived - it lasted a season - Australian national provincial comp. He also plays full back for one of the Italian clubs.

You got any Italian blood, Havak? You could be lining up in the front row against the Boks.