Rugby - 6 Nations, Heineken Cup, You Can't Beat A Northern Hemisphere Winter!

[kittenOFchaos]

Australia 20 - England 21

England's first win in the SH since 2003.

Giteau missed an easy penalty near the end and so did Wilkinson. Didn't matter.

A very good first half, the second half was alot tighter, but a very good game all the same.

Australia's pack will improve when their ideal front-row returns, but Tim Payne can hardly be considered our top prop.

[finbar]

I should go into the tipping business. Lazy, over-confident Wallaby effort, particularly in the forwards. They expected to turn up and play last week all over again. England's spark, predictably, came from its youth, Youngs and Lawes in particular. I imagine J**** will be saying something like "we kept the faith".*No, J****, you finally promoted players who should have been there last week definitely, and in the autumn certainly. Shame on your conservatism. Now to get rid of the rest of the dead wood - starting with Tindall. What a waste of space.

I imagine Robbie Deans will be very angry with that effort and hopefully lessons will be learned. He also erred in selecting Genia, who obviously wasn't fully fit. Youngs was playing the Genia role.

I take it back about the ref. Very poor effort. Offsides all over the place, and his policing of the scrum was arbitrary. G. Rowntree needs to spend a lot of time with Dan Cole and his binding. Rarely today - or last week - was he binding legally. Nor, in fact, was he in the autumn. The Wallaby front row obviously improved - they worked very hard during the week - but that England front row is only average at best.

Good heavens. Gatland has caught the J**** disease:

"I can take some positives out because I thought for a big period of that game we had them under pressure, with 60% territory in that first half," he said. "I thought the way we played in the first half was really pleasing, we put the All Blacks under a lot of pressure. Not many teams have that opportunity to do that against the All Blacks."

What did you do with the 60% possession, Warren? Zip. Never looked like scoring. Dill.

[kittenOFchaos]

Gatland talks too much. Caught the Welsh disease of talking themselves up and then not delivering on that talk.

[Havak]

the Welsh lads who sometimes post here with us are more grounded than their coach or some of the players. NZ destroyed Ireland - Wales had an otuside chance at the very best. Gatlands comment were reminiscent of turnip! D-E-N-I-A-L?

Well it surprised me in Sydney today chaps. I was of course delighted with Ben Y and with Crofty returning to near his best - what a menace he was to the Aussie line out? Amamzing how it lifts a teams tempo when a number 9 does the basics - moves the pill quickly.

Deans will be roasting them I am sure - the body language was casual early doors - even with a badly strugggling team like England you must never take them for granted.

Can't post more - got to get the shopping done before the Churchill Cups starts. Had one of my "sitting on your a*** watching rugby all day?" motivational talks.

[finbar]

I was safe yesterday. Mrs Finbar was on an eight mile walk with some exercise-obsessed friends leaving me to watch three rugby matches between prepping dinner for the walking party when they returned. The Italians weren't embarrassed against the Boks. Beaten, but they showed some real attacking endeavour which augers well.

The Welsh problem is that they're stuck in a time warp, they're still not creating and/or taking scoring opportunities when they have possession. It was their problem two years ago. It has been Scotland's problem, though I know nothing of their couple of wins against the Argies. Until Gatland, or someone, solves that fundamental problem, they're going to keep winning the statistics that, ultimately, don't matter a fig if the scoreline reflects differently.

With the Wallabies obviously down on commitment and endeavour from last week, my only concern for England was when, for some unknown reason, Flood started booting the ball again in the last ten minutes of the first half. I thought they'd exorcised that demon with their option from the outset to run the ball.

[Havak]

They do look a better side when they keep hold of the ball and run it.

I got to see the Chuchill cup final (though I got into trouble for trying to watch the plate final before it). Russia certainly have some talent - one of their wingers and the blindside flanker are already capable of mixing it at the tip level IMO. Like the USA if they ever get serious about the game the rest of us should worry.

I have burnt a loop of Ben Young's try and Dean's reaction onto a DVD - I have yet to get tired of watching either.

[finbar]

Caught the first half hour of the England-Bok play off for third spot in the Junior Championships late last night. Lots of speed to burn on both sides but not much idea of defence. Notice this morning that the Boks won, and the baby ABs hammered the baby Wallabies in the final. Unsurprising. The baby ABs are much more seasoned.

[Havak]

I was not allowed to watch any of it yesterday.

[finbar]

Time to put the foot down. In another room.

[Havak]

Preferably with a lockable steel door.

[finbar]

I thought laterally. I'd bought a new 21.5" iMac. Mrs finbar drooled over it because she's an artist and the big screen was ideal for her art and subject studies. So I bought her a 27" iMac. Gigantic screen, extraordinary definition. She retires to her studio very content to watch stuff she's downloaded from BBC iPlayer while I'm allowed free run of the television. Lateral, but expensive.

[Havak]

Sometimes it is worth spending money.

I'll see what I can bargain for watching Wales and Ireland lose next weekend. A box of wine gums (I know how to treat a lady) probably won't cut it this time!

[Havak]

The breakdown and shaky defence cost the dirt trackers the game against the Maori but it was an enjoyable game by all accounts?

Maybe we have taken a few small steps forward? He says hopefully....

[Frozzy]

It was actually. England looked bereft of ideas in the second half though and the Maori looked very much the stronger side. A bit of a late flourish but a deserved Maori win based on the 2nd half.

[Havak]

I don't doubt that it was fair - the Maori got thoroughly on top after the break in most phases - but from what I saw the Maori can't scrummage much better than Australia though?