Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

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Yes, S15 has a pool system. I have no idea why. It's all too confusing for simple old me. The Chiefs recruited well - they picked up SBW (who has been in fine form) amongst others, and have a very solid coaching set up now. They always had talent but were fickle. Less so, a lot less so, this season.

And Will Genia is leaving the Queensland Reds for the Western Farce for a lot of money. It just about killed Matt Giteau's career when he went to the Farce for a lot of money, but Genia is a much more mature, level-headed character, so hopefully he won't suffer. I wonder if that means David Pocock will now stay with the Farce. He's out of contract there at the end of the season.

I've been away for the weekend. Set the machine to record yesterday's Ulster-Edinburgh match and it didn't record. Bustard! The reports say it was pretty entertaining. At least I'll get to watch Leinster win this arvo. Sorry, kOc.

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You're looking all right at half time, kOc. Nacewa aside, Leinster aren't looking threatening enough and their scrum is creaking.

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Cripes, Clermont's defence just redefined gaping hole. Switched off when the penalty was called. Silly boys.

[kittenOFchaos]

Eugh...

Remarkable Leinster play at the start of the second half - particularly Rob Kearney.

Couldn't really get any closer.

[kittenOFchaos]

Eugh...

Remarkable Leinster play at the start of the second half - particularly Rob Kearney.

Couldn't really get any closer.

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You were stiff, kOc. Fofana came so close. Still, Leinster proved why they're the best in Europe. They were in trouble in the first half. And their scrum improved after Healy was subbed. Funny that. The key in the second half, particularly early on, was Sexton getting them going. Brock James just isn't that sort of 10. Clermont have to rely on the likes of Rougerie smashing over the gain line and off-loading. It didn't happen today.

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Another double post. This site is farked today.

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Further to the Will Genia story, he has now changed his mind and will stay with the Reds. Reportedly for what they were last offering, a lot less than the Farce were offering. All, if you believe what's being said, because Will was so moved by the team spirit and the singing of the team song after the weekend's victory over the Blues that he couldn't bear to leave his teammates behind.

M-hm.

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And D. Cipriani and the Rebels have finally parted company after he was dropped last week for ordinary form. Inevitable, really. Now he can head off to Sale early to check out the local bars.

[kittenOFchaos]

And D. Cipriani and the Rebels have finally parted company after he was dropped last week for ordinary form. Inevitable, really. Now he can head off to Sale early to check out the local bars.

http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_rugby_news.asp?id=34956

It sounds to me like the Rebels (an the Aussie setup) want O'Connor in at 10 and were happy to give Cipriani a nice send off. I did say they were making O'Connor into a 10, but would anyone on this thread agree with me...

[Havak]

I don't remember offering an opinion on it?

So Chiefs are in good nick. I think I will make them my S15 side of choice.

And thereby with my legendary tipping powers I ensure they will now sink without trace?

An all Irish final then - got to back Ulster. Like an underdog me.

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It sounds to me like the Rebels (an the Aussie setup) want O'Connor in at 10 and were happy to give Cipriani a nice send off. I did say they were making O'Connor into a 10, but would anyone on this thread agree with me...

Typically, just about everything in Cipriani's quotes is delusional. Apparently he finally spat the dummy once and for all after being dropped despite the fact that O'Connor is injured. He was a good contributor last season, despite missed tackles and suspensions, but pretty lacklustre this season. Perhaps the arrival this season at the Rebels of bigger names than him finally did for that fragile ego.

With Quade Cooper unlikely to be ready for the Test matches, O'Connor probably would have started at 10 for the Wallabies. He filled in there last season. Now that he's unavailable till at least the second Test, Kurtley Beale may start at 10 if Berrick Barnes doesn't. Beale started life as a 10 when he went straight from school to the Waratahs. He couldn't handle the step up in intensity - he was barely 18 at the time - and moved to 15. These days, more mature, he would be a more than fine replacement 10, though obviously it would rob the Wallabies of his counter-attacking skills. Barnes is the best tactician of all the possible 10s even if he's sometimes too quick to resort to kicking.

I notice that English cricket has changed the qualification criteria. Arrive in England at 18 or older and you have to wait 7 years to qualify. Should English rugby adopt the same criteria they will struggle to field a team.

[Havak]

Sounds awfully like restraint of trade to me - should be very easy to overturn.

Eight out of thirty three not born in England. A couple of them still qualify as English under international law (via parentage). There are probably less native born Australians in the Wallaby squad. Maybe. There you got your bite.

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But it took 4 hours and 21 minutes. I'm slipping.

[Havak]

Not at all dear chap. I had to actually do some work this morning. I bit as soon as I read and your league position therefore remains intact in my books.