Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

[kittenOFchaos]

Well, the bookmaker was right to predict that Sale Vs Saracens would be close.

Listening to the game it sounded pretty dull, but that could just be a reflection of the commentary.

Final score Sale 16 - Saracens 23

[Havak]

I'm just pleased I came close with my Bath prediction.

[finbar]

Stupid Wasps.

On a more depressing note, we popped up to Venice for the weekend. In itself a joy. Always. I had to miss the 4N matches so I set the machine to record both games to enjoy when I got back. Without knowing the results. We get back, I head for the TV, and it has been unplugged. We always unplug such things before we go away because of the massive electrical storms here at this time of year. I negelected to mention to Mrs finbar that I'd set the machine to record. She unwittingly unplugged. Mmmmm.

Still, it reads like a decent Wallaby win under the circumstances, even if this Bok mob is a long way from outstanding. Downside - Will Genia apparently out for 6 months. For crying out loud. Will these injuries never stop? Genia needed a rest, a serious rest, because he'd played 80 minutes of every match he'd started this season. A lot of lot of rugby. But not six months' rest. Goodness knows who plays 9 now. His only decent alternative, yet to debut, is out injured. Whoever it is will be third choice, backed up by fourth choice.

[Havak]

These things are sent to try us (spousal sabotage of the PVR that is) Commiserations.

Yep Genia is a big loss the the Wallabies all right. Cue much lip lickng by there opponents no doubt.

But the crucial thing this weekend remains very simple. Wasps lost. Again.

I've never been to Venice. In fact thinking about it Italy wise I've done Rome, Genoa and numerous towns near the French border but that is about it. I'm going to add Venice to my bucket list.

[finbar]

Venice is one of the great cities of the world, I think. New York and Florence being the others. Its problem is the obvious one - tourists. In summer you can barely move for them and they seriously get in the way of enjoying the place. A lot are day-trippers so the place empties out after about 8pm but it's still busy. In fact the best time to visit Venice is towards and actually in winter. Not only do you avoid the tourists, but the greyness, the drifting mists, sometimes drizzle, and even the chill in the air all bring out the city's extraordinarily evocative qualities. I've only ever seen Venice truly captured on film once. "Don't Look Now", directed by Nic Roeg, with Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland. Great film, nails Venice's qualities superbly.

[kittenOFchaos]

Florence is pretty small and is full of paintings of Mama and Bambino. It may be nice to visit for a long weekend, but no more.

London is a Great City. My wife from Toronto says it is a billion times better than Toronto as it has so much going on. She has tried to love Paris, but can't.

I've still to do New York and Venice.

[finbar]

Selling Florence a little short there, old boy, though it's a nice pithy line. You should be writing travel guides. The irony is that the more time you spend in Florence, the more you discover. It's only an hour on the train north of us so we're there a lot. The birthplace of the Renaissance and it's still all there to see while, at the same time, a busy working modern city.

Avoid Venice in summer. You'll hate it.

I have the same problem with London that your wife has with Paris. I have a bit of a love-hate thing going with Paris after countless visits over 20 years. We're heading there for Christmas and New Year. Should be fun.

[Havak]

I've been to Paris many times. What with the Parc de Princes and Stade Francais being there. I'm very fond of the place I have to say - even having been stung for a £20 beer on the Champs (my first visit some 13 years ago, dread to think what they would cost now).

The problem I have with London is as a city it simply doesn't reflect the country it represents. The infrastructure of the place is just like every other cosmopolitan city, one or two major tourists attractions aside (and I share your view of places swamped by tourists Finbar - best avoided!). To sample England - lifestyle, architecture, history and the basic ambience of life you need to get out of that city and further out into the country itself. Try Leicester even - along with Birmingham the most multi-cultural city in England making for a fascinating mix of old England and modern England. You might even find Richard III.

[finbar]

I agree entirely. I've seen and done most of England several times. And, for that matter, Scotland and Ireland, Wales to a lesser extent. God bless the English. I remember once driving from Yorkshire down to Chester in a day. The locals couldn't believe such a trip was possible in a day. Along the same lines, I met some people - adults - in Fairford, Gloucestershire, who had never ever been to Oxford.

[finbar]

Farewell Craig Newby. Shame. One of the better Kiwi signings. The AP suited him.

The Leicester crew say Manu will be around the best 13 in world rugby within 12 months. Apart from spouting their usual bollocks, I suspect it's as much a shot across the S. Lancaster bows - "don't even think of playing him at inside centre".

[finbar]

So they've found bones in Havak's cellar, the skeleton seems to indicate a curved spine, we might have Richard III. They're going to do DNA tests. If they ask for your toothbrush, Havak, don't be backwards in coming forward.

So whose skeletons can we expect to see uncovered in your neck of the woods, kOc? Apart from the Sale coaching team?

[Havak]

I loived in Glaws for a year whilst on my student sandwich year. I met numerous people who had not even been to Cheltenham.

Tigers seem to be losing a lot of back rowers recently. Newby was popular with the crowd - he put his body on the line (as the retirement tends to prove).

Havak as heir to the House of York? War of the Rose 2: the Payback? It's food for thought.

[kittenOFchaos]

So whose skeletons can we expect to see uncovered in your neck of the woods, kOc? Apart from the Sale coaching team?

Wat Tyler...whose leadership skills must have rivalled those of Redpath

[finbar]

Meh. Our little town's only claim to fame is that Dean Martin's parents lived here. There's a wee plaque on the wall of the building in the main street. Not sure how or why they came to be here. The father was from Abruzzo, the mother from even further south. I must go and check the dates. Dino Crocetti was born in the US so they emigrated at some point.

[kittenOFchaos]

Argentina just threw away my £2 in the last 20 minutes or so of the game. I should have taken a handicap on Argentina, but 5-1 (6-1 if they win by 1-12 points) appeared to be very good odds. Mix that into a safish accumulator and who knows...£££!

The game was there for the taking, but the stupidity displayed by a number of players was breath-taking. Argentina certainly have the physical specimens to win games at the highest level, but the intellect? Pfft!!!

Also, how many years is it going to be before Australia have a front-row worthy of the name? Andrew Sheridan highlighted the issue in 2007. It is now 2012 and the fact they aren't penalised every scrum is due to some pretty generous refereeing.