Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

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It just brands Cockers as petty. If Ford is better than Bowden, he should be in front of Bowden. If Ford isn't better than Bowden, Cockers shouldn't be as disappointed to lose him as he is.

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Lancaster sticks with 36, Manu on the bench. Sensible given Manu's lack of game time and probable lack of fitness. Ultimately I'd like to see Manu outside 36 with Barritt sent back to club rugby where he belongs. Still, will make for a very interesting battle of the midfields.

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Good old Sale. And I tipped them! Very very handy win. Let the resurgence begin.

Bombed out in the Rabies, though.

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Mighty Scotland effort. The coach with lots of hair might be a back-stabbing cur but, after two matches, he's had Scotland looking more threatening than they ever seemed under Robinson. Beaten by England but they also threatened. They gave England too much time and space in attack. Italy made too many errors yesterday but Scotland didn't give them any time or room to play. Unlike the French last week. Sean Maitland is a terrific acquisition. Always a quality player, he was stiff to be a Kiwi winger when the ABs have a queue of good ones. You can see his rugby breeding. He knows where to go on the field and what to do. Something lacking in Scotland backs for a long time.

Is PSA another Lievremont after all? Mechenaud and Michalak were dismal last week. And again yesterday. Okay, Michalak had a couple of fine games at 10 in the autumn. Incumbency. But he doesn't even play 10 for his club. Yesterday, a badly unbalanced bench meant PSA had to play T-D at full back while Michalak continued to flounder. And Parra warmed the bench while Mechenaud did nothing. And Fofana on the wing? Utterly wasted. But selection stupidity aside, it was a re-run of the Italy game. Clueless, insipid rugby, as if they didn't care. Wales? Well, they won. Italy looked better beating the French the week before. Wales are no closer to solving their problems.

A French rugby mate of mine said during the week that the French Fed might be quietly praying for a loss to Wales. For a 6N wooden spoon for France, in fact. The clubs currently control French rugby. They pay the players. The French Fed is essentially powerless in terms of the national team. The players played Top-14 the week prior to the first round of the 6N and came together as a squad six days before the first round. They will play Top-14 during the 6N break. In July, the French Fed begins negotiations with the clubs over control of the players. A core group of the clubs - the billionaire-owned lot like Toulon, Stade, etc - couldn't give a fig for Test rugby and want a Top-16. The more traditional clubs are more sympathetic to the French Fed if not ready to hand over control of the players. My French mate's theory was that a 6N humiliation for France would only strengthen the French Fed's hand in the negotiations. If enough of the clubs cared.

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Impressively mature England effort yesterday in dire conditions. Ireland didn't do themselves any favours in the first half with tin hands and a poor choice of tactics. It wasn't a day for putting the ball through the hands. The third quarter was Ireland's when they finally used SOB and O'Mahony to make ground and England struggled to contain them. Injuries to SOB and BOD put a stop to the resurgence. Sexton's departure should have been a God-given opportunity for ROG to revel in the conditions. Good grief, his powers have waned. Now, with Sexton missing with a hammy, Ireland will pay the price for Declan's refusal to blood a young 10.

Unless France produce a World Cup-style reversal, I can see an England GS. I'd put it in the by default category.

Speaking of France, the French Fed have had a minor victory over the clubs. Traditionally, the squad have returned to their clubs and played Top-14 during the 6N break. The clubs have agreed to rest the players this week. Though the players will return to their clubs rather than remain as a group. How very French.

[Havak]

The GS is possible. Though the other France might turn up, Italy might find the perfect time for their first win over England and the last game is in Cardiff. Cardiff aka the Bear Pit.

Wales will raise their game by a few hundred percent against England as usual. Hopefully it won't be enough.

I was quite wrong about Mr Cockerill btw - he is on record last week as saying he will pick on form at stand off. Hence Ford got the shirt against LW.

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Then Cockers has changed his mind. I read his original comments.

Looks like PSA is somewhat coming to his senses. Out go Mermoz, Taofifenua, Ouedraogo, Chouly and Forestier. In come Clerc (back from injury), Claassen, Domingo, Nyanga and Samson. So Fofana back to 12 at the very least and a much stronger, better balanced back row.

[kittenOFchaos]

Speaking of France, the French Fed have had a minor victory over the clubs. Traditionally, the squad have returned to their clubs and played Top-14 during the 6N break. The clubs have agreed to rest the players this week. Though the players will return to their clubs rather than remain as a group. How very French.

Perhaps the French Federation should be investigating match fixing...

Bordeaux 41 - Toulon 0

No disrespect to Bordeaux, but Toulon were fielding a strong squad and didn't even score a point...that isn't surprising, it is suspicious and deserves investigating. Shame on the following players...and no, I don't think I'm over-reacting...

15 Vincent Martin, 14 Rudi Wulf, 13 Geoffroy Messina, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 David Smith, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Nicolas Durand, 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 7 Steffon Armitage, 6 Pierrick Gunther, 5 Nicholas Kennedy, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Levan Chilachava, 2 Sebastien Bruno, 1 Andrew Sheridan.

16 Jean Charles Orioli, 17 Xavier Chiocci, 18 Virgile Bruni, 19 Joe van Niekerk, 20 Ivan Roux, 21 Benjamin Lapeyre, 22 Alexis Palisson, 23 Carl Hayman.

[kittenOFchaos]

On a more positive note...the 6 Nations...

It wasn't as entertaining as last week, that was for certain. I watched much of France versus Wales on fast forward as the 1st half was so dire and the conditions meant Ireland Vs England was reduced to an arm-wrestle. However, Scotland played intelligent, entertaining rugby and dominated Italy without seeing too much of the ball. Poor Robinson...so much endeavour, so few tries. Richie Gray was much improved, but it is Hogg that should be going to Australia with the Lions, he has been fantastic.

[kittenOFchaos]

If you want to see Quade Cooper getting punched...just not nearly enough

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trMtJchhSGY

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Perhaps the French Federation should be investigating match fixing ...

..... 1 Andrew Sheridan.

There's your explanation for the loss right there.

[kittenOFchaos]

There's your explanation for the loss right there.

He won't have been on the pitch long enough to influence the result.

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Healy cops two weeks for his stamp on Dan Cole. Very lucky fella. It was not only unnecessary but dangerous. He was equally lucky not to be cited for the assault on Robshaw.

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Good one, Sale. Came through for me again. The rump of the table looks very very interesting:

Worcester 26 points
Welsh 22 points
Irish 20 points
Sale 19 points

[kittenOFchaos]

Good one, Sale. Came through for me again. The rump of the table looks very very interesting:

Worcester 26 points
Welsh 22 points
Irish 20 points
Sale 19 points

A very good result for Sale Sharks against London Welsh, but apparently the performance wasn't up to much. 4 wins in our last 4 games does suggest that we have turned a corner and that perhaps we can avoid relegation. I think the signing of David Braid in January has made a vast difference to the squad, in addition to being a former All-Black and a grafter he appears to be able to inspire our players to apply themselves. We desperately needed that.

I think London Irish will go down...but I base that solely on seeing them (with my own eyes) losing to us in Salford in such abject fashion.