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LDiCesare
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La Ferté sous Jouarre France
Jan 2001
time: 05:34
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England 13 - 19 Ireland
Ireland bet England at Twickenham.
Mostly, Ireland defended well, and England lost all their balls because of the most pitiful lineout one has ever witnessed. I mean, even I can throw better than that.
The English would probably have won had they had the balls to play with. They almost scored twice, and did score one try, despite having very few ammunititon. They didn't play very fair, however, and were lucky not to get a yellow card on at least two occasions. They also leaked too many penalties, which is something they didn't do last year. Of course, at least once I didn't understand why the referee penalised Hill, but overall, the English did make mistakes, conceding penalties and giving all their lineouts but one or two to the Irish. Very interesting game to watch, as the suspense lasted to the end. And a few nice mauls, particularly from the Irish, whose pack I didn't expect at that level.
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LDiCesare
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La Ferté sous Jouarre France
Jan 2001
time: 05:34
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Yep. It would tend to prove that England misses Johnson to jump in the lineout and keep the heads of his fellow players cool. Thomson's throws in lineouts were the worst ever seen and his replacement didn't do much better. That problem for France when we'll meet them is that they are very likely to spend a few weeks doing nothing but lineouts at training.
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970
time: 06:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Havak
I don't doubt France will raise their game for us - what worries me is that on Saturday's showing they don't really need to. |
Oh well. Ruling the world roost is cyclical, as you know. Just a pity England's spell on top was the shortest on record. 
quote:
Bad news about Carlos - but the news on Rogers is rather better I understand? |
All very odd. There's ligament damage, but he's gone on the South African roadtrip with the team. I assume he'll miss this week at least. Gee, he's been in magical form. He picked up a pass from his toecaps at full speed for a try on the weekend.
The best news, though, is that Wendell has done absolutely zilch for the Reds in the first three weeks. His Wallaby days have to be numbered. Mark Gerrard, from the Brumbies, is doing everything right on his wing. Yet another wonderful talent let slip by the Waratahs. He, along with several other of last season's U-21s, are coming along very nicely.
Oh, and the Rathbone kid, regardless of the carry-on, can play a bit. Even if he looks like a centre playing out of position on the wing. Which he is.
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Have you seen the silly news about NZ's tour up here in November. They may face England twice but they won't be official tests becuase the two unions have seemingly cut a deal to share the money in a way the IRB wouldn't sanction. It's all very weird... |
Haven't heard about it. I'll check it out. Isn't this meant to be the year of the carnival of Tests? Or is that next year?
Edit. I just checked out the report about the unofficial Tests. So what are they? Exhibition matches? Presumably the ABs would only play if they received a cut and England were happy to settle for 50% rather than nothing. As you say ... weird.
Last edited by finbar on 08-03-2004 at 18:46
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970
time: 06:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Havak
I fully understand. And using that interpretation of course it is NZ who were the shortest reigning number one team ever. They regained the ranking for all of 48 hours (?) in the pool rounds of the RWC I believe – and did so without troubling to play any other side in the top five. Can you explain that one to me?  |
Ask the guy who decided last year that South Africa knocked off Australia as the top ranked Test cricket team despite Australia having smashed SA earlier that same year. Different sport, same stupidity.
BTW, I'm watching the Australians falling in a heap in the first Test in Sri Lanka. Surprisingly, the curator prepared a slow, low turner. Equally surprisingly, the Sri Lankans picked one quick and four spinners, opening the bowling with the quick and an offie. The spear chucker took 6 in our first innings. Turning them square on the first day. But then any half decent spinner allowed to throw a ball will turn it square. Such a shame that a fear of the cricket world splitting down racial lines lets the spear chucker go on making a mockery of the game's laws.
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And on that day Tony Blair will say to the British people “I am sorry that I lied”. |
Point taken. Still, on the bright side, our Thatcher-ite Conservative government is now running scared from a rejuvenated opposition.
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So how long before Rathbone figures in Eddie’s plans? Especially if the franchise is playing him out of position? |
He'd have to come under consideration in the long term but he's not setting the world on fire yet. Just showing that he can play. He's on the wing because he's got Matt Giteau and Stirling Mortlock ahead of him in the centres and he's not going to shift them in a hurry. But in terms of a Wallaby future, he's going to run into the obvious problem - we have plenty of talented centres and wingers. We're in need of talented newcomers elsewhere.
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You will note I am leaving the nationality thing alone – Clive keeps picking Boks for us these days (the tight head who polished wood last weekend is a Bok). |
And the moral? Picking players born elsewhere is a fast track to slipping from the top of the heap.
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And my fear is he will pick the same 22 again for Wales. Although I hope not. |
Mmmm. So if he does, presumably he's saving the 1st XV for matches against one of the S12 teams?
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970
time: 06:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Havak
You have consistently argued that rankings should, at best, be taken with a large dose of salt. I am moving to your way of thinking. |
Yes, well, I'm yet to hear a meaningful argument in their favour. They're a symptom of people's need for lists. They're statistically based. And, as has been proved, statistics produce blips that render the whole thing laughable. Case closed.
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Muralitharan again eh? Such a big issue being provoked by such a small man. It is weird that he performs so well at home matches isn’t it? Another six wickets this time? |
He has 490+ lifetime wickets, so he's potent all over the world. But if you throw a ball, you can impart massive spin on it. The extension of the arm provides the extra leverage. Add that advantage to his natural accuracy and you have a wicket-taking machine. It's well known that a lot of international umpires and a majority of international players believe he throws. But on it goes. Politics, unfortunately. The Sri Lankan skipper - Ranatunga, I think - was going to take his team from the field after Murali was called for throwing, citing racism.
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At least it sounds as if Dilshan’s knock was worthy enough? |
Fine knock. They know how to play their low, slow turners. Patience. Something you need in spades in order to succeed with both bat and ball. It's what will cost the Australians. It's why - as the world's best team - we haven't won a series on the sub-continent against anyone who can exploit their home conditions. We should be called the world's best team away from the sub-continent.
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And Warne without the customary KGs is a weird sight I have to say! |
Yes, he's fit, but not the bowler he was. The various finger and shoulder operations have taken their toll. He's lost most of his variation, now relying on accuracy and guile.
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Front row forwards perhaps? |
Mmmm. Possibly. Speaking of which, I heard that J. Leonard is giving it away. I wonder if he remembers Saturdays without rugby. I wonder if he'll need therapy.
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He is not a man who admits mistakes easily. A lot of the so far missing RWC final XXII are fit again and have had a couple of strong games. He always says he picks on form – I shall watch the squad for Wales with great interest. |
I saw a highlights package from the Ireland game. I enjoyed the look on Clive's face. There's rather a lot on the line in the next few weeks. Though I note les grenouilles' John The Baptist has succumbed to a hammy.
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970
time: 06:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Havak
Are you Ming in disguise? |
I thought a mod should make an appearance in one of our threads even if by proxy.
quote:
Contrast the lenient view towards Mura with the hard line being taken with England over Zimbabwe and you will see where the racism in the sport really lies. |
The government over there, who is leaning on the Test Board, is behaving appallingly. They won't come out and prevent a tour of Zimbabwe, they just make sufficient noise for the Board to shiver in its boots. We had the same thing here over playing a match in Zimbabwe during the last Cricket World Cup. The Government pressured, the ACB said get stuffed. Your lot didn't. And what is not touring going to achieve? Comparisons with the boycott of South Africa over apartheid are ridiculous, IMHO.
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He got a 5 wicket haul I see? |
Yep. Off about 40 overs. Accuracy and persistence. Even at his peak he was never the same force on the sub-continent. The wickets are too low and slow. He was always a slow leggie who relied on bounce and zip, too slow through the air and off the wicket to be as effective over there. Anyway, he proved yet again that he's a class above Stuart McGill.
The Sri Lankans really blew it today. Batted very negatively, unlike yesterday when they played patiently but aggressively when the opportunity arose. They should've ended up 200+ in front. Then they came out and set negative fields instead of attacking us. As it is, we've now made up the difference with two down. Unfortunately, Hayden just ran out Ponting taking the single for his ton. Still, there's plenty of time for the spear chucker to run through us.
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What is happening to us now is very reminiscent of what happened to the Wallabies after 99? |
Pretty much. Player ageing and retirement means it has to be cyclical. You just have to hope you don't lose too many keys at once. And it's particularly damaging when your team relies very heavily on one player. We didn't rely on Eales to the extent that you relied on J****, but we still haven't replaced him. For that matter, we haven't really replaced Timmy Horan. Or Jason Little at his best. You mightn't find another J**** in terms of skills in a hurry, but you need someone to step into his leadership role. And much of that, unfortunately, relies on extraordinary personality. Hard to find.
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Early signs are Clive plans to pick exactly the same failures next time . He needs to remember that when you coach an English side of any type you are only ever three losses away from the sack at most. |
Oh well, he's now facing some acid tests. J**** was the strength, not Clive. Clive minus J**** will be interesting to watch.
quote:
Oh yes – our old mate Rod Kafer has been banned for six weeks for verbally abusing a referee last month. Kafer is now denied access to the touchline, playing enclosure, tunnel and changing rooms for the length of the ban – a bit tough given he is player-coach. What did he do? The referee blew full time as they lost 22-18 to Northampton when Rod thought his side should have been given a penalty under the oppo posts instead. His mistake – making the verbals very public indeed.  |
Saracens? Won't it be embarrassing if they lift during the six weeks? Kafer was reputed to have called John O'Neill a c*nt to his face, so nothing he said to a ref would surprise me.
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Tamerlin
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Toulouse (South-western France)
Apr 2002
time: 06:34
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quote:
Originally posted by finbar
Hey Tamerlin. There's a Jacques Tati Retrospective starting in Sydney this week. New prints of Jour de Fete, Les Vacances de M. Hulot, Mon Oncle and Playtime. I must try to get along. I hadn't realised that Playtime effectively sank him. Well, its failure - his audience rejected it - bankrupted him. Even though he went on to make Traffic, he died a bankrupt. Sad. Playtime is one of his best, IMHO. I'm sure a lot of those who rejected it at the time would see it differently now. And so it goes. |
Don't miss this retrospective, these four movies are fantastic, without any doubt among the best movies I have ever seen. 
I have seen two years ago the new print of Playtime and I consider it to be a tremenduous tribute to Tati's genius, magic and poetry. Believe me, you can't miss it... 
Playtime was indeed rejected by the audience, I think that it did not understood this movie because Tati was really ahead of his time... really too far ahead. He invested his own money in the movie and was thus ruined. Many spectators had not seen the original movie and were greatly impressed by it, those that had seen the original copy (like me) discovered this great movie again and were enthralled again. 
Though Traffic is largely underestimated I really like it, it's a pity most of the people don't know Jacques Tati did this movie after Playtime. 
Last edited by Tamerlin on 11-03-2004 at 06:07
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970
time: 06:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Havak
The English situation is slightly different to the Australian. You are fellow ex colonials to the great murdering moron in charge over there – we were apparently the devil incarnate and the source of all ills for that sad nation (nicely ignoring the fact that the UK was one of the harshest critics of the former Rhodesia). |
True. Particularly the last bit.
quote:
I actually think in this case the Cricket world should shun Zimbabwe tours until the incumbent is overthrown. I have no problem with them visiting here (I think WE can guarantee THEIR safety). But it’s that racism thing again – the sub continent sides will block any such move. |
I'm not sure what not touring there will achieve. It won't get rid of the lunatic. It worked against apartheid but only in concert with a massive number of other measures. Anyway ...
quote:
It’s an amazing strength your sides have that their heads don’t go down after a bad first innings. |
Mental strength, belief in themselves. That which, unfortunately, manifests itself in unpleasant ways from time to time. Harnessed, it's powerful. But the Sri Lankans really did lose the plot yesterday morning. Maybe because they didn't believe enough in themselves. They let us back in, and that's a terribly dangerous thing to do. In our second innings, we're doing what we didn't do in the first - patience, keeping out the good balls, punishing the bad. Hayden made a wonderful ton, but I watched him play and miss two and three times an over against Murali yesterday. Head down, start again.
I'm a big fan of Darren Lehmann. A throwback. Drinker and smoker, built like a blacksmith, out of shape in the modern scheme of things, but the best player of spin bowling in the team. He played a few seasons for Yorkshire. They loved him.
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Very hard. Dallaglio isn’t one that’s for sure. |
So who is there?
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Any idea who with? |
Telstra, amongst others. I know Telstra were happy to stump up very big money without wanting the jersey. It might not have been what Vodaphone were paying, but it's very big. Add to that a number of other, smaller sponsors and the Vodaphone figure was easily surpassed. More to come, too, apparently.
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07-03-2004 04:56
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