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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970
time: 06:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Havak
I’m looking forward to the game more and more!! |
 But not looking forward to the Taffys claiming their team was understrength! But if the top players aren't released, it really makes for a meaningless encounter.
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Can you find percentages? What little I saw of him against ‘Tahs the technique was sound but accuracy was extremely poor. |
Can't find any stats. His effort against the Waratahs was the worst effort I've seen from him. He was deadly in the last couple of seasons.
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It’s not the first time he has done that – or used his boots dangerously on other body parts. He is a liability to the All Blacks as he is fourteen men waiting to happen.  |
I find it truly odd when players commit those sorts of fouls against other players who are national teammates. It's not uncommon. Rough, tough and competitive, I can understand. It's to be expected. Those sorts of fouls mystify me.
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Yes, but you are being overly pessimistic about Back. Not the player he was five years ago but do not expect him to be totally blown away by young McCaw even so. Still a warrior on the ground and quite unbreakable as all those North Aucklanders try to snap him in two. |
I don't question his strength and skills on the ground. But the last time I saw him in a Test - who did he last play against? - he was struggling to keep up. And that was several years ago.
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Balshaw is also dubious – he is there on potential only as he has played very little rugby. With Murphy out of form at the wrong time Balsh is possibly the most attacking threat at fullback. Robinson looks over and done with in any role right now – Thomas and Lewsey are more defensive fullbacks (though Lewsey prefers wing these days). |
Methinks the AB flyers will embarrass Balshaw. Murphy was (to me) surprisingly ordinary in some of the 6N but he's skilled, versatile in attack or defence, and has finesse. Get him back into form and play him.
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Talk about kicking someone when they are down! |
The demotion race is a fascinating contest. Worcester look like they will stay up which will be nice to see. A promoted team surviving.
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It’s tasty on that level – BO’D works hard in defence too. Part of me wants to see Henson in the tests too – if only to prove substance is truly more important than image as he gets bulldozed. But then I do want to win the test if possible. |
I just hope too much isn't expected of O'Driscoll. It helped sink Ireland, although, to be fair, he didn't have a quality centre partner.
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12 is actually a potential weakspot – that is why Greenwood travels with only one game after five months out under his belt. I’m not convinced at all by Henson yet – I think perhaps the D’Arcy-O Driscoll combination for me (D’Arcy missed the last two 6N games and it made a difference). |
It also depends on who the ABs play at 12. Seems to be a bit of a raffle at the moment.
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I hope Smithy gets a few mid-week games (or even makes the bench at tests?) as I think he is the kind of player that will go down well with Kiwis – willing to back his own skills and take defences on. He is unlucky to play in the position of the squad skipper – it kind of limits your chances. |
He was obviously picked for a reason. In front of the incumbent England centre nongs!
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970
time: 06:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Havak
I accept your word on that. I’ll still pout him under the microscope against the Lions. Strangely I can’t get as excited about Carter v Jones as I might have for Mehrtens v Wilko. |
He knocked up kicking penalties and conversions against you last June!
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Now you may find this funny but his last game in an England shirt was the RWC final. 
And I honestly can’t say I agree with your reading that he struggled to keep up with Waughy or Smith that time. He was as wrapped around the ball as ever. He figured on the bench once in the 2004 6N but did not get on the field – then retired (in a huff you might say). |
I was thinking his last Test had to be the World Cup final. I thought he was struggling, even if his effort in the final was better than his efforts earlier in the tournament.
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I think, and correct me if I am wrong, you have probably seen him in action for Tigers since (in Europe probably) and made that judgment from those games? Does it sound possible? |
No, I think I've only seen Tigers once in a very long time. It was the match where J**** cuffed, from memory, Lewsey around the ear.
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Who played 12 for the ABs on the Autumn tour? |
Interestingly, Umaga played 12 twice, and Mauger once.
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Did you catch Chris Jack’s comments on PR? Talking about he would have liked to face Martin Johnson again – as he only played him once in his career and lost! |
He can say it now, safe in the knowledge that it won't happen again.
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Interesting ructions in Wales – when Clive invited the Welsh coaching team to put forward names for his team last year they refused anyone permission to join it. This led to Llanelli’s DOR being invited instead – and this gentleman launched both barrels at the WRU yesterday as after the 6N the Union suddenly started demanding that Ruddock join the trip. I don’t often agree with Jenkins (the worlds worst loser as player and coach) but he is right here that the WRU got this one wrong – initially refusing to take part then suddenly complaining that they were not represented!  |
I read about it. The Welsh were playing silly games. Came back to bite them.
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LDiCesare
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La Ferté sous Jouarre France
Jan 2001
time: 05:23
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I love France - but if they think 1664 is a 'beer' they really have it very wrong indeed. |
1664 is not beer. It's what you drink when you can't get Guinness.
Do you know where I can find the full list of the Brits named for the Lions' tour? I couldn't find it easily. I confess I didn't look very far. Is the fact that I got hit in the forehead on my match on Tuesday evening a good excuse? (Barring the facts that when my fly half told me "I heard you shout" I answered with a dark gaze that it was not I who had shouted, and the fact that despite the "ominous creaking" heard by the referee I ended up with just a bit more aching in the neck than usual and a small bump on the forehead).
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LDiCesare
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La Ferté sous Jouarre France
Jan 2001
time: 05:23
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I ment the Brits, the whole list, not just the English. And don't worry for my head, it's quite solid (except maybe the nose, which once proved it could break).
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970
time: 06:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
The emerging issue, if not scandal, down here in Canberra is what exactly was the local rugby board doing last year sacking a coach who took the Brumbies to the top and replacing him with a local man who has now lost 4 in a row.
The gossip is that appointment everything to do with mates in high places, including senior players and local club officials/rivalries, and little to do with coaching ability.
To make matters worse, this is the first time the Waratahs have beaten the Brumbies in Canberra. Canberrans are mortified. We had special reasons to be proud NSW had never won here, especially because of perceived discrimination against the ACT by NSW on other matters. |
Emerging issue? It was widely known last season, well before David Nucifora was told his contract wouldn't be renewed, that he was for the chop. And that his demise was almost entirely player-driven. Senior players - Joe Roff, who promptly retired anyway; Owen Finegan; Stirling Mortlock; Jeremy Paul; and possibly George Gregan - resented Nucifora's coaching style in that he actually coached them, including devising tactics. The senior players thought they didn't need coaching, that their success was largely their own doing, including devising their own tactics. Of course it was crap.
Their attitude had its genesis in the franchise's culture - developed by Rod McQueen and maintained by Eddie Jones - which empowered the players. They were given vastly more power and responsibility than in any other club. But they were always coached, whether they realised it or not. The problem with empowering already massive egos is that the egos can get out of control. Which is what happened when the players decided they didn't want Nucifora.
It's hard to know how good or bad a job Laurie Fisher is doing this year because the team has been murdered by injuries. They've never had more than two of their established backline start a match. They would have lost games last season if they'd had the same injury toll. The worry against the Waratahs on the weekend, however, was that, regardless of the injuries, the Brumbies couldn't counter a very basic, very effective Waratah game plan - kicking deep into touch to keep the Brumbies in their own half, utilise a superior lineout, and employ a killer midfield defence. They were comprehensively out-strategised by the Waratahs. That was the big worry.
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Havak
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Swing Low, Sweet Chariots.
Aug 1999
time: 05:23
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Gregan broke his leg? Sorry to hear that.
More on Tigers card collection later.
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He knocked up kicking penalties and conversions against you last June! |
Not sure what your point is there as he faced off against Hodgson – and that doesn’t excite me either.
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I thought he was struggling, even if his effort in the final was better than his efforts earlier in the tournament. |
Perspective I guess – he certainly didn’t lose out to the two young bucks on the Aussie side. And as you know I rate pug face very highly so to me Backy had a cracking game.
But I guess we will see will we not? McCaw has been praised to the rafters for several years – if Backy was struggling in 2003 Richie should blow him away. But he won’t IMO (not least because I think Backy is probably a bench prospect!).
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It was the match where J**** cuffed, from memory, Lewsey around the ear. |
That was one of the European games against Wasps.
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Interestingly, Umaga played 12 twice, and Mauger once. |
Hmm – Graham Henry does like to mix and match?
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He can say it now, safe in the knowledge that it won't happen again. |
If he saw yesterdays game he will be very happy about that – vintage Jonno (yellow card for not stepping back yet again).
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I read about it. The Welsh were playing silly games. Came back to bite them. |
As it was always going to. Hard to feel any sympathy for the Welsh at the best of times.
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1664 is not beer. It's what you drink when you can't get Guinness. |
I’ve always found Guinness a bit of a gamble on the continent to be honest. And I don’t mind drinking premium lagers like 1664 when on tour – after all I know I will be coming home to Real Ale sooner or later.
I see Finbar trawled up the list for you. And I hope the concussion is better now?
One addendum to the list – Balshaw knackered a quad in Leeds enjoyable cup win over Baaarrfff and may be out of Lions running (which may open a door for Patterson or Morgan).
Okay something to get off my chest – Saracens are an easy club to dislike these days. We lost to them yesterday after they ran out to box rather than play rugby. We lost Martin Corry on 23 minutes to a straight red. He was pulled down in a maul by Richard Hill and swung his elbow as he went down nearly smashing Hill’s eye socket. It was reckless, it was silly and I just can’t defend it.
The problem for me is that Chris White let Sarries illegally spoil all game and did nothing about it. When he finally lost all control and Martin took matters into his own hands he then yellow carded both Jonno and the prat who had been winding him up! A poor game by Whitey – and the plaudits being give to Sarries mystified me – Tigers played with 14 men for sixty minutes and only lost because of a very dubious penalty late on. Sarries just are not a good side – no wonder their game plan is all niggle (and it is very easy to tell their coach used to be a Sale man – typical Manx game plan of going the biff).
So we are now tied on 73 points with Dayglo’s mob with one game left – Wasps at Welford Road. Do or die stuff – we must win it. You see despite the fact our points difference is +300 or so, 150 odd better than Wasps, they have gone above us on games won – 15 to our 14. All the draws this season have come back to haunt us.
And it’s our traditional preparation for big European games – losing a banker league fixture that is.
Toulouse must be laughing in their cereal this morning – a wounded Tiger awaits them on Sunday.
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970
time: 06:23
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quote:
Originally posted by ravagon
Morning all,
Got back from an 'unexpected' vacation yesterday and sat down to work out what'd happened while I was away ..
(a) The Blues are doing a lot better. |
Relatively speaking. They're winning comfortably on the scoreboard but the margins have been blowing out late in the game with some soft tries. With the talent in their team, they're making hard work of earlier in the game. Carlos remains on the bench. His replacement is handy at best.
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I take it that that Henjak chap is now in for Greegan? |
Yes.
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Apparently the Brumbies reserves were being targetted by the new Perth franchise as well as the hapless Reds, no idea if Henjak were included here or not (there was talk of the Brumbies reserves being 'decimated' - I know how finbar loves the word. ), but actually getting the chance to play the full 80m for a few games for a change may give him the incentive to stay? |
Henjak will get to play the next four to six weeks but the longer term is the question. If Gregan plays on till the World Cup, which, I suspect, is likely, Henjak will warm the bench for another two years. I suspect he probably has to go to Perth for his own good. Or even elsewhere within Australia, which isn't out of the question. OTOH, if George decided not to play on, that's a different matter.
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It looks as though Jake White is beginning to throw some weight around - RSA S12 sides are now coming under a bit of pressure to rest some of their Bok players in time for the upcoming 3N and International season. Only the Cats so far (and it may not have made a great deal of difference in the S12 standings or for their upcoming clash with the Crusaders I admit) but the other clubs may not be far behind. |
Most of them are playing crap rugby anyway.
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14-04-2005 13:05
(although I see the resident Welshies have already put someone to the sword over that one. 
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