16-05-2002 04:35									#181
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You're a star! I just checked the TV guide. Free-to-air won't be showing the games on delay. I'll have to settle for an hour package on Sunday at 11am. I'll just have to avoid the radio all day Saturday. Which will be hard during a 10 hour drive. Of course, a 10 hour drive for you, Havak, would take you from John O'Groats to somewhere out into the Atlantic.

BTW, where in the B.I. are you?

	16-05-2002 12:53									#182
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quote: I'll just have to avoid the radio all day Saturday. Which will be hard during a 10 hour drive.

Good luck with that, I don't think I could do it!

quote: Of course, a 10 hour drive for you, Havak, would take you from John O'Groats to somewhere out into the Atlantic.

Ah you have clearly seen me drive.

Of course on a bad day that 10 hour drive might only take me 20 miles on the M25.

quote: BTW, where in the B.I. are you?

Leicestershire. I'm therefore a pure bred Tigers fan, as opposed to one of those Man Utd soccer types who could easily be from Kent.

	16-05-2002 13:02									#183
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quote: Originally posted by Havak Leicestershire. I'm therefore a pure bred Tigers fan, as opposed to one of those Man Utd soccer types who could easily be from Kent.

Gee, you're the first person I've ever met - so to speak - from Leicestershire. David Gower country, hm? And isn't Michael Bevan playing this season with you mob?

	16-05-2002 15:46									#184
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David 'Judas' Gower who left the County after a decade for Hampshire, yes.

Yes Bevan is with the Foxes. And I think they have made a decent start to the County championship. However, despite the fact I have attended several all day drinking sessions at Grace road, I have to say I know very little about the leather on willow sport. As attested earlier in the thread it (coupled with the alcohol) help me catch up on my sleep nicely.

	16-05-2002 16:39									#185
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Heathen.

	16-05-2002 17:18									#186
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Well it's been so long since we beat Australia in a series most Englishmen feign indifference to the sport these days to avoid having the Mick taken.

Not that I'm doing that of course

	17-05-2002 18:58									#187
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Ah Finbar - you had to go and disappear as the good stuff starts - the Biarritz coaches sending Joe Roff off back to the homeland with a resounding "Non merci" in his ears, and the master of psych Dwyer launching torpedos in the direction of Crusaders and Brumbies.


Can't wait to see what happens in the Super 12 this weekend.

	17-05-2002 19:22									#188
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I haven't gone yet, Havak. In about 6 hours time. If I ever get to bed. I missed the Joe Roff thing. I expect I'll get it in tomorrow's paper.

Keep the thread bubbling!

Ciao.

	17-05-2002 19:27									#189
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Well it's not like me to get it wrong.

Have a good trip.

Crusaders-Brumbies final anyone?

	20-05-2002 12:35									#190
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Well I don't often get my predictions quite so accurate.

Crusaders-Brumbies it is.

Those damn brumbies might steal it yet.

	20-05-2002 12:57									#191
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quote: Originally posted by Havak Those damn brumbies might steal it yet.

Don't say things like that!

Btw finbar, did you happen to catch that story a few nights ago about a big Queensland push to divert most of their upcoming talent to the AFL? ie: Away from Union and League (Not that the latter would be a big loss ).
I saw it but couldn't understand the reasoning behind it. No other country plays AFL so why on earth would they want to focus on this over the others. Seemed as though it wouldn't be of much benefit to Australian international competition if a large number of future players are just taken out of the pool as it were ...
That said, I certainly wouldn't mind if the wallabies were to lose to, er, well, lets say the, um, all blacks for example, because of it, but I just couldn't see the logic behind it at all

	20-05-2002 13:13									#192
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quote: Don't say things like that!

There's no doubt Crusaders have been a class above this time - but would you really be surprised to see ACT sneak it?

Finbar is away on holiday this week - he gets back Sunday I think (and will therefore miss the final too).

	20-05-2002 19:42									#193
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Hey Rugby Fans!
Just got back from europe yesterday, we had a great trip and took some fantastic photos. Ill post some, but I have to shrink them down first.

I caught up with the super12 yesterday (watched 4 games in a row).

Highlanders v Reds
I really enjoyed this game, as the Reds took the lead early and then were outclassed later despite the Highlanders losing key players to injury.

This meant that the semi-finals were NZ team v NZ team and Aussie team v Aussie team. I would have preferred both to have been trans-tasman matches.

Crusaders v Waratahs
What can I say about this game...amazing. The Waratahs were abysmal. I only watched the first half because with the score being 63-zip to the Crusaders the game was pretty much over...
Final score - 96 - 19...what a joke!

Crusaders v Highlanders
Wasnt too excited about this game, as expected the Crusaders won.

Brumbies v Waratahs
I was suprised that anyone actually thought the Waratahs had a chance in this one. They looked ok in the first half, but were taken apart in the second.

So the final will be Crusaders v Brumbies.
Should be a great game, Im looking forward to it. I expect the Crusaders to win.

	20-05-2002 20:37									#194
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Jeff Wilson has retired from rugby to play cricket damn him!

	20-05-2002 21:01									#195
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Remember the guy who bet $100,000 on the Brumbies getting to the final? He must be...

It would have been less stressful working for the money!

	21-05-2002 13:50									#196
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Yeah I have to say Wilson surprised me there - giving up the beautiful game to play Cricket - crazy guy!

Jason Robinson just picked up Premiership Player of the year here. If you haven't seen him yet watch out for him come RWC - he is a recent convert from League but has picked the real game up very quickly and is one of the most dynamic attacking full backs I've seen in a decade or so. Finbar will already know something about him from the Lions last year (but he played Wing then).

Lewis Moody got young player of the year - watch this lad, he is potentially better than George Smith (he certainly has a better game off the back foot at the moment). He is the long term replacement for Neil Back in the England set up.

Btw Although Tigers lost the play off game last Saturday (here the play offs are the tertiary tournament not the main one - the lads had their eyes firmly on the Euro cup final this Saturday) I have to say Kronfeld's quality shone through - he made one fair tackle on Comtempomi that laid the Puma out and made me shudder.

It's some back row I get to watch - pick any three from Martin Corry, Neil Back, Lewis Moody and Josh Kronfeld. Three England stalwarts and a Kiwi legend - we know we are spoilt.

	21-05-2002 20:02									#197
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quote: Originally posted by Havak It's some back row I get to watch - pick any three from Martin Corry, Neil Back, Lewis Moody and Josh Kronfeld. Three England stalwarts and a Kiwi legend - we know we are spoilt.

Yeah, I reckon England will be a force to be reckoned with in the RWC next year. If NZ dont win it I wouldnt mind seeing England win.

Here is a pic I took in Amsterdam.

	21-05-2002 20:03									#198
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Paris...

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	21-05-2002 20:05									#199
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versailles...

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	22-05-2002 12:59									#200
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Some excellent pictures there - I have walked past the spot where you took the Amsterdam and Paris piccies I think. Versailles is quite a place I hear? I trust you had a good time?

quote: Yeah, I reckon England will be a force to be reckoned with in the RWC next year. If NZ dont win it I wouldnt mind seeing England win.

They need to get over the habit of choking on the big tests, but I think eventually they have to come good. Like most of my countrymen I carry the same attitude (prejudice perhaps?) that I would prefer to see the All Blacks win rather than the Wallabies once England are out. Its probably unfair of us, but I think we see the AB's as a purer Rugby side, and usually far more magnanimous in victory over us (i.e less gloating).

Finbar might be disappointed in me on that - but I doubt he would be surprised.

I'm really getting up the European cup final now - I'm off down to Cardiff on Friday for a long weekend. Tigers have a few injury concerns, not least that Jonno is recovering form a virus, but the bad new for Munster is that I hear Jim Williams is struggling to be fit. Needless to say that could make a big difference to them - I like big Jim.

	22-05-2002 13:04									#201
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quote: Originally posted by Havak I would prefer to see the All Blacks win rather than the Wallabies once England are out. Its probably unfair of us, but I think we see the AB's as a purer Rugby side, and usually far more magnanimous in victory over us (i.e less gloating).

I guess that makes it official - everyone agrees that Oz winning something (ANYthing ) is bad.

	22-05-2002 14:08									#202
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They should see it as a compliment really

	22-05-2002 17:48									#203
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quote: Originally posted by Havak Some excellent pictures there - I have walked past the spot where you took the Amsterdam and Paris piccies I think. Versailles is quite a place I hear? I trust you had a good time?

Yes I had a great time, thanks. The place where I took the Amsterdam pic is 1 block down from Rhembrantplein(sp?). Versailles was amazing, no wonder the french revolted!

quote: They need to get over the habit of choking on the big tests, but I think eventually they have to come good. Like most of my countrymen I carry the same attitude (prejudice perhaps?) that I would prefer to see the All Blacks win rather than the Wallabies once England are out. Its probably unfair of us, but I think we see the AB's as a purer Rugby side, and usually far more magnanimous in victory over us (i.e less gloating).

Aussies call us the poms of the south pacific, so I guess I just proved them right!

Its funny to see how cocky the aussies get about their rugby team when they have a couple of good years. When you look at the tri-nations and super12 results since the competitions started in '96 the aussies have only won each competition once, and both wins were last year. Nothing to get too cocky about IMO. Also last year was the first time a non-NZ team won the super12.

	22-05-2002 19:09									#204
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Did you see this place while you were there Havak?

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	22-05-2002 19:40									#205
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LOL!

No I didn't see that but if I had I would sure have popped in for a warm beer and some lousy food to make me feel right at home.

I don't want to leave too much negative Wallaby stuff for Finbar to sigh at when he returns but I do agree with you on that issue -a large part of the Wallabies fans are very poor losers and appalling winners (in terms of the gloat fest I mean). We need to give them more practice of losing I think?

Are we both backing the French in their two tests in Aus in June then?

quote: Aussies call us the poms of the south pacific

Ah bless 'em - they think thats an insult but it's actually a massive compliment

*had to edit this when I realised I had said the Aussies and their fans were poor losers, in fairness the Wallabies themselves tend to to take it fairly on the chin - it's (a large number of) their fans I meant to accuse of this. Having said that I do think the team can be accused of major gloating on occassion*

	22-05-2002 19:44									#206
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quote: Originally posted by Havak Are we both backing the French in their two tests in Aus in June then?

Hell yeah! GO FRANCE!

	22-05-2002 19:47									#207
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I used to support the Wallabies over South Africa, but SA suck now, so they are no longer a major threat.

	22-05-2002 19:51									#208
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The SA v Argentina game could be interesting. Argentina almost beat the All Blacks in their last game, so they might actually be able to topple the Springboks.

	22-05-2002 20:24									#209
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I have to say Argentina look a good side these days. They could well beat the Boks.

It will also be interesting as England play a test there in June - and it's a development squad really as all the major players are being rested from the tour. It will certainly test what strength we have in depth I think.

	22-05-2002 20:34									#210
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Yes, a development squad from England could certainly fall prey to Argentina. The NZ coaches strike again!