07-06-2002 15:59									#31
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quote: I'm also perfectly happy to talk about the Lions tour, too

I have no recollection of this - when was it again

I do recall many a bar in Melbourne and Sydney, where I was downing Carlton Crown by the case load.

And loads of people wearing Vodafone provided yellow hats and scarves - thats a Brit company dagnammit!

So John III - whats your team?

And watch these two - they know their rugby and are prepared to argue against the well known fact that England are the best team in the world.

	07-06-2002 16:48									#32
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quote: Originally posted by Havak I do recall many a bar in Melbourne and Sydney, where I was downing Carlton Crown by the case load.

Carlton Crown? Yerrrrkkkk. Enough said.

quote: And watch these two - they know their rugby and are prepared to argue against the well known fact that England are the best team in the world.

Of course, Caligastia would argue the ABs are the best team in the world, but everyone's allowed one folly.

	07-06-2002 17:02									#33
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quote: Yerrrrkkkk. Enough said.

Only the premium bottled good was strong enough for my taste.

And as for VB and anything by Tooheys - yerrrrkkk is right.

quote: but everyone's allowed one folly

I think I must be over quota then?

As for Caligastia - his folly will remain that until they retake the tri-nations crown at least.

	07-06-2002 18:42									#34
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quote: Originally posted by finbar Treat him nicely, Caligastia, he's about the first poster in these Rugby threads who isn't you, me or Havak. Many hands make light work of keeping a thread afloat.

True. Come back JohnIII! Join our friendly rugby group!

	07-06-2002 18:45									#35
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Yeah, when the ABs reclaim the Tri-nations trophy everyone will know the truth!

	07-06-2002 19:56									#36
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Hi from the pond.
The best team is always the best fit. Northern vs. Southern hemisphere matches always are a problem, since it is always beginning of season in one place, and the end in the other. Players who have been playing for months or just a few weeks can't be in the same physical state. Typical example in France is the Stade Toulousain who won the championship very often last years but was always mediocre in the beginning/mid of the season, as all their physical preparation was aimed towards the final. Note it didn't serve Toulouse well this year.
As for Roff playing at Biarritz, I believe he will play the final tomorrow. I don't know what the basque coaches said, but I don't think anyone in France will deny the guy's skill. He scored few tries mainly because defensers were keen on tackling him, thus opening spaces for the rest of the attack. This was particularly showing in the beginning of the season.

	07-06-2002 19:59									#37
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Hey! We have a French rugby fan! Welcome LDiCesare!

I am hoping France will beat Australia, but Im happy when anyone beats Australia.

	08-06-2002 05:50									#38
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Oui! Bienvenu, LDiCesare! The first thing you have to understand in this thread is that Caligastia est tres partial!

	08-06-2002 07:25									#39
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quote: Originally posted by finbar Caligastia est tres partial!

Just a smidgen

	08-06-2002 08:05									#40
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I'd've said "just a smidgen" but my French doesn't extend that far.

	08-06-2002 08:13									#41
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how about 'petite'

	08-06-2002 09:24									#42
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Sheesh! I prefer the idiomatic, thanks.

	08-06-2002 16:28									#43
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NZ 64
Italy 10

Not a great All Blacks effort. They seemed to struggle for continuity and flubbed a couple of tries with handling errors. Italy defended stoutly.


Maori 43
Waratahs 18

Much better Maori effort than against Queensland. Took them a while to get into their stride but they were strong all over the pitch. Great backline work. Late tries possibly inflated the score. The Waratahs stuck with them into the second half.

	09-06-2002 02:14									#44
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Biarritz is France champion, bet Agen by 25-22.
Nice game. Lasted 110 minutes!
Score was 13-16 at half time, 19-19 after 80 minutes, 22-22 at almost the end of prolongations, and a drop goal at the last second.
The first rows were really strong. Agen has Crenca (France left prop) and Hasan (Puma right prop). The match was very much around the pack and strong defenses, with 2 tries, one by Agen on a ball won on a scrum and a nice chistera for a dive by the scrum half. Biarritz scored by Bernat-Salles on a nice feat. Afterwards, Biarritz was a little better, but Roff missed 5 kicks while Gelez missed nothing.
Well, next week Argentina-France, Crenca and Hasan will meet again but as opponents. Should be fun watching the scrums.

	09-06-2002 02:18									#45
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quote: Originally posted by Havak So John III - whats your team? And watch these two - they know their rugby and are prepared to argue against the well known fact that England are the best team in the world.

As in football, England followed by Ireland.

And if they can't face facts, then that's their problem. Everyone knows that we are the best team in the world. Except when we have the odd bad game. Especially when we have the odd bad game away from Twickers.

	09-06-2002 05:29									#46
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quote: Originally posted by LDiCesare Biarritz is France champion, bet Agen by 25-22. Nice game. Lasted 110 minutes! Score was 13-16 at half time, 19-19 after 80 minutes, 22-22 at almost the end of prolongations, and a drop goal at the last second. The first rows were really strong. Agen has Crenca (France left prop) and Hasan (Puma right prop). The match was very much around the pack and strong defenses, with 2 tries, one by Agen on a ball won on a scrum and a nice chistera for a dive by the scrum half. Biarritz scored by Bernat-Salles on a nice feat. Afterwards, Biarritz was a little better, but Roff missed 5 kicks while Gelez missed nothing. Well, next week Argentina-France, Crenca and Hasan will meet again but as opponents. Should be fun watching the scrums.

How did Roff play? Apart from missing 5 kicks?

	09-06-2002 05:30									#47
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quote: Originally posted by JohnIII As in football, England followed by Ireland. And if they can't face facts, then that's their problem. Everyone knows that we are the best team in the world. Except when we have the odd bad game. Especially when we have the odd bad game away from Twickers.

That's what we like in this thread - wall-to-wall bias.

	09-06-2002 05:34									#48
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SA -d- Wales.

I started to watch but couldn't face it. It was, after all, nearly midnight and I'd already watched World Cup - Croatia -v- Italy - and rugby - NZ -v- Italy and NSW -v- Maori. I finally found my TV football limit!

	09-06-2002 12:11									#49
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quote: How did Roff play? Apart from missing 5 kicks?

Well, he put in 6 kicks.
He played center and not wing. I think he was a bit off balance at the beginning of the match. I would say it's because he plays winger most of the time, but the whole team was shaky at the start. He gave a ball to Bernat-Salles under pressure, and the winger scored a try thanks to that.
Roff did a few runs with the ball, but never got very far. He was solid in defense. The match revolved mainly around the scrums and lineouts after the first half. Roff did try to play at hand before kicking if he could, but he had very few ammunition to use. That was mainly a match for the third row (both number 8 were excellent).

	09-06-2002 12:32									#50
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Thanks. I don't think Roff has ever played in the centres before. Not in Australia, anyway. He played full back a few times for the Brumbies.

	10-06-2002 06:50									#51
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The Italian half back Mazzariol has been suspended till September for kicking AB Daryl Gibson in the face. It was a bizarre incident. None of the match officials saw it but the incident was replayed and picked up by the video ref. The ball was nowhere near the players and Mazzariol - well, technically, it was a kick to the face but it was more of a solid tap with the boot. Gibson didn't appear to have provoked it in any way and was more amazed than hurt. Mazzariol apologised immediately he'd done it. Some sort of brain fade, presumably.

	10-06-2002 12:45									#52
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quote: That's what we like in this thread - wall-to-wall bias.

It fits in well I agree.

I suspect JohnIII is an Exile (Irish heritage living in England?) but I'm grateful to him for naming the teams in the order he did

Of course the truth for me is that England are a team reaching towards their potential - as has been well documented we are not there yet (by a long way). When we beat the Wallabies in Stadium Australia - then we will have arrived

The Italians - poor discipline is really holding them back. Hope you never get an Italian ref in the Tri-nations, they don't seem to know what cards are for, hence the players get used to getting away with violent foul play. They tend to have 1-2 sin bins every six nations game on average, it's rather like cutting there own throats.

Hardly a stellar weekend of Rugby, but spare a thought for poor old Wales, tidily put away by a very unimpressive Bok side. Time to burn the Welsh flags valley boys?!

	10-06-2002 17:16									#53
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quote: Originally posted by Havak The Italians - poor discipline is really holding them back. Hope you never get an Italian ref in the Tri-nations, they don't seem to know what cards are for, hence the players get used to getting away with violent foul play. They tend to have 1-2 sin bins every six nations game on average, it's rather like cutting there own throats.

The half-back incident aside, the Italians actually played a disciplined game. Defended very well, tried very hard. They were just outgunned.

	10-06-2002 17:39									#54
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Maybe the new coach is getting through to them - it's Kirwan now right?

During the six nations it was still Johnstone and their discipline was still a major problem in most of the games I saw - France and Wales in particular. Admittedly they were reasonably disciplined against England in their last game - but that was a similar stroll over game to the one on Saturday and there was nothing for either side to push for.

	10-06-2002 19:08									#55
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quote: Originally posted by finbar NZ 64 Italy 10 Not a great All Blacks effort. They seemed to struggle for continuity and flubbed a couple of tries with handling errors. Italy defended stoutly.

Yeah, not the greatest effort from the ABs. Italy were pretty strong in defence though. I think the next game will be a better one from NZ as the players become more of a cohesive unit. Also Caleb Ralph will no doubt be more conscious of over-running when supporting other players. A couple of tries were butchered because of that.

quote: Maori 43 Waratahs 18 Much better Maori effort than against Queensland. Took them a while to get into their stride but they were strong all over the pitch. Great backline work. Late tries possibly inflated the score. The Waratahs stuck with them into the second half.

Yep, a much improved game from the maoris. It remains to be seen if they have what it takes to beat the wallabies though...

South Africa 34
Wales 19

Wales started out strong, and were in the lead for most of the first half, but eventually the Springboks dominated. Wales should be reasonably happy with their performance nonetheless. South Africa were pretty dismal in the first half, and I reckon they wont present much of a challenge to Australia and New Zealand when the tri-nations rolls around.

	10-06-2002 19:15									#56
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quote: Originally posted by finbar The Italian half back Mazzariol has been suspended till September for kicking AB Daryl Gibson in the face. It was a bizarre incident. None of the match officials saw it but the incident was replayed and picked up by the video ref. The ball was nowhere near the players and Mazzariol - well, technically, it was a kick to the face but it was more of a solid tap with the boot. Gibson didn't appear to have provoked it in any way and was more amazed than hurt. Mazzariol apologised immediately he'd done it. Some sort of brain fade, presumably.

Yes, I sw that bit. The commentators were blaming it on "latin blood", saying that when he saw Gibson's face right by his foot it was "instinct" to kick it.

Mazzariol seemed almost as suprised as Gibson. After kicking him in the face he was apologising profusely with a look of regret on his face. "thats how they play over there, they cant help it" quips the commentator.

	10-06-2002 21:37									#57
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quote: Originally posted by Havak I suspect JohnIII is an Exile (Irish heritage living in England?) but I'm grateful to him for naming the teams in the order he did

Irish heritage, yes. My real name is Sean McGivern, which is pretty darn Irish .

	10-06-2002 22:53									#58
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Ireland's rugby team have been doing quite well lately

	10-06-2002 22:56									#59
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They were unlucky against NZ, unlucky I say!

	10-06-2002 23:25									#60
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Will they be "unlucky" in the next match?