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Havak
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Swing Low, Sweet Chariots.
Aug 1999
time: 05:19
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quote:
Am I wrong Havak ? |
Not at all – quite accurate in fact.
Deano’s career was winding down in 1997 but he was still some player. And yes he was still an active policeman – he took a five year sabbatical in 1998, I wonder if he will go back to them?  Dean of course has great affection for French rugby – he even played a season with Roanne as a teenager.
And I think you are also right about Catt – I had forgotten the fuss over him signing Professionally for Bath (I think ifilter things out of my mid as soon as I hear ‘Bath’) – yes he was probably the first overtly paid ‘English’ player in the 94-95 season.
Caligastia – point taken and agreed with. The ‘P’ word is now taboo.
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Yeah, okay, it was a baseless allegation. I can only claim that I was either drunk or possessed by the mendacious spirit of John O'Neill. Or both. |
You could have pushed me more – it is true that our lads received no wages but as Tamerlin pointed out some were Professionals in all but that from the early 90s – we are only talking the absolute top players but they were frequently riding around in nice cars provided by local garages (with names plastered on the side so we all knew how generous said garage was) and some had some very interesting consultancy contracts in their day jobs – nudge nudge…
The vast majority of RFU registered players before 95 were totally amateur though. By the way I don’t think this was a good thing at all – it held us back massively internationally. Mind you even now only the top three English leagues are ‘Pro’ – below that it becomes semi-pro and rapidly amateur again. I wish those clubs in Sydney well – but I fear they may not be able to last long?
Okay weekend rugger.
You have to hand it to the Wallabies, they did the job well. Even my mate George had the best game I have seen him play. The Aussie forwards did a great job of containing the powerful French pack – and the Latham try was top drawer, the build up to it being the kind of excellence I wish England could show more often. And Larkham, we know he is a genius anyway? I also thought the referee (a POM!!!) was exceptionally good – but then Chris White is the pick of our refs right now. The only down side was my other mate Justin getting a little too aggro after the French blindside was late on Larkham in the first half. Once Harrison can learn when you should, and more importantly when you shouldn’t step in and swing he might grow into a tidy lock. As it is he was lucky Pelous didn’t kill him I think
I only saw highlights of NZ-Ireland but Oh Dear - men against boys. Ireland competed well in the first half and were perhaps unlucky to be 10 points adrift at half time? However they lacked pentration, never really looking like breaking the game line, and come 60 minutes the gulf is fitness and class told big time. A big thumbs up to NZ, and I half to say based on these tests I think the Tri-nations will be interesting.
Wow – what the hell happened to the Eagles? As Finbar pointed out my prediction wasn’t base don expectation but sheer Anglo bias – however that Scotland team is not the senior squad!! I hope the Eagles get through this re-building phase intact?
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Caligastia
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quote:
Originally posted by finbar
Is that true? I'll have to think back ... |
I didnt really follow the RWC till the 95 one, but Im pretty sure the two teams have never played. Probably due to them starting in different pools all the time.
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Havak
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Swing Low, Sweet Chariots.
Aug 1999
time: 05:19
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quote:
Bear in mind that NZ didnt play Oz in the competition |
I have to point out that Oz did not play England either. We were too busy having freaky drop goals kicked past us by a player who never played well again after that game – have a happy retirement Jannie
And I’m sure you notice I’m ignoring that spurious U-21 result – pure fluke. 
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Every time England beats some 3rd World rugby team |
I think the Pumas look good enough to replace South Africa in the tri-nations to be honest with you?
What bothers me more is when we lose to 3rd world teams to be honest – we are building quite a good record against the big teams, but then we tend to play them at home (to save you having to mention it).
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I thought our pack got shoved around far too much |
In the second half I guess they were yeah – but I thought they held up well in the first half. Maybe I mis-read it. Most of the time the ball flew out your scrum in the traditional Wallaby style anyway so I may have been deceived by that?
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I think White did a good job overall, but he was a bit pedantic. |
Wow, that’s a little worrying, White is perhaps the least pedantic ref we have. Just keep your eyes on Steve Lander in the tri-nations.
I’m afraid it is interpretation again – and the Wallabies will have to learn to play NH refs regardless of what Herald writers think of them because NH refs won’t change to suit SH teams, and vice versa of course. If you play NZ in the RWC final it is very likely you will have an English or French ref (I doubt the IRB would sanction a Bok for that game – politics).
Now if you want to see a cutting analysis of a ref from last weekend try to catch the Interview O’Sullivan gave to the Irish press boys. He pulled Tappe Henning completely apart and labelled him a total disgrace. A bit harsh that I feel, but Henning left himself wide open to it by failing to tell the Irish boys what they were doing ‘wrong’ at the tackle every time? All in all give me Chris White – he was very clear to both sides what he was penalising them for – which allowed them to sort it out?
Oh I’ve just realised – we had an Irish ref against the Pumas I believe – that’s why we beat them obviously?
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You would see the same thing with Wilkinson |
I agree and I have. Finnegan on Wilko in Melbourne ring any bells with you? An awful late challenge and the (Bok) ref did nothing.
On Saturday the Frenchman was clearly committed to the tackle and it was fractional – but still he was in the wrong and he was told it very clearly. Larkham is targeted all the time of course – by everyone who plays you. I can understand it annoys badly.
All Fly halves need protecting better from late take outs, but until you get Finny to stop lining up the opposition Fly half you can’t seriously expect Larkham to get any breaks there either?
As for illiteracy of the ABC club – I’m not daft enough to refute that.
Also it’s never too early to talk up the opposition and please be assured, if England beat you both at Fortress Twickenham, you can expect me to be merciless. If we lose you will find me crying “mercy” instead.
Last I heard we were planning to make it illegal to wear yellow or black in the stadium. And considering putting white and red bin liners over all the seats too.
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970
time: 06:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Havak
And I’m sure you notice I’m ignoring that spurious U-21 result – pure fluke. |
I forgot to mention that Australia had won their two matches by a combined total of 132 points. Admittedly, one opponent was Romania.
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I think the Pumas look good enough to replace South Africa in the tri-nations to be honest with you? |
I gather the Pumas are only a fraction as good away from home.
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In the second half I guess they were yeah – but I thought they held up well in the first half. Maybe I mis-read it. Most of the time the ball flew out your scrum in the traditional Wallaby style anyway so I may have been deceived by that? |
We did go off the boil in the second half. Happened against the Maori too. Eddie's well aware of it.
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Wow, that’s a little worrying, White is perhaps the least pedantic ref we have. Just keep your eyes on Steve Lander in the tri-nations.
I’m afraid it is interpretation again – and the Wallabies will have to learn to play NH refs regardless of what Herald writers think of them because NH refs won’t change to suit SH teams, and vice versa of course. If you play NZ in the RWC final it is very likely you will have an English or French ref (I doubt the IRB would sanction a Bok for that game – politics). |
At least he communicated well with the players, which is something NH refs haven't done in the past. The point of the Sydney Morning Herald column was mainly that White was blowing the whistle for the most technical things - where, for example, offside was shown, on replay, to be a matter of inches. Yes, there are different interpretations, but you can be overly technical.
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I agree and I have. Finnegan on Wilko in Melbourne ring any bells with you? An awful late challenge and the (Bok) ref did nothing. |
Finnegan, as I've said a number of times, can be an absolute idiot. When he's not being an idiot, he can be a very powerful, damaging player.
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On Saturday the Frenchman was clearly committed to the tackle and it was fractional – but still he was in the wrong and he was told it very clearly. Larkham is targeted all the time of course – by everyone who plays you. I can understand it annoys badly.
All Fly halves need protecting better from late take outs, but until you get Finny to stop lining up the opposition Fly half you can’t seriously expect Larkham to get any breaks there either? |
They're not lining up Larkham because Finnegan targeted someone or targets people. They're going to line him up regardless to take him out of the game. My comment about Finnegan - above - stands. I don't think the French hit on Larkham was fractional. I also think he had time to abort, but, given who was being tackled, he went ahead. Still, at least he used his arms. Unlike Butch James.
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970
time: 06:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Havak
Liked the curtains thing |
I have a hard time convincing people it's not a joke. There were Letters to the Editor on the matter. They're documented.
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They play the Boks away Saturday so we should be able to tell after that. |
With the way the Boks are performing, I'm not sure it's going to be a fair test. Still, if the Pumas go down, maybe it is.
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I don't think the panic button needs to be pressed - the French pack is immense and they are not a team you can keep on the back foot all game. The best way to play France is to provoke a bust-up in the pack very early on, as their discipline can fall apart big time if you do. Old fashioned rugby there I guess. |
Actually, from memory, the Wallaby pack outweighed the French outfit on Saturday night. Eddie Jones has said he's determined to get more muscle into the forwards.
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Yep he's a great ref all right - makes great judgement calls like this. Unless you were arguing he should let offside go? Offside is offside after all - be it an inch or a foot it is against the laws of the game. |
Well, I'm one of the greatest pedants to walk the earth, but I think a matter of inches - in this case - is silly. It's not a matter of condoning offside play, it's the problem of dealing with incredibly marginal situations - you're eventually going to get it wrong.
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My point was more that international flankers will line up the opposing fly half and he will often be hit late - and I simply cited that the Wallabies give as well as receive in that respect -which rather deflates any indignation felt by the nation? |
I think you're allowing Owen Finnegan to colour your thoughts.
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It happens to all teams and I'm not sure it is easily stopped - most refs will bottle using a card for margins as slim as that (and I grant you we disagree on the margin involved) And yes the french lad should have stopped if he could have - without any doubt. He isn't known as a dirty player though. |
Granted, there have been worse hits on Larkham than that one. I think a card - for the more blatant cases - is the way to go.
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Butch James - I can't see him tolerated much longer to be honest. A shoulder barge is not a tackle in any way. He will be head butting in the 'tackle' next? |
The fact that he continues to get away with it indicates that strong action hasn't been taken. I remember one game where he was warned three times for it. I can only recall him ever getting one card.
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LDiCesare
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La Ferté sous Jouarre France
Jan 2001
time: 05:19
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France played muxh better against england and Ireland than Australia. The rest of the matches of the 6 nations were not as good.
Mostly, the front row lacks De Villiers, who is good and rarely penalized, and lacked cohesion. Galthie, the scrum half, was also a severe miss. Michalak was good enough, but Galthie is also the captain and would probably have told his forwards how to behave.
Betsen (number 6) made lots of fouls he usually doesn't do, and was hardly a nuisance to the 10, while he totally prevented Wilkinson from playing.
I think the team probably suffered from time lag too, and are tired as it is the end of season for us, and most of tem have been playing to the half finals, 2 weeks before flying to the Southern hemisphere.
Thus, they can do much better.
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24-06-2002 13:34
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