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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970 time: 06:29
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quote: Originally posted by Frozzy
Mitchell doesn't like him? Must be some personal differences. Honestly, I like the look of Sam Broomhall, Canturbury/Crusaders No. 8. |
Mmmm. Broomhall is okay, but Randell is a vastly improved player with a heap of experience. I hope this doesn't come back to bite them.
quote: I haven't actually seen the squad |
New Zealand squad:
Forwards: Jerry Collins (Wellington), Rodney So'oialo (Wellington), Richard McCaw (Canterbury), Marty Holah (Waikato), Reuben Thorne (Canterbury, captain), Brad Thorn (Canterbury), Ali Williams (Auckland), Chris Jack (Canterbury), Kees Meeuws (Auckland), Greg Somerville (Canterbury), Mark Hammett (Canterbury), Keven Mealamu (Auckland), Dave Hewett (Canterbury), Carl Hoeft (Otago).
Backs: Malili Muliaina (Auckland), Ben Blair (Canterbury), Doug Howlett (Auckland), Caleb Ralph (Canterbury), Joe Rokocoko (Auckland), Tana Umaga (Wellington, vice-captain), Ma'a Nonu (Wellington), Daniel Carter (Canterbury), Aaron Mauger (Canterbury), Carlos Spencer (Auckland), Justin Marshall (Canterbury), Steve Devine (Auckland).
quote: He will axe players, and he's shown that. He even said Cullen was the third choice full back in the country (behind Leon MacDonald and Ben Blair). MacDonald is 1 concussion away from ending his career, and Blair hasn't played 1st class rugby since the NPC. |
True. And he wasn't afraid to axe Mehrtens either. Which would seem to just about guarantee Daniel Carter a spot for his goal kicking. I don't think Carlos' kicking under pressure can be trusted.
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Havak
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Swing Low, Sweet Chariots.
Aug 1999 time: 05:29
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quote: One who doesn't need to, obviously. |
Well he would always be second on my team sheet for the locks in a world XV of the last ten years. Not first, and not by some margin. And I’m well aware that will offend the whole of Australia. 
quote: …hide thick enough to withstand the slings and arrows and bazookas he'll cop when they don't win. |
Well … maybe so. I think you are counting on the All Blacks far too much though. The French exposed weaknesses in them at a time when the ‘rusty’ excuse hard worn very thin - so the Wallabies and England can certainly do the same.
quote: This is creepy! Either you're channeling him or he didn't stop at the seaside and continued on across the channel to Leicester! |
I’m not at liberty to say. 
quote: I actually don't think he's that old. I'll check. |
The lad will be thirty before the World Cup final (this years). 
quote: When you get to my age you'll realise they were a waste of brain space and regret not having better utilised the space for more important things like rugby. |
I’ll keep it in mind so that I recognise it when it happens. 
quote: And, face it, Mitchell already has a couple of try-scoring threats in the team without Cullen. |
Absolutely. My admiration for Howlett I’ve made clear. The Fijian looks great too – France are class opposition despite the dip in form.
quote: So if he's not picked, I can only assume that Mitchell either thinks he's too old, or too much of a link with the past. |
I’m afraid to say I see reflections of the time he spent with Clive in his selection – most specifically in the way he is using weird excuses for the omissions.
quote: Sorry, the Wallaby colour is wattle, not gold. |
Why do the TV pundits go on about the ‘green and gold’ then? 
quote: Mmmm. Broomhall is okay, but Randell is a vastly improved player with a heap of experience. I hope this doesn't come back to bite them. |
From the game point of view maybe – but if it proves to be a bad call for the tri nations and RWC then so be it. 
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970 time: 06:29
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quote: Originally posted by Havak
Well he would always be second on my team sheet for the locks in a world XV of the last ten years. Not first, and not by some margin. And I’m well aware that will offend the whole of Australia. |
Certainly not me, and probably not the average sensible person. It's an entirely subjective view. The reality - and the truly interesting thing - is that they've achieved pretty much the same things via such different approaches.
quote: Well … maybe so. I think you are counting on the All Blacks far too much though. |
Who knows? I could well be. I've been guided by anticipation.
quote: The lad will be thirty before the World Cup final (this years). |
Fair enough. In which case he might nick off, and he'd be entitled to. We've got some up and comers behind him.
quote: I’ll keep it in mind so that I recognise it when it happens. |
The irony being, of course, that by the time you reach this age, you've forgotten what you were once thinking that was, it vaguely occurs, such a waste of brain space.
quote: I’m afraid to say I see reflections of the time he spent with Clive in his selection – most specifically in the way he is using weird excuses for the omissions. |
It doesn't bother me what excuses are used. All that matters are the choices. I don't have the slightest problem with Cullen missing out. His best was behind him. And Mehrtens' real strengths were his field and goal kicking, undermined by weaknesses in defence in general play and a preference not to take on the line. They can cover his kicking prowess. Leaving out someone like Taine Randell, I'm not so sure about.
quote: Why do the TV pundits go on about the ‘green and gold’ then? |
Because it's easier to say. Wattle is, officially, the colour.
quote: From the game point of view maybe – but if it proves to be a bad call for the tri nations and RWC then so be it. |
Couldn't agree more. It will be interesting to see how the AB squad changes between the Tri-Nations and the WRC.
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970 time: 06:29
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quote: Originally posted by Havak
Pretty much the case. Although they happily threw Bristol to the Wolves when they realised the sugar daddy was bailing (Malcolm Pierce) and that Foley’s Bath were safe. Disgraceful stuff. |
Yep. Dog in manger stuff. Guaranteed to ruin the comp.
quote: Yes he is in a big League now after languishing in the anonymous realms of French and Welsh rugger. Tamerlin is still away right? |
Yep! Go for it!

quote: They are a good side – but they are not a great one (yet). I think what might tell for them is that they are probably going to have the edge over Gregan’s boys in the pack. Not by much though so it’s going to be interesting. First up however is the Boks – and I must say I’m looking forward to this Saturday. |
Me too. Very interesting few weeks coming up.
quote: Two games against the Boks who still play a very physical game, if not quite in the ‘style’ of their last tour. Some changes are going to be forced I suspect. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Spencer hurt over the course of the tir-nations. |
One thing's for sure - he hasn't had his S12 impact in any of the Tests so far. I think I'll be watching his progress most of all in the Tri-Nations.
quote: How do you think Eddie will call it on Stand off for Saturday – the bad boy is back but Mr Larkham is also fit. For me, if Larkham is fully fit it’s no choice at all – but Eddie seems undecided? |
His arm is fit, but his lack of match fitness is what's bothering Eddie. He's reluctant to toss him, first up, straight into the deep end - against the Boks, who love to smash him - with so many other matches - and chances to start him - coming up. I think Eddie will start Flatley, with Larkham on the bench. Under the circumstances, I would, too.
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Caligastia
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Anyone want to suggest a betting margin for this weekend's game? I give the Boks a 10 point head start.
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finbar
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Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Jan 1970 time: 06:29
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quote: Originally posted by Havak
He belly aches – but he has never welched with myself in the final analysis. He has the reputation with others though… |

quote: I’ll ask Austin for you next time I see him. |

Nuh. Eddie has dropped Turunui and slotted in Matt Rogers at outside centre outside Steve Kefu. I suspect there's going to be a bit of this mixing and matching going on over the next few weeks. Eddie's on the record as saying Turunui's future is at inside centre, so I imagine he will turn up there sooner or later.
Matt Burke at full back in place of Latham, Flatley starting at fly half with Larkham on the bench (as expected), and Vickerman starting with Nathan Sharpe on the bench. I think Vickerman starting in place of Sharpe is more horses for courses than anything - Vickerman, of course, being Bok-born, fired up to do well in front of a mob of Boks howling for his blood and a team of Boks determined to punish him. And a fine test of his self discipline it will be, too. 
Is that all? Good grief, that's pre-pubescent in my scheme of things.
quote: He is fit and well and Clive has just named him in the huge 38 strong squad for the three games with Wales and France before RWC. 30 of those will make the trip so there is I regret a decent chance he will travel to his spiritual home. |
Oh well, fingers crossed he goes to France and catches something.
quote: Keep hitting those * |
Yes, I was only wondering the other day how I would word my workers' comp claim for RSI. Presumably something along the lines of - "Injury sustained avoiding naming a red-mist plagued, lantern-jawed log". 
Now, slightly OT for a moment. You can, if so inclined, which means if you're totally bored sh*tless with nothing better to do, check out some of my professional exertions. I've got a new series starting on air here tonight, an, um, eccentric little series of 13 half-hour eps. It will turn up somewhere on English TV sooner or later because I think it has been sold there.
The basis of it is that each episode has a lateral thinking puzzle embedded somewhere within it. Sometimes significant, sometimes not. But it's not a series about puzzles. It is, at heart, an, um, eccentric boy-meets-girl story. It's set in the tiny, fictional Queensland town of Fat Cow, and it's called "Fat Cow Motel" because, logically enough, it's centred around the only motel in Fat Cow.
Anyway, there's a website attached to the series. It's primarily a vehicle for aiding and abetting the audience's attempts to solve the lateral thinking puzzles, but it's a lot of fun in itself. It updates every week after an episode has gone to air with all sorts of things relating to the content of the latest episode. There's an online "Fat Cow Bugle" - the town's newspaper - and, within the "Bugle", a weekly opinion column written by the town's GP, Doctor Nick O'Bates. Anyone who has ever tried to stop smoking might recognise the name. Regardless, amongst other things, I wrote all the "Fat Cow Bugle" stuff and Doctor Nick O'Bates' opinion column. Naturally, I based him on the appalling Alan Jones, former Wallaby coach, now rabid right-wing opinion giver. And, golly, it was fun. 
Here's a link to the site if you've got a spare couple of minutes and nothing else to do. It should be up and running as of about 10pm tonight (our time). Oh, and if you follow the links all the way to the Fat Cow Chamber of Commerce, you will notice Fat Cow's archivist, Neville Brown. That's the pseudonym I use when rewriting. And the photo they've used for Neville - well, it bears more than a passing resemblance to moi.
And they used it without my permission! And the rugby players think they've got problems with the WRC exploiting their images online! 

Edit. I just checked the website. It's up and running now. Early. Oh well.
Last edited by finbar on 10-07-2003 at 10:38
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