Kayem
June 14, 2008 04:41AM | Random Rugby Thread
Johnp - here it is. Australia v Ireland kicks off in an hour so this is the inaugeral post to the random rugby thread you so desireth.

For the record - O'Driscoll is an animal but it won't be enough. Centrebet's giving Ireland $5.10 - they're giving Australia $1.17.

Things to look for - (1) changes to Australia's game structure in the first outing under Robbie Deans. Expect less formalism and more opportunism ... if he's been able to make any difference in the fortnight since the Super 14 finals. Also (2) watch Australia give max advantage to Ireland as they try to adjust back to play without the ELVs.

In one line - I feel like calling Australia by two converted tries but that's just a stab.
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maffj
June 14, 2008 05:12AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
Personally, I'm hoping Wales can raise their game and at least challenge South Africa this afternoon.

It's all very well winning the Grand Slam, but the real test comes away from the safety of Cardiff in the southern hemisphere.

I hope James Hook can cut it at full back - he hasn't played there since he was semi-pro, but he's a class act so if anyone can, he can.

My heart says a Wales win, but my head says SA by at least 10.
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Johnp
June 16, 2008 11:01AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
Kayem - O'Driscoll is yesterday's man. Too many injuries to have kept the cutting edge. Still a cracking defender but he's better as a decoy these days. Thought he'd almost forgotten how to score tries. Rob Kearney is the one to watch - good game against the All Blacks last week and good again on Saturday. Pity Luke Fitzgerald is injured - you'd have enjoyed watching him.

Gotta confess I didn't see the game (I refuse to make Murdoch a richer man) but heard it on the radio. Sounds like the Wallabies should have been out of sight by 60, but the line-out problems cost us towards the end - and we used to be so solid there... Your ELV point above is well made. (Curious what your feelings on them are.)

I laughed at the Sunday Tribune's match report, which described Matt Dunning as having "the body of a god (Buddha) and a face that could stop a sun dial" saying he "suffered the ignominy of being replaced by Al Baxter, the worst prop in the world".

Re: scrum - Berdos had a shocker. Many refs would have pinged Dunning and Baxter all day, but Berdos didn't seem to understand the binding laws, happy to split the pens 50/50 (I speak as a former prop myself). Might have changed the result, but I reckon the better team won nonetheless.

Still, for a group of players in their 53rd consecutive week of professional sport, I think the Irish guys acquitted themselves. The Wallabies seemed very fresh by comparison.

maffj - sorry to say I think the recent results show just how weak this year's 6 Nations was. Wales were the best of a bad lot. And lucky on a couple of occasions too.
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Johnp
June 16, 2008 11:03AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
At least England were beaten, though, right? We can all agree on that!

If England were what England dreams, then we would only have our screams.
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maffj
June 16, 2008 01:08PM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
Quote
Johnp
At least England were beaten, though, right? We can all agree on that!
Like they say, I only support two teams - Wales, and whoever's playing England...
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Kayem
June 18, 2008 06:25AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
Quote
maffj
Quote
Johnp
At least England were beaten, though, right? We can all agree on that!
Like they say, I only support two teams - Wales, and whoever's playing England...

I once barracked for the staff of Stalag Luft 112b because they were playing NSW.

Johnp - word ... the refereeing had its serious problems but Australian props have been terrible at binding correctly for some time now and you really think he would have come to judge the game with an eye to that. And Baxter the worse prop in the world? I won't hear it! There's this bloke who plays for St Edmund's College in the local U16 third division!

The Irish line out was also consistently bad but was spectacularly so in the first few efforts. With one set piece each to fuck up you think the teams would have been pretty evenly matched ...

But Ireland dominated possesion of ball and territory - to no scoring advantage. I don't think it was because Australia's defence was particularly solid but when the Australian plays fired up they connected and there were the magnificent grabbing of opportunity that I was hoping to see. The Irish plays too often missed the mark.

In all - okay but not the sort of game you would play on video to win a new convert.
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Kayem
June 28, 2008 03:55AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
Sports fans - Australia v France looms and tonight Centrebet is offering $7.50 on our Gallic buddies ... Australia at $1.05.

The word on the street in Oz is still cautious but the bookies are obviously confident. From the back page of the Canberra Times: "The fear of the unknown - more so than the spectre of mass sackings if they don't perform - has the Wallabies primed to silence their critics in tonight's Test showdown ... New coach Robbie Deans has demanded the Wallabies lift their game or face the consequences after an unconvincing 18-12 escape against Ireland in the first winter Test ... ".

Hopefully the Wallabies will have adjusted more to Deans' method and we might see some more Canterbury-style "making of opportunities" rather than "taking of opportunities" as we saw in fits and starts a fortnight ago. Dunning is out for injury - not 'cos he's an idiot. Tuqiri is fired up 'cos the French gave him stick in the media over the week.

I just don't know what the French are going to bring to this match - the Times again describe their lineup as "unheralded" with the exception of "monster lock" Sebastien Chabal.

Hopefully it will be more interesting than the barely adequate effort England put up against the All Blacks last Saturday or the 26-0 tedium the Springboks served up against Italy last week.
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Johnp
June 30, 2008 04:06AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
Sounds like it was good for 20 mins, after h/t.
Marc Lievremont: coaching as Matt Dunning: propping.
What the hell is Chabal doing back in the team?

Result of the weekend: Argentine 12-13 Italy!
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Kayem
July 05, 2008 09:42AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
New horizon - 40 to 10 Wallabies v France. Giteau on fire ... like really on fire. Looking forward to his rumoured return to the Brumbies for S14.

Now how is this all going to look with the one point difference between NZ and SA in the opening Tri-Nations? I'm not sure the Wallabies are up to it but the gap between Northern and Southern hemispheres is widening.
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Johnp
July 07, 2008 04:40AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
And France's try in the 79th... Sounds like it all clicked on Saturday.

But Kayem, you know better than to throw out the old North/South chestnut - we hear it from the North in November and the South in June. Every NH home win in November is greeted with "Gap? What gap?" whereas every SH win on June is all "widening gulf". There'll never be much common ground while we NHers continue to treat rugby as a cold weather sport, but if we took a leaf out of the (Soccer) League of Ireland's book and moved to a summer schedule, then you'd have real competition.

NZ usually do well in the first Tri-Ns after they've choked again in RWC, so you'd better hope McCaw stays injured and Robbie has a few mates on the inside!
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Kayem
July 23, 2008 07:44AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
Quote
Johnp
But Kayem, you know better than to throw out the old North/South chestnut - we hear it from the North in November and the South in June. Every NH home win in November is greeted with "Gap? What gap?" whereas every SH win on June is all "widening gulf".

Fair call - sorry, I was drunk on beer and the moment. Been offline for a while travelling for work so haven't been following the "Random Rugby Thread" ... but how about those first few Tri-Nations results? Am in fact really looking fwd to Bledisloe 1 in Sydney on Saturday night and ... McCaw is out injured YES!! I know so is Mortlock but let's just wait and see - Aus $2.30 NZ $1.62 ... best to spend the lazy $20 you have lying around on beer methinks.
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Johnp
July 23, 2008 09:49AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
I'm hoping to watch it on Saturday morning here. Seems like a really open TN this year, but this'll be my first live view. (My Aus mate here usually d/ls torrents of the games but torrents are beyond my scope.)

By the by, last night I was finally watching the recording of the Ireland/Barbarians dead rubber (for whose benefit exactly? Played in... Gloucester?) from late May, before the Irish went to Aus/NZ. Larkham was playing at 10 for the Babas and his style and skill still amaze me. One of a kind...

Good luck on Saturday.
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sean
July 23, 2008 07:15PM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
I always start reading this thread when I'm just lazily reading my way through the forums, and it always takes me a couple seconds to realise I have no idea what's going on. Then I look and, "ah, right, Random Rugby Thread."
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Kayem
July 26, 2008 08:34AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
Well Johnp - well you might stay up to watch the 2008 inaugeral Bledisloe because it was a cracker. No spoilers here but word up - it is great!! Some wierd stats that we might chat about later re posession, score line, time in 22 et al.

Giteau - the little bastard - is sure to be a future Aust captain. I'm down on him cos he walked away from Canberra but jeez he's good.

I want to say more but I'll leave it till you've seen the match.

Oh - and Sean - it is random and it is rugby. Really just Johnp and i carrying on a conversation that started off on the old tMG email list. But if you need clarification just ask! It's just a chat about a great game where great big blokes assault each other in the name of holding a football for a minute.
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Kayem
July 26, 2008 09:06AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
Quote
Johnp
Larkham was playing at 10 for the Babas and his style and skill still amaze me. One of a kind...

Yeah - had the good luck of watching Bernie close up here for a number of years and he is a genius at inside centre. He actually started playing club rugby for the mob my boys play with in Canberra and last year I watched an auction go far beyond my means for a framed set of signed "Wests-Brumbies-Wallabies" jerseys.

We'll miss him but I'm glad the Babas have found something for him to do.
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Kayem
February 08, 2009 07:14AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
Where for art thou Johnp?

S14 is cranking up in the Southern Hemisphere - went to see a pack of newbies represent the Brumbies against the Hurricanes last weekend at Canberra Stadium ... the 28-14 win to the young home team was good but the stupid three point loss to the Warratahs on Thursday was an unmitigated disaster so could be another season for the true believers.

Good to see Ireland got up in the 6N and England gave Italy a flogging. Didn't see the matches.

Not much break in the schedules nowadays.
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Zopilote Steel
February 08, 2009 02:25PM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
don't be fooled by the score, England didn't play well against Italy. I think all the other 4 teams will seriously fancy their chances against England. Hopefully we can pull off a miracle and beat the Welsh in their back yard next saturday.


[kidsteel.bandcamp.com]
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pers0na
February 09, 2009 06:08AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
true england weren't on form, it's just italy were piss poor, partly due to some bizarre choices in the line up. ireland france was a great game though, at least from what i remember of it, it was a rather merry afternoon.
wales won yesterday which is good news too, and looked menacing. two years on the trot?
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Johnp
February 09, 2009 07:42AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
21 March 2009
17:30 GMT
Wales v Ireland
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

...will decide the Championship.

The Irl.v.France game on Saturday was as good as anything I've seen lately. None of the ELV-response high ball ping-pong, dozens of line breaks, bit of hometown refereeing (only 2 penalties conceded?), Heaslip showing his class, Fitzgerald cover-tackling like Denis Hickie, Kearney staking a Lions claim, and yet...

it still didn't feel like Ireland were at full throttle. France could have been out of sight by half-time but for stupid errors.

The Kidney-era could be very special but he'll only prove himself by avoiding Italy- and Scotland-shaped banana skins.

I can not wait for the Wales game!
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Kayem
February 12, 2009 08:13AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
I carn't wait 'til March for a good game of Wales vs Ireland! I want football down the road now!

What is really wierd is that 6N is in the thick of it (naturally, your winter) and S14 kicks off this weekend ... it's freakin' February - blokes can't play rugby in 30+ degrees! (unnaturally, our summer still).

I was lost in my replica jersey and the heat at the pre season matches, and I was just buying beer.

An aside ... Many august commentators (like Robbie Dean) have talked up the Brumbies angle on the silverware this season. Let's see how it goes. Our young blokes may well do well.
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maffj
February 12, 2009 10:58AM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
Quote
Johnp
21 March 2009
17:30 GMT
Wales v Ireland
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

...will decide the Championship.

Got to agree with this. On last week's showings we should be far too strong for England on Saturday (even without Ryan Jones, Henson and (possibly) Shane Williams) - especially at home. Now if only someone could kick a few points too...

Disappointed we couldn't get tickets though - I'm convinced Mrs j would rather be at the match than spending valentines at home, although she has expressed an interest in watching it at the pub, which sounds like a plan.


"You know it is, it really is."
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Johnp
February 12, 2009 12:48PM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
What about Wayne's potential role? ...after Nigel Williams last week.

maffj -
Got tickets for the Ireland game yet?

Kayem -
The Croke Park sod was a fag paper above frozen last Saturday, while Aus had those horrendous wildfires and 45+ temperatures. Maybe the global season idea will never fly... I'll keep an eye on the Brumbies.
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mike
February 12, 2009 01:04PM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
you know why i like this thread? so many great lines!

Quote

O'Driscoll is an animal but it won't be enough


Expect less formalism and more opportunism

I feel like calling Australia by two converted tries but that's just a stab

the real test comes away from the safety of Cardiff in the southern hemisphere

Too many injuries to have kept the cutting edge

Thought he'd almost forgotten how to score tries

I refuse to make Murdoch a richer man

Sounds like the Wallabies should have been out of sight by 60

and we used to be so solid there

Re: scrum - Berdos had a shocker

Berdos didn't seem to understand the binding laws

I think the Irish guys acquitted themselves

Wales were the best of a bad lot

If England were what England dreams, then we would only have our screams.

I once barracked for the staff of Stalag Luft 112b because they were playing NSW

Australian props have been terrible at binding correctly

The word on the street in Oz is still cautious but the bookies are obviously confident

Tuqiri is fired up 'cos the French gave him stick in the media over the week

Looking forward to his rumoured return to the Brumbies for S14

the gap between Northern and Southern hemispheres is widening

NZ usually do well in the first Tri-Ns after they've choked again in RWC

I know so is Mortlock but let's just wait and see

last night I was finally watching the recording of the Ireland/Barbarians dead rubber

Larkham was playing at 10 for the Babas and his style and skill still amaze me

you might stay up to watch the 2008 inaugeral Bledisloe because it was a cracker

went to see a pack of newbies represent the Brumbies against the Hurricanes

the stupid three point loss to the Warratahs on Thursday was an unmitigated disaster so could be another season for the true believers

Good to see Ireland got up in the 6N and England gave Italy a flogging

I think all the other 4 teams will seriously fancy their chances

Hopefully we can pull off a miracle and beat the Welsh in their back yard

it's just italy were piss poor

it was a rather merry afternoon.

two years on the trot?

None of the ELV-response high ball ping-pong, dozens of line breaks, bit of hometown refereeing (only 2 penalties conceded?), Heaslip showing his class, Fitzgerald cover-tackling like Denis Hickie, Kearney staking a Lions claim, and yet...

Scotland-shaped banana skins

What is really wierd is that 6N is in the thick of it and S14 kicks off this weekend

I was lost in my replica jersey and the heat at the pre season matches, and I was just buying beer

The Croke Park sod was a fag paper above frozen last Saturday


~i'm gonna kill all the judges~
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Johnp
February 12, 2009 01:24PM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
What it's missing is great tries:

[www.youtube.com]

Bear in mind I have watched this dozens of times, but if you watch the responses of Will Greenwood and Ben Cohen (c.1m30s in) you will know why I never rated Greenwood.
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maffj
February 12, 2009 01:53PM | Re: Random Rugby Thread
Quote
Johnp
maffj -
Got tickets for the Ireland game yet?

I wish. Don't have the right contacts to get them this late in the day, and can't really afford to spring for ebay prices.

Being from the top end of Wales, Dublin matches are actually closer and easier to get to!


"You know it is, it really is."
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