plod

I haven't been there for a while and was under the impession that the car park had been renovated. Is it still free? What is it like for space?

Perhaps if we all became Forum Moderators?

There are a couple which seem worthwhile - the quick line-out and the restriction on a player kicking direct to touch if the ball is passed back to him into his 22. I am not over keen on the rolling maul which seems almost impossible to defend legally. As for the rest the game in the Northern hemisphere is strong and there are plenty  of tries so I would leave alone.

Saw the first snake of the season yesterday - quite a long couleuvre disturbed from a field by the silage makers I think. The sky was full of buzzards; looking for easy pickings I suppose.

Hear hear!

Nobody seems to want to play at the moment so I'd better check to see if you noticed the Wasps Glaws result on Sunday - 17 to them and 25 to us! Roll on Bath.

You'd be pretty upset if someone dear to you was killed by a dangerous driver but who could not be prosecuted because "we have to get the road open". Near us recently (in France) a motorway was shut all morning after a triple fatal.

I have an emotional connection to England which I doubt will ever diminish, and, I 'm afraid I would always want an English team to win over a French one (perhaps not Bath and Wasps!) I think Magners' teams have a built-in advantage over Top 14 and GP sides. Their season is much less intense and they can prepare for the big games which, I think you will agree, are the H Cup games. The GP is extremely competitive and the opportunity for "easy" games is non-existent (with the exception this season of Leeds). Even the Top 14 has Auch and Dax, Albi possibly, as cannon fodder. The top sides never put out their "grosse équipe" against these sides. 

I did mean London Irish, and as Munster beat Glaws I will be supporting Toulouse. I think Auch are well doomed, and Albi may just be clinging on as they lost to Dax on Saturday. I think they will struggle next year as Toulon will be in the Top 14 and they have massive spending power. By the way do you think Dan Carter will come to Toulouse? (£750,000 allegedly his wedge)

Are you French? Why would you want the English team to lose? I still think Toulouse can be a fragile side and that Munster will have the edge. GP gets going again soon; I don't fancy our chances against Wasps but we should beat Bath at home. It's going to be very interesting to see who the last four are - Wasps, Gloucester, Bath and Quins? Leicester? Sale?

My pension has suffered greatly too, and I've decided to have it paid into the bank in England now. We will then have to consider carefully before we buy non-essentials over here. My wife and I have now started discussing whether and under what circumstances we might move back, either permanently or temporarily. My pension is now 250 euros less a month than last summer, but, as people point out, it may be that we are still better off here than in the UK. How would we manage at parity, viz I'd be receiving 650 euros a month less than last year (even 350 less than now)? You have to consider your overall quality of life, but life does start to get "grim" when you wonder whether or not to put the heating on. This wasn't part of our plan!      

It's a bit premature for that!

C'mon Glaawwss!

Doctor Who's ideawasittocometoFrance?

I don't think that many of us Shedheads were that surprised by our defeat. We are short of grunt and muscle in the pack, especially second row. I hope we don't fold for the rest of the season. I didn't give USAP a chance, but neither did I Sarries. Ospreys seemed to think that they had a divine right to win the HC this season. I also think Toulouse are beatable and would now put Munster as favourites.

There is some sense in it, I suppose,trying to avoid groups of death such as had Leicester, Wasps and whoever else it was in the same group. Yes, everybody wants to know what Rob Andrew does. We're still top........................................................................................................................................just!

As posted recently elsewhere, the Paris route is not difficult. Just follow signs for Lille and avoid rush-hour. My experience of the Dreux/Evreux route is that it was slow and tedious. I wouldn't use it again.

First, whither England? Stuart Barnes says that Ashton should have treated the 6N as a new start not a continuation of the RWC, and he should treat the NZ tour likewise. I agree with this; he should be trying new players even if they lose. He has to know which ones will front up. And Glaawwss? We are off the top for the first time for months but only on matches won. After the EDF games you would really expect Ospreys to win everything. For me they have a built-in advantage in that they are, like all the Magners teams except Cardiff, regional sides based on at least two teams. Imagine a Bath/Gloucester team, or a Quins/Wasps. I doubt that even Leicester would cope with them at the moment as they are not far short of a full Wales team. Munster are beatable as I think their pack is in decline and we have better backs.

The NW was Nationwide rather than NatWest so I am partly equipped already. 

Some interesting responses, especially that of consideration about the cost of living in the UK. I suppose one problem is seeing your money disappearing month after month. I have a pension paid direct into the bank in France, I'm unaware of any charges involved but will now check. I'm thinking of having it transferred to my NW account and drawing it when needed. This would obviate some of the loss. I notice that the pound went up yesterday. It has, as some point out, happened before, it's just that we weren't really on the receiving end then!

My wife and I are on shrinking pensions and today we began to consider what options we have should the pound continue to fall. What is a concern is that it has fallen steadily with very little upward movement to take the sting out. What would be difficult would be trying to decide at what point it became economically impossible to live in France. 1.20? 1.10? 1,00? I'm pretty sure we could barely afford to live at parity. Fingers crossed for an upturn!

I rather think I am not very likely to be robbed in my little village. I, too, fail to understand this post. It was bound to get responses varying from never mugged, have been mugged, had my pocket picked, never had any problems and so on. If you avoid a place because you know someone who's been a victim of crime there you'd never go anywhere - except my little village.

Paris is not scary. If you avoid the rush hours the périphérique is simple - just follow the signs. Am I right in thinking that Montlucon is near Vierzon? If so come down from Calais and follow the signs for Nantes and Bordeaux. Just have a navigator keeping an eye out for the signs. They are numerous and clear. Honestly!

I just think that you don't go anywhere near a night club a couple of days before your international debut; surely his brain was saying: "I ought not to be here". I imagine he has broken team discipline and Ashton had no alternative. (Read Brian Moore on this) Balshaw did not have a bad game. It looks like Ashton has said to the team: "You cocked it up, you put it right." Having said that though he should have left Jonny in. I've said several times Ashton has missed an opportunity to blood young players. He will now have to do it on a tour of NZ!!

I actually think Ashton was right about Cipriani; but he has to resign. If I was a player on the fringes of England - like Sinbad - I'd be praying not to get picked as everybody would be expecting a miracle. Ashton had an opportunity to bring on players and he missed it. England have been terrible for several years with odd moments of brightness. These have given us false hope. On a brighter note - well done Glaawwss!