Rugby World Cup 3rd XV

[UlsterRugby1999]

Probably the best match of the entire 6N's. Great win for Wales and a great night to follow in Cardiff. The French, like the Irish, were clueless. Martin Williams was simply immense and fully deserving of MOTM.

Oh - and thank you England. I asked for 20 plus points and I got it. Hopefully, there will be good news for irish rugby football fans in the next few days. [:(][:(]

[PeterG]

Yes, well done Wales but yet again they won in what was a complete lack lustre six nations completion. There were no great matches, may be apart from the Scotland Italy match today. Italy deserve  a win as they have been the rubbing rags for far too long.

[UlsterRugby1999]

Sorry PeterG - I dont agree with you regarding the matches. I think the Welsh game today was a pretty good showing as far as rugby skills and tactics go. The game had everything. And as has been said on the wonderful BBC impartial coverage (tongue in cheek for that one) you do not win the Grand Slam with just luck you bloody well deserve it. The French pack fought hard although their recycling was damn slow and their backs tried everything they had to cut through the defensive lines. I thought during the game that a youngster watching this would get a real lift by it.

The English win over France was good value as was the 2nd half performance by Ireland against France. The pure gut determination in the 2nd half by Wales against England was also great stuff. And all that said, I was the one who wasnt looking forward to the 6N's this year. - More twit me.

[Gardian]

Wales really did it tonight & well done to them. How often have you seen sides fall at the final hurdle: they didn't.

Just now, I have this vision of a certain female Welsh singer who resides in the Tarn, wandering around her locality, singing to anybody who wants to listen, with an empty bottle of Chablis under her arm.

Now then: Man of the Tournament.  My votes (in descending order):

1. Martyn Williams - I said it here at home before he scored the final try, honest. Superb.
2. Parese - he was everywhere today, but that was typical throughout the 6N
3. Shane Williams - not just a good finisher   
4. Lee Byrne - got better and better
5. Jamie Noon - ditto

I scribbled down names of anybody I could think of who'd made an impression during the 6N.  The fact that there are 3 Welshmen in my final 5, says it all.

[powerdesal]

The Scotland - Italy game was by far the most enjoyable to watch. The Wales - France game had the most enjoyable result.

Italy need to get "stickier" hands and if they do improve their performance in that area then watch out, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

[TWINKLE]

[quote user="Gardian"]

Just now, I have this vision of a certain female Welsh singer who resides in the Tarn, wandering around her locality, singing to anybody who wants to listen, with an empty bottle of Chablis under her arm.

[/quote]

[:D]

I did run out into my garden a few times during and after the match and do a few woots - my cats who sitting there just looked at me like it was any other day! 

My daughter has taken down the Dragon from our gate (probably feeling a bit exposed to the Sunday morning hunters the poor child) but I don't see why I can't leave it there for a few days at least!  When the Welsh won the Grand Slam 3 years ago I remember the flags pitched on the roundabouts in my hometown were still there 6 months later!

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=n3S7wgcRZHQ

[Just Katie]

Have you tied your flag to your car and tooted up and down the 'high' street and past the PMU yet?

[TWINKLE]

No!  My daughter refused point blank to get in the car with me![:@]

[UlsterRugby1999]

What a beautiful morning. I awoke to the news, the long awaited news, that one

Eddie O'Sullivan has resigned

Go raibh mille maith agat

Thanks God for that - now Irish rugby can breathe again and return to the open game that we, the Irish rugby football fans, enjoyed before.

Guinness and bubbles all round [B][B][B]

[raindog]

haha i'm chuffed for you Ulster. Only problem is, when your hangover's abated - who are you going to replace him with?

More and more rumours about Jake White for us. And a possible role for Martin Johnson somewhere. For me, one of the great mysteries of the England set-up is; What The Hell Does Rob Andrew Do Exactly?

[UlsterRugby1999]

In Ireland we have a few decent coaches, IF, the IRFU have the balls to do the right thing. Declan Kidney would be a much better choice than Comical O'Stagnant.

White would be class but with the pay off to wingnut and our useless 3 unwise old owls at HQ we are unlikely to do the right thing.

Hanogover - only just started down that road. Bubbles and Guinness all night for me [:D][:D]

[Quillan]

Ashton takes Ireland job.

 

 

Only joking....... [:D]

[raindog]

excellent [:D][:D]

[UlsterRugby1999]

God Forbid [:P][:P]

[Quillan]

Oh go on....please take him, you know it makes sense.[;-)]

[Gardian]

Furrynickers accepts Ireland RFU approach

When asked for his comment, 'FU' (as he has indicated he wishes to be referred to) said:

"Me Mammy always said that this is what I was brought in to this world for - in short, my Destiny."

Even the most hard-bitten journalists were brought to tears by this self-effacing and modest admission. How can the Irish fail with 'FU' at their helm?  

[UlsterRugby1999]

We dont need FU to help us lose. Sure for Gods sake look what we did in the last 2 years with NOBODY coaching us [:(][:(]

[plod]

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.

[raindog]

[quote user="plod"]

. After the EDF games you would really expect Ospreys to win everything. For me they have a built-in advantage in that they are,

[/quote]

They have a built-in advantage because they are more or less the Welsh national team [:(]

(oops, as you say - now I've read it properly)

[UlsterRugby1999]

On the ball early this morning raindog.

I'm not convinced. Look at Ireland under O'Stagnant (may he rest in pieces - with his over inflated ego and pay off). He basically used the pack from Munster and the backs from Leinster for the last 4 years. They had 2 RWC's 4 6N's and some weird and wonderful tours together but at provincial level when they were back in their grass roots again they didnt clean up the Magners or the Heiny. Different coaches, different game plans and different oppositions.

I believe Munster will take the win on Saturday plod. While you have a point about their pack, Mick O'Driscoll and O'Callaghan are in good form. O'Connell is a liability right now and Kidney might bench him - hopefully.

Now where is those bubbles. I'm still on champers breakfasts celebrating O'Sullivans binning

 

[raindog]

I've long wondered and worried about what Rob Andrew actually does and how much he gets paid for not doing it....

  From the Times

  "Fresh from his holiday, Andrew returns to work today hoping

that Johnson will have decided to take up the reins as manager of the

England team. Praying, too, that England's great warrior forward will

have resolved the Ashton debate one way or the other.

  It is an extraordinary performance from the man who carries the

title of the RFU's director of elite rugby but whose strategy amounts

to giving Johnson a blank sheet of paper on which to write his job

description (although, sadly, not his own salary). And there we were

thinking that Andrew was paid £400,000 a year to make the tough

decisions."

[UlsterRugby1999]

On that basis, I'd love to do sweet diddly adams and get paid a fortune every year for it. If you managed to bluff it for 3-4 years, sure you'd be laughing all the way thereafter.

plod - did you see next years seedings. Already Munster are Euro No1's. Whats the views on the new seeding system.

[plod]

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!

[Lou]

So who's going to win the Heineken Cup semis then??

I shall be there cheering on Toulouse on Sunday - Andy Goode was quoted on the Toulouse website as having said he reckons Toulouse will go all the way......

I'll also be hoping Perpignan win on Saturday as then I might be able to go to Montpellier for the semi!

Lou

[raindog]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/english/7330028.stm

  "World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson has agreed in principle to become England's new team manager, BBC Sport understands
 His appointment could be ratified by the RFU board by next Tuesday.
 "Initially he was worried it was just going to be a figurehead position and fairly meaningless, but he has insisted he will have to have all the power to run the whole of the England team," "

But is he up to the job?