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Rugby World Cup 3rd XV


Gardian
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[quote]Rumour that along the lines of London Irish, London Welsh etc  we will now have Brive Brits and Stade Englais ![/quote] [;-)]

raindog - I see. [:$] Some people thought that the Italians would roll over and die against Ireland. That was never on the cards. They wanted to avenge the terrible set up of the week preivious. They are a very physical force under normal circumstances but they were just sheer brutal, virgung on the violent, on Sunday. I think Chris White was also taken aback in the first 10 - 15 minutes with the ferocity of the Italians and quite rightly sin binned within 2 minutes.

Anyway, as for Friday nights, Ulster have always played their matches on a Friday night (except when Murdoch dictates otherwise). I prefer it for matches such as the Magners and the Heiny but for internationals I think Saturday and Sunday are better, probably as they are a weekend event with many many followers travelling. Sadly, the TV owners and sponsors are taking over more and more each year. Next we'll have intervals every 5 minutes for an commercial from such and such an advertiser much as they do in the States.

 

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[quote user="baypond"]Can this be right? Flutey, Palmer and Haskell all leaving for france for the money! This is very un-french?

Rumour that along the lines of London Irish, London Welsh etc  we will now have Brive Brits and Stade Englais !

[/quote]

There's some serious money being chucked about these days by some French clubs to attract foreign players. Look at Perpignan and Dan Carter, although the experiment seems to have back fired as he's out for the rest of the season anyway, and there are quite a few people murmuring that it might all have been a waste of money.

I think some of the English guys are probably attracted by the present pound/euro exchange rate.

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After last seasons problems with Monty Perpignan paid per (about 30k Euros I think but don't quote me) game for Carter. The figure banded about by the press was on the assumption he would play all the games. He did get a rent free house with pool etc and a rental car at the clubs expence till the end of the season.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/7906837.stm 

Ah dear me - I have heard some tripe in my time but this is just woeful. Sure, compete in the breakdown, but when the ref is yelling at you "No hands 4" and a whole plethora of instructions, and you either chance your arm or are too stupid to listen then he'll let rip with a yellow and rightly so. But to come off with this crying dung is a nonesense. Sure you get harsh decisions, but the yellow card count isnt high by bad luck, its purely down to terrible English indiscipline and we've all been talking about it since the start of the autumn tests.

[quote]Nevertheless, England - who have a slight injury worry over second-choice hooker Dylan Hartley - have accepted they need to address their discipline if they are to have a chance of victory against Ireland[/quote]

So quit crying, quit chancing your arm, quit whinging when you get caught out and get on with the game. With attitudes like this the whole core of rugby will disappear.

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Obviously Dragon Rouge says it all but I truly fear for us in Paris on Friday night and equally for England in Dublin.  We then have Ireland and Italy to account for and I do hope that game will not go down the drains of thuggery when it is played.

You imagine if Willie John McBride had been around?  He sorted out South Africa when captain of the Lions and I forget the battle call but when someone got into trouble they all helped out.  It did not take long for rugby to take over.

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Well I sort of agree with some of what he says. There were two high tackles in the last English game. Now normally that's more of a red card offence than a yellow so one must be grateful to a degree. The problem was the one against England received no card. Thats just one example. Now admittedly its easier to see these things from the comfort of your armchair but surely the Touch Judges have some input even if the ref didn't see exactly what happened.

As to the comment that the ref should not pay attention to what has gone on in the past well the best way to deal with this is to ensure you instill discipline in your team and don't give him reason to give penalties or cards. So in that area I can only agree with your comments.

I watched the game with my French friends and even they got rather angry about the fact that the penalties (or lack of penalties) given for the same offence was not balanced. I think that's what the real whinge is about rather than being caught bang to rights.

Anyway, I have my ticket and will be flying Carcassonne Dublin on Friday and can't wait. All I need to do is train the wife to use the video so I can watch it again and again and wallow in our magnificent win over the Irish...... well one has to have a dream. [;-)]

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Whether or not you are a Woodward fan, he did pay incredible attention to detail. Yes , I firmly believe refereeing consitiency was an issue, Haskell yellow card for tripping up an Italian, but next week one of the only penalties awarded to England was for a trip where the Welsh guy went unpunished. But... Wales under Gatland are showing the bloody mindedness that England used to show, with a total intolerance to giving away unnecessary penalties. England should expect a level playing field from the ref, but they have made their job harder by whingeing rather than finding solutions.

England to win if my prediction at the start of the 6 nations is to remain intact. Lets just hope Ireland can make a slow start as they did against the Italians.

No Cipriani in the line-up, bad for Saturday's game but Johnson showing strength of his convictions, which in Cipriani's case has to be correct. Goode had a horror for Brive last weekend, I really hope he isn't needed this weekend.

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Quillan - have a great trip mate. Hopefully your bank manager will extend you an overdraft as a trip over to Dublin will hurt. But what the heck - its a rugby weekend.

To be a ref is a thankless task as you cannot get it right every time and we all have a good old moan from time to time about this and that decision but this is wicked. Its nearly paranoia.

Woodward was a superb coach and the proof of the pudding was 2003 RWC. HE actually set out to exploit opponenets indiscipline and with Wilkinson he had it all set up.

Anyway, bon retour Quillan my Guinness is in the fridge chilling as we speak. [B][:D][B]

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The call was "99" and it was "Get your retaliation in first!"

At least MJ feels that Goode is not the answer to England's fly-half; but I don't think Floode is either; the only player that would worry the opposition is Cipriani (Ryan Lamb might as well, but he isn't in the frame.) I can't see an England win in any fashion at all even 5 pens to 2 converted tries.

I'm sure you will have a good time in Dublin; rugby matches are special. I was at Kingsholm the weekend before last and there is nothing quite like a rugby ground for atmosphere without menace.
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This is not directly related to the subject area but I have found out that our local Pharmacist has never been to the UK and thus never enjoyed the joys of a rugby week end in Cardiff.  Hence for next years game between Wales and France I have been let us say co-erced into taking him to Cardiff.

My connections for tickets in Wales have long since disappeared so apart from joining say a local club what are please here in France are  the other opportunities for obtaining tickets.

As to Dublin my favourite place for a rugby week end and Gresham Place is a wonderful area.  Then before the game bacon cabbage and pots is it?  Guinness never tastes as good anywhere else as it does in Dublin.  They are a great crowd and very welcoming.

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[quote user="dragonrouge"]

As to Dublin my favourite place for a rugby week end and Gresham Place is a wonderful area.  Then before the game bacon cabbage and pots is it?  Guinness never tastes as good anywhere else as it does in Dublin.  They are a great crowd and very welcoming.

[/quote]

Ah God Almighty dragonrouge now your pulling at my heart strings. Dublin Coddle and a few pints of Guinness is one of the greatest pre match feasts ever. [:(][kiss][:(]

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Well, Wales were anonymous, France were magnificent as only they know how to be 1 game in 6.

Maybe this 6 nations will even up the national representation in the Lions squad. Sadly Powell looks a little one dimensional and Henson blew Wales' chance to nick a win. The quality of Wales was that despite the fact that they didn't see much of the ball, they were within striking distance until the 80th minute.

You notice I am being all critical of Wales BEFORE England play - your turn tomorrow dragonrouge!

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Sorry Ulster Rugby I told you so in that I feared for us in Paris as much as I fear for England in Dublin.

It perhaps can be said within Wales that we are let us say at times one-eyed but equally we know our rugby.  We have had many false dawns in the past and whilst this side is good it is not the finished article.  There are outstanding players and amongst those Lions as well but let us not think that due to two wins to date against a poorish Scottish side and a mixed-bag against England that we are world beaters.

We have a very tough one against Ireland but that is in our own back yard and it will be different.

If the game today goes the Irish way then the last game of the Six Nations will be superb.

But then if England pull it out of the bag (and we all must admit that they too have some wonderful players) then where does that leave us?

I am currently being assailed by our French neighbours so its going to be one of those days.

Never mind cricket is my first love but then I am old fashioned and loved the time when only those say who were born within the Yorkshire boundary could play for the club.  Be it rugby or cricket we now have people representing their countries and whose background is say elsewhere.  I am not sure I am happy even the West Indies now have a New Zealand guy playing for them.  What do Sir Viv Courtney Walsh and the rest think of that.

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Hi Baypond you are absolutely correct.  You might find this difficult to believe but Henson is not all together rated in Wales.  Powell is a battering ram much as Tindall is in the three quarters for England.

I suggested that we would face problems in Paris........imagine a Friday night at the Stade de France before a baying an totally unknowledgeable Parisien crowd?  France had to win.

Now let me take a punt (sorry for that) but I say a very close game in Dublin today and England to sneak a win?  How about that for I think that Martin Johnson would have say a few things this week.

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Hi UlsterRugby a wonderful pre match feast but not if your Irish hosts who lived out in the mountains outside Dublin gave you a traditional breakfast with is it oat cakes or the like plus then lots of Irish coffee(with something added) and for breakfast and for days before you had been on the Guinness even during the holy hour in the afternoon.  Then a breakneck ride in a taxi to Gresham Place it was a bit difficult let us say but that was the first time in Dublin for me.  On future visits it was all together different I so enjoyed it!
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Good morning from Dublin. I'm sitting in McDonalds down in O'Connell St just by the bridge (they have free WIFI) and its overcast and cold and may have light rain this afternoon. Quite different from when I left home. We were in Murrays (some might know it under its old name of Frazers) bar last night for the France Wales match, great atmosphere and a lot of shouting. Funny enough most were shouting for France probably because of the Grand Slam. The Guinness,,,,,,,mmmmmmmmmm lovely, not had such a nice pint for years but bloody expensive.

There's loads and loads of English here, I didn't think there would be any around this early in the morning but there still loads milling around.

 The Irish, well they have welcomed us with open arms and have excelled in their hospitality for which they are famous for although you can't help but feel that they feel sorry for us coming all this way to watch England loose! I think I had more drinks bought for me last night than I have in the whole time I have been in France. There is a price though I'm on my 5th coffee.

France did it again then. OK they didn't have a kicker but I thought the guy did quite well considering he only had six weeks of intensive training from that Argentinian chap, you can't make a good kicker overnight and not even in 6 weeks. Bit unlucky with the two that hit the post but that's life. I thought it was a bit of old fashioned 'blood and guts' rugby and whilst Wales got down in to the French half several times it was French that had most of the possession and territory in both halves (backed up by the game stats).

Was it a try by France? I couldn't hear what the TV ref said but it looked like it from where I was standing and the Irish thought so to.

Why wasn't Shanklin given a yellow card, blinking SA refs again (only joking)?

Anyway my mates are just turning up and we are off for a Dublin breakfast (whatever that is, probably more Guinness knowing them). So in short, good game, very entertaining (worth the cost of the ticket if you went), well done France and good luck England.

UlsterRugby - I raised a glass (or two) to you last night because I know where you would have liked to have been today (and last night probably).

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[quote user="dragonrouge"]

Now let me take a punt (sorry for that) but I say a very close game in Dublin today and England to sneak a win?  How about that for I think that Martin Johnson would have say a few things this week.

[/quote]

OH FOR  *&%%**""!!??%%$$££ SAKE what on earth are England doing.

Not a very good game, the best moment being the view of Martin Johnson when Care got a yellow. They should keep replaying that video at training for the next two weeks before France at Twickenham.

Wales vs Ireland ... still a great prospect.

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[quote]UlsterRugby - I raised a glass (or two) to you last night because I know where you would have liked to have been today (and last night probably).[/quote]

Good man yourself Quillan - and boy did I need them. [B][B]

The result was good from an Irish perspective, but the manner in which we got it is a worry. That said, England made it hard to play and set out to confront up front hard and fast and they did so quite well. Overall, and despite Care's stupidity and Vickery AGAIN (why oh why do you guys stick with him - he's a total liability) the English performance was a step up from the Welsh match and Flood isnt the lame duck that many say he is. Goode has a good thinking head on him too. Armatidge is a disgrace. His cynical play (or rather non play) should see him left washing the boots after the match. He'd be better on a stage where his acting skills would be put to better use. Despite the indiscipline, which we knew would be the English downfall, Johnston should be pretty happy with the performance. We were in trouble during parts of the game and it could so easily have been a different result.

And dont let me hear how bad the ref was. There should have been more yellow cards than we saw. He did a pretty decent job of trying to let the game run despite Flutey's disgraceful non tackle. I recall that we were told you must use your arms/hands to tackle. Not your damn head. [:@]

One of the things that has bugged me so far this 6N's has been the very quiet touch judges. There have been many infringements, on and off the ball, which have happened in front of the TJ's and not picked up by the ref, who obviously cant see everything, but I've seen very little flag raising from them. Is this a new IRB instruction ????????

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Ok UlsterRugby and your predictions for the rest of the season are?

I think you have to go to Scotland and Wales so along that route you could in theory at least fail in the Triple Crown and of course fall at the last hurdle for the grandslam.

And for England and France?

Good starting point for a day that is meant to be taken up by painting!

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Morning dragonrouge - how's the painitng going?

From day 1 I have said that the last match of this years 6 Nations will be the decider for the Grand Slam or at least the tournament itself. That hasnt changed.

I dont see much now that can upset this as Wales will destroy Italy and we will win against the Scots. That said, Scotland seemed to have put something together yesterday albeit against inferior opposition. I didnt see the match as I was building a new BBQ - and lighting the old one for a pre match session [;-)]. What a glorious day it was yesterday.

England v France could be a very good match if they both play as in their previous couple of games. Johnston should have settled down by then and be lifting his lads up again.

We must revisit the obvious problems we face if we are to leave Cardiff with a win. O'Gara, whom I have never liked and the stats bely the real howler he often is, needs to go. Problem is who replaces him at such a vital time. Our sssssssssssssslllllllllllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww ball from rucks is killing any advantage we have created and this insane kicking away of possession is just that - insane. Either way, Cardiff on the 21st will be, hopefully, a real cracker - with the right result of course too. [;-)][:D][:P]

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[quote user="UlsterRugby1999"]

That said, Scotland seemed to have put something together yesterday albeit against inferior opposition. I didnt see the match as I was building a new BBQ [/quote]

Smart move UR99 - it was absolutely dire. Well at least the bits I watched were: fell asleep shortly after half time.

 

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I'm back in the bosom of my family. The weather was OK the Irish hospitality fantastic, the beer was excellent and we had some fantastic meals. Then we went to a rugby match and things very shortly went down hill. Somebody woke me up to tell me the first half was finished. It seemed to me that England played better, Ireland played worse and somebody had put lead in both sets of boots, well certainly for the first half.

Personally I expected more from the English but the discipline let us down yet again. The only truly rousing moment for the English came right at the end with that excellent try. Perhaps the fact that the crowd were so quiet gives and idea as to the quality of what we watched although I don't know how that came over on the telly. Definitely the quietest Ireland game I have seen for a while. Vickery should have known better, O'Gara should learn how to kick, how O'Driscoll got away without a yellow card I don't know and it looked like a try to us.  I wish I could write more but there is nothing else much to say really.

In short the game was not worth the money but the trip definitely was although I fear it will take me a year to pay for it. I have feeling I should have stuck to watching England v France although Ireland v Wales should be a stonker.

 

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[quote user="Gardian"][quote user="UlsterRugby1999"]

That said, Scotland seemed to have put something together yesterday albeit against inferior opposition. I didnt see the match as I was building a new BBQ [/quote]

Smart move UR99 - it was absolutely dire. Well at least the bits I watched were: fell asleep shortly after half time.[/quote]

Ha - I know the feeling Gardian. [;-)]

Quillan I hope the trip was worth it, result aside, and the Guinness was as good as always.

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