Rugby World Cup 3rd XV

[Gardian]

The end of every World Cup, sees the end of an era.

In 4 yrs time, many of this crop of players will be retired, some will still be 'hanging on', some will be reaching their peak and some won't even have been heard of yet.  We all know about the 1st & 2nd categories.

Anyway - watched Worcester vs Ospreys this pm and enjoyed a good 'club' match, involving a number of the WC players.

See you guys during the 6-Nations eh?

[raindog]

A snippet from Dayglo's "book" here

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby/article2753834.ece

makes quite interesting reading

[UlsterRugby1999]

raindog - there will always be a part of me which holds Dallaglio in high regard but over recent years (post RWC 2003) he has become a very different player. I feel that he hasnt got the whit to realise that he needs to hang up his boots and move on. Just like Martin Johnston did. Dallaglio always was a mouthy so and so. He always did that best on the field but now he has resorted to doing this off field.

[quote]Given my opportunity in the USA game, I didn’t do what was required and I can’t point the finger at anyone else for that. You’re accountable for what you do when you’ve got that shirt on your back. Since my first cap 12 years before, I had been dropped once by England. That was the autumn of 2002. It hurt then and it hurt again when it happened in France. But unlike 2002, I could sort of understand why Brian Ashton left me out of the team for the South Africa game. Even though you accept the logic, it is still hard to take and I hold my hands up now and admit that I didn’t react in the right way for the first two or three days. You have to put the team first but initially I was angry and hurt and I didn’t try to hide it. Nor can I have any complaints about Nick Easter taking and holding on to the No 8 jersey. He played well. Nick is an affable bloke, a rugby player in the Dean Richards mould – hard, tough and a good player[/quote]

He was dog brutal. Late into the tackles and if it hadnt been for his lineout catching he shouldnt even have made the squad.

[quote]So I don’t want anyone to believe I came away from the World Cup embittered[/quote]

Too late Dallaglio, I thought this before you even took your first side swipe at Ashton the day after the final. He should just gracefully bow out and be grateful that Ashton gave him the chance to get another world cup medal.

He is right, England did very very well to get to the final. Given the mess they arrived into the world cup in, its testimony to the coaching staff and the players. For Dallaglio to start to add whinging rubbish like this into the arena when England needs to be building on this for the 6N's is sad.

[raindog]

Hi ulster - I thought you'd done a bunk!

I thought that was fairly honest of LD, he blames himself for only making the bench and not the full team, and even asks what he was doing there in the first place (he's not alone there [;-)])

I seem to be one of the few who thinks it's not a bad idea to air worries about Ashton's system, or rather lack of one. He was put in place to unleash England's backs and has failed IMO. Dalaglio mentions Jason Robinson complaining that even 3 days before a match, he didn't know who would be playing alongside him. Difficult to see how you can play a decent game at WC level under those conditions. In fact it makes England getting to the final even more amazing.

As an aside, i'm still wondering why our lineout was so bad in the final, when it seemed to be one thing we seemed to have got right at last.

just found out it's official that Jake White is quiting the SA coaching job. He's expressed interest in coaching England. Maybe we could do alot worse?

[UlsterRugby1999]

Hiya raindog - no bunk - just on my wee hols in Ireland. Just managing to get a 5 minute session in a cyber cafe. Sad that isnt it.Not the Guinness though - its magic [:D][:D]

A plus tard

[raindog]

How the hell are we going to fit a 7 nations into the season?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/7084062.stm

[Missy]

by having less working days! and more watch/support rugby days [:D]

good time to become a publican ....

[Missy]

[quote user="raindog"]

How the hell are we going to fit a 7 nations into the season?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/7084062.st

[/quote]

 

just clicked on the link but got a page : '404 etc... page not found... more blurb...'

[Renaud]

Raindog asks: "As an aside, i'm still wondering why our lineout was so bad in the final, when it seemed to be one thing we seemed to have got right at last."

Why the South Africans beat us was that they had studied and read the English line out. Victor Matfield was correctly named as Man of the Match for organising its destruction.

The English game plan was to secure possesion in the South African half and then take what chances or penalties that came their way. However being unable to secure even their own lineout ball destroyed this plan.

That was the difference between the teams.

[mac1003]

Whilst it is true that the Boks had by far the better of the lineout, they also nullified our pack, so all in all their forwards contributed hugely to their success. Here in SW France many of our French friends were disappointed that we did not win. Now for the European competitions, starting for us with Auch versus Bath on Saturday. Who do I support now??
Martyn

[raindog]

[quote user="Missy"]

just clicked on the link but got a page : '404 etc... page not found... more blurb...'

[/quote]

sorry - fixed it - works ok now.

[raindog]

Just watched Toulouse-Edinburgh. I'm gutted. The score didn't reflect the game at all. Toulouse constantly killing the ball should've had someone sent off way before Elisalde. Scottish fly half missed about four kicks two of which looked pretty conventional.[:(]

[UlsterRugby1999]

2 lovely weeks in sun drenched Ireland. Errrrr - actually thats the truth strange as it may seem. But best of all was to be the surprise of having secured 2 tickets for my son and I to watch Ulster (head bowed in reverence) and Gloucester in the opening Heiny match at our beloved Ravenhill in Belfast.

Tickets in hand we went into the Fortress (as our visiting supporters have christened it) and got a skin full of Guinness and off to the Terrace to watch battle commence. Good God almighty - we were bounced about like a ping pong ball in a French storm in July

Gloucester were superb and we were pure dung. Watch out for Lesley Vainikolo (or the Volcano as he is affectionately known). 6 feet 2 inches, weighing in at 18 stone and runs like the wind, hits like a bull and eats human flesh for supper. Magic. It was great to watch if you had been a visitor but awful as an Ulster supporter.

Anyway, the world of rugby is changing, our old friend Warren Gatland is now in Wales, and Ulster will be looking for a new coach ASAP. O'Sullivan - the comical one, is under review and the English boys are bitching about the very man who lifted their spirits high enough to scrap their way through to the World Cup final. God love Ashton.

You just gotta love this game [;-)][;-)]

[raindog]

[quote user="UlsterRugby1999"]

Tickets in hand we went into the Fortress (as our visiting supporters have christened it) and got a skin full of Guinness and off to the Terrace to watch battle commence.

[/quote]

You lucky b*gg*r!

Yes that Gloucester result was a bit of a surprise.

And did anyone watch Llanelli-Clermont on sunday? Superb, and Clermont are looking like a really classy act this year.

[UlsterRugby1999]

Aye - for sure raindog - but holy mudder did my wee head hurt the next morning and the voice was as hoarse as a badgers bum. But I loved every minute of it.

[plod]

As a Glawster fan I too was surprised at the Ulster result. I think we have massive potential but can be a bit flaky - witness a 26 - 8 lead turn into a 29 - 26 defeat against Wasps the other day. I'm not sure I thought Toulouse were lucky, but Edinburgh certainly had their opportunities, and yes, they do need a goal-kicker.

[Lou]

Hello fellow rugby fans

Thanks to the World Cup I am now a confirmed rugby fan - and went a couple of weeks ago to my first ever match (at Toulouse - vs Stade Francais) and had a BRILLIANT time!! Now have tickets for Toulouse vs Leinster in the Heineken cup this weekend and Toulouse vs Leicester in December.

My only problem is that so many of the matchs are on saturdays - and I work on saturdays........otherwise I would seriously consider a season ticket!

Of course living in the SW there's no end of matches to choose from!

Lou

[raindog]

[quote user="plod"]As a Glawster fan I too was surprised at the Ulster result. [/quote]

Have you read this plod? It might interest you.

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby/article2848542.ece

[UlsterRugby1999]

You are kind in your words plod but let me assure you that any team who comes to Fortress Ravenhill and does to Ulster what the Glaws did to us is not a team who can be called flaky. You guys were clinical in your destruction of an already wounded team. Sadly, although the right thing to do, our coach - Mark McCall - resigned on Tuesday. Despite this, which is something I have looked for from the day and hour he was appointed, nothing he could have plotted for would have stopped what you guys did to us.

Enjoy this plod as I say

[quote]it was a pleasure to watch. Rugby from the top drawer.[/quote]

As raindog has shown in the article he linked to:

[quote]To subdue Ulster is no mean feat. Lamb and Co are exciting. Let’s wait and see.[/quote]

Lou - welcome to the wonderful world of rugby.

 

 

[plod]

I did see this and it was very heartening, however, I know from reading the Gloucester fans' forums that we are nervously excited about our prospects this year. We have a terrific squad but what we have lacked in the past is the ability to win the really important games - something that Wasps and Leicester seem to be able to conjure up.

Lou, you are a lucky man (woman?); first game some minor encounter of a couple of Federal 2 sides - not likely - Toulouse versus Paris. Then Toulouse Leinster and then Toulouse Leicester. You must have terrific contacts!

[Lou]

Lucky WOMAN not man!

And no special contacts, just keeping a close eye on the release of tickets on the Stade Toulousain website (www.stadetoulousain.fr) - we only live an hour away from Toulouse.  Bargain ticket prices - 12 euros for seats behind the posts.  Friends in the UK were looking at being charged 19 pounds for similar seats for the Leicester match.  You can book and pay online and collect tickets at the gate on the day - worked well for the Paris match anyway!

Lou

 

[raindog]

Hi Lou, allways nice to see someone getting turned on to rugby. Toulouse made a very shakey start indeed to their Heineken Cup campaign in Scotland, but they're second in the top 14 so must be doing something right. Watch out for Montpellier this season tho - alot of new blood in there - should be an up and coming team this year (hope so anyway) [:)]

[UlsterRugby1999]

I was fortunate enough to get to Stade Toulousain in January this year when Ulster played Toulouse in the Heiny. Not much of a game and it has become infamous for the disgraceful Brennan attack - but I must say it was a terrific stadium and fantastic support. We had a street party going until very very late in the centre of Toulouse with many many Toulouse supporters. Great place to go. Its a pity its 3 1/2 hours from me otherwise I'd be there more often.

plod - I'm not a betting man but I'd wager that Gloucester will definitely make the last 4 and even make the final. The two units work rate was ferocious and soooooooooooo productive. I know that some might say it was a demoralised Ulster team, but we haven’t lost to an English club in Belfast for so long, so to come to Ravenhill and do that shows what they can do. Good luck to you all this year (only this year you understand[;-)])

raindog - even at this stage we should think of a wee prediction type thing between us all. What’s you thinking on that.

 

[plod]

Thank you Ulsterman; I hope you finish second in the pool. Big game tonight at Kingsholm when we face the Ospreys. Lou how easy/difficult is it to get to Toulouse's ground? Can you park there? I live less than an hour away. I was going to say "lucky man" but know I should never assume!

[raindog]

Toulouse is a bloody long way for

me too. Went to Perpignan to see USAP/London Wasps in a Heiny game a few

years ago - one of the most enjoyable days of my life. Nothing like

live rugby. Hoping to see Montpellier play sometime this winter.

[quote user="UlsterRugby1999"]

raindog - even at this stage we should think of a wee prediction type thing between us all. What’s you thinking on that.

 [/quote]

Yeah, that'd be fun. What if we all try and predict the 4 semi-finalists? The winner buys a round [:D]

The way the pools are organised it ain't easy tho. Pool 5 is rediculous with four potential winners all together.

I'll have a good think and come back later. There are some games tonight, so no cheating everyone - get your selections in quick.