Rugby Union

[Fawn]

Oh dear, that's another fiver gone to the betting shop.

[Aardvark]

Keep the chin up mate Australia has the next three out of four games in Oz, and it looks like Rocky Elsom will be back in the side when we take on the Kiwi's. South Africa are by far the best in the World at the moment, but as history has shown in the past home ground advantage has an important part to play. As Bob suggested the discipline in the Aussie side was atrocious and a lot more work has to be made in that area. There's a lot of frustration in the side at the moment because these guys know they can do better, but Robbie Deans wont let them get away with it for long. My money is on Australia to beat N.Z. in two weeks, but by a very tight margin (maybe a point or two) but only because I'm prejudice try cheese with your Marmite sandwich next time

[wazza]

I watched the higlights today

Summary

Green guys look unbeatable, Steyn is a 1 man team

Gold guys, gave the ball away and some of them got tired and wanted a 10 min rest , then they liked to give Mr Steyn lots of free shots at goal.

1-1 in the real game.

[Fawn]

Saturday, 22 August 2009 11:05 BST
Tri-Nations Series
Australia v New Zealand

Ooh I could crush a grape! Wallabies to win - keep the faith.

Another flaming week yet to go though.

[Aardvark]

Are you getting flutterbuys young fawn ? Lets hope the Australians can get there act together this time. A Kiwi I work with said the two teems were about equal at the moment, coming from a Kiwi that's almost a compliment

[wazza]

There is a famous T shirt worn in New Zealand .

Its has black colour with white font and says

" I support any team that plays against Australia "

Having said that, i was in Auckland years ago, and watched the Bledisloe Cup match on TV from my hotel room, for 1 reason, I was told by the hotel staff to not go to a pub to watch it.

We won the game, kept the trophy and at the Air Ambulance seminar iI was attending s a was very quiet that morning.

[Fawn]

Having said that, i was in Auckland years ago, and watched the Bledisloe Cup match on TV from my hotel room, for 1 reason, I was told by the hotel staff to not go to a pub to watch it.

Blimey, that's a sad day for Rugby. I can't see anyone giving you jip if it was Blighty and I like to think that the Aussies wouldn't cause aggro if I watched a Wallabies/England game in a bar in Australia (save the p!ss takes).

Sounds like a bad case of Small Country Syndrome to me.

[Fawn]

Oi, Aussies, it ain't all that bad!

Ongoing Tri Nations game..............

Australia 12 - 3 New Zealand HT

[Fawn]

Australia 18-19 New Zealand FT

Ooh crikey!

[BobHelm]

Uum... all Aussie points from penalties. NZ had 2 tries (rightly) disallowed and scored one....Fair result, for anyone that believes that rugby should be more about handling the ball than kicking it....

[Aardvark]

Miserable Kiwi's, we'll have to take it out on the Boks next week and give um a real fumpin and guess what, it's in my home town

[Fawn]

Miserable Kiwi's, we'll have to take it out on the Boks next week and give um a real fumpin and guess what, it's in my home town

Are you going?

[Aardvark]

Are you going? Hope so ??

[BobHelm]

All is certainly not well with the glorious game in England.
There has been a bit of a long running drama about claims of Harlequins cheating concerning winger Tom Williams in a game against Leinster. Williams was suspended for 12 months, but on his appeal to the European Committee he was offered a deal, a ban of 4 months for full co-operation, which he accepted.
The full part played by Dean Richards (banned from coaching anywhere in the world for 3 years) is also disclosed.
Although I do wonder if Richards also has not been made a bit of a scape goat for things that are probably a bit more prevalent than they would like to recognise. Richards has been (for a long time) held with high esteem within Rugby circles.
Rugby in England has come a VERY long way in a very short time. From being a part time enjoyment exercise to being a well paid professional task. I can still remember one of the guys in our office turning out for Gloucester First team every Saturday & then back to work on Monday

Full story..
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ ... 809754.ece

[Zidane]

I think this is the case where a hospital doctor is in trouble for allegedly making a wound in the players mouth,then stitching it,so it looked as if it was a genuine injury during the game ??

[BobHelm]

Yeap, looks like everyone at the club were in on it.
Richards, as chief coach/Director of Rugby, is being shown as the instigator though.
Looks like the club will have some pretty tough penalties thrown at them though - disqualification from any European competition, relegation are all being talked about.
Club Rugby in England is not what it was - in my estimation. I often used to go & watch Gloucester play as I would personally know more than a couple of the players & their families. When it was Bristol or Bath we were playing even more so !! & Usually a player or two from the opposition was an old Gloucester player as well. Also many of the players had started in the local sides & so had a great many rugby playing mates around the area.
Last time I went (to watch Gloucester play Bath) I don't think any of the players on show were even West Country Boys let alone local...

[wazza]

There were shades of this injury disguise in some of the recent tests, the Eastern neighbours to Oz, were doing it.

In fact, didnt i see a false stitch mark on Freddies arm , when he threw Punter out !

[Fawn]

Williams said that he did as he was told because he had been “programmed to Dean’s authority”.

Williams is 24 so old enough to know right from wrong. He shouldn't be playing Rugby if he hasn't the strength of character to say no to such shennanigans.

But interesting to indicate that Dean has been hung out to dry as a scapegoat. Doubtless similar sorts of thing do go on in the game but the authorities have to draw the line somewhere.

[BobHelm]

Sadly it is part of the entertainment industry now Fawn, not a Sport...Same rubbish involved as with all the others - Football, Cycling, Athletics....Probably even Tiddlywinks if a certain Australian Media Magnet had his way... I am just sad that the old adage "A game for thugs, played by gentlemen" would appear to have changed to "Played by cheats" like so many other Sports.
I despair at how a parent bring up a child today can take them to any sporting fixture and show them anything more to aspire to than drug taking, cheating, money grasping individual surrounded by his agents & media experts...Hell, exactly what has the Western World come to...

[wazza]

Whilst the money is there the drug cheats and their sponsors The Pharmacutical Companies ie that certain one in Calafornia, will take advantage of this .

There is billions out there to be made by the drug companies to develop performance enhancing drugs along with the masking agent for it.

Ask yourself 1 simple question that a lay person can understand:

Why doesnt the IOC allow blood testing of all Olympic competitors, in and out of competition etc , its costs no more, the time place and testing security is the same.

Just the screening process is a bit off ! Lot more to be found in a blood test ! - APO etc

It took ages for the IOC and other world bodies to finally allow for testing of the masking agent , or a diuretic ( Shane Warne ) and state that is just as guilty as the performance drugs.

Sadly Australian Coaches still try the old and tried excuse , WOW i didnt relise that herbal supplement was so poorly labelled etc ! LOL Well im sorry but professional sportsman know what not to eat, drink, inject, rub on, etc... and their agents and especially their Doctors know as well.

Even the MIMS drug pharmacapedia lists all drugs with sports warnings.