Rugby Round-up

Oh the horror...

2006-04-25T21:32:00.000Z

I've been off the blog in sympathy with England's terrible play... More to follow...

Come over to the dark side

2005-06-04T06:13:00.000Z

The BBC has set up a v. open blog for the lions tour - made up of their own correspondents, plus e-mail and text contributions. Thus Lions in New Zealand Tour Blog: "0353 BST: Col, Ho Chi Minh City
Building up for a great afternoon (2pm kick off here in HCMC)and looking forward to what should be a fantastic Test series. I'm flying to NZ for the 2nd & 3rd Tests - can't wait. No accommodation in Wellington (only there for one night) but we figure we can just drink through it. There may not be many Scots on the pitch but you'll hear the support for sure. "

As such, will mostly defer to them for the rugby coverage...

Euro Rugby Appointments

2004-10-05T17:24:00.000Z

Press release recycling

Leicester Tigers Chief Executive, Peter Wheeler, has been appointed as Executive Chairman of Euro Rugby, the organisation responsible for representing the interests of professional rugby clubs across Europe. Peter replaces Patrick Wolff, Vice-President of LNR, who served as Chairman since the organisation's creation in 2000.

Euro Rugby was formed to enable Member Leagues (England, Italy, France and Wales) and their clubs to:

- Improve communication within Europe at a professional club level;
- Share best practice and information;
- Debate and form policies on issues of a European interest and,
- Have a voice, vision and influence on all matters affecting Professional Club Rugby in Europe.

Peter was elected by the Euro Rugby Board and will take up his position with immediate effect. "I am delighted to be able to take a more hands on role with Euro Rugby," he said.

"Over the last few years Euro Rugby has been effective in combining the force of the European clubs and securing greater acknowledgement for the success and value of the professional club game. Historically, international rugby has dominated the rugby debate, but through Euro Rugby the clubs across Europe are starting to receive greater recognition and a greater share of the voice. I look forward to the challenge of working closely with my colleagues around Europe to further this work."

Leicester Tigers Chairman, Peter Tom, explained how Peter's new role would affect his work at the club. "Peter will remain as Chief Executive and chairman of our playing group and we have continued to strengthenstrengthened the administrative support on the playing side of the club to allow him the freedom to take up this influential new position. He has brought real stability to the club and helped to guideguided us through what has been aone of the most difficult periodperiods in the club's history and we are extremely grateful to him for that. The success of Euro Rugby is vital to the development of the professional club game in Europe and I'm confident that under Peter's chairmanship, real progress can be made."

Patrick Wolff, said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my role as Chairman of Euro Rugby but am pleased that Peter will be able to devote more time to the organisation in his Executive Chairman position. Peter's experience with Leicester Tigers, who are arguably one of the most professional and leading clubs in the world, will ensure that Euro Rugby takes further strides forward. I wish him every success in his new role I will remain on the Board and will be joined by Serge Blanco who is President of LNR."

Howard Thomas, Chief Executive of Premier Rugby and a Board Director of Euro Rugby added: "On behalf of the board I would like to thank Patrick for the hard work and time he has invested into Euro Rugby and am delighted that he will remain on the Board as a Director. It is an illustration of the advancements made in recent years by Euro Rugby that we now have an Executive Chairman and I congratulate Peter on his appointment."

Notes to Editors:

The Euro Rugby Board:
Peter Wheeler, Executive Chairman
Patrick Wolff, LNR
Howard Thomas, Premier Rugby
Stuart Gallacher, Llanelli / Welsh clubs Mick Dawson, Leinster / Irish provinces David Jordan, Glasgow / Scottish clubs Francesco Cavatorti, LIRE Manuel Martin & Enrique Calvet Chambon, representing the Spanish clubs

ENDS

2004-08-22T07:51:00.000Z

Snopes have certified the Bush rugby pic as genuine:

2004-08-17T21:44:00.000Z

Now that's entertaining: "George Bush delivers illegal, but gratifying right hook to opposing ball carrier." while playing rugby for Yale

2004-08-17T21:30:00.000Z

Now that's entertaining: "George Bush delivers illegal, but gratifying right hook to opposing ball carrier." while playing rugby for Yale

Button sequence for God mode gives user unlimited votes

2004-05-24T22:54:00.000Z

What fun!

2004-05-24T22:18:00.000Z

Great day out at the HEC final. Well done Wasps (and fellow Entertainer Trevor Leota).

Wales-England update in advance

2004-03-19T22:57:00.000Z

"Andrew Titheridge: One day to go for the match against Wales, and weather conditions are not looking good.

Sir Clive Woodward: There are looking appalling there is a massive dark cloud coming in from the Atlantic and it’s going to be much like today with very strong winds and torrential rain. I can’t recall a Test match that we have played in such bad conditions. We played in New Zealand last year and they were not great conditions but it’s the same for both sides and we have got to get on with it.

AT: When it was rain in Sydney, it was almost a relief because there is no question England can adjust to weather conditions better than most other sides.

CW: Yes I think we are good at adjusting to conditions but it wasn’t a relief in Sydney. I thought that when we played the French England would have been suited to a dry pitch but we adjusted very well. So nothing will change tomorrow if the weather comes down you still have to get the basics right both scrum and line out and in those conditions it’s about getting hold of the ball. Possession is everything even in bad conditions. We’ve done a lot of soul searching after the Irish game and it’s a huge game for the England team tomorrow. Winning is everything and we have got to get England back on track and to winning ways.

AT: You talk about basics and that is what it is all about, how can you be sure that England will front up and not make the same mistakes that they did against Ireland?

CW: Well I know England are going to front up, there is no doubt about that. We must not go over board about this, we pride ourselves in our line out and you don’t win World Cups but not having a great line out. And tomorrow the two main jumpers are Kay and Grewcock and they have been added to with Chris Jones, so it’s a strong line out. Its not just a case of those players, everybody has got to perform, the lifters have got to be just right and its not just down to the guys throwing in or the jumpers. We have to work together as a team and historically it’s been an area we have been good in.

We set high targets on our own throw and high targets in their throw trying to disrupt their line out. You can still win, we lost by only six points last time and it wasn’t all about losing line out throws. We could have snuck the game, we didn’t deserve to win but history will show we had to lose that game and move on strongly. It’s a big big game for us tomorrow and we’ve got to ensure that we get the basics of the game right, things that we have put massive store in. We’ve done a lot of drills this week on line outs and I am sure we will get back to our normal supply of possession tomorrow.

AT: A lot of people have questioned the fact that England seem to throw the ball long when they are in a defensive situation. Certainly last game the ball was thrown to Lawrence Dallaglio who was not there, because he was defended the try line?

CW: I don’t what to go into the whys and wherefores all I know is that the line out has become one of the best parts of the game. It is very competitive both on our throw and on their throw where there is a huge opportunity to pinch the ball. On the ground if you have a powerful pack you are not going to lose the ball on your own put in at the scrum.

You rarely see balls against the head as you did along time ago but the line out is one of the most competitive areas of the game because you can always vary it. We will throw to the back of the line out if its not marked up, if its totally free you must throw it there. I don’t want to keep going back to the World Cup, but we won it throwing to the back of the lineout, which was a real gutsy call.

When Lewis Moody was free, we could have thrown it to the front which would have been the safe option, but that was marked up. You can look at all sorts of examples such as the Lions in Australia where they threw to the front with Martin Johnson, they lost it because it was so obvious to everyone where the ball was going to go. So you’ve got to have a pattern that identifies the free area which is a real skill but for some of the commentators of yester year they will see that the game has changed dramatically in terms of scrum halves coming in and lifting and has moved on tremendously even in the last year.

You’ve got to understand that and work systems where by your hooker is throwing to the free man and doesn’t matter where that free man is, if he is at the back of the line out we will throw it to him there all day, and if he’s at the front, we will throw it to him there all day. But then if you get the technical things wrong like the lifting and the throwing in, then whilst its probably the right call, its not the right call if the ball doesn’t go there or is marked up by other world class players. If it doesn’t work it becomes a very embarrassing part of the game as we showed in the last game, and we are looking forward to tomorrow when we can talk about the Welsh line out play and not the Irish.

AT: But Wales will be confident, won’t they? The last time they played England, which was in the World Cup they nearly caused a great upset and with our result against Ireland they must feel they come to Twickenham with a real chance?

CW: Of course they do, they played very well in Brisbane there is no doubt about that. England again played very poorly but won, but there is no such thing as nearly, you either win or lose in this game and I smile at all our friends from Wales who seem to take great store in that game but they lost and that’s it. It’s a brutal business you either win or you lose and we are going to win. I can not recall a time when England lost two in a row, so we have put a lot of things right already in training and already between the ears which is where we lost it against Ireland and it is a question of getting everything back on our normal professional level. I am pleased with the preparation, we are also bringing back Tindall and Grewcock and we’ve got Julian White to come in off the bench which puts a lot of pressure on Woodman and Vickery because Vickery can play lose head as well. We think White is a tremendous player. We have got a more familiar look about the team for tomorrow an!
d we are on the back of a defeat and we are not used to that."

Well done Ireland

2004-03-08T23:58:00.000Z

Just got back to proper web access - congrats to Ireland over becoming the first team to beat England at HQ since 1999, and first side to beat the new World Champs. Well done.

How to beat England

2004-02-22T23:06:00.000Z

A theory from the Judge:

1) England have identified that the match isn't just played between the try-lines. Though players act very lackisdasically when touching down/running out ball a lot of the time, you can challenge as much as you like there.
2) The length of the in-goal isn't fixed. From memory, it can be from 0 (practically 5) - 25 metres long.

Therefore
3) Teams should minimise the depth of the in-goal to prevent England kicking through to score.

Negative - if you're defending a 5m scrum, and have almost no in-goal, the fly-half has little room to work in.

One of the tries...

2004-02-22T22:45:00.000Z

OB is predictably correct:

" have, naturally, played the tape many times.. One thing is crystal clear: McHugh was looking at the incident from behind Grewcock. He could not be expected to see through both him and a Scottish tackler. What he did undoubtedly see was the ball come out backwards. He would not have been able to see it come off the Scottish knee.

Therefore, unless he gets something different from his TJ, he MUST not give a knock-on.

Was it in fact a knock-on? Very hard to tell without a side-on view. The ball was knocked loose by Grimes, the second man into the tackle. Grewcock was still moving forward, but only just. Grimes did not move backwards after contact. When Grewcock lost the ball, he was leaning forward, and Grimes certainly knocked the ball backwards with respect to Grewcock - when the ball hit Grimes' knee it was behind Grewcock's hands. That does not tell us if the forward momentum of the ball had been cancelled, but nor does it prove the opposite.

If you cannot be sure, you do not give a knock-on. Under the circumstances, McHugh did nothing wrong. At best it was a very marginal decision that could well have been correct if measured with a micrometer.

Bouch - would you like to point me at the time of the six incidents, so that I can study them? "

Hew's no use to anyone, he's no use at all....

2004-02-22T22:33:00.000Z

M. Dominici managed to drop the ball spectacularly when over for a try. Well done Dave S...

The Scotland trip

2004-02-22T22:31:00.000Z

Just back from tour to Edinburgh. As the folk say:

"I want to be an Entertainer
I want to be an Entertainer
I want to live a life of danger
I want to live a life of danger

Entertainer
Entertainer
Life of danger
Life of danger"

Etc.

For the Shrek:

Wish I had a faster connection....

2004-02-16T22:55:00.000Z

I think this is the right link to get up the highlights of the 6N games. Including the brilliant first Robinson try. Though I still kinda prefer the Thomas try they screwed up, and the French try - more multi-phasic. For which Jason's second try shows the goods - backwards and forwards with the ball to tear the oppo apart.

Cruel (and hypocritical) to be kind...

2004-02-15T23:49:00.000Z

The Grauniad's 6N section is up to its old tricks:

" France 35 - 17 Ireland
Febraury 15: France found their Six Nations rhythm early, running in four tries compared to Ireland's two.
Minute-by-minute report
Eddie Butler: No gain without pain "

Best tries of the weekend

2004-02-15T23:46:00.000Z

1) The Gareth Thomas try that didn't happen due to crossing.
2) The Jauzion (????) french try that went the length of the pitch on a kick return with lots of flow
3) Robinson's first try - beauty of a gather and give by Robbo, Lewsey draws the two men and passed in as tackled out, JR stands up his man and sprints to the try line.
4) Probably Robinson's second try - was pretty darn good too...

Talked out

2004-02-15T23:44:00.000Z

I've done all my chatting in the pub and around. But here are endless view on the England game.

Me - wasn't that Robinson try absolutely smashing? You know the one I mean, number one....

Wood on the 6N

2004-02-15T23:31:00.000Z

Interesting opening comment from Keith Wood in the Rugby Spesh - he thought Italy were going to win one, maybe two, games this year. Obvious is vs Scotland. The other he's thinking of surely must be vs Wales, and I think that there's a real chance of that.

How good were Wales?

2004-02-15T23:28:00.000Z

Personally, have a lot of doubts - opened well, but 23-10 vs Scotland (or even 23-3) isn't so great. Seems like another "nearly performance by their all-singing, all-dancing, occassionally-scoring, winning-once-so-far new attack.

But here's a match report much more enthused than I

Why?

2004-02-15T23:26:00.000Z

The BBC brings back Rugby Special for the Six Nations, and kicks off with one of my favourite tunes, the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army"...

Far too many damn questions

2004-02-13T20:45:00.000Z

Ready for the Six Nations? Really ready for the Six Nations? OK, try the "rugby laws" quiz. Not too many questions...

2004-02-01T21:34:00.000Z

An on-going tale - an interview with Andre Watson, the ref of the World Cup Final, on the ongoing Watson vs Clive Woodward controversy....

Rugby challenge

2004-01-30T20:05:00.000Z

How many of the RFU's founding teams have you played against?

Early teams on the list still exist under the same names. Later ones, may have died out, or changed names. Richmond is a possibility too:

"Harlequins, Blackheath, Guy's Hospital, Civil Service, Wellington College, King's College and St. Paul's School.

Gipsies, Flamingoes, Mohicans, Wimbledon Hornets, Marlborough Nomads, West Kent, Law, Lausanne, Addison, Belize Park, Ravenscourt Park, Hapham Rovers and Queen's House."

"BEAUTICIAN!"

2004-01-03T20:17:00.000Z

What a brilliant line-out call:

"Here's an amazing but true tale to warm the cockles of your New Year heart.

Our hero is Tasco, a nuggety and bent-nosed hooker in a pretty good under 15s school side. On the historic day in question they are handing out the father of a hiding at home to a lowly competitor.

Nothing special about this late ‘70s early winter outing, except that amongst the few spectators were members of their school's revered First XV, scheduled to play next on the same ground.

A kick sailed over the touch line just where the first grade boys were milling around. Now, thought the hooker, was a great chance to catch attention trialing a lineout play his team had concocted during the last training session.

And so it was that he made the call. “Beautician,” he said.

That immediately caught the attention of the first grade boys. This was not a call of the genre of, say, “Harbour Bridge” or “46”. Or even the infamous “99”, which everyone in the district knew to be the signal for instigation of fisticuffs.

Later, Tasco was able to recall with pride that the perfect positioning of the lineout enabled the spectators – including glitterati like the first grade coach and school principal, the school captain, and most importantly the first grade hooker, a gentleman known as Fishhead – to view what transpired in the same detail and with the same clarity as Tasco himself.

The hooker released the ball with as much force as the needed accuracy and guile would allow, straight at the face of his opposite number standing at front of the lineout. In the split second it took the perfectly directed throw to reach its target, he could see the eyes of the opposing hooker:

(a) Light up with surprised glee that the ball was coming his way, then
(b) Expand in panic as he realized this was as intended, then finally
c) Disappear from view to be replaced by the back of his skull, from which the ball ricocheted some twenty feet in the air.

The thing that really sealed the deal, as the crowd doubled over in hysterical laughter, was that the referee had no idea about what had happened and awarded no penalty. He did not even rule that the ball was not in straight.

For the rest of the game, everyone on the team wanted to throw a “Beautician”. Whenever the ball went out, five voices would yell “Beautician” before the hooker could say anything. Second rowers were kicking the ball out deliberately just so there would be a lineout.

Never had Tasco known such celebrity. He even lived out his ultimate rugby fantasy. The team fly half instructed him to feign injury, and then insisted on taking his place at hooker and lineout thrower.

So when Tasco instantly recovered, he played fly half for the rest of the game!

As for the First XV boys, they laughed loud and long. The loudest laugher was Fishhead, which was an unusual sight. Here was a character that was only known to school juniors for episodes of profound mirth following sequences like:

“Hey Fishhead”
“That’s Mr. Fishhead to you, s*it for brains”. Wallop!

Fishhead was said to be so impressed with “Beautician” that his coach had to restrain him from using it.

This order broke down only in the very last game of the season, the grand final. Fishhead’s team was more than a converted try behind going into the last few minutes of a brutal game.

Unfortunately, unlike Tasco’s opponent, Fishhead’s immediately came out throwing punches and the two hookers were sent off.

Coach’s head went into hands. A legend was born.

Many years later, and this is where I come in, I can confirm that rugby teams at the very same school still used the very same “move” under the very same name. And no one knew the story of the origin.

But the first grade coach ten years later was the same fellow, and he swears that this tall tale is in fact true. "

Mmmmm.... sacrilegious

2004-01-03T18:53:00.000Z

I didn't know? For shame...

"Jesus Can't Play Rugby
(sung to the tune of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" a.k.a. "Glory, Glory Hallelujah")

Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause his dad'll fix the game,
Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause his dad'll fix the game,
Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause his dad'll fix the game
Jesus saves Jesus saves Jesus sa-ves.

Free Beer for all the ruggers,
Free Beer for all the ruggers,
Free Beer for all the ruggers,
Jesus saves Jesus saves Jesus sa-ves.

Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause he's got illegal head gear,
Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause he's got illegal head gear,
Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause he's got illegal head gear,
Jesus saves Jesus saves Jesus sa-ves.

Free Beer for all the ruggers,
Free Beer for all the ruggers,
Free Beer for all the ruggers,
Jesus saves Jesus saves Jesus sa-ves.

Other verses:
Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause he's only got twelve men
Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause he can't support a hooker
Jesus can't play touch judge 'cause his arms point both ways
Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause he's nailed to the cross
Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause he's got holes in his feet
Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause he's got some open wounds
Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause he's got illegal toe cleats
Jesus can't play Rugby 'cause the ball goes through his hands

Last verse:
Jesus we're only kidding,
Jesus we're only kidding,
Jesus we're only kidding,
Jesus saves Jesus saves Jesus sa-ves."

Churchill Cup News

2004-01-03T17:53:00.000Z

The annual tournament taking in a young (but often capped) England side, and the US and Canadian national sides (both men and women's) is expanding:

"The New Zealand Maori and their female counterparts, the Black Ferns, are the two sides that will possibly be added to the event. An invitation has been extended to the New Zealand Rugby Union and Rugby Canada awaits confirmation of thier participation. The Maori toured Canada last July with stops in Calgary, Ottawa and Toronto. They had such a great time it fostered a new relationship that has resulted in the invitation to participate in a meaningful competition, rather than one off matches against in-bound tours to New Zealand.

The Black Ferns are the current World Cup champions, having defeated the England's women's squad at Barcelona, Spain in 2002.

Sean Hostetter is the managing director of the Calgary Rugby Union, which, with only three months notice, hosted the Maori match as well as the Rugby Canada Super League final, pulling in 7,500 people on the day to set the attendance mark for rugby matches in Canada in 2003. He says having so much time to plan this next event will make for an even greater end product.

"It might take a little bit of time to sink in, actually, because we've just never been afforded these kinds of opportunities before," he said. "But we're in a position now where we're seen as a partner with Rugby Canada in running these games. Hopefully we live up to our own expectations."

The 2003 Churchill Cup, which was won by England A after defeats of Canada and the USA, enjoyed some success at the gate, but not having Canada play in the final of the men's competition hurt the gate in the final week. Coupled with historically high hotel costs in a tourist rich Vancouver, the decision to move the tournamenet was an easy one. "

Sing this little number to the tune of "American Pie"

2003-12-09T00:00:00.000Z

"Not so long ago,
I can still remember how that rugby final made me smile.
And I knew if we had our chance
that we could muller Wales and France
and maybe we'd be happy for a while.
But Saturday made the Aussies shiver
with every point our boys delivered.
Bad news, Mr Gregan;
your coach is worse than Keegan.
I can't remember if I sighed when I watched our Jason score the try.
But something made me howl with pride
the day the Aussies cried.

Say bye bye; go and eat humble pie.
Always beat you when we meet you.
It's no word of a lie.
and England boys will drink their beer through the night
singing "Aussie rugby union is sh*te".
"Aussie rugby union is sh*te".

We stick to the book of rules
and we still make Aussies look like fools.
Everybody knows it's true.
And we do believe in ruck and maul
While Aussies always drop the ball and
can we teach them how to drop real goals.
Well I knew that day you wouldn't win
cos I saw you training in the gym.
You lobbed the ball around
but you didn't make any ground.
Your were a bunch of useless Wallabies
Oh you think you're great but are just wannabe's.
But I knew you'd be on your knees
the day we crushed your pride.

I started singing;
Bye bye, Billy's ours. Gotta gloat:
Off to England; yes, that's ENGLAND.
Don't that stick in your throat.
and Aussie press will have to eat what they wrote.
Singing "Come on, Campo, give us a quote".
"Come on, Campo, give us a quote".

I met a man called Eddy Jones.
His voice was thick with winging tones.
he just cried and moaned all day.
He claimed the English were a bore
but I'd heard that bullshit years before
and the fact was that the Aussies couldn't play.
On the pitch the English roared.
The feeble Aussie pack was floored.
Not a word was spoken.
The Aussie dream was broken.
And the one man that he feared the most,
when England took it to their hosts;
He put the ball right through the posts
the day.........the Aussies.....cried.

And he was singing'
Bye bye, so we both got a try.
It's so boring when your scoring
against rugby's small fry.
And Woodward's boys will drink their beers through the night
singing Kefu, Jones and Gregan are sh*te.
Kefu, Jones and Gregan are sh*te. "

Interesting Kiwi analysis

2003-12-06T15:35:00.000Z

David Kirk, captain of the NZ team that won the original world cup, has some ideas about problems in the Kiwi game plan:

"When I played rugby, it was a very simple game. First we bashed the opposition in the forwards. We worked very hard on our set pieces - we caught the ball from kick-offs, we won our own line-outs and scrums and we upset the opposition on their scrum.

We kicked the ball around the park seeking set pieces so that we could establish the dominance we sought. We weren't terribly interested in tries, or points in general for that matter, until we had sorted out our set pieces.

When we were happy with them we moved on to second-phase dominance, where basically, the outside-half broke the habit of the first 15 minutes and passed the ball to the inside centre. This strong, invariably square fellow then ran
straight and hard.

He hit the opposition, invariably over the gain-line, and we had that miraculous thing, that beautiful harbinger of victory, that joyous expression of dominance - a ruck going forward.

And finally, in the simple days of the simple amateur fellows that we were, then, and only then, when the set pieces were purring along and the second phase was settled into the scything rhythm of the combine harvester, did we pass.

And if the passing thing didn't work the first time, well, obviously, we went back to set pieces and the combine harvester.

I know professional rugby is a lot more complicated and there are zones and hit-ups and recycles and margins for error and what-the-hell I don't know, but whatever it is, sorry, it just doesn't seem to quite work as well as what we used to
do.

Rugby is still a simple game. You need a forward platform from which to operate.

Backs cannot break the gain-line if they do not receive the ball going forward.

Loose forwards cannot dominate the breakdown if they do not arrive at least as a pair and have three tight forwards smashing in behind them quicker than the opposition.

The Wallabies defended tremendously well. Phil Waugh, George Smith, David Lyons, Stephen Larkham and Elton Flatley threw themselves into the breach time and time again. I don't wish to diminish their efforts but the All Blacks were
appallingly bad at setting up midfield targets to smash into and get good ball going forward. The backs ended up trying too hard to create something out of nothing and ended up creating a try for Australia and a whole lot of turn-overs."

Interesting analysis

2003-12-06T15:27:00.000Z

A discussion group I get mails from included this response to the question of what tactical lessons can be learnt from the World Cup. Spelling and formatting amended....

"Great teams should be able to play in all conditions. Bar none.

Disagree about the jenkins syndrome - I think this England have several game plan options available to them and are able to slip from one to another when required. JW is an inevitable part of them, but this isn't a 1 man team with a penalty winning unit.

The OP asked about what he can learn from the RWC. Well, having mentioned JW you could study what that threat mean't to defences.

Do they concentrate on defending ruck fringes - leaving him deep in the pocket to fire off drop goals?

Do you concentrate on JW in the pocket - and leave yourself open at the fringes e.g. Dawson's snipe and run in that last passage of final play?

Do you over compensate for JWs depth - and possibly infringe in the centres (again, last passage of play in the final... if the DG hadn't have gone over how many Ozzies were offside in the centre?).

So - the benefit of having a fly-half that can hold that threat now keeps defences in two minds - how powerful is that?

Compare Larkham - one DG in his life.

Defences dont have to target him - the fringe defence can concentrate on the ruck, the backs coincentrate on Miortlock - again, look at England in the final. Aus had no threat from Larkham as an individual so England can cover the two attacking options elft to Aus adequately. "

2003-11-30T19:58:00.000Z

A chappie called Bern makes rather spiffing rugby shirts. Among his offerings are a few England RWC victory shirts. Here's the graphic from one of them (with match quotes on the back). Go buy one.

Tim Blair's Aussie blogo-reaction

2003-11-29T17:32:00.000Z

"CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to England, winners of the 2003 World Cup. Last night’s final may be one of the greatest games ever played. The English are worthy champions.

In entirely unrelated news, attractive and dentally-flawless Australian singer Holly Valance says the English are bitter and twisted and get on her nerves and the water in London makes her gag and she’d return to Australia the very first chance she gets because England sucks and ... and ... we were robbed, I tell you! Robbed! Jonny Wilkinson, you goal-getting, rugby-ruining, life-hating, consonant-missing bastard!

Posted by Tim Blair at 09:26 AM | Comments (9) "

Dallaglio and Wilkinson with the cup

2003-11-29T15:34:00.000Z

Its tour of English clubs begins

Wow - Wales are happy!

2003-11-29T15:31:00.000Z

(look carefully ;-))

Cheers!

2003-11-29T15:23:00.000Z

What an exciting auction!

2003-11-29T15:20:00.000Z

Bid now!:

"Australian Rugby Union trophy cabinet, no longer required due to lack of use in forseeable future. Strained shelves due to years of overuse mean this trophy cupboard should be used with caution, therefore would be ideal for any Scottish team (except curling). Slight damage to surface area resulting from Eddie Jones' tears, otherwise in pristine condition. Must be sold to pay Wendall (Hello) Sailors wages.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Nov-25-03 at 23:24:53 PST, seller added the following information:

****STOP PRESS**** Due to the very generous prices being entered for this item we felt it only fair and sporting to include 2 BONUS items.... This cabinet now comes with your very own George Gregan doll - as played with on TV by Mike Tindall - and referee Andre Watsons' Green and Gold sunglasses - simply place in front of your eyes and you'll see infringements at the scrum that no-one else can!! "

Best trivia

2003-11-23T00:52:00.000Z

Thirty-seven points were scored in yesterday’s final. Subtract 37 from the year, 2003, and you get 1966 — the year England won the football World Cup

Well, I tried....

2003-11-23T00:46:00.000Z

Night barmy army drank Sydney dry

"Sydney was flooded by a sea of white as thousands of England supporters celebrated their World Cup triumph
...
The Australians vanquished, a jubilant sea of white swayed and danced deliriously as England captain Johnson held the trophy aloft and Wallaby fans headed for the exits.

With the rain lashing down, the wind swirling and the familiar refrain of Swing Low Sweet Chariot being belted out by the English chorus, it could have been Twickenham on a Saturday afternoon in February. After a 37-year wait for a major triumph on the international sporting stage, the parties were set to run across the rest of the weekend.

Proud but subdued, the Australians suddenly lost their voice along with their bragging rights here yesterday. Boring England? Predictable Wilkinson? If this was a team of dullards, as one Australian paper suggested before the thrilling final, one doubts whether England’s Barmy Army would have the nerves for a team capable of producing genuine excitement.

Outside the stadium, John Adamson, one fan lucky to be among the 30,000 England supporters with tickets for the match, was wearing a T-shirt already emblazoned in felt pen with England’s winning 20-17 scoreline.

Waving an England flag and dancing with delight, he said he had spent £10,000 travelling from Mansfield with his wife, Kathy, to see the country’s moment of glory. The cost, he said, was irrelevant.

“This is absolutely amazing,” Adamson said, hugging his wife. “We are so elated. We have been here three weeks and had to put up with all the taunts and jibes from the Aussie press. It’s so good to win and win it here.

“We have got to fly back first thing on Sunday morning, but we are going to go out all night and party.”

Another England supporter, James Barriball, from Cornwall, said: “It’s cost us a fortune to get here — we have been following the team for seven weeks — but I couldn’t care less. That was the greatest game ever and has totally shut the Australians up at last.”

Lawrence Dallaglio, the England No 8, paid tribute to the passion of the fans, saying: “The support has been fantastic throughout this competition, from the first game against Georgia in Perth to the last here in Sydney.

“The players feel a real connection with the fans, and that result was for them and all the supporters back home.”

England’s triumphant players toasted their success with a private drinks party with partners, family and friends at the exclusive Opium bar beneath the pylons of Sydney Harbour Bridge. Accompanied by England’s royal supporter, Prince Harry, who was surrounded by a group of attractive young women, the team drank champagne and cocktails until the early hours.

At one point Dallaglio slipped out to the restaurant next door, returning with a handful of expensive Cuban cigars. Outside the bar a group of 20 fans waited patiently in the rain to get autographs and speak with the new world champions.

A five-minute walk away, the majority of England’s vast travelling army ignored the miserable weather and spilled out of bars and nightclubs on to the streets around the Circular Quay area as local fans trudged despondently home. Many England fans have come on official travel packages, costing between £3,000 and £10,000. In a sign of rugby’s growing appeal, they are not all drawn from the Barbour-wearing brigade normally associated with the sport. There are builders and teachers among the lawyers and City brokers now.

...

Between them they had invested millions of pounds chasing their dream of seeing an England side claim its first major global sporting triumph since football’s 1966 World Cup success. When Wallaby fly-half Elton Flatley’s penalty took a match that England had dominated for huge periods, into extra time, they must have wondered if it was money well spent.

How sweet it was for them as they watched Wilkinson’s drop goal sail between the posts. This stadium has not witnessed scenes like this since Cathy Freeman’s lap of the Olympic track brought this sports-crazy nation to a standstill three years ago.

All week long England had had to put up with an incessant stream of abuse and baiting from the Australians in an attempt to blow them off course.

The night before the final, Wallabies fans were instructed by one newspaper to chant outside the England team hotel at Manly.

Then in the build-up to the match, radio stations played Waltzing Matilda non-stop in an attempt to raise the team and fans for the occasion. On Friday Bob Carr, the New South Wales premier, ordered all Australians to wear the national team’s colours. The Opera House even got in on the act, with technicians bathing the building in golden light.

But it couldn’t drown out the presence of the red and white of England. The St George’s Cross has been draped from bars and balconies and around the shoulders of people here all week, all day, and long, long into the night.

Despite the growing “army”, and the provocation from the Australian media, the British consulate reported no hint of any trouble over the past two weeks. Bob Swift, public affairs manager for the British embassy, said: “We have had no ugliness at all. Everyone has had a really good time and the atmosphere has been terrific.”
...
The impact of the English invasion on the city’s economy has been enormous, too. A report, published last week by Macquarie Bank, estimated that the influx of England fans had boosted the local economy by as much as £200m.

Restaurants, bars and hotels have been packed to breaking point, and flights from London to Australia were booked solid.

One establishment that has noticed the difference during the tournament is the Orient Hotel in The Rocks area. Owner Adrian Iverach said it had been going through twice as many kegs of beer a week as usual, a story echoed by most pubs and bars.

“It has been a fantastic, wonderful atmosphere,” Iverach said. “Last week we went through 260 kegs in 48 hours. This week I anticipate we will do 500 kegs.

“It is up by 100%, which is great, because we have gone through a difficult time in the area, and it has been good for tourism.”

One suspects those numbers might be set to treble over the next day or so as the magnitude of England’s achievement here sinks in"

2003-11-23T00:33:00.000Z

Pure poetry

2003-11-23T00:14:00.000Z

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

"If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Rudyard Kipling "

Cliched, but true

2003-11-22T23:59:00.000Z

What the fans thought:

""Rugby was the winner."
- John Scott, Sydney"

Championes, championes, ole, ole, ole

2003-11-22T23:55:00.000Z

What a wonderful game. Congratulations to Australia on an amazing performance - let's do it all over again in Paris in 2007...

How it should be...

2003-11-21T14:25:00.000Z

And a South African sent me this... Obviously a reaction to the Aussies putting yellow and green spots on the Opera House this weeK:

Weclome back to NZ...

2003-11-21T07:00:00.000Z

;-)

The best bait ever

2003-11-20T12:38:00.000Z

If you want to taunt a Kiwi, use this:

"The only man who has ever had the opportunity to choose between Josh Kronfeld and Neil Back, and whose livelihood depends on getting the decision right, consistently chooses Neil Back."

(Dean Richards, for Leicester as manager - and it's pretty much true too...)

Scotland win 2023 RWC

2003-11-20T12:14:00.000Z

"Scotland won the 2023 RWC played in the Hondamatic 2000 XLS Turbo Dome in Tokyo. Playing against home team and pre-tournament favourites Japan, Scotland won playing the attractive running rugby for which they have become famous.

USA won the third/fourth place play off against France whom Scotland beat in the semi final when a light shower of rain spoiled the French game plan.

The roots of Scotland's success go back to a little noticed event over 20 years ago. A Fijian band playing at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo discovered that they were eligible to join the British Army. This they did at the first opportunity, most joining Scottish regiments. Other Fijians followed, mainly attracted by the weather and lifestyle, and before long Edinburgh's rugby clubs were able to field formidable teams re-enforced with Fijians.

The first Fijian influenced success came to the Army rather than a Scottish side when an Army team containing a number of Fijian 7s internationals won the Middlesex 7s in 2001. But it is on Scottish rugby that the Fijian influence has had the greatest effect, an effect that has grown and grown over the years.

For many years Scotland's main problem in rugby had been that whilst they could usually field competitive packs, they had backlines for whom the word 'try' was usually associated with the words 'must' and 'harder'. As the Fijian influence on the Scottish game grew, and the Scottish backline began to take on a distinctly Pacific Island flavour, this changed dramatically. Now the Fijians playing in Scottish colours should more correctly be called Fijian Scots as most were either born or grew up in Scotland, but the vibrant, free-flowing Fijian style of rugby was never lost.

The Scottish World Cup Captain Rupeni McSporran described the situation thus :
"Fijian-Scottish rugby is an unbeatable combination. The Fijians brought the running, passing, attack from anywhere philosophy and skills for which they are famous to the team, the Scots brought.......er........um.......all the things for which Scottish Rugby is famous. It's that merging of two rugby cultures that won us this trophy". "

The story continues...

Tomorrow's selections, today

2003-11-20T12:08:00.000Z

A lot of folk have labelled England a "Dad's Army" team. Who knows, it may be shown to be the case on Saturday. But there are a lot of young players in there. For example, here's an England XV all of whom will be around for the next world cup. Notice how many are already in the team. Five key positions are up for change, but the rest *could* stay the same.

Woodman
Thompson
Vickery
Kay
Borthwick
Sanderson
Moody
Worsley

Wood ???? (Gomersall may be young enough to last another RWC)

Cohen
Hodgson
Wilkinson
Tindall
Robinson
Lewsey

The key succession issue is at scrum-half. For the rest, we can muddle along, particularly if Hill, a little younger than Larry, sticks around for a season or so at 6.

So - there is a plan B for next season.

Let's see how plan A goes.

Ouch!

2003-11-20T05:22:00.000Z

"After Australia's defeat against England in Melbourne in June everybody, including his wife, expected him to criticise England full-back Josh Lewsey after a rib-shattering tackle late in the game.

"No way, that was a magnificent tackle, one of the best hits I've ever taken in league or union. He timed it perfectly and there was nothing I could do except cringe in agony. There was no hard feelings whatsoever, even if he did cost me my surfing career in the process.

"One of the ribs he broke set in a slightly higher position than before and I can't lie comfortably on a surfboard any more to paddle out into the waves. I've tried carving out a little channel in the board to compensate but it hasn't worked so far. It's a shame because I've surfed all my life and miss it." "

Not my analysis

2003-11-20T05:16:00.000Z

And it doesn't take account of the relatively tight play of England in the World Cup when we've come under pressure. But this guy does seem to have added up lots of numbers to come to this slightly fevered analysis. Wouldn't have put it the same way at all. But does show the "no try England" meme isn't very sensible. Heck, the Sydney Morning Herald almost acknowledged as much today, when Greg Growden remembered the last Oz-Pom match. Anyway:

"taking the last 2 years results against ALL opposition into account. It is fair to assume that all teams except NZ (in Realists opinion) are building up to the WC in that time, using pretty much their WC squad.

The only results I've left out are the Namibia & Romania games for Aus, and Georgia & Uraguay games for Eng...they distort the stats.

Ok, since the beginning of 2002:

MIGHTY ENGLAND
P23 W21 L2 P+755, P-298 T+71 T-23

Thats a 91% win rate, Avg Score: 33-13

2 Games when ENG din't score tries (NZ in June, Fra on Sunday)

In total 355 pts scored from Tries, 400 points from kicks (47%)
Ratio of Tries scored to Tries conceded is a fraction over 3:1 (sound familiar, Aussies?)

Avg 15 points per game scored in tries, 5 conceded
Avg 18 points per game scored in Kicks, 8 conceded

WOBBLING WALLABY WANNERBES
P21 W13 L8 P+516 P-394 T+52 T-36

Thats a 62% win rate, Avg Score: 25-19

2 Games when AUS didn't score tries (NZ in 2002 3N, Ire last Nov)

In total 260 pts scored from Tries. 256 points from kicks (50%)
Ratio of Tries scored to Tries conceded is a pathetic 1.4:1

Avg 12 points per game scored in tries, 10 conceded
Avg 13 points per game scored in Kicks, 9 conceded

No doubt Aussies will point to the fact they they play tougher opposition. However, they have stuggled against 6N opp. in this WC, and lost to Ireland last Nov. Also played Italy, Wales and Arg. Eng have also played 3 games with B teams (Arg tour 2002, Wal & Fra build up matches)

So, for all your "exciting" SH rugby, Eng are actually 25% more exciting than Aus to watch, in terms of tries scored per game. Or maybe Aussies consider conceding tries really exciting too? in that case, you're 70% more exciting than England )"

Well done that man

2003-11-20T05:12:00.000Z

Mr Cohen shows that the England team have been noticing the attentions of their supporters over here:

""It's nice to have the supporters here ... especially when you watch the semi-final against New Zealand and Australia and they're singing 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' ... that's brilliant," said Cohen.

"It's not cheap to come over here [Sydney] and the tickets certainly aren't cheap. These people have worked a long time to come over here and to be able to afford it, it's a huge compliment to us.""

The fix is in....

2003-11-19T13:32:00.000Z

At least on one paper's polling:

"When an Australian newspaper asked its readers for their verdict on England's latest performance in the Rugby World Cup, there was little doubt what answer they were looking for.

To be fair, the website of The Sydney Morning Herald did offer the option that England's defeat of France in Sunday's semi-final was "scintillating". But the other choices - "dull, dull, dull", "stupefying", "cynical", "clinical" or "very northern hemisphere"- were something of a giveaway. This was another assault in the relentless campaign waged by the Australian media against the England team, who will meet the hosts in the tournament's final on Saturday.

But this time, the English fans fought back. An e-mail went round entitled "Time to rig an Aussie poll" and that's exactly what thousands of them did. Much to theHerald's amazement, 79 per cent of the 53,000 respondents plumped for scintillating."

The multinational view

2003-11-19T12:41:00.000Z

The Grauniad has been kind enough to summarise reaction in Oz, France and New Zealand to the semi-finals of the RWC. I'll quote the French bits:

"France:

"Les Bleus: soluble in water" l'Equipe

"Yesterday the world saw the true face of England - and particularly their exceptional capacity to adapt to weather conditions that were disastrous for a World Cup semi-final. France were never in this match, outplayed in atrocious conditions that simply did not favour the development of their fast, wide game." Liberation

"The victors also showed complete mastery of the fundamentals of the game: winning the ball, the right tactical and strategic choices, constant pressure, quality work with the boot, occupation of their opponent's half, discipline and realism. It was a perfect lesson in adapting to the adversary, as much as to the weather conditions." Alain Gaillard, former French scrum-half, in Liberation

"Repeated errors, lack of control, appaling place kicking - on D Day, les Bleus blew it. We will no doubt be speaking for years to come of the dreadful weather that accompanied this match but it alone cannot exonerate the French team. In the pouring rain, the wretched English hung us out to dry." Le Parisien

"France played a terrible match in Sydney, the worst since its 15-12 defeat by the Irish in the Six Nations in March. The conditions were identical, and the problems were identical: when it rains, France can't play. The Laporte system, which produces such scintillating and brilliant results in the dry, is simply not waterproof." Le Monde

"[Frédéric Michelak] fell brutally from his pedestal against the English: four attempts and as many failures for the penalties; some worse than approximate place kicking; a few terrible choices. As he himself said - useless. But he will have learned a very great deal from it." Le Parisien

"From winning the ball to their mastering of the climate, the English team transformed itself into a giant iron hand which held their rivals' shoulders. France became so frail that they were unable to cope with the pressure of the event. Yesterday we realised that rugby, at that level, is a fighting sport which requires control and authority. The indisciplined French pupils got their knuckles rapped by their English masters. And it hurt." L'Equipe

"France's efficiency may have surprised many during this tournament. But it is a quality that has taken decidedly better root in English rugby than in French. This World Cup has not seen England play their most manicured rugby, and it is highly unlikely that the final will give them that opportunity. But the efficient English have a different priority: winning France were defeated by a strong English team who managed to take smart advantage of the weather conditions. English rain, English game, English penalties and thus English victory." Le Monde"

Lucky Johnno?

2003-11-19T12:06:00.000Z

Rumour has it that Johnson is currently on the second winningest streak as a captain ever (after Teichman). Fingers crossed for one more game:

"At the moment, Johnson has skippered England to 16 wins on the trot (he did not play in the August 30 pre-World Cup loss to France in Marseille) and if he manages to get his hands on the William Webb Ellis trophy on Saturday evening, he will equal ex-Bok skipper Gary Teichmann's record of successive Test victories as captain with 17.
....

Interestingly enough, England have won the last 25 Test matches in which Wasps back rower Lawrence Dallaglio has taken part, representing the best ever run of successive wins by a player from any country in Test history.

Second and third on this list are also current England players - Leicester lock Ben Kay (19 wins) and NEC Harlequins centre Will Greenwood (18)."

Let's not forget the Kiwis - they can still come third....

2003-11-17T00:05:00.000Z

How do they feel?

"A leading New Zealand sports psychologist said yesterday the All Blacks' World Cup semi-final loss to Australia would provide a test of the nation's maturity.

NZ Olympic Games psychologist Gary Hermansson said it was natural for Kiwi rugby fans to go through a period of mourning after such high expectations for the tournament.

"It is a matter of how we manage it. I hope we are a more mature nation than four years ago (when New Zealand lost to France in a world cup semi-final)," Dr Hermansson said."

FUNBUS!

2003-11-16T23:58:00.000Z

The big man, Jase Leonard, picking up his 112th England cap, making him indisputably the most capped player in the history of the game. Taking the prize from a Frenchman, Phillippe Sella. Oh, and he has 5 Lions caps too....

Rejoice funbus, rejoice

And don't go off celebrating with these lasses - you're happily married...

2003-11-16T23:55:00.000Z

What a disgrace - one fan's report of behaviour at the stadium.

"People have given us English fans over here stick for singing Swing Low (including the SMH) at the NZ-Oz game. Saying it's oikball behaviour, etc. But the worst behaviour I've seen at a rugby match has been in the last two days, and it's all been from Antipodeans:

NZ-Oz
Bunch of Kiwis in front of us were yelling insults at English folk sitting near them, and at points threatening to throw beers over/hit reasonably old couple for asking them to sit down.

At the end, they either threw or possibly spat beer over Aussie fans in front (didn't quite catch how the liquid got in motion). Fight was about to kick off (police being dragged in, etc) when an Aussie (sensible soul) manage to calm things down a little.

And the clincher - a Kiwi punched a (50+) lady from Gullivers group in the stomach in the corridor when she'd stepped out there. Disgraceful. Presumably tied in to the "sit down".

England-France
Though as bad was an Aussie bogan tonight. On the big screen post match was an English lass, waving a flag. Bloke wandered in frame, started wrestling at the loose end of the flag.

Far arm comes into view - he's holding an Aussie scarf with his mate.

As he wrestles to pull away an England flag from this girl, just after we won, looked 98% as if he elbowed her in the face.

Camera cuts away

....
Red card to the Antipodes. "

Whinge on that...

2003-11-16T14:39:00.000Z

And if you want to take a downer on England rugby, consider this discussion on wet weather rugby...

Well done Australia

2003-11-16T00:37:00.000Z

Not what we'd been expecting. But a magnificent 22-10 win by Australia to take them into the RWC final. The first team to ever appear in two consecutive finals - let's hope not the first to retain the trophy (go england...), but great stuff.

A game built upon great forward pressure and defense, then running the ball at NZ whenever they got the chance. The problems the Welsh showed up around the inside channels didn't seem to have been properly fixed, and Larkham, Tuquri and others took full advantage.

Bravo.

And, here's hoping for another epic NZ-France world cup game...

NZ press reaction

2003-11-16T00:24:00.000Z

Or so it seems:

"THE INVISIBLES - Nowhere men dumped out of the cup" Sunday News Sports

"CHOKERS!" - Sunday Star Times

"WORLD CHUMPS!" Sunday Star Times Sports

THE END OF THE WORLD- Life's a Mitch, 11 pages on what went wrong - Sunday News"

Are you Carlos in disguise?

2003-11-16T00:08:00.000Z

Of course, things could have been quite different. Ignoring the (correctly) disallowed try to NZ, if Macdonald had made his kicks, NZ would have been level on 13-all at half time. Just for fun, try to spot the players who are really Carlos Spenser in disguise below...

Then think how valuable a recognised kicker in the squad would have been - Macdonald's 4th choice for his province, and all speculation that kicking matters has been dismissed for the last year by Kiwi fans....

Apparently, the Kiwis didn't choke...

2003-11-15T23:41:00.000Z

So says John Mitchell, their coach. Credit to him for the first part of his claim - it's nice to see a coach put his hands up about the oppo on the night. But the second...

""We didn't choke at all - we just got beaten by a better team," Mitchell said after his side lost 22-10.

"We're not chokers mate, that's just a buzz word that goes around.""

Anyway, here's what a load of fans from around the world thought

Me, I thought it was a great performance by the Wallabies. And I hope it's the only one they've got in them. And I'd love to see another NZ-France game - they're always great...

Love it (he says arrogantly)....

2003-11-13T07:44:00.000Z

You're an Entertainer darling...

2003-11-13T07:29:00.000Z

Possibly the most parochial item I've ever posted on here, but...

My club, The Entertainers, got a mention in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, which I'm proud about. They were picking an international celebs XV, and said:

"Prop: Oliver Reed - the movie star died in a bar in Malta in '99 while on location for Gladiator. A heavy drinker, he played for a London team, the Entertainers."

A fine selection, how I'd like to be memorialised, and an item that of course raises the question of what his tour name was (an item of club history sadly not recorded...). Hopefully Maximus....

Oh, blooming heck!

2003-11-13T07:19:00.000Z

Woodward's bitten the bullet and picked Catt:

"England: 15 Josh Lewsey, 14 Jason Robinson, 13 Will Greenwood, 12 Mike Catt, 11 Ben Cohen, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Matt Dawson, 8 Lawrence Dallaglio, 7 Neil Back, 6 Richard Hill, 5 Ben Kay, 4 Martin Johnson (captain), 3 Phil Vickery, 2 Steve Thompson, 1 Trevor Woodman.

Replacements: 16 Dorian West, 17 Jason Leonard, 18 Martin Corry, 19 Lewis Moody, 20 Kyran Bracken, 21 Mike Tindall, 22 Iain Balshaw.!"

Now, that's not necessarily far from the team I'd have picked (I'd probably have dropped Back for Moody, and if picking Catt would have considered Balshaw as they work so well together). However, it's a bit scary, given Catteight's past form...

On the other hand, there's been a lot of reason to think that Woodward's liked the "second five-eighth" style of play NZ traditionally use (and have under Mitchell) where you have two fly-half style players, one at inside centre. Woodward played Catt and Wilkinson in 1999, then Wilkinson and Catt in 2000 and early 2001 (IIRC). And he was clearly looking at Charlie Hodgson in the same role when he played him at 12 in the 6N - a little birdie says that Clive wanted Charlie at 10 and Jonny at 12 for the World Cup, but injuries prevented that.

So, at least we may be playing the right style of game....

Decoys, a three part illustration...

2003-11-11T07:33:00.000Z

Here are three pics that illustrate a (less offensive) example of the practice:

Player running up in front of where a pass could ever go

Pass goes behind him

Then player hits defensive screen, taking players out and preventing them playing a role in the defense against the player who actually receives the ball. Should be a penalty...

Decoy running - a reprise

2003-11-11T07:16:00.000Z

Australia are guarenteed to play two more games this year. Semi, and then final or 3/4 play-off. They're the biggest culprits of "decoy running", IMHO.

NZ have done a fair bit, and are still in there. England have started to run the moves, on a "can't beat 'em" basis. France seem to avoid it, but they probably have a move or two worked out.

So even if the Aussies give it up, I suspect we're going to see a lot more of it.

Planet rugby's laws guys claim to have spotted 11 kinda cases of decoy runners at the weekend, only 2 of which they think could have been penalties. I think I saw at least 2 that could be, so that's probably the same. Here's their point:

"Law 10.1 OBSTRUCTION

(b) Running in front of a ball-carrier. A player must not intentionally move or stand in front of a team-mate carrying the ball, thereby preventing opponents from tackling the current ball-carrier or the opportunity to tackle potential ball-carriers when they gain possession.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

These are the elements:

It must be intentional
It must be in front of the ball carrier.
It must prevent an opponent from getting to the ball-carrier or potential ball-carriers.

All three elements must be present at the same time before there is a penalty."

Under that segment of the laws, a number of moves can be made that are decoy-some, but not illegal. Though they look dodgy as hell. But there's also this, which PR omits - the general offside law:

"In general play a player is off-side if the player is in front of a team-mate who is carrying the ball or in front of a team-mate who last played the ball.

Off-side means that a player is temporarily out of the game. Such players are liable to be penalised if they take part in the game.
...
1 OFF-SIDE IN GENERAL PLAY

(a) A player who is in an off-side position is liable to penalty only if the player ... Interferes with play"

Under this law, I tend to feel anyone running up past the ball and hitting into the defensive screen should be penalised. Pity the refs don't agree...

What's offside got to do, got to do with it?

2003-11-11T07:12:00.000Z

Planet Rugby has managed to spot one of two incidents of deliberate obstruction being given (one vs England, one vs Wales) both of which irked me: neither seemed deliberate:

"3. Obstruction?

Jonathan Thomas, the Welsh No.8 passes to Robert Sidoli, the Welsh lock. They are out on limb, positioned as if centre and wing. Sidoli moves back infield and into Jones who has two English players in close attendance.

Thomas tries to get out of Sidoli's way, throwing up his hands, perhaps in horror, perhaps to surrender, perhaps to proclaim his innocence. Sidoli bangs into Jones.

Penalty?

Law 10.1 OBSTRUCTION

(b) Running in front of a ball - carrier. A player must not intentionally move or stand in front of a team-mate carrying the ball, thereby preventing opponents from tackling the current ball-carrier or the opportunity to tackle potential ball-carriers when they gain possession.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

Thomas was clearly not acting intentionally. He was there by accident. The other criterion for a case of obstruction - preventing the English players from getting to Sidoli - did apply but both need to apply for a penalty.

So then what, if it was such an accident?

Law 11.6 ACCIDENTAL OFF-SIDE

(a) When an off-side player cannot avoid being touched by the ball or by a team-mate carrying it, the player is accidentally off-side. If the player's team gains no advantage from this, play continues. If the player's team gains an advantage, a scrum is formed with the opposing team throwing in the ball.

Scrum to England would be fair, wouldn't it?"

Asked a member of RFU reffing heirarchy about it - he thought "deliberate" was harsh too (and note that there were other incidents just as bad unpenalised....).

Bread of Heaven...

2003-11-11T06:48:00.000Z

Wales, let's be honest, played three pretty appalling pool games. They put Canada away in a just about respectable way, before struggling against Tonga and Italy.

However, they then played probably the best two games they've played in a row since before professionalism. They may have lost them both (in contrast to 1999, say, where they won against France and England on the trot). But my oh my was that pretty rugby. Cracking stuff.

And what made it a little special for me was how it was appreciated by a mostly England crowd at the Suncorp Stadium at Brisbane. Everyone had loved their performance against New Zealand, but when they played similar stuff against us, nerve-wracking though it was at the time, it got them a standing ovation at the end of the match, and then virtually the whole crowd stayed to give them applause through a lap of honour.

Sadly, no-one seemed to want to sing "Bread of Heaven" - we had to wait for the stadium powers that be pumping out Delilah....

Now: 1) I'm glad that Wales are playing us at Twickers next year,
2) The 6N looks set to be a cracker, and
3) I wish more teams would take Hansen's tack of making the squad play touch for several weeks at speed in training, honing the attacking arts..., but
4) You need to balance that with some territory based play - England (at last...) responded to being under pressure (come half-time) with a simple response. Receive ball, set a phase or two, send ball down other end of pitch to make the oppo play back at you, pressure to win ball in their 22 or at least half. Run at them, and they'll then either give up tries or lots of penalties. Win. If you can't play ball from deep 'cos people are coming up too fast on you, play it right by their line and see what happens...
5) Hope Wales don't manage to get the forwards doing that too...

Some confirmation

2003-11-08T12:09:00.000Z

When the headline's "Kiwi's toy with pitiful Boks", you've got to think it was vicious...

Guess New Zealand feel pretty happy

2003-11-08T12:03:00.000Z

Just caught the tail end of the Oz-Scotland game in Singapore. Given Oz were 9-9 at half-time, I'm betting NZ feel happy right now....

Where would rugby players fit in the NFL?

2003-11-06T16:31:00.000Z

It's a bloody stupid question, given that most NFL positions don't require most of the skills rugby players have, and some require staggeringly different skills. E.g. the ability to throw forward....

However, Fox has taken time out to give us their views. And I suppose the "back-row = linebacker" approach isn't too foolish.

But sending Martin Johnson to the Buccaneers is madness - he's a 49er all the way.....

(and picking a hooker at quarterback is, um, interesting... However, you have to love:

"New Zealand All Blacks, NFL Position: Cheerleading
Who needs a bunch of gym bunnies, when you can do your own Maori war dance, the haka, to get the blood flowing?"

Word from our man in Brazil

2003-11-06T16:23:00.000Z

A detailed analysis of the rant. Let's hope we hear lots more of self-defeating ones in the next couple of weeks....

"Things people have said about us Englishmen, and the effect it had on their subsequent performance on the rugby pitch.

Get your excuses in early and learn to hate us.... if you don't
already!

1. "The Braveheart"

Fundamental tenets to this approach include emphasis on historical blood-letting of your forebears at the hands of evil red-coated English as well appealing to modern day concerns of
rapacious globalisation and capitalism. On no account must there be any sort of link to the sport. The best example of this is Lions and Wales stand-off Phil Bennett's famous speech
before the Wales v England encounter in Cardiff in 1977.

"Look what these bastards have done to Wales. They've taken our coal,our water, our steel. They buy our houses and they only live in them for a fortnight every 12 months. What have they
given us? Absolutely nothing. We've been exploited, raped, controlled and punished by the English and that's who you are playing this afternoon."

Wales went on to win the game 14-9.

2. "The arrogance card"

One of the great favourites is to play on the arrogance of the
English. A sure-fire winner with the fans, the key for this to work properly is to interpret England statements such as, "We
were happy with the win today", as meaning, "Frankly, not sure why we bothered to turn up today as our weakly opponents could not play their way out of a wet paper bag and we were so much better than them it was embarrassing."

New Zealand's very own motor-mouth Andrew Mehrtens, fresh from a fine for slating top South African referee André Watson, took this approach when he landed in the UK ahead of New Zealand November 2002 tour.

"England are probably a team you enjoy losing too the least. You are made to feel it pretty intensely afterwards. They are pricks to lose to," he said.

Despite actually never having lost to England in his career, Mehrtens was in no mood to let up as he continued his verbal joust a few days later saying: "England get a decent win about every
four years at Twickenham, and they act like this every time.

"Although having said that, I wouldn't call their last couple of wins over South Africa and Australia 'decent.' We're [southern hemisphere teams] at the end of our seasons, and two years
ago they needed a video referee to award the winning try over a 13-man Aussie team. Great win that one."

Benched for the England clash a few days later, he came on at
half-time as New Zealand narrowly lost 28-31.

3. "The Blunderbuss"

Often reserved for the stands of Murrayfield, the Millennium Stadium etc, occasionally the Blunderbuss approach has moved in to the professional ranks. The key is to avoid any sort of rationale and simply focus on blind vitriol with only the scantest semblance of evidence to back you up. This style was illustrated clearly by young French No.8 Imanol Harinordoquy who after one Test appearance and the odd U21 game against the men in white was quoted as saying:

"The only memories I have of England and the English are unpleasant ones. I have decided to adopt the same attitude as them: I despise them as much as they despise everybody else. As long as we beat England I wouldn't mind if we lost every other game in the Six Nations."

4. "The hyperbole"

A more subtle style that particularly works in the written form. Key to this style is the need to convey that "England" (the amorphous body that includes, the players, management, backroom
staff, media, Twickenham stewards, the local bobby, the barman down the road, that bloke you met on holiday etc) believe that they only have to turn up to win the Rugby World Cup and be
the best side in the world, ever.

Adopted by former Wallaby winger David Campese in late 2002, the
deprecating style can be devestating in the right hands.
"People in the UK are praising Clive Woodward's side as though they have one hand on the Webb Ellis Trophy after successive wins over New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. The reality is
that, while those victories are terrific scalps for the Poms, they are not as significant as they appear at face value."

5. "The Combination"

Only to be attempted by the most experienced practioners, it is
possible to include all some, if not all, of the above styles into one, single schwerpunkt. South Africa's most-capped prop
forward Ollie le Roux, who has made a living at warming the bench, took this tack in 2001.

"I really don't like the English players. I don't respect them like I do Australia or New Zealand. When you beat them, they are full of excuses and when they win they act like world-beaters. England normally play us at the end of our tour, when
the guys are tired ... but now we will play them in the middle of our tour and we will have a fresh Test side."

Sadly for Le Roux, South Africa went down to a then record 9-29 defeat a few weeks later but you will see that with fantastic ease he managed to get the arrogance, blunderbuss and hyperbole style in to one rapier like thrust. "

All hail Funbus

2003-11-05T22:32:00.000Z

Jason Leonard has been selected to win his 111th cap against Wales on Sunday. That will make him joint top capped player for his country. Phillippe Sella did it as a back and a mighty accomplishment it was, as there are more tests now. However, to do it as a prop, after serious neck surgery along the way, is incredible. Take in his Lions caps as well, and you have to question whether a forward will ever get close to Leonard again.

So - go contribute to the tribute caption competition, in honour of the Funbus...

(My bet - Pelous, if someone's going to do it....)

2003-11-05T18:45:00.000Z

Woodward on Wales

Clive Woodward on www.zurichpremiership.com
Wednesday 5th November 2003
Pre-Press Conference
Brisbane

AT: Firstly, did you get a winner on the Melbourne Cup?

CW: (laughter) No I didn't, I lived over here for five years so I knew what was going to happen, all I can say is that it was a big enough party in Brisbane and I am just glad that we were here and not down in Melbourne where the South Africans are. It is a huge day over here, and a very special day in Australia generally.

AT: It is Wales on Sunday, we are used to playing Wales but will it be very different playing them up here in Brisbane?

CW: I think that the answer is yes because it is a totally different tournament. I think that in the sanctuary of the Six Nations we are very comfortable playing them in Cardiff and Twickenham and this is just a complete one off and you can't overstate that. This is a totally different game especially with Wales coming off the back of a good performance against the All Blacks even thought they lost.

It is a very special game and both teams know that if they get it wrong you are flying home on Monday, which adds to the whole occasion. There is a lot of history between England and Wales but I would like to think that this England team has moved way beyond that era. We have set our stall out over the last three or four years to really target the New Zealanders, Australians and South Africans and we have got past that psychological hurdle of playing those guys.

Wales is a great fixture but it is bracketed alongside New Zealand, Samoa, Italy, it is just the next game, we have got to get our preparations absolutely right. We just go game by game and I think that there is a genuine excitement in the camp, I felt earlier on before the South African game that the team was a bit anxious rather than excited. We are at our best when we are nervous and excited and I think that this weekend that is the attitude that we have got back into the team. The guys who played on Sunday night against Uruguay did a great job in moving the whole thing forward.

AT: All the major sides have had a bad game, including England although Samoa did have a great game but it was tough for England, do you think that has helped the tournament that everyone of them has had a bad game and it does prove that it can happen?

CW: I don't think that bad is the right word, everyone has been in a tight game and I think that it is fantastic for the tournament. I remember seeing John Mitchell's face during the New Zealand game and seeing Eddie Jones's face when Ireland where giving Australia a good pounding and I know the feeling when we were losing with 20 minutes to go against Samoa.

You just know what is going on in the coach's mind. But the bottom line is that if we are brutally honest, there have been close games and there have been brilliant games but the favourites have kind of scraped through and that includes England. That is what it is always going to be like, you read the media who say this side is going to win and then when it becomes close they say that it has been a bad game, but I think that those games are fantastic.

The Wales vs New Zealand game was an outstanding game of rugby, the Ireland vs Australia game was fantastic, I will let you say what you like about the England vs Samoa game but looking in as a neutral it was an outstanding spectacle but from a coaching point of view we were obviously disappointed with the game. But as I said we have just got to get excited about this game.

AT: Two northern hemisphere sides and a northern hemisphere referee?

CW: Alain Rolland is refereeing and we are obviously pleased about that, all the other officials are Northern hemisphere, David McHugh and Joel Jutge on the touchlines which actually doesn't make any difference but you know them well and we have had Alain Rolland quite a few times.

What we are trying to do going into this game is give away less penalties, we have got to get down to single figures, we are working, very, very hard at it but I think that the referees have been spot on so far, we have just been a little bit slack in the way that we have been playing. "

2003-11-04T17:41:00.000Z

I'd recycle press releases from other teams if I received them. However, right now, here's Clive in his own words:

"For immediate release: 4 November 2003
Issued on behalf of Zurich

Clive Woodward on www.zurichpremiership.com
4th November 2003
Brisbane

AT: Simon Shaw has arrived, how difficult is it after he has played Zurich Premiership rugby to get him up to international level and into the mindset of the players who have been here for the whole tour?

CW: I don't think that it will be difficult at all, he did all the pre-season and he and Graham Rowntree were the unluckiest players not to make the thirty. Simon has been totally involved, he played outstandingly for us against Wales, he is very close to the squad and we have only been gone a month without him. He arrived this morning but I think that he will fit in straight away and will just get on with it. We gave him the chance to play for London Wasps in the Zurich Premiership on Sunday but he decided to pull out with Warren Gatland's blessing, which I was pleased about but it was his call. He is a world class player, we are getting down to crunch time now and we are pleased to have him here.

AT: There were various other injuries on Sunday night, is everyone else alright?

CW: We won't know finally until tomorrow but certainly with Balshaw he is going to be fine and that Martin Corry is ok and those were the two that we were worried about from the match. So the biggest concern is Richard Hill, this niggling hamstring doesn't seem to go away.

AT: We are now in the centre of Brisbane, amongst spectators right in the heart of the city, is that a problem when they were shielded on the Gold Coast and also of course at Pennyhill Park which is very secure?

CW: It depends how you handle it. When England are away from home, playing test matches we always try and stay in the centre of town, you can isolate yourself too much from an international game and our experience is that we should stay in a good hotel right in the middle, so the players can pick up the flavour of what is going on.

I can remember one game where we stayed in this lovely hotel, miles away from anywhere but by the time we arrived at the game on match day, our mindset really wasn't on the game and we didn't pick up the whole vibe of the match and we lost. But we learn from those experiences, you have got to be careful and there are obviously more spectators in town than normal. My message to the players is that we are not here to go into a sort of closet, we need to behave how we normally do, walk down the streets, go out for coffee and just do what they normally do back in England. This is a very serious tournament that we are in but you can also be too serious about it and become a recluse and we don't want that. It is good that we are right in the centre of Brisbane and that for me has always worked extremely well for England. The players are very sensible, they know how to look after themselves, they don't go out on their own and if they did get any idiot coming up to them to cause any!
problems they can handle themselves.

AT: And on security, it was breached during the South Africa game against Samoa, does that worry you that players might be attacked on the pitch?

CW: It is not something that you can think about, you totally trust the organisers here and I have to say that the Australians, as we knew they would, have done a fantastic job on this World Cup and they were obviously more disappointed than anyone else. The organisation in every sense has been first class, you cannot fault it. Meanwhile if you get some idiot in the crowd determined to run on the pitch in that split second it is very difficult to actually stop it but I just praise the Australians again now that we are getting into the serious end of the tournament, they have just done a brilliant job and it just proves to me that World Cups should be in one country. And if one idiot wants to run on the pitch there is not much that you can do about it, we see it at Twickenham, you cannot put a whole load of stewards around the pitch. And I have got no doubt that the security put in place by the Australian organisers is right up to scratch."

How to save Samoan rugby (and the rest of the Pacific)

2003-11-03T20:28:00.000Z

Pacific rugby has given us some of the great sights of the world cup to date. Samoa and Fiji both threatened upsets, and gave us some of the best tries seen so far. But Samoa, particularly, is in dire need of financial assistance. As I avoid my upcoming ACA Case Study (my final professional exam - Thursday, in case you were wondering...), I turn my business mind to the problem.

1) Pacific unions (Samoa, Fiji and Tonga) lack money. Their countries are small, have very weak economies, and the "rules" of the game mitigate against them. Their players can play abroad on good salaries which are hard to give up or risk to play internationals. And their income doesn't even cover their existing costs, let alone support payments to players to let them come and play internationals.

2) They can't get money. If they hosted visiting teams, they wouldn't take much box office revenue (as the country's poor), wouldn't get much TV revenue (as they're in totally the wrong time-zones), and could lose money (as they have to meet the visiting team's costs, which are likely to be large). If they go on tour, they get no revenue from the trip, as the host union takes ticket cash, etc.

3) They lose players to bigger unions as a result of migration - players with the option to play for two countries go for the big lights, big chances in some cases.

Diagnosis
A) Basically, it all comes down to cash. With more money, players can be compensated for loss of income when they're away from the day job (at least enough to keep household finances in an OK position), playing for Samoa etc starts to look sensible for a lad with two choices, and all is roughly well.

B) The solution needs not to upset the existing system of revenue etc for the other nations - if it did, it would be a non-starter, as budgets etc built around getting the revenue from touring teams.

C) By the by, the IRB should also consider relaxing the qualification rules for these nations, letting them pick players who played NZ Sevens or A, but at least 3 years before. Not part of my solution...

So...
Executive summary - Form the much mooted "Pacific Warriors" touring team. Model it on the Lions concept. Let them keep some cash.

I) I think we all know the players are there - look at the teams that played this RWC, and you've got a class side from pooling them.

II) The Lions have sold well over the years, even when they haven't been so hot, through a combination of being the only game in town for seeing Home Nations teams on "proper" three or four match tours, and because of the glamour of much of their play historically.

You think of a team with Earl Va'a at fly-half, Thau Thau on one wing, Epi Taione on the other, Lima and a Tuilangi in the centre, etc, and you've got to believe they'd draw the crowds with the free-spirited rugby they'd put on.

III) Where's the cash? Well, a) Wales and Scotland have trouble selling out for all games, and b) for "big" games, there's little elasticity of demand in England, France or Ireland at the moment.

So, Wales and Scotland can afford to give over money to the visiting team just on extra revenue - with a glam touring side, you can get extra home sales, plus some English along.... The other three would be able to hand over money from a ramped ticket price and because it would be an extra game on top of their normal quotas. South Africa, New Zealand and Australia would all be able to host three match tours - it would make up extra money Lions style.

IV) How do the sums add up? Assume full home nations tour, crowd sizes of 70,000 (50k in Dublin). Match programme: Ireland A, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England A somewhere up north, England, France A, France, takes a month to play over the autumn

a) Ticket revenues (crowds in brackets)
£60 each in Twickenham = £4,200,000
£50 each in France = £3,500,000
£40 in Ireland = £2,000,000
£25 in Scotland (midweek) = £1,750,000
£40 in Wales = £2,800,000
£20 against A teams (30k) = £1,800,000

Total estimated gate revenue = £16,050,000

b) Throw in broadcasting revenue - estimate £3m for the tour as a whole

c) Let the host nations keep half. (assume broadcasting split five ways). Notice they get bar revenue, etc as a freebie...
England - £2,700,000
France - £2,350,000
Ireland - £1,600,000
Scotland - £1,275,000
Wales - £1,700,000

Samoa, Fiji and Tonga therefore each get £5.85m. OK, compared to the amounts that the big boys get, that's not the most money in the world. And they'll have costs to cover for their players salaries etc while they do it.

But do that tour once every four years, with proper sponsorship, plus a tour to SH on a similar basis, and you're making an awful lot of money. An awful lot. 40 players and staff, being paid £25k to do the tour, cost £1m

Samoa's playing budget is, I think, £400,000 a year at the moment. With extra money, it becomes £1.8m (before our SH adventure). That's more than enough to cover maybe a tour of their own, a proper sevens circuit, and full training camp for the next RWC.

IV) What's in it for the home nations and France? Hello, £1m plus of incremental revenue, on a once in four year proposition. Plus great publicity (charity to Pacific Islands), great rugby (advert for sport), more competitive world cups....

And all for one extra international once every four years.

V) What about that rule you mentioned earlier about revenue sharing - well, funnily enough, as this would effectively be a special case, no-one need worry about that. Doesn't affect how the big boys play against each other. No worries.

VI) Do those touring schedules look OK? Who cares - that's detail. It's probably too tough. Split up into a France and Italy tour, and a Home Nations tour. Give a warm up match or two, lengthen things, increase revenues. Lovely....

Will it happen - hope so....

Thank god someone's got some sense

2003-11-03T19:44:00.000Z

Woodward condemned Joe Worsley for acting like a tit in applauding the crowd as he was sent from the field for a high tackle. Muppet.

Comments, Wales - New Zealand

2003-11-03T19:42:00.000Z

1) Best match I've seen Wales play since they beat France 34-33 in 1999.
2) Yes, better performance than when they beat us a week or so later
3) Pity that the score didn't stick at Wales 34, New Zealand 33
4) However, the boys did good, and also left England with a slightly better draw...
5) New Zealand's defence was like a sieve - too many games against poor teams seem to have left them with no way to deal with decent attacking at pace. Maybe that will fix itself, maybe not.

However, you look at the tries, and you see Charvis dive through a gap behind a ruck on the goal-line (duh), and Williams start a great movement by running right through the ruck surrounds, and you think "what would van de Westhuizen or Dawson have done there?"

Not a good sign considering two of their plausible opponents to come.... Particularly playing one of them next week....
6) Great rugby. Get a copy of the match and watch it through.

Comments, England - Uruguay

2003-11-03T19:38:00.000Z

1) Balshaw looks back. And now he's gone. Is he a solution against top teams? Not sure. Is he really quick and fun to watch. Damn straight.
2) Uruguay believe slightly too much in their incredlemente fuerte pack. The spell when the pounded away at England's line without any ideas or effect was rather long - could see not too much coming of it, and it didn't.
3) Their rather more extemporised try was rather good - well done Lemone
4) Who knows what this shows....

Non-chronological comments - South Africa - Samoa

2003-11-03T19:33:00.000Z

1) Wow, that's more like a proper South Africa team
2) Shame their best player's hurt
3) Still, will be interesting to see their pack fly at New Zealand for 80 mins....
4) Samoa's future - see above....

Comments, Ireland - Australia

2003-11-03T19:30:00.000Z

1) Oh, for a few kicks more....
2) Australia - is that all you've got?
3) No, really, is that all you've got? The Aussie media talked the talk when England beat South Africa by 19 points. The team didn't walk the walk against Ireland, and I think they'll be in real trouble come the semi.
4) Why? Well, they've racked up points in easy games, looked average vs Argentina, should have lost to Ireland (IMHO), and now face a dire Scottish side. Whereas NZ or South Africa will be well-blooded by the time they reach the semi, and blow them apart
5) Unless they get too tired....
6) Ireland - France should be interesting. Would prefer to face Ireland (more predictable, and their strengths are less attuned to England weaknesses...), and Ireland do have a tendency to play well against France...
7) Hope Australia sort out their play - would be very good semi at its best, and very poor at its worst....

Comments, Scotland - Fiji

2003-11-03T19:25:00.000Z

1) Is there anyone not wearing a kilt who thought Scotland deserved to win?
2) Thought not
3) Wish Fiji were still in the competition - Thau Thau (let's be phonetic here...) scored two scorching tries. Against Australia, could all have been very interesting
4) Sad to see 'em go.

England - Samoa Comments

2003-10-29T23:06:00.000Z

1) Great stuff. Really competitive, great rugby from Samoa. If we're going to lose games, I'd rather it be against teams playing good constructive rugby.

2) I'd also much rather be after we've played with some sanity. I don't know why we don't revert a little into the shell, play through forward drive, 9 to 10 to structured play for a phase or two to settle the ship and get the game moving than headlessly fling the ball around without the ability for the half-backs to place structure on the game.

3) Nice try by Samoa to start things off...

4) Controversy 1, the rolling maul try.

Apparently, if you look at these two clips full footage and slow-mo seperation footage, you see that Back was initially legally bound. A Samoan comes through illegally and pulls Back away, leading to his separation from the maul (slow-mo I can't see to check 100% right). Ref lets play carry on, presumably as it's either a penalty vs Samoa or a penalty try at that point. Back rejoins properly and rumbles over. Probably the best solution (better than penalty try), if that's what everyone thinks the tape shows....

5) Controvery 2, the penalty try

Harsh. However, started out five metres, were flying backwards in a way I think would have been unstoppable (you can't when you're moving like that), down it goes, ref's call. Many wouldn't have, some at least would - them's the breaks.

6) Controversy 3, Balshaw's try.

Definitely 100% on-side. Here's geometric proof:

If you look, the ball's up in the air, you can see touch parallel with JW, and Balshaw's not even in frame. Great work

7) Controversy 4, Luger

I'm 90% sure he wasn't on the pitch at the same time as Tindall. I.e. the infraction is a technical one that he hadn't entered the playing area properly, rather than that there were ACTUALLY 16 players on the field, even if one down injured.

Rather than soak up Dave's band width:
a) Tindall is off the pitch being treated at 79.57 mins
b) The accusation was that Luger was on for 34 seconds.
c) The ref sends Luger from the field at 81.34 mins
d) Ergo Luger entered the field of play well after Tindall had left it.

As for what happened with refs, etc - no way to know yet. However, seems Luger probably would have been able to get on legally by the time he did (a minute elapsed time probably has a break in...). Odd.

8) Well done Samoa

9) England, please sort things out properly before I get there....

At last - comments on the weekend

2003-10-29T22:45:00.000Z

Wales - Italy
1) Plucky show by Italy - IMHO, should have been a penalty try/sin-binning in the first minute for a welsh player killing a ruck on their goal-line. Italy took the penalty they were given instead, kicked it, then fell behind for the rest of the game.

2) Think Italy can feel accepted in the 6N now - sure, they've done worst (unless Scotland screw up) of the 6N teams. But they've got a relatively young team now, can build on what they've done, seem to have a couple of handy players who've gained experience (e.g. at 10), and can look forward with confidence.

3) My God what stupid hair-styles. Adam and Duncan Jones - fat men with perms. Nice.

4) No more - worry about tempting fate.

Australia - Namibia
1) What a blow-out

2) Ow, that was early

3) Silly score, shame

4) Australia - meat meets metal/vice-versa against Ireland on Saturday. Will be very interesting.

France - Scotland
1) Only caught some, had to travel. However, France looking powerful, Scotland looking in danger of losing out to Fiji. Which would be interesting, as seeing Fiji try a Samoa on Australia could be good...

2) Hope France blow up before/if we have to play them. Lots of scoring available to them.

Argentina-Ireland
1) Bit of a close one, hey? 15-16, could have gone either way. Great stuff. Vamos Pumas and all that...

2) Argentina need to sort out their back play. With Contepomi at 10, they can run a bit. With Quesada there, it doesn't work. Diagnosis....

3) Ireland need to improve fast - they looked much better in the 6N than that.

England - Samoa
Next post up

Are rugby players properly dressed very often?

2003-10-29T22:34:00.000Z

It seems there's yet another semi-nude calendar of rugby players, including England stars Martin Johnson, Neil Back, Lewis Moody, and no doubt all sorts of other players from the Tigers:

"Leicester Tigers Press Release

The Tigers Shop has been inundated with pre-orders for the 2004 'Tigers Raw' calendar, selling hundreds before the final prints have even arrived, and giving a local children's hospice a real boost at the same time.

The calendar shows top first team players, including Martin Johnson, Josh Kronfeld and Neil Back, working out in just their shorts, showing off some impressive tattoos, as well as physiques.

Priced £12.99, for each Tigers Raw calendar bought, Leicester Tigers will donate £1 to the local Rainbows Children's Hospice, which offers specialist care and attention for young people, many of whom suffer from rare and disabling illnesses and therefore need round the clock attention.

Since putting the calendar on the club's website [HERE] - shop staff have been working hard to keep up with demand, after sneak previews proved a real winner with supporters.

To order the calendar visit the Tigers shop at Tigers' Welford Road stadium, call the Tigers Shop on 0116 2171 267 or go to [THE WEB ORDER SITE]

To make a donation to Rainbows (registered charity number 1014051) or for more information about the hospice, contact Dana Simons on 01509 638 028 or write to Dana Simons, Rainbows Children's Hospice, Lark Rise, Loughborough, LE11 2HS.

* Note: Artwork available on request"

Rugby injuries explained

2003-10-29T00:07:00.000Z

As well as the below guide to common injuries, the New Zealand Herald also has details of the origings of the cauliflower ear (though no guarenteed cure or preventative measure), and an explanation of what's wrong with Umaga's knee (once people use words like "posterior cruciate" I switch off mind....)

2003-10-29T00:02:00.000Z

What a graphic (from the NZ Herald)

Worry now chaps...

2003-10-27T21:21:00.000Z

I'll put up my comments on the weekend in a sec. However, I think this is more worrying for England fans than the game itself - Eddie Jones is at last giving England some praise:

"Jones lauds resilient England

England remain favourites for the World Cup despite their scare against Samoa, Australia coach Eddie Jones says.
England have been criticised for their performance on Sunday - they trailed 22-20 with 18 minutes left before scoring two late tries.

"England were outstanding and again confirmed themselves as the number one side in the world," Jones said.

"They didn't play well but they still did enough to win the game, which is an indication of a very good side."

Clive Woodward's side, ranked number one in the world before the tournament, received a barrage of criticism from the media and other team camps despite their 35-22 victory.

But Jones insisted that England, who have qualified for the quarter-finals, had done well to weather two ferocious storms in beating South Africa and Samoa.

Jones has been a frequent critic of England and Woodward but he said that his opposite number would be delighted with the way his side had ground out difficult wins.

"I imagine Clive Woodward, while he probably had a little bit of sweat around his brow at some stages of the game, would be very happy," said Jones.

"That's the sort of work-out they want, they want those sort of games, they had a side that was probably a bit of a mix of A and B and in the end they showed enough resolve and resilience and patience to win the game conclusively."

Australia and England can only meet in this competition if they both make the final in Sydney on 22 November. "

So - England look good, Jones slates them. England get praise, therefore....

It is magnificent, but it's not Rugby

2003-10-25T07:52:00.000Z

Australia have just smashed Namibia in their match at the Adelaide Oval. The final score is 142 to nil. This breaks many records, and it was in some ways a very spectacular game to watch, with the Wallabies running in 21 tries.

It was however a poor advertisement for the game of Rugby. This was the first Test match to be played in Adelaide, and a majority of the 28,000 crowd would never have actually been to a game before. I am glad I didn't go- if I'm paying my hard earned cash, I want to see a contest, not an exhibition.

Hopefully tomorrow's match, between Ireland and Argentina, will provide a better spectacle.

Just to mention the competition*

2003-10-22T21:43:00.000Z

BootsnAll, as I take it a South African travel company, has a Rugby World Cup blog that may interest y'all.

* No, not the rugby league, though if I figure out what's going on and see any, I'll let you know.

Thankyou Australia!

2003-10-22T00:49:00.000Z

For all the hoo-hah and wild comments thrown around about Aussies being "Fair Weather Fans", the best possible way to shut up our critics is revealed in the ground attendances at the matches played thus far. I know that a lot of Kiwis were bitter after losing sub-host rights, and probably had a right to. But to come back and say that Australians wouldn't support rugby was perhaps taking it too far - after all, most Aussies will go to the opening of a jam jar providing you can convince them its a sport...

Just some quick attendance stats - based on the figures provided by the ARU on the ground seating capacities at their world cup rugby site (found here), and the updates to crowd figures in the daily e-letters you can subscribe to at same, the short answer is this - of a total of 882,124 seats availabe, 655,986 bums have filled them. That is a shade over 74%, with the average crowd = 31,237. Those figures are not based on tickets sold, but tickets scanned through the gates at each game.

Anyone who has seen footage of games so far would be amazed to see some of the turnouts - a windswept and rainy Sunday night in Sydney still got over 30,000 to Aussie Stadium to see Ireland maul Namibia, and support at the outlying stadia (Gosford, Townsville) has been awesome - especially for the minnows. Japan has won over Townsville with their fighting physical style, despite their size disadvantages up against teams like France and Scotland. Namibia has its own fan club here, and the Georgian players were welcome with open arms in Perth by fans who set up a supporter's club specifically for them. It warms the heart.

Scorelines? Who cares? Tell an Aussie who the underdog is, offer them a ticket and they'll snap it up, wear the colours, and will those smaller nations on with all their might. At the end of the day - and to use a well-known cliche - rugby is the winner.

Wilkinson cited

2003-10-21T23:05:00.000Z

The commissioner in charge of reviewing the SA - England game has decided to cite Wilkinson for 'vicious use of the boot'.

It is clear from the video footage that Wilkinson used the boot to retaliate for SA law infringements, scoring a massive 20 points in the process.

An insider stated: "It was absolutely brutal. At times, I almost couldn't watch, but he kept kicking them. I don't know how he can do it."

Reports indicate that Wilkinson has asked for another 720 counts to be taken into consideration, in additon to an undisclosed number of minor offenses.

Concerns have been raised that given Wilkinson's reported widespread use of the boot around the rugby world, it may not be possible to find an impartial citing commission.

Progress report

2003-10-21T22:43:00.000Z

We're now about 40% through the group stages. The one match everyone identified as key before the tournament, England - South Africa, is out the way. I'm pretty glad it ended in a (slightly messy) England win - other people are less glad (some links at the bottom of the post). In no order - Of the main competitors:

England - haven't looked quite on the pace yet, but have exceeded pre-match consensus by 5-10 points in both games - must try harder.
France - looked slick against Fiji, then under lots of pressure against Japan. About where they started - mercurial....
New Zealand - scoring heavily without everything being right. Injury/selection worries to sort out, but the early stages were to be about building a team anyway - could work out.
Australia - apparently have the Big Mo (see below). And look capable of cruising the group if Ireland don't sort things out.
South Africa - could try the same thing against NZ and may win it. Otherwise, home.

Of the rest, selected comments:
Japan - love'em to bits, played great rugby, top stuff, Nee-fan!. Can't qualify, but could still win a game, or at least score more great tries.
Fiji - long shots to beat Scotland, on comparison of USA games. Still possible. A bit of a let-down.
Scotland - poor.
Wales - poor, could be eliminated by
Italy - bad game today, by all accounts, but if they can up their performance for their Wales game could do it.
Tonga - cracking performance against Wales, winning the try count. Would like to see their game vs NZ.
Ireland - playing easy games so far, and will need to hit their peak to beat Australia. Likely to be thrown against France in a quarter, as most people suspected.
Others - eh. Some good, some bad, only about 50% up to date on live footage, so wouldn't want to judge. Not sure there are any bolters left.

Couple of England - South Africa bits and bobs:

Stuart Barnes:

"STUART SAYS: Graham, the media should remember that, New Zealand in 1987 apart, all World Cup winners have endured slack performances. The Aussies struggled against Samoa in 1991, The Boks against France in 1995 and the Wallabies against the host nation, Wales and the Boks last time around. New Zealand have only struggled to find their rhythm twice in the last two matches and lost them both. There is no harm in being reminded of a lesson without being punished. England played with great assurance for 10 minutes and thereafter appeared to just think it would happen. In World Cups teams have to work harder than that for glory. Johnson's men have been jolted by a passionate Springboks team, for whom the back row was superb and the half-backs the weakness a few of us thought they would be. As for Robinson in the centre, please! New Zealand tried to make that brainwave into reality with Christian Cullen in 1999. They ruined the player and their chances. England will not change their system at this late stage. It has been good enough to propel them to number one ranking in the world. If it is not quite good enough to make them champions then so be it... it is too late in the day for radical alterations like Robinson moving to centre. It would be a blunder were they to do so. The complacency has been knocked out of the system. Expect them to play a little more territorial rugby with a lot more effect from now on."

"Is that all you've got?" asks The Australian newspaper (very diplomatique...).

And, of course, the next item up

Where's the Big Mo'?

2003-10-19T08:19:00.000Z

After the main second round games, this thing has reached its first interesting stage, offering an intriguing if only partial viewing platform. Unlike conventional Test sequences, the multilateral form of the Cup looks poised to take off according to its own dynamics. And I like the outlook for the Wallabies.

Luck, injuries, team spirit … all these wild cards hover behind the outcomes for the superpowers, threatening to make all the difference in, well ... the world. Another key advantage will go to the team that captures the most momentum … the Big Mo', as they say in political races.

In the last hunt for Bill, the Wallabies ran their race real close, but to perfection, as we can only see in retrospect. For the pool games, the Australians stumbled around, getting in each other's way. Sure, they rose to every occasion, but no further. The surprise was when the team continued to lift against all and every opposition when they entered the finals. It was a hair-raising journey before John Eales got to lift that damn thing. Yet, in retrospect, we can see that the team was always gathering a strong underlying momentum ... an accumulating sense of confidence and composure.

What's interesting - now that we're half-way through the pools - is that New Zealand and France appeared to come off the boil in their second outings. It's difficult to say where the juice is flowing with England and South Africa. The English ran into a Bok brick wall last night, and I don't think we'll know the full toll here until all the smoke clears.

On the other hand, the Wallabies are definitely coming on. The pre-Cup shake they gave the All Blacks in NZ has been followed by a better performance against Argentina, and a better performance again in this weekend's Great Romanian Massacre, as this mass-record-breaking outing is slated to go down in local lore.

Don't get me wrong. I'm very far from confident. But I am sure that there are specific areas where the Wallabies will continue to improve. Mark my words. Rogers and Larkham are about a game or two away from really being on fire. Flatley appears to be growing in stature. Bourke and Roff have more to give. And the forwards are also going to get subtantively better. [note: Cowboy, that anonymous no. 10 you casually refer to below is the same 10 who was in the last World Cup final ... where he was, incidentally, rather handy ... and our 13 and 15 are playing in their provincial positions ... only Flats is really out of position ... but, OK, buggered if I know about Sailor].

Whether this team is good enough to go all the way is impossible to tell … but, no question, it will be a better team yet. The main point is that, while the other majors just may be coming off a tad, yes, happily, Wallaby momentum is detectable …

And I like the rest of the path. Australia has a meaningless team-building round against Namibia this week ... but that's a timely pause, and the ensuing line-up's ideal. Two medium-strength Tests against Ireland and (probably) Scotland will give the players just enough room to nail their remaining potential, which could see them timed to perfection for the first of the big ones. This will be the semi (almost certainly) against the All Blacks ... who, after having had four walks in the park, will be busy trying to recompose themselves, in the wake of having been belted up by the Boks in the quarter-final. With momentum behind them, the Wallabies may seldom be better prepared to take on their nemesis.

Hence, all going unbelievably well … and who bloody knows … I can detect a vague outline of an Australia-England final. If it happens, I wouldn't under-rate the Wallaby's chances. The interesting thing about this weekend's England match, for my money, was Wilkinson's apparent inability to make any of the play, until the last quarter (leaving his awesome boot aside, of course). It looked as if he can only command the game if the whole England machine is showing authority. Larkham, on the other hand, can make play from nothing, and is feeding more dangerous backs than South Africa … and ... if they come into the game riding the Big Mo' ...

Want to see "the" punch?

2003-10-18T15:04:00.000Z

Then follow the link to see before, during, and after Dallaglio hitting Delport

(hittee updated)

Greenwood vs. SA

2003-10-18T14:31:00.000Z

Before today, Will Greenwood had scored four tries in 6 games against South Africa. Make that 5 in 7. Not bad against a "premier team". Love it.

BTW - what a silly play by Greenwood when Koen missed a kick - didn't touch down, and gave away a 5m scrum by throwing the ball forward. Madness. Called it as it happened, and the ref obliged. D'oh....

Comments: England - South Africa

2003-10-18T14:21:00.001Z

Sure, not a match report. Just hasty comments.

1) Unsure over the reffing. I love the idea of a very serious contest around the ruck, but I also think that the ref didn't quite make it clear what/when was allowed. There were a lot of aggressive dives/moves round the ruck by both sides the ref let go when it wasn't clear in advance that the moves would be OK. That shows big game calls by both sides, but it destroyed structure to some attacks.

On the other hand, when Peter Marshall made clear what was going on (at the England scrum when he called the ball out and SA grabbed around at it in the base), everyone was so slow to react, it hardly mattered.

2) Van Niekerk is a great player. He looked so much better than the couple of times I've seen much of him, and showed what people rate. Great running, great playing, wonderful stuff.

3) I think the first half the England side showed that Richard Hill is key to our game. I think the second half (try, etc....) shows that Lewis Moody is learning very fast in the tests he gets, and I would again go for the Hill, Moody, Dallaglio back row we picked for the NZ game at the beginning of the season....

He's a great guy...

4) Pinnear thinks the ref wasn't consistent on the maul - he thinks one was collapsed, ref didn't give it, but I agree. SA attack by the line broke off, and player tackled breakaway. Which is fine, as no longer same maul.

5) Pinnear thinks NZ will be worried. Not so sure on that, but will be a great game. And I'm glad I'm in the other half of the draw, and arriving to see the right quarter final when I fly out...

6) People say England have an old team, and to an extent that's true. But more realistically, the old bits are the scrum and number nine. You look at the front row (around 25), Kay (another world cup in him), Moody (26?), and there's the core to move on. The issue's scrum-half. We'll see...

7) Scrummaging - got to love a bit of that. Serious stuff. Love it....

8) Where's Campo coming from - "Australia and New Zealand will sit back and think that you can beat England" - surely everyone thought they could beat England.... Aren't we too old, etc....

"We know how to beat England, you drive them back and put pressure on Jonny Wilkinson" - yeah, right. SA and France are the best teams to put that pressure on, given the balance/set up of their teams. Oz can't pressure England up front. NZ maybe, but really they'll do it on the outside. It's too soon now for anyone to think about that - there's a lot of rugby to come.

94) Dallaglio punched Joost (or was it Delport?). T'other had been messing about with his face on the ground. All silly stuff - hope no consequences for anyone - run of the mill ruck my level.... Actually, watching back, there's a big hand to Krige dragging Dallaglio out fo the situation...

101) I say Van Niekerk Man of the Match. 'cos he looked great. But Bracken may get it...

Comments, Japan-France

2003-10-18T14:21:00.000Z

1) Japan are my heros of the tournament so far. Would be almost impossible for them to qualify now, which is sad, as I love'em. Go Akane-chan. Nee-fan!!!

2) Wish London Japanese would sort out a game for me to play with them again.

3) France - England semi, which looks good as I write this (end of Eng-SA) could be a cracker. France are wide open to fast movement of the ball, and are great exponents of the art. Would be wonderful to see that.

4) Japan. Go Japan. Sure, one or two naturalised guys in there, but the great stuff was mostly Japanese guys playing Japanese style rugby. As a player for them, I can safely talk about every play being the "Bonsai" play....

Comments, Australia - Romania

2003-10-18T14:20:00.000Z

1) Romania are gutsy fellas. Enjoyed what I saw (Romania try, etc...). But too heavy for Oz, so went back to bed for an hour or so.

2) Oz have a Frankenstein back-line, which doesn't make a great deal of sense. Former FB at 10 (but v. good there). 10 at 12. 15 at 13. Couple of big league fellas around the place, showing mostly good but occassionally odd stuff. Wonder if it made sense later in the game?

Nee-fan!

2003-10-18T09:56:00.000Z

I'm pretty sure France are going to win. But it's half time, Japan are trailing only 20-16, and I think they've got to be the team who've played furthest above expectations.

If they hadn't leaked early tries against both Scotland and France, they could have been in a serious position. 15-11 down against the Scots, well into the second half. 20-16 against France at half-time. That wasn't what we were expecting...

I think Japan-Fiji and Japan-USA should be crackers....

Nee Fan!