I’ll let you in on a secret here nora. I’ve never once reported you. Have others then? Just shows you need to be careful when you’re being a racist bigot round these parts. There are eyes everywhere. Anyway, do stick to the rugby old chap. I realise you know bugger all about it, but it’s a welcoming inclusive thread. 😀

😆
I don’t even know why you’re arguing the point with me, I didn’t even join in the debate.

nora, you’re a bigot. You’re a racist. You’ve demonstrated it plenty of times on STW. It’s there to see for anyone who cares to check your posting history. You don’t even deny it.

Anyway, about the Irish bottling in Paris…care to comment?

No, didn’t think so. 😆

Latham was a fine fullback, but a 10 he was not. Larkham was a 10.

came third once! You are right though, Wales level is a grand slam every once and a while. We’ve done well recently in this but lack the playing resources to win a world cup really

May is merely continuing the English rugby tradition of thrilling, exciting runners……running sideways.

See also Jason Robinson. 🙂

May’s sideways running is more effective at club level, I have seen him have a fair bit of success with it at Gloucester including against Munster in this years HEC.
The best measure of Englands wing play this season is how Marland Yarde’s reputation improved the longer he was injured.

As for JW, great player and arguably one of the best Northern Hemisphere OHs but way off Dan Carters level, it’s like comparing Beckham to Maradona.

yes I love this.

Going back to JW, he did what he had to do at the time and did it well. For my own personal likes in rugby, despite winning the world cup, it was not our finest hour, as in not the most impressive exciting rugby. I hope to see more creativity and improvement, as well as winning ways in the future..

I hope to see more creativity and improvement, as well as winning ways in the future..

Yeah, how about take on the All Blacks with All Blacks style rugby. That’ll work!

My rugby club has just sent me an email asking us to apply for tickets for the 2015 World cup, half a million tickets available to members of rugby clubs before they go on sale to the general public.

We’ve had that too – damn expensive isn’t it!

He does seem to of won over the haters

My comment about JW being an idiot defender, as a 10 it is not your job to be smashing into 8’s and second rowers, he did it and hurt himself more than once

@aa I don’t think JW was Carter’s equal, I think JW was better. So that makes me nuttier than a nutty thing in your book.

@CFH I recall Robinson going mostly forwards to score his try in the RWC 2003. His nick-name in Australia was “fast-forward” BTW

@Pigface, Howley was clearly a better 9 than Dawson (as demonstrated by the fact he was first choice for the Lions until getting taken out). I have it on very good authority that the England coaching staff tried to get JW to calm down with regard to his tackling to prolong his career, fact is he is still playing.

Re “style” it’s professional sport, wining first style second. The RWC is a high pressure environment, its unreasonable to expect a spectacle of running rugby under that amount of pressure, NZ won ugly last time.

In other news I am looking forward to the Saracens v Clermont H Cup semi – £16.50 a ticket is a bargain in my view.

not just mine I would think.

Can we shoot it. Its shite, God knows what the way forward is. The demise of pro rugby in Wales I suppose.

BT sport had it this year and didn’t show it,tells you everything you need to know right there.

Alternative view is that those who have been “whining” for a long time have finally got their way? Given that Sale have been playing on Friday evenings (majority of games) since 2002 I think its fair that many fans feel that it should remain that way and make arrangements accordingly. For many having a game at 2pm on a Saturday impacts on lots of peoples own sporting activities and family commitments.

For me it means I may not renew mine and Surfer juniors ST given we cant make it to every game. Hopefully those that “whined” to get it moved to Saturday all buy ST’s as many have promised. Given the turnouts on both Friday PM and Saturday matches recently Friday appears to draw a larger crowd!

Well Surfer, we are buying ST next week when they come out. The sheer godawful experience of getting to the ground on a Friday night, then having to leave early if the game ran late, to make the last train had put me off attending every home game. This way myself & MsD can easily train/walk to the ground & not worry about getting home.

I sincerely hope your wish does not come true, it is not in our nature to play pretty rugby, it is contrary to our traditions. The 2003 England side was probably the most complete side we have ever produced and they played wonderful rugby. In the World Cup their decline had just started from their zenith which for me was the game against Australia in the summer of 2003. I would also argue that New Zealand are not the most innovative rugby nation, their tradition is more to do with efficiency – doing the basics faster and more accurately than any one else. The French are innovative when true to themselves, so are the Aussies, and dare I say the Welsh have an innovative tradition. That is not England’s way and I don’t think a team will be successful if it eschews the ingrained way the game is played in its homeland.

Pro12 is great.
But it’s up to the home team to go out and win their home games, and their fans to support them.
That’s what might make attractive enough for home supporters to turn up and back them, likewise the team to perform.
With the travel involved it’s not down to the opposition ( either the team, the squad, or their fans ) to make any game worthwhile. It’s totally at the door of the home team and their fans.
Works well for the Irish provinces, can’t speak for the others but it looks more of a mixed success.

There’s no point some fans blaming the League set-up itself, or the opposition that their not taking enough stars or supporters to away games, when the problem’s on their own turf. More fans – more money -more success – more fans.
Specially from a cosy seat behind a hooky webstream.