So far I’ve seen “experts” pick holes in the games of; Wilkinson, Worseley, Sheridan and Back(FFS, he was part of the holy trinity).
No player is perfect and there are faults with everybodies (incl S Williams) game.

Think they’d like a swap?
They can have the 6N and we’ll divvy up WC wins between us.

My mistake on the french.
Apologies, but there seem to be a lot of celts who will hear nothing bad said of any player of their team while slating all english players.
Still, 2nd in the 6N isn’t too bad really (even though it’s not the highest level). The French didn’t do too badly either.
I wouldn’t describe beating the aussies conceding no points is a scrape.

I am pretty sure the SH teams don’t give a monkeys about the 6N.
Mainly due to the fact that on most occasions they beat the teams involved in it and only 1 ever makes a decent showing at the WC which is what really counts. Oh, and Italy ran Wales very very close on their last meeting.
Any SH’s care to comment?

Another vote for the outrage bus to ARRSE!
Be careful ,they’ll rip you for short touring.

Could have been worse, they could have taken charlie bloody hodgson or fat andy goode. The current favoured English fly halves are poor.

French Foreign Legion.

Why would the SH teams envy the 6N?
Because of the 6N teams, there is only 1 in the top 5 of world teams?
Or perhaps because only 1 of the 6N teams has ever won a world cup or even reached a final?
As for SA, no teams ever play well straight off the back of a WC win.
While I don’t disagree that BOD and probably SW would make any team in the world, the 6N is not and cannot be judged as world class until it’s teams are judged as such, which at present, they’re not.
Rankings;
1. NZ
2. SA
3. Aus
4. Ire
5. Arg
6. Eng
7. Wal
8. Fra
9. Fiji
10. Sco
I’d happily accept 6N wooden spoons year after year and win world cups! :D

When have I ever said that SW is rubbish?
FFS. You have a poor arguement and so make false accusations.
Have a word with yourself.

BOD and Williams have without a doubt proved themselves at the highest level

Enlighten me. As already stated, the 6N do not count.

Pigface, please read my earlier post;

I fully understand the Henson thing, I think he’s a fantastic player who is rarely aknowledged for being as intelligent (on the field) as he is

Feel a bit foolish?

Or did you mean the 03 world cup where NZ beat wales 53 – 37?
I bet the All black defence considered themselves well and truly “torn”.
Oh, hang on is that the word cup that England WON? (WORLD CUP WORLD CUP WORLD CUP) so gloriously by a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal in the dying seconds? Oh, I think it was.

Well jesus, what a load of tripe, I will accept you dont think Henson has proved himself (two grand slams, two grand slams, two grand slams,two grand slams)

IMHO, to prove yourself at WORLD class, it should be by playing abainst the best teams in the world, not just the home nations and France. If you had missed it, there are not any SH teams in the 6N.
SW tore so many defences to shreds in the 07 WC that wales reached….the group stage (BTW what WC were you watching in 05?)

I only started watching rugby when England won the World Cup

Well son, you’ve missed a lot of good rugby, I’ve been playing and watching Rugby for 20+ years.

Same with Henson, he behaved like a child for quite a few years and has never proved himself at the highest level, neither has O Driscoll, Jones, even the celebrated (or worshipped) Shane Williams. Perhaps O Gara was better during some 6N, but certainly nobody else and definately not Jones.

I don’t disagree with all you say there TJ.
His time has almost certainly passed but to pigeonhole him as a kicker as pigface did is grossly unfair. He was poor on the last Lions tour but did not deserve to even be there, let alone take somebodies place in the centre. As for running, he’s still scored more tries in less tests than Stephen Jones. It annoys me when people of differing nations fault him for few real reasons when its more based upon the amount of points he’s stuck on them in the past. BTW, I certainly don’t remember O’Gara playing at scrumhalf, did I miss that?
IdleJon, sorry for that, I’m the absolute polar opposite of a public schoolboy.

PIgface, Have you ever watched JW play a game of Rugby? Are you just spouting things that you may have overheard drunken people say in welsh or scots pubs? A LOT more than 2 people won the WC, you seem to forget the only player to have played every minute of that competition was Lawrence Dallaglio, Neil Back has always been immense. jason Robinson had a pretty big say in it as did will greenwood. So, for gods sake stick to cycling and leave the rugger to the grown ups.
Did you cause this “incident” by smoking too much crack?

CFH, do I know you from another, greener site perhaps?
Apologies if mistaken.

Sorry to do this to you mboy, but Shane Byrne rides motorcycles.
There’s a number of players who can change a game, Sheridan is one of the strongest players in Rugby and can decimate scrums.
M Williams can severley slow opposion ball down pretty much alone and O Gara averages almost 10 pts per match. Each of these players, on their day can change the course of a game IMHO. That’s on top of BOD and SW and LEE Byrne!

Welsh in bitching about JW Shocker!
He will be held in my absolute esteem forever as he was so instrumental in England winning the world cup (that and he’s still the highest international points scorer of all time).
I fully understand the Henson thing, I think he’s a fantastic player who is rarely aknowledged for being as intelligent (on the field) as he is. I also think that byrne is the best full back in the world and S Williams is in the top 2 of wings.
I don’t care about the nationality of the individual players on the lions team, I thought that was the point (unity). There are selections from eng, wales and ire that I don’t understand.

If Worsley starts in the tests ahead of Ferris/Wallace/Williams when they are uninjured then I’m supporting SA

Lunatic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_leading_Rugby_union_Test_point_scorers

Jones can tackle? when did he learn that? But still better than hook.
Granted, O Gara is not great in defence but he’s often the difference on the scoreboard and has infinitely better vision.
Shame Johnnys not good anymore.

Powell is a tough bastard but got hammered by worseley, there’s no finer defensive back row out there.
I don’t know what Vick’s is doing there and would not put wynn-jones in before O Callaghan, Shaw or Hines.
Back row of Williams, Worseley and Heaslip sounds like it could be a handful though.
You’d be a brave man to exclude Sheridan considering what he can do to scrums.
Backs wise, anagallis_arvensis is not far off at all, perhaps Mike Phillips for Ellis and try Flutey for Shanklin (BOD and Flutey is a very exciting combo, you gotta admit). Mind you, Jones instead of O gara? On what planet?

Cycling’s fine but….
WEAR A CONDOM.

Guardianistas- cull the lefty, politically correct lot.
Hora, you’re spot on.

Gobsmacking..

I know this is against the tide, but I quite like Howies stuff. Granted, I always wait for the sale because most of it is too expensive, but I relate to the idea of trying to leave a small footprint and not be wasteful with our resources. But I agree, some of the advertising slogans are cringey. What I really really dislike is they’re in the **** Guardian! I **** hate the **** Guardian.

Scienceofficer- I don’t disagree, but as I’m riding alone and still learning, trail centres are probably the best bet for now. However the black bit on Whites level was interesting!
All, thanks very much. I admire the tolerance and good karma should be heading your way.
Now, where sells the cheapest bash rings!?!?

Got a Commencal supernormal perfect for 6ft odd. £600 ONO.
May sell frame for £100, also got reba SLs on the bike which I could also sell, oh and wheels too. Based in Bristol. According to Commencal ,builds up to ~24lbs with average kit. Check spec in classifieds.

Thanks guys. The trouble with the park tool guide is that it more or less says “do it this way unless you have rapid rise, then don’t” lol. The cables, outers and mechs are all new. I didn’t have any trouble installing XT, but I can’t seem to get this right and the shimano instructions are utter utter crap.

I have to agree with tiboy, cyclesurgery are excellent. It’s colocated with snow and rock in filton. If they don’t appear to have what you want, it’s always worth asking as for some reason they have stack out the back which they don’t display.

This is horrible!
Mate I truly feel for you and really hope that your luck changes.
Howabout a STW whip round of unused bike parts?
I’ll start with an XT front mech (it’s all I have lying around)

*I meant replaceable dropouts

Am I being daft or are there no dropouts on this frame?

Well thanks fellers,
You’ve all been a great help and I appreciate you trying to help me out. I was starting to get a bit thredders and wonder if it was possible or if everyone was just laughing at the idiot trying to ride over big roots.
Mr Nutt- you’ve seen me do that, haven’t you?

I think I see…….lean forwards push the bike forwards and let momentum do what momentum does?
Should I try to blast a little on the approach for some speed? (if I have it in me)?

Thats my problem, I haven’t enough momentum to carry me over. To me, Cwmcarns pretty steep and I’m just not going fast enough to hop/stop pedalling.
Not sure how I feel about the saddle/starfish interface over rocky stuff, but I’ll try almost anything once. I have a High Roller ST on the rear, is that a soft tyre?
Do you try to give the bike a bit of “heft” as you go over? (a bit of a push)

I’m normally stood up but [/i]try to put a bit of weight to the rear if you know what I mean. I find that if I’m seated, the front wheel lifts too much and I struggle to maintain my course.

Not ridden yet due to brake mount requirement (and I know I need to shorten the brake cables). Oh and pedals are on order.

Ah, yeh pedals too. Bugger.
Took em off for my other bike for today but new needed.