Just to prove that I'm entirely unbiased when it comes to slagging off Welsh rugby players, it appears that Wales and Lions star Mike Phillips has now managed to get himself into a spot of bother, having been arrested over an alleged assault on a taxi driver in a dispute over a fare in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan.Sunday, 19 July 2009
Taxi!
Just to prove that I'm entirely unbiased when it comes to slagging off Welsh rugby players, it appears that Wales and Lions star Mike Phillips has now managed to get himself into a spot of bother, having been arrested over an alleged assault on a taxi driver in a dispute over a fare in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan.Wednesday, 15 July 2009
The future's bright?
So, it seems that rumours of the demise of our favourite smooth-legged orange one, Mr Gavin Church, were premature. Saturday, 11 July 2009
Le Hask
James "Le Hask" Haskell appears determined not to let his move across the Channel to Paris keep him out of the limelight.Let us pray
The news that the Right Reverend Graham Henry will be leading his flock of Kiwis right through to RWC 2011 has received a somewhat underwhelming response in general.But consider this:
- given that the NZRU re-employed Henry after the 2007 RWC debacle, they were hardly going to sack him now, were they?
- since the departure of Robbie Deans, who else is there, really?
- despite predictions that the All Blacks' could finish bottom of the Tri-Nations this year and given their distinctly dodgy form of late, this might actually be viewed in a positive light in the long term. No danger of them peaking between World Cups this time!
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Verdict II
So, with the Lions now back from South Africa, what have we learned? Try this for starters...- The Lions brand is alive and kicking. Yes, there are issues with preparation time, length of tours, standard of provincial opposition and ticket prices but this group have restored the one thing that went AWOL in 2005 - credibility.
- BOD is, without a shadow of a doubt, GOD. Player of the tour by miles.
- Peter de Villiers is, without a shadow of a doubt, a clown. And not a very funny one at that.
- The players return to Britain and Ireland knowing that they so very nearly won a series in the Southern Hemisphere. Coulda, woulda, shoulda? Maybe, but don't underestimate the effect that winning that 3rd Test could have - for many it was their first ever victory over a 3N team.
- For the Irish boys, the form of Jamie Heaslip, Rob Kearney and Tommy Bowe - along with the excellent BOD - bodes well, although there may well be concerns about the tight 5 going forward. And the less said about ROG the better.
- For Wales, the fact that they ultimately provided the Lions first choice front row must be a cause for optimism, and they can safely claim to now have 2 genuine world class operators in Jamie Roberts and Mike Phillips. If they can forget about Gavin Henson and keep Martyn Williams going they should go from strength to strength.
- The Scots will have learned precious little, other than they have some way to go to catch up with the others. In reality none of the Scots was anywhere near the Test team but you never know - Messrs Blair, Ford, Hines and Murray may well have derived something from the trip that they can take back into the Scottish camp.
- As for England, it should not go unnoticed that they had 8 players involved in that 3rd Test victory. Upfront England are looking in good shape - Sheridan, Croft and Worsley all had excellent tours, while Simon Shaw was simply immense. And even Lee Mears and Phil Vickery were in good form until the 1st test scrummaging shambles. Behind the scrum Riki Flutey can now be considered a fully fledged international 12 - a problem position ever since the retirement of Will Greenwood - and Ugo Monye also had his moments, adding to the talent already to Martin Johnson in the back three. Now if they could just squeeze another 2 years out of Shaw and keep a certain Mr Wilkinson fit...
Monday, 6 July 2009
Pain in the neck
Pre-season training begins tomorrow at Chesham.Sadly I won't be participating as I have a sore neck having pulled a muscle between my shoulder blades. I picked up the injury this weekend whilst MOWING THE LAWN.
This, following a calf injury last weekend after I joined in a kids' tug of war at the school summer fête (without first warming up).
Yet more proof - if proof were needed - that I'm old and past it.
Sunday, 5 July 2009
Friday, 3 July 2009
Lions tackle gouging
Breaking news from South Africa...Wednesday, 1 July 2009
The curious case of Monsieur Bastareaud
Yet another twist to the Bastardo saga...First there was the alleged assault by up to 5 thugs in Wellington.
Then it transpired that there had been no assault and that in fact M. Bastardo had consumed a few too many sherbets and fallen in his hotel room, cutting his face in the process.
Furthermore Guazzini blames it all on the "the relentlessness of the press against a boy of 20".
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Verdict
OK, time now for my tuppence ha'penny's worth on Saturday's Lions Test.First things first. I missed the game owing to commitments at aforementioned kids' school summer fête. Idiot.
From what I have seen and read it was an enthralling epic of a game.
After a hugely committed and brave performance from the Lions I think we can safely say that pride is restored after the 2005 fiasco in New Zealand.
The scoreboard doesn't lie - ultimately the Boks deserve their series victory.
Turning to the gouging issue, let's set aside the actions of Mr Burger (utterly appalling) and the match officials (utterly gutless) and the disciplinary committee (utterly inadequate) - the most sickening aspect of this affair is undoubtedly the utterly shameful behaviour of South African coach Peter de Villiers since the match concluded.
De Villiers comments that gouging was "part of sport" and that if we were "going to complain about every incident we might as well go to a ballet shop and all get tutus and get a great dancing show on for all to see that has no eye-gouging, no tackling, no nothing and we can all in enjoy it" were utterly unacceptable and bring the game into disrepute.
The SARU have apologised but it is not enough. Mr de Villiers should make a full public apology or resign.
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Final touch and momentous news
Leaving my thoughts of the Lions aside for a while longer yet...Thursday, 25 June 2009
Pants on fire
So, it appears that claims by Monsieur Bastardo that he was assaulted in Wellington at the weekend were a BIG FAT LIE.In a statement released today through his club, Stade Francais, Bastardo admitted that the assault was one giant porky pie.
"I want to go back on the incidents that occurred in New Zealand," his statement read. "I need to tell the truth to everyone.
"On Saturday evening I went back to the hotel after having drunk too much. I fell into my room, I struck the night table and I cut my cheekbone.
"I was ashamed, I panicked and I thought that I would be expelled from the French team. I told this story thinking that it would pass, but given the scale that it has taken on I want to tell the truth. I did not want to offend my family. I panicked and dug a hole for myself. I want to apologise to the New Zealand Union, the city of Wellington, the French team, the staff, my club, my friends and to all those affected by this story."
Call me a cynic, but the fact that CCTV footage reportedly showed him entering his hotel uninjured in the early hours of Sunday morning may just have something to do with his apparent contrition and compulsion to tell the truth.
Fortune favours the brave...
...but have the Lions been brave enough? That's the million dollar question.Or, put another way, will Geech and his coaching team regret the decision not to stake all or nothing on the 2nd Test?
Sadly I think that the last 20 minutes of the 1st Test have lulled the Lions into thinking that they can simply pick up where they left off. What they must realise, however, is that - apart from the centre partnership of Roberts and BOD - they utterly failed to ask the Boks any questions in Durban.
From my perspective, I'm pretty convinced that it was the non-selection in the 1st Test of Sheridan and Murray (yes, I know they were injured for the match but they wouldn't have been if they hadn't had to play against the Southern
The only saving grace is that Big Ted and Ickle Shane are on the bench but, like last week, the game may be lost before they can have an impact.
Now, my next challenge is to work out how I can watch the game while still being seen to be helping out at my kids' school summer fête...
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Welsh into Administration
A sad day for the little piece of Wales in London (aka Old Deer Park, Richmond) as London Welsh announced today that they have called in the administrators. Apparently the National One club have only enough money to operate for one more month.This, having made the decision this season to go fully professional as part of a three-year plan to reach the Guinness Premiership, a decision that, at best, can be described as extremely misguided.
Spectre in Bath
Strange goings on at Bath Rugby where SPECTRE "Number 1" Nick Blofeld appears to have been appointed CEO.Monday, 22 June 2009
Shame
The news that French centre Mathieu Bastareaud was beaten up in Wellington the night after the 2nd Test against the All Blacks was pretty shocking.If it was just a mugging then Monsieur Bastardo (as Austin Healy referred to him in the 6 Nations) can count himself very unlucky indeed and I guess it could have happened anywhere. If, however, he was beaten up by Kiwi rugby "fans" simply because he was recognised as a French rugby player (as has been suggested) then that's a far more worrying and sinister development, especially after the news that French players were pelted with plastic bottles by a group of New Zealand spectators after the 1st Test in Dunedin.
Sunday, 21 June 2009
Two things...
You have to feel a little sorry for Phil Vickery; and - The Springboks won the mind-games battle hands down.
And so, to all intents and purposes, the Raging Bull was dismantled by the Beast. Ironic really, as it was the South African tighthead, John Smit, who was supposed to be the vulnerable one.
The Raging Bull has now been reduced to the role of Mild-Mannered Heffer and must seriously be considering his international future.And for the Lions the learning curve just became that much steeper.
A touch of perspective
There I was, about to bemoan the Lions defeat in the 1st Test and another reverse this week at Touch Rugby (this time 8-3 to the 'Tag Nuts' - although to be fair the writing was on the wall early doors when we turned up with only 5 players) when I came across the story of Northern Ireland's Graeme Ryans who collapsed and died last weekend as he played touch rugby with fellow members of Bangor Rugby Club.
It's believed that the 31-year-old (thirty-one for heaven's sake), who was married with two young children, suffered a heart attack.
According to a spokesman at Bangor Rugby Club, Mr Ryans was a well-liked member of the club, a dedicated family man and was “as fit as he’d been in a long while”.
I don't know about you, but when I hear a story like this it does tend to put my own petty little problems firmly into context. Seriously, I have nothing to moan about.
My thoughts are with his family and friends.
Thursday, 18 June 2009
No surprises
So now we know. After the last few weeks of sparring and of mixing and matching, Geech has finally announced his team for the 1st Test against the Boks and the only real surprise is that it contains no surprises.Sunday, 14 June 2009
Cool Runner?
Warning: There follows a post which is entirely non-rugby related...



