The Oval Ball Game

[gurnemanz]

Leinster, with their hooker, Richard Strauss, have just made the Heineken Cup Final after one of the most electrifying finishes seen for a while.

[scottycelt]

Leinster, with their hooker, Richard Strauss, have just made the Heiniken Cup Final after one of the most electrifying finishes seen for a while.

Richard Strauss has been called many unkind things, but ...

[Serial_Apologist]

it's all thugby to me......

[amateur51]

Richard Strauss has been called many unkind things, but ...

[Simon]

The Oval Ball Game

Wigan 70, London 0.

I suppose most thought WW would do it, but that's an amazing scoreline.

Wouldn't have minded £10 on it....

[ahinton]

Wigan 70, London 0.

I suppose most thought WW would do it, but that's an amazing scoreline.

Wouldn't have minded £10 on it....

I rather doubt that you would have put any sum on a score like that! - but what do I know about such things, really? I am a Scot who lived in Bath for almost a quarter century and now live for the time being very close to the Welsh border and I still cannot muster so much as a whisker of interest in this oval ball game; sorry! If "rug", then Afghan or Iranian and, if "by", then Château la Tour de...

[Simon]

You probably started with boring, slow Rugby Union, Alistair. As indeed I had to, at school. I expect I'd be the same as you if I hadn't discovered the speed and excitement of Rugby League...

[ahinton]

You probably started with boring, slow Rugby Union, Alistair. As indeed I had to, at school. I expect I'd be the same as you if I hadn't discovered the speed and excitement of Rugby League...

Wrong. I did not "start" with this or with the other kind and am not to this day able to distinguish between the two, nor am I interested to be able so to do nor have I ever participated in or spectated at either; I did not "have to" do any such thing at school (why on earth would or might I?) or indeed anywhere else.

That said, my interest level does not increase one jot when the shape of the ball is round, irrespective of its size.

In fact, my only concern in this thread is the unjust maligning of Richard Strauss, who was self-evidently far more important than people who play what allegedly passes for games with oval or round objects.

[Simon]

I think your first sentence above should be framed for posterity! Awesome!

Babysitting over: goodnight all! It's been a pleasant evening's musing: almost like old times.

[ahinton]

I think your first sentence above should be framed for posterity! Awesome!

Er - pardonnez-moi, bnut what's so "awesome" about "Wrong."?

[amateur51]

You probably started with boring, slow Rugby Union, Alistair. As indeed I had to, at school. I expect I'd be the same as you if I hadn't discovered the speed and excitement of Rugby League...

Boring, slow Rugby Union? You clearly did not watch any of last season's Six Nations matches and certainly not the recent British & Irish Lions series against the Wallabies which saw the Lions win the deciding and final match at a terrific pace.

I recommend watching England v Wales and the third Test against the Wallabies - fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride

[Simon]

Er - pardonnez-moi, bnut what's so "awesome" about "Wrong."?

It was late Alistair. Sorry. I meant the second sentence - the long one.

[Simon]

Boring, slow Rugby Union? You clearly did not watch any of last season's Six Nations matches and certainly not the recent British & Irish Lions series against the Wallabies which saw the Lions win the deciding and final match at a terrific pace.

I recommend watching England v Wales and the third Test against the Wallabies - fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride

I'll take your recommendation, Am51, but you're right, I didn't watch the 6N. Well, I think I caught a bit of Wales/England in the pub. I just don't find RU interesting. Too may stops and starts. it's nearly as bad as American Football.

[ahinton]

It was late Alistair. Sorry. I meant the second sentence - the long one.

OK - and no need to apologise - but I'm still having trouble figuring out what might have truck you as being "awesome" about my respondse (to your unfounded assumption) that "I did not "start" with this or with the other kind and am not to this day able to distinguish between the two, nor am I interested to be able so to do nor have I ever participated in or spectated at either; I did not "have to" do any such thing at school (why on earth would or might I?) or indeed anywhere else"; all that I did was to set the record straight about my lifelong non-participation and disinterest in either form of rugby as best and as clearly as I thought that I could...

[Simon]

Well, it was because it was a brilliant example, in my opinion, of the sort of sentence that I used to read in law reports on tort cases. No errors, no misunderstanding possible, every possibility considered and perfect grammar and punctuation.

It was a compliment to you (and maybe also a bit of gentle, good-natured ribbing too!)