The Oval Ball Game

[ahinton]

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!)

Fair enough - and thank you for the compliment - although I might hasten to assure anyone who is in any doubt that my understanding of the niceties and not-so-niceties of legal practice and process barely exceed those of my knowledge and grasp of, or interest in, any form of rugby!...

[johncorrigan]

I read somewhere fairly recently that players in Rugby Internationals can experience hits in the 80 minutes equivalent to two car crashes. I often wonder how sustainable the modern game of Rugby Union can be. It is certainly a game that has changed more in the last twenty-odd years than any other I can think of. For example, I think the great Wales side of the 70s would be totally steamrollered by today's international teams, something I would think unlikely in footie where the Brazil team of the 1970 World Cup would stand up reasonably well to the present Spanish Champs - modern team is probably fitter. Therefore, I was interested to read this article about the possible incidence of early onset dementia in sport.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-23545796

[teamsaint]

Scotland have got themselves into the all new group of death without even playing.
Or something.

Watching France v Italy puts me in mind of Jonathan Swift,somehow.....

[Beef Oven!]

Scotland have got themselves into the all new group of death without even playing.
Or something.

Watching France v Italy puts me in mind of Jonathan Swift,somehow.....

?

[gradus]

Japan 34 South Africa 32 - What!!!

[johncorrigan]

Japan 34 South Africa 32 - What!!!

Another good result for Japan yesterday - Scotland still have to beat all of Samoa to get to the knock-out stage after getting overrun by the Springboks yesterday - still uncertainty about who the guys will play if they manage to get out of the group stage - I think it depends on the result of the Wales-Oz clash next weekend.

[teamsaint]

oh, I thought this thread was closed.


( Good luck for the rest of the tournament JC, since you appear to be interested i....!!)

[johncorrigan]

oh, I thought this thread was closed.


( Good luck for the rest of the tournament JC, since you appear to be interested i....!!)

It'll be a result if we get to the knock-outs given our recent rugger history, ts. Then all I can hope is that Wales and Australia kick the merry hell out of each other and leave us to feed on the bones of the winner.

...as for the tournament hosts...

[Lat-Literal]

I have a strange approach to sports in which I don't have huge amounts of interest/knowledge. That is, I don't support the obvious. Consequently, while I am England through and through in football and Roy is only a slightly lesser god than Arsene, I veer towards Ireland in rugby. As for cricket, born/bred in "Surrey" but at club level it's Kent and Yorkshire. There are reasons. On the first, I spent a lot of time in Irish North London. It has positive associations. On the second, the bloke who got the nearest to turning me into a cricket fan was for Kent. He was one of my Dad's mates and kept football/cricket diaries with points out of ten for individual performances. We got on well. I studied in Yorkshire so that explains that one although a southerner not only buying in to it but sharing it with another county would be enough to get me thrown out if they knew. Anyhow, good luck Ireland.

[Padraig]

Anyhow, good luck Ireland.

Many shamrocks required Lat.
First the French: if Ireland win, they'll play Argentina; if they lose - New Zealand.
Stranger things have happened I know, but at least there should be a few more good matches in that group.
Sorry about England though - we won't get a chance to trounce them this time.

[Lat-Literal]

Many shamrocks required Lat.
First the French: if Ireland win, they'll play Argentina; if they lose - New Zealand.
Stranger things have happened I know, but at least there should be a few more good matches in that group.
Sorry about England though - we won't get a chance to trounce them this time.

Did I ever mention that my excellent dentist is a rugby fan and originally from County Clare?

Can't fault him at all (apart from the Classic FM but that appears to be standard in such places)

[P. G. Tipps]

I hate rugby ... a game for legalised thuggery, imv.

However, I do hope the Scots thugs qualify if thuggery is to be the yardstick. The realisation that we are no longer even half-decent at thuggery would be just too shameful to contemplate.

[johncorrigan]

I hate rugby ... a game for legalised thuggery, imv.

However, I do hope the Scots thugs qualify if thuggery is to be the yardstick. The realisation that we are no longer even half-decent at thuggery would be just too shameful to contemplate.

Pretty exciting game against the whole of Samoa yesterday, PG - a right good goin' stramash - first half was anarchy in action. No chance against the Aussies however, unless they have a raft of injuries. The Welsh blew it!

[aeolium]

Pretty exciting game against the whole of Samoa yesterday, PG - a right good goin' stramash - first half was anarchy in action. No chance against the Aussies however, unless they have a raft of injuries. The Welsh blew it!

It was great stuff, jc, one of the best halves of rugby in this competition. Congratulations to Scotland on just sneaking through, though if that Samoa disallowed try had been given, which it would have been but for the intervention of the TMO, they would have lost as Samoa would have scored 7 instead of 3 from that attack.

Wales had only themselves to blame. It was fantastic defence from the Wallabies when they were down to 13 but a bit more imagination in the attack (and if George North would ever pass ) and Wales had to score during that period. Oh well - have to do better against the Boks.

So - looks like just England missing from the home nations in the quarter-final line-up. What a shame (insert schadenfreude emoticon here)....

(Wales had some compensation in the footie result - at last!)

[johncorrigan]

It was great stuff, jc, one of the best halves of rugby in this competition. Congratulations to Scotland on just sneaking through, though if that Samoa disallowed try had been given, which it would have been but for the intervention of the TMO, they would have lost as Samoa would have scored 7 instead of 3 from that attack.

Wales had only themselves to blame. It was fantastic defence from the Wallabies when they were down to 13 but a bit more imagination in the attack (and if George North would ever pass ) and Wales had to score during that period. Oh well - have to do better against the Boks.

So - looks like just England missing from the home nations in the quarter-final line-up. What a shame (insert schadenfreude emoticon here)....

(Wales had some compensation in the footie result - at last!)

Not sure we'd have any better chance v Wales, but you always like to think so, aeolium - it's a familiarity thing I suppose. Australia look like they could win the whole thing I have to say.