Rugby

**Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:17 am**

Shaz wrote:
Billie wrote:Hung around with some Scots in Parma during the evening, and found some Bath supporters. The Scots started shoutin "Gloooos-taaah! Gloooos-taaaah!"

Those Scots have got good taste.

Just wondering whether Gloooos-taaah's going to be underwater for the game against Ulster next weekend... :wink:

**Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:01 am**

firehazard wrote:
Shaz wrote:
Billie wrote:Hung around with some Scots in Parma during the evening, and found some Bath supporters. The Scots started shoutin "Gloooos-taaah! Gloooos-taaaah!"

Those Scots have got good taste.

Just wondering whether Gloooos-taaah's going to be underwater for the game against Ulster next weekend...

Not looking very good at the moment

I'm just about to leave for work and am wondering if I will get there (or even get home later) because of the rain.

The rugby ground has been safe in the past. The same can't be said for the soccer ground -- they're currently having to share with Forest Green Rovers. Now that's one ground that won't flood -- it's at the top of a hill and the next row of mountains is the Urals! Coldest place on the planet!

**Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:33 am**

Shaz wrote:
firehazard wrote:Just wondering whether Gloooos-taaah's going to be underwater for the game against Ulster next weekend...

Not looking very good at the moment I'm just about to leave for work and am wondering if I will get there (or even get home later) because of the rain...

Good luck, Shaz!

And I reckon Glawster should beat Ulster if it's rugby they're playing. Not sure what'll happen if it's water polo. :wink:

**Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:12 am**

Shaz, as you support Glos...what do you think of "our" Bortolami?

**Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:19 pm**

Billie wrote:Shaz, as you support Glos...what do you think of "our" Bortolami?

He seems to have been a good signing for Gloucester. Just seen the story on Teletext that Sergio Parisse has taken over from him as Italian captain. Have I missed something? I didn't realise a change was on the cards. D'you know what the reasoning was, Billie?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7179870.stm

**Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:03 am**

Shaz wrote:
Billie wrote:Shaz, as you support Glos...what do you think of "our" Bortolami?

He seems to have been a good signing for Gloucester. Just seen the story on Teletext that Sergio Parisse has taken over from him as Italian captain. Have I missed something? I didn't realise a change was on the cards. D'you know what the reasoning was, Billie?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7179870.stm

yes, actually they had decided Bortolami wasn't going to be captain anymore during the world cup. don't know if something happened in the lockers, or what, but our rugby union clearly "discredited" him as a captain and suggested that a change would happen. Think they were tryin' to put Bergamasco on. Good player, but he's a "star", not only in a positive way, if you get what I mean. I'm quite happy with Parisse, though he's maybe not really ready. But through our names, he was one of the less "dangerous". I'd have sticked with Bortolami, but you know, us Italians aren't great in seeing the value in things. Borts has been captain EVERYWHERE he played, also abroad, and you must agree that for an Italian, to be told he's a good rugby player by an Englishman, he must be a flippin' good player. Let alone to be named captain for Narbonne, Gloucester, to be named "best captain of the Premiership" and captain for the year's best XV by Rugby World.

Borts apart, today I was back on the pitch after an ankle injury, and even captained my team. I went out with a concussion (I think I fainted for 15 seconds or so after my head went BANG with another's head, and was shaking afterwards), only to come back later in the match (free changes). They gave me packet-instant-ice, but the pack was damaged and the liquid went drippin' on me forehead and hands. Problem is, it's slightly acid, and I burned my forehead and my left thumb. It was a damn good match, even if we lost. Both teams played aggressive rugby, with passion and commitment.

**Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:34 am**

Yaaaas c'mon the Munster!!STAND UP AND FIGHT UNTIL YOU HEAR THE BELL!

**Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:00 pm**

Billie wrote:
Shaz wrote:
Billie wrote:Shaz, as you support Glos...what do you think of "our" Bortolami?

He seems to have been a good signing for Gloucester. Just seen the story on Teletext that Sergio Parisse has taken over from him as Italian captain. Have I missed something? I didn't realise a change was on the cards. D'you know what the reasoning was, Billie?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7179870.stm

yes, actually they had decided Bortolami wasn't going to be captain anymore during the world cup. don't know if something happened in the lockers, or what, but our rugby union clearly "discredited" him as a captain and suggested that a change would happen. Think they were tryin' to put Bergamasco on. Good player, but he's a "star", not only in a positive way, if you get what I mean. I'm quite happy with Parisse, though he's maybe not really ready. But through our names, he was one of the less "dangerous". I'd have sticked with Bortolami, but you know, us Italians aren't great in seeing the value in things. Borts has been captain EVERYWHERE he played, also abroad, and you must agree that for an Italian, to be told he's a good rugby player by an Englishman, he must be a flippin' good player. Let alone to be named captain for Narbonne, Gloucester, to be named "best captain of the Premiership" and captain for the year's best XV by Rugby World.

Borts apart, today I was back on the pitch after an ankle injury, and even captained my team. I went out with a concussion (I think I fainted for 15 seconds or so after my head went BANG with another's head, and was shaking afterwards), only to come back later in the match (free changes). They gave me packet-instant-ice, but the pack was damaged and the liquid went drippin' on me forehead and hands. Problem is, it's slightly acid, and I burned my forehead and my left thumb. It was a damn good match, even if we lost. Both teams played aggressive rugby, with passion and commitment.

Hope you're feeling better today, Billie! Over here you wouldn't have been let back if they thought you were concussed -- iirc there's a mandatory lay-off period for concussion.

Bortolami's a class player. When I saw the story about him being replaced as Italian captain, I wondered if he'd fallen foul of something like this new rule the Welsh have introduced where you can't be considered for the national team if you're playing outside of Wales.

How nice to see Wasps put out of the HC. And Dallaglio being sin-binned -- even better. :wink:

Good home draws for the English sides. Hope I can get tickets for Glorse v Munster!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7199147.stm

**Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:46 pm**

Shaz wrote:Hope you're feeling better today, Billie! Over here you wouldn't have been let back if they thought you were concussed -- iirc there's a mandatory lay-off period for concussion.

much better, thank you. I got some scars on the forehead and i'm very much bruised and back-ached, but that's rather normal the day after. Actually I wouldn't have been let back all the same in Italy, we've the same rule. But it was a friendly match and there was no actual referee, so probably nobody thought about it. I was a little dizzy, but got up pretty soon, so I think noone worried. Anyway, if it should happen again, I'd prefer some more attention (though I wouldn't like the lay-off period)

Bortolami's a class player. When I saw the story about him being replaced as Italian captain, I wondered if he'd fallen foul of something like this new rule the Welsh have introduced where you can't be considered for the national team if you're playing outside of Wales.

that wouldn't be possible: our players HAVE to go abroad to get better, since we've a shitty home league. In fact Parisse plays in France (Stade Francais), and more than half of the team is playing abroad. Another name that went about, and was probably discarded cause he's not a regular starter, was Carlo Antonio Del Fava, who became a substitute Ulster captain just few weeks ago.

**Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:46 pm**

Shaz wrote:Good home draws for the English sides. Hope I can get tickets for Glorse v Munster!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7199147.stm

I'm thinking about goin' to Cardiff for the final. It's the day right before my b-day

**Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:03 am**

Shaz wrote:Good home draws for the English sides. Hope I can get tickets for Glorse v Munster!

Should be a cracker, Shaz. Glaws will have to play a lot better than they did yesterday to have a chance of beating Munster. They just didn't seem able to put Ulster away, even with the curse of Boss's hairstyle. Good luck with the tickets!

I have watched far too much rugby over the weekend. I still see rugby balls before my eyes this morning. And I didn't even get a bang on the head. Hope you're feeling better, Billie. :wink:

Watched the Munster-Wasps game on the giant screen in the pub. It was so wet that even the pub felt damp.

I'd say it's a very open competition this year, hard to predict the winners. The way the seeding has worked out is interesting. The three English teams to survive have come out with home draws basically because they've got through from the weaker pools. I'm not sure any of them are good enough to win it this year. Sarries may struggle to beat the Ospreys, and similarly London Irish with Perpignan (though I think they may just do it). Glors-Munster is a key match -- have a feeling Munster have the big-match ability to edge it...

I reckon the winners of the Toulouse-Cardiff game have the potential to win the thing this year. If Cardiff can win in France, they have the chance of a home run to the final. Mind you, I think they made a big mistake yesterday against Bristol. One more try would've taken them above Toulouse in the seedings, and given them a home Q-F. They didn't seem to make an effort to go for it. It might cost them in the end.

**Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:53 am**

Bristol appeared to be far more in the hunt second half, but anyway good news for us Welsh boys. 2 regions through to the 1/4ers first time we've had something to cheer about in a while. :lol:

Cheers
Aled

**Mon Jan 21, 2008 4:38 pm**

You not worry about Marco Bortolami. Great player great gentleman. Mallett wanted Parisse as he coached him at Stade Paris. Gloucester will beat Munster at home like they did the last two times they play at Castle Grim. Saracens to beat Ospreylia and Toulouse to beat Cardiff. Perpignan to win at Reading but like my name say ....

**Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:58 am**

Looks like Bortolami's out for half of the Six Nations after fracturing his eye socket against Ulster:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_u ... 202650.stm

And I'm a lousy pundit as well! Gloucester to beat Munster, though. :wink:

**Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:19 am**

Shaz wrote:Looks like Bortolami's out for half of the Six Nations after fracturing his eye socket against Ulster...

That's bad luck.

And here's the (rather confusing) draw for the HC semis: http://sport.guardian.co.uk/rugbyunion/ ... 46,00.html

Meanwhile, the Glorse players (and those from Wasps) are all being vaccinated against mumps since Paul Sackey has gone down with it (which the fh girls are extremely concerned to hear... :wink:

):
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/rugbyunion/ ... 75,00.html

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