Rugby

[firehazard]

I covered a team some years ago where one of the locks was the place-kicker. Maybe there's a hidden talent in the England scrum.

Well, Vickery was practising his kicking during the USA match, wasn't he? Shame he forgot that one's supposed to use the ball...

[Shaz]

I covered a team some years ago where one of the locks was the place-kicker. Maybe there's a hidden talent in the England scrum.

Well, Vickery was practising his kicking during the USA match, wasn't he? Shame he forgot that one's supposed to use the ball...

[Shaz]

Oh yibble. You can't see me rocking backwards and forwards and banging my head against the desk.

I don't see England beating Samoa on tonight's form. South Africa were well-organised and kept it tight but they weren't outstanding.

And there was no need to worry about the goal-kicking -- they had no kicks at goal!

Bleugh!

[DCHISHOLM]

Oh yibble. You can't see me rocking backwards and forwards and banging my head against the desk.

I don't see England beating Samoa on tonight's form. South Africa were well-organised and kept it tight but they weren't outstanding.

And there was no need to worry about the goal-kicking -- they had no kicks at goal!

Bleugh!

On tonights form I see Samoa beating England. The team is a mess at the moment and it isn't going to change in the next week. It needs to restructure and build for a better future. Forget about this world cup 'cos it's over already.

[Shaz]

Oh yibble. You can't see me rocking backwards and forwards and banging my head against the desk.

I don't see England beating Samoa on tonight's form. South Africa were well-organised and kept it tight but they weren't outstanding.

And there was no need to worry about the goal-kicking -- they had no kicks at goal!

Bleugh!

On tonights form I see Samoa beating England. The team is a mess at the moment and it isn't going to change in the next week. It needs to restructure and build for a better future. Forget about this world cup 'cos it's over already.

Yep, I agree! The rebuilding is way overdue. One of the commentators (might have been Stuart Barnes) said that rebuilding should have taken place the day after England won the World Cup. He's not over-stating it much.

[Billie]

Oh yibble. You can't see me rocking backwards and forwards and banging my head against the desk.

I don't see England beating Samoa on tonight's form. South Africa were well-organised and kept it tight but they weren't outstanding.

And there was no need to worry about the goal-kicking -- they had no kicks at goal!

Bleugh!

On tonights form I see Samoa beating England. The team is a mess at the moment and it isn't going to change in the next week. It needs to restructure and build for a better future. Forget about this world cup 'cos it's over already.

Yep, I agree! The rebuilding is way overdue. One of the commentators (might have been Stuart Barnes) said that rebuilding should have taken place the day after England won the World Cup. He's not over-stating it much.

absolutely not. What has England done since then? absolutely nothing. 'cept waiting three years and a half for Wilko to recover only to find out he was not the answer.

[firehazard]

And there was no need to worry about the goal-kicking -- they had no kicks at goal!

See, it was all part of a cunning masterplan! How could we have doubted them.

England were truly shocking last night. Except it wasn't a shock, because it was all too predictable. There are some good players there, but they didn't seem to have a clue what they were supposed to be doing. I think they'll struggle to beat Tonga, let alone Samoa.

They've wasted four years since the last World Cup simply arsing about and doing nothing but go backwards. Maybe they'll have learnt their lesson this time. The team needs rebuilding for the next World Cup, starting from now.

I suppose it's wrong for the blame to fall on Ashton, as he hasn't had the time to do much. But he has seemed dazed and confused during this tournament.

[Billie]

I can see the Lelos (nickname of the Georgians, literally meaning TRY) giving a torrid time to Ireland. They have the problem of a short recovery time, but if they manage to exploit the Ireland problem of getting a quick and clean ball from the set-piece and the rucks, their job will be halfway done: they will be able to defend outstandingly against backs that are not fed any quality ball and smash them in scrums, rucks and mauls. Ireland need to fix the problems till Saturday, otherwise they're likely to fall. And another unconvincing display such as the one against Namibia could be deadly: it would mean getting to play Argentina and France without confidence and knowing they must win.

I guess I was right. I predicted Ireland not getting the bonus point. I'm happy for I was right and for I've always had a soft spot for Georgian rugby, which is improving so massively. I'm quite concerned for Irish rugby: after all these years at the top they seem to slide down a path of crisis. Nothing's said yet, though: let's see how they display vs Pumas and France.

[moose]

England were very poor against a very good side, Ireland were simply dreadful....Six nations Rugby is looking very poor at the moment.

[Shaz]

England were very poor against a very good side, Ireland were simply dreadful....Six nations Rugby is looking very poor at the moment.

I agree -- truly depressing. Ireland were very lucky and really didn't deserve their victory. Good boost for Georgia -- it's great to see the smaller rugby nations performing well.

The BBC site is saying that Jason Robinson's World Cup might not be over. I hope he does recover -- he was about the only England player to emerge from the South Africa match with any honour!

[Bud Byrne]

I thought Owens had a good game in the Argentina v Georgia clash. And he doesn't witter on as much as Tony Flipping' Spreadbury.

Is he the most hated ref everywhere then? I thought it was just over here. He has to be the most painful man ever. I don't know how you could play a game with him refing and not tell him to shut up at some stage...

[Bud Byrne]

England were very poor against a very good side, Ireland were simply dreadful....Six nations Rugby is looking very poor at the moment.

I agree -- truly depressing. Ireland were very lucky and really didn't deserve their victory. Good boost for Georgia -- it's great to see the smaller rugby nations performing well.

The BBC site is saying that Jason Robinson's World Cup might not be over. I hope he does recover -- he was about the only England player to emerge from the South Africa match with any honour!

Ireland were indeed truly brutal. And yet the players and management came out after and talked about the much improved performance. Oh My God.......SO...now all we have to do is beat both France and Argentina. No trouble there then And Georgia were very unluck not to win the game and no one could have complained.

And I must admit to having a bit of a chuckle watching England struggle against South Africa................But after our game I take it all back......sorry.

[Shaz]

I thought Owens had a good game in the Argentina v Georgia clash. And he doesn't witter on as much as Tony Flipping' Spreadbury.

Is he the most hated ref everywhere then? I thought it was just over here. He has to be the most painful man ever. I don't know how you could play a game with him refing and not tell him to shut up at some stage...

I remember him from when I was covering rugby, and he makes your brain hurt even when you're nowhere near the action in the press box or the crowd. And he's much hated in Gloucester!

I think he's due to retire soon . . . I did wonder if the missive from the refs' powers-that-be to tell them to cut down on the constant chat was aimed at him.

[Shaz]

England were very poor against a very good side, Ireland were simply dreadful....Six nations Rugby is looking very poor at the moment.

I agree -- truly depressing. Ireland were very lucky and really didn't deserve their victory. Good boost for Georgia -- it's great to see the smaller rugby nations performing well.

The BBC site is saying that Jason Robinson's World Cup might not be over. I hope he does recover -- he was about the only England player to emerge from the South Africa match with any honour!

Ireland were indeed truly brutal. And yet the players and management came out after and talked about the much improved performance. Oh My God.......SO...now all we have to do is beat both France and Argentina. No trouble there then And Georgia were very unluck not to win the game and no one could have complained.

And I must admit to having a bit of a chuckle watching England struggle against South Africa................But after our game I take it all back......sorry.

I've just been reading the Irish Indy on line and the quotes from the Irish players and management suggest they're living in cloud cuckoo land!

Ah well, at least Brian Ashton and the Engish players have been pretty honest about their shambles -- although Ashton did say he thought they'd played better than they did against the USA (otherwise they'd have lost 80-0). Um, yeah, right.

[Bud Byrne]

I suppose the Irish are trying to gwet themselves "UP" for the French match but it does sound really, really stupid. After the first game we said 'at least they can't play that badly again'.............after the second one.............They say things come in 3's