zakalwe7 Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I'm not particularly bothered with it now. A couple of weeks ago I was a bit pissed off. But this is in the middle of a tournament, and by it's nature you have to pick your players tactically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Barry Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I'm not particularly bothered with it now. A couple of weeks ago I was a bit pissed off. But this is in the middle of a tournament, and by it's nature you have to pick your players tactically. How useful is a tactic which tells your best players that they aren't good enough to even give a top side a scare when at home? How useful is a tactic which announces that you have no higher ambition than to beat Italy? That is it. Total achievement from a World Cup; beat Italy. Go home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zakalwe7 Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I think that with the current Scotland team beating Italy and reaching the QFs IS quite a good achievement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Barry Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I think that with the current Scotland team beating Italy and reaching the QFs IS quite a good achievement. You will never understand the love of Jesus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vestrit Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 You will never understand the love of Jesus. In much the same way that Luke McAlister appears not to understand how to use a five-on-three overlap. I went to the game; ticket was a birthday present. Memo to Murrayfield crowd: Mexican waves are not funny or clever. They’re irritating and so 1992. On the bright side, six tries and a record winning margin at M’field in a game where we didn’t play well is encouraging. Nick Evans was excellent. And the defence was great. Can’t work out why both the Scottish and NZ rugby writers are saying McAlister had a good game though. Apart from a couple of good tackles, he sucked. Dreadful decision-making, butchered at least three tries and his haircut is awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted September 24, 2007 Author Share Posted September 24, 2007 and his haircut is awful. I bet his stylist put straighteners in his hair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vestrit Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I bet his stylist put straighteners in his hair. this is why you can never trust a hairdresser. Devious bastards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Barry Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Can’t work out why both the Scottish and NZ rugby writers are saying McAlister had a good game though. Apart from a couple of good tackles, he sucked. Dreadful decision-making, butchered at least three tries and his haircut is awful. I thought he was going to be player of the tournament? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vestrit Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I thought he was going to be player of the tournament? I wondered how long it'd take you to bring that up Well, you see, at least I'm not dogmatically sticking to that position... Anyway, I was pretty disappointed. I was really looking forward to watching him play. Heard an interesting story about him as well on Saturday night, which I'll tell you next time we talk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Is it salacious? 'Cause if it is, I'm really not happy about missing out on the gory details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vestrit Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Is it salacious? 'Cause if it is, I'm really not happy about missing out on the gory details. OK then. But be aware that this is a story told in a pub on a Saturday night... The story goes that the real reason McAlister is going overseas so early in his career is because many other players in NZ have ostracised him. Apparently when he was in the UK/France on tour last year, he got busted cheating on his missus (might have gotten the other girl pregnant too, can’t remember). When the media confronted him about it in NZ, he defended himself by saying ‘But all the other guys were doing it too!’ Now, it’s hardly news that rugby players cheat on their partners – they’re notorious for it – but apparently saying that in public means that most of the other players don’t want anything to do with him anymore. So apparently he’s coming overseas to let that settle down before going back. Anyway, that’s the story. Like I say, I’m not sure how much weight you can place on a pub story. But, that said, I heard a few stories about Ronan O’Gara a while before all that stuff broke last week and they all back up what the French papers are saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Ahhh, sort of like the Graham Thorpe situation in reverse then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Thursday Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 The teams who reach the QFs get an automatic spot in the next World Cup, so it's worth Scotland's while to ensure they make it out of the pools. I remember Ireland actually had to go through a few qualifying rounds to get into the '03 World Cup after Argentina knocked them out...it's kind of embarressing, I guess. Plus, saying "reached the quarter finals" sounds much better than "played well against New Zealand but were knocked out in the group stage". Sir Thursday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The WaterDancer Knight Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 And how sound played like shit against New Zealand and was kicked out by Italie in the group stage ??? Because you know when you come in a tournament with so poor ambitions, the worse is likely to be expected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korax Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 And how sound played like shit against New Zealand and was kicked out by Italie in the group stage ??? Pretty much exactly the same as "knocked out by Italy in the group stage". That's the only thing people will remember. I'll say, though, that having originally argued for a second string, I think we could at least have put out a three quarter strength team. There were a few people that could have done with a bit more match practice, either because they were coming back from injury or playing in new positions, plus others like Rory Lamont who are on top form and would be itching to have a go against the ABs. They could have kept pretty much all the backs and one or two of the forwards as well. The one player I'd have definitely rested, though, was Paterson - what the fuck was Hadden thinking? If the point is to rest our key players, why put one of our most important people not just on the pitch but in an unfamiliar position where he was pretty much guaranteed a total physical and mental battering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padraig Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I will attempt to limit my rant about Ireland to this; they remind me of the 2005 Lions in that they are over-coached. They are playing to a plan rather than what is in front of them and this is just adding to the pressure. It is affecting every aspect of their game. Indeed. He has done that before but we always managed to snap out of it in time. But this is the WC. Too late. Poor Ireland. He brought us so far but isn't good enough to keep developing the side. Instead he is caught up in his own limited ways. After seeing us play in those pre-WC games I didn't go in with a lot of confidence but we are a lot worse then even I feared. Rubbish! Beyond rubbish... I did flick through the opening WC thread over the last couple of days. Amusing to see the high hopes of my fellow Irish supporters now. Clearly we were doomed from then on. Is there any hope that Eddie O'Sullivan will resign after Argentina presumably knock us out? It would be nice if a coach would just do the decent thing and not be forced out or make a big song and dance about it. He had a fair chance, nobody can doubt that. He led us to some decent achievements. But he failed when it mattered. To keep him for another 4 years would be absolutely ridiculous. But coaches never seem to just do the noble thing. Unlike the last WC, there will be serious rebuilding after this one too, so a fresh start is required on all fronts. (And I know its early to be talking about this but i've given up hope). Not that I have seen much rugby beside the Irish game. My sad TV refuses to turn itself on...which hardly helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhaegon Targaryen Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 It's not over yet!! They're not bad players, they're good players playing badly. Could still beat Argentina and put four tries on em'. Anything is possible! I'm going over on saturday with the old man and bros and we're optimistic. We were at the miracle match in thomond park. Come on Ireland! Two changes for team to play Argentina, Geordie comes in for Girvo(injured) and Hickie comes in for Trimble(dropped) with good cause. We'll see what happens. Come on!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padraig Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Two changes for team to play Argentina, Geordie comes in for Girvo(injured) and Hickie comes in for Trimble(dropped) with good cause. We'll see what happens. Come on!! The fact that those changes (while reasonable in themselves) make no sense doesn't help give me confidence. Duffy was good enough to get onto the bench against France but now can't even manage that. Murphy is the complete reverse. Similarly Hickie v Trimble. And there is nothing to be done to salvage our pack. Wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Barry Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 The Messiah is in the 15 shirt, we can do th..... Fuck it, I can't even bring myself to believe it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Mixed feelings about the England team news. Stevens keeping his place ahead of Vickery I agree with. Moody coming in I agree with, though I think it should be at the expense of Corry, not Worsley, but Borthwick for Shaw? Shaw's been the best player we've had this autumn. He's supposedly being rested, but there's not much point of resting someone for a 50/50 knock-out game. Brave decision. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7010528.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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