A Golfer's view of the Rugby World Cup

First topic message reminder :

With the group stages of the Rugby world cup drawing to a close and we approach the sharp end of the tournament, I wonder how many people here are avidly following it

I know we have a rugby section here on V2 and it's pretty lively at the moment but I've noticed many golfers also seem to be keen on Rugby. I know at my club there are an awful lot of rugby fans and the big games get a large crowd to watch at the club - we even have a four nations weekend with matches between England Ireland Scotland and Wales

So who here is watching the RWC and who are we supporting?

I'm trying to work out my schedule for Saturday morning with the England/Scotland group decider at 8:30am and a tee-time at 11:10 - debating with myself whether I should watch the game at home, down the pub for breakfast or even have the (superior) breakfast at the club but then have perhaps an hour to kill before my tee-time!

Oldshanker
I knew Guscott got a few tries but did not realise it was as many as 30.
Probably due to the other centre of that era [Woodward??] who played the crash ball, he had a short career which was no surprise for the number of hits he took.
I would have loved to see them pass through the backs, except against Scotland.

The other centre was Carling, who was a decent but not great player.

super_realist wrote:I don't like his style Merc, very confrontational, defensive and frequently one eyed and unprofessional. The way he argued with Mark Saggars on the radio after yesterdays match was an embarassment and not becoming of someone allegedly supposed to be a professional broadcaster.

I suppose that you could say his opinionated responses give him a bit of character, which is a good thing given how sterile the media can be, but I just don't like the guy. He's got a face for radio for sure, but a bitter, small man syndrome personality which I don't like.

I thought whoever Saggers is made a pratt of himself at half-time. Brian Moore had just explained why he thought England would be better in the second half because they wouldn't have to make decisions about their style of play, due to the fact they would be playing into the wind, and Saggers launched into him saying but would they be able to make those decisions and blah, blah, blah. He clearly hadn't been listening to a word Moore had been saying but just wanted to hear his own probably scripted and pointless rant. You could almost hear Moore spitting out his fake front teeth in exasperation.

The England football team could learn a lot from the way the rugby team seem to be able to grind out a performance, win without playing well. I'm hoping the team can improve as the tournament gets going (RWC only really starts at the knock out stages) and "peak" at the right time.

Alternatively, France will run all over England next week...

Anyway, can we please get back to the petty squabble about which sport is the hardest / gayest.

My suggestion is the pole vault. Anyone can go down to the park and throw a rugby ball around / kick a football. It's even easier to knock a golf ball around a putting green, although granted 18 holes on a championship links would be a struggle.

I've never done it but reputedly the best athletes of any sport are biathletes.

Is that biathletes or bi-athletes?

Davie wrote:Is that biathletes or bi-athletes?

I thought it was Rugby players that were the gays?

super_realist wrote:

Davie wrote:Is that biathletes or bi-athletes?

I thought it was Rugby players that were the gays?

Clearly at least one is in Gareth Thomas. Fair play to him, takes some serious cojones to come out and admit it when he was still playing.

Diggers wrote:Clearly at least one is in Gareth Thomas. Fair play to him, takes some serious cojones to come out and admit it when he was still playing.

Dull but true fact: Mrs Mercurio went to school with 'Alfie'.

Diggers wrote:

super_realist wrote:

Davie wrote:Is that biathletes or bi-athletes?

I thought it was Rugby players that were the gays?

Clearly at least one is in Gareth Thomas. Fair play to him, takes some serious cojones to come out and admit it when he was still playing.

Agree. But I thought he came out after he retired? at least internationally.

super_realist wrote:I've never done it.

Too easy. Sorry.

Disgraceful behaviour by the English squad.
They should all be sent home and Scotland re-instated('')

Looks like to be good at football and rugby now a days, you need to be a shoplifting womaniser, who like to pay for sexual privileges, and go to court to protect your family and keep your name out of the Sunday papers, being gay is just par for the course.

You forgot dwarf throwing

Oldparwin why are you equating being gay to shoplifting and womanizing, as if they are all things that you should not do and if you do, they should be hidden in shame?

McLaren wrote:Oldparwin why are you equating being gay to shoplifting and womanizing, as if they are all things that you should not do and if you do, they should be hidden in shame?

He's not. At least, not that I can see.

McLaren wrote:Oldparwin why are you equating being gay to shoplifting and womanizing, as if they are all things that you should not do and if you do, they should be hidden in shame?

Oh god, here comes the equal opportunities/ human rights activist again, getting offended on behalf of others.
I'm sure I saw him on Princes Street today, trying to get people to sign up for some "do-gooders" monthly direct debit scheme.

Super

I heard oldparwin is only in the country because he married a cat with a UK passport.

Mac
I do you read the papers?, if you do you will notice that at least every week some football/rugby player, has got up to no good and is splattered all over the press, its either drinking excess, womanising, shoplifting, or trying to put a gagging order on a national newspaper, I think if someone admitted he was gay would not be newsworthy enough to make it to print

Oldparwin

Thank you for the clarrificiaton.

I think anyone coming out is incerdibly newsworthy as it is still incredibly rare, probably far more than it should be in this day and age. The Thomas one made a lot of press as did the England wicketkeeper Steven Davies. Thomas was still playing club rugby and Davies has most of his career ahead of him so to me was incredibly brave.
Personally Id much rather have a gay Englishman in the side than a dyed in the wool saffer like Pieterson or Trott.

Navy

My wife say I should be deported back to Scotland, but knowing my luck, if I was, I would end up with Mac and Super as a my neighbours

OP, we wouldn't be living in a care home.

Diggers wrote:I think anyone coming out is incerdibly newsworthy as it is still incredibly rare, probably far more than it should be in this day and age. The Thomas one made a lot of press as did the England wicketkeeper Steven Davies. Thomas was still playing club rugby and Davies has most of his career ahead of him so to me was incredibly brave.
Personally Id much rather have a gay Englishman in the side than a dyed in the wool saffer like Pieterson or Trott.

I'll echo that - same can be said for a number of sports too i.e. Brothers playing for two different countries

I think its been common knowledge for sometime now that Ollie is gay, and I am sure there are a lot more in most sports, the problem for them is admitting being gay, could cause problems with sponsorship deals.

Ollie?

Ollie Fisher gay? Well he is a mate of LJ isnt he so makes sense I guess.

Sorry but our next Ryder Cup Captain

Speaking of LJ, where is our very own Olly Murs? Still trying hard to break 80?

Looks like those gays in lycra have underestimated the opposition again.

For once, i'd actually like to see Brian Moore's fat, ugly disappointed face.

Beating by a better side, no bleating needed. Hey ho.

Pity
I think Scotland could have taken them.

England won't be missed. Their whole attitude from start to finish was that they were better than everyone else, and that the rules didn't apply to them.

They'll be taken apart by the press tomorrow, and they deserve it.

Sorry George, I don't agree with you at all. I have seen nothing from the team that confirms your opinion either.

The simple truth, as I see it, is they are a less than average team that is trying to build their confidence.

The rules thing and the fact that they were giving away more than average penalties is because they were not good enough, not that they thought the rules did not apply to them.

I do however agree with you, they will not be missed, because they were halted at what I think is their natural stopping point. Even if a somewhat different French team turned up today. But still, the French will have to turn it up a number of notches if they are doing to get past a very slick and coherent Welsh team

I meant rules of normal behaviour off the field as well as on the field rules.

Spawny aussie win by the sounds of it. Can't really call the Frog v Taff semi, have a feeling the Welsh might freeze but hope not, look like a good young side.
Can't see NZ losing to Oz but should be a decent game.

Diggers
Do you know if there is an English equivilant of Frog, Taff, Jock or Paddy.
Is it just a little england thing.

We were discussing this on another thread and someone said Sassenach which basically means Saxon dweller.
I know the French say 'roast beef' but I wondered if there was another name more demeaning?

Well the Aissies call us poms, the Americans call us limeys.I'm sure that most countries have a special way of describing the English.

eeeh.

Not sure if Limeys is still current, forgot about the Poms but that was more British I think.

Make one up Doon. After all we are a bunch of arrogant sods despised by everyone so it should catch on pretty quick.

I always find it strange that there is not a collective name put down for the English. I think you deserve one.

It's a delusion of English.

Or maybe a misguided of English.

Certainly not an understated of English.

Americans always call English people Brits, those from Wales Welsh, Scots Scots and, of course, Irish Irish - never offend the Irish in America.

Don't know when "Brit" became acceptable but as an Englishman abroad, I just can't stand it! Common currency even at Network News level. Bloody rude in my opinion.
(Can't stand British people calling Americans Yanks either but at least we know when we're doing that in a disparaging way.)

We've been called a few names in the past. I think other nations are happy to just call us a bunch of English(insert favoured swear word).

Can't say I mind being called a Brit, never occurred to me to even think about it in a negative way. I'd happily describe myself as a Brit and it's a very common term in the British media, Brit Pop bring an example.

Ah well at least we won the Tennis.

We had a pub discusion on which Scotsman currently had most world status.
Great winner~ not Murray but Shrek.

I always love when you are abroad and say need a table in a busy restaurant. You are told there might be a 30 minute wait and the server makes idle chit chat and notes that you are English. You correct them and say you are scottish and remarkably there is a table in 5 mins?

Digs,
But you'd scarcely ever hear that thirty years ago - so if you are all of a sudden called something you're not used to, especially when it's in an ignorant way, it's not difficult to find it rude, or in most cases in America, disparaging. To moi at least.

Doon the Water wrote:
Do you know if there is an English equivilant of Frog, Taff, Jock or Paddy.
Is it just a little england thing.

We were discussing this on another thread and someone said Sassenach which basically means Saxon dweller.
I know the French say 'roast beef' but I wondered if there was another name more demeaning?

Doon - that someone was me. I seem to recall on that thread you questioned my usage of the word "jock" and I tried (twice) to engage you in some sort of discussion over what your point was. You didn't answer me yet bring it up again here.

Seems a mighty large chip on the shoulder there though I will say your replies are well balanced as the chip seems to be on both shoulders.


Kwini - when it comes to "yanks", I think that is certainly a good point. I dated a gal from N'Awlins for 4 years and she had no problem at all with a few disparaging words for Americans - after all, they are only words. Yet quite rightly I can understand someone having a problem with "yank" from South of the Mason-Dixon line. She wouldn't have batted an eye at a variety of other slang names, but "yank" was always guaranteed to get a reaction.

A little faux French always placated her though