The Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Pub

First topic message reminder :

Welcome to the Virtual Rugby Pub - a place where you can come in for a sly beverage and discuss whatever's on your mind, or just eavesdrop on the regulars if you fancy a break from all the rugby chat.

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no defacing picture of Micky T above the bar!


So pull up a chair....what'll it be?



Old Pub: https://www.606v2.com/t18110p1000-the-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub#692779

Willy you will have to come out of cyberspace sometime. Then we'll see about the senior citizen jibes!

MrsP wrote:That was rather unfortunately timed!

Nah fantastically timed mrsP!!

Brilliant timing mrs p! I'm mailing you my mobile and address now.

MrsP wrote:That was rather unfortunately timed!

Where's the :blush: emoticon when you need it?

Willy,
We have a Magistrate, a Detective, a Historian, Teachers, Doctors, Heart Specialists, Refs, Statisticians, Philosophers, Visionaries, Gobshoites and public-telephone sanitisers in here. We have the whole operation covered man.

This is not amateur avond.

Who do you do btw? What's your angle in the grand scheme of things? Huh?

Oi Gibbp: you missed me out in that!! Not sure how i'd be classed in it though....could just call me a crazy cider drinker....

Ooh Mrsp... that was too good.


Hmmmm .. its all a front eh?

Brian Wilson sounds just as good now as in the 60's.
Good Vibrations - tuuuunnnne

And youth-care. And Elf and Safety...

Man.

An Musicians. Loads of em.

This Pub's got everythang...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_oMtdXaqBx4

You could say that this pub's got......................https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=975sBL28njs

Evening all

Brief pop in - had a hell of a week, best never repeated.

PM sent to Dreamer.

Cheers all

Enjoy the weekend. I believe there is some rugby happening

BTW Well done Dragons.

You won't get anywhere without elf'nsafety these days. Ban Conkers I say. Playgrounds are too dangerous, especially for the teachers 

Gibbo. BBC4. TOP OF THE POPS 1976.

And students. We'll never make any money out of them. Or sense.

Hoi Kia. You need a wee rest youngwan. Your cup it well overfloweth.. eth.. eth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBQxG0Z72qM&feature=player_detailpage

Thanks Rav. Jeezuz. '76. London. Punk. The Long Hot Summer. I was pregnant with our 1st that year.

Happy Days.

Right regs enjoy the totp memories I have to hit the sack...swimming then work then a mates b.day so will be on and off all day!!!

for anyone still standing!!

Nite Prop.

Swell guy.

Aww cheers Rava will attempt to hit ulster or somewhere at some point next year but for now...to bed!!

The only similarity between Leo Sayer and Joan Armatrading was the hair!
In Leo's case it wasn't talent.

What about Pan's People for a name for the dancers.

Ah he is. Warmhearted, honest and true.

All of the young lads & lassies in here are. Love it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGxgQQmvw_Y&feature=player_detailpage

Nite regs. Slaap lekker.

Mi-iss-issippi I'll remember you!!
Mi-iss- issippi....

Right nite all.

For Cari in the morning-

Have a good day today

Evening pub quick last before sleep.

Just done my HC SG picks. There's a few of you still outstanding, get 'em in while you can!

Cari, I second Rava's comment. It's going to be strange for you I know but hopefully you're at the point now where you can accept the change and look forward. It'll work out right for you, of that I have absolutely no doubt

Thanks Rava and Swanny

Bore da pawb / good morning all, happy Friday!

Great performance from the Dragons last night. I tipped Perpignan to win on SG but I'm not disappointed in the slightest that I got it wrong. The only disappointment was that we didn't score more in the second half, but Tovey knows when to do what and taking the drop goals always kept us clear of them. He's such an assured player, his kicking out of hand is the best of any Welsh outside half. I hope for his sake he's involved with the Welsh squad again soon - it'll also give Steffan Jones more game time at ten for us so it's a good deal all round.

We were mangled in the scrum but it didn't affect the result; hopefully that's a good omen for the Scarlets versus Saints!

Cari: enjoy your last day for what it is. Onwards and upwards!

Can you wear your own clothes and take games in? Hope somebody brings in Risk, hours of fun.

Lucky, Tovey missed two kicks at goal, which gives Gatland an excuse to go for Biggar. If only the prop had dummied and gone himself first half and the ball had stuck to Chevanga's hand for the interception, that close to a bonus point.

Morning folks


Courtesy of WhiffofCordite




Everyone Thinks They Have the Most Beautiful Wife at Home




After last week's HEC action, everyone is banging on about how the AAABankPro's contingent did themselves proud - and 9 wins from 12 is not to be sniffed at, especially when some Sky-hyped Premiership sides were downed in the process. Even our favourite corpulent ego-merchant has been giving his tuppence, making the not entirely ridiculous point that if the top 4 in England, France and Celt-land played each other, it would mostly be even between all 3 leagues.


Of course, the uncomfortable point for Barnesy and Miles among all this is that when Edinburgh (8th last season) beat London Samoan Irish (6th last season), its is the equivalent of Exeter beating Cardiff - something we can't see happening too regularly.


Anyway, less Premiership-bashing, its not that bad to be fair, and is a sight better than Dragons-Connacht on a mucky Friday night. Let us do what nerds do and present a scientific analysis of which league is stronger. What we are going to do is take the top 6 in each league and look at their performances against one another in the following season's HEC, for the last 3 European Cups. This controls for standard on the pitch - no-one cares about how much Sarries can stuff Treviso, if they can't beat Munster (their equivalent this year as domestic champions in 2011).


We should acknowledge that the group stages are the most representative as teams play home and away. We will take knock-out stages into consideration as well, but they are less easy to extrapolate from, as one-off occasions.


So, our sample contains:

2009 HEC:
Celtic League: Leinster, Cardiff, Munster, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Scarlets
Premiership: Gloucester, Wasps, Ooooooooooooooohh Bath, Leicester, Sale Sharks, Harlequins
Top 14: Clermont, Toulouse, Stade Francais, Perpignan, Castres, Biarritz

2010 HEC:
Celtic League: Munster, Leinster, Edinburgh, Ospreys, Scarlets, Cardiff
Premiership: Leicester, Harlequins, London Irish, Ooooooooooooooohh Bath, Sale Sharks, Gloucester
Top 14: Perpignan, Toulouse, Clermont, Stade Francais, Biarritz, Brive

2011 HEC:
Celtic League: Leinster, Ospreys, Glasgow, Munster, Cardiff, Edinburgh
Premiership: Leicester, Northampton, Wasps, Ooooooooooooooohh Bath, London Irish, Saracens
Top 14: Perpignan, Toulon, Clermont, Toulouse, Castres, Racing Metro

2009:

Group Stages:



P W D L BP Tot


Premiership


24 14 1 9 9 67


Celtic League


24 13 0 11 13 65


Top 14


24 8 1 15 7 41


Knock-out Stages:

Cardiff (CL) 9-6 Toulouse (T14)

Harleqiuns (AP) 5-6 Leinster (CL)

Cardiff (CL) 26-26 Leicester (AP)

Leinster (CL) 19-16 Leicester (AP)

Verdict: The Premiership shaded the regular season, but the Celts hit back with 2 wins and a draw against English opponents in the knock-out stages, both in neutral and English grounds. We think this makes up the 2 point differential so the Celtic League wins. Top 14 nowhere.

2010:

Group Stages:



P W D L BP Tot


Celtic League


24 16 2 6 7 75


Top 14


24 11 0 13 11 55


Premiership


24 7 2 15 10 42


Knock-out Stages:

Leinster (CL) 29-28 Clermont (T14)

Biarritz (T14) 29-28 Ospreys (CL)

Toulouse (T14) 26-16 Leinster (CL)

Biarritz (T14) 18-7 Munster (CL)

Verdict: Although the Top 14 was soundly beaten in the regular season (not helped by Brive going 0-6), they won 3 of their 4 games at the business end (and the one they lost was one that got away). The best teams in the tournament were undoubtedly from France. Still, this is about the season as a whole and the Top 14 had 20 points less in the groups stages - so the Celtic League wins this one as well. The Premiership were laggards.

2011:

Group Stages:




P. W D L BP Tot


Top 14


26 14 1 11 8 66


Celtic League


26 12 0 14 12 60


Premiership


24 11 1 12 7 53


Knock-out Stages:


Leinster (CL) 17-10 Leicester (AP)

Leinster (CL) 32-23 Toulouse (T14)

Northampton (AP) 23-7 Perpignan (T14)

Leinster (CL) 33-22 Northampton (AP)

Verdict: The Celtic League was just behind the Top 14 on regular season (note the Celtic and French teams played extra games against one another due to vagaries of the draw). In terms of points per game, the Premiership (2.2) still lagged the Celts (2.3). In the knock-out stages, Leinster won the one game between the 2 leagues, albeit it home.. We still have to award this one to the Top 14. The Premiership once again is lagging behind, but not as much as in a grim 2010.


What do we think then? Undoubtedly, the League formerly known as Magners is the most consistent. The Top 14 seems to swing from the sublime to the ridiculous, and we should note that the occasional French team is not too bothered, so the overall standard is maybe higher than it looks. As for the Premiership - work to do. The best teams are as good as anyone, but the quality tapers off pretty quickly - teams like Bath and London Irish have a propensity to lose at home, something the French, Welsh and Irish do not make a habit of.


Of what use it this analysis? Well, when we meet Barnesy on our WoC away trip to Bath in December, we can blitz him with numbers. Then ask him about Matt Banahan. Altogether now: Oooooooooooooooohhh!!!

Glas, everyone was willing Chavanga to score. The break he made early in the first half showed just how rapid he is.

Do you really think Gatland will turn to Dan Biggar again? Yes, he'll kick his goals, but that's always been the case. Has he added anything to his game that he lacked when he was left out of the Six Nations squad?

This is bloody crazy


http://www.thejournal.ie/us-congress-rules-that-pizza-is-a-vegetable-282033-Nov2011/

hughie1986 wrote:
Of course, the uncomfortable point for Barnesy and Miles among all this is that when Edinburgh (8th last season) beat London Samoan Irish (6th last season), its is the equivalent of Exeter beating Cardiff - something we can't see happening too regularly.

I stopped reading as it is clearly a pretty lazy piece given the fact that we have one Samoan in the squad who has played 40 minutes rugby for us this season.

Morning all

Can't wait for 8pm tonight and the return of Heineken Cup action. Love it!!!

Ok Pete in the original piece Samoa is actually crossed out, don't know why it didn't come up like that on here

Morning all, usual for me pls: &

Morning everyone, very annoyed as I've forgotten my lunch, am in a remote area and have no car!!

Pete, I know you're not happy with Hape's 4 weeks, but you'll notice that he pleaded guilty? Inconsistency is a problem tho, as you rightly say - plenty of such tackles go unpunished every week; reckon he was unfortunate that he laid Denton out cold?

red_stag wrote:Morning everyone, very annoyed as I've forgotten my lunch, am in a remote area and have no car!!

& &

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHhhhh Bath.

Love it. Those Whiff Of Chordite fellas are top blogs.

So it appears that I can't wear a tweed jacket to work without being asked what's on the geography syllabus this year or being asked if i'm off to a photoshoot for horse and hound. I work with some sooooooooound people

Cheers Asbo. Glad I had an Asbo special for breakfast so it should keep me going a while.

The consistency of sanctioning really needs a look at. Whatever about getting refs decisions consistent this should not be hard to achieve.

Hey Mickado, what's on the geography syllabus this term?

Ignroe them Mick. I bet you pull it off well.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Hey Mickado, what's on the geography syllabus this term?

I'd love to be a (physical) geography teacher. I was all about meandering when i was a youngfella. And as for ox-bow lakes? Heeeeeey, forgeddaboudit...

*Edit, Stag - you better b'lieve I do. I could be Abe Lincolns dad's boss going for an interview here. Class personified.

Jeysus, this MO is taking me over...

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Pet, I know you're not happy with Hape's 4 weeks, but you'll notice that he pleaded guilty? Inconsistency is a problem tho, as you rightly say - plenty of such tackles go unpunished every week; reckon he was unfortunate that he laid Denton out cold?

Asbo, our players always plead guilty now having been stung with extensions to sentence for pleading not guilty in the past. The guilty plea was entered in the hope that it would be seen as a low end entry of 2 weeks, halved for the guilty plea and therefore a 1 week ban, as happened with Cox and his forearm smash on Hape.

However, the official report is that it was somehow deemed mid range, so a 6 week starting point, with a week then added for aggravating factors (no explanation of what they were, but am presuming the fact that Denton is not fit to play this week came into it), then it was halved for the guilty plea and previous good record, then rounded up as it has to be in full weeks to give 4 weeks.

There is no consistency. Hape makes a tackle, which the referee who was right in front of it deemed fair. There was no player reaction on the field indicating that nobody thought it was an OTT tackle, and gets hammered for it. Cox who came on and had a pop at Hape immediately, then pinned him to the floor and deliberately forearm smashed him in the face, (similar to what Delon Armitage did to Stephen Myler last year and got 5 weeks) gets 1 week.

The disciplinary system is a joke.

Bore da/good morning all, hope everyone's well

Kia PM received, will try and reply later and sort stuff out tomorrow if I can.

Am sooooo glad it's Friday! HEC rugby back, and my best mate is up for a couple of days, I so wish she could move back to the Diff full time.

Reading the laws properly tho, it's clear that the ref (and we) got it wrong - starting below the shoulders isn't an excuse. I wonder if the aggravating circumstances included the shoulder charge on Cox for which he was YC-ed - but that would be harsh to have that double-counted?

I agree As, and fair enough that he was cited, but to then deem it mid range, and then add aggravating factors is just nonsense. I looked back over last seasons ERC disciplinary rulings on Wednesday to see if I could see any similar tackles to try to get a gauge of what sort of ban he might get.

The only remotely similar one I could find was Xavier Rush on Courtney Lawes last season at the CCS, when Rush lines him and goes for what he describes as a 'man and ball' tackle, but gets it wrong, hits to high and almost decapitates Lawes.

Sentenced to a low end entry 2 weeks, halved to one week as he plead guilty and is a jolly nice chap.

I do not take issue with the citing, what I take issue with is the inconsitency of the whole procedure, and that is across IRB, ERC and RFU rulings, it is a farce.

Ozzy3213 wrote:I do not take issue with the citing, what I take issue with is the inconsitency of the whole procedure, and that is across IRB, ERC and RFU rulings, it is a farce.

+1

Aye, furry muff when you look at the Lawes/Rush incident

Really looking forward to the game tomorrow, interested in finally seeing Welfare Road

I honestly think Ulster can go and get a result there. Tigers are no pushovers but it's not the fortress it was.

I've got the same feeling myself luckless