The Hillsborough Memorial Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Pub, Liverpool

First topic message reminder :

Hello and 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 Pub has made its way to Liverpool in honour of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster, who may finally receive justice.

We are also mourning the sudden loss of Nevin Spence, his father Noel and brother Graeme, who died tragically at their farm in Hillsborough, Co. Down yesterday.

We offer our thoughts and deepest sympathies to his sisters Emma (who remains in a stable condition in hospital), Laura, their mother Essie, family and all friends and fans of the Ulster Rugby community.

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no tampering with the pictures of Andy Murray, Craig Newby and Delme Thomas.




Previous Pub https://www.606v2.com/t34463-the-corso-marauders-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub-amsterdam

MBTGOG wrote:Haircut, shave and new glasses. I feel like a new man from the mess I saw in the mirror first thing this morning. Just need to lose a stone now and I'll be very happy.

MUNSTY
UP your intake of Protein
DOWN your intake of Carbs and Fats, particularly Saturated Fats

And hit the GYM

In 1 month, I've gone from 12st 10 (BMI 25.3 – Overweight) to 11st 10 (BMI 23.2 – Normal)

Waist has gone from 34in to 32in, Chest 39in to 40in

red_stag wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:

red_stag wrote:Know what you mean Linebreaker. Has been on my ignore list for quite a while but I got a text pointing it out to me. Had to let you know.

What's occurring there then?

A poster belittled the tributes to Nevin Spence as sickeningly sentimental and did not react well to people telling him that it is not the time nor place to such sentiment.

Well there is respect and then there's mawkishness. Willy is close and knew the guy. I would expect him to mourn for a lot longer than those of us who never met him (but who feel the emotion and empathise albeit momentarily)

However, I also see that these matters should be debated after the event and not whilst it's raw.

Perhaps Gibbo should supply the cigars for the lounge.

Reports that the Ulster / Zebre game has been postponed.

Penfro,

I ain't a fan of the gym. I'm using the squash court as my place of exercise. Will be back playing football at the start of October once these busy next two weeks are out of the way.

MBTGOG wrote:Penfro,

I ain't a fan of the gym. I'm using the squash court as my place of exercise. Will be back playing football at the start of October once these busy next two weeks are out of the way.

Fair enough Munsty, but the other stuff still stands

Don, if its knocked the squad I can understand that, but traditionally the greatest mark of respect was to carry on, play the match to a full house (who perfectly observed a minute silence, none of this clapping nonsense) and raised a glass in the bar afterwards in his memory. Rugby is all the poorer for being a results game sometimes. I may be a soppy sentimentalist, but an extra fund raising fixture could always be organised at the drop of a hat in ye olden days

We had a minute's silence (well observed) at the vs game yesterday

Glas a du wrote:Don, if its knocked the squad I can understand that, but traditionally the greatest mark of respect was to carry on, play the match to a full house (who perfectly observed a minute silence, none of this clapping nonsense) and raised a glass in the bar afterwards in his memory. Rugby is all the poorer for being a results game sometimes. I may be a soppy sentimentalist, but an extra fund raising fixture could always be organised at the drop of a hat in ye olden days

I know what you mean. But it's a Friday game in Italy. Everyone's still reeling today, funeral on Wednesday, travel on Thursday, play on Friday.... I didn't know Nevin. These guys are his mates. Whatever they and the family think is best.

I get what you are saying Glas. However there is no way the club could possibly prepare for a game this week, especially an away game to Italy.

The funerals will be during the week I imagine. This is a triple tragedy remember and not forgetting Spences sister who is still in hospital.

Theres no way the younger guys in particular, who must be still in shock, could be expected to prepare and play.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:We had a minute's silence (well observed) at the vs game yesterday

Aye, saw that on the ITV show

Just realised, watching the highlights, that it must have taken some courage for Ian Whitten to play yesterday for that guy.

prop_lyd wrote:Just realised, watching the highlights, that it must have taken some courage for Ian Whitten to play yesterday for that guy.

I would say so, prop, and he played well too (in a team that wanted to shoot itself in the foot at every turn) - wish I'd thought of singing SUFTUM now, am sure the noisy Tribe would have got stuck in

You're right, for some reason I thought it was in Ravenhill, but an away game in Italy would be completely different. Having said that, the next match is going to be difficult anyway.

Evening All

Hope everyone's had a better start to the week after the weekend.

Ulster come to Cardiff the week after next. I was going anyway, but it's going to be tough I think after this week's events. I also read that Emma Spence was discharged from hospital last night. That's some positive news I guess.

Yeah that is some good news at least.

I didn't realise there is actually another younger sister in the family too, who wasn't involved at all.

Yeah Rava mentioned that yesterday. The family will need all the support it can get. I'm sure they'll get inundated with offers for it too.

Just remembered and seen that try Nevin scored against bath in the Heineken, classic try when he summersalted on his head. Good lad Nev that made me laugh again

That try was against Bath hoog if I remember rightly.

Aye it was Dave, right in the corner and over on his head

I was surprised he didn't get injured at the time hoog. Made of rubber it seemed.

The SUFTUM tributes planned are a nice touch. The Rugby Family showing their respects. I expect Munster to be outstanding at it. Just their thing.

I wish I was travelling to Limerick now. That would be something to see and would be great to be involved in. Would also be good to raise a glass with Stag and Thomond.

Found out I'm off to Knoxville, Tennessee around my birthday. Great stuff. I'm very excited about it.

Part of me hopes we can switch our home and away fixture with Cardiff so we host them next week. I think pulling on the shirt again will be so difficult for our lads when they know Nev isn't going to be there to be part of it as a player, replacement or squad player. The first time back, I wish they could do it in front of the home crowd. Now more than ever our players will need the fans to rally behind them.

But I know Cardiff will have already been selling tickets. Broadcast plans in place. I'm not sure how we go about the first game without Nevin. Surely the players will find it impossible to think only of the rugby.

I don't know how the Ulster Branch will approach it in terms of honouring his life. We may wear our black kit for the rest of the season or something. I'm not sure. When I left Ravenhill on Friday I was excited about a good unbeaten run against three good sides and a very promising season ahead. It's hard to think of playoffs or anything right now. There's a hole in Ulster Rugby no amount of trophies could fill.

Morning slackers


Tis a great time to be headed to work

#justsaying

Morning Hoog. What time is it? 04:40?

Just scoffing down some lunch here on the lighter side of the planet.

Aye 04:40 when you posted breaker, good day in Sydney??

Nice day here. Clear skies but they're talking about some big storm approaching in a few hours. Can't see anything yet.

Are you on your way to Clapham Junction for your coffee? Is that the usual procedure or depends on your roster?

Aye in junction now breaker, depends on the time of day. For these early starts most of the trains are still in Clapham yard that's why i get to pass down here to pick them up.


It's a great way to start the day, I end up doing nout for the hour/hour and a half of my day. Canny complain about it really

Big day for European rugby today.

I fear for the outcome

What's happening... the french-anglo deal announcement?

Huge weekend ahead here. Just starting to think about it. Melbourne-Manly (in Melb.) and Syd-Collingwood (in Syd.)... both on Friday night. Unusual to have AFL/NRL Prelim. finals in opposite cities. Then on Saturday huge day here with Rabbits-Bulldogs and Hawthorn-Adelaide. Winners go straight into the Grand Finals.

Big meeting in Dublin with all the nations to try figure out an answer. On the plus side the French have said they don't want to play in an Anglo-French competition, which is a positive move in my opinion

Hopefully they'll throw up a snag in the negotiations.
In a perfect world it would be great if each nation had their own (strong) leagues playing simultaneously as a Super Euro competition.

Top14, Jeff, something like the old Welsh League, Irish League... Scottish one might be a bit thin? and an Italian league. Then they have the top 2-4 sides (depending on size of each union) competing for the European trophy. Does that sound too complicated or problematic?
Maybe 4 Irish provinces + 2 Scottish counties could form one together?

I must admit I get a little confused with the overlap of the Pro12/Heino/Jeff etc. Almost too much rugby and the consequences of resting of players when a team is aiming to go for the HC (but not the Pro12) for instance.

Dunno, maybe I'm reading it completely wrong but there's a lot of sides to be catered for and it would be great if all teams had an equal chance for glory - within their own country firstly... and then the icing on the cake - a European Cup featuring the best of each 'group'.

Ultimately the changes they want to make breaker, if the English get their way, they will cut Irelands Wales Scotlands and Italys representation in the Heineken Cup, while keeping there's as is.


Can someone please explain to me how this is fair???

Off the top of my head, shouldn't it be (4) France, (4) England, (4) Ireland, (4) Wales, (2) Scotland and (2) Italy = 20 teams?
Maybe scrape up another 4 teams from Georgia, Romania, Russia... and somewhere else. (maybe that would weaken it though?)

But you guys should then have your own stand alone Irish Cup (if you don't already? - similar to GAA intensity if possible) and the same for the others. They should be the rugby mainstays in each country with the top 4 or 2 then qualifying for the overall Champions of Europe. Like a Super 10 or something?

I'd be happy with that breaker, will never happen though.


Each country already has its own domestic league breaker, Ireland has the AIL but the quality would never be high enough for HC rugby. the irfu knew this and at the beginning if professionalism agreed that Leinster Ulster Munster and Connacht would represent Ireland in European competitions. we have three places in the hc at the minute, we award them to the highest three teams in the pro12. This is we choose to pick our teams. why should be have to change it because England have the hump??

WTF is BT Vision as well. Anyone got it?

I don't object to qualifying on merit though, some of the games we've had in the Rabo so far (I've only really watched the ones involving Welsh teams though) have been dire.

Don't know anyone who has got it.

I've got BT Vision - it costs £12.50 a month and is actually quite a good for the number of free films you can watch on it.

Bloody greed of course... ruins everything.
Is BT Vision a competitor of Sky? Obviously trying to do a Kerry Packer/Murdoch thing but for the wrong reasons. I couldn't imagine anything with fewer Irish and Welsh teams... ffs there's only 4 provincial/regional teams at the moment. How can they skimp on that?

My main gripe though breaker is, the Heineken cup just doesn't need changing. It's the most wonderfully exciting competition and it just doesn't need changing.


They risk ruining the perfect competition just so they can have more money and it makes me very very sad

No offence Dodger - that's a good deal you've got there but to then conquer the relatively established status quo of the current rugby setup for a monopoly on major revenue seems too greedy and will disadvantage the Irish/Welsh mainly, no?

Point taken Hoog. Are they going to reveal who is in and who is out today or just some broad brush announcement-spanner in the works type bombshell?

Well said!

I just think it's anti-Celt myself

The other bad thing is if it goes to court and drags on for years. It will ultimately suck out all of the money from those relatively newly formed clubs who are living from season to season as it is. Agree Mrs Penfro - it will get ugly. It is anti-Celt. Have they ever considered a healthy Celtic situation = a healthy Global situation... I wonder. We all know that the two are inseparable.

Don't get me wrong I am certainly not in support of what McCafferty and the PRL are doing, just pointing out that I have BT Vision.

I understand Dodger.

Probably a better comparison would be the Super League 'War' here in Oz.

For a couple of years our 90 y.o. comp was split into two. It was awful. Foundation clubs were dissolved (but have since re-appeared after a 5 year fight to get reinstated). Now we have the NRL (combined the ARL/SL back again) but many of us never forget who was loyal to the game... and who wasn't.

End result - total control by News Ltd/Foxtel (who also have an interest in some of the clubs).

I'm fully happy to admit I may be being slightly small minded in the grand scheme of things in this argument but when it all boils down I just cannot figure out how reducing four nations allocations and keeping two nations with the biggest allocations unchanged is in any way fair.

It fuucking baffles me


I really feel strongly about this, the Heineken cup is more than just a tournament to me, its what I do, its my hobby. I keep holidays in work so I can be sure to be off for it. It's my excuse to travel, it allows me to see family and friends and build new relationships with people I never thought I would (the Welsh haha). It brings groups of people together like no other tournaments and I just would hate to lose it all over a row to do with money and not even something to do with the game

I know Hoog. We all have that 'disease'.

My Dad took me to my first game in 1971. I still remember... it was Graham Eadie's debut match as a 17 y.o. - he's 58 now!

Ever since then it's in the blood. Sport punctuates our lives; fortunately or unfortunately but I don't know any different. Don't know whether that's sad or not but I'd feel a little lost without it all.

The way I see it as well if the ERC accept the money the English they are effectively handing over the running of European rugby to the English clubs.

"were bringing all thus money, do what we want or we take it away"


No country should have such power when it comes to multinational tournaments

Morning all, lovely crisp morning here in De Diff!! My view on the H.C is to let the English go and keep the French, soon enough the English teams'll get jealous looking through the window and come back with their tails between their legs, they did it before and technically what they're trying to do now is a form of bribery and it really doesn't sit well with me.

I have always thought the H Cup should be reduced to 16 teams. This might appease the English and French as in that scenario, they can keep a larger representation than the other nations. It also builds a stronger Amlin Challenge Cup and means that the bottom teams in the French and English leagues aren't involved as they pay no respect to that competition anyway.

Got a "Captains Training Day" now and then off to Manchester for a couple of days. Love being back in Chester. Kept nice and busy but with more than enough free time if needed.