The Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Walkabout, Covent Garden

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 the original Walkabout pub in London's Covent Garden, as it is set to close its doors at the end of the month.

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no tampering with the pictures of Mark Ella or recent birthday boys Gibson and Glas a du above the bar.




Last Pub: https://www.606v2.com/t40864-the-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub-come-by-chance

Bore da pawb / good morning all, cold again here but the sun's trying to break through the clouds.

Notch wrote:I'd say genuine success is winning a trophy, the minimum requirement is to make the playoffs and Heineken Cup quarter-finals. So anything less than what we're on course to achieve is failure but where we are is okay-ish.

What I wouldn't give for the Dragons to have an 'okay-ish' season!

Just five years ago an okay-ish season for Ulster was finishing ahead of Connacht and getting back into Europe.

Finishing above another Welsh region would be a seriously okay-ish season for us.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Finishing above another Welsh region would be a seriously okay-ish season for us.

At the minute, I would run round the whole region in the buff if we finished above a Welsh region in the next five seasons

Okay-ish is a long, long way away for us.

Unsuccessful, unacceptable and unsatisfying.

This from a provincial team who once put 71 on Wales and 55 on Ireland.
Also beat the Springboks, NZ, England, France, Scotland too.

Morning all....off to London tomorrow!!

Can someone tell me how England managed to draw that game??!! Rev: roll on 2018 when the Dragons top the Rabo you'll eat your words then!!

Prior just dug in, Prop. I saw bits of it during the day.

When I left in the morning there were a couple of quick wickets. After several hours I returned and Prior and Broad were still in. Then they lost a couple more wickets but the number overs remaining was now less than 10. Then 2 more wickets... but they managed to get across the line in the end with Monty doing his thing. It was a great game.

I felt sorry for NZ though - they would have been deserving winners if they had held on to a catch off Bell just before lunch. The 2nd session was all England until Bell was dismissed... just before tea. That was a costly chance but England batted well today and it all went to plan.

There are 2 more matches in England in June - so it's like a 5 Test series really. 0-0 after 3 Tests.

I couldn't believe it when they said we'd saved the third Test this morning. Getting out of jail is the phrase.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I couldn't believe it when they said we'd saved the third Test this morning. Getting out of jail is the phrase.

2 dropped catches in the last over before lunch mutter mutter. Well batted England though.

Morning all.

Morning, Kiwi. Really unlike Prior to have that kind of patience in a Test match. Fair play to him.

I didn't want to mention the other dropped one, Kiwi.

When Richardson said at tea in the commentary box - "...it'll be all over in the next hour..."

I thought - Oh no... don't say that!!

Holman!!

We were down 0-2... but it's all level now.
(WCQ Oz v Oman... it's on just up the road from me at the Olympic Stadium tonight.)

Is football - or should I say soccer - a big deal over there, Breaker?

Quite big.

Football is still behind AFL/NRL (in winter sports) but above Rugby in participation and attendances.

Report from today...

http://www.smh.com.au/business/afl-leaves-other-codes-in-the-dust-20130326-2grkp.html

International Football is big here in our own little way. Japan is probably our biggest rival but there are now tens of thousands of people from the Middle-East, many countries in Africa like Sudan, Kenya, Somalia as well as Iranians, Iraqis, Afghans. In the last 10 years especially... they have formed a huge part of the immigrant population of western Sydney.

The A-League is growing and there's lots of people who also follow their team in Europe. They'll turn out in force for the big internationals and exhibition games (Man U here on July 20). A couple of thousand Omani in the crowd made some noise and added some atmosphere (500 tickets were given away to local groups, etc)

Australia 2 (Tim Cahill 52, Brett Holman 85) Oman 2 (Abdul Aziz Mubarak 6, Mile Jedinak 49 og) at ANZ Stadium.
Crowd: 34,603. Referee: Ravshan Irmatov.

prop_lyd wrote:Morning all....off to London tomorrow!!

Can someone tell me how England managed to draw that game??!! Rev: roll on 2018 when the Dragons top the Rabo you'll eat your words then!!

What time is your coach due to arrive prop?

Morning all.

PS - I cannot believe that England saved that test.

Morning, Hound. It was the last thing I expected to hear on the sports news this morning. In some ways it would have been better if we'd lost the series - as it is, we've got away with it and lessons might not be learnt. Hell of an effort, all the same.

I've just had to mute Radio 2 - they're playing some child actor from Matilda singing a song.

It's okay, Elaine Paige has handed back to Ken Bruce. Phew!

Alright lucky. Time for some scoff, and out to meet other 606ers for drinks in town later.

Enjoy!

'Ave a good one 'ound.

Prop, If we won the league, I don't know what I would do then. Probably run the whole of Wales

Did you get to watch 'highlights' of the Ospreys game, Rev?

Nah, I couldn't get it on BBC, as I'm out of the country (I think) and I can't really be bothered looking for it. Nothing to see.

It really wasn't good. Yes, we scored a couple of tries, but the Ospreys always knew they were safe. It wasn't a contest.

Aye Rev,

Such A Spanking!

I expected better from you, Stag.

Actually, no I didn't.

Ah Lucky!

So, Lukey Fitz to Munster eh?

I heard it wasn't rubber-stamped yet?

MrsP wrote:So, Lukey Fitz to Munster eh?

Looks like it. To be honest seems a bizarre move for all concerned.

- Leinster lose an excellent player at a time when they need him badly. Nacewa, O'Driscoll, Sexton etc finishing up.

- Fitz leaves a team where he is starting and is along with Kearney going to be their most senior outside back.

- He is going to a Munster where in the likes of Zebo, Earls, Conway, Jones he has young competition facing him.

- Munster are making a big name signing in a position where we have depth.

He doesn't have a central contract now either, does he?

And he has just suffered yet another significant injury.

I agree it is a bit strange.

MrsP wrote:He doesn't have a central contract now either, does he?

And he has just suffered yet another significant injury.

I agree it is a bit strange.

Apparently Rob Penney is signing him with a view to playing him in the centre.

Do you think the injury was the deciding factor?

Could he have got a more attractive deal from Munster with a less "aggressive" injury clause?

I'm not sure to be honest MrsP. I'd imagine it played a part but Ive seen nothing written about it. Once bitten, twice shy and all that from Leinster seems likely though.

I'd really feel very optimistic for next year at Munster in the backs if he came on board:

Scrumhalf: Conor Murray, Cathal Sheridan, Peter Stringer

Flyhalf: Ronan O'Gara, Ian Keatley, JJ Hanrahan

Centre: Casey Laulala, James Downey, Luke Fitzgerald, Ivan Dineen, Danny Barnes

Winger: Keith Earls, Simon Zebo, Andrew Conway, Luke O'Dea, Johne Murphy

Fullback: Denis Hurley, Felix Jones

Theres a lot of versatility in there too with Keatley, Earls, Fitzgerald, Hanrahan, Zebo etc all covering a few positions.

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/news/9558.php#.UVG6BhypXiM

Scratch that then Stag... Looks like it was just nonsense!

UlstermaninGlasgow wrote:http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/news/9558.php#.UVG6BhypXiM

Scratch that then Stag... Looks like it was just nonsense!

Its the right decision for all concerned really.

Im surprised at such a U-Turn though. All the journalists were tweeting that it was a done deal.

Has Fitzys agent used Munster to leverage a 2 year deal?

Could be. Agreed that it's the right decision for all concerned.

The Munster medical staff have enough on their plate trying to keep POC and Jones fit...

Supposedly it was all from one source. So someone got burned for that one methinks!

Back again - not departed for town yet.

Talking of Irish players, I see Jamie Hagan is leaving Leinster for L. Irish. Link below...

Hagan to Irish

I've not heard much about this lad.

Hound,

He was a promising Leinster born tighthead who moved to Connacht. He was playing regularly there and looked good.

Leinster snapped him back up and he regressed as he was losing out to Mike Ross when it came to the big matches.

He will do well in the Premiership I think. BTW sent you an email today!

Hound, I'm meeting my mate at 1.30 by finsbury park.

Stag - I am surprised he was allowed to leave Ireland, given there are lots of comments about lack of depth in the props.

I have responded to your email.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/601300_440122289398146_925087924_n.jpg

A wee swatch at the proposed new stadium in Belfast... Looks amazing. And with the GAA's ruling that all stadia will be opened up to rugby, Ulster could well use it for HC games in the future!

prop_lyd wrote:Hound, I'm meeting my mate at 1.30 by finsbury park.

Ok prop. I thought you were heading for Victoria?

Hound_of_Harrow wrote:Stag - I am surprised he was allowed to leave Ireland, given there are lots of comments about lack of depth in the props.

I have responded to your email.

I think we are actually better off with him heading to England. We need him to get regular game time in a tough environment. It's an under appreciated pathway that was vital for many of Leinsters excellent team - Cullen, Ross, Jennings, Reddan - all cut their teeth across the water before returning home to win a provincial place.

Fair enough stag.

Right - off to town now.

Laters.

Snowing heavily here again!

Hound_of_Harrow wrote:

prop_lyd wrote:Hound, I'm meeting my mate at 1.30 by finsbury park.

Ok prop. I thought you were heading for Victoria?

Aye, I'm going on the tube to meet him from there. Get into victoria at 1

red_stag wrote:

UlstermaninGlasgow wrote:http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/news/9558.php#.UVG6BhypXiM

Scratch that then Stag... Looks like it was just nonsense!

Its the right decision for all concerned really.

Im surprised at such a U-Turn though. All the journalists were tweeting that it was a done deal.

Has Fitzys agent used Munster to leverage a 2 year deal?

Maybe he's got some word on the future of BOD... if he sees himself as a centre! #RampantSpeculation

Notch wrote:
Maybe he's got some word on the future of BOD... if he sees himself as a centre! #RampantSpeculation

I suspect the same Notch, Drico has obviously done a double U-Turn.... and as you well know I'm not one for conspiracy theories....

Has anyone seen this?

http://www.rugbydump.com/

Very worrying.