The Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Pub

First topic message reminder :

Welcome all to the new pub. Hopefully the traditions from the last 606 will continue here in our new home. The only new rule I have really is, see that Tommy Bowe signed picture there above the bar? If anyone defaces that, they're barred. There'll be banter, indepth discussion, some rambling but above all mutual respect as always. It all looks very swish, but we still serve traditional beverages and food. So what'll it be?

Oh if you have any complaints by the way, don't look at me - speak to rugbydreamer cause she's a mod!





Now to fire up the jukebox...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98W9QuMq-2k

Hic! In the Cayo in the ' Diff enjoying some Tomos Watkins beer ( need a beer emoticon). The pub side if things were much better than the game. Great ro meet up with folk, and esp. our Cari.

Great stuff hound, say hello to everyone from me.

Like this Hound?

Morning all
Can't believe I am up so early on a day off, but daughter number two woke at six and wanted to come downstairs. Ah well, there must be some Super 15 on I can watch.

Sounds like a good time was had in de diff last night, is there a smiley for jealous?

Bore da. Failed to get all the bales in before it went dark, so going to do that now. See you lot later. Prop, if the chuck about is on let me know but my timing may now be tight.

Ooh, I could crush a grape!

:run2:

Bore da pawb / Morning all.

I'm on my first cup of tea of the day and really looking forward to meeting everyone before the Heino final later. Great news that BOD has been passed fit to start. I just hope I don't turn up to find everyone who went out last night sitting in silence nursing hangovers!

luckless, trust me on this one fella, I very much doubt that there'll be silence with Huggy and the Mick's around, and I mean that in a good way.

If anyone is a bit worse for wear, I'm sure the air horn I'm bringing will cheer them up!

Nice.

Are you actually going to the match? I'll have to listen out for the horn on the tv. I shall be playing 'Spot the regs' later on armed with Rava's seating plan of course!

Good morning Pub Go-ers

Had a great evening with the regs, and it was lovely to meet those I haven't before.

The general consensus about the Amlin Final was that it wasn't much cop until about the last 20 minutes or so. It was entertaining all the same, and the company more than made up for the game. There will definitely be some alcohol casualties this morning. That's if some got any sleep at all...

I've managed to get a ticket through Rhino, Pete. I don't really have an air horn though, that was just a hilarious gag.

What was the attendance like yesterday, Cari? I saw Harlequins lifting the trophy on the news this morning and there were loads of empty seats.

The stadium looked half empty from what little I saw of it. Considering it is only about a 25000 capacity stadium, that has to be disappointing for the teams and the ERC.

Unfortunately the stadium wasn't full Lucky. I heard the announcer say the attendance was 12'000 and something. we didn't stick around for the presentation. There were loads of different supporters about yesterday. I saw shirts from Spain, Munster, Saracens, Harlequins, Leinster, Stade, Cardiff Blues and that's excluding the regs. We were sat in front of some very amusing Munster fans, and afterwards in the pub there was a bit of a sing-song going on between some regs and some other fans that were there. Should be even better later.

It would have been strange to see the CCS full, I've never seen it even half-full for a rugby match. They get bigger crowds when Cardiff City are playing.

Someone at work went to watch Swansea City beat Nottingham Forest the other day and he showed me a video he took of the crowd at the final whistle. The Ospreys would kill for a crowd and an atmosphere like that, it was incredible.

To be fair, a few rugby clubs would kill for a football crowd. Also, that match was a huge game for Swansea. I have seen the CCS and Liberty with smaller crowds for the football as well in the past. Swansea's popularity will increase even more now if they get promoted.

That's true, Cari - the match the other day probably isn't representative of the crowds they get through the season.

Pete, you're well-placed to tell me: how good a side are Northampton? I get to watch Leinster quite often in the Magners League but I don't have Sky so I haven't seen much of the Saints.

Ospreys and Blues need to do some serious work on marketing and getting bums on seats. If I was them I would consider taking a small financial hit in order to boost crowds initially. It's one of those things where people don't go because they see a half empty stadium and no atmosphere.

If you can in the short term change that and get people in and make it good for them, they will pay to come back and crowds will continue to grow. Success breeds success as they say.


Early morning rugby fix for me now...

Chiefs 3 Crusaders 3 in the Super 15, 5 minutes gone.

lucky

Saints are a good physical side. They are not subtle, and you know where the attacks are going to come from, but you they are still difficult to stop. They use their front row players and centres to crash the ball up, then get Ashton and Foden coming in close to the breakdown and hitting holes in the line.

Once they get behind you, they run good support lines and are difficult to stop.

Having said that, people talk about the scrum as a massive weapon for them, and they have done well in that area, but I will say this. They rely on power over technique in the scrum, particularly Tonga'uiha, and a good technical tighthead can cause him problems. They play the referee well at the set piece though, as they often srummage illegally, with Tiny regularly binding on the tighthead's arm or not at all. Once they get a shove on using power over technique, expect to see Hartley pop up bringing the opposition hooker with him and they often get the penalty as they are going forward.

I expect Leinster to be a little to strong for them over 80 minutes as they have more variety to their game, but Saints are danerous as they have 2 or 3 players who can take turnover ball on their own line and go the length of the field to score.

Should be a good game.

I suspect this is the excuse of the regs:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfjtpp90lu8

Well I had an interesting night. Gatland was good in his speech, but awful in the Q&A. I learned something interesting about Tovey though. The Q&A was rigged so he pretty much only took Q's from our board types. I did try shouting about how does Huw Bennett get away with pretending to be international class, but didn't get an answer.

Drinking mixed drinks from our league trophy = killer.

Thanks, Pete. Even if Saints are not as expansive a side as Leinster, they'll have to be watched at all times with Foden and Ashton in their back three. No side is going to make the final of the Heineken Cup without being very difficult to beat.

Ha, even if Gatland had heard you Rev, he wouldn't have answered - Huw Bennett's one of the chosen ones!

Morning all. If yesterday, and especially the post match atmosphere in the pub is anything to go by, today should be pretty good.

Well done to Penfro for the choice of venue, and for arranging things today

It may be a small thing, but the stewards at stadia can be officious and see themselves as purely having to 'apply the rules rigorously'. Let me say that the stewards at the CCS are the complete opposite, and can't do enough to help you. It makes a big difference to the whole matchday experience.

All in all, a BIG thank you to Cardiff for putting on the show this weekend

Right, that's that done. 3 S's then I'm on my way. Take it there's no chuckabouts given the rain.

:run2:

I actually really enjoyed the match last night. I thought the Stade Francais pack were excellent, especially the backrow. Unfortunately their backline was totally one dimensional and uninspiring otherwise they would have won at a canter.

Quins were battered, but showed great spirit to come away with the win.

The fact there was only one try was as much due to the brilliant defence of both sides as anything else. The intensity was huge and the finish was dramatic. I really did enjoy it.

Glas a du wrote:Right, that's that done. 3 S's then I'm on my way. Take it there's no chuckabouts given the rain.

:run2:

Glas it's a dry day here in Cardiff. The sun's even been out.

Hound - if you're about, I'm meeting a couple of the others at the same pub to walk up to the buffet venue, if you want to tag along, we'll be there from 11:30.

Rev - see you later...and no shouting!

The forecast for today doesn't look too bad. It's going to rain later, but probably not until after the match.

I've just had a text from Rhino, he says he's aiming to be at the buffet

Right I'm here. Just parked up on Knox Road. Anybody up and about?

Waratahs have ust started playing rugby- three tries in the first half already. Couple of good ones too.

NSW Waratahs 17-5 Lions

Waratahs bonus point after just 30 minutes.

Cari - we're in the Cayo, and will have a look in for you on the way down. y Mochyn Du wasn't open

Hmm I'm not one for counting chickens, but it looks as though a few members of this establishment will be drowning their sorrows tonight?

Or not...

Incredible Heinken final..... Johnny sexton take a bow!!!!!!

Who are you going for WillyGilly?

Did anybody mention counting chickens?

Leinster now ahead, I'd like them to win this as it would give Connacht a place in the next Heineken.

I'd like to say at this point that I never doubted Leinster. Even at half time I said out loud that I was sure they'd comeback. In other news who knew you could get duplicate user names on this forum? That WillyGilly chap above must be feeling pretty silly right about now...

One of THE Greatest comebacks ever I have witnessed in Rugby!

Greatest comeback since Lazarus...

...I'll get my coat.

:run2:

Hah Willy! The only thing I can compare it to is Liverpools comeback in Istanbul. Unreal second half performance from Leinster. Absolutely astonishing.

So it turns out the Rapture didn't happen today- but Gibbo will think it did! He's in heaven. A blue heaven.

Notch, he would have been there anyway after today's meet. The pride was shining off of him. It was the biggest meet ever apparently. Penfro had a massive hand in it as well to be fair. The man is a born organiser. I had the privilege of meeting many regs and some of their friends and families. It passed all too quickly and I was pushing my luck as I had my three year old with me. It refreshes my faith in human nature.

That's great. I can't wait to hear all the stories and craic from this weekend.

Particularly what Hughie manages to get into. You'd never second guess that lad.

Glad to hear you had a grand time Glas, having met many of the people there before I never doubted you would.

Hughie will get into something for sure, and I would be prepared to wager she'll be slim, about 5'4" and have a soft spot for an Irish accent!

Nah, he brought buns to this tea party. Attractive blonde Kiwi buns. My daughter was petrified of him.

By the way Cari thinks he's a blonde version of Morgan Stoddart.

Nos da anyway. Looking forward to tomorrow's debrief.

So,Jenno turned the game around............Is he really the Messiah? Notice the world was going to end at 6 o clock today and when they brought him on he decided he might aswell play the match and wow us?'

What turned the game around was the Leinster Tight Five deciding NOT to send the body doubles out in the second half.