rugbys paradox
August, 02nd 2011 23:07 PM

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The rugby bit:

Published 4.8.11

 

Rugby’s paradox

 

Tri-Nations

New Zealand 40 - 7 South Africa

Another training run and another loss for the Boks. The effervescent looming of a World Cup campaign cannot of course be ignored, but if a nation isn’t going to play their top brass for the sake of risking injury then what is the alternative; postpone/ cancel the comp or go and play soccer?

 

But as in the Titanic struggle of respectability the band played on, if somewhat off key. The Boks may have fielded a second string, the intensity may not have been so finely tuned, yet the necessary hard yards of greasing the oil slick was nothing short of going through the motions and that quite frankly don’t mean shit!

 

PdV in his ever twisting tactics first disclaimed the fact that the Boks quest for competing are over, suggesting, ‘Pretty much the Tri-Nations is gone for us’ Which although a truism, was questionable after he was heard saying just 12 hours later on the plane back to Cape Town, ‘I’m disappointed with our loss but the Tri Nations is not over yet.’

 

He then answered a backlash from MP’s who yet again questioned his position, by suggesting the team doctor was to blame for his selection, ‘I could not go against the guy (Team doctor), whom I pay a lot of money for his opinion, and say, I don’t need your opinion.’

 

That’s been pretty much the Irish tactics as well, for the best part of a 100 years; love being the underdogs, their lull tactics to lure opposition into complacemency makes you wonder if Father Assisi did actually banish all that venom, but hold on, I’m just presuming the Bok will come good and like any underdog will punch above their weight, but they’ve got a lot to prove and may just wear themselves out before the real thing – but then on the other hand and changing the team completely, seriously, how far do you think that Green machine will go in New Zealand?

 

But back to Wellington and the Oil Slick are indeed fine tuning themselves, but will need resistance to make any head roads in the mental stakes required to please not only their worth but extra scaffolding to hold up a nation’s requirements – in these games they will not find that resolve necessary because the motions are too stale.

 

The Boks’ defence was again woeful, yes, it’s a second string, yes, it takes time for a team to gel, but we’re not talking about future campaigns, but this game here and now or as the case is last week – still with me? Good.

 

Fact is 33 tackles missed compared to 12 Black marks and a disciplinary count that notched DC back on the world’s top for points totalling 1,024 was enough to barrage a 6-1 try count.

 

Corey Jane and Zac Guildford bagged two each from the wings with back up from Wyan Crockett and Colin Slade. Corey’s second was Pedro Primo’s Play of the Day with a swerve on Smit and a weave on Steyn, but you can see the youtube-o-vision for that.

 

It’ll be encouraging to see the 21 Boks back soon, but when you look at the Kiwis arsenal in reserves in the likes of Israel Dagg, Richard Kahui and Hosea Gear, its hard not to put your hard earned on a colossal choke!!!

 

But if you’re cotton-wooling PdV then I hope it’s worth it, as Irishman Denis Leamy said, ‘Injury is a risk’.

 

fool says:

The Blacks will annihilate Australia at Eden Park this week. Not because of the daunting prospect of heading to Eden, but because they are better.

 

England will also beat Wales convincingly at Twickenham in their first warm up… for the same reason.

 

On that assumption I’d like to say Ireland will do the same at Murrayfield against Scotland, but they won’t.

 

ITM and Currie Cup are on hold till they stop playing every bloody day of the week and we get to somewhere near the finals!

One thing I will say though is Otago beat Auckland at Eden Park for the first time in 35 years.

 

Some shorts:

*Eddie Jones can’t keep himself out of the news, but then he’s often got something to say; his latest – ‘I don’t think Ben Youngs is a Test half back. He’s good on go-forward ball. But when the ball gets slow he struggles to make decisions. I think Toby Flood is the same. It is a big weakness. That combinations means I don’t think England will win the World Cup.’ – Could you say the same about Genia and Cooper?

 

*’Players don’t care about strip. If it meant playing for England I’d play in my pyjamas.’ Chris Ashton said that.

 

Meanwhile, and lest we forget – New Zealand’s away kit is white.

 

*Japan won the Specific Nations Cup/ Morne Steyn kicked his 39th consecutive goal last week/ and Australia have only played Samoa five times, just thought I’d better mention that just in case you forgot they lost to them.

 

 

We’re done… or are we!

 

For the latest news ‘see’ crazy fool’s Radio Show – click on red icon, top left of home page.

 

Some competitions now: If you’d like to take part in fool’s rugby comps check out the comps & results page –win a prize! – I should probably check it myself, as I can’t remember what comps are up for grabs.

 

Send your team(s) to cf.crazyfool@gmail.com – argh yes, teams, that was it - teams.

 

end rugby here!

 

 

 

A willow the wisp of cricket now:

 


 

And now ladies and gentlemen a thribble on the light side:

 


 Sex and drugs and cricket

Whilst researching a piece about rock stars owning pubs I learnt of a tale where Led Zeppelin played cricket against Deep Purple outside a pub owned by Ian Gillan and thought, if half the rock roll world are tuning into cricket then after this series we’d probably have the likes of Jackass and Dirty Sanchez dousing the flames momentarily to catch of glimpse of what has been nothing short of extraordinary events between England and India.

 

With that kind of intro the game will no doubt pander into a meek babbling crook containing only a few mildly amusing sticklebacks.

 

But here goes; on day 1 we had Broad belting out a 64 off 66 balls to bally himself up in the hero books and salvage England’s dismal 124-8 stance to a respectable 221 all gone on what was a very green pitch.

 

Eleven wickets fell at Trent Bridge with India settling for 24-1 before close. Praveen Kumar was hit with a fine of 20% of his match fee (approx £1000) for bitching about an lbw and by right the fine should have gone to Ishant Sharma for his doggy haircut but then we’d miss the mad looking Sreesanth who might as well be fined for just being completely bonkers and making up this trio of entertaining Indian Bowling troupe.

 

On Day 2 Broad saw fit to steal the heroic mantle again and rest his elbows on a hat-trick, but more amazingly fell 5 batsmen for no runs in a 16 ball spell – yep, that’s right, read it again if you don’t believe – I’m certainly not writing it again.

 

He ended up with 6-46 as India toppled to 288 bit not before that Dutch footballer knocked out another ton with 117 and continued to be a thorn in England’s side. Dravid is now the longest serving batsmen to stand at any crease with 40,000 minutes.

 

If that wasn’t enough to put a fizz in your G&T then Day 3’s antics went through the proverbial. England resumed play on 24-1, which is spookily the same figures as India left day 1, but not so in that a number of any description is quite common… ugh… but before we knew it Bell had driven 137 home before hitting a boundary on the last ball before tea and walked off to catch a bite. However the ball hadn’t reached the boundary, Praveen stopped it, luzzed a leisurely throw back and Bell was stumped. A quick chat from Levi and Flower turned around the decision and Bell came out after Tea to a rapturous response and went on to make 159. England looked comfortable on 441-6 and MS Dhoni became the people’s poet of cricket, but would he have done if not been for some strategic solicited diplomacy?

 

Argh, the trials and tribulations of the gentleman’s game

 

It was all wrapped by Day 4, which for all sense and purposes became Bresnan’s day with a burley 5-48 following his previous 90 with the bat.

 

England’s record target of 478 took the wind out of the Indians and their spirit was dashed, buried and ripped from their very souls and they were wiped out by 319 runs.

 

The Sach top scored with 56 with Harbijan close behind on 46. Some notable 50’s went to Prior, KP and Bell but bar the obvious broad escapades lets give the last yell to sub fielder, 21 Notts player Scott Elstone who took two catches in the outfield

 

In the snippets

*Na

 

It’s early now and… - I’m done

 

The team that likes roll mops and partying and belts and rum and temptations and feathers and Steve Finn and proverbs and coordinates and pigeons and tiddly winks and Jessie’s! And spin and the Beatles and Buddy Holly and side-show Bob and Ant and Dec and capes and japes and basketball and indoor cricket and psyche and a good rib-dig and loose ends and first balls and a good roasting, and triple tons and whoa-ha-ha’s and cooking and cradles and Yorkshire puddings…and 2010/11 Ashes, and the Gods

 

Till next week…

 


 

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