Priceless......
Discussion
I have to say i was wincing in expectation of sour grapes from Clive W after this and i take my hat off to him! None of that a-win-is-a-win-and-to-hell-with- the-details stuff this time. He fronted up after this defeat with real graciousness and just the right blend of respect for worthy opponents and pride in his own men. i suspect he is headed for a 3-zip defeat but he has gone up immeasurably in my estimation.
we'll see... for sure the Maori outplayed the Lions on that occasion but hopefully the Lions can rise for the tests... would LOVE to see a Wilkinson/Greenwood/Robinson combo in the test side at the back... I think it's about the best backline combo in existance at the moment... tried, tested and world-champion 
or first-five/goal kicker 
. . . 
starting to sound like Murray Deaker 
Greenwood? Surely you jest sir! He hasn't played any competive rugby for ages and looked pants in his first outing. There are far too many quality centres on this tour. As for Wilko, well let's wait and see how he fares against Wellington. At the moment Hodgson has the nod (provided Henson plays to back up his sometimes wayward kicking) with Jones close behind (it was difficult to judge his performance against the Maori as he got no useable ball).
What people need to remember is that this is exactly what Woodward said he was going to do. He was going to let everyone have a crack and then he'd decide the team for the test matches. After Wellington most, if not all, the players will have had a crack then (hopefully) we should see some regular combos coming out. I was always more fearfull of playing the Maori than the ABs as they had first pick of all eligible players and could play with more passion and less pressure.
What people need to remember is that this is exactly what Woodward said he was going to do. He was going to let everyone have a crack and then he'd decide the team for the test matches. After Wellington most, if not all, the players will have had a crack then (hopefully) we should see some regular combos coming out. I was always more fearfull of playing the Maori than the ABs as they had first pick of all eligible players and could play with more passion and less pressure.
Okay, admitted, Greenwood's been out for a while, but for me he IS the class-act in the back line... or rather HAS been.... he got my pick as THE player of the world cup.... ok well he DID have that position sewn up until Wilko kicked that last drop-goal
But yeah... I think you're right Jamie... he's giving everyone a shot and testing some untried combos and he'll continue to do so in wellington I feel.... can't WAIT for the first test.... I'm not assured of a Lions Victory... but I think it'll be a LOT closer than most AB's fans are predicting
But yeah... I think you're right Jamie... he's giving everyone a shot and testing some untried combos and he'll continue to do so in wellington I feel.... can't WAIT for the first test.... I'm not assured of a Lions Victory... but I think it'll be a LOT closer than most AB's fans are predicting
The Barmy Army or whatever they call themselves, my impression of them from the publicity I have seen so far are a bunch of mindless t
ts.....sorry!! ALSO.... I was trying to get home on Friday night and the tour bus thought it would be great to stop on the motoway heading north toward the stadium for a leak!!!! The congestion according to the radio that they caused was a huge back log to Penrose!! I initially seen the funny side to it but after half an hour of just sitting on the motorway being stuck was not funny anymore, so I managed to push and shove getting off at Ellerslie - home the back way.
ts.....sorry!! ALSO.... I was trying to get home on Friday night and the tour bus thought it would be great to stop on the motoway heading north toward the stadium for a leak!!!! The congestion according to the radio that they caused was a huge back log to Penrose!! I initially seen the funny side to it but after half an hour of just sitting on the motorway being stuck was not funny anymore, so I managed to push and shove getting off at Ellerslie - home the back way.The Barmy Army or whatever they call themselves, my impression of them from the publicity I have seen so far are a bunch of mindless tts.....sorry!! ALSO.... I was trying to get home on Friday night and the tour bus thought it would be great to stop on the motoway heading north toward the stadium for a leak!!!! The congestion according to the radio that they caused was a huge back log to Penrose!! I initially seen the funny side to it but after half an hour of just sitting on the motorway being stuck was not funny anymore, so I managed to push and shove getting off at Ellerslie - home the back way.
ts.....sorry!! ALSO.... I was trying to get home on Friday night and the tour bus thought it would be great to stop on the motoway heading north toward the stadium for a leak!!!! The congestion according to the radio that they caused was a huge back log to Penrose!! I initially seen the funny side to it but after half an hour of just sitting on the motorway being stuck was not funny anymore, so I managed to push and shove getting off at Ellerslie - home the back way.It p*sses me off, all this cr*p about the 'Barmy Army'. The Barmy Army are a select few (hundred) devoted England cricket fans and have absolutely nothing to do with Rugby or any other sport!
It's all a cynical and, it must be said successful, ploy to make some money out of the Lions tour.
As for them being drunken tw*ats - well what do you expect? A whole bunch of blokes going overseas for a few weeks with nothing more to do that get p*ssed and watch rugby!
My only fear is that with the popularity of rugby in the UK now, that some of the mindless thugs from football will see it as an opportunity to go somewhere that they can cause trouble. Most of them have been excluded from travelling overseas for football matches now but I wonder if the police still watch the airports when there's a major rugby or cricket tour on?
All the people I've spoken to who have been out on the town with Lions supporters have so far said only good things, so fingers crossed!
It's all a cynical and, it must be said successful, ploy to make some money out of the Lions tour.
As for them being drunken tw*ats - well what do you expect? A whole bunch of blokes going overseas for a few weeks with nothing more to do that get p*ssed and watch rugby!
My only fear is that with the popularity of rugby in the UK now, that some of the mindless thugs from football will see it as an opportunity to go somewhere that they can cause trouble. Most of them have been excluded from travelling overseas for football matches now but I wonder if the police still watch the airports when there's a major rugby or cricket tour on?
All the people I've spoken to who have been out on the town with Lions supporters have so far said only good things, so fingers crossed!
Kylie, fair call... and I agree with Jamie, the Barmy Army are a cricketing lot... the sort of people that follow the Ashes to this far corner of the earth and whatnot... it was popularised on the last but one England cricket tour to NZ (in '97) when there was a HUGE barmy army prescence in NZ and it's been applied to every English/British touring fanclub since.... And in the end, I guess boys will be boys and these are some fairly wealthy people with some big budgets to spend on a NZ pisstrip, and the labelling has just been part of a ploy to get them to part with their british pounds.... heard nothing bad about them though, although a couple hundred pissed brits is bound to not go unnoticed. I've seen a few of them about town and the demeanour of them and the kiwis they've been socialising with has appeared nothing less than matey
all black said:
the joy of being in the UK when the Maoris beat the Lions
Fingers crossed for the tests
would have been a laugh to have the POMs on about that in the Pub 
AND YES looks like I am speaking like a true Kiwi as well!!! afterall it is a NZ forum here where I am supporting the AB's for sure
Im torn between my usual huge dislike of rugby to the point where I support anyone playing Canterbury/Otago/ABs just so I dont fit in with the crowd and the fact all the englsh people I know are as arrogant about a lions victory as AB/canterbury supporters usually are
Despite the fact I dont care they all seem to delight it trying to rub it into my face.
So therefore I dont really want either team to win. Give me three nil all draws and Ill be happy
*winge* :P
Despite the fact I dont care they all seem to delight it trying to rub it into my face.
So therefore I dont really want either team to win. Give me three nil all draws and Ill be happy
*winge* :P
Yeah I've never got that...... howcome people always WHINGE about us being whingeing poms eh? Heh like I said, I just hope the Lions get into the tests and aquit themselves respectably.
On the plus side, this time around the Kiwi fans I've spoken to have actually been quite gracious in victory/defeat... a stark contrast to the England tests where it was all about trying to "rub our noses in it".... that's ok though because as Jamie well knows, we can always rub their noses in it just as well Especially where the Webb-Ellis trophy is concerned
But this tour seems to have gone thus far with a rather friendly tone... and that's all good.
Heh like I said, I just hope the Lions get into the tests and aquit themselves respectably. On the plus side, this time around the Kiwi fans I've spoken to have actually been quite gracious in victory/defeat... a stark contrast to the England tests where it was all about trying to "rub our noses in it".... that's ok though because as Jamie well knows, we can always rub their noses in it just as well
Especially where the Webb-Ellis trophy is concerned But this tour seems to have gone thus far with a rather friendly tone... and that's all good.
Well said George!
Tempers do seem to fray a little in this mixed- allegiance forum around this time of year.
I can see that it is a real pissoff if you're a Brit living here listening to all the parochial excrement( which of course you get everywhere) and especially to grab-bag stereotypes like "whingeing poms"
I guess it's the old reticular activating system at work. We (unconsciously) key in "whingeing Pom" and then hit "seek" and, surpise, surprise! we see whingeing poms ,as in our internal Google its the data that satisfies both words that makes it to the head of our organic search-engine. the poms who arent whingers and the whingers who arent poms are too far out of our focus to be deemed relevant.
AAh! such wisdom? wank?
Enjoy the Rugger and be nice to each other
I'm off to meditate/ wank
ommmmmmm.....
Tempers do seem to fray a little in this mixed- allegiance forum around this time of year.
I can see that it is a real pissoff if you're a Brit living here listening to all the parochial excrement( which of course you get everywhere) and especially to grab-bag stereotypes like "whingeing poms"
I guess it's the old reticular activating system at work. We (unconsciously) key in "whingeing Pom" and then hit "seek" and, surpise, surprise! we see whingeing poms ,as in our internal Google its the data that satisfies both words that makes it to the head of our organic search-engine. the poms who arent whingers and the whingers who arent poms are too far out of our focus to be deemed relevant.
AAh! such wisdom? wank?
Enjoy the Rugger and be nice to each other
I'm off to meditate/ wank
ommmmmmm.....
Heh too true Roger.... thankfully MOST Poms are well used to it... as an England supporter I've been so used to losing over the years it doesn't bother me any more... frankly now that we've actually got a half-decent rugby/cricket side, it's raised the stakes a little
You always expect a little sledging and of course you give some back (sheep shagging kiwis ) but all-too often I've been in a situation where just showing your country's colours gets you some rather nasty, malicious abuse, and doubtless this happens on both sides of the coin.... but I just seem to have noticed it less on this tour... maybe everyone's growing up for a change? Or maybe it's just because, at the moment, it looks like the ABs are gonna give our boys a pasting..... or maybe that's just wat we WANT you to think
You always expect a little sledging and of course you give some back (sheep shagging kiwis
) but all-too often I've been in a situation where just showing your country's colours gets you some rather nasty, malicious abuse, and doubtless this happens on both sides of the coin.... but I just seem to have noticed it less on this tour... maybe everyone's growing up for a change? Or maybe it's just because, at the moment, it looks like the ABs are gonna give our boys a pasting..... or maybe that's just wat we WANT you to think Gassing Station | New Zealand | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff