Rugby World Cup 2003

[Semantic]

NZ gonna stomp them all?

Never watched a game in person before, it's gonna be interesting.

Canada vs New Zealand, Oct 17...I'll be there...

Also heading to the South Melbourne SC to watch a Nat'l League match on the 19th.

[Fastshow]

New Zealand should knock bells out of everyone with the exception of England. I would dearly love to see the bloody Aussies not even progress out of their group, something that is a distinct possibility. With Jonny Wilkinson on form and the rest of the England XV playing out of their skins just to keep a place in the side, it's the best chance England will ever get to win this thing. To do it in the Southern Hemisphere would make it all the more sweet.

[oor wullie]

Originally posted by Fastshow
New Zealand should knock bells out of everyone with the exception of England. I would dearly love to see the bloody Aussies not even progress out of their group, something that is a distinct possibility. With Jonny Wilkinson on form and the rest of the England XV playing out of their skins just to keep a place in the side, it's the best chance England will ever get to win this thing. To do it in the Southern Hemisphere would make it all the more sweet.

Fastshow,

Looks as though Engerlands team this year is THE one to beat. All the best to your rugby squad. I am having nightmares they have already won it. Anyways, I know you like your rugby, as I do. Bonne chance! This rugby talk reminds me of our rugby days at Burnsview and Gus Fotiuo (sp) kicking out of his own end zone and smacking the ball off the backs of our own uprights, you mind that one???

Slainte,

Oor Wullie

[Fastshow]

Sneds the Elder,

Must have missed your post in all the excitement. Yes, I remember the liability that was poor old Gus and Tate's reasoning for putting him where he did. Well, supposedly, out of harm's way. Ball was like a fcuking magnet to the ham-fisted cnut. Tate remains one of the only good teachers I had during my storied scholastic career.

Anyway, on to more pressing matters before I start weeping (again) for the grand old days of yore...........

France hate campaign
By Chris Jones and Ian Chadband, Evening Standard, in Sydney
10 November 2003

France lit the touchpaper for another explosive clash against England in their World Cup semi-final by claiming today: "Most people hate them."

France coach Bernard Laporte, who is adept at using the media to unsettle opposition teams, spoke in the aftermath of England's difficult 28-17 quarter-final win over Wales yesterday and his comments will stoke up the perennial animosity between Europe's top two teams.

"You like or you don't like the English," he said. "Most of the people hate them. Personally I don't have much love, but one has to accept that they often are the best in sport or in business, so one has to respect them.

"England came to Australia as the world No1 and I still think they are but I hope that after Sunday's semi-final they will be downgraded to No2."

Laporte's comments will ensure the build up to Sunday's game is going to be lively and his half-joking remarks are in stark contrast to Clive Woodward's view that the two men are "good friends".

France and England met twice in World Cup warm-up matches, in Marseilles and at Twickenham, and honours were even, with a home win each.

Now, the stage is set for a titanic decider and both teams have been hit serious injury worries.

We're going to Ireland this Friday so I'll be able to enjoy the England-France semi in Cork.

Can't wait to watch it in my Rangers top and Union Jack underpants while conducting a small survey of mine called, 'Why did you cnuts leave the lights on for Adolf?'

Should be quite a ruck.


The rugby won't be bad either.

[ParkHead]

Tate remains one of the only good teachers I had during my storied scholastic career.

AHHHHHH the old Burnsview days. Yes Tater was one of the best teachers I ever had as well.


To be on topic though I hope it is New Zealand and England in the final and sorry Fasty I hope the All blacks hammer them.

Question for you though? At the beginning of the game when the All blacks are doing their Haka(sp) why do the other teams stand there and watch? Is it in the rules they have to? Why wouldn't you all just turn around or keep warming up without paying any attention to it?


Parkhead

[bravedart]

Parkhead,

The Haka (right spelling) is the challenge of war by the Mauri, to stand there and face it calmly shows that your not afraid. It is deemed cowardly to turn your backs to it or ignore it.....besides it wouldn't make for a good show.

I had the priveledge to face off against several championship NZ high school teams when our HS squad travelled down there in 1996. We faced off to several Haka's and those guys get fcucking intense...they stand there shouting their heads off in unison with that tribal sound/beat hitting themselves as hard as they can....you can see the blood lust filling their eyes (they have turned red by this time) and every vein in their neck and head is protruding under the skin......

It is quite a different feeling watching it on the field then on TV...and for me being 5'6" and a 140lbs at the time I think I actually partially shit my shorts.

[Fastshow]

.....they stand there shouting their heads off in unison with that tribal sound/beat hitting themselves as hard as they can....you can see the blood lust filling their eyes (they have turned red by this time) and every vein in their neck and head is protruding under the skin......

Sounds a bit like certain people while perusing the Scottish Premier League threads.....


Parkhead, to add to what Bravedart wrote, it would also be hugely disrespectful for an opponent to turn their backs on the Haka and rugby's far more a gentleman's game than football. I imagine (I imagine a great deal) it's also the only time Kiwis are taken seriously in any capacity so there's another reason to allow them their mincing about and carrying on before kick-off.

Of course sat here in front of my screen in the Belmarsh library is a very long way from Jonah Lomu or the 14 other shit brickhouses who play for the All Blacks.

I'm safe here.

[ParkHead]

After watching a few of these world cup games I feel quite safe in my decision to play football instead of rugby. The beatings these guys take is quite remarakable and somehow all undetected by the refs. Makes for great T.V. though. I for one am glad I am not the one who has to be the first man to try and tackle Lomu and the other clones like him.


Parkheadwhofeelsthecouchisthesafestplacetobe

[Jinky]

Actually Fasty,

Lomu isn't with the All Black squad.

And I believe he is in London. I'd get out of that library if I were you.


Come to think of it, if I were you, you would never have been in a library in the first place.

[Dapotayto]

If I tried to tackle Lomu he would reach out with his free hand and pop me like an annoying little zit. But I'm thinking that just maybe my broken, limp body might get tangled up in his legs and trip him up. Then, a la KNVB, I would trash talk him from the ground. "What the fcuk you looking at Lomu you big, puffy tart" I would say while giving him the finger as the air ambulance lands on the field. Then, while in the hospital waiting room and on serious painkillers I'd get the nurse to push me around so I could question people incoherently with stuff like, "Have you seen Walks? How about Beaker? Did you know that Leeds are right fcuked but Fastshow hasn't been for ages and that TheRob misses his caboose and Guinness only knows one song. Noooooooooo? Ah, you're all facking cnuts". After I was surgically repaired with the latest technology I would make a storming return as Dasixmilliondollarpotato and the fcuking endorsements would roll in like yellow cards at a 'lomas game.

So who's looking likely to win this rugger cup anyway? England I hope.

[bravedart]

If I tried to tackle Lomu he would reach out with his free hand and pop me like an annoying little zit. But I'm thinking that just maybe my broken, limp body might get tangled up in his legs and trip him up. Then, a la KNVB, I would trash talk him from the ground. "What the fcuk you looking at Lomu you big, puffy tart" I would say while giving him the finger as the air ambulance lands on the field. Then, while in the hospital waiting room and on serious painkillers I'd get the nurse to push me around so I could question people incoherently with stuff like, "Have you seen Walks? How about Beaker? Did you know that Leeds are right fcuked but Fastshow hasn't been for ages and that TheRob misses his caboose and Guinness only knows one song. Noooooooooo? Ah, you're all facking cnuts". After I was surgically repaired with the latest technology I would make a storming return as Dasixmilliondollarpotato and the fcuking endorsements would roll in like yellow cards at a 'lomas game.

HAHA!

One of the best posts I've read in a while.

I wish I had an imagination

[Captain Shamrock]

New Zealand will beat Ireland in the final but the Irish will be proud just to make the finals. Once they upset France, they'll lose a tight one to New Zealand.


Whoever gets through to play New Zealand should just pack it in. Way too fcuking fast, way too fcuking skillful, and way too fcuking strong. A tough combo to beat for sure, even for the Irish.

[Jinky]

A tough combo to beat for sure, even for the Irish.

Some would even say impossible.

I predict France 43 Ireland 21

[Captain Shamrock]

Jinky,

I'm shocked that you would be the first to bite. Say it ain't so.......

[Jinky]

Nice try,

at least you didn't use the edit feature.

[Captain Shamrock]

Jinky, I knew both scores...........Surely you saw the the winky smiley face at the very end of the post........


No problem. It wasn't funny anyway, much like a lot of HOS's posts......

[Jinky]

No I didn't and stop calling me Shirley.

Thank fcuk I didn't waste my 2000th post on that reply.

[Keeper]

Found this interesting article on Rugbyheaven.com:

Staring wide-eyed at their opponents, the New Zealand rugby team launches into a foot-stomping, chest-beating, tongue-baring war dance. It's haka time.

For more than a century, the New Zealand All Blacks have laid down a challenge to opponents with a pre-match performance of the Maori chant that lasts about 30 seconds.

While former captains Wayne Shelford and Colin Meads say the ritual became devalued through overuse, Jonah Lomu, who scored the most tries at World Cups, said performing the haka would give him "the rage." For opponents at the current World Cup, the experience is mostly one to savor, not fear.

Last night it was Tonga's turn to face the haka at the sport's showpiece, but with a twist. To the delight of the Suncorp Stadium crowd, at the same time as All Black flyhalf Carlos Spencer led the haka, Tonga issued its own challenge - called the kailao.

"Standing in front of them and watching them do the haka is a highpoint in a player's career," said Italy's New Zealand-born Matt Phillips, who scored a try in last week's 70-7 loss to the All Blacks. "It's an experience few get the chance to have."

According to legend, the dance dates to about 1810 when chief Te Rauparaha of the Ngati Toa tribe was being chased on New Zealand's north island by enemies. After hiding in a pit storing sweet potatoes, he climbed out to find someone standing over him.

Expecting to be killed, he was so relieved to be greeted instead by a friendly local chief that he burst into the version of the haka the New Zealand team still uses.

"It is death, it is death, it is life it is life; this is the man who enabled me to live as I climb up step by step toward sunlight," the chant says.

"It's a wonderful tradition and still thrills me to see it," said Rod Kafer, who won the World Cup with Australia in 1999. "I wasn't in fear of it, more a sense of awe."

Unlike New Zealand's 2003 group opponents Canada, Italy and Tonga, Australia plays the All Blacks at least twice a year. The Wallabies are among teams who've tried to counter the haka.

Former Wallabies captain Phil Kearns would wink at the New Zealanders as they danced, while Ireland linked arms and marched into their opponents chanting "You'll never beat the Irish" before a 1989 Test in Dublin. Ireland lost 23-6.

Seven years later in Wellington, under coach Greg Smith's orders, Australia dropped its traditional approach of standing five meters away and eyeballing its rivals.

Instead, the Wallabies moved to the other end of the field and began practicing for the match - they then lost by a record 43-6. John Eales, captain that day, later said that he received angry mail from New Zealanders asking why the Wallabies hadn't stood and faced the haka.

Some have tried a more confrontational approach. England forward Richard ****erill went nose-to-nose with opposite number Norm Hewitt in 1997 at Manchester and a year later in Dunedin.

"I believe that I did the right thing," ****erill later told reporters. "They were throwing down a challenge and I showed them I was ready to accept it."

England lost both times. International rugby's tradition of the singing of national anthems before matches stems from the Welsh crowd's reaction on New Zealand's 1924 tour of the U.K., according to Ron Palenski, author of several rugby books including the Encyclopedia of New Zealand Rugby.

"The Welsh players and crowd responded by singing, for the first time before a match, their uplifting anthem Land of my Fathers," Palenski said in an interview.

At the World Cup this month, Italy and Canada stood in a line and stared at the All Blacks as their Maori cries were broadcast over the public address system at Melbourne's Telstra Dome.

The ritual holds most significance for New Zealanders. Shelford, who captained the All Blacks from 1986 to 1990, was so incensed by a lacklustre performance that he introduced practice to "put some personality and meaning into it."

"There's a real debate about whether it's overdone," said former All Blacks skipper Taine Randell, who learnt the words of the haka before he memorized the national anthem. "As a New Zealander, I think it's a very special part of our heritage."

"It's just show business really," said former England captain Bill Beaumont. "You look at the haka and get on with the game."

[Fastshow]

The ritual holds most significance for New Zealanders.

That's exceptionally insightful.

[knvb]

Thanks for highlighting the important bits. I surely would have missed them other-wise.