Tag Archive for 'rugby'

The Pope vs The Ball

Published by bcg on 7 August 2011 in Culture and Random. 0 Comments Tags: , .

This was in our church notice sheet last week..

The Pope was cruising along the beach in the Pope-mobile when there was a frantic commotion just off-shore. A helpless man, wearing an England rugby shirt, was struggling frantically to free himself from the jaws of a 25-foot long shark.

As the Pope watched in horror, a speedboat pulled up with three men wearing Australian rugby jerseys. One quickly fired a harpoon into the shark's side while the other two reached out and pulled the hapless English fan from the water. Then, using long clubs, the three beat the shark to death and hauled it into the boat.

Immediately the Pope shouted out and summoned them to him, "I give you my blessing for your brave actions. I heard that there was bitter hatred between Australian and English rugby fans, but now I have seen with my own eyes that this is not true."

As the Pope drove off, the harpooner asked his buddies: "Who was that?"

"It was the Pope," one replied. "He is in direct contact with God and has access to all of God's wisdom."

"Well," the harpooner said, "he may have access to God and his wisdom, but he doesn't know anything about shark fishing. Is the bait holding up ok, or do we need to get another one?"

Cricket Referrals

Published by bcg on 1 March 2009 in Sci & Tech. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

I enjoy listening to Test Match Special (TMS) on BBC Radio 4 – usually.  During the current test series there has been a lot of fuss about the new referrals system, which is cricket's attempt at using modern technology to ensure accuracy in umpiring decisions.

They seem to me to be making a bit of a shambles of it.  They have got a mix of the implementation of technology in tennis and in rugby – the teams can question an umpiring decision that they disagree with.

This seems to me to be a nonsense.  In rugby, the umpire makes the final decision – and has the option of referring it to the video referee if he has any doubt.  This would seem to me to be the best way of implementing technology in cricket as well.  The referee's decision is final – but if he has a doubt about (say) an LBW or a run-out, he can ask the fourth official.

Then the teams have no say in it.  The umpires always have the final say – just like in rugby.

Danny Cipriani

Published by bcg on 7 March 2008 in Current Affairs. 0 Comments Tags: , .

I have just discovered that Danny Cipriani has been dropped from the England rugby team for the match against Scotland tomorrow.  The reason appears to be that he was seen leaving a nightclub last night:

Cipriani axed from England team

The incident calls to mind the pathetic antics of the England cricket team at the world cup last year – but Cipriani was not drinking, nor was he out a long time, according to his club.

I can understand Brian Ashton wanting to keep a tight ship, and to impress on his players the seriousness with which they should take playing for their country.  But relaxing – albeit late at night – with your friends – especially if you aren't drinking! – does not, to me, count as 'inappropriate behaviour'.

Apart from anything, Balshaw has been shockingly bad at full-back, and Cipriani has the potential to be significantly better!  I think Ashton has gone too far here – I hope we don't live to rue the decision on Saturday.

What a match

Published by bcg on 9 February 2008 in Culture. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Ireland deserved to win.  You won't often hear me say that.

The French were brilliant in the first half, but faded away in the second.  I thought O'Gara and O'Driscoll played so well in the second half, after a few mistakes in the first, and deserved at least to get a try at the end to draw the match.

After that, I think France will get the Grand Slam – Wales were ok today, but Scotland are a poor side at the moment, and Wales made a catalogue of errors that a better side would have punished them for.

I'm looking forward to seeing England play tomorrow – I hope we can be a bit more expansive, like the games that were played today.

Sport on TV

Published by bcg on 5 December 2007 in Culture. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Sri Lanka v England 1st Test

This seems to have been a really exciting test match – I wish cricket would come back to terrestrial telly so we can watch some! It is very frustrating when national sport is exclusively on Sky. I think the government should ensure that all national sport can be watched free by the whole nation – especially the major sports like football, cricket, rugby, athletics/Olympics, boxing etc.

It was even more frustrating when Twickenham signed a deal so all England rugby home games were only on Sky... they are shooting themselves in the foot, by decreasing the number of people who can watch and get excited by sport.

Rugby Union

Published by bcg on 7 October 2007 in Culture. 0 Comments Tags: , .

So after my last post on rugby it seems that the 'consistently good sides' of Australia and New Zealand failed to live up to their potential. England's forwards hammered the Wallabies in spectacular fashion, and the Kiwis never really got going against Les Bleus. Northern Hemisphere rugby is perhaps not in such dire straits after all!

It did get me wondering. Australia and (especially) New Zealand each had straightforward group matches. England and France had to fight for their positions in the quarter-finals, and each were the underdog in their respective games. Did Australia and New Zealand expect their quarter-finals to be as easy as their group games? I suspect it was a combination of that, and sheer grit and determination from England and France.

So today it's the turn of Fiji and Scotland to upset the bookies!

Rugby Union

Published by bcg on 29 September 2007 in Culture. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

What I want to know is, how do teams like Australia and New Zealand consistently manage to field good sides, when the likes of England and Ireland go through huge ups and downs..? Surely it isn't a population thing – New Zealand can't be much bigger than England, if at all – so what is it?

The same thing happens in cricket – Australia are always good. When we are better than them, it only ever lasts a year or two! Why can't we manage to compete (I mean really compete, with a genuine chance of winning) at the highest level?

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