I love New Zealanders!!

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Shady

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Har Har: so Wellington were beaten, but apparently the Lions were unconvincing and shaky....Err - that's why your flanker left the field with cracked ribs, and another was carried off out of the match... NZ's sports media is extraordinary. To be fair, it reflects the commitment of the nation, but rational it ain't...

Conversely, Nonu, who was actually on the field, simply said: "they are world class players..."

Ahh -how I love old fashioned forward play... :D
 
Nothing Christian about those boys... 8) Good match all round, lots of effort, and despite the handling errors that stopped it being a rout, the Lions got the basics right for the first time this tour - they hit the rucks and mauls hard, drove the enemy off the ball, and destroyed their set piece scrum: without that as a platform, nothing can happen. I still don't think they're on for a tour victory, but it ain't as depressing as it was, and the hits are a delight to watch... (my middle boy is waiting to find out if he's been picked for the county as we speak, so I'm kinda fired up -wish him luck!!)
 
Yes, yes we did... For the first one though, it wasn't so much the 'waddling bull' who put it down that impressed me - he'd have to have been disabled not to score at that point - but Dwayne Peel's break through the opposition's line that set the score up - now that was a bit of Welsh wizardry, much as my English heart hates to admit it... :roll:

edit - Sawdust - thanks - you better believe it. Top try scorer in his age group at his club last season, averaging a try and two thirds per match, voted team player of the year. But almost more than getting to the trial, what pleases me is that he was recommended by his school's rugby master, who is the England under 16 squad coach - so it ain't just a proud dad's tinted specs that thinks he's good. He was at the sevens finals at Twickenham last week: asked Matthew Tait what it's like to play for England, and chatted to Joe Rococoko (who impressed him as 'bloomin huge, dad'!) I dunno how far he'll go, but as long as he enjoys it, I'll do what I can for him to maximise his potential...
 
From what I have read about Sir Clive tactics & personnel will be shuffled around in the warm up games to try and confuse the enemy. There is no doubt that the ABs will be far stronger than any of the so called mid week teams but then the final Lions team will see some changes too.

It is fascinating to watch (well read about) and a shame the games are not more widely available on TV.

There is a similar scenario of course being played out on cricket pitches over here (although with much smaller squads). Two warm up defeats do not an Ashes victory make - bloody good to see 'em get a hiding though!

Andy
 
dedee":184qmz74 said:
Two warm up defeats do not an Ashes victory make
But we can dream... :roll:

Shady, sounds like you've got a fine player there. How long before we can expect cameras zooming in on you at Twickers in order to see the proud father celebrating the debut try? :D

Cheers, Alf
 
How long before we can expect cameras zooming in on you at Twickers in order to see the proud father celebrating the debut try?

Well: at the moment, it's certainly his ambition, and I'm all for it (although I'm being very careful not to be one of those parents who pressures their children into living their own dreams...) But, to put it in perspective, he went for the Oxfordshire trials: about 200 boys there, and the England squad guy who was running the trial was very clear about their chances: last year, 1 Oxfordshire under 16 player made it into the national squad...And that's just the start if you're serious about making a future in the game. Factor in changing enthusiasm levels, injury (one boy had his kneecap burst open at the trial - ambulance job), and the commitment required, and the likely earning career duration for a top class player, and after all that the competition from other young animals who love the game...

But, if you don't aim for your dreams, you'll never know. At the moment, he loves it, so I'm encouraging him to go as far as he can. Here's my favourite quote of all time with respect to trying your best and aiming high:

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

Now that's an outlook on life :)
 
Shady,
all the best to your son. Whether he makes it as a pro or just at club rugby he will learn a lot from being involved in a team sport, and as part of a club, that will be a benefit to him for the rest of his life.

Andy
 
The team name being the British & Irish Lions, I thought the clue was in the scorers' names - Jenkins and Thomas, from one quarter of the 'Power of Four' :wink:

:shock: The 'Power of Four' - what about that for a new anthem! :roll: :roll: :cry:

Cheers,

Trev.
 
Shady,

Nice to hear about your son's progress in the game. As deedee says, he will gain much from it. Long may his success continue.

Like your quote. Do you happen to know its origin/author?

Cheers,

Trev.
 
trevtheturner":223gqcsf said:
Like your quote. Do you happen to know its origin/author?

A rare chance for me to display my education... :eek:

On 23 April 1910 Theodore Roosevelt said that (and a lot of other things besides :roll: :) ) when he addressed the Sorbonne in Paris.

Gill
 
Trev, sorry, missed your comment. Gill is spot on. He had some beauties. "Speak softly, but carry a big stick" is also one of his, as is "Don't hit at all if you can help it; don't hit a man if you can possibly avoid it; but if you do hit him, put him to sleep."

He was a quite extraordinary character. Unusually sensible views on women's rights for his time and place, as well.
 
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