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Speaker: Quantum Competition

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  • Tony Kennedy,

    Being semi serious for a moment, the critical “bad” moment for me in the 2nd half was the conversion miss, a 7 point lead is so much better than 5 and I could not see the French scoring 8 unanswered points. At this level, this kick should have been converted; this may explain the continued reliance on scoring a try to close out the game.

    I wonder if the selectors now regret not selecting Weepu !

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 225 posts Report Reply

  • Stupid,

    Perhaps at this level the coach of each team could be entitled to a limited number of challenges (say 1 per half) of the ref's descion based on the TV coverage. An appeal to the TV ref like for tries.

    Just watching the South Africa/Fiji replay and flabbergasted by the number of undetected South African forward passes. But from the arm chair perspective these overhead camera views give us a point-of-view not enjoyed by refs or linesmen. Even in Rugby League the TMO cannot rule on forward passes. BUT, they can review "knock-ons, offsides, obstructions, hold-ups and whether or not a player has gone dead" (wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_referee). If we're gonna have a TMO in Rugby Union, should we not work them a bit more? Or are we in danger of turning our beloved "chasing the pig bladder around a paddock" into some kind of interactive bio-electronic playstation-like experience?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 75 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Obeying the ref is a big part of the game that is Rugby.
    WW1 was fought and won on the playing fields of Eton, Cambridge and Oxford, remember and obey.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    "WW1 was fought and won on the playing fields of Eton, Cambridge and Oxford, remember and obey."

    I agree, Rugby has nothing to do with war.

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    I've had time to consider and listen to RB and The Boot on Nat Rad. The Boot said...it's a professional game now and people must be held accountable (the ref).
    The above quote about the playing fields of England highlights the fact that at one time the school playing field was used to some extent for social conditioning, and we have Forces teams (my brother was captain of the Navy side who beat Army in their annual game). I have stated here before that the French hold rugby dear in part due to the fact that during the German Occupation, rugby was the only thing men were allowed to gather to do, on the penalty of death. Officers during WW1 would kick a ball over towards enemy lines prior to going over the top. Now the crass use of war as an analogy is a bit different to actual relavent historic references.
    The RWC however is a franchise deal with a professional component, so scrutiny is now considered more important, big money at stake.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    Merc
    This position wud have you believe that French Rugby players were all resistance fighters. German occupation was Vichy France administered. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichy_France
    A bit of myth building to cover up their jobs in the Railway working through night & fog.

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Michael I don't know if I'm meant to reply because you seem to have described my position for me. Please don't do that.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • nanoplanet,

    he he

    Here • Since Apr 2007 • 15 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    Merc - This position...

    "I have stated here before that the French hold rugby dear in part due to the fact that during the German Occupation, rugby was the only thing men were allowed to gather to do, on the penalty of death."

    is Myth building promoted by a bunch of mostly collaborators if not out right fascists. France doesn't yet want to own this part of its history.

    Very much like the lies Kiwis say about being clean and green - it's not true but it sounds nice.

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Stunned silent awe.
    Footnote, I got the French Rugby History quote from a BBC documentary. I have lived in SW France for extended occasions since I was 17. I have family there and my Great Grandmother was French. I am also 1/4 German (Hannover). My brother is President of his local French Rugby Club and has played professionally in Italy and France. My brother's Father In Law was the Mayor of his village for 40 years, being appointed at 15 years old by the Nazi's because he was virtually the only male left and they thought he would be a pushover. The able bodied men and women were sent to Germany for re-education. He witnessed street executions. He was forced to make boots for the German Army, he gave me a pair he had kept for remembrance, he made them all 1/4 size too small, an act of rebellion that would have had him shot. His village is famous for the protection of Sephardic Jews. It and my brother's village are French Basque.
    I have been to many rugby games in France in little villages, but what would I know?

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    A hell of a lot more than me by the sounds of it merc.

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    I left out the bit about my Great Aunts houses being sacked in Berlin by the Russians and all the family records including photo albums destroyed, and their daughters sent to Russia for re-education. Because you know that would be too heavy but explains why I hate nationality stereo typing with a vengeance, and you know the war, that war affected us all and some still, today.
    My son (who has a German middle family name) told me of his school's religious instructor's hate speech of the Germans regarding WW2, it reminded me of the early scenes in All Quiet On The Western Front.
    Lest We Forget. (and that meant all the fallen, all sides, and should also include the civilians as well).

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    Yeah I might get a little precious as to how scores of my extended family have their names on the memorial at Auschwitz but seemingly no-one assisted the Nazi war machine.

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Ah, I see.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

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