A DECENT beer............obviously you mean Emu Export!:}

OK, I'll bite.

Australia played well. Very well. On the day, NZ were quite simply outclassed and outplayed by a better team. It doesn't get much more basic than that.

For more years than I care to remember, New Zealand have crested the heights of international rugby competition on the back of some fairly tenuous approaches.

For many seasons, it was the goal kicking of Grant Fox which got us through; on many occasions before that, it was the goal kicking of Alan Hewson.

New Zealand's success in the last couple of decades has been largely due to the individual brilliance of a small number of players, coupled with the unfortunate or unnecessary mistakes of a larger number of players from opposing teams.

Our attack has been weak and poorly co-ordinated, our defence skimpy and unresponsive, and our game plans obvious, inflexible and easily countered.

We have made poor coaching choices because of politics and ego, poor selection choices because of religion and race (brown and Catholic counts for a great deal), and poor captaincy choices because of PR concerns.

We have failed to sufficiently resource the national game in the era of professionalism, with the result that many fine players have departed these shores for greener pastures.

The end result of all these bad decisions is that New Zealand is on the road to international rugby mediocrity, which will bother no-one other than New Zealanders, and that for no reason other than that our insular, secular, pastoral society has precious little else upon which to base a national culture, or at least little else which has yet been afforded any degree of national importance.

I take my hat off to the Aussies; they played well and deserved the win. Same goes for England. It should be a brilliant final: two fired-up teams with everything to prove and a lot to lose, two physically powerful, technically proficient teams, two old rivals. Rugby will be the winner whatever the result.

.... and IIRC Clive Woodward's dad used to be a Chipmunk QFI ... and obviously something else before that ....

I support 2 teams - the All Blacks and any team playing against Oz. Hell!! Now I have to support the Poms!!

BlueWolf - at least two of us will be watching for the enjoyment of the game, not the unedifying spectacle that the local press would have us believe may be the progress of the match.
I despise the jingoistic, bombastic attitude of most Aussies toward sport at which we excel, the "win at any cost against theAB/Poms/everyone" mentality can remove any enjoyment of the technicalities of the game. Good on you, sunshine!

May the better team win, of whichever nationality!

Kind regards,

TheNightOwl.:ok:

Night Owl
Agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment but not with your use of the term 'most'.
We have a sizeable number of bogons certainly; usually found hanging around one day cricket matches and the like.
Enough to attract the media's attention but by no means representative of most Australians that I know.


(In fact a quick survey of the last two 'Australians' to post here finds a 100% positive attitude towards the sporting achievements of all nations :} )

Personally, I know bugga all about rugby other than from what I've gleaned from too many years in front of the TV...but I'll be enjoying the contest on Saturday, regardless of the outcome.

(And good luck to the Kiwis tonight.)

For the first time ever, I supported the All-Blacks this morning. What a great game, I really enjoyed seeing them slaughter the Frogs. They played some magical rugby.

Now its Englands turn to mangle the Aussies.

BFB

England Expects
http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/rn/data...012386943t.jpg

Night Owl

Sorry to mislead old chap - I was a devotee of VB in Canberra (I know!) for 4 years. The QL stuff is indeed crxp by comparison. As are some of the South Oz beer offerings (not wine of course).

Twill be the Poms' time tomorrow - and Boddies will be my comfort on the day. Enjoy your discomfort.

(And who cares, on this grand occasion, if we're bxggxxing up Prune conventions!)

Wish I could be in the Rocks -------------

Anyone who was really bored by the England/France match must be a cold fish. It was brutal, ferocious and redolent of the 100 Years' War!

Why cannot English rugby fans pick a chorus with a bit more punch than "Swing Low..." In view of my well-known admiration for the Senior Service, I suggest "Heart of Oak" - and give it some Welly!

I bought (in Scotland!) a baseball cap with St Georges Cross badge. I shall wear in front of the TV on Saturday. :O

I trust that you won't wear it backwards like Kevin the Teenager!

Only when I'm likely to bump into my (very large) Kiwi neighbour.

WHAT A RESULT!!

Yes, nice to see the World Cup coming back FROM the Southern hemisphere.

I suppose it wouldn't be British to celebrate the Wallabies being destroyed on their home turf, despite having 16 men on the pitch and despite all the dirty tricks and all the whining beforehand.

Well done chaps!

Shouldn't the thread be 'Wallabies choke!' now?

Yes, wrap this thread, new one started, post again Jacko

Wallabies didn't choke, just beaten by a better team on the bell in extra time!!!