The game of rugby can be a beautiful thing. Not today.
New Zealand 21 -- 3 British & Irish Lions.
The game of rugby can be a beautiful thing. Not today. The Lions played abysmally and, if New Zealand had been playing any way well, the final score could have been embarrassing.
Enjoyment of the match was not helped by one of the commentators on Sky Sports, Stuart Barnes. Brian O'Driscoll, Irishman and captain of the Lions, was injured in the first 90 seconds but all Barnes could talk about was how wonderful the (English) substitute centre was. Never mind that Brian had a dislocated shoulder. Never mind that the two New Zealand players responsible may well be up in front of a disciplinary hearing for dislocating his shoulder.
The Irish lads didn't play brilliantly. Shane Byrne had a so-so match. Line-outs were shaky but I think the scrum worsened after he was replaced by the English hooker, Steve Thompson. Of course, I could be biased but, then, I'm not a Sky Sports commentator so it doesn't matter.
Paul O'Connell had an okay game. Sacrificed himself to save four points; a bit of professional fouling and ten minutes in the sin bin that probably paid off.
Shane Horgan played fine when he came on but he wasn't really on long enough to make a difference. Plus, he was playing on the left instead of on the right, from what I could judge.
Jason Robinson did not play well at all. He did very little right, in truth. Ideally, Josh Lewsey should be centre back for the second test next week. Shane Horgan on the right and little Shane Williams (who, based on his form, should have been playing today) on the left. As little as I like Gavin Henson, he should probably play in the centre with Greenwood, just so that they have a someway inventive player now that BO'D is out. Wilkinson to out-half and keep the wonderful Dwayne Peel at scrum-half, with Dawson on the bench because he is a fantastic player too.
Less sure about the forwards. After O'Connell, Corry, Back and Jones, I don't know. Thompson vs Byrne? Tough one to call.
Now, I'm sure I've bored my two or so readers with all this talk of rugby but consider this: I wrote this entire post with no 'm' key and gammy 'b' and 'h' keys. Relevance of this? I need a new computer.
The game of rugby can be a beautiful thing. Not today. The Lions played abysmally and, if New Zealand had been playing any way well, the final score could have been embarrassing.
Enjoyment of the match was not helped by one of the commentators on Sky Sports, Stuart Barnes. Brian O'Driscoll, Irishman and captain of the Lions, was injured in the first 90 seconds but all Barnes could talk about was how wonderful the (English) substitute centre was. Never mind that Brian had a dislocated shoulder. Never mind that the two New Zealand players responsible may well be up in front of a disciplinary hearing for dislocating his shoulder.
The Irish lads didn't play brilliantly. Shane Byrne had a so-so match. Line-outs were shaky but I think the scrum worsened after he was replaced by the English hooker, Steve Thompson. Of course, I could be biased but, then, I'm not a Sky Sports commentator so it doesn't matter.
Paul O'Connell had an okay game. Sacrificed himself to save four points; a bit of professional fouling and ten minutes in the sin bin that probably paid off.
Shane Horgan played fine when he came on but he wasn't really on long enough to make a difference. Plus, he was playing on the left instead of on the right, from what I could judge.
Jason Robinson did not play well at all. He did very little right, in truth. Ideally, Josh Lewsey should be centre back for the second test next week. Shane Horgan on the right and little Shane Williams (who, based on his form, should have been playing today) on the left. As little as I like Gavin Henson, he should probably play in the centre with Greenwood, just so that they have a someway inventive player now that BO'D is out. Wilkinson to out-half and keep the wonderful Dwayne Peel at scrum-half, with Dawson on the bench because he is a fantastic player too.
Less sure about the forwards. After O'Connell, Corry, Back and Jones, I don't know. Thompson vs Byrne? Tough one to call.
Now, I'm sure I've bored my two or so readers with all this talk of rugby but consider this: I wrote this entire post with no 'm' key and gammy 'b' and 'h' keys. Relevance of this? I need a new computer.
posted by Lindsey at 8:37 PM
3 Comments:
As an American - I can say that rugby scares the crap out of most of us. It's like American football without any padding or protective gear. Rugby players are hard core.
I studied abroad at Oxford for a year - my housemante, a non-athletic midwestern girl decided she would go out for the Oxford Rugby team.
She made it in on the thrid string. At the first game - everybody on the first and second string got injured - so she had to go in.
She came home with one leg of her pants entirely ripped off and a cleat mark on her face.
OUCH!
As an Irish girl, I have to admit that American football looks a little... soft. Which I'm sure is far from the truth but I really don't understand American football.
It is, of course, a rough game, as evidenced by the match I reviewed in this post. Ouch is the only word!
As a Welsh girl abroad, I have to say that I never thought I would actually miss rugby. But some days it's right up there with Sunday roasts.
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