Psst. Guys... Be nice to Naoko...

[steve44uk]

Her rugby team just got rogered. And not in a good way...

 

[oggbashan]

They fought back well.

The final score was much better than it might have been.

 

[Handley_Page]

I did warn her to wear a black arm band.
[But yes, one should always be kind to the afflicted.]

 

[NaokoSmith]

Those two first matches were a fantastic kick-off to the Six Nations. Scotland did amazingly well. A testament to Andy Robinson's tlc. I was sorry to see him go. I thought his understated style suited the Scots.

But foreign coaches never understand that Scotland have to be the underdogs, particularly for the Calcutta Cup match. Only by tapping into the memories of Culloden and other ignominious and brutal defeats by the Sassenachs can the Scots rise up and be a cup-winning nation again.

Oh, and it helps if the pitch is a sea of mud and the rain and sleet is pouring down like it usually is North of the border!

Since there are no thistles on here, I think I'm entitled.



(Bring on the Azzurri!)

 

[Handley_Page]

England v France:
at the Stad de France.

 

[steve44uk]

Heh. The lady doth protest too much, methinks...

Those two first matches were a fantastic kick-off to the Six Nations. Scotland did amazingly well. A testament to Andy Robinson's tlc. I was sorry to see him go. I thought his understated style suited the Scots.

But foreign coaches never understand that Scotland have to be the underdogs, particularly for the Calcutta Cup match. Only by tapping into the memories of Culloden and other ignominious and brutal defeats by the Sassenachs can the Scots rise up and be a cup-winning nation again.

Oh, and it helps if the pitch is a sea of mud and the rain and sleet is pouring down like it usually is North of the border!

Since there are no thistles on here, I think I'm entitled.



(Bring on the Azzurri!)

 

[NaokoSmith]

England v France:
at the Stad de France.

We'll see how France get on tomorrow, but you know what they say. France are like your girlfriend, you never know what mood they'll show up in.

I was very very impressed with England today. I feel Lancaster is doing a stupendous job. This is not the year to win anything or do brilliantly, this is the year to build towards the World Cup, in fact it's better to lose this year so you don't get complacent. I thought there was a lot of young talent which Lancaster has patiently fostered and which he has allowed to retain its raw edges this year in order to more finely hone it in the run-up to the World Cup.

I was a bit surprised by the scrummaging. Last year against Ireland, England's scrummaging was phenomenal. I've never seen an international side pushed off the ball so comprehensively before. I was impressed that Scotland managed to hold their own. Mind you, one World Cup Scotland had a scrummaging pack who went in absolutely level - it was magical. You could have used them as a dining table, they were so flat. Beauty.

When you think what a lot of scum the England side were last World Cup. Their blase and cavalier attitude definitely affected their play. Compare to the Welsh side, so admired in both the bars and on the pitch (well, apart from that terrible error of judgement by poor Sam Warburton - glad to see he hasn't let that affect his game in the long term). Even when asked about England players throwing dwarves in bars and snogging blondes just after marrying the Queen's grand-daughter, the Welsh said: "Oh, we all like a pint."

Love living here for the rugby. Must learn Welsh so I can watch it when it's on S4C as well.


OK! Now you can have a rose

 

[SamScribble]

And a win for England in the Sevens - with both South Africa and New Zealand being beaten by Kenya. That might have caught the bookies off guard.

 

[ishtat]

Ah the six nations Rugby! The perfect competition to raise false hopes in the northern nations. Then the southerners, New Zealand, South Africa or even us nice Australians spoil the party at the World Cup - remind us of the results so far. 6 -1 to the southerners, is that right? How many times has Ireland, Wales or Scotland made the final? - or should I have said semi- final.

You lot even struggle with our second string teams, Samoa (is Wales still in mourning?) and Argentina.

The six nations is boys stuff, fantasy time. The real test is whether the Kiwis, the Springboks or the Wallabies complete your four yearly drubbing next time.

Dream on.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Ah the six nations Rugby! The perfect competition to raise false hopes in the northern nations. Then the southerners, New Zealand, South Africa or even us nice Australians spoil the party at the World Cup - remind us of the results so far. 6 -1 to the southerners, is that right? How many times has Ireland, Wales or Scotland made the final? - or should I have said semi- final.

You lot even struggle with our second string teams, Samoa (is Wales still in mourning?) and Argentina.

The six nations is boys stuff, fantasy time. The real test is whether the Kiwis, the Springboks or the Wallabies complete your four yearly drubbing next time.

Dream on.

Thank you for being nice to me in your New World way!

The All Blacks realised long ago that the Sevens is where you bring on your upcoming backs players so it's even more encouraging for English hopes of the World Cup that they did so well there.

 

[steve44uk]

Jeez. What have I started...?

 

[NaokoSmith]

Well guys, I feel a whole lot better.

Just been watching Mike Bassett, England Manager.

Anyone want to put money on Luxembourg to beat Turkey in the run up to the World Cup in Rio? Perhaps if Benson and Hedges can be persuaded to join the squad, England might make it to the semi-finals.

See you at the Galeão - Antônio Carlos Jobim International Airport! ("You fenian!" "Hey, I'm a fenian!")

I'll leave you with the words sung by Cardiff City fans whenever an English side score a goal against them:

We've got free prescriptions, we've got free prescriptions! La la la la, la la la la!
(Possibly the only government policy to be celebrated in a football chant.)

 

[oggbashan]

England v Scotland Women's Rugby.

Ouch! I can't link from Lit... That's illegal.

So I'll copy and paste.


England Women beat Scotland 76-0 in Esher

By Julia Hutton RFU
February 2 2013

England Women got their Six Nations defence off to the ideal start, with a resounding 76-0 win over Scotland. Head Coach Gary Street’s side notched up 12 tries with two from Sarah Hunter, two from Ceri Large, two from Sally Tuson, two from Abigail Chamberlain and one apiece from Hannah Gallagher, Amber Reed, Kay Wilson and Rochelle Clark.

(Aside) That was odd. I put the link in and checked it once this post was on Lit. The response to the link from Literotica was fierce - illegal! malicious! etc. because they identified Literotica as an erotic site. I suppose Women's Rugby attracts unwelcome attention but the message was unequivocal. They will not allow links from any 'erotic' site.(end)

 

[NaokoSmith]

England v Scotland Women's Rugby.

Ouch! I can't link from Lit... That's illegal.

So I'll copy and paste.


England Women beat Scotland 76-0 in Esher.

(Aside) That was odd. I put the link in and checked it once this post was on Lit. The response to the link from Literotica was fierce - illegal! malicious! etc. because they identified Literotica as an erotic site. I suppose Women's Rugby attracts unwelcome attention but the message was unequivocal. They will not allow links from any 'erotic' site.(end)

Thanks Og, that was very kind of you. I had blotted that from my memory.

The women's sides in the small home nations really suffer from lack of resources. (One of my old team-mates is the coach for Wales BTW. Fantastic No. 8 and former Captain of Wales.) Not only are there fewer young women who get the chance to play the sport but even if they're interested the capacity to train them and support them is negligible. It's the USA and England who dominate in women's rugby.

I'm not surprised that the women's rugby refuse to allow links from erotic sites. I've personally had some 'interesting' offers which didn't relate to my skills in handling oval balls although not on here, which is nice. (Well, I had one offer to scrum down but she didn't have balls at all and I suspected she didn't understand the offside rule.)

I did have a link to another erotica site I was trying to make in a post refused the other day though, which I found very odd!

 

[NaokoSmith]

OK, these are my predictions for the upcoming Six Nations matches this weekend. Owing to the machinations of a sadistic line manager, I will be teaching on Saturday during the Scotland match and then sitting in a team meeting of little interest and less value for the Wales match.

Yes, that's right, she is English.

Italy will be frothing with joy after beating France and will lose their heads against Scotland, who will be in a sober yet quietly confident mood. They did well in spite of losing to an English side whose excellence even Paul Ackford in The Telegraph doesn't quite understand.

As per my comment above about France, they clearly turned up in Rome still putting their make-up on and with their minds on buying a Gucci handbag rather than snatching any Italian handbags in the scrum. They will be miserable already and the French press have probably spent all week saying they're a load of immigrants who don't play for the shirt. Being at home will be a disadvantage because the French crowd are cruel bastards to their own team if they think they're playing badly. Wales also played well in the second half of the match against Ireland and can pull this one off.

England are an excellent side but I think they're being allowed to have a good play and show off their individual skills in preparation for the World Cup rather than being forced into a smooth working machine. Ireland have both young new talent and older wiser heads. They will be sniffing the grand slam after a few years in the wilderness and the Dublin crowd will be cheering them on to the raising of many Guinesses so I think they'll probably do it on Sunday. After last year's debacle, I shall watch the scrummaging with interest, 'tho.

 

[steve44uk]

The Torygraph?? You're dead to me, Widow...

OK, these are my predictions for the upcoming Six Nations matches this weekend. Owing to the machinations of a sadistic line manager, I will be teaching on Saturday during the Scotland match and then sitting in a team meeting of little interest and less value for the Wales match.

Yes, that's right, she is English.

Italy will be frothing with joy after beating France and will lose their heads against Scotland, who will be in a sober yet quietly confident mood. They did well in spite of losing to an English side whose excellence even Paul Ackford in The Telegraph doesn't quite understand.

As per my comment above about France, they clearly turned up in Rome still putting their make-up on and with their minds on buying a Gucci handbag rather than snatching any Italian handbags in the scrum. They will be miserable already and the French press have probably spent all week saying they're a load of immigrants who don't play for the shirt. Being at home will be a disadvantage because the French crowd are cruel bastards to their own team if they think they're playing badly. Wales also played well in the second half of the match against Ireland and can pull this one off.

England are an excellent side but I think they're being allowed to have a good play and show off their individual skills in preparation for the World Cup rather than being forced into a smooth working machine. Ireland have both young new talent and older wiser heads. They will be sniffing the grand slam after a few years in the wilderness and the Dublin crowd will be cheering them on to the raising of many Guinesses so I think they'll probably do it on Sunday. After last year's debacle, I shall watch the scrummaging with interest, 'tho.

 

[Handley_Page]

OK, these are my predictions for the upcoming Six Nations matches this weekend. Owing to the machinations of a sadistic line manager, I will be teaching on Saturday during the Scotland match and then sitting in a team meeting of little interest and less value for the Wales match.

Yes, that's right, she is English.

:

You have my sympathy. But did you ask why ?
Ah well. A video recording machine is sometimes worth its weight in gold.

 

[NaokoSmith]

The Torygraph?? You're dead to me, Widow...

ROFL, my fella bought it as a special birthday treat so I could read about the sports. It's the only paper that has decent sports writing. It was the first to employ a woman sports journalist, I interviewed her once and she told me they treated her just like one of the lads, they never assumed she would be doing 'girly' sports. She went on to become the editor of Rugby World. Usually I'm reading the Financial Times Weekend but although it has a superb football writer in Simon Kuper, it has no sports section.

HP, having only just got my job back after some rather odd machinations on the part of line management! I always smile sweetly and say: That'll do nicely, even when asked to work on a Six Nations Saturday.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Thread resuscitation

OK, guys, gather round.

I'm resuscitating this thread for Hosebloke, who is stuck in Australia and doesn't get to hear much about the rugby. Post here your reflections on the matches and any links to really good articles you might read.

BTW, Hosebloke supports the Blades, so any news of Sheffield United you pick up should also go on here for him.

Well, that was quite a weekend! Two outta three ain't bad, as TE999 remarked of the three pussy icons I put up for him in lieu of three naked photos he was demanding of some poor newbie. I was delighted to see England do so well (yes, I really was!). They are a very promising side, I'm not sure anyone has yet appreciated their potential - apart from the amazing Mr. Lancaster of course.

The pitches suffered dreadfully though! Did you see those guys with rakes coming on in the Stade de France DURING PLAY to tamp down the turf. And with pitchforks in Ireland.

Everyone here is saying now that Wales can beat England and ruin their Grand Slam on Super Saturday, but I'm not so sure. Although I'm also not sure it's a good thing for England to get the grand slam because this is the year to do badly so you have hunger in the run-up to the World Cup.

Well, now. What can we expect for 23rd/24th? Predictions, guys.

I say, Wales will take Italy, even though it is in the Stadio Olimpico. England can beat France, who will be well miserable, although I suspect France will pull some sort of special game out of the bag at some point in that way that they do - just when everyone really has written them off. Scotland vs Ireland is very difficult to call but sadly, I think two weeks to get over the loss at home will be sufficient and the Celtic Tiger will be growling again.

 

[ishtat]

Wales, France and Ireland to win, tho' I'm only confident about Wales.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Ooops! Naive MILF strikes again! I actually thought the guy wanted to talk about rugby! ROFL. I'm always making this mistake and being dreadfully disappointed when the bloke in question addresses ignorant remarks on the noble game to my boobs.

I did get suspicious when he started saying how much he enjoyed my review of a story on here called Shower Time and speculating as to what I might look like in the shower! I always went for a soak in the bath with the other girls after the matches, silly. Although I did once take a shower and when I looked round, our coach, who was old enough to know a lot better, was watching me! I know, I should've smacked his nose or told one of the fiercely muscular dykey forwards but I'm afraid I just sniggered. (He did too.)

Anyway, here is a Valentine's card for you all, 'cuz we all love each other (even Ishtat) except when there's a match against the auld enemy.

And I shall carry on posting my predictions in here, whatever.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Ooh, I can't resist coming back to express my foolish dream that Scotland might win this afternoon. I know, I know, but we Scots are just a lot of romantic dreamers. Who else would try to put a King on the throne who insisted on making up a much prettier tartan?

I mean, come on. Home match off the back of really hard-fought and amazing victory? Underdogs anyway? You gotta give them at least a small chance at it.

(thistle smiley)

(Large hipflask of Famous Grouse smiley)

 

[Handley_Page]

I thought it was a bit scrappy; no flow to it.

 

[NaokoSmith]

I thought it was a bit scrappy; no flow to it.

You're not joking! The Southern Hemisphere (Ishtat) referee had a good game! Penalty after penalty, it was a joke.

Today's game was lots better, especially the second half. I never thought I'd hear the cry of Italia! Italia! echoing with joyous enthusiasm round Twickenham. They had a magnificent spell of play.

I think the England coaching team had done their best to rouse players by suggesting they were individually on trial for a place in the squad - Ashton in particular. But the whole team were clearly already in the Millenium Stadium thinking about the Welsh.

 

[Handley_Page]

You're not joking! The Southern Hemisphere (Ishtat) referee had a good game! Penalty after penalty, it was a joke.

Today's game was lots better, especially the second half. I never thought I'd hear the cry of Italia! Italia! echoing with joyous enthusiasm round Twickenham. They had a magnificent spell of play.

I think the England coaching team had done their best to rouse players by suggesting they were individually on trial for a place in the squad - Ashton in particular. But the whole team were clearly already in the Millenium Stadium thinking about the Welsh.

I wouldn't pretend to know the details, but I thought that Italian try as a wonderful bit of opportunism.