The French have done it!

[DodgyAgent]

Ah, so you watched this with a pub full of pissed people!

Opps...there goes your arguement LG!

Mailman

How is the mood in NZ today mailman?
you can win as many arguments as you like but you still lost the match

[The Lone Gunman]

Ah, so you watched this with a pub full of pissed people!

Opps...there goes your arguement LG!

Mailman

Ahhhhh.......yessss, you could be right there.

[tay]

The All Blacks have refused to get involved in the refereeing controversy that has enveloped their World Cup quarterfinal loss. But sometimes direct speech isn't needed to portray true feelings.

It's clear they are unhappy with the efforts of English whistleman Wayne Barnes but they are prepared to "take it on the chin".

Barnes has been under siege from New Zealanders since he allowed a forward pass in France's deciding try that helped them to a 20-18 win in Cardiff.


But you won't hear the All Blacks moaning. Not publicly anyway.

"Part of our dignity and part of our composure and part of our ability to do it on the world stage and be respected is to make sure that we don't bitch and moan," said All Blacks coach Graham Henry.

"That's not our job. That's not Richie's job or my job or anyone else's job

"I think if we came out in the press and started moaning about things in the game I don't think this country would be respected for it. I think the Prime Minister has said that as well and I would agree with her on this occasion."

But in a lengthy opening speech to a large media contingent on hand in Christchurch for the All Blacks' arrival home, Henry did concede that "we didn't get the bounce of the ball in the game and I think that has been well talked about."

RugbyHeaven noted to Henry that United States coach and former All Blacks selector Peter Thorburn had suggested at that at a pre-World Cup meeting in Paris coaches and captains had been informed that touch judges would have a lesser role in proceedings for things like forward passes and crooked lineout throws.

Was that correct, we asked.

"Touch judges were depowered," said Henry. "But I think they were asked not to keep interfering all the time. With obvious transgressions of the rules they were asked to interfere. Mainly that was on foul play to be fair.

"But I think you found in the lineout, for example, that questionable throws into the lineout that were pulled up prior to the World Cup weren't pulled up in the World Cup. That's an example of it.

"But a blatant forward pass should be called by a line umpire."

RugbyHeaven then asked Henry if he saw a forward pass in the quarter-final?

"Did you?" he replied

"Yes," I said.

"Then why are you asking me?" said Henry.

"Because you're the coach."

"I have two good eyes like you, Duncan," was Henry's final say before forwards coach Steve Hansen interrupted.

"There's no use asking that question," said Hansen. "Graham has already told you we aren't going to answer it. We are trying to accept this defeat with a whole lot of humbleness and dignity and he has pointed out for you that as a team, we will take it on the chin.

"But you saw the game - you report what you saw, that's fine. But don't ask us to moan about something that we don't have control of because it's not fair.

"We are hurting enough now, so we don't need to get into a battle with you guys. We are just trying to be honest with you. We don't want to get into a fight."

Henry said that in all of the fuss over the All Blacks' shock exit, their opposition shouldn't be forgotten.

"The biggest thing we need to say is the French played very well," he said.

"This country needs to acknowledge the strength of the opposition and the way they played otherwise it will be seen as sour grapes.

"There was some talk of other things in the game but we need to acknowledge how well the French played. We have played them a lot in recent years but they played a lot better than they have done in the previous games."

Damn arrogant All Blacks.

[The Lone Gunman]

Snip

I have used the term tackle as the whole world and his brother (apart from Kiwis who obviously know better) regarded the move as an illegal spear tackle, they actualy picked him up a leg apiece and drove him into the ground from a ruck. They were even warned by the linesman.
It has since been revealed that the citing commisioner had not actualy seen any video footage of the incident when he made his decision.

Any number of rugby fans who you care to talk to (apart from Kiwis who obviously know better) know that the two players in question got off light.

This leads to an obvious accusation of pandering to NZ.

Get it?

[Mailman]

Dear Kiwi "friends" tay and mailman.

You need to learn the lesson of humility, to take defeat on the chin. .

Yeah, so when Henry and co are up there saying the best team won on the day...thats arrogance to you?

Actually...you want us to show a bit of humility when arses like that bugger you quoted throw around half truths, inuoendo and lies? You ask for humility when f8ckwits like yourself wade in here with 4 years of built up hatred and start spilling your bile everywhere...and you want us to show some humility?

What about the humility and graciousness shown by the English when ever the AB's tour this part of the world eh? The racism that comes out over the Haka...strange how its only in England that the Haka is a problem...then again I guess we should all just be another white team, with no real difference aye.

Yeah...and you demand humility from us...hahahahaha

You whinge about sides not sending their strongest teams out for example, but that is all part of the jigsaw and the fun of the game.

Gee, I seem to remember not so long ago every man and their dog was whinging about the AB's sending their second string team on tour up here at the end of our season (lost to England by 2 points, beat wales by a million, drew with france 20-20).

Oh thats right...that dont count!

Our amateur ethos means that to us winning is not everything.

Your amateur ethos? BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA! that is a poor excuse for expecting your team to lose every game!

Lets not forget that in 95 the English players received bonuses of £50k for making the semi's!

Yeah...the only thing amateur about English rugby is how you guys run it (I mean, whats with the clubs telling the RFU when they can and cant have their players for their national team?)

Oh and yeah, by amateur I guess you mean that the RFU should be the sole benefactor from gate takings when ever the AB's travel here to play (thank god, the RFU is now forced to hand over at least 50% of the takings at matches now!).

And before you go getting all upity about when the last time was the AB's toured Samoa, Fiji or Tonga...the ENTIRE gate takings from those games are given back to the Pacific nations playing against the AB's (cause Auckland is the largest PI city in the world).

Mailman on the other hand is trying to fight a rearguard action and in so doing is simply inviting more and more ridicule. I also know that it will not be long before the aussies/kiwis get their revenge, and we English will ourselves need to eat humble pie. We can deal with that.

There is no rearguard action, even Paddy O'Brien has acknowledged the incidents I raised the ref got them wrong...but then again I guess he would do that since he is a kiwi after all (never mind the fact he was actually defending the ref and pointing out that sh1t happens at this level...just a pity it happened a bit too often at important times in the same match that changed the end result).

You kiwis were over hyped and overrated

Oh dear...sounds like a bit of jealousy mate. Actually no, sounds like four years of frustration at the AB's consistent record during that time of only having lost 4 games and travelling and beating every nation in their back yard.

Yeah I guess you are right...maybe the AB's are over rated!

and you can whine all you like. To every one else in the world you were beaten, well and truly.

Well and truely...is that the new term for a loss by 2 points!

Regards

Mailman

[tay]

I have used the term tackle as the whole world and his brother (apart from Kiwis who obviously know better) regarded the move as an illegal spear tackle, they actualy picked him up a leg apiece and drove him into the ground from a ruck. They were even warned by the linesman.
It has since been revealed that the citing commisioner had not actualy seen any video footage of the incident when he made his decision.

Rubbish, the commisioner did see the incident. Dont trot out silly conspiracy theories as fact. You are talking completely out of your ass. You offer no proof except from some drunken mates and your own opinion... and you you say NZ'ers are arrogant?

You realy do believe everything your tabloid hacks churn out dont you.

[sasguru]

FFS Get over it boys. You lost.

Now rather than posting on here, why don't you write to whoever manages rugby on your island and tell em that the ABs need to catch up with the rest of the world?

[rootsnall]

Good work Dodgy !

[sasguru]

Good work Dodgy !

Fish in a barrel, mate

[Mailman]

Fish in a barrel, mate

Is that what you call your brain these days guru?

Mailman