Tomorrow's matches RWC

[AtW]

Is that the only reason you're not a star athlete?

I scored 4 touchdowns in high school football ...

[Churchill]

I scored 4 touchdowns in high school football ...

With that "tache"?

I bet the chickski's were all over you...

[shaunbhoy]

I scored 4 touchdowns in high school football ...

XBox or Playstation?

[DodgyAgent]

Oh he did indeed. So did I.

And just who did you play for? or are you one of those people who are actually not very good but useful cannon fodder for away matches in Wales?

[Mich the Tester]

And just who did you play for? or are you one of those people who are actually not very good but useful cannon fodder for away matches in Wales?

Bedford U21s and the old British Polytechnics team, then agreed a move to Northampton but got seriously ill on holiday in India (dyssentry and giardiasis) and lost 23kgs in 6 weeks. Took me about two years to get back up to fitness and strength, by which time my chances had pretty much gone. Then tried out at London Irish, played OK a few times but was too injury prone to play many games; body had been basically knackered by the illness and I was never more than 95% of what I had been. My own fault; older and wiser players advised me not to go somewhere risky on holiday and I ignored them. Still, got to play for some elite 7s and 10s teams later on like Wooden Spoons, Marauders, Godfathers. Plus came on as a reserve for Holland; once, for 20 mins.

[DodgyAgent]

Bedford U21s and the old British Polytechnics team, then agreed a move to Northampton but got seriously ill on holiday in India (dyssentry and giardiasis) and lost 23kgs in 6 weeks. Took me about two years to get back up to fitness and strength, by which time my chances had pretty much gone. Then tried out at London Irish, played OK a few times but was too injury prone to play many games; body had been basically knackered by the illness and I was never more than 95% of what I had been. My own fault; older and wiser players advised me not to go somewhere risky on holiday and I ignored them. Still, got to play for some elite 7s and 10s teams later on like Wooden Spoons, Marauders, Godfathers. Plus came on as a reserve for Holland; once, for 20 mins.

I would hardly call that "one level down" from Andy Robinson

[original PM]

So the big question is

Are England going to win it?

or not....

if not who???

[Mich the Tester]

I would hardly call that "one level down" from Andy Robinson

closer than you'd ever get

[Mich the Tester]

So the big question is

Are England going to win it?

or not....

if not who???

no, NZ or SA.

[Mich the Tester]

I would hardly call that "one level down" from Andy Robinson

How big do you think the individual differences are between players in the top one or two divisions?

I'll tell you; very, very small; the team as a whole makes a big difference. It's only really in one or two crucial positions, arguably the half backs where you'll notice a really big difference to a team's performance if you substitute a player from one division lower. Then in other positions you have one or two exceptional players who make a really big difference; Johnson was one, arguably Dallaglio (but actually Richard Hill), Dean Richards in his day.