Oui Lasta Longa than Tonga!

So farewell Tonga - a plucky performance but not enough to overcome the English gameplan of scrum nudge, lineout, kick... Your correspondent did not see the first half and I depend on others to illuminate my opinion. The bit I saw was ok but nothing to indicate that Australia are going to lose much sleep working out points of attack next week. England players will be a bit more relaxed though so who knows - "it's a funny old game". I spent the whole day organising an exhibition in Manchester and feel right off the pace...roll on tomorrow afternoon when real work can recommence! Bad hair day too - as the IRB put a stop to paddy perm power and the green hair business. Sometimes I wonder where the interference will stop and the amusement be left to run through a tournament  - it maybe wrong, but I think the commercial squeezers are taking the fun out of rugby...too much talk and little fun - but it's the spectator who'll pay every time.
I have to say also that I am surprised that more of the West London members have not taken this opportunity to put forward their points of view - it is an open forum with no censorship...obviously the Rugby World Cup is a private affair between you, the pub and a telly? The picture is a moment of reflection from a disused factory in Palaiseau - on the outskirts of Paris (now that's what I call graffiti!) Have a great evening, a very good morning and good luck all you Ireland, Wales and Scotland supporters...England have done it - are your team going to be joining the fun?

Comments

[Colin Dickins]

"I have to say also that I am surprised that more of the West London members have not taken this opportunity to put forward their points of view . . " Well, on this occasion you beat me to it, you bugger. And having seen both halves - and the intro - I reckon you're a bit hard on the England side's game plan. It was the right game plan for that opposition on this evening. And they stuck to it and made it work - something they have not always been accused of doing in recent years. (Even in fact of having a game plan at all.) It wasn't perfect and it wasn't against a top Southern Hemisphere side, but it was a good and very pleasing performance against a talented side on a roll.

As for next week, if we continue to progress at the rate we have since the RSA disaster we could just upset "Norwich in disguise".

Thanks to a serious piece of mismanagement I shall be flying back from France (Perpignan, I'm afraid) next Saturday afternoon. I'll have to hope there's a TV in the departure lounge.

(By the way, can anyone advise whether I should use "battre" when proposing a result to the frogs next week, or should I play safe and say "gagner contre"?)

[Martin]

...ha ha! - with Delia Smith, not George in the back row, England might well compete. Fast George's version of "let's be 'aving you" might cause Jonny a few problems - he could be a bit of an upside down pudding by the end of 80 minutes...In Perpignan, it is possible to buy a strange drink called perry made with fresh water - ever had one? Helps you prop up the bar (although you don't need much help).

[Stephan]

This world cup is boring, the English shirts are ugly, the Scottish lose, the south Af' are arrogant, the blacks will lose in half and it's still tired Australian which will gain…
I am in a hurry to be on February 23 2008! There will be less publicity around our meeting than for the world cup but the beers, the places at the stage will be less expensive.
But the embrace more warm.

[Emilie-Italy]

How can you expect this world cup to be exciting when you have coaches like the famous kirwan?!
Could this man have been less enthusiastic when Japan managed a try to equal Canada in the final minutes of play???

Well actually...the answer is yes...John Kirwan had already booked his plane ticket back to Italy before the world cup even started so that he could join Diego Dominguez in the sky sports studio (italy) "as soon as Japan gets knocked out of the qualifying stages"!!!!!!
True to his word, before the poor japanese team even had the chance to shower, he was back in Italy happily commentating away the following games!

Ok so Japan weren't ever favourites to qualify...but still, a bit of support wouldn't go amiss by your own Head Coach to boast spirits (and hopefully play)!!!