The West London's RWC blog

Radio For...

I think Mihir Bose - sports editor for the BBC - was broadcasting live from Paris at 07:15 London time this morning. To paraphrase, he said "..there seem to be more South African supporters here than English but  the fans are able to drink together, and they don't feel the need to threaten each other, or behave in a rowdy manner..." all delivered with his plum in gob educated english accent. He went on to talk about Jonny Wilkinson  being able to kick... doh! WELL FANCY THAT MIHIR! Tell us something about the friendship in sport why don't you?
Talking about the media, which I am, it was a selfish move by ITV to miss the National Anthems from last night's play off game. It was okay to plug the weekend of 'sport' and it was even ok to show the dreary introduction sequence in full. They preferred to show muffin-top telly in the form of Corrynation Street "the UKs longest running TV soap." They still found time to harp on about the bloke who might win Formula One motor racing, claiming his activities as a triumph for English Sport. No time for a bit of courtesy to the teams and their distant supporters watching the channel.  Total rubbish. Now if those guys were using pedal cars and busting a gut of their own volition I could comprehend that as a challenge - not sitting on top of artificial power - no matter how difficult that might be to execute. It's all about the money mate, and smarmy TV presenters keen to attach themselves to all this kudos. Which brings me on to Jim Rosenthal who is nearly back to his greasy best. Luckily there has been Michael Lynagh, Martin Johnson and Will Greenwood to offer the voices of experience and, okay fair enough, Francois Piennar. Not much to say about the rest - just don't appeal to me I guess.
As I finish, the sports report has finished with the news that Lewis Hamilton will NOT face disciplinary action following his actions yesterday. However, his team has been fined £10,000. What's the 'crime'?
Using two pairs of wet weather tyres in practice. Inexplicable crap of the first order - when will someone get this "sport thing" in perspective..?

England Team for Saturday

Well, we don't know that yet but one thing's for sure - Dan Hipkiss must play. It is about time that he got a full eighty minutes to cause problems for the South African centres..and he would! Come on Brain Ashton - use it wisely!

England’s Salvation…

England took on the mighty France last Saturday and came away the winners - a sort of unexpected result given the French flair and skill levels.

Today, at an impromptu press conference, Bernard Lasporte announced that some of his team had fallen under the influence of a talismanic Englishwoman, and he went on to explain “that her touch has affected, afflicted and initiated some of the best rugbymen of all time...”

“I can do nothing. The players are ok one minute and then start trembling from the knees upwards. They adopt a strange expression and it stays with them – forever”

To back up his claim, he produced several photos to illustrate the effect. Before the showdown with England was announced, the ‘Le Parisien’ special correspondent Thomas Castanet (pictured right)  was sent to England to see if he could come up with something. He did.

When he returned - six days later, this is what he looked like…haggard, unfocussed etc etc...

Lasporte was stunned to see the effect that Mystic Mildred had upon such a healthy specimen and immediately took steps to protect his team. Unfortunately for the France XV, Mildred had already got her hands on the talismanic Sebastien Chabal and he was done for (or five – not sure).

Bernardo Lasporte was shocked and it was only hair dye that restored his key player to ‘colour’ before the match on Saturday evening…but Chabal was drained, spent and unable to compete.

another poor victim of Mystic Mildred

“Mystic Mildred has made a big impression on the French – the younger ones are powerless, and they never fully recover. France will think of something but, until then, we only know how to be polite, we do not have such a weapon in France to help us with our game.”

Below is a photo of the teetotal Mildred with Sebastien Chabal after ONLY one night in her grip – the effect she had on his game was AMAZING!

Veni, Video, Vici...Un Petit Coup (de pied) C'est Agreable

It's that man again - surrounded by a few familiar faces...

Jonny...Be Good!

Two hours plus a bit to kick off time - so let's get those legs warmed up with a tribute to Jonny from

Go Jonny Go!

Breakfast Time In Paris

Well, the Argentine team are just waking up and the South Africa XV ditto. Tomorrow, I think the South Africa machine might start spluttering and hopefully die a death, so preserving the Tournament of Romance 2007. Argentine forwards ever more exhausted though...can they do it? Yes they can!
Meanwhile, I read that the England team will be breakfasting on broccoli - which is a complex slow release carbohydrate apparently - with porridge, chicken and undoubtedly, adequate caffiene. Everyone will then go for a poo or two, run about a bit, play rugby, have fun and either win or lose - what a great prospect for us all!

Teams for Saturday's RWC Semi Final

Coming soon, the pronouncements of Ryan Bashton, and Bernie Lasporte. Two unchanged teams? Two identical replacement benches? I only ask that Jo Maso gets a bit of a tidy up in the hair department - he looks like a 70s throwback...

13:42...Anyway, France - unchanged: DTraille; V Clerc, D Marty, Y Jauzion, C Heymans; L Beauxis, J-B Elissalde; O Milloud, R Ibanez (capt), P de Villiers, F Pelous, J Thion, S Betsen, T Dusautoir, J Bonnaire. Replacements: J-B Poux, D Szarzewski, S Chabal, I Harinordoquy, F Michalak, C Dominici, C Poitrenaud

England - unchanged (apart from their pants...which is more than you can say for those frogs . Weeks they go without changing them...and the men are worse!): Robinson (unattached); P Sackey (Wasps), M Tait (Newcastle), M Catt (London Irish), J Lewsey (Wasps); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), A Gomarsall (Harlequins); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), M Regan (Bristol), P Vickery (Wasps, capt), S Shaw (Wasps), B Kay (Leicester), M Corry (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins).

Replacements: G Chuter (Leicester), M Stevens (Bath), L Dallaglio (Wasps), J Worsley (Wasps), P Richards (London Irish), T Flood (Newcastle), D Hipkiss (Leicester).

Loste In Translation...

This was on the front page of Le Parisien rugbyweb this morning:

La phrase du jour 

«Je le répète, ce n'était pas un match gagné par des joueurs de classe mondiale».

Lote Tuqiri, ailier de l'Australie, après la défaite contre l'Angleterre.

Roughly translated, Lote Tuqiri is saying " Dammit, I hate losing to the Poms...we're not good enough but there's no way I'm gonna admit that."


Look out for a new vintage from Chateau Whinger
- the last cuvée was a sell out - see above...this one's
going to taste even better!

Donkey O.T. - Tilting At Windmills...

Well. What a great Saturday for England and France - forcing Air New Zealand and Qantas into a panic as they haven't ordered any crusty rolls for the return flights yet...

One person not affected by the Australian defeat is the Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill. He... "... has expressed his"hate" for England and told the Wallabies to get even with Brian Ashton's side if they meet in the World Cup quarter-finals." We have all heard the story but it didn't stop 'Dear John' enjoying a night out in Marseille, as the picture shows.

Fancy A Sherry Dear..?

Car crash rugby, starring Andrew Sheridan as the truck and Australia as the Reliant Robin! Well played all the team - I would love to be a fly on the wall in the changing room right now...