The Chic Girl's Guide to Rugby

I haven't been watching any rugby!

2008-06-18T17:21:00.002+10:00

God, I really hate to admit it but I didn't watch any rugby at all during Super 14. Not even Ewen McKenzie's last turn out with the Waratahs ... nada, zip, rien.

I think the World Cup overdosed me ... and I've been in a bit of an anti-rugby fog for a while. Have been focusing on other things, other interests ... and am not currently dating a rugby player! Always helps to have a vested interest.

Had better try and find something interesting rugby-wise to read about and write about, otherwise this blog will disappear into the ether! But, then haven't been blogging very much this year either.

Off to read Rugby Heaven ...

The Pumas to join the Tri-Nations ... eventually.

2007-12-27T13:36:00.000+11:00

The IRB has agreed to allow Argentina to join an expanded Tri-Nations competition, but it may take a decade for them to be ready.

By far the majority of Pumas play for Northern Hemisphere teams during the year; hence the state of domestic South American rugby is relatively weak. It could take ten to twelve years for a strengthened Argentinean competition to become attractive enough to keep their best players at home. Any Pumas joining a Southern Hemisphere competition whilst still playing for their Northern Hemisphere teams would contravene the 10-week rest between seasons rule.

So, whilst the prospect glitters in the distance, there's a great deal of work to do before a 4-nations competition below the Equator can become a reality.

Shame really.

IRB World Rankings ... some changes in the Top Ten

2007-10-28T16:48:00.000+11:00

South Africa leads the IRB World Rankings after their victory in the RWC. New Zealand has slipped to second place whilst Argentina has moved up from 6th place to number 3! England has moved down to 4th and the Wallabies round out the top 5.

Even more reason to create a Four Nations competition in the Southern Hemisphere :-)

Rules changes to be proposed.

2007-10-24T20:20:00.000+10:00

The IRB intends to change to rules of rugby so as to increase the incentives to score tries and to reduce the influence of penalty kicks.

About time, I say!

A host of proposals are on the discussion table, including a plan to allow penalties for only two offences in the entire game, foul play and offside. This would reduce the number of penalties being kicked and stoppages of play.

I vote for reducing the value of penalty-kicks and drop goals as well. Rugby should be about scoring tries. It will speed the game up and make it more interesting!

England arrive home empty-handed whilst the Boks take care of their new trophy ...

2007-10-24T20:07:00.001+10:00

The South Africans have arrived home in Jo'burg with the cup, whilst the English landed back in Blighty after a night on the tiles drowning their sorrows.

Ol' JW looks positively chipper!

A rugby banquet

2007-10-22T10:18:00.001+10:00

Noticed this fun article in The Times this morning .... for the cooks out there :-D

What's worse than losing a RWC Quarter-Final?

2007-10-22T09:57:00.000+10:00

Losing the Final :-)

The English media provide some interesting perspectives on the RWC Final, but I'm glad The Times has reported support given to Australian video referee Stuart Dickinson by the IRB international referees manager.

From timesonline.co.uk:

The international refereeing chief said last night that the television match official had made an “absolutely brilliant decision” in disallowing England wing Mark Cueto’s second-half “try” in the World Cup final.

Stuart Dickinson, the Australian television match official, consulted replays for about three minutes before ruling that the touchdown by Cueto at the start of the second half should not stand because he had put a foot in touch. South Africa were leading 9-3 at the time.

Paddy O’Brien, the referees manager for the International Rugby Board, said: “It was an absolutely brilliant decision by the television match official, and there is a great photo of his [Cueto’s] foot just on the line prior to grounding the ball. There is no issue, there is no doubt. People may criticise officials for taking time, but it is better that it is correct.”

Cueto reckons he scored it and is quoted as saying he will declare it to all and sundry a legitimate try. You do that Mark! The English fans are crying foul and I have to say I love it :-D. To all those English fans who carried on about the All Blacks' supporters after the French try-creating forward pass can suck it up, just like the Kiwis had to :-D

And the 2007 World Champions are ... South Africa!

2007-10-21T09:44:00.001+10:00

The Springboks have emerged victorious after a try-less match against England.

The match came down to a penalty-kicking battle between Percy Montgomery and Jonny Wilkinson, with the former coming off the better. JW also made two unsuccessful attempts at drop goals -(the scourge of rugby union :-)).

A try to England's Mark Cueto was disallowed by the Australian video referee when Cueto was judged to have been in touch when the ball went down. I wonder how the English fans will respond to this, especially after the grief they gave unhappy All Blacks' fans over the truly forward pass in their match against the French :-D ? There was much defending of the referee etc etc ... I bet the same defence is not given to the Australian ref (who is undoubtedly right anyway :-D).

How did South Africa do it? They had fewer injuries throughout the competition, kept key players rested during the Tri Nations (to which they sent an arguably 2nd-string team), played consistently well, and tightened up their discipline when it counted. They had a dream run through the knockout rounds once the All Blacks bit the dust against the French. They deserved to win, being a better team both on paper and on the field.

So, congratulations South Africa and thank you for bringing the cup back down south (where it belongs ;-D).

Commiserations England - we Australians know what it feels like - but look forward to 2011 in New Zealand.

RSA 15 - Eng 6

The big event is almost upon us ... the Final of the Rugby World Cup 2007

2007-10-20T18:17:00.000+10:00

The pinnacle of all this rugger playing is finally here - the Final between South Africa and England.

The Springboks will need to be tightly drilled and very disciplined - their captain Smit admitted it himself today in the international media. The English try to stop their opponents playing rugby. They like to see them make errors so JW can score penalties. The Boks will need to play the most disciplined game of their lives to win. Once JW gets the ball his kicking boot takes over.

May the best team win.

The Argies win the bronze!

2007-10-20T10:03:00.000+10:00

The Argentinians have defeated the French in a spirited match at Parc des Princes in Paris. The scored 5 tries to France's one, and showed they are as good in the backs as they are in the forwards.

This is the best ever result for the South American side - well done! I vote that the Argies be allowed to join an expanded Tri Nations competition.

Ole!

Arg 34 - Fra 10

Lining up for the bronze medal round: France v Argentina

2007-10-18T12:53:00.000+10:00

The teams have been announced; all that's left is the match.

Can the French salvage their pride with a win at Parc des Princes on Friday, or will the Argentinians finish on a high with their best ever performance at the RWC?

I'm a bit torn on this one as I like both teams. So, I shall simply enjoy seeing the match unfold and the result created. Viva Rugby!

Not about rugby .... the Princess Grace exhibition at Sothebys New York

2007-10-17T09:10:00.000+10:00

Princess Grace was a beacon of chic. She is one of Chic Girl's most important role models. This wonderful exhibition in New York is on for 2 weeks in October - sigh.

The Bokke carry the hopes of the Southern Hemisphere ...

2007-10-16T08:05:00.000+10:00

The Springboks did what was expected - crushed the spirits of a spirited Argentinian side in the 2nd Semi Final. Well done Argentina - it'd be great to see you in a Four Nations competition very soon!

I was at my Pilates class last night and one of my pals laughingly suggested inciting the fans at the Final into some biffo. He also wants to see an all-in brawl on the pitch! With the bitey Boks and the fat English forwards it could be on :-D

I want the Boks to win (go Southern Hemisphere), however I suspect the English will do it off the back of JW kicking penalties - the Boks are not the most disciplined of teams and their forwards are notorious for their biffo. The South Africans need to be tight and well drilled, and not get carried away into putting the boot in. I predict a couple of send-offs!

On another note, the young English fans on sites such as Facebook have become ugly in their online behaviour. It makes me laugh that public schoolboys from Harrow and Rugby Schools etc are so proficient in profanity. I'm sure their parents are paying for a different type of education ;-D I taught in a boys' school many years ago and I know what teenage boys can be like; however, some of these boys on Facebook are just plain toffy-nosed gits.

By all means be proud of your team's accomplishments, and engage in cheerful, teasing banter to irritate your South African pals at work etc, but be a supporter not a foul-mouthed, dim-witted hooligan.

That's what soccer (sorry, football) is for.

Drat those French ... NOW who am I going to go for?

2007-10-14T14:16:00.001+10:00

I can't bring myself to barrack for JW and the English in the Final. I'm sorry English readers, as a die-hard Wallaby supporter, with a thing for a certain All Black, I'm left with South Africa as my Southern Hemisphere team - aaagggh! It feels so unnatural!

The silly Frogs got themselves beat by JW and his damned kicking boot. I HATE DROP GOALS! Bloody Jonny should join the English soccer team. The French were winning 9 - 8 with 5 minutes to go, and then JW kicked a penalty and a drop goal with virtually seconds to spare.

William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran with it all those years ago. This is how he invented rugby!

What does a rugby fan do when she has no teams left to support in the RWC? Get her beauty sleep!

My new red dress

2007-10-10T17:28:00.001+10:00

I've just spotted a new frock to add to the Chic Rugby collection, and it's in a rather patriotic red to support France. A navy handbag and a white hat and I'll look like the tricolour!

I can't upload the image to blogger.com - instead click here to go to the Country Road website. The dress is red silk with shoulder-straps (for the determined fashionistas out there it's creatively called 'silky drape dress').

I shall in fact be wearing it to a wedding (the weekend after the RWC Final - phew!).

Refereeing at the Rugby World Cup

2007-10-10T17:11:00.000+10:00

The IRB has come out with a statement today in support of the referees appointed to oversee the knockout stages of the RWC. This is in response to criticism of Wayne Barnes' refereeing of the France v NZ match, notably the missed forward pass that lead to a French try in the 2nd half.

I happen to think he wasn't that bad - I've certainly seen worse reffing over the years. Certainly, if I was a Kiwi I'd be cheesed about that forward pass, and I'm not sure why the video ref didn't disallow the points given he can access replays during the game ....

Anyway, the IRB aren't backing down and the Frogs are in the Semis ... nice for TV ratings en France!

Hmmm.

Fiji take it to the Springboks, and Argentina defeat Scotland to secure their semi place.

2007-10-09T14:56:00.000+10:00

Fiji played with dash and flair in their match against South Africa. Despite the 37 - 20 scoreline the Fijians really took it to the South Africans and had them rattled. The Fijians scored two tries whilst one of their players was in the sin-bin - how's that for determination?

Some ill-discipline worked against them, especially in the 2nd half; however, this 2nd tier rugby nation showed they could match it with a rugby giant. Well done little islander brothers!

Argentina defeated an inexperienced Scottish team 19 - 13 in a closely faught match. The Scottish team is young but shows potential - watch them with interest in the next Six Nations tournament. Argentina will play South Africa in the second semi-final.

I'm barracking for France and for Argentina :-)

Match preview: Fiji v RSA

2007-10-07T22:32:00.000+10:00

I'm sitting here watching the previews on Channel 10 ... gosh I want the Fijians to take it to the Springboks! It's a huge job, and they'll probably go down by a big score, but if they can injure a few of them - beaut :-D

The vitriol on the Net over the first two quarter-finals has been plentiful today - the 'Boks fans especially are arrogantly asserting their certainty to win the RWC. Be careful fellas - pride comes before a fall. Viz, the ANZACs :-D

Go Fiji!

Another cute player ...

2007-10-07T22:27:00.000+10:00

Jean-Baptiste Elissalde , the French half-back, is quite cute! He's the one who kicked the ball into the crowd in Cardiff at the conclusion of the France v NZL match.

Cute commentators

2007-10-07T16:43:00.000+10:00

Now, I've always been a big Gordon Bray fan (I was once kissed on the cheek by the Voice of Rugby) but I'm thinking that Ben Darwin (far right) and Rupert McCall (far left) are pretty fanciable ... Rupert's voice reminds me so much of Nick Farr-Jones'. Ben has the most beautiful eyes!

Out go the ANZACs, defeated by Poms and Frogs ... aaaggh!

2007-10-07T15:31:00.000+10:00

This morning (or should I call it afternoon? Given I got up for the second time at 1.30pm today after watching both quarter-finals, it feels like morning to me) I am both frustrated and speechless: frustrated by the Wallabies and rendered speechless by the All Blacks. What an event is this Rugby World Cup!

The English deserved to win their match against Australia (there, I've said it): the Wallabies were ill-disciplined and flabby against an urgent and attacking English side. The scrums were a travesty on both sides (how many scrum re-sets did we have to endure, huh? Set the bloody thing and don't collapse it, bozos!) and the Australians' ball-handling skills were flawed and careless. So many dropped balls out wide. Lote's try was a thrill; however, too many penalties allowed JW to put the points on the board and Sterling's missed kicks at goal sealed the deal. The Australians lost the match because of poor play and that's really really annoying!

Full credit to the English - they obviously wanted it more and played like a team out to show their critics they were up to defending their crown. They lifted over the last week and played like a well-drilled machine. I still can't stand Jonny Wilkinson though - lay the egg and get on with it!

The All Blacks' match against the French is another story: why do the New Zealanders choke in the World Cup?? They don't choke in the Bledisloe or the Tri Nations ... why in this competition? Why? Why?

This was their event for the winning. The best team in the world and a flawless run through the pool rounds. Their first half was immaculate. They played tight, disciplined, fearsome rugby and made several attacks on the French line. Their ball-handling was perfect and they moved the ball around quickly and precisely. At half-time they seemed unbeatable at 13 - 3.

In the second half it was if the two teams had swapped jerseys. The French regrouped and ground down the All Blacks' resolve. McAlister was sent off for ten minutes for blocking, and the beginnings of what could be called rot set in. A try set up by late ring-in Michalak (passing it on to Jauzion to score) came of what appeared to be a forward pass but it did its job - the French could see the door was open. Dan and Byron came off injured in the second half and the panic set in. Despite a determined effort by the men in black to drive the ball over (the forwards would be knackered - they made several attempts at scrummaging the ball over the line, and did in fact score another try) our little ANZAC brothers couldn't keep the Frogs out. A last minute penalty from the French and Les Bleus secured a spot against England in the Semis.

So my tipping for the Semis is now 50% wrong and we're left with the Frogs and the Poms to fight it out next week - I'm practising my 2nd language even harder now - Vivent Les Bleus! I cannot bear the thought of the English winning the RWC for a 2nd time as they'll bloody beatify them and then eract statues and rename the English counties after each of the players. Yuck. The spectacle of the French side playing in Paris to contest the Final is much more attractive.

Who will they play? God knows! If the next two quarters play out like the first two the Fijians will win by 30 and the Scots by 50! Every Australian should be made to barrack for Fiji this evening - not hard, they're a super team and deserving of their large fan base. Plus, the team I absolutely hate the most are the South Africans. The Argentinians will make it a cinderella story if they make it through to the Finals ... imagine the Falkland Wars II should the English be their foe .....

Bah! Go Fiji! Go Argentina! Go France!

The pool rounds are over ... and now the real fun begins!

2007-10-01T18:55:00.000+10:00

Eight teams are through to the Quarter Finals and the real fun of the RWC begins ... the knockout rounds.

Australia have their chance to avenge their loss to England in 2003, the French face the All Black juggernaut, the Fijians have caused the upset of the tournament (to face the Springboks), and Argentina lines up against the Scots.

I'm excited for Fiji; they'll be thrilled with their Quarter Final spot even though they face a seemingly ascendant South Africa. Let's hope they give the 'Boks the same drubbing they gave Wales ;-) [Good luck Greg :-)]

Argentina have presented a very strong case for inclusion in an expanded Tri Nations by finishing top of their pool. I predict a Semi Final spot for them.

After a few weeks of reading the rugby results rather than staying up all night to watch the matches, now I start the alarm-clock setting and sleeping in. Thank goodness I'm on 2 weeks holidays. I have a hen's day to attend on the 6th - perfect reason to stay up even later to watch the Wallabies play the English :-) I'll be at the chic Loft Bar in Sydney, in a posh frock - Chic Rugby to the max :-)

The All Blacks romp home against Romania

2007-09-29T23:41:00.001+10:00

The All Blacks have stomped all over the Romanians, 85 - 8. Dan didn't play as he has a calf strain. He's saving himself for the French :-)

England defeat Tonga and line themselves up against a Wallaby team ready for revenge :-)

2007-09-29T20:13:00.000+10:00

The Tongans played very well against the English to go down 36 - 20. The Poms secured their place in the Quarter-Finals with some room to spare, but the Tongans were not disgraced and were praised by their opposition for their strong play and natural ability.

The Australians now have the chance to avenge their defeat against the English in the 2003 World Cup Final. It will be a close game, especially with Jonny "I'm a pain' Wilkinson finding kicking form. Zut alors!

The All Blacks line up against the Romanians shortly, with the Australians versus the Canadians a couple of hours later. By tomorrow morning the 8 teams to play the Quarters will be decided and then the really tough stuff begins :-)

Go Australia!

Looking into a crystal ball … who will play in the RWC Final?

2007-09-27T13:41:00.000+10:00

Chic Rugby has been trying to predict who will play in the RWC Final. Here’s how things stand with the upcoming knock-out rounds:

Australia will play either Tonga or England in QF 1 – I’d like it to be Tonga but I think it will be England.

New Zealand will probably play France in QF 2 (unless the Argentineans lose against the Irish this weekend).

South Africa will play Wales or Fiji in QF 3 – will probably be Wales (go Fiji!).

Argentina (unless they lose against the Irish) will play Scotland or Italy (most likely Scotland?) in QF 4.

When we get to this level it’s a little harder to pick winners than it is in the pool rounds. However, based on how they’ve played to date I’m predicting that the Irishmen and the Italians will lose in their matches this weekend, leaving us with 4 Southern Hemisphere teams playing 4 Northern Hemisphere teams (gee I’d love the Tongans and the Fijians to win – make it 6 Southern Hemisphere teams in the Quarters …).

Now, should things go the way they seemingly ought, Semi-Final 2 will be played between South Africa and Argentina. If the Wallabies win against England/Tonga this will pitch us against the All Blacks in Semi-Final 1. This will mean a Southern Hemisphere Semi-Final round and a Southern Hemisphere Final.

Now, we’ve been in this place before. Many times Australia and NZ end up clashing in the Semis … the smart money seems to be on the All Blacks to keep it together this time and not bottle out as they’re wont to do. So, should they win against the Australians, they’ll play South Africa in the Final …. except I’d love it if it were Argentina :-)

And, then it’s obvious for whom one should barrack. As an Australian I will cheer for our ANZAC buddies the All Blacks over the South Africans … can’t stand the Springboks and I love Dan Carter. Easy!

Go the Wallabies (and Tonga)!

A mixed bag of results ... and Chic Rugby is coming 2nd in her tipping group - still.

2007-09-27T12:55:00.000+10:00

Who'd have thought the Canadians would tie with the Japanese?

Not Chic Rugby and hence her performance in her Facebook tipping competition isn't so hot this week. I'm 6 points behind my pal Reece, because I didn't pick a 12-all tie between the Canucks and the Cherry Blossoms. Grrr.

In other games the Samoans beat the USA for their first win of the RWC, the Georgians thrashed Namibia 30 nil and the Romanians just beat the Portuguese (picked that one - phew!).

The next match of interest will be the Poms against the Tongans. I've picked the English to win but not by much (less than 12 points). We'll see.

Not much longer now - 7 matches - til the knock-out rounds begin. Australia will most likely play England in the Quarters, unless the Tongans beat them, and then we'll play the Tongans instead!

Go Tonga!

The ANZACs clean up, and the Tongans give South Africa a scare.

2007-09-24T11:06:00.000+10:00

Australia and New Zealand have virtually secured their berths in the RWC quarterfinals with good wins over Fiji and Scotland.

The All Blacks (wearing a nice grey jersey this match – the All Greys doesn’t have the same ring though) held the Scots to a scoreless result for the boys in blue, beating them 40 nil. The Wallabies met more resistance from the Fijians, who always play with heart and flair, but held on to win 55 – 12.

The Fijians meet Wales in their final pool match – let’s barrack for them so they come second in our group. Then they can play the South Africans and scare them like the Tongans did in their 30 – 25 game in Lens. There’s a lesson to be learnt here for coaches – resting star players is great for preventing injuries leading into the knockout rounds; however, you risk losing your pool game and finishing second in your group! The South Africans held on to win; however, the Tongans revealed some chinks in the Springboks armour. Don’t expect them to make that mistake again

As for Chic Rugby’s tipping results … she’s back to coming second in her group of fellow tipsters. Her friend Reece is pipping her by three points, and he’s a soccer player! Some score-lines are easier to pick than others.

Oh, and the English beat the Samoans, but only because JW is a girly kicker of the rugby ball - 2 drop goals ... huh, I ask you! Score a try, Jonny! I dare you :-) Eng 44 - Sam 22

Go the Wallabies/Fijians/Cherry Blossoms!

Wales and France victorious, and the poor Irish and Japanese vanquished.

2007-09-22T11:46:00.001+10:00

The men in green went down to the French 25 - 3 in Saint-Denis. Apparently the Irish played a dispirited and disjointed game and conceded 11 penalties, 5 of which the French successfully converted into points. Les Bleus will be relieved and their passage now through to the quarters is assured with their last match to be against the Georgians on the 26th.

The Welsh crushed my minnow faves the Cherry Blossoms 72 -18. The Dragons enjoyed the home-ground advantage playing in Cardiff; however, the Japanese made an impressive 138 tackles, so they didn't go down without a fight. In fact, at half-time, they only trailed 29 - 11. I love the Cherry Blossoms - they know they're not in the big leagues but they play with heart and passion. They're cute too :-)

Their match against Canada will be the last chance we'll have to see them play in the Cup. Go Japan!

This will be me when I get to Paris again next year ...

2007-09-21T14:10:00.000+10:00

From the German website i-delicious.de

Here's a cute rugby-related fashion item!

2007-09-19T10:33:00.001+10:00

Zadig et Voltaire is a very cool chain of shops in Europe. I love this rugby supporters long-sleeve tee. It is available in women's and men's. This is the back view - the front is plain with a v-neck. 65 euros - a snap!

Australia wins, the French find form again, and the English look like their days are numbered ...

2007-09-19T08:44:00.000+10:00

Lots has happened at the RWC since ChicRugby's last post. Apologies to readers but CR's been busy at work.

The Australians defeated the Welsh in a spirited game. Alas, I only caught the highlights (I fell asleep ... damn this time difference), but from what I saw the Australians played well with scope for further improvement. Stephen Larkham thinks he'll be fit to play in the semis, so let's hope the quarters are kind to the Wallabies so we can enjoy him back on the pitch. Berrick Barnes, the baby of the Australians, played a fantastic game, with a lightening fast pass to Matt Giteau to score under the goal-posts. He also nicely emulated Jonny Wilkinson by kicking a field-goal. I'd love it if we met them in the quarters and he did the same thing to win. Karma can be sweet!

Australia 32 - Wales 20

The English met the Springboks and quivered in their presence. By some accounts, even though JW looks set to return for their match against Samoa, the English are all over the place. It will be a tough game for the English as the Samoans are very physical players. Expect to see more Poms taken off on stretchers.

Other results in games are:

Fiji 29 - Can 16 in Cardiff
Samoa 15 - Tonga 19 in Montpellier
France 87 - Namibia 10 in Toulouse (thanks for coming Namibia - ouch!)
Scotland 42 - Romania 0 in Edinburgh (another poor little minnow)

The French seem to have found form again, this time against Namibia. Easy beats but very physical. The French next play Ireland in what will be a fantastic game. The Irish played very well in the 6 Nations - however, they have been known to bottle when they play away from Lansdowne Road in Dublin. Nevertheless, I'm barracking for the men in green.

So much rugby! So little time to read and watch and report on it all.

Gotta do some work now.

South Africa dominate the English ... and Australia really needs to beat Wales!

2007-09-15T13:58:00.000+10:00

The Springboks have kept the English from scoring in a match that saw the World Cup champions lose several key players through injury. I've not seen the 'Boks play as well in quite a while; their defences were rock solid and their attack formidable.

The English were without Mr 'I can kick field goals' Wilkinson as he is still injured. It's unlikely we'll see him now until the quarters, as they're unlikely to play him in the matches against the Tongans or the Samoans. Those islander bros are very physical players and the last thing he needs is to get belted and taken off!

The pressure is now on the Australians and the Welsh as neither will want to play South Africa in the quarters. The Welsh will have the hometown advantage in Cardiff; all those locals singing their hearts out in one of the most atmospheric stadiums rugby can provide.

With uncertainty now surrounding Stephen Larkham and his knee, our boys have a job ahead of them.

Oh, go Australia!

RSA 36 - Eng 0

Love this article from IHT's Peter Berlin

2007-09-14T12:58:00.000+10:00

Here are some snippets - read the full article here.

While "small" teams fight hard in 2007 World Cup, contenders were counting their wounded and missing By Peter Berlin
Thursday, September 13, 2007

PARIS - While the supporting cast enlivened the World Cup with a series of hard-fought midweek encounters, the tournament contenders were counting their wounded and missing as they prepared to return to action.

Indeed, in the two heavyweight clashes of the weekend, winning might not be as important as avoiding further casualties.

South Africa and England, which will meet Friday in Saint-Denis, both started the tournament with injury problems. After one match, both have lost one player to injury and another to suspension.

Australia, which faces Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, has lost one back, Mark Gerrard, who ruptured a knee ligament in the opening game. Even one such injury per match represents a rate of attrition that would cripple any team over the length of the World Cup. But Australia may also be without Adam Ashley-Cooper on Saturday after the winger damaged a toe against Japan.

...

All four will make the last eight if they beat the less established but potentially dangerous teams in their groups. That is why they need to avoid too many more injuries. For Wales ... and Australia that means Fiji. For England ... it is the two other Polynesian teams, Tonga and, particularly, Samoa. For the Springboks ... that is only Tonga.

If they all advance, this quartet of seeds will face each other in the last eight, so all they are doing this weekend is sorting out who plays whom.

The Welsh would probably prefer to win the group and play their quarterfinal in Cardiff. The Wallabies would doubtless like to avoid the Springboks while the English would probably prefer to avoid the Australians. The Springboks are probably indifferent. What makes the equation more complicated for Australia is that if it wins the group it would be seeded to meet New Zealand in the semifinals.

These are ancient adversaries ...

...

England's injuries, meanwhile, seem only to highlight its lack of depth at key positions. Both its specialist flyhalves, Jonny Wilkinson and now Olly Barkley, one of the few successes in the opening game, have suffered training injuries.

...

The weekend schedule does allow other contenders to rest players.

New Zealand, the great black whale, has changed almost its whole team for its encounter with the World Cup plankton, Portugal. France has opted to do the same, even though, after its opening defeat, it desperately needs an emphatic victory over Namibia on Sunday night.

The robust Namibians gave Ireland a torrid time in the opening game. That game was followed by the now traditional stories that Brian O'Driscoll ... had suffered yet another injury. This has been going on so long that there are those who believe that O'Driscoll's first injury came when he pulled a muscle rowing St. Patrick's coracle over from Wales.

The Irish can expect another tough test against the Georgians, whom Marcelo Loffreda, the Argentine coach, repeatedly praised for their hardness after the Pumas beat them on Tuesday.

Georgia and Namibia are both hulking teams and both exploit that fact. They play with the ostentatious disregard for their own well-being that is one of the minnow's few weapons against far better teams. For the leading nations, the collective desire to win can be clouded by individual fears of missing the later rounds injured.

Yet the smaller teams also have an eye on strategic objectives of their own. The Georgians have made it plain that their chief objective this time is to finally win a World Cup game. They are quite open about which one it is: the meeting with Namibia on Sept. 26. That rather begs the question of whether it is wise for Namibians and Georgians to be prepared to leave their limbs strewn all over the field as they lose to France and Ireland.

For all the teams in action this weekend, the injury tally could be as significant as the score.

No big surprises in the latest matches at the RWC.

2007-09-13T08:25:00.001+10:00

The Tongans, Fijians and Italians all defeated their oppositions in the latest games in the RWC.

The Fijians faced an especially tough and spirited Japan in their match. A good game for these two minnow nations.

Gotta love the hair on this Tongan player!

USA	15-25	TGA	Montpellier
JPN	31-35	FJI	Toulouse
ITA	24-18	ROM	Marseille

Argentina ... the surprise package at the RWC.

2007-09-12T08:31:00.000+10:00

Argentina have won their second match on the trot, defeating the Georgians 33 - 3. They're sitting at the top of Pool D.

I love dark horses - it's one of the reasons the RWC is so interesting. Given the French are in this pool one would have thought they'd have a clear run through the round stage. It appears this may be the case for the South Americans instead. They've to play Ireland yet, but they'll easily defeat Namibia when it's their turn.

So, is it feasible the Argentinians will make it through to the semis? If they win their pool they'll play the 2nd-placer from Pool C in the quarter-finals, which could well be the Scots. The Scots are a good team. The Argentinians are passionate, physical players. It could be anyone's game, but I think the South Americans will do it. They've an impressive record in internationals this season, winning 7 out of 8 they've played.

Wouldn't it be great to see another Southern Hemisphere team make it to the final rounds of the Cup! Sure makes their case for inclusion in the Trinations even stronger.

Ole!

Hmmm ... ChicRugby is doing okay, tipping-wise.

2007-09-10T11:02:00.000+10:00

Results from last night's matches:


WAL	42-17	CAN	Nantes
RSA	59-7	SAM	Paris
SCO	56-10	POR	St-Etienne
IRE	32-17	NAM	Bordeaux

Off to Facebook to see how I went in my tipping competition, but I think I did okay.

Playing today ...

2007-09-09T17:02:00.000+10:00

There are four matches to be played overnight Sydney-time:

WAL v - CAN in Nantes
RSA - SAM in Paris
SCO - POR in St-Etienne
IRE - NAM in Bordeaux

My Facebook tipping is doing okay so far - I tipped the scorelines (sort of) for 2 out of the 4 games played to date. Got the France v Argentina result completely wrong, but guess I'm not alone. I also thought the English wouldn't do as well as they did. Bah!

This time my mystic sources are telling me there will be some walkovers tonight. I reckon our celtic friends and the boys from the veldt will do well over their opposition.

But it's just as well I don't put money down on these tipping thingies ... one has to be far more precise. I'm such a bad gambler I'd have no money left for shoes, the hairdressers and luxury travel ;-)

And they're far more important!

Big wins to the Wallabies and the All Blacks!

2007-09-09T13:16:00.000+10:00

ChicRugby and ChicRugby's friend Cat stayed up last night to watch the Wallabies v Japanese and the All Blacks v Italians.

Actually we drank champagne and chatted during the All Blacks game. I could see Dan kicking away, with my peripheral vision, but we had other things to talk about and we got distracted ...

No matter. The upshot is that this morning both the Australians and the All Blacks are sitting nicely at the tops of their pools with cricket scores against their names - excellent. I pity the poor Cherry Blossoms; they got hammered. They continued attacking as best they could but tiredness and the superior fitness of the Wallabies wore them down in the second half. Rocky Elsom played very well and scored the fastest hat-trick by a forward in the Cup's history. The Wallabies scored 13 tries!

The All Black match just seemed to feature Dan kicking a lot. The New Zealanders scored 11 tries.

Very tired this morning (I fell asleep on Cat's sofa) and am thinking that coffee will be my best friend until the 20 October.

Oh, and the English won as well - but we don't care about them.

A personal connection to the Fijian RWC team

2007-09-08T14:18:00.000+10:00

I had a surprise email from someone from my past this week and he's currently in France working as an assistant coach with the Fijian RWC team.

Can't see you in this picture GJM - but that's a perk of coaching not playing. You don't have to do hills anymore - you get to tell other people to do hills.

Good luck Fiji ! :-D

RWC opener - France defeated by Argentina!

2007-09-08T14:04:00.000+10:00

The Argentinians have defeated France, 17 - 12, in the opening match of the World Cup, played at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

This loss has created uncertainty for the French camp. The Irish are playing well and should the French come second in Group D they may well meet the All Blacks in the quarter-finals.

By all reports the Argentinians took it to the French, playing with a sense of desperation. The Argie Bargies (or more formally known as the Pumas) are a very physical team and what they lack in French flair they more than make up for in determination and strength.

The result must tear at the heartstrings of the French supporters.

FRA 12 ARG 17

Portraits vidéo des joueurs de rugby (that's French for video interviews with rugby players)!

2007-09-05T12:49:00.000+10:00

TV5 Monde is a French TV channel. For interviews of some players in the RWC click here!

Wallabies in France

2007-09-02T20:11:00.000+10:00

So the Wallabies have arrived in Montpellier, after a day-trip to Villers Bretonneux and the WWI cemetery containing the graves of several hundred young Australian soldiers.

The Wallabies play their first match against the Japanese in Lyon on the 8th. It should be a nice warm-up match for them; however, the Japanese are a spirited team and will give the men in green and gold an entertaining, if not overtaxing, game.

Eddie Jones - the former Wallabies' coach - has criticised the Australian forward pack, just in time for the first match. We remember what his coaching record was like with the Wallabies. Let's hope he takes the same approach in his job with the South Africans.

Gosh he annoys me.

The All Blacks are firming as favourites to win the Cup. It's usual for the All Blacks to head into the RWC as favourites - they've done so every Cup - but history has shown that the New Zealanders reach a peak, and then crash just when it matters most. They lost to the Wallabies in the 1991 semi-final, choked in the 1995 final against South Africa, went out to France in '99 semi-final and to Australia in the 2003 semi-final. To win the All Blacks will need to keep their form until late in the competition if they're to stand on the winners' podium (rugby trivia: the All Blacks have won the World Cup once - the first one in 1987 - whilst we've won it twice and been in the finals three times).

I'd like to think the Wallabies could rise above recent poor form and slog it out to win for a third time. With inspiration from those young men buried in the fields of France, they can take it to their opposition and get the job done.

Time, and the sometimes unpredictable game of rugby, will tell. Roll on the Rugby World Cup!

12 days to go!

2007-08-26T17:57:00.000+10:00

The Australians have left for France and the countdown to the start of the RWC now gets exciting! ChicRugby has been a bit distracted by other things (like work) and hasn't had a lot to say in the last couple of weeks - sorry :-)

It's exciting to see people voting in the ChicRugby poll, but who are these 10 people who've voted for the All Blacks ?! I guess it could be one person voting 10 times ....... it looks like the Kiwis are the fans' faves to win the gold trophy.

This looks promising ... the French beat England on the weekend!

2007-08-15T11:57:00.000+10:00

France has defeated England 21 - 15 in a World Cup warm-up at Twickenham. Apparently the English did alright, but never seemed too threatening of the French line. The English were coming off the back of a 62 - 5 smashing of the Welsh, also at Twickenham. This win will give Les Bleus some confidence in the run up to The Big One.

They play the Poms again this weekend. The picture above shows a deeply unattractive French guy scoring a try despite England's Olly Barkly.

Oh no. That man with the boot is back for England.

2007-08-14T08:47:00.000+10:00

Jonny 'I can kick field goals' Wilkinson is coming back to the English team - eeeeeeaaaaagggghhh!

I can't stand him!

I appreciate he kicks the football very well, and apparently he is meant to be a 'nice bloke'. But really ...... am I alone in remembering that field goal he kicked in the dying seconds of extra time in the 2003 RWC Final? Only England could give their players bloody knighthoods (almost) for winning a game with a kicked goal rather than a try ... Rugby is NOT SOCCER!

I always reckon that Jonny Wilkinson looks like he's laying an egg when he lines up the ball for the kick. I say we hatch a plan (an egg - hee hee!) to nobble him and get him out of the game, once and for all :-D

One consolation is the English are known for choking when they're defending any sort of cup they may have won - viz The Ashes. So perhaps there is hope that Mr W won't offend our eyes with his weird stance and his girly FIELD GOAL KICKING!

Time for a lesson in the tournament rules of the RWC: how does the round system work?

2007-08-13T08:49:00.000+10:00

There are 20 teams in the competition and each are allocated into one of 4 pools - hence there are 5 teams in each pool. You'll notice that the 'big guns' of the competition are separated and there's usually no more than one of them in each pool (except for Pool A which includes both England and South Africa).

Each team plays each other once in the pool round. Therefore there will be 40 matches to watch in this first stage of the Cup.

Points are awarded in this round as follows:

Win 4 points
Draw 2 points
4 or more tries 1 point
Loss by 7 points or less 1 point.

When the pool phase is complete the teams are ranked in each pool from 1 - 5. The winner and runner-up from each pool then proceeds to the Quarter-Finals. All the rest go home!

From here we move to the knock-out rounds. The quarters are played like this:

QF 1 - Winner pool B v Runner up pool A
QF 2 - Winner pool C v Runner up pool D
QF 3 - Winner pool A v Runner up pool B
QF 4 - Winner pool D v Runner up pool C

The winners of each Quarter-Final progress to the Semis. The Semis are played like this:

SF 1 - Winner QF1 v Winner QF2

SF 2 - Winner QF3 v Winner QF4

The winners of each Semi proceed to the Final. The losers of each Semi play the consolation game known as the Bronze Final.

Of course, this is all allowing for clear results in each game rather than draws. From the Quarters onwards each match will go into extra time in the case of a draw, whereas the teams share the points in the pool phase.

Whew!

Now you can start predicting who'll be playing whom in each round. Australia is in Pool B and hence will (hopefully) play the runner up from Pool A in the Quarter-Finals. This will be either England or South Africa. Should the Wallabies come 2nd in their pool they will play the winner of Pool A, which will also be either England or South Africa! In this way you can see how the tournament organisers stack the pools so as to guarantee exciting and significant matches in the knock-out rounds.

Of course, one of our minnow friends may make it through to the Quarters - in our pool it will most likely be Wales but could also be our faves the Cherry Blossoms. In Pool C it may be the Italians or the Scots, in Pool D Ireland or Argentina. The winners of Pools C and D will be more than likely be NZ and France (unless one of them has a shocker).

Hence Australia looks forward to a tough Quarter-Final whereas the NZ and the French do not. They can both look forward to the Semis, whereas we will have to work hard to get through.

Let's hope that both the English and the Springboks have lots of injury woes and come 3rd or 4th in their pools :-) Much easier for the Wallabies.

Vivent les Australiens!

Picking a 'rugby minnows' team to support during the RWC ....

2007-08-01T13:32:00.000+10:00

It's customary during the Rugby World Cup to pick a 'minnows' team to support ... you know, one of those countries that 'play' rugby but really have lots of expats in their teams or add colour to the Cup but not a lot of competition.

I'm quite liking the Japanese team. The Cherry Blossoms will play in Pool B with the Wallabies, the Canadians, the Welsh and the Fijians. They probably rank in playing status with the Canadians (a quarter-final spot as their best placing) but they do carry the distinction of fielding the number one try scorer in the game today, Daisuke Ohata. That's him on the right with Kiwi-born Andy Miller. He's scored 69 tries for his nation's team, 5 more than former record-holder David Campese.

Other minnows include the USA, Tonga, Romania, Portgual, Georgia and Namibia (the Wallabies once beat them 142 - nil). Out of these teams only the USA really has any chance of making it out of the pool rounds, although the Tongans play an entertaining game and supply a lot of players to other Southern Hemisphere teams (like the Fijians).

So, choose a minnow to support and add some fun to your Cup as well as some support to these teams' fan bases.

Go the Blossoms (even their nickname is nice :-)) !

Practising our French ...

2007-07-30T12:07:00.000+10:00

It's probably worth practising a few Rugby-appropriate expressions in French as we head closer to the RWC.

Although most of us will be where ever it is we are and not in France for the Cup it may seem unnecessary. However, French is a musical language and abuse hurled at the ref on television sounds must chic-er than if proffered in English (or Australian).

Par exemple ...

Envoyez-le au loin ! (send him off!)

Arbitre, tu as besoin de lunettes ! (ref, you need glasses!)

Les Africains Du sud trichent encore ! (The South Africans are cheating again!)

Dan Carter est très beau (sigh ...)

Et bien sur .... Vivent les Australiens! Vivent le vert et l'or !

Start practising today so you're word-perfect in time for the first match :-)

Not about rugby ... congratulations Cadel!

2007-07-30T12:00:00.000+10:00

Congratulations Cadel Evans on finishing 2nd in the 2007 Tour de France :-)

Nice to see another Australian doing well on the world stage in a very, very tough event (and he's drug free and cute too!).

That's him on the left (in the pink and black racing suit). Nice shot of the Arc de Triomphe aussi.

OK, let's focus .... where to stay in Paris during the World Cup?

2007-07-30T10:49:00.000+10:00

Now that the Bledisloe and Tri Nations Cups have gone across the Tasman it's time to refocus on the Rugby World Cup in September.

I've found a useful website if you're searching for a chic hotel in the chic-est city in the world - Paris. www.splendia.com lists all sorts of boutique hotels noted for their funky atmospheres and proximity to shopping meccas :-)

For example, the above suite is housed in the tres chic Hotel Castille Paris. It's on the Rue Cambon - the same street as the High Temple of Chic (and Chic Rugby's house of worship), Chanel.

Happy Holidays!

Farewell Bledisloe and Tri Nations Cups

2007-07-26T14:39:00.000+10:00

Now, it's been a few days between posts at Chic Rugby.

That's because I didn't watch 3/4 of the game between Australia and the All Blacks.

I was at my hairdresser's.

Needless to say the result was disappointing for the men in green and gold.

And Dan the Man Carter was responsible for a goodly part of the carnage. We love Dan, but not as much when he's playing Australia. See him kicking another penalty goal in the picture above. 21 points to his name.

Ouch.

Where to now for the Wallabies? The World Cup Final, that's where! The boys will need to get it together to overcome the mental challenge of losing two prestigious competitions against the World Cup favourites, in order to regroup and retake the prettiest cup on offer in world rugby. They can do it, they have the potential.

On another note, former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has scored a job with the Springboks as they too prepare for the World Cup. John O'Neill, the recently reappointed head of Australian Rugby has made the jokey comment that Jones' appointment will actually help the Wallabies as he wasn't that great a coach during his tenure and the Australians lost lots of matches!

Hope he gives them the same match tips he gave the Wallabies. Maybe he could go coach the All Blacks as well?!

Richie McCaw ... cute, but a cheat?

2007-07-18T13:42:00.000+10:00

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw is creating discussion in the lead up to Saturday's test match against Australia.

Just what is he up to?

My observations of Richie's play is that he comes in at the breakdown from off-side a lot. The All Blacks' assistant coach Steve Hansen is quoted in rugbyheaven.smh.com.au as describing the debate as "nonsense". That "a lot of the time he's forcing them (the opposition) to come from the side to remove him, so we should be getting the penalty. He's that quick, he'll make a tackle and get to his feet. Sometimes it's an optical illusion."

I'm not so sure. It's a lot of optical illusions .... it seems to happen in every game. Is he getting away with it because he's the captain? Or because he's in with the refs? Or because he's cute?!

Off-side is a tricky rule to police in rugby as the action is fast and the ref's eyes can't be on every player at every stage of the game. 'Off-side ref!' is a common cry from disgruntled spectators watching a match.

It remains to be seen if Richie is simply 'that quick' or he's sneaky enough to take advantage of the chaos after the scrum breaks down or a maul has scrambled possession of the ball. There are distinct rules about from which direction a player may enter the break-down and coming in from the wrong direction results in a penalty.

And successful penalty kicks equal 3 points for the other side (i.e. us!).

Let's hope the refs are onto it on Saturday .... we need every point we can get :-)

Oh dear ... some mucking around sees Julian out of the Bledisloe Cup this weekend.

2007-07-16T15:30:00.000+10:00

A tackle at an after-party has forced Julian Huxley out of this weekend's game against the All Blacks. Silly boy! He suffered a corked thigh.

Takes me back to prowling the day and boarding houses of the school he went to; it was a school tradition to 'pile on' and crash tackle at random.

It seems he hasn't grown up!

Enjoy watching the game on the bench, if you can, Julian :-(

Wonderful wellies!

2007-07-16T14:16:00.000+10:00

I don't know about you but I don't subscribe to the notion that wellies are old ladyish. I like 'em. They keep a rugby-watching gal's toes dry.

I have a pair of Huntress navy blue wellies, purchased 10 years ago to wear to school rugby on a Saturday. My U13Es laughed at them but their mothers did not. Those boots started a trend.

Wear your wellies in winter with pride!

Just as we thought ... the All Blacks bring down the 'Boks.

2007-07-15T12:55:00.000+10:00

I didn't watch the game yesterday as I was otherwise engaged but my prediction that the All Blacks would win was right! They scored three converted tries in the last 12 minutes of the game (that's 21 points).

However, the collective wisdom of the rugby press is suggesting that the All Blacks wouldn't be so pleased with their performance against an understrength South Africa. Chris Foley in Rugby Heaven says they were uninspiring in attack even though they had possession of the ball for most of the game. This means the Springboks were able to defend their line against an 'all over the shop' game strategy by the men in black. It didn't translate into tries for the South Africans but kept the scoreline lower for the All Blacks. The New Zelanders will go back to the drawing board for the game against Australia this coming weekend. Let's hope the Wallabies are not wobbly.

Dan scored a try and made 3 conversions and 4 penalties! As gorgeous as he is let's pray he doesn't do quite so well this Saturday. The upcoming game decides both the Tri Nations and the Bledisloe Cup, hence a lot of national rugby-lovin' pride is at stake :-)

Want to show your support for the Wallabies?

2007-07-15T12:41:00.000+10:00

Not sure about the chic-ness of this supporters jersey, but if you feel compelled .... they can be purchased at http://www.onerugby.com.au/ $130.00

This weekend: New Zealand v South Africa

2007-07-12T15:12:00.000+10:00

Saturday afternoon (our time) will see the All Blacks up against the Springboks, in Christchurch. Both teams are coming back from defeats against Australia and will have something to prove.

The smart money is on the All Blacks, as they are always fiercer competition when they have the home-ground advantage. The Springboks will be playing under their fourth captain in four games, Johann Muller. He plays in the second row of the Bok's scrum, and looks it (oh dear).

The All Blacks have announced some team changes due to injury and poor play. Byron Kelleher, another All Black hottie (and the lovely Dan's playing partner at half-back), will not be playing.

But Dan will - hooray!

This is the one time you can all barrack for the All Blacks.

By the way, Australia is currently leading the Tri Nations table with 9 points. The other two nations are on 5 apiece. Let's see how things stand after the weekend but it's certainly looking exciting for the match between Australia and the All Blacks on July 21 (the second game of the Bledisloe Cup).

Aaaagh, it's too much :-)

Nice bit of hardwear for the trophy cabinet :-)

2007-07-11T16:12:00.000+10:00

Australia retained the Mandela Plate by defeating the Springboks on Saturday night.

'Twill look nice on the sideboard.

Shame about poor Stirling's head ....

Yay - we won!

2007-07-07T21:54:00.000+10:00

The Wallabies wrapped up the game against the Springboks, 25 v 17. A great pathway into the next round of the Tri Nations (against the All Blacks again).

I did get distracted reading my friend's blog though ... the last 20 minutes of the game were not as attention-grabbing as the first 60.

Hooray for the boys in gold :-)

Wrapping up:

Matt Giteau scored a superb try for Australia! Stirling Mortlock failed to convert it but he did successfully kick a penalty goal a few minutes earlier. RSA 17 v Aus 25

Whilst I was back watching Harry Potter the Wallabies scored another converted try to equalise with the Springboks. Not sure who scored it :-) RSA 17 v Aus 17

RSA 17 v Aus 25

Julian Huxley - my Wallaby connection

2007-07-07T20:39:00.000+10:00

Julian is having a much better game this evening than he did against the All Blacks last week. Julian was a Year 12 student at the boys' school I taught at 10 years ago. He used to help my U13Es full-back with his goal-kicking practice. Julian was a 1st XV player as well as a 1st VIII rower. He was also a good school student and went on to study Law at ANU.

He joins other old boys from his school in the Wallabies squad, including Stirling Mortlock (I taught Stirling's younger brother Stewart). There's also lots of them in the Waratahs squad. The boys from this historic school have become outstanding athletes. I remember them as totally gorgeous :-)

Incidentally, Stirling has just put another 3 points on the Wallabies score with a nice penalty conversion.

Half time: RSA 17 v Aus 10

Try!

2007-07-07T20:32:00.000+10:00

Hooray! Mark Gerrard scored a try for Australia, almost under the goal posts! Nice conversion Stirling :-)

RSA 17 v Aus 7

Good Lord! 17 minutes in and the 'Boks are 17 zip ahead!

2007-07-07T20:26:00.000+10:00

I'm sitting here flicking between Harry Potter on Nine and the match on Seven. The Springboks are pinning the Wallabies in their half and there's a bit of kicking going on ... not a usual tactic for Southern Hemisphere teams but useful for gaining ground and territory if you can win the subsequent line-out.

The Wallabies are trying to take it over the 22 but the South Africans are lethal tacklers. Adam Freier, the hooker (number 2) for Australian has just been taken out in a dangerous tackle.

Oh dear :-(

What do the numbers mean on the guys' backs?

2007-07-07T18:11:00.000+10:00

Each player in a rugby team has a particular match-play role within the team and hence a corresponding position/jersey number.

There are 15 players in the team, eight 'forwards' numbered 1 - 8 and seven 'backs' numbered 9 - 15:

1 Loosehead prop; 2 Hooker; 3 Tighthead prop (the front row)
4 Lock; 5 Lock (the second row)
6 Blindside flanker; 8 'No 8'; 7 Openside flanker (the back row; flankers are also known as breakaways)

9 Scrum-half/half-back
10 Fly-half/five-eighth
11 Left wing; 14 Right wing
12 Inside centre
13 Outside centre
15 Full-back

You may hear guys or the TV commentators refer to 'the pack', 'the midfield', 'the back three' etc. These are collective terms for the forwards (all 8 of whom make up the scrum), the centres (players 12 & 13), and the wingers & full-back.

Generally you'll see players numbered 1 - 8 packing down into scrums and lining up into 'line-outs' to catch the ball, and players 9 - 15 throwing the ball around between them and running with it to the try line.

Forwards are generally big and strong physically, whilst the backs are fast runners.

I usually refer to the forwards as 'the big fat forwards'. Look at a few of them and you'll see what I mean. Big fat necks to support them in the scrum.

I refer to the backs as 'the fancy boys'. They are often better looking than the forwards. The famous Australian back David Campese was famous for not tackling anybody because he liked to keep his jersey clean. This why they're fancy :-)

What to wear to show your national pride ...

2007-07-07T16:52:00.000+10:00

Rugby Girl is another NZ company (they love their rugby in Kiwi-land) that sells rugby related clothes but this time with a girly focus. You can buy tees, tops, pants and accessories in various colourways that reflect your country's national colours.

I have the singlet and knickers in green and gold. Perfect for showing loyalty to the Aussie boys (but trying hard not to be confused with a South African supporter).

Even though I fancy Dan the man Carter, I will always wear Wallaby knickers.

Fashion blunder: what is it with the Wallabies' new jersey?

2007-07-07T16:29:00.000+10:00

Hmmm, I'm not sure about the new Wallabies' jersey.

For some time other teams have worn slimfit jerseys (the All Blacks, French, the Springboks and English teams are all fans) whilst the Australians have stayed with the more traditional cut and fabric of rugby shirts.

Canterbury, the NZ company best known for rugby attire, has designed a jersey for the Wallabies to bring them into functional (and fashionable) line with these other premier teams. It stays with the predominantly gold theme of the national jersey (although this has changed over the years) with flashes of green about the neck.

But what's with the green line on the front of the jersey? The one that is meant to create the illusion of a six-pack (hey, these guys don't need the illusion - they all have them under those jerseys)?

It makes them look like they have breasts!

Oh well, they can bring on hell as they charge about the field, Gladiator-style (thanks Russ). Must have been designed by a guy.

Tonight: Australia v South Africa

2007-07-07T15:52:00.000+10:00

In the 4th game of Tri Nations series Australia will take on South Africa. To date each of the 3 teams in the competition has won a game against another Tri Nations foe, so tonight's game will be very important to the victor.

A psychological advantage cannot be underestimated in the game of rugby (yes, these men can think).

In the previous meeting between the Wallabies and the Springboks the 'Boks were victorious but it was close - 3 points (equal to one penalty goal or one field goal). The Wallabies are coming off the back of a vital win against the All Blacks and their confidence will be higher than apparent to date. They will also have a hometown advantage playing in Sydney at the Telstra Stadium. However, the Springboks are fearsome when they get going (they also have a reputation for dirty play ... grrr) so the Australians will not underestimate the challenge ahead of them tonight. The Wallabies will need to play in an attacking fashion whilst taking care to defend their line for all their might, as the Springboks like to open up the game and run with the ball at the line.

Our guys will have their work cut out for them.

A note to those who've not watched the Australians play against the Springboks before tonight - yes, they do wear the same colours, but in reverse. You'll see green, gold and white all over the field.

The yellow ones are the ones you're barracking for.

So, who to watch out for (that is, names to say loudly at various times during the game)?

For the Wallabies: Stirling Mortlock (wears 13 on his back and is bald - he's also the captain); Stephen Larkham (wears number 10 and straps his arms); Adam Ashley-Cooper (wears 11).

No-one is the Springboks is ever worth watching out for (they play dirty remember ... grrr).

Go the Wallabies!

More Dan

2007-07-06T14:36:00.000+10:00

This is highlights video from YouTube was created by another Dan fan. Slightly cheesy ... ignore the accompanying music.

Watch Dan do his thing in Super 14 and international games.

Sigh.

My favourite rugby player: Dan Carter

2007-07-06T14:05:00.001+10:00

Alas, he is an All Black but he is GORGEOUS. Here he is promoting Jockey shorts for Jockey NZ.