Calling all Kiwis and Taffs! The rugby fun begins!

The Autumn Internationals are upon us. The opening match of the Autumn internationals sees the reigning 6 Nations Champions take on the reigning Tri-Nations Champions. This should prove to be a cracking match, despite none of Wales' British & Irish Lions players being available for selection. The last two meetings between these teams saw some impressive fast and open rugby. The omens are good for a cracking match, despite Wales having little chance of victory.

I will be watching this match in The Arc. Will any Welsh or All Black fans be joining me?

Other matches in the series are:

11 November 2005

Wales v Fiji, 20:30

12 November 2005

England v Australia, 15:30

Ireland v New Zealand, 18:30

Scotland v Argentina, 18:30

19 November 2005

England v New Zealand,15:30

Ireland v Australia, 18:00

Wales v South Africa, 18:00

20 November 2005

Scotland v Samoa, 16:00

26 November 2005

England v Samoa, 15:30

Ireland v Romania, 15:30

Scotland v New Zealand, 15:30

Wales v Australia, 18:00

Wales and New Zealand teams:

Wales:

15 G Thomas (Toulouse, capt);14 K Morgan (Dragons), 13 M Taylor (Sale), 12 C Sweeney (Dragons), 11 S Williams (Ospreys); 10 S Jones (Clermont-Auvergne), 9 M Phillips (Blues); 1 D Jones (Ospreys), 2 M Davies (Gloucester), 3 A Jones (Ospreys), 4 B Cockbain (Ospreys), 5 R Sidoli (Blues), 6 J Thomas (Ospreys), 7 C Charvis (Newcastle), 8 M Owen (Dragons).
Replacements: R Thomas (Blues), C Horsman (Worcester), L Charteris (Dragons), R Sowden-Taylor (Blues), G Cooper (Dragons), N Robinson (Blues), L Byrne (Scarlets).

New Zealand: 15 M Muliaina (Auckland); 14 R Gear (Nelsons Bay), 13 C Smith (Wellington), 12 T Umaga (Wellington, capt), 11 J Rokocoko (Auckland); 10 D Carter (Canterbury), 9 B Kelleher (Waikato); 1 N Tialata (Wellington), 2 A Oliver (Otago), 3 C Hayman (Otago), 4 C Jack (Canterbury), 5 J Ryan (Otago), 6 J Collins (Wellington), 7 C Masoe (Taranaki), 8 R So'oialo (Wellington).
Replacements: A Hore (Taranaki), T Woodcock (North Harbour), A Macdonald (Auckland), R McCaw (Canterbury), J Cowan (Southland), M Nonu (Wellington), L MacDonald (Canterbury).

Yep should be there

P

wish you boyos well for the day. i'm going to watch this at home, with the family. wife requires the rules explaining as she is turning into a rugby bunny...

"now when two kiwis pick up the opposition player and nearly break his neck then thats ok..."

not proper rugby! there's a good game later on, though
Great Britain vs Australia playing the real men's game

*legs it and hides behind sofa to escape wrath of posh rugger buggers*

`
Oh Yeah That would be the game where once you get tackled they let you get up and push the ball back through your legs which have been skantily clad in shorts that are just a bit too tight

you forgot the "wriggling around on the floor like a fish on dry land" phase which slots in between being tackled two-on-one (cos league players are too namby pamby to tackle one-on-one) and putting the ball between your legs whilst sticking your arse in your team-mate's face.

good joke, OG

Was it supposed to be a joke?
They're too soft to scrummage properly even though there are fewer of them in the set scrum to hurt each other.
And lineouts are clearly just too complicated for them to get their heads around.
Soft northern nancies.

Soft Aussies and soft Aucklanders as well!

That's NSW and the appropriately named Queensland. The rest of Australia knows how to play rugby.

Well, it's quite clear why league never picked up in SA. We clearly don't have enough fruitcakes!

This might explain why Rugby League has never caught on in SA. Check out the picture on the website.

Although this is the best comment:

In response to suggestions from Hopoate's counsel, Bernard Gross QC, that his client had been administering "a wedgie", Jones said: "It was in the anal area. I think I know the difference between a wedgie and someone putting their fingers up my bum." Hopoate did not shy away from the allegations completely, telling the panel that his prodding of Bowman was "between his arse and his nuts". But he denied putting his hand under any of the player's underwear.

Back to Union though, it's a real shame that Wales have so many injuries as I think they could give the All Blacks one hell of a game. Hopefully they still will.

We'll certainly be showing all the rugby games over the next month or so.

I think I've got them all on the website now. If I've messed up and left any off, then don't despair - send me a PM and they'll still be shown!!

that will not be an excuse, at least not from me.

Wales have, for the first time in decades, real strength in depth. Mark Philips is an exellent scrum half and has proved his worth both for Wales in the summer tour in North America and for the Blues this season. Unproven is his ability to pair with Stephen Jones

The centre pairing could be seen as the most critical "loss" but Ceri Sweeney and Mark Taylor have show that they can be an awsome combination.

The back three are amongst the best in the world, although critics may say that lickle Shane Williams will be out of his depth. On the plus side, Gareth Thomas has the strength, power and vision for gaps to combine well with the pace and line-breaking capabilities of Kevin Morgan and the side-stepping wonders of twinkle-toes Williams.

The back row also show great strength and will surely compete at the breakdown. The tight five, despite being depleted are also a good selection on the part of Ruddock.

Although it may be a shame that we can not face the All Blacks with what many consider to be natural shoe-ins, I believe these injuries have given Mike Ruddock a fantastic opportunity to build up the strength in depth that will be needed come the 2007 World Cup. We will neeed 30 players, not 15 that play the way Mike wants them to and be able to mix and interchange with each other.

It will be an exciting match, I think also fairly tight for the first 60 minutes but the All Blacks will pull away int the final quarter. My prediction is 28-45

Cymru am byth!

Cymru am byth!

cum you on bath? what are you doing when youre typing that.

It amazes me the Hypocrisy of Rugby Union and its people as demonstrated on this forum.Rugby Union has always since 1895 (When Rugby League or Northern Union as it was then) tried to stop the game being played anywhere whether it be in England, France ,Germany, Austalia, New Zealand, South Africa etc.In England it was only since 1996 that a Union Player could even Train with a Professional or Amateur Rugby League side without the fear of being Banned!Any Union Player who went to League even just to train was banned with immediate effect, His playing Records and any Evidence of him playing erased!Rugby Union players were supposed to be ALL amateur but that was just a lie as many of the top players even back in the early 1900s received some form of payment.Rugby League broke from Union in the 1890s over a problem with payment and certain players did receive money while Playing League but the majority didnt-similar to Rugby Union

Rugby Union-Examples of where its tried to stop Rugby League

France 1934-Present Day!

The French Rugby Union are an absolute disgrace having stolen Rugby League Money and Property in WW2 after siding with the Nazis/Vichy Regime to shut the Sport of Rugby League Down.The French Rugby League still have never got any of the money or property left or even received an apology! Its only in the last few years that Rugby League was able to use the word "Rugby" in its title (´Rugby League was called "Jeu De Treiz" up until the Late 1980s and only recently has Rugby League been allowed to be played in Schools and Public stadiums in France due to the French Rugby Unions disgraceful actions over the years.

Even Today Rugby Union Officials try and stop League being played by Pressurizing City Councils to ban League from being played in Stadiums by offering Money and other sweetners to Town Officials.This year in Perpignan who will have a Team entering the Super League Comp hosted the London Broncos and Leeds Rhinos game.The Local Rugby Union team (Who Will share the Town Stadium with Les Catalan Dragons League team) in Perpignan locked doors, deliberately sabotaged things to try and tried to stop the game going ahead even tho they dont own the stadium!

Many League players went on to Play Rugby Union after being offered money to switch-despite Rugby Union being an alleged Amateur Sport.This payment in French Rugby Union started in the mid 1950s-when League was again doing well and hosting the first ever Rugby World Cup of either code in 1954

BBC Correspondent
Vichy France and Rugby Union
Rugby League XIII

South Africa 1953-Present Day

Rugby League has suffered mainly from internal Problems in its attempt to be played in South Africa.But also Rugby Union has done as much as possible to stop it being played including banning and Ostracizing anybody Training or Playing Rugby League despite being played at different times of the year.Many top players have come out of South Africa from the 1960s in Tom Van Vollenhoven, fred Griffiths to the (0s in Nick Du Toit, Ray Mordt upto Today in Jamie Bloem, Sean Rutgerson.Rugby League is played in South Africa but only on a small scale and does have a small Domestic Comp as well as a National Team (South African Rhinos)Many Springbok players were stripped of their Rugby Union Caps and their Records erased and even asked to hand back all the Spring Bok gear they had earned over the years like Jackets and Ties etc

Wikipedia
1908 Rugby League History

England 1895-Present day

Rugby League suffered much from Rugby Union in England including ALL Rugby League Players being banned from even entering any Rugby Union Property, False accusations of professionalism (Players in Both League and Union received money even in 1895 but most players from both was and still are Amateurs!), Any former Union Players being ostracized by players , Fans and Officials in their former sport.Rugby Union Officials and Players in power blocking attempts for Rugby League to expand outside the Heartlands by not letting them use Public Property to play on etc.
Rugby League was BANNED in the Armed Forces, Every University, College and Grammar School up to the late 1990s and still suffers much problems in them places now.No other sport was banned so why Rugby League?This has stopped Rugby League expanding not just in England but in many places worldwide.Most Rugby Union Clubs around the world were set up by people from these areas and most not all Rugby Union Clubs whether it be in Germany, Holland, Sweden, China, Japan, Kenya, America are run by or have atleast 50% of the players from either France, UK, Ireland, New zealand Australia or South Africa (For example look at Munich RFC or Heidelberger TV or SC80 Frankfurt.)

1908 Rugby Site
History Of Rugby league

New Zealand 1907-Present Day

New zealand took up league in 1907 but has had again many problems fron Rugby Union people threatening people if they played Rugby League by saying they wouldnt have a job, wouldnt be accepted in the local community etc etc.Also any Union Player was often slanderous remarks were made against league People but because Union Officials often held Positions in government and Police and often owned Businesses etc it put people of the game.This has continued up to the mid 1990s and has occured still at times even up to 2005!Rugby League has managed to survive in New Zealand especially in Auckland (Home of the New Zealand Warriors NRL side)and to a lesser degree around Wellington.

Wikipedia
Massey Newspaper

I could provide stack loads of more evidence to show how disgraceful the game of Rugby Union has and to some extent still treats League and its Players and Fans.Perhaps people may understand a little why Rugby League Fans often Hate Rugby Union and its Officials.Not all have been so determined to see League die but most have.Even this year certain people involved with Rugby Union have tried to stop the game being developed in Georgia, Germany, France, Malta, Serbia, Russia, America, South Africa, Ireland, Argentina etc.

Rugby League was also the first sport in the UK for example to have a Black Man as National Captain in Ellery Hanley was the First sport to have a Muslim selected for a National side (Ikram Butt) and Captain them (Great Britain Amateurs picked Janaid Malik from a Halifax Based Club Elland).Rugby League players generally areworking Class players while often Rugby Union players came from better backgrounds

Rugby League is hell of a lot harder than Union and having played both can say that.Both are tough games but the amount of Hits in League (Often a forward will be involved in 30-40+ Tackles plus take the ball up and he hit likely 20-30+ times) as well as the 10 Metre gap means guy are running at Full Pace means the Hits are harder and Try tackling or even stopping an Athlete who can do 100 Metres in 12-14 Seconds and weighs 105-115KG of pure Muscle!Most Pro League players dont play beyond 30 or 31 Years of age as the body cant take the Hits or the speed of the game.

Union is more complicated and slow and you need to think more what you are doing but League is the Ultimate in Fitness levels Required and in overall Brutality.Having trained and Played at Semi pro level even back in 1999 I know what is required to even have a hope of being able to try and be a Pro Rugby League player.I bet most Sportsstars couldnt even be anywhere near matching the OVERALL physical abilities of a Pro Rugby League Player.Many Training Sessions we was near to being sick or pushed to exhaustion as that often how tough the game is at the Highest level.It took me often 4 or 5 Days to recover after a League game due to the amount of Hard hits and the Fitness levels i needed-Thankfully amateur Level is not so serious! After 24 Hours I feel no problems mostly after playing Rugby Union and have played against German Internationals as well (Germany are in the latter stages of qualifying for the Rugby Union World Cup by the way) as other players of a high standard in Rugby Union

Rugby League Players generally have better handling skills and can make a tackle one on one better that his Unon counterpart.You can ask many Union Coaches this and they would confirm this so its not just my opinion.

what a perfect over reaction to a bit of simple name calling...

Just telling it how it is mate! It is also a way to remind people that both League and Union can work together and that there is no need to fight!

Sorry just re checked and Clive Sullivan was the first Black Captain in British Sport.He helped the Great Britain Rugby League team in the early 1970s I cant find anybodyelse before that period but stand to be corrected as ever!

Dally M, we left your rugby league threads in peace so be adult enough to do the same for our rugby union threads. thanks.

Graham if people are going to post things about Rugby league they should get it right!Union is OK and havent a problem with it.I do have a problem with People who slag off League and I will defend it as you would defend Union and rightly so!I wish you any anybodyelse watching the games an enjoyable time whatever the result.

If people are going to slag off League which as you very well know is very dear to me then expect me to defend it please.I am sorry if you think I am trolling but i wasnt or certainly didnt intend too just making sure people know the truth and some of the reasons why the two have problems getting along.For what its worth I enjoy watching the running game of the All blacks and thats what Rugby of any type should be about.I will think New Zealand will win by 20-Sorry Graham!

I think you find that the comments were just humourous replies to Topsy's light-hearted wind-up.

Not having a great sense of Humour didnt think they was funny and replied as i saw it!

Indeed - which is why we are showing both the Rugby Union AND the Rugby League on Saturday night at The Arc

Touché Hazza

I missed the Wales/NZ match, but apparently it wasn't very entertaining.
GB vs Aus in the Rugby League was a really exciting close match until the last 5 or 6 minutes, though.
I also watched France beat Aus in the Rugby Union straight after - for a Union match it was not that bad, I must grudgingly admit

:

It was a very entertaining game. I guess your saying it wasnt entertaining because the score was big and it was quite one sided. But on the contrary it was a great game to watch. Dan Carter was superb, The AB's defense was outstanding. A fantastic game.

you are right, actually - i was jumping to conclusions because i saw that the result was pretty one-sided
i didn't actually watch it, two rugby games in one day is enough for me

It was a great flowing game of union. A few good slaps here and there, dodgy tackles etc, but the ref let it flow.

I've got a lot of respect for NZ, who wouldnt love Dan Carter to be playing for them. NZ seem to have the right formula for turning out huge strappling lads - what happened Kza???

I reckon NZ will take the worldcup in 2007
unless maybe they peak too early


P

yes, have to agree. NZ played some fantastic rugby and well deserved the scoreline (it should really have been a higher winning margin but for one or two ball greedy players).

I must admit, I was very disappointed with and surprised by the Welsh performance. The centre pairing was a joke despite their good performance over the summer. Of the back three, only "Alfie" deserved to be playing international rugby. Stephen Jones was good at outside half but not nearly as special as Dan Carter. And Philips look like a startled rabbit at scrum half. The back row looked like they had gone off the pitch for a cup of tea just after the whistle. The line-out was a disaster but at least they managed shore up the scrum after initially being pushed of the ball.

All in all, a very third-rate performance. Fiji should have been a rest match for many players (and still will be for the English and French based players) but I think it will have to be used to re-think straegy and players for the SA match. I don't see Wales beating any of the top three now.