Dont mention the rugby
27 June
New Zealand Herald article
One Irish newspaper has branded the All Blacks "thugs" over Lions rugby captain Brian O’Driscoll’s tour-ending injury on Saturday.
"Thugs!" exclaimed the headline on the back page of Ireland’s Sunday World newspaper.
"O’Driscoll crocked by Kiwi hoods." it went on to say.
The Sunday Express headed it’s back page report: "Was this rugby or All Black thuggery?"
They were referring to the tackle by All Blacks captain Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu on O’Driscoll, which resulted in the Irishman suffering a dislocated shoulder....... <li><a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=697&ObjectID=10332913">more</a></li>
28 June
From: Susan (in Ireland)
To: Me (in New Zealand)
Hiya Kylie,
How are you? Listen, what's the story with your lads? What kinda carry on is that putting our Brian O'Driscoll out of the competition and dislocating his poor shoulder? Would you ever have a word with your blokes there, and tell them the Paddy's aren't happy at all! Sort them out missus, sort them out.
Did you watch the match? As you might have guessed we were sickened - what a loss, and I don't mean the score.
28 June
From: Me
To: Susan
Hello Darling!
Thank you for your impassioned email. Who would have thought you would get so fired up over rugby! I had heard that the AB's were getting a hammering in the media over there. I can understand your nation’s loss, and I want to write you an email in response that is full of sympathy and kind words, I really do……
…..but if you are wanting sympathy, or some sort of support, best not to go to an NZer for it, don’t you think?
Lets face it, I am a dedicated rugby supporter who is fiercely proud of ‘her boys’. What’s not to be proud of? They’re strong, they’re huge, they look mighty fine in those tight tight muscle hugging tops (Daniel Carter, yum yum), and they’re tough!
Come back with me, if you will, to the year 1986, and an already badly injured All Black squad faced up against a physically intimidating French side at the now infamous "Battle of Nantes". It was here that the name of Wayne "Buck" Shelford became embedded forever into rugby's rich history.
Playing only his second Test for the All Blacks, Shelford found himself at the bottom of a rather aggressive ruck on 20 minutes.
An errant Les Bleus stud found its way to his groin, where it somehow managed to tear his scrotum, leaving one testicle hanging out.
This alone would leave most men screaming in agony and heading for the nearest hospital. But not Shelford.
He calmly instructed the physician on the sideline to stitch him up.
The French public were gob smacked as an over-eager pitch-side cameraman filmed the stomach-turning surgery, (voyeur is a French word after all) and even more so when Shelford returned to the field and carried on playing.
He also lost four teeth during the ruck.
A mighty man.
“A one off”, you say? "Nobody is really that tough!"
Let’s journey back some more to 1970, when Colin 'Pinetree' Meads broke his arm in a tour match against Eastern Transvaal. During a heated match Meads emerged from a particularly vicious ruck with his arm dangling horribly. It was an obvious fracture, and yet Meads completed the match. When the doctor cut away his shirt and confirmed the break, Meads muttered, "At least we won the bloody game." He treated himself with horse linament and, after missing the first two Tests, Meads returned for the Third with his still broken arm held together by a thin guard.
I’ve plenty more stories like this. Our men who don the black shirt with the silver fern are playing a rough sport and sometimes find themselves playing through games with broken shoulders, arms and noses. I am not suggesting that O’Driscoll should have played on – but I am saying that injuries (including serious injuries) are part of the game. As Tana himself once said, “Its not tiddlywinks, ref”.
I will say however, that I was very disappointed that Tana didn’t apologise for the damage caused, intentional or otherwise, and that was definitely wrong of him.
I saw on Sunday Clive’s “incriminating evidence” in the photos he put forward and I remain unconvinced of anything untoward (I think O’Driscoll just fell badly in a fairly standard ruck – though you are bound to disagree!). At the end of the day, Clive picked a substandard team for the first test and the result came about because the Lions team was well and truly outclassed on the night. The Lions camp was not a particularly happy one, even before the match, with some Lions players complaining about Clive to our media here (Gavin Henson). Can you not help wondering if all the sour grapes is merely a device to stop the finger being pointed at Clive for doing such a lousy job? Do you get any mention over there of Lions lock Danny Grewcock biting New Zealand hooker Keven Mealamu in the very same game?
Finally…..
In 1986 All Blacks hooker Andy Dalton kept the reputation of Kiwi toughness alive when he had his jaw broken in two places by South African Burger Geldenhuys during the New Zealand Cavaliers tour of the country. Dalton's response:
'No complaint's, it's a man's game out there'.
29 June
From: Susan
To: Paul (also in Ireland)
Cc: Me
I was telling you that I asked Kylie to have a word with her boys after damaging our Brian. To say she's unrepentant is an understatement.........
29 June
From: Paul
To: Susan
Cc: Me
Susan,
I think you just found out how seriously the NZ'ers take the game. I would agree with most of Kylie's remarks. Not enough said about Grewcock acting the gobsh!te. Clive, the luckiest coach in rugby history, is spinning the story of O'Ds injury to take the focus off his own incompetence. Relying on his old boys when the game has moved on was wrong. Proof being when Wales won the 6-nations with an open exciting running game built on pace and being first to the breakdown. (Their game was groomed by the current AB coach.)
Physically the Lions on the day were not up to the AB's level.
Of all the AB's Shelford shall be remembered long after Zinzan, Jonah Lomu, Sean Fitzpatrick, Grant Fox or any of the others. Whatever about playing with broken bones, he acted above and beyond the call of duty.
I just can't agree with Daniel Carter bit though. Are there going to be some cheer leaders at the next game???
Come on the Lions in Game 2. Better line outs, fiercer rucking and a try please.
29 June
From: Susan
To: Paul
Cc: Me
You two are going to get on great ; )
From: Si
To: Me
Wow, I think you caused an international debate :)
Good work.
New Zealand Herald article
One Irish newspaper has branded the All Blacks "thugs" over Lions rugby captain Brian O’Driscoll’s tour-ending injury on Saturday.
"Thugs!" exclaimed the headline on the back page of Ireland’s Sunday World newspaper.
"O’Driscoll crocked by Kiwi hoods." it went on to say.
The Sunday Express headed it’s back page report: "Was this rugby or All Black thuggery?"
They were referring to the tackle by All Blacks captain Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu on O’Driscoll, which resulted in the Irishman suffering a dislocated shoulder....... <li><a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=697&ObjectID=10332913">more</a></li>
28 June
From: Susan (in Ireland)
To: Me (in New Zealand)
Hiya Kylie,
How are you? Listen, what's the story with your lads? What kinda carry on is that putting our Brian O'Driscoll out of the competition and dislocating his poor shoulder? Would you ever have a word with your blokes there, and tell them the Paddy's aren't happy at all! Sort them out missus, sort them out.
Did you watch the match? As you might have guessed we were sickened - what a loss, and I don't mean the score.
28 June
From: Me
To: Susan
Hello Darling!
Thank you for your impassioned email. Who would have thought you would get so fired up over rugby! I had heard that the AB's were getting a hammering in the media over there. I can understand your nation’s loss, and I want to write you an email in response that is full of sympathy and kind words, I really do……
…..but if you are wanting sympathy, or some sort of support, best not to go to an NZer for it, don’t you think?
Lets face it, I am a dedicated rugby supporter who is fiercely proud of ‘her boys’. What’s not to be proud of? They’re strong, they’re huge, they look mighty fine in those tight tight muscle hugging tops (Daniel Carter, yum yum), and they’re tough!
Come back with me, if you will, to the year 1986, and an already badly injured All Black squad faced up against a physically intimidating French side at the now infamous "Battle of Nantes". It was here that the name of Wayne "Buck" Shelford became embedded forever into rugby's rich history.
Playing only his second Test for the All Blacks, Shelford found himself at the bottom of a rather aggressive ruck on 20 minutes.
An errant Les Bleus stud found its way to his groin, where it somehow managed to tear his scrotum, leaving one testicle hanging out.
This alone would leave most men screaming in agony and heading for the nearest hospital. But not Shelford.
He calmly instructed the physician on the sideline to stitch him up.
The French public were gob smacked as an over-eager pitch-side cameraman filmed the stomach-turning surgery, (voyeur is a French word after all) and even more so when Shelford returned to the field and carried on playing.
He also lost four teeth during the ruck.
A mighty man.
“A one off”, you say? "Nobody is really that tough!"
Let’s journey back some more to 1970, when Colin 'Pinetree' Meads broke his arm in a tour match against Eastern Transvaal. During a heated match Meads emerged from a particularly vicious ruck with his arm dangling horribly. It was an obvious fracture, and yet Meads completed the match. When the doctor cut away his shirt and confirmed the break, Meads muttered, "At least we won the bloody game." He treated himself with horse linament and, after missing the first two Tests, Meads returned for the Third with his still broken arm held together by a thin guard.
I’ve plenty more stories like this. Our men who don the black shirt with the silver fern are playing a rough sport and sometimes find themselves playing through games with broken shoulders, arms and noses. I am not suggesting that O’Driscoll should have played on – but I am saying that injuries (including serious injuries) are part of the game. As Tana himself once said, “Its not tiddlywinks, ref”.
I will say however, that I was very disappointed that Tana didn’t apologise for the damage caused, intentional or otherwise, and that was definitely wrong of him.
I saw on Sunday Clive’s “incriminating evidence” in the photos he put forward and I remain unconvinced of anything untoward (I think O’Driscoll just fell badly in a fairly standard ruck – though you are bound to disagree!). At the end of the day, Clive picked a substandard team for the first test and the result came about because the Lions team was well and truly outclassed on the night. The Lions camp was not a particularly happy one, even before the match, with some Lions players complaining about Clive to our media here (Gavin Henson). Can you not help wondering if all the sour grapes is merely a device to stop the finger being pointed at Clive for doing such a lousy job? Do you get any mention over there of Lions lock Danny Grewcock biting New Zealand hooker Keven Mealamu in the very same game?
Finally…..
In 1986 All Blacks hooker Andy Dalton kept the reputation of Kiwi toughness alive when he had his jaw broken in two places by South African Burger Geldenhuys during the New Zealand Cavaliers tour of the country. Dalton's response:
'No complaint's, it's a man's game out there'.
29 June
From: Susan
To: Paul (also in Ireland)
Cc: Me
I was telling you that I asked Kylie to have a word with her boys after damaging our Brian. To say she's unrepentant is an understatement.........
29 June
From: Paul
To: Susan
Cc: Me
Susan,
I think you just found out how seriously the NZ'ers take the game. I would agree with most of Kylie's remarks. Not enough said about Grewcock acting the gobsh!te. Clive, the luckiest coach in rugby history, is spinning the story of O'Ds injury to take the focus off his own incompetence. Relying on his old boys when the game has moved on was wrong. Proof being when Wales won the 6-nations with an open exciting running game built on pace and being first to the breakdown. (Their game was groomed by the current AB coach.)
Physically the Lions on the day were not up to the AB's level.
Of all the AB's Shelford shall be remembered long after Zinzan, Jonah Lomu, Sean Fitzpatrick, Grant Fox or any of the others. Whatever about playing with broken bones, he acted above and beyond the call of duty.
I just can't agree with Daniel Carter bit though. Are there going to be some cheer leaders at the next game???
Come on the Lions in Game 2. Better line outs, fiercer rucking and a try please.
29 June
From: Susan
To: Paul
Cc: Me
You two are going to get on great ; )
From: Si
To: Me
Wow, I think you caused an international debate :)
Good work.
