The Dew Drop Inn Virtual HEC Final Rugby Pub, Twickenham

First topic message reminder :

Chin chin and welcome to the Virtual Rugby Pub - a place where you can come in for a sly beverage and discuss whatever's on your mind, or just eavesdrop on the regulars if you fancy a break from all the rugby chat. The pub has arrived in London this week for the Heineken Cup final so has stocked up on cucumber sandwiches ( - KRD ) and Pimms.

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no defacing the pictures of Ruan Pienaar, Stephen Ferris, Jonathon Sexton, Rob Kearney and Jonny Wilkinson (the five nominees for the ERC Player of the Year award), Nigel Owens the HEC final referee or Adam Powell (captain of Llanelli RFC who are playing Ponty in the Welsh club final on Friday). The CCTV snaps of Prop_Lyd and the other Cardiff Saracens players on tour in Croatia are fair game though.



Old Pub: https://www.606v2.com/t28922p950-barrel-s-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub-restaurant-luderitz#1218292

For those not on FB, you ought to e able to see this, pics from Saturday https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150975881848524.478638.586993523&type=3&l=6280807b86

Some very cool picks there Pete.

Which one is you?

biltongbek wrote:Some very cool picks there Pete.

Which one is you?

I'm the one hiding behind the camera

If you look really hard you'll spot Rava, the Rev, Dreamer, Asbo, Gibbo, Hoog & Penfo.

Yeah, I figured out who Hoog is, but don't know their real names, so it is a puxxle yet to be solved.

biltongbek wrote:Yeah, I figured out who Hoog is, but don't know their real names, so it is a puxxle yet to be solved.

Rodders and Mick le Chef are there too, I managed to miss getting pics of Hound & Swanny

And NSW take the lead in Origin.


4-0 at the minute, Origin is class

You watching too, Hoogs?
Not nearly as nervous as I used to be. Good start so far but Qld will be back...

What do they do about players from the other states? Do they get to have a match too?

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:What do they do about players from the other states? Do they get to have a match too?

Nope. During the Superleague wars the Aussie SuperLeague ran a tri-series Origin, with an NZ side included.

Brad Thorn played RL for Aus over NZ because he really wanted to play Origin for Queensland, and you had to be Kangaroos-eligible to be selected.

It's just mainly in NSW, Qld, Lucky.

SA, WA do play some league... but they are tiny struggling enterprises compared to the AFL and SXV organisations. Tried and failed with the Perth Reds, Adelaide Rams, etc... but I hear they're trying to put together another bid for entry into the NRL.

I'd prefer another Qld team - north of Brisbane on the Sunshine Coast.... that's a big growth area and they already have a successful club. The other team I'd have would be the Central Coast Bears (North Sydney Bears) relocated 80km up the coast in between Newcastle and Sydney at Gosford.

I see. Now I have ammunition if any Australian poster criticises us in Wales for ignoring mid and north Wales!

Darius Boyd scores. 6-4 now.

MrsP wrote:

Glas a du wrote:Thanks everyone. I feel for the lad. His Dad is 'off to the Vets' and all so he's no chance!

According to your thinking surely he just has to keep the wife away fro the cutlery drawer?

You're not advocating home vasectomisation are you?

I don't like the sound of this:

'Last week in London, the National Security Council discussed what would happen if the latest set of negotiations with Iran failed and if Israel carried out its threat to launch a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.

Ministers were told that this could trigger a wider war in the Middle East in which Iran might respond not just by attacking Israel, but also by closing the vital trade route - the Straits of Hormuz - through which more than a fifth of the world's oil shipments are carried.

I understand that the government's law officers are now examining the legality of any British involvement if this happens.

They are looking at options ranging from British diplomatic support for Israel through to the possible involvement of the Royal Navy in the region.'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18170328

I would hope we'd condemn any Israeli strike on Iran, not back it.

That was a cracking punch up!!!



Get try from Darius Boyd and converted beautifully by JT. QUEENSLAND LEAD 6-4

I'm with you lucky, really have no time for Israel

Dangerous tackle from Bird.... jeezzuz he's a plank!
Another try to Boyd... similar to the first one.

Na it was ok I though breaker, thats even watching through maroon glasses



Oh JT you are class, opened up that defence, Boyd in for his second try and JT slots it, wonderful technique he has when kicking

12-4 HT
Uate getting drawn inside twice... what's going on? Panic stations now...

Had a moment of insanity this morning and ended up joining a gym, its only found the corner from me and they have a pool so alls good!!




Mother of God, Jennings in straight away for NSW, way to redeem yourself for being sun binned in the first half

To think he's been playing for the Windsor Wolves. NSW Premier Cup level.

Hoog wrote:Mother of God, Jennings in straight away for NSW, way to redeem yourself for being sun binned in the first half

He recovered quickly after the Heineken Final Oh well Gibbo will be happy

Kiwireddevil wrote:For those not on FB, you ought to e able to see this, pics from Saturday https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150975881848524.478638.586993523&type=3&l=6280807b86

Nice shots Kiwi, thank flip I managed to keep out of most of them.....

Great shots of the game...did you have to put up ones of the trophy ceramony though?

Penfro, next round's on me mate

Rodders - thank you, lovely to meet you and the NOT Mrs Rodders Don't buy me a feicin when I'm over though or I'll - thanks

Spoke to Rava last night and the HEC 2013 trip is getting sorted . Once the RABO fixtures are out, I'll get to organising my first trip to "Ravanhill"

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10807829 The Italians have proved that a man is more likely to die in bed with his mistress than with his wife

All right Rodders mate?

You are in some on the Faceache Dew Drop Inn group. Get in there my man, you are one of the Crew.

Yes Gibbo man Great weekend...apart from the result..cough cough ( ).... nice meeting you chaps!

Oh dear... you means there's more photos.... ......

Shtory boys? Found 2 great youtube channels for some old rugby games. https://www.youtube.com/user/EllliotJackRussel2/videos and https://www.youtube.com/user/SuperKakashiSenpai/videos


Both have last Saturday's too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tbI-u8MPms&feature=g-logo

So we all think Johnny's a dirty scut for kicking Mafi yes?

Darragh Hurley becomes the latest Munster player to retire

3 Props gone - John Hayes, Darragh Hurley, Peter Borlase
2 Hookers gone - Jerry Flannery, Denis Fogarty
1 Second Row gone - Mick O'Driscoll
2 Back Rows gone - David Wallace, Denis Leamy
1 Scrumhalf gone - Tomas O'Leary
1 Flyhalf gone - Declan Cusack
2 Centres gone - Lifeimi Mafi, Tom Gleeson

That is a serious amount of guys out the door. Next season will be interesting. I think Ulster could very well finish above us in the Pro 12 though I fancy us to "do an Edinburgh".

Nice shot of my back - probaby my better side

Stag – that’s a lot of players to lose. Of Wasps’ 2008 Premiership final squad 22 only Payne, Birkett and Waldouck are left; although Haskell and Palmer should be returning.

When you get a clear out like that, I really feel that the young Munster players coming in, and several that have been in and around the team for a couple of years, should be determined to forge their own identity and spirit as a team. They should certainly not look to be ‘the next ROG’ etc

My lot palpably failed to create their own identity after 2008. That group of players from 2003-2008 are almost not expected to be bettered.

Hound, I agree with you entirely.

We do have some very talented young players coming in. Simon Zebo, Mike Sherry, Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray, Keith Earls are all guys aged around 22-24 who are in our best XV and have been selected internationally. We have talent coming through (just won the British and Irish Cup) bu they will also need stability too.

As I said I really think that we "do an Edinburgh on it". Concentrate almost entirely on the Heineken Cup and use the Pro 12 to explore new styles of rugby and develop a new identity.

Us (and Leinster) owe all our success to the Leicester Tigers. (I'll do article on this soon). Its time to learn from the current best . . . .Leinster and out do them at their own game in time.

I think we will get back to the top but it will take time.

red_stag wrote:Hound, I agree with you entirely.

We do have some very talented young players coming in. Simon Zebo, Mike Sherry, Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray, Keith Earls are all guys aged around 22-24 who are in our best XV and have been selected internationally. We have talent coming through (just won the British and Irish Cup) bu they will also need stability too.

As I said I really think that we "do an Edinburgh on it". Concentrate almost entirely on the Heineken Cup and use the Pro 12 to explore new styles of rugby and develop a new identity.

Us (and Leinster) owe all our success to the Leicester Tigers. (I'll do article on this soon). Its time to learn from the current best . . . .Leinster and out do them at their own game in time.

I think we will get back to the top but it will take time.

This goy is loike... he's good at the aul WUMing though.

Munster followed the Tigers Way. Leinster have modelled themselves on Toulouse. Everyone knows that.

Not a chance Gibbo. Cullen and Jennings brought the winning attitude with them from Tigers.

Winning, cynical, same thing.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Winning, cynical, same thing.

Hmmm, with that cynical attitude you'll be winning loads

Just dropping in to let ye know I didn’t get the job. Not too disheartened though, the better man won and I got good feedback. Onwards and upwards!

Mickado wrote:Just dropping in to let ye know I didn’t get the job. Not too disheartened though, the better man won and I got good feedback. Onwards and upwards!

Ah Im still bummed for you pal

Stag,
Jennings & Cullens return helped, but our style of play, The Leinster Way - is modelled on Toulouse and the AB's. Tigers and Munster are very much the same beasts. Cut from the same cloth. We are the very antithesis of that.

Anyway pal, write that ariticle. I'll put my views (the Truth) on there.

Gibbo - you always had that style of play. You've been playing that way for years. Munster had that our way of playing before we looked at Tigers.

Thats not what Im talking about. Tigers represented a clinical, no holes barred, ultimately professional team. Munster strived to be like them (well documented especially after the 2002 HEC Final defeat).

But I think that Jennings and Cullen learned a lot about mental toughness in Tigers and brought in home with them. The team that beat Toulouse in 2006 wasnt as strong mentally as the one that won in 2009 and I think the mindset brought back from Tigers was a big factor.

Kiwi, all sides are cynical - all successful teams, anyway. It incenses me when sides kill the ball or take the penalty rather than run the risk of conceding a try - but funnily enough, I have no qualms when we do it.

Shame about the job Mick, but if you come up against a better candidate, what can you do?

Well you could start a smear campaign against him, get him fired and then take the job yourself, that's what you can do.

red_stag wrote:Not a chance Gibbo. Cullen and Jennings brought the winning attitude with them from Tigers.

I agree Stag. Cullen said the same thing in an interview over the weekend.

Gibbo –the comment wasn’t about the ‘style’ of rugby –all teams can l play ‘pretty, pretty’ if they want. And get mashed.

It was about the ‘winning attitude’ and toughness that Cullen brought back from Leicester. Tigers (and Munster) had it in spades; Leinster didn’t. It also took a certain Mr Elsom to further the lessons.



But you're there now.

Mickado wrote:Just dropping in to let ye know I didn’t get the job. Not too disheartened though, the better man won and I got good feedback. Onwards and upwards!

Thats exactly the right way to look at it Mick. Have to go for these things. Out of them, comes the experience for the next time. And... it will be marked down in your HR file, that you are up for it. Shows confidence in your abilities. All good bud.

Did ye get yer 3rd Yellow Star stitched on yet btw?

I was told I had the best interviewing skills but my lack of a career plan counted against me, which makes sense I had a formal career plan in place to get me to this level (which I only started 5 weeks ago) so the lack of anything on top of that stood against me. The lad who got the job has been at my grade for 2 years so his plan was to move up to the level that the job was for, can’t argue with any of that. Not my time. glad I went for it.

Haven’t got the 3rd star yet, I reckon at this rate we’ll be taking stars off, the Dubs have 22 all Irelands, no room for all those stars. Meath (7) still display theirs. Bless.

Show offs!

Hound_of_Harrow wrote:

red_stag wrote:Not a chance Gibbo. Cullen and Jennings brought the winning attitude with them from Tigers.

I agree Stag. Cullen said the same thing in an interview over the weekend.

Gibbo –the comment wasn’t about the ‘style’ of rugby –all teams can l play ‘pretty, pretty’ if they want. And get mashed.

It was about the ‘winning attitude’ and toughness that Cullen brought back from Leicester. Tigers (and Munster) had it in spades; Leinster didn’t. It also took a certain Mr Elsom to further the lessons.



But you're there now.

Our 1st win had major influences from Jennings & Cullen + Elsom. BUT, since then, this team has retained that hardness (started in the Quins Bloodgate game) and have since expanded our game to a level others cannot live with now. Two different teams imo. So this side owes nowt to Munster or Tigers from the mid to late 00's. They are HC lightweights now. They have not evolved. Thats what Im saying

Gibbo ah right. Gothca. We get it 3 trophies etc

Im just saying that Leinster looked at what the best teams were doing and evolved it. To do one over on them other teams will need to look at what Leinster are doing and better it.

Im not saying you owe anyone anything - just they were influences on your team.

And another prime factor in Leinster's 3 HC wins is, one man and one man only - Jonno Gibbes.

BTW Gibson. Dont let yourself become a bad winner. It happened to plenty of Munster fans (see DOD and Siné)

If this is anything to go by, your article and its comments will make for good reading, Stag!