Its this kind of honest stream of conciousness we have come to love from you Kev.
I can see that being observed with due respect in Australia alright.
the two GAA lads looks small beside this oaf…
[FONT=verdana]With Tony Pulis (Wales) now looking for a new challenge having come to the end of his very successful tenure at Stoke City, I think he’d make an tremendous, if unconventional addition to the coaching ticket. Pulis is a natural fit for these Welsh-dominated British Loins. He exudes a steely toughness (literally forged in the steel town of Newport) while also being the very definition of the John Bull spirit Warren Gatland will be hoping to engender in the squad. Tough and uncompromising, he is unapologetically British in his outlook about how sport should be played and indeed his favoured playing style in association football borrows a huge amount from rugby football. The exchange of coaching expertise between rugby football and association football is not a new thing - 2005 Loins coach and World Cup winner Sir Clive Woodward made the move in the opposite direction with huge success. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana]The only possible downside I can see to Tony’s appointment is that he is, unfortunately, a member of the Romish Church. [/FONT]
A pride of Lions feeding on a Bear earlier in Dublin as I passed Mr Heaslips restaurant. I’m sure Jamie took good care of the goys.
[SIZE=14px][FONT=arial]Australia’s coach Robbie Deans has left the door open for the likes of Quade Cooper to make the final squad to face the British & Irish Lionsafter the Reds playmaker failed to make the initial 25-man group.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=14px][FONT=arial] [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=14px][FONT=arial]Deans included three uncapped players in his squad, with the former rugby league international Israel Folau capping a remarkable rise after just 12 Super 15 appearances for the Waratahs since switching from Australian rules football at the start of the season. The Brumbies captain Ben Mowen and the inside centre Christian Lealiifano were the other new faces in the group.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=14px][FONT=arial] [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=14px][FONT=arial]“Today is not the end of it for players who haven’t been named,” said Deans. “There are six more places to be filled in the squad while every Super Rugby player in Australia will have the opportunity to play international rugby against the Lions during the tour matches, as will the country representative players. It’s an exciting time.”[/FONT][/SIZE]
Deans said the selection was based on both current Super Rugby form and previous Test background, adding that preparation time for the squad was important. He said: “That time will be critical. You only have to look back to the experience in 2001, where Australia lost the first Test, to see the consequence of a compromised preparation. We have our own more recent experience of something similar. Rod Macqueen [the 2001 Wallabies coach] has since made it clear that despite the build-up they had, which included a warm-up game; they were caught short in that opening game. We have to make the most of the limited preparation time we have in place in order to avoid a similar result.”
The experienced Brumbies flanker George Smith (knee) and the Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau (fractured arm) have both been overlooked, opening the door for the Reds duo Liam Gill and Saia Fainga’a.
The Australian Rugby Union was prepared to bend the rules for Smith, who is on loan from the Japanese club Suntory, to allow the 110-Test veteran to play in his second series against the Lions. But a suspected medial ligament injury threatens to rule him out of the three-Test series. There was also no room for the former John Eales medallist Kurtley Beale or the inside centre Pat McCabe (knee injury), with the Waratahs midfielder Rob Horne getting the nod in a selection surprise.
The Waratahs playmaker Berrick Barnes made the cut after two impressive performances off the bench upon return from injury, while the winger Nick Cummins was the only Western Force player included. But Cooper’s non-selection will be the major talking point in the coming days.
The Rebels utility James O’Connor is considered the man most likely to wear the No10 shirt in the first Test in Brisbane on 22 June, while Barnes and Lealiifano are also options. However, Cooper can still play his way into the Wallabies squad, with a further six players to be added on 11 June.
The 38-Test fly-half still has two Super 15 games and the Reds v Lions midweek fixture to impress selectors before the final 31 are chosen. Beale could also be a late inclusion despite checking himself into a rehab clinic to deal with alcohol-related issues on Monday.
The top 25 players will play two more rounds of Super 15 before assembling in camp in Sydney on 2 June to begin preparations for the series opener.
Preliminary Australia 25-man squad: Ben Alexander, Berrick Barnes, Nick Cummins, Dave Dennis, Saia Fainga’a, Israel Folau, Will Genia, Liam Gill, Scott Higginbotham, Michael Hooper, Rob Horne, James Horwill, Digby Ioane, Sekope Kepu, Christian Lealiifano, Stephen Moore, Ben Mowen, James O’Connor, Wycliff Palu, Benn Robinson, Rob Simmons, James Slipper, Sitaleki Timani, Joe Tomane.
israel who I believe has only played 1 game of union to date is in the squad:D
stop banging on about Israel Folau you dickhead- it wasnt funny the first time
No worries FR mate
Have you lost Beans password?
Remember the good Superman v bad Superman fight in Superman 3.
This is somewhat similar. Good Superman (cellic, roma, many other soccerball team loving) TASE v Bad Superman (Sheepskin wearing, Malahideshire denizen, rugger bugger Austrian) FR
Replace the word Superman with the word cuntsleeve and there you have it.
[quote=“Piles Hussain, post: 775332, member: 363”]Remember the good Superman v bad Superman fight in Superman 3.
This is somewhat similar. Good Superman (cellic, roma, many other soccerball team loving) TASE v Bad Superman (Sheepskin wearing, Malahideshire denizen, rugger bugger Austrian) FR
Replace the word Superman with the word cuntsleeve and there you have it.[/quote]
Tase will have to retire from the internet after that slip. Not a shred of credibility left.
Eh, it’s as Piles explained. Good TASE v Bad FR.
[quote=“Piles Hussain, post: 775332, member: 363”]Remember the good Superman v bad Superman fight in Superman 3.
This is somewhat similar. Good Superman (cellic, roma, many other soccerball team loving) TASE v Bad Superman (Sheepskin wearing, Malahideshire denizen, rugger bugger Austrian) FR
Replace the word Superman with the word cuntsleeve and there you have it.[/quote]
Cuntsleeve. You’re a fountain of beautiful words Piles.
Getting their PUMP on.
So tell us whats the third sign of madness.
Hmmmm
Serious PUMP.