h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

1. New Zealand, 2. South Africa, 3. England, 4. France, 5. Australia,
6. Wales, 7. Samoa, 8. Ireland, 9 Italy, 10 Fiji, 11 Canada, 12 Argentina

Don't know about NZ being number one - I hate to get my hopes up and have them dashed again like in South Africa (although part of me is glad South Africa won, because otherwise I think there would have been a riot and not even Jonah would have got out alive). Before we played the French I would have said no way (although I was going to place a bet anyway because the odds were so damn good). Now we've beaten South Africa and Australia, and I think we could have a much better chance, but I'm still very worried.


All the games we have won so far this season have been at home, and after last season I have serious worries about our ability to travel well. In particular we probably only won the Bledisloe test on Saturday because Matt Burke was having such a bad day - our midfield needs to be a lot better, both on attack and defence, as quickly as possible - really we never filled the hole left by Frank Bunce - Alama Ierimea (i sorry but I have horribly butchered his name) is just not up there.


Also I think for the Tri-Nations games the crowd has made quite a big difference. There has been a huge campaign here to get the whole country behind the All Blacks, and I was at the game on Saturday and the whole park was just a sea of black with little faces bobbing up and down on the surface. The support was just phenomenal. Everytime Jonah even looked at the terraces we all started clapping and yelling for him. Every All Black got clapped on and off the field. I have to say though that I draw the line at booing - there are only two things you boo at a rugby game 1) bad ref calls and 2) dirty play and fights. There was far too much booing of the opposition for my liking.

Good points Spanner Girl. Put Christian Cullen at centre and Lomu on the wing. I believe blind-side flanker, No 8 and hooker are other potential problem areas.

Was the beer cold at the test? Warm beer is another occassion for booing.

Cully could do a pretty good job at centre i think, but my guess is hart probably won't try that combination until he's feeling a bit more comfy about the tri-nations.


Re the beer, i'm afraid i didn't have any, and i didn't notice very many people drinking at all. Which I'm sure had nothing to do with the removal of the Steinlager logo from the jersey.

I believe tonight's game, 7/8/99, will be closer than most people are picking. Have had a bet NZ to win by less than 13 points.

You'll love this!!!

A Kiwi bloke is having a quiet drink in a bar, leans over to the big guy next to him and says:

"Do you wanna hear a Aussie joke?"

The big guy replies: "Well, mate, before you tell that joke, you should know something. I'm six feet tall, 105 kgs and I played rugby as a forward for the Wallabies. The guy sitting next to me is 6"2", weighs 115 kgs and he's an ex Wallabies lock. Next to him is a bloke who's 6"5", weighs 120kgs and he's a current Wallaby second rower. Now, do you still want to tell that Aussie joke?"

The Kiwi bloke says: "Nah, not if I'm going to have to explain it three times."

I don't think that with the advent of crash-up rugby that seems to have been played in the centers so far this season that CC could possibly cut it, quite appart from the fact that he's really at his best with a bit of open space, rather than in the thick of it. do you think that he would be able to survive playing a whole game getting slugged by Dan Herbert, Nathan Grey, Snyman or Muller?
Being an Australian I'm not foing to comment on the last 'Joke', but i can say that i think the last game in Sydney will be one of the biggest tests ever. it's likly to be the Trinations decider, Bledislowe decider, and be watched by the largest crowd ever for a rugby match (the stadium holds 110 thousand, and i think that many of the tickets have already been sold). Should be huge, but I can tell you, the Wallabies will be ready, and the blacks will rue the day they first stepped onto Stadium Australia.

oh, and by the way, who was it who happens to hold the B-cup at the moment? i seem to remember somthing else also, about a 'record loosing streak?

Welcome aboard Simon.

CC is, I believe, one of the most under-rated tacklers in world rugby. Playing at fullback he made many try-saving tackles.

The game at Homebush will be huge. I have friends going over for it. I attended the one in Melbourne in 1997. One of the 90,000 at the MCG. 6 days of beer and rugby, great stuff.

Yeah, they have both been huge at the G. did you notice how in 97 there were so many more blacks supporters than Australians (or at least were willing to wear their colours)? i felt quite embarresed by it all. Also, looks like the other nights game proved me wrong about CC's ability at outside... in that game there were 40 turnovers- about half to each side. if New Zeeland keep that up against busteling defence in the midfeild, i recon that Australia with a bit of composure would be able to take advantage... also, i don't know if either of you'd be able to help me- i am having a long standing argument with some stupid AFL idiots about the average intellect of players of each sport. i know that Taine has degree's in Law and Commerce, but do any of the other Blacks also hold qualifications? cheers.

Here we go (thanks to the Wheeled Warrior for his help):
Olo Brown - Accountant
Jeff Wilson - Teacher (and all round god)
Eric Rush - lawyer
Dallas Seymour - lawyer
Sean Fitzpatrick - Coke rep
David Kirk - Rhodes scholar
Jonah Lomu - millionaire
Jeremy Stanley (son of Smoking Joe) - nearly a doctor
Anton Oliver - just graduated (don't know what with)
John Kirwan - butcher and now a media consultant

that's all we can think of right now
- although apparently the Warriors are refusing to sign any young kids without university entrance qualifications from next season.

Norm Hewit - drunken thud
Lord Christian Cullen - The All Blacks call him Shoulders - nothing up top

Thanks a lot for the handy info. i am still getting over the fact that any tool would try to argue that AFL players were better educated or smarter that the rugby gods. does anyone know if gibson was perminantly injured the other day, and if so, who will replace him? (sorry but the aussi newspapers, especially here in tasmania are pretty light on details) thanks.

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/index.html

Is a great dedicated rugby site. It is maintained by the NZ Herald, Sydney Morning Herald and a SA paper whose name eludes me at the moment.

In a recent survey in America of bright professional sports people, football players (Gridiron) were found to have, on average, the highest IQs. The golfers came last!

Gibson (and Mika) will be back for the big showdown at Homebush

I can't believe that Australia lost to those pansy boy south africans. I think that I'm finished with rugby.

I wouldn't read too much into it. Up until the neutral refs of recent years very few teams from Aus/NZ ever won in SA.

The real game is coming up at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney.

The result of which was Australia 28 New Zealand 7

Bugger

I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.
I am not going to gloat.

But of course NZ won the Tri-Nations trophy

NZ 12
Aus 10
SA 4

You cannot seroiusly tell me that you'd rather have the Tri-Nations trophy than the Bledislowe (its a damn sight bigger for one thing.) I think you know how it stands kiwi.