I need a hug,

I would give you a virtual hug.....but I have no emoticon for hug.

What's up mate?

He popped in a few months back for a quick hello and hasn't been seen since. That said, why do you need a hug mate?

He popped in a few months back for a quick hello and hasn't been seen since. That said, why do you need a hug mate?

Didn't Moss say he'd been made redundant? What a silly word. How can someone become redundant?

Judging by the post's coincidence with VD (!)... ahhhh ValDay, I'd say that the problems are closer to home than the workplace. ('Course, then again, he may just be p!shed.) Cheer up Moss, time heals many wounds...

I thought you would all know me better by now, however nothing to do with VD, nor with being made redundant, although it may have had something to do with the gargle.

I generally post something similar around this time of year, excepting last year when we did the slam, but the OP was regarding getting stuffed by the French in the Six Nations and Farangsay and I would always support each other, because it was always a trying time.

By the way and surprising how it might appear considering the economy and the specialist nature of my job, I walked straight into another position, I am still wondering if this is a good thing or not, as we were intending to move to Thailand, but it was a little too soon, so I guess it is a good thing.

The best Cafe/Bar in Rayong and the the finest kindergarten, not necessarily the same thing, in the province will just have to wait a little longer

Thanks for your thoughts

Moss

All this, just because Le Coq Sportif trampled Paddy's Pig in the mud?

Feel sorrow for the English, who scraped an embarrassing win over the Oz/Kiwi-speaking Eyeties.

But then England only had Payne and Simon Shaw in there from Wasps, so how can they expect to win?

OK, in my day, if you were English you played in Britain, if you were French you played in France - very few Southern hemisphere imports in their off-season. So the selectors didn't need to travel and had a larger pool to pick from. But still no excuse for choosing second-raters when you have the great and glorious Wasps players waiting for a chance to thump the furriners.

Super 14 has started again.

Carlos Spencer has been recruited to S Africa.

He has signed to play for the Lions Super 14 Team in South Africa in 2010 and 2011.

Great player, started in 1st S 14 game waaaay back, he makes games more interesting.

AFL also under way. Although the Brisbane Lions / Western Bulldogs was more like water polo.

Super 14 is definitely a cut above the Six Nations (even though I'm a Brit).

So my weekends are now back to normal - no need to go out shopping with the g/f any more - just make sure there's a few cold ones in the fridge and I'm happy.

AFL also under way. Although the Brisbane Lions / Western Bulldogs was more like water polo.

Super 14 is definitely a cut above the Six Nations (even though I'm a Brit).

So my weekends are now back to normal - no need to go out shopping with the g/f any more - just make sure there's a few cold ones in the fridge and I'm happy.

Port hammered the Crows.

Crow Boy hasn't posted lately.

It's that new strip that Port had on.

Vis a vis the ribbips - some years you eat the bear...........

Allez les verts

Welcome back farangsay, hope we see more of you on-line soon.

Vis a vis the ribbips - some years you eat the bear...........

Allez les verts

Yo my old friend, how you do'in, cutting fair and well I hope?

Got the Lilly(livered)whites this w/e

Vis a vis the ribbips - some years you eat the bear...........

Allez les verts

Yo my old friend, how you do'in, cutting fair and well I hope?

Got the Lilly(livered)whites this w/e

Roses are definitely superior to shamrocks.

Smell better, too

Crow Boy hasn't posted lately.

It's that new strip that Port had on.

Only the NAB cup so don't care except that it means the footy is back Yay.

That strip is what the powerless players are now having to do to keep their clubs afloat in the SANFL and AFL They can't even get bar jobs now that they lost their pub

CB

Vis a vis the ribbips - some years you eat the bear...........

Allez les verts

Yo my old friend, how you do'in, cutting fair and well I hope?

Got the Lilly(livered)whites this w/e

Roses are definitely superior to shamrocks.

Smell better, too

Be careful

Vis a vis the ribbips - some years you eat the bear...........

Allez les verts

Yo my old friend, how you do'in, cutting fair and well I hope?

Got the Lilly(livered)whites this w/e

Roses are definitely superior to shamrocks.

Smell better, too

Be careful

Be very careful ...

Extra careful

99-1

Can you guess the significance?

I have a crush on Ronan

I have a crush on Ronan

Ronan O' Rahilly ?? Used to run Radio Caroline? Also The Scene in the West End of London?

He's got to be older than me - and that is O-L-D

Or Ronan O'Gara?

Feel better now, Moss?

England 16 Ireland 20: match report

Read a full match report of the Six Nations game between England and Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday Feb 27, 2010.

By Paul Ackford at Twickenham

Published: 1:00PM GMT 28 Feb 2010

This was the day England ground to a halt. That might seem harsh given the way they battled against a fully committed Ireland, but the truth is that once again England had difficulty scoring tries, once again their back three failed to offer much of a threat and once again England were beaten by a more intelligent rugby team.

England manager Martin Johnson can no longer duck these issues. England, for all their self-evident pride and fighting spirit, do not have the wherewithal to challenge defences ball in hand. It was only when Ben Foden came on to replace Delon Armitage that England really threatened. Until that point they relied on a prodigious effort by their front five forwards who had Ireland by the short and curlies, and the force, now becoming almost human in his old age, that is Jonny Wilkinson.

Brian O'Driscoll the weak link in Ireland's new defensive system It was Wilkinson who banged over a drop goal with 10 minutes remaining which gave England a 3-point lead at 16-13, an advantage England looked like hanging onto for an unlikely victory. But it was also Wilkinson whom Tommy Bowe ran past for Ireland’s killer try. That was the difference between the two sides. England had loads of possession and acres of territory yet managed only a single try. Ireland, surviving on scraps, scored three. With Scotland and France to come on the road, England’s Six Nations is teetering on the edge of a calamitous collapse.

None of this should take anything away from Ireland. Battered by France a fortnight ago, they did extraordinarily well to come to Twickenham and scavenge a result. They shrugged off the loss of Brian O’Driscoll around the hour who was replaced when he was felled by Paul O‘Connell’s knee, and they turned round a three-point deficit going into the final 10 minutes. That is the mark of an experienced side, a side with character and a side that believes in itself.

Jamie Heaslip had a wonderful game, given the pressure that his front five were under in the scrummage and in the contact situations. He, O’Connell and Stephen Ferris were the reasons why Ireland stayed afloat for so long. Elsewhere it was not so pretty. John Hayes, on the occasion of his 100th cap, had one of his less impressive matches, and Ireland, apart from a lineout which flared brightly, were badly beaten up front.

Why England failed to take advantage of their superiority here will no doubt occupy the minds of the coaches during the next two weeks. England’s discipline was poor. Dylan Hartley and Nick Easter were both guilty of giving away idiotic penalties and there was a tough call on Danny Care, when he pushed over Tomas O’Leary trying to grab the ball to take a quick penalty, which eventually led to a try by Keith Earls and a welcome buffer for Ireland at a time when they were on the back foot.

Yet it would be a mistake to focus too much on those issues. England’s weakness is their apparent inability to wrong foot defences. If the big boys come up short there is nothing left in the locker. Wilkinson and Riki Flutey started brightly yesterday. Indeed, Wilkinson had one of his more productive afternoons in attack. It’s just that there is nothing coherent on offer in terms of teamwork, nothing integrated.

Stung perhaps by the trenchant criticism following the bore fest against Italy, England went wide from the start and there seemed to be a concerted effort from ball carriers to step off line before off-loading. But it wasn’t long before Ireland adjusted their defensive patterns to a looser, more liberated England.

Hartley had difficulty finding his jumpers, losing three lineouts in quick succession, and Ireland gained a toe hold in the contest. More than a toehold actually, because the breakthrough England had difficulty manufacturing Ireland managed with ease when Tommy Bowe scored after a delightful prod through by Jonathan Sexton.

That first try added to the impression, confirmed later in the game, that Ireland were more comfortable mixing up their plays. There was more variety from them, more understanding of space. Keith Earls nearly unstitched England when he danced past Steve Borthwick before handing over to Heaslip, and there were some sublime interventions from Geordan Murphy who makes catching and running back high balls seem child’s play.

Stunned by Bowe’s first try, England did well to end the first half just two points behind at 6-8, but they were stung again when Earls finally crossed after Sexton had freed him with another well-timed pass. That try came after referee Mark Lawrence, a hugely positive influence throughout, reversed a penalty after Care had manhandled O’Leary who refused to give up the ball.

Johnson said afterwards that is was a harsh call but it will not have escaped his notice that it was Care, a year ago, who was sin binned at Croke Park after he pushed Marcus Horan over at a ruck. The latest incident was not nearly as brainless but on such moments do matches turn, and Care, who actually played very well, needs to improve his discipline.

Even then England rallied when Dan Cole squirmed over for a try and Wilkinson added a conversion followed by a smartly taken drop goal. That should have been enough for England. At Twickenham, leading into the last 10 minutes, and with a considerable advantage up front, England should have brought home the bacon.

Instead, Bowe picked a sublime run off a peerless lineout catch by O’Connell and blew England’s Grand Slam dreams to bits. There is no Triple Crown for them either after this defeat, and it will be very interesting to see where they go from here. The jury is very definitely still out.

Strikes me that I should come out of retirement.

England should no longer ignore Wasps when selecting their team. See what happens when you give the selection process to ex-Northampton people?

Ronan O' Rahilly ?? Used to run Radio Caroline? Also The Scene in the West End of London?

He's got to be older than me - and that is O-L-D

Or Ronan O'Gara?

Ronan Keating, surely.