Rugby – Page 3 – Slugger O'Toole

RWC: Semi Final Day…Make History Wales…please!!

Dewi on October 14, 2011, 12:13 pm

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2 Fairly big games this weekend in Auckland. On Sunday New Zealand face Australia. Is McCaw fit? Will the all Blacks risk Cruden or play Weepu first five eighth? (Where on earth does “first five eighth” come from?) Here’s the NZ Herald – Graham Henry will be trying to stay awake…it’s a 9pm start in New Zealand – which is a bit different for the players. In Australia they are working on those Sonny Bill Williams voodoo dolls…might be working – …

POTD – Maybe in 12 years?

Moochin Photoman on October 10, 2011, 2:35 pm

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Cooke rugby club Sat morning Moochin PhotomanPhotographer and visual artist based in Belfast. I have facilitated community based workshops with groups as diverse as visually impaired individuals in Dungannn, Travellers across Northern Ireland, Young Offenders and many community groups across Belfast. My work has exhibited extensively here in Northern Ireland in group and individual shows and has been shown in North America and i had my first solo international exhibition in New Zealand. I have been the recipient of a …

RWC: Wales goes bonkers…

Dewi on October 9, 2011, 9:08 pm

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Or as the Independent on Sunday puts it : Rydyn ni gyd yn Gymry nawr… There are three sheep for every human, and in winter it’s the wettest place in Britain. But today Wales, the most maligned member of the union, can hold its head up as the mightiest after becoming the only British country to secure a place in the semi-finals of the rugby World Cup. Wales Online captures the mood. DOES it get any better than this? Well, …

RWC – Kevin McLaughlin exclusive for Slugger.

Dewi on October 8, 2011, 10:34 am

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Many thanks to the good people at Gainline.ie – which is a wonderful mix of financial spread betting and Rugby, for a world exclusive opportunity for the observations of Kevin McLaughlin on the Rugby World Cup. Here’s the press release on the launch of the blog. We asked 5 questions: 1. The wonderful win against Australia was widely ascribed to that “Irish Passion” thing. I disagree– it was clinical and professional. Indeed is the reduction in“passion” a key element in Ireland’s recent …

RWC – Here we go…..

Dewi on October 8, 2011, 5:28 am

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Ok – I hope everyone’s awake for the biggest game in Irish and Welsh rugby history! Enjoy…. DewiWelsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…

Here’s to a united Ireland on the morrow (though not necessarily the day after)…

Mick Fealty on October 8, 2011, 1:18 am

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There’s something deeply gratifying about the way Ireland coach Declan Kidney has melded an unexpectedly powerful sporting force from three of Ireland’s historic provinces. There’s always one missing! We may have Eddie O’Sullivan to thank for drawing the provincial successes of Munster and Leinster upwards into the Ireland squad, but tomorrow’s team performance will (win or lose) be wrought from more than a touch of Ulster genius from Best, Ferris, Bowe and Trimble. International Rugby is one of the few …

RWC – Wales v Ireland – views from the Press.

Dewi on October 7, 2011, 2:36 pm

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Guess which Newspaper front page headline is “Two nations…one mission….COME ON WALES!” It promises to be tense, tight, titanic. So when the alarm goes off tomorrow morning, don’t switch it off and roll over. Even from 12,000 miles away, your country needs you. Because, make no mistake, there’s a piece of rugby history to be made. Two nations, one mission… come on Wales. And from the Irish Times – “One more box to tick” Yet in the crunch games against …

RWC – The teams for Saturday:

Dewi on October 6, 2011, 11:34 am

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Wales 15 Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues) 14 George North (Scarlets) 13 Jonathan Davies (Scarlets) 12 Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues) 11 Shane Williams (Ospreys) 10 Rhys Priestland (Scarlets) 9 Mike Phillips (Bayonne) 6 Dan Lydiate (Dragons) 8 Toby Faletau (Dragons) 7 Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt) 5 Luke Charteris (Dragons) 4 Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), 1 Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues) 2 Huw Bennett (Ospreys) 3 Adam Jones (Ospreys) Replacements: Lloyd Burns (Dragons), Paul James (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), James Hook (Perpignan), Scott …

RWC – now it get’s a little bit exciting….

Dewi on October 3, 2011, 9:14 pm

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First on Carter: Eddie Butler in the Guardian: For all the encouraging noises that the wounded player and the team that he leaves behind were obliged to make, there was no hiding a sense of foreboding at his farewell session. All those present knew what three sets of World Cup opponents know, that the All Blacks without Carter are not the same. When he went down, New Zealand went down and not many on this bleak day felt like bouncing …

IRFU urged to play RoI National Anthem at Rugby World Cup

Turgon on September 3, 2011, 10:34 am

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Independent Dublin City Councillor Neil Ring is apparently to table a motion calling on the IRFU to play the RoI National Anthem at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. At away matches only Ireland’s Call is played (and infamously the IRFU decreed that when Ireland played at Ravenhill it was an away fixture). Mr. Ring is confident of getting his motion passed: anticipating the support of FF, SF and independent councillors. According to Mr. Ring: “I would be very …

Six Nations 2011 – Final Weekend

Dewi on March 18, 2011, 6:19 am

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OK – Wales are 42 points behind England on goal difference with one game to go. So we need you to win by 41 and beat France in Paris to win the Championship. Stranger things have happened. But. Not. Often. So…Trimble and Sexton back. Zulus? Rorke’s Drift? – what’s Liam Toland on about? Come on Ireland, fix bayonets . . . “At one hundred yards! Volley fire, present! Aim! Fire!” Gatland loves George North (in for Shane). On the video: …

Six Nations 2011 – weekend 4….

Dewi on March 12, 2011, 4:16 am

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OK, it’s the big one and we have home advantage. Ireland, Just, Maybe.from the Irish Times. Gwyn thinks we’ll do it.From the Western Mail. Hooky pretty damn cool…from the BBC. At least Gatland isn’t making mischief – Nullify the ball carriers. Oh, and btw Bangladesh have beaten England. Laughed Out Loud! Update from the The Independent: Barry John could spot a gap the size of a mouse hole. So when he was sitting outside the Old Arcade pub in Cardiff’s …

Six nations 2011 -weekend 3

Dewi on February 25, 2011, 7:06 pm

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So it’s: Italy v Wales and England v France tomorrow and Scotland v Ireland on Sunday. bbc has piles of stuff. Ireland hoping for space. Fragile France.Hmmm…we’ll see… Hooky at centre… For what it’s worth I can’t see France conceding 3 tries against England… DewiWelsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…

Six Nations 2011 – Week 2.

Dewi on February 12, 2011, 11:03 am

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OK, we have: England v Italy and Scotland v Wales today. Tomorrow Ireland host France. Plenty on the BBC. The Guardian makes Scotland favourites. Murrayfield is not a nice place when confidence is low….some of us have nightmares about 1951 (from British Pathe – a nice site..). …7 joint leaders of our prediction contest btw. As to Ireland..it’s a moment of truth according to the Irish Times. Enjoy. DewiWelsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…

Six Nations Preview

Dewi on February 1, 2011, 7:45 am

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Guscott (booh) and Jonathan pontificate on the BBC. Eddie’s watching Ireland and England in the Guardian. Me, i just read the 14 pages of rugby in the Western Mail every day..rugby nation indeed (it’s as hard to keep up with as slugger…) What’s the tele saying? Ireland not in decline.. hmmm we’ll see. Anyway more predictions please. If France hadn’t got stuffed by Australia then it would be all over by now……but Scotland beat Argentina away in the summer…Wales are …

Six Nations Prediction Contest 2011

Dewi on January 30, 2011, 10:30 am

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I’ll get on to a preview later but this seemed to work quite well last year so let’s have another go. 1 point for a correct home win, 3 points for a correct away win, 7 points for a correct draw. Tie break is the total points scored in championship. Fixtures are: 1. Wales v England 2. France v Scotland 3. Italy v Ireland 4. England v Italy 5. Scotland v Wales 6. Ireland v France 7. England v France …

S4C – The only place to watch the Rugby

Dewi on November 29, 2010, 11:57 pm

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Astonishing – Murray v Nadal? THE BBC was forced to apologise yesterday after it was heavily criticised for not showing the opening seven minutes of Saturday’s match between Wales and the All Blacks. The broadcaster’s decision to stick with Andy Murray’s tennis match against Rafael Nadal on BBC2 meant many fans did not get to see Stephen Jones’ kick which took Wales into the lead in the first minute. The decision was condemned by politicians and Wales-based BBC staff are …

The All Blacks can’t play in the snow..

Dewi on November 26, 2010, 11:58 pm

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I hope… The New Zealand Herald think it’s a done deal… Graham Henry wants to smash Wales -that’s not nice.. Stringer is back – Argentina ain’t a rollover… DewiWelsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…

Autumn Internationals

Dewi on November 6, 2010, 5:33 am

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Has anyone else a bad feeling about these?

Here’s the fixtures:

Welsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…

Welsh Language in the Heartland

Dewi on October 7, 2010, 4:14 pm

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There is increasing evidence of the decline of the Welsh language as a lingua franca of areas traditionally thought of as Welsh speaking, coupled with a marked increase in the use of the language in more Anglicised areas. It’s a fairly easy phenomena to understand – as the % speakers fall below 75 to 70% it is normal for the languages of institutions such as the WI, Cricket Clubs, Young Farmers etc etc to change their primary language.

Welsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…