So, instead of rugby this blog will know turn its attention to… cricket! Nah, not really, though I have watched some of our winning ways. Who knew that failed[1] furrin[2] crickteers could play so well? Or, if I’m being honest, who really cared. Still, now that they are out there winning, and fans are singing olé olé olé[3] the rest of us will be happy to see them do well.
In case you all didn’t know, the Six Nations finished up on Saturday. We were playing first, on account of the BBC organising things. Bloody English! And the match was one of the most entertaining, plus we scored over 50 points. All good. You know, apart from that last minute try from Italy after we really should have put the ball out of play, but no point in moaning. As the brother said, sure, no matter what we scored those french fuckers’d[4] probably go one better. But we had such high hopes [5] as it looked like Scotland might just do enough. But no, bloody crappy refs asking stoooopud questions when everyone and their dog could see that there was no grounding visible, therefore the benefit of the doubt must go to the defending team, and therefore you may NOT award the try should have been Mr. TMO’s call.
But, what can you do? Pray for payback come the Autumn, that’s what. So you’d better watch out then.
I would have loads and loads of photos of the terribly exciting and thrilling St. Patrick’s Day Parade from Sligo, only as the brother was invest-igamating the new camera he hit the delete all button. I saved some, but not all. Mainly the attention grabbing parade consisted of bands. Marching pipe bands. In rain gear.
You know, I'm really sad I won't be around for the World Cup. So sad, in fact, that I may have to turn the job offer down.
Nah, not really.
And tell your brother that he can be grateful I wasn't around. Although I did think of you when we scored that very last one. To think the video guy was Irish…
From Ulster Anne, from Ulster, let the conspiracy theories begin ;) But it was all down to the question asked by the ref supposedly. The TMO can only answer the question. We all missed the question being asked, either because George "over-excited and know nothing" Hamilton was screeching, or because the footage got cut off for a few seconds.
Actually I was thinking at the time, after the Jonny Wilkinson try controversy against Scotland, that the ref got the question right this time. (In case you didn't know, on that occasion he asked if Wilkinson had hit the corner post before grounding the ball, which he hadn't, and the TMO wasn't allowed to tell him that he had put his foot on the ground.) In this case you could clearly hear the ref's question and it was "Can you see any reason why I cannot award the try?" The ref himself had already stated that he had seen the grounding, but he must have been very aware of how important it was and wanted to be doubly certain.
Alan we didn't hear the refs question you see, as we had the terrible George Hamilton doing the commentary. He is bad enough at soccer, but he doesn't understand rugby and never knows what is going on, and was busy screaming nonsense when we should have been listening to the ref.
I still don't see how the ref saw anything though, you know, sour grapes and all ;)
Pity the TMOs eh, they get some abuse when it is all the ref's fault.