The Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Pub

First topic message reminder :

Welcome to the virtual rugby pub - a place where you can come in for a sly beverage and discuss whatever's on your mind, or just eavesdrop on the regulars if you fancy a break from all the rugby chat.

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no defacing the collage of pub regulars. We've got the big group pic from the HEC final in Cardiff, plus insets of ll those who couldn't make it

So pull up a chair....what'll it be?



Hen dafarn/Old pub: https://www.606v2.com/t15642p1000-the-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub#576037

Morning LB, or evening

Kenny only got sandwiches for his tea last night didn't he? Poor thing, hope they discharge him soon.

My boss has just sent her sick note in, she was due to have 2-4 weeks off after having an operation on a couple of her toes, turns out she'll actually be off for 6 weeks!

Now I know I should feel really bad for her having to have an op and everything, but guiltily I'm feeling rather relieved. Even though we're going to be short staffed, at least it'll mean 6 weeks working in a happy environment for a change!

Dreamer, you should buy her a 'get well soon' card, cross that out and write 'take your time!'

ha, don't tempt me Lucky!


and I don't know what to do about the Heineken weekend on the 10th and 11th of December. I know I am deffo going to the Scarlets one, and was thinking of getting the train up to the Bath v Leinster one, I just don't know if I'm going to be able to managed the Dragons one too. I am rubbish at planning so far in advance

luckless_pedestrian wrote:Bore da pawb / good morning all. So Priestland's out and Hook's in. That worries me slightly, but his goalkicking could be crucial on Saturday.

Glas a du wrote:Dreamer:

CPT,BDG.

Glas, you'll have to explain that to me too - if it wasn't for the P and the T it could be a chord progression!

They are the consonants that mutate.

Car - yr hen gar
Pethau - yr hen bethau
Tafarn - yr hen dafarn
etc.

in the case of 'hen' a soft mutation.

Hooray! I won't be Cari-No-Mates on Saturday. My pal's decided to come into town I just hope it's a good match now, she doesn't normally go out anywhere to watch rugby as she's not into it that much.

Morning gang

Real shame for Rhys Priestland to miss out on this one. How big a blow to Wales do people see him not being there being?

For me it is pretty huge. James Hook is a quality player but Priestland has really come of age and has been a key cog in the machine. Ithink this game will be very very close indeed.

Yes but why the word hen? what rule applies to that word to make the words after mutate Glas?

Pete - it'll depend entirely on if Hook can bring Roberts, Davies etc into the game like Rhys has been able to. In the past neither Hook or Stevo have been very good at this. It could turn out to be a huge loss, but then we've got to hope our forwards and scrum half have improved since the last time Hook played with them at 10, so he'll have a better platform

Pete, my real concern with Hook at ten is that he might go into the game wanting to be the hero of the hour, when what we need him to do is to do the basics of distribution, kicking and decision-making well - in short, to play as Priestland has been playing. If he does his usual of holding on to the ball too long in the hope a gap's going to appear before he passes to Roberts, the French defensive line will be up and Roberts (or whoever) will be in trouble. Hook's capable of brilliance from broken play and his goal kicking is usually excellent, but we need a steady hand on the tiller for this one. I hope he's been made aware of that.

rugbydreamer wrote:Yes but why the word hen? what rule applies to that word to make the words after mutate Glas?

Flip if I know. Its the sound they make. To my ear hen tafarn just sounds wrong. It helps if you're first language, but the best way to learn is to read Welsh consciously or out loud to yourself.

Oh, and don't listen to Gwyn "cham threiglo" Jones talk, he'll only confuse you.

Morning all, does anyone know if hughie's still coming up then?! Can't wait for this weekend: been way too busy this week. I'm fairly ok with Hook coming in, just needs to bring the backline in and remember he has to pass as a 10.

Glas a du wrote:

rugbydreamer wrote:Yes but why the word hen? what rule applies to that word to make the words after mutate Glas?

Flip if I know. Its the sound they make. To my ear hen tafarn just sounds wrong. It helps if you're first language, but the best way to learn is to read Welsh consciously or out loud to yourself.

Oh, and don't listen to Gwyn "cham threiglo" Jones talk, he'll only confuse you.

Aye hen tafarn didn't sound right to me either which is why I asked if it should be changed to dafarn. Tis just doing this high level Welsh course they're really going over the grammer and I haven't got a clue as to the rules, I've always just gone by how it sounds as well!

Prop - spoke to him a bit yesterday and he's still not sure, says he'll let me know via facebook when he knows for definite if he can make it or not.

prop_lyd wrote:Morning all, does anyone know if hughie's still coming up then?! Can't wait for this weekend: been way too busy this week. I'm fairly ok with Hook coming in, just needs to bring the backline in and remember he has to pass as a 10.

Prop, I think you need to send him a message on FB. He said something earlier in the week about having trouble with his phone.

Ok cheers guys, I'll message him later!!

Prop - scrap that...see above replies (which you already have)

I don't mind Hook being at ten. I just hope we don't give away too many penalties because France have two great goal kickers. And they like their drop goals...that's another thing to watch out for.

I'm not a fan of Hook, but his selection says "We are going for it"

Well, they didn't really have much choice - it's him or SJ. As much as many would've liked to see Priestland there, he's just not going to be fit enough. I'd rather see him recover fully than be rushed into this match. Hook/Jones aren't bad anyway.

Cari wrote:Hook/Jones aren't bad anyway.

Exactly right. At least we've had an injury in a position where we have proven international cover.

Glas a du wrote:I'm not a fan of Hook, but his selection says "We are going for it"

I would agree there. Jones would have been a very conservative selection. I personally think Hook will do well. It's not as though he has been disasterous in the past. Also think his big match experience will be a factor.

Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

I think Hook is a good call. I expect him to be very fired up having sat out the quarter finals and I think he is more of a threat to the French than Priestland who may have lost element of surprise.

Right. To reflect the random nature of French play at international level I am going to bow out at three thousand five hundred at eighty two posts until Saturday morning.

Bon Chance Les Rouges. Allez!

Anybody read this book ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-14463137

Yea right theres nothing random about the number 3582.

3582 Cyrano is a smal main belt asteroid. It was discovered by in 1986 and named after Cyrano de Bergerac, the seventeenth century French dramatist and duellist.

Random Indeed!!

Bon Chance, Glas. Allez les Rouge

I know nobody cares about Munster but:

https://www.606v2.com/t16045-will-chambers-arrives-at-munster#577855

"See" you soon Glas.

Afternoon all.

Poopie – Wasps’ Low Value cup game against y Dreigiau at Adams Park on Saturday week is a 19:45 k.o. That’s a no go then, as I would be travelling back through Harrow town centre at pub chucking out time.

Not good

Awh that's a shame Off to the pub to watch it then?

Hound, I've just looked and there won't be a return fixture, which is daft - but then again, if you don't fancy walking through Harrow town centre at chucking-out time, the prospect of walking through Newport is unlikely to appeal...!

It's Mrs R's birthday tomorrow. Any suggestions as to what I should get her? Or should I put a fiver in her card?

What about a day at a nice spa or something like that?

Don't put a fiver in get five scratch cards plus a 1p coin.

cari/lucky – on the way back it would mean getting a bus from Northolt Park station through South Harrow (a den of iniquity) with all the ‘herberts’ heading for the nightlife of Harrow, such as it is.

Then I disembark in Wealdstone (a.k.a. Wealdistan) to run the gauntlet of gang kids and muggers that lurk around the High Street. Several of my Irish pals have had friends mugged and hospitalised in recent weeks as they stagger home from the Irish pubs in Wealdstone High Street. The local Irish community are threatening ‘to do something about it’ if the police don’t.

Could get interesting!!

Rava, get her one of these:

https://youtu.be/f-81U4vLa_I

Thanks for the responses re Priestland folks.

I agree that hook is the bolder choice out of him and Jones, and Wales will no doubt 'go for it' on Saturday. My thoughts are mainly around the fact that I believe that the Welsh team at present is more than the sum of it's parts. Everyone on the field against Ireland was comfortable with their own job, and more importantly trusted the man next to him to do his. Particularly in defence, that was crucial, and in attack as I think someone else has said, Priestland did the simple things well, and picked the right options at the right time. I worry that losing one of those parts of the machine, and a pretty key one at that may upset the balance/dynamics even thought the incoming part is also of the highest quality.

Against Ireland I picked Jenkins, Lydiate and Roberts as your key players before the game. This time out, if I had to select three who will be key, they are Adam Jones, Luke Charteris and Jonathon Davies. France will target the set piece without a shadow of a doubt, and the hair bear will need to seriously drop anchor at scrum time, likewise Charteris will need to try to have an effect on the French lineout which is a real strength and provides them with a real platform to attack from. They are key more in defence than attack, and from an attacking standpoint I think JD2 could be the key man this week. France have a weakness in defence on the outside shoulder of Rougerie, particularly when defending against a team attacking throwing the ball right to left. It looks at times as if he does not trust Mermoz inside him and steps in leaving a gap with the right winger cannot cover. Wales need to put France on the back foot, and JD2 needs to pick the right lines to exploit this weakness.

I really, really, really want Wales to win this week, but I am more nervous for them than I was when they faced Ireland.

good write up Pete, I just hope Hook manages to get the ball out quickly to Roberts and Foxy so that they are actually in with a chance of exploiting any gaps that appear.

I actually think the 2nd row is the one area where France really do have the upper hand over us. Charteris and AWJ are going to have to play their best yet.

Weirdly, whilst still being nervous, I'm no where near as nervous as I was for the Ireland match. Last week I could hardly face reading anything to do with rugby and this week I can't get enough of it. Can't really explain it. Am sure I'll be a mess come Saturday morning though.

Blydi hell, Hound, you're right to rule that out!

Pete, another thing Wales need to do is use Roberts as a decoy - France will be waiting for him in midfield. That's not to say they'll be able to stop him, but there's the chance that France will overcommit there and be more vulnerable if we get the ball wide from first phase.

France have had our number the last couple of times we've played them. I'm a total Francophile but I really hope we get the better of them on Saturday.

Do you know what, Medard is the most dangerous man for me. In all the games even when France have looked rubbish he's been sublime. He will be one of, if not the, key man for France.

What's the weather forecast for the game?

I wish we had a few French fans on the site it would be great to hear their side of things.

Max 18°C
MIN 10°C

Occasional showers. Westerlies

Medard didn't have the best of games defensively against New Zealand, but when he's running the ball back he beats the first man almost without fail, and often a few other would-be tacklers too. Rougerie's a danger man but our midfield defence has been sound enough so far. If he runs at Hook is might be a different story.

Yachvili's their key man for me; I'd say we should try to put him off his game but I don't think I've ever seen it done to any great success.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/auckland/weather/index.cfm?c_id=10&mapid=3&placeid=12

occassional showers apparently Pete, so pretty much what Wales have had to cope with for the last 2 games.

is yachvili definitely starting? I know there's still a few doubts about the brusing on his thigh.

I reckon Clerc, Medard and Yachvilli will tactically be the main threats to us, with Dusatoir, Nallet and Harinoroduy being some of their biggest attacking threats.

Those are 6 incredibly talented players and all are on v good form.

Our back-line these days is big compared to anybodies standards the French will have enough problems of their own to contend with.

Just been looking at the French side on the news they don't look very happy do they.

Dreamer, I know what you mean about being less nervous now than you were before the quarter final. I'll be gutted if we lose on Saturday, of course I will, because this is the best chance we've ever had of having a serious go at winning the World Cup; but considering our form over the last couple of seasons, going out at the semi-final stage is a good return. A quarter final defeat wouldn't have been.

that's it exactly Lucky