The Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Pub, Cathair na Gaillimhe

First topic message reminder :

Hello and 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 pub has made its way to Galway, the Fort at the Mouth of the Stony River.

So grab a beer, cider, whiskey or wine.... or a warm beverage and sit back and enjoy the upcoming 2014 Six Nations rugby season.

                      

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no tampering with the pictures of the legendary
Nelson Mandela along with Charlie Hayter, Rhys Patchell, The Saw Doctors, Kieran Read and Matthew Screech.  

Guests are invited to chance their arm at our newly renovated dartboards featuring caricatures of Roger Lewis and Oliver Cromwell.   

last Pawb: https://www.606v2.com/t47772-the-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub-trebanog

Afternoon all, had an amazing time in de dam and looking forward to going back soon!
Mr Gibson is an awesome host and guide!

Firs pre season on Saturday... Can't wait!!

PenfroPete wrote:So far I am distinctly underwhelmed by the prospect of the new season -

Domestically (Cardiff Saracens) - lack of players is hindering pre-season training, no friendlies organised
Regionally ('T'Osspreys) - bag o' sh!te, losing to Worcester FFS !!
European - cr@p choice of venue for final and only finalised fixtures for the opening 2 rounds
Internationally - RRW / WRU sort yourselves out w@nkers

  Thats not great. Ulsters first pre-season on Friday night against Exeter. Will be an interesting season for Ulster with lots of changes in the squad and in the management too.

I think Ulster will miss Johann Muller, Notch. I enjoyed the interview with him before the Pro12 s/f.
A quality guy.

I think we have great replacements for him in terms of playing, Franco van der Merwe is a really good lock and there is also Henderson and Tuohy who have started for Ireland in recent times- but in terms of prescence and leadership he is one of these rare talismanic figures that don't grow on trees. He will indeed be greatly missed.

I think he left at the right time though. His body was breaking down on him, spending more and more time injured, less effective in the loose. That happens to any pro rugby player who plays for fifteen years! So mentally he was this massive personality but physically I don't think he had another season in him.

Ok, fair enough.

Hound mate. Founder member. So good  to see you post bro.  

We really need to have pints in London soon.

Miss yer Waspy face. X.

Mr and Mrs Prop Rock. Grand time had. Cool people. XX.

Howya Gibbo.

Good to hear that prop and Mrs prop enjoyed themselves in the dam.

I'll hopefully get a pre-season friendly in at the weekend;  not sure if it will be Wasps or Ealing atm.

You going to the double header Hound?

I won't be there Oz. Too many idiots these days - I lost count of how many times I had to ask people to sit down a couple of years ago.

Really can't be arsed with them.

Yeah, I know what you mean.  The 'showpiece' games at Twickenham and Sarries Wembley 'sell outs" do seem to just attract people there for a day out and some booze and no real interest in the rugby.

Ozzy3213 wrote:Yeah, I know what you mean.  The 'showpiece' games at Twickenham and Sarries Wembley 'sell outs" do seem to just attract people there for a day out and some booze and no real interest in the rugby.

Sounds like a Wales game at the Millennium Stadium.

Interesting reading some of the Pro12 predictions. Last week, the regions were ruined. Going to go bust. Now they are going to get at least two teams into the playoffs, going to be a great season.

How on earth do Welsh rugby fans go from the depths of pessimism to unbelievable optimism with the toss of a coin

I'm just glad a deal's been done and the regions haven't been screwed over. That'll do for now. Let's get on with the rugby.

"It's the most wonderful tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime of the yeeeeeeeeeeeear!"

No, not fecking Chrissmuss, THE NEW SEASON! And dare I say it...? I'm rather optimistic about it.  Yeah, Sky have got some P-12 games, but hopefully that'll be a boost for the attendances and the league.    Got my first live game on the 19th in the AP...

In other news, we seem to be getting invaded by some important politicians...it's a big pain in the hole for me living near the castle and working near Nooport, but I just hope it goes without incident and it's a safe visit for everyone.  One of their helicopters nearly took out my TV aerial mind...

Hope everyone's well and looking forward to the new season!!

Hi Cari. I think there is a NATO pow wow at Celtic Manor starting tomorrow.

Indeed there is I was being a bit sarky...it's all we've had here since they started shutting the roads on the 18th of August...and we have another fortnight of disruption even though the delegates go home on Friday. Still, it's here now and I just hope there's no bother with it other than a few road closures and delays.

Anyway, I hope you're well and looking after yourself. Nice to see you posting again...I really should drop in more often these days....

Predictions for the 2014/15 season:

Pro12 Ulster
AP Saracens
RCC Racing Metro
WW3 NATO

I haven't experienced much disruption, even though my house is right by Tredegar Park where the protesters have set up camp. A few extra helicopters overhead and some policemen in the chip shop near the office, but that's it. Then again, I walk to work so if there's been trouble on the roads, I wouldn't know about it.

Our village got 'buzzed' by a Chinook helicopter at 2:15 ......



.... in the feicin morning, searchlights blazing  !!!

We're 10 miles from Kairdip Castle and 20 miles from the Celtic Manor and we don't have a big history of being radicalised in our area

You'll be fine, lucky. You'd have great pedestrian sense I'd imagine.

Cari - I'm getting a lot of choppers flying low over me too lately. I usually just wave the Kalashnikov and they then flash their lights back at me. Think they are looking for other more sinister people though.

Obama will be about 1 mile from my house when he visits the school! Been allowed to work from home but just drove to Cardiff for a meeting and there's no traffic!!

Afternoon All

Prop - I was given half day so I went in normal time on my 6:25 bus and the roads were busier than usual at that time, but still relatively quiet. Loads of students and drunks about in town mind when I walked in to get the bus. I got the 11:00am bus home and the roads were dead. I was in the house by noon...it was very weird. Not many pedestrians about either. One good thing about the road closures was the peace. I realised how much noise the traffic makes. People seemed to talk almost in hushed tones. I have to go back to work again tomorrow. I hope it's equally quiet.

Penfro - I think that same helicopter might've been buzzing above my gaff at half two in the morning. I'm expecting more of the same tonight whilst they're having their dinner in the castle.

I'm doing ok Cari, thanks. Some of the helicopters will be media, but not the Chinook! When I was based on The Strand we used to have them flying over regularly when stuff was going on at Westminster, about half a mile away. They are a bit unsettling if you're not used to them.

My season predictions:-

AP - Tigers. They have recruited well. Sarries, Saints + Bath to make up the other play off spots.

Pro12 - Leinster. Very strong squad despite BOD and Cullen retiring. I fancy Scarlets to be the top Welsh side and make the play offs along with Glasgow and Munster.

T14 - Toulouse, with Toulon, Montpellier and Stade Français in the top four. Castres and Clermont in 5th and 6th. Clermont's fortress has been well and truly breached recently.

RCC - Can't see beyond Toulon, such a strong squad.

I don't think there'll be any big changes yet to the top of the P-12 table just yet. I wouldn't be surprised if Leinster and Glasgow are the top two again.

I know the new Euro comp isn't popular with most supporters of Pro12 teams, but I do wonder if there will be some friction between the Irish and Welsh unions and the Provinces and Regions if they have games that could mean the difference between qualifying and not qualifying. Players are expected to only play a certain number of games. That could cause problems in the last few weeks of the league season.

I'd love Glasgow to win the Pro12. Speaking of Glasgow, we're flying up there tomorrow for the weekend, although not in a Chinook.

Think it's mostly Ospreys flying around no? The airplane come helicopter thing

How are you Dragons fans

I hope you have a good season.

Ummm, could be a good signing - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Boeing_V-22_Osprey

Think we'll have a slight improvement, but a lot of teams have strengthened. Just appears we might not retreat so much in the scrums, which is nice.

Good to hear from you Hound.

That Osprey is weird how it flies. Really tricky to get the angle right when it changes from helicopter to plane type thing. I'm not a spotter, but loved seeing them in Bastion

If we stop conceding penalties / tries from catch-and-drives and scrums, that'll be a huge improvement. When Connacht came to town last season, and Northampton and Bath (I think) in the LV, they scored tries for fun through the forwards. I know pre-season friendlies don't count for anything, but Saints didn't get much change out of our pack last Friday so hopefully we've turned a corner.

Hound of Harrow wrote:How are you Dragons fans

I hope you have a good season.

How are you mate?
Hope you are feeling good and Wasps have a great season.

Knackered on a Friday afternoon here.
The build is going well; the first floor wall frames are mostly up. We had a lot of rain in August. Now some strong winds off the ocean.
It should be warm again soon though... anytime from about now on. My lips are chaffed to buggery though. I blame the sawdust.

Waikato 3 Tasman 16 just on HT. That Marty Banks is a darn good player. A real point-scoring machine. Kiwi Pete will be happy.

Morning Lucky.
Is the NATO entourage still in town?
I really liked that Men of Harlech introduction yesterday. Good to see all those military blokes with their flags marching together in harmony.  

Lucky/Rev - Stankovich and Gough will make a real difference to your pack. Plus Richie Rees and Tovey can set loose some talented youngsters in the back line. Byrne should also add a bit more defensive nous from full back.

Maybe not top six, but challenging for RCC qualification is on the cards imo.

Hi LD. Cheers - I'm going ok thanks. Yeah, summer is just around the corner down there

Penfro - you may want to edit the TV guide. You have Aus v SA k.o. as 13:05. It's 11:05.

Goughy will probably be on the bench a lot. It seems a little like Richie Rees has fallen out of favour a bit recently. Jon Evans is back first choice and tomorrow we have gone for a player who is covering 9 and 10 off the bench.

Hound of Harrow wrote:Penfro - you may want to edit the TV guide. You have Aus v SA k.o. as 13:05. It's 11:05.

Sorted , how's it going bud ?

Evening All,

It's heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere! The Pro-12! And fair fooks to Guinness they've developed a tidy little app for the P-12 too which I've downloaded.  Shame Obama's gone home, he should've stayed and watched a quality sport!

In work we were allowed outside to watch the military fly past which went over our building this morning.  I was just glad to be out of the office for half an hour.

Going alright Penfro, thanks. Blydi peed off that RCC can't announce the dates and times of the December games.

That's a tad frustrating when fans want to plan and book their trips.

Howya Cari.

With the away games (Castres for us in Dec) the sooner you can book flights the cheaper it is.

I've been all over the place watching Wasps and we've usually managed to reasonable priced flights.

Ospreys scrum mullered, though I would've pinged the Treviso tighthead for standing/popping up.

That's what I was thinking I hope fans don't end up paying a fortune for travel to matches. I'm always looking at a couple of away fixtures meself...nowhere extravagant though.

Any score updates will be appreciated.

Blydi Setanta... the only reason I signed up was for these rugby games but all I can see is Bundesliga and "Sky Bet" League 1 matches.

23-6 to Ospreys, but I'm a bit behind watching online. Concentrating more on Wigan v Leeds in the league.

Cheers Rev.

37-13 now

FT. 44-13 (I assume Biggar kicked the conversion). Be interested to know, how good Ospreys are and how poor Treviso are. Not too bad a crowd, but obviously it looks small in that stadium.

George North on fire tonight. Shows what a good result it was for Dragons to turn them over last week. Friday and the derby should be interesting.

Meanwhile, the Rugby League is getting spicy

Hi folks. The Pro12 & AP are well underway. Who would have predicted Connacht and Exeter in play off spots already.

A long way to go yet, but Dragons and Glaws are the big disappointments for me in both leagues.