Posts by merc
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You deserve the inbound links, very interesting stuff. As for Christchurch, when will we acknowledge that it is our own Alabama?
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Stunned silent awe.
Footnote, I got the French Rugby History quote from a BBC documentary. I have lived in SW France for extended occasions since I was 17. I have family there and my Great Grandmother was French. I am also 1/4 German (Hannover). My brother is President of his local French Rugby Club and has played professionally in Italy and France. My brother's Father In Law was the Mayor of his village for 40 years, being appointed at 15 years old by the Nazi's because he was virtually the only male left and they thought he would be a pushover. The able bodied men and women were sent to Germany for re-education. He witnessed street executions. He was forced to make boots for the German Army, he gave me a pair he had kept for remembrance, he made them all 1/4 size too small, an act of rebellion that would have had him shot. His village is famous for the protection of Sephardic Jews. It and my brother's village are French Basque.
I have been to many rugby games in France in little villages, but what would I know? -
Tout c'est vraimant ca. (sic)
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The Ref in Rugby represents the Mysterious Hand Of Fate, we mortals may question Her, however there be lies the way of madness, because as we all know, we may invent rules and laws but only The Ref can inscrutably interpret them, and we may not question this, for goats have been sacrificed and dark wagers made.
Fortunately the game goes on and The Ref will be there again, guiding the tide of fates and adjudicating at the gates of paradise. Think not that the AB's have been foresaken, for it was on that day that the French were deemed more worthy and high priests and prime ministers have ministrated and spoken. Who are we to question the righteous straight and narrow way of The Ref, bless his whistle (Acme Thunderer).
Amen. -
Michael I don't know if I'm meant to reply because you seem to have described my position for me. Please don't do that.
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I heard the Fergie quote (great show BTW, it was riveting radio) about the game now being pro and the need for accountability from refs. He is right, but there is no transparency for refs and now with the money at stake, maybe they (the refs) are going to have to open up to scrutiny?
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I've had time to consider and listen to RB and The Boot on Nat Rad. The Boot said...it's a professional game now and people must be held accountable (the ref).
The above quote about the playing fields of England highlights the fact that at one time the school playing field was used to some extent for social conditioning, and we have Forces teams (my brother was captain of the Navy side who beat Army in their annual game). I have stated here before that the French hold rugby dear in part due to the fact that during the German Occupation, rugby was the only thing men were allowed to gather to do, on the penalty of death. Officers during WW1 would kick a ball over towards enemy lines prior to going over the top. Now the crass use of war as an analogy is a bit different to actual relavent historic references.
The RWC however is a franchise deal with a professional component, so scrutiny is now considered more important, big money at stake. -
The secret's in de tail, said da cat.
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Obeying the ref is a big part of the game that is Rugby.
WW1 was fought and won on the playing fields of Eton, Cambridge and Oxford, remember and obey. -
Should be gone by lunchtime, technically speaking.