Lions Watch

[the plastic paddy]

So that is one replacement that immeasurably strengthens the Lions and another Irishman, feck it!! Actually I am pleased for Best because apparently this snub, and that is the correct word for it, from Gatland came hard on the heels of them finding TB on the family farm which is a huge worry. He is a terrific player and a terrific man who plays hard but completely fair; I can genuinely say I don't think I can remember ever seeing him do anything even slightly underhand on the field. The alleged incident with Gatland just confirms that Gatland is as much of a c u next Tuesday as I thought.

 

[Craig Riddington]

So about Gatland. I like to give everyone a fair go, particularly when I've never met the person or have any evidence to suggest they are a twat. So I have a few questions for those who are obviously more informed on the man than I.

1. This alleged incident/fight between Best and Gatland. Given that the world of rugby is littered with stories of fights and spats that never actually happened. Does anyone have any factual evidence that something happened? And if so, does anyone have any evidence that Gatland was in the wrong? (Hearing someone else on another forum mention that their mates brother, who's also his uncle, knows someone who once went to school with Best does no count as evidence!).
2. For those of you who know Gatland and have probably worked with him, know him socially or grew up with him. What are your impressions of the man?

If you don't have any evidence or have never even met the man post away, but I'm not interested. Who wants to cast the first stone?

 

[JSRF10]

Re the Gatland/Best incident, I've heard the same story from a mate who has been part of Gatlands coaching staff and a mutual friend who was involved in the Irish camp at the time. Obviously given the forum you'll have to take it as you want but two different blokes gave me similar accounts of what happened.

Basically Best gave an interview before the Ireland Wales game in 2008 stating that Wales didn't need to be so cocky given their poor recent record, something happened in the warm up where Gatland was chirping Best, Best confronted him about it in the after match function. Gatlands exit from the Ireland job probably contributed to him being very fired up as it was the first time since then he had coached against Ireland.

I've never met Gatland but I get the impression he doesn't like being questioned and its his way or the high way. The Wales players seem to put up with his bull shit and are probably better for his style of coaching, they are certainly a more disciplined team although his style probably contributes to the famine or feast results that he has produced.

 

[Gagger]

Re the Gatland/Best incident, I've heard the same story from a mate who has been part of Gatlands coaching staff and a mutual friend who was involved in the Irish camp at the time. Obviously given the forum you'll have to take it as you want but two different blokes gave me similar accounts of what happened.

Basically Best gave an interview before the Ireland Wales game in 2008 stating that Wales didn't need to be so cocky given their poor recent record, something happened in the warm up where Gatland was chirping Best, Best confronted him about it in the after match function. Gatlands exit from the Ireland job probably contributed to him being very fired up as it was the first time since then he had coached against Ireland.

I've never met Gatland but I get the impression he doesn't like being questioned and its his way or the high way. The Wales players seem to put up with his bull shit and are probably better for his style of coaching, they are certainly a more disciplined team although his style probably contributes to the famine or feast results that he has produced.

Would love to get that in black and white. Can you put me in touch with yer mates?

 

[GunsGermsRugbyandSteel]

Delighted for Best. Definitly strengthens the squad and should have been included from the off.

 

[Dai bando]

yeah did mention on an earlier post that it has been debated, But mostly conjucture No one has actually got any evidence that they actually came to blows, with some members of the forum who actually know many of the Welsh team.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Have a feeling this is a joke:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dylan-Har...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

[the plastic paddy]

So about Gatland. I like to give everyone a fair go, particularly when I've never met the person or have any evidence to suggest they are a twat. So I have a few questions for those who are obviously more informed on the man than I.

1. This alleged incident/fight between Best and Gatland. Given that the world of rugby is littered with stories of fights and spats that never actually happened. Does anyone have any factual evidence that something happened? And if so, does anyone have any evidence that Gatland was in the wrong? (Hearing someone else on another forum mention that their mates brother, who's also his uncle, knows someone who once went to school with Best does no count as evidence!).
2. For those of you who know Gatland and have probably worked with him, know him socially or grew up with him. What are your impressions of the man?

If you don't have any evidence or have never even met the man post away, but I'm not interested. Who wants to cast the first stone?

So we can only pass comment on this forum on the basis of published fact and fully endorsed verified comment???? FFS lets just read the fecking Telegraph (Aussie or English) and swallow its every word as fact. The bust up between Best and Gatland has been verified by enough people for it to be accepted by most people as true. You pretend that you believe in Gatland, Graig but don't dress it up with some specious, 'this is not verified truth' nonsense. Rory Best is a decent human being who would not be bleeting in the press about his altercation with Gatland. He knew he wouldn't be picked for the Lions as soon as Gatland was made the manager and he wasn't, he didn't shout about it in the press because he still clung to the hope that the thug Hartley would stay good to his reputation.

 

[Craig Riddington]

So we can only pass comment on this forum on the basis of published fact and fully endorsed verified comment???? FFS lets just read the fecking Telegraph (Aussie or English) and swallow its every word as fact. The bust up between Best and Gatland has been verified by enough people for it to be accepted by most people as true. You pretend that you believe in Gatland, Graig but don't dress it up with some specious, 'this is not verified truth' nonsense. Rory Best is a decent human being who would not be bleeting in the press about his altercation with Gatland. He knew he wouldn't be picked for the Lions as soon as Gatland was made the manager and he wasn't, he didn't shout about it in the press because he still clung to the hope that the thug Hartley would stay good to his reputation.

Hang on a minute, where have I said that you can't comment on here unless it's based on published fact or a fully endorsed verified comment??? I never said that so please don't suggest I said something that I didn't.

Second of all, I haven't pretended that I believe in Gatland. I never said that I believe in Gatland. I never said that he was a good bloke or a twat. I said that I was prepared to give him a fair go until proven otherwise. If you are prepared to accept a bit of gossip as gospel then that is up to you. I am not. If you have something on him, share it? Sway me with a reasoned argument and some decent evidence because I am certainly open minded to it.

Some posts report on here the incident between Gatland and Best as fact. So tell me what is wrong with asking for some qualification?? JSRF has at least offered up the basis on which he has taken the position he has. I'm still not convinced but that's ok. Your qualification is now that it has been verified by 'enough' for it to be accepted by 'most' people as true. Thats your opinion. Mine is that I have no idea what the 'verified by enough' means and who constitute 'most' people. You're allowed your opinion and on a forum, where discussion is expected, surely I'm allowed to ask for something to be substantiated? So have you got anything???

I'll give you two facts to finish with. Firstly, Best tweeted that he was absolutely gutted that he wasn't selected for the Lions. Which suggests, and this is opinion, that he had some expectation/hope that he would be picked. Secondly, and this is a bit philosophical so you could argue that indeed it is not fact, but, something can only be true if it is verified.

 

[Bardon]

Jenkins is out of the Baa Baas game with a calf injury while Warburton is a doubt due to a knock picked up in training.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22701786

 

[the plastic paddy]

Hang on a minute, where have I said that you can't comment on here unless it's based on published fact or a fully endorsed verified comment??? I never said that so please don't suggest I said something that I didn't.

Second of all, I haven't pretended that I believe in Gatland. I never said that I believe in Gatland. I never said that he was a good bloke or a twat. I said that I was prepared to give him a fair go until proven otherwise. If you are prepared to accept a bit of gossip as gospel then that is up to you. I am not. If you have something on him, share it? Sway me with a reasoned argument and some decent evidence because I am certainly open minded to it.

Some posts report on here the incident between Gatland and Best as fact. So tell me what is wrong with asking for some qualification?? JSRF has at least offered up the basis on which he has taken the position he has. I'm still not convinced but that's ok. Your qualification is now that it has been verified by 'enough' for it to be accepted by 'most' people as true. Thats your opinion. Mine is that I have no idea what the 'verified by enough' means and who constitute 'most' people. You're allowed your opinion and on a forum, where discussion is expected, surely I'm allowed to ask for something to be substantiated? So have you got anything???

I'll give you two facts to finish with. Firstly, Best tweeted that he was absolutely gutted that he wasn't selected for the Lions. Which suggests, and this is opinion, that he had some expectation/hope that he would be picked. Secondly, and this is a bit philosophical so you could argue that indeed it is not fact, but, something can only be true if it is verified.

Well we will have to get back to this when Rory or Gatland publish their autobiographies because neither of them is likely to talk about this incident until then. Anyway, the Lions have been made a great deal stronger for Best's inclusion over the mentally weak Hartley, more's the pity. Hopefully Gatland won't pick Best in favour of Young's who has shown similar flakiness to his weepy little brother. Grant will probably be on his way out for Jenkins now, as well, which will strengthen the Lions even more, at least he isn't Irish, two thirds of the team out there now is very bad news. Jared Payne and Laulala playing for the Barbarians on saturday is a fecking nuisance as well.

EDIT, found a Gatland quote for you BTW,

“Well, when you get a world class player like Rory Best making such statements it can be reasonably motivating for a little team like us,".

No wonder Best thought he was unlikely to be on the plane and he was right until Hartley did what Hartley always does. Lets see if Best gets a chance, I doubt if he will but we will see.

 

[the plastic paddy]

And here is some more Gatland Bullshit, thank God I won't be supporting a team coached by this prick

skysports wrote:
Warren Gatland has stoked the fires ahead of this weekend's RBS Six Nations title decider by claiming his Welsh players "dislike the Irish the most".

He insists his charges are desperate to deny Ireland a first Grand Slam since 1948, stating provocatively: "Probably, out of all the teams in the Six Nations, the Welsh players dislike the Irish the most.

"Players' experiences against Ireland haven't always been the greatest, so they are very motivated to play against them."

However, he again looked to turn up the heat on the Irish, questioning their ability to perform under pressure.

"There is a lot of pressure and expectation on the Irish team to come to our back-yard and perform," he continued.

"After the Scottish game (last Saturday), the Irish players were an hour-and-a-half in the changing room celebrating and singing, so they were clearly happy where they were at.

"It's how they handle that pressure. There has been expectation on them over a number of years, and in a couple of World Cups as well.

"At international level, when there has been that expectation either to perform in Six Nations tournaments or World Cups, they've sometimes faltered a little bit.

"It will be interesting to see how (coach) Declan (Kidney) handles that, and how the players handle that this week.

"They've performed well in this Six Nations, but we're at home with a massive crowd behind us.

"If you go back to the autumn, they [Ireland] were talking themselves up a lot before the All Blacks game - and they really performed poorly in that game.

"We've got to really concentrate on ourselves and put them under as much pressure as we can.

 

[Troy]

Wasn't sure if this has been posted yet, or which thread to post it in.

But here's TalkSports

The greatest ever inspirational sporting speeches

 

[the plastic paddy]

British and Irish Lions v Barbarians :
Hogg; Cuthbert, Davies, Roberts, Maitland; Farrell, Phillips;
Vunipola, Hibbard, A Jones, Gray, O'Connell (capt), Lydiate, Tipuric, Faletau.

Replacements: Youngs, Healy, Stevens, AW Jones, Heaslip, Murray, Sexton, North. Irish taking up the slack as usual, three Leinster players on the bench, one Leicester, let the war of attrition begin.

 

[JSRF10]

Who will be this tours Shane Williams do you reckon? Williams got the most game time of any player in '09 because the management wanted to go him the best chance of getting some form when he was painfully out of form, Phillips or Lydiate for me.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Who will be this tours Shane Williams do you reckon? Williams got the most game time of any player in '09 because the management wanted to go him the best chance of getting some form when he was painfully out of form, Phillips or Lydiate for me.

After witnessing Lydiate's unseen work for the Dragons against Munster's second team back in April I should think he will need more than ten games to find any form.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

./...snip.../..

I've never met Gatland but I get the impression he doesn't like being questioned and its his way or the high way. The Wales players seem to put up with his bull shit and are probably better for his style of coaching, they are certainly a more disciplined team although his style probably contributes to the famine or feast results that he has produced.

R Deans, J Mitchell seem to be the same. Is this a characteristic of NZ coaches?

 

[Wales Fan]

After witnessing Lydiate's unseen work for the Dragons against Munster's second team back in April I should think he will need more than ten games to find any form.

Lydiate will need the gametime more than anyone but how rusty he was 6 weeks ago will have little or no bearing on how he performs now. That Munster match was literally only a couple of weeks into his comeback, he was blowing out of his arse after 10 mins.
I wouldn't have selected him personally after so little gametime but there you go, he is a class act though if he gets into any kind of form.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

 

[JSRF10]

I wouldn't have selected him personally after so little gametime but there you go, he is a class act though if he gets into any kind of form.

Given its a short tour he can't get that long to get some form, taking him is a big gamble. The Lions are short of options at 6 given Croft suffers from the Chabal effect and SOB is struggling with an injury.

 

[Craig Riddington]

R Deans, J Mitchell seem to be the same. Is this a characteristic of NZ coaches?

Not sure the club is that exclusive.