Happy Thursday, comrades. This week with the help of our Tasmanian correspondent today’s news will be an eclectic mix of my musings and some news from the North. Enjoy the break this weekend mate, hopefully the Mayoress treats you well.
What Does it Mean to be a Fan
Definition from Webster
Also another good one Here
Fan is generally–and very likely correctly–believed to be a shortened form of fanatic. The origin of fanatic (which can be traced back to the Latin word fanum, meaning “sanctuary, temple”) is less often commented on. In English, fan made an early appearance in the late 17th century only to disappear for two centuries, resurfacing in the late 19th century. In this later period of use, it often referred to the devoted observers of, or participants in, a sport. An 1885 article from The Kansas City Times, for example, contains the line “The baseball ‘fans’ of the ploice [sic] force and fire department engage in a ball game.
Synonyms include addict, aficionado, devotee, enthusiast, fanatic, fiend, fool, freak, junky, maniac, nut, or my personal favourite, sucker.
I’m a Reds fan and as such have no choice in the matter no matter how dysfunctional they’ve been over the last 25 years. On the weekend it’s fair to say I believed my team got beneficiated (hosed, shafted or screwed). And it’s not the first time at that venue, check the last time they went there. It’s fair to say the crapperazzi WhatsApp held a few different views on the weekend’s events as it always does as did conversations with some of my Kiwi friends. Like many fans the perceived slights against my team run deep and I can list many going back over years which is the point of being a fan.
Here is a terrible headline, but an interesting piece of perceptions of officials from NZ state media. (PS we are not more polite than Kiwis.)
It’s also important to reflect that when I watch either the Reds or the Wallabies play it is through that lens. Hoss believes the Tahs have never made a mistake and KARL has never seen the Canes commit a piece of foul play in his life, including Dane Coles.
At the end of the day we should all support the game first and our team second. Let’s try and keep it that way. The best part about rugby is the banter.
All Board the SS English Premiership
I’m sure this will bring great amusement to those of an antipodean persuasion, and maybe even a few Taffs, Irish and Jocks. Could the dog’s breakfast that is the English rugby Premiership get any worse. You betcha. With Wasps and Worcester Warriors in administration the RFU have announced that Wasps licence to play in next season’s Championship has been withdrawn and, by doing so, consigned the club with a 160 yr old history, provider of internationals and past English and European champions to the base of the entire league pyramid. In the latest grim illustration of English club rugby’s financial meltdown, the RFU has run out of patience with Wasps’ attempts to find fresh financial backing. Will the Worcester Warriors go the same way? Who knows. Further trouble is also brewing with the Premiership in increasing danger of losing a third high profile club, London Irish, inside nine months.
I won’t bore you with all the gory details but with debt for all Premiership clubs upwards of £500m and tax debt of more than £35m this could be the tip of the iceberg.
At the time of writing London Irish are also on the precipice. To lose one team in a year is unfortunate, to lose three is Super Rugby Level.
AWJ retiring from International Rugby
He may be Welsh and the bane of English rugby on 23 occasions but a sincere hats off to Alun Wyn Jones who has announced his retirement from international rugby. A captain of his club, country and the Lions he’s an example to all aspiring young players. Enjoy your well earned retirement, AWJ, you’re a legend.
Listening to a pod this week AWJ has played in 25% of all test Matches played by the Welsh. It speaks volumes to his ability resilience and longevity.
| Senior career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 2004–2006 | Swansea | 35 | (15) |
| 2005– | Ospreys | 257 | (120) |
| Correct as of 9 October 2022 | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 2005–2006 | Wales U21 | 20 | (5) |
| 2006–2023 | Wales | 158 | (45) |
| 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021 | British & Irish Lions | 12[2] | (0) |
| Correct as of 18:33, 19 March 2023 (UTC) | |||
| Link Here | |||
British & Irish Lions Tour
The British & Irish Lions are close to receiving a significant boost for the 2025 tour of Australia with English Premiership Rugby ready to bring its final forward to accommodate more preparation time for the series against the Wallabies.
A historic agreement between the Lions and PRL requires final approval by various stakeholders, but if it is agreed it would end years of acrimony and improve the tourists’ chances of a first series win in 12 years.
A lack of preparation time has long been a source of frustration for the Lions. In 2021 the head coach Warren Gatland warned that PRL’s refusal to budge would count against English players when it came to selection before the tour of South Africa. PRL, for its part, was angry the Lions staged a warm-up fixture against Japan at Murrayfield on the same day as the 2021 final. The 2021 final was just a week before the Lions first match in South Africa as was the case in 2017 when players were so jetlagged they were falling asleep on the bus on the way to the tour opener.
The new agreement would give whomever coaches the Lions against Eddie Jones’s Australia more latitude, however, and will enable them to pick from a full squad for a warm-up match in the British Isles. It would also avoid players arriving for the pre-tour camp in dribs and drabs as was the case four years ago.
Setting itself up to be a great series. I reckon Eddie fancied himself as Lions coach after the SDs made the final in 2019 and would probably have beaten Gats to it if the SDs had won, but as they say nobody likes a loser. Let battle commence.
