Compassionate players and officials from New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Australia are looking for ways to send aid to their beleaguered northern brethren.
After the opening weekend of the 2016 SIX Nations saw standards of play so far below the heights reached by the likes of the All Blacks, Wallabies and Argentina in the World Cup, there is concern for the plight of the home unions, France and Italy.
“Did you see those matches?” said Keith Waters of the New Zealand Rugby Union. “It was so tough to watch. As a rugby man and a human being, how can you stand by and see Scotland trying so hard to score a try and not feel your heart torn asunder?
“Something needs to be done to help those guys. The rugby world can’t stand by and let people play like that.”
Concern was first raised in Auckland at halftime of the France – Italy match, where neither side were able to put together much coordinated, constructed play of any note.
Within 25 minutes of the Calcutta Cup match between Scotland and England, the unions of Australia and New Zealand had put in an emergency call between each other to discuss what action and aid could be considered to help their northern cousins.
“We had to check our television signal twice to make sure we weren’t getting a broadcast of a match from 1987,” said Waters. “Then, when we realised it was a live broadcast of an actual game from 2016, we checked to see if the pictures were being broadcast at the correct speed or being slowed down because they were coming all the way from space or something.”
It is believed Argentina and South Africa were unsure whether the situation was serious enough to intervene but changed their mind during the Ireland v Wales stalemate on Sunday.
“Once we saw the level of skill in a match between was the 2-times defending champions against the tournament favourites we had to get involved,” said CJ Botha of the South African Rugby Union. “The SIX Nations teams are harrowingly trapped in a previous decade of dull, slow and brainless rugby and I wouldn’t feel a true member of the rugby community if I didn’t help out somehow. It’s the poor fans I feel most for.”
It’s not yet clear how the southern nations will help the SIX Nations to rebuild themselves and salvage some dignity, but ideas include a Crowded House fund raising concert to pay for millions of pamphlets explaining in basic English what an offload is (complete with diagrams).
Argentina are believed to be keen on sending calendars reminding the European teams that it is actually 2016.
Waters added: “I can’t stand on the sideline and see Scottish 3-quarters puffing their little heart out and trying so hard but getting nowhere. It brings tears of despair to our eyes. We just want our friends in the north to know help is coming. We are there for you.”
theeastterrace
Think Grapjas Didi wrote this one. A bit of light entertainment for a Tuesday afternoon
At least it is going a bit better in the cricket than it was 10 overs ago, but England still have a good platform to push beyond 300, with Root well set and big hitter Stokes in now. Hopefully Stokes will finally struggle today. England 190/4 after 35.
I think they thought they were watching a bulls game from last year…..
QdK is so good
QdK what a talent…fastest 10th ODI century from only 55 innings.Great support role by Amla too.A wee bit disappointed by England commentary afterwards saying how “inexperienced their bowlers suddenly were”,the same bowlers who in one British newspaper said today “they’ll whitewashed South Africa”…
Amla incredible wrists play that was,could still do with power hitters though especially towards the end of our innings if we have to set a target.Albie,Miller and Rossouw in my mind are better than say Behardien,Duminy.
Must say I had a good chuckle. Even though I thought the Ireland/Wales match was a typical test match. Hard, uncompromising and full of drama.
Lion4ever wrote:
Hi Lion4ever, nooooo don’t you know the ‘conventional wisdom’ in the southern hemisphere is that northern hemisphere rugby is boring
@ provincefan:
#5 Hi provincefan was a nice win there and another super de Kock innings sorry didn’t get to see any of it. It is an inexperienced England bowling line up said as much myself in the first ODI but with their batsmen putting on such a big score they had the luxury of bowling under little pressure. They did well in PE where we failed to capitalise on their inexperience.
@ provincefan:
I thought it was either poor captaincy from England or a case of they weren’t too concerned about the result in Centurian so wanted to let their young bowlers get as much match practice as possible. I say this because their best bowler Stokes bowled too few overs I know the game ended a few overs early but even if it had gone down to the fiftieth over am sure Stokes would still have finished with an over or two that he wouldn’t have bowled.
@ Bullscot:
French rugby nowadays is boring. English and Guiness Pro 12 is entertaining, if not too great in the try scoring stakes. A lot of flash, but not so much bang. I have to give them credit for trying.
@ provincefan:
Howzit provincefan if you have the time would you mind to post some cricket scores here please? On the road to Cardiff for the 6 Nations game tomorrow so will save me trawling the various sites. Thanks.
@ Lion4ever:
#10
@ Bullscot:
You must enjoy the game.
Re the cricket… I think the Proteas should win as it will assure better audiences for the last match in the series.
Since I have lost my belief in the integrity of ODI’s and 20 over games I do no longer base predictions on the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the sides.
@ robzim:
to that Rob, pretty much my feelings as well & sadly I also have my doubts about Test cricket too.
I’ll
Late, late belated a prosperous 2016 to all the Rugby Talkers… in elk geval vir die stukkie wat nog oor is.
@ Bullscot:
England 262 all out. SA needs 263 to level the series.
@ robzim:
@ BrumbiesBoy:
Where do you rate rugby in all of that taking into account some real howlers from referees in the last few years?
Any chance that they’ve been “convinced” to ensure a specific result?
Amla bowledby Broad for a duck from the last ball of the 1st over.
SA 2/1.
Maiden over bowled.
2/1 after 2 overs.
They just showed a few similar dismissals of Amla where he get the inside edge onto the stumps throughout the series… tests and ODI.
1st boundary by QdK.
9/1 after 3 overs.
41/1 after 8.
Hallo Nama
QdK out for 27.
SA 62/2
Wanderers crowd adopting the chant by the Indians in the IPL when AB walks in but instead of chanting “ABD”, the chanted “AB…AB…AB..”
Then Faf gets bowled.
SA: 63/3.
So, the two “cricket brothers” (playing against each other/together since the age of 13) from the North and South (AB & Duminy) are together again. Will they deliver?
This is not Zim, so I believe that Macro won’t be to optimistic right now.
Kak shot by Duminy…
Very next ball…edged and dropped.
Duminy very lucky to not be given out LBW.
Umpires call. Half o the ball hit his pad outside the line.
Duminy vs Ali.
Only one winner, I suspect…and it won’t be our guy.
Better he takes a single and leave AB to deal with Ali.
SA: 91/3 after 20.
100/3 after 22 overs.
Daar kak ‘n haas.
‘n Vinnige lopie en AB is VERRRRR uit
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