'Calm down Kite for fuck sake its only a game!!'
Above: Pip Chief Wiggam Kite can't wait for rugger!
yippee ki ay motherfuckers - yes i am as excited as a vest laden middleaged man who is about to blow up a a lot of Europeans. Yes I am more excited than Bruce Willis. Incidently the Germans had mullets so indeed, deserved to die.
Anyway the reason for the excitement is that summer is gone (what summer), the rugby season is well underway and now we come to the autumn internationals. As we can see from old Chief Wiggams face above many people pee their pants about the best teams in the southern hemisphere playing the home nations. Grief! these games are mouth watering but i have a problem. It seems a little churlish but i just think that playing the big 3 every year is taking the mystique and the specialness of playing the likes of the All Blacks. This arguement isn't rational and i put my hands up to it. I know we play the Six Nations every year and that doesnt take away anything from what is the best sports competition in history (Lovechickens v UWN will be but lets give it time) and i also know we in the northern hemisphere should be playing the south to stop being so in awe of them like the English did under Snakey...i mean Woodward, we cant just go on the pitch against the All blacks as plucky losers anymore and i understand this but what i am saying is i want these matches to be special.
Facking hell the first time i remember us playing New Zealand is in the 1987 World cup, getting bummed by them in 1988 and then when they came on the 1989 tour of Ireland and Wales. That tour was amazing and unforgetable - it made me fall in love with rugby even deeper than before, it actually made me want to play (well done twats). Anyway back to the gripe, the next time we played them was in 1995. So in 8 years we played them 5 times and that was twice in one series and 2 world cups - actually they toured us once in that time, recently we have played them over here year in and year out. What about Australia/England or Australia/Scotland - what the fuck is so unique about these games anymore - thats why people look forward to the Lions!!
Anyway i am sure rugby geek Richie Morris would disagree with me but we need to start seeing month tours, i want to see oz, saffers or kiwis play one or two countries and top regional sides in that country - thats incentive to do well in certain games - win the league, EDF or the European cup or shield and you get a money spinner of a match against a touring side - sorted.
So which are the matches we should be looking at. Wales are European champions so should we be seeing them wipe the southern hemisphere from the pitch - not flipping likely. i think we are moving forward in leaps and bounds, we can compete but can we step up to the mark on the big occasion. we failed in south Africa in the summer, some fantastic play but we couldnt cut the mustard and we payed - i think we have a chance against South Africa but it depends how we start against them. i think we will suffer against the kiwis but i think the australian match will be the big one for us. We would have built up some steam by then and dogged by some close results against the others, this will be seen as the one to pay back the fans and the management.
England will be intrigueing as we can see how much of an influence Martin Johnson has been in the few months he has been in charge. England have got the strength to compete and beat the best in the world but they havent clicked and will they. They seemed to have stopped the Volcano experiment, which is good - i wouldnt blame the player though - there is no point in picking a giant try machine on the wing if you are not going to use him even as a decoy player. bones of contention will be who will be at half backs, is new golden bollocks Cipriani ready to take on the world and will Danny Care be picked ahead of his competition especially now that Ellis is back.
Ireland have an average age of 63 and again we will hear - 'Its time for these core of players to dleiver and this is their season'. BOD looks like he is back to his best and the displays and results by Leinster and Munster must be heartening. i also think that Paul o Connel is fucking ace. Kearney the utility back is also a greattalent but i also think its ironic that someone called 'carny' plays for Ireland.
hmm Scotland, thet havent the domestic game or the strength in depth of the other nations but once in a while they produce the goods, Frank Hadden has yet to join the Guild of Alchemists and turn base metal into gold but they are starting to put in a structure that will stand them in good stead. They produce great scrum halves but they have the injury problems of porcelain Pete Farrel - who actually injures himself getting off the bus to the ground and has been known to sprain his ankle talking about the game. What Hadden needs to do is help the jockinese people fall back in love with the game.
anyway thats enough of my pearls of wisdom, i wouldnt mind hearing about other peoples views. all i do know is that we have a month of international rugby and if that doesnt make you spaff your pants i dont know what will.
