Something resembling first-choice teams have been named. Let’s hope they all survive the weekend.
International rugby on the telly this weekend
Friday 6th September
| Scotland v Georgia | 19:30 | Premier Sports 1 |
| England v Italy | 19:45 | Sky Sports Action / Sky Sports Main Event |
Saturday 7th September
| New Zealand v Tonga | 3:35 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Australia v Samoa | 10:30 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Ireland v Wales | 14:00 | Channel 4 / RTÉ Two |
Ovally Balls 
‘Corby is too “traditional” Labour’
There’s really nothing traditionally Labour about Corbyn. Traditional, mainstream Labour has always been pro-NATO, pro-Western and vaguely Atlanticist. That’s been the case since the war, and the strands of that thinking were embedded before then. Corbyn is none of these things. His intellectual basis is the Morning Star strand of left-wing thought. His values diverge significantly from Attlee’s, for instance (see John Bew’s excellent Attlee biography for a v convincing case on this). The 2017 manifesto was strikingly non-redistributional.
Corbyn is incredibly unpopular nationally. Labour are doing the country a disservice by persisting with him, and they are tarnishing their brand among a big chunk of the country, natural supporters included, not just centre or centre right voters – ie, currently being investigated for institutional racism. A left wing party investigated for racism!!! It’s shameful. I don’t know how anyone on the left can sit still for that. I certainly can’t
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Oh, and the Conservatives are obviously a degraded, amoral, reckless, contemptible, xenophobic governing party. Johnson’s managed to be even worse than I imagined he would. Trashing everything in sight.
What a choice facing the electorate.
Eugh.
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@Chek
Bang on.
I have been saying for some time that Corbyn’s anti EU sentiment is not so much to do with ‘neo liberal bosses club’ or rules impeding nationalisation, but due to ongoing affection for the USSR and therefore a resentment of capitalist Western Europe.
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There’s always the Lib Dems, chek. Their acceptance of their newest MPs, Philip Lee and Angela Smith, show they’re a broad church willing to accept homophobies and racists.
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You do say an awful lot of things, pro.
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There’s also *cough* the people *cough, cough* Corbyn has been seen to *cough* endorse *cough, hamas, cough, Hezbollah, cough, cough, cough*.
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Chek, some key points from the 2017 manifesto are laid out here, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/may/16/labour-manifesto-analysis-key-points-pledges
It reads as a traditional Labour manifesto to me, nationalise the utilities and railways, raise top end tax, freeze vat, end freeze on benefits etc
On the full manifesto (starting on page 115, but I won’t post the link as I may get caught in the two link trap) there is a clear commitment to maintain defence spending at 2% of GDP, as well as commitments to NATO and the UN
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Vote Craig’s.
As any sensible person would.
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There is also a commitment to Trident, whether or not that is a traditional Labour value depends on which wing of the party you identify with.
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Don’t confuse him with evidence, ticht.
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Corbyn’s reticence towards the EU stems from the inability of national governments to step in and help industry plus a perception that these rules mean you can’t nationalise an industry, which isn’t the case.
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Under the Craigsman manifesto the working week would actually be the weekend, drugs would be legal, treatment for addiction would be like Portugal, wages would be twice what they are now, banks would be open from 0600 to 2300 every day, taxes would be reduced to nominal levels yet spending on all services would be doubled, every workplace would have a free bar and bouncy castle.
Also Parliament would be dissolved except for in a crisis and power would be ceded to some algorithms to tell us how to make the above viable.
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I’d also paint the door on no10 a garish pink and neon green.
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Apparently the admins at Murrayfield played the old Georgia anthem on Friday night, the one extolling the virtues of Georgia’s favourite son, Uncle Joe Stalin.
oops!
The SRU apologised and played the modern one as the squad entered the reception are after the match.
But what a fuck up.
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Ticht, re the manifesto I was referring to stuff like cancelling tuition fees – basically a middle class giveaway that restricts funding to the entire educational sector.
On Corbyn himsrlf, there’s no doubt he’s strikingly different on a lot of issues, mainly foreign policy, to every previous post-war Labour leader. I’d define that as non-traditional Labour.
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Tomp, every party has its challenges. Only one is being investigated for institutional racism. Deflecting from that doesn’t change the fact.
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Ticht, ha, epic fuck up. Wouldn’t want to be the SRU official grovelling an apology to 20-odd burly Georgian players.
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I’d also criminalise zumba music.
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I’d also criminalise zumba music.
What about the humble vuvuzela?
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Institutional anti- Israeli ? Oh, I forgot, that its racist now to not support a repressive apartheid style state.
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Hasn’t there been a charge that the party has exhibited anti-Jewish, as opposed to anti-Israeli, sentiment? And that Corbyn has done too little to stamp it out?
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Anyway, back to rugby. Looks like Patchell may miss the world cup. Feel for the lad. Is Priestland fit? Wales seem to be running thru 10s.
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Any news on any other injuries?
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Ticht, Randwick played Argentina in Sydney at the weekend and honoured the visitors by playing their national anthem. Unfortunately, at first the DJ at the club put I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For on instead of the anthem.
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Any news on any other injuries?
You’ll all be relieved to know that Trevor Nyakane is fit after picking up an ankle niggle against Japan. Which is good news, given just how useless Frans Malherbe is at anything outside of the set scrum. Don’t be surprised if Bongi Mbonambi pips Malcolm Marx to the hooker spot as well. His darts are far better and he’s playing more dynamic rugby than a jaded looking Marx at the moment. Post World Cup, I think Joseph Dweba at the Cheetahs may well get a look in at hooker too. He’s been great in the last few weeks.
Those are the important updates, I think you’ll agree, and gives a depressing insight into what’s key from a Bok perspective.
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Sbt – I don’t think anyone is holding that position. It’s the more local anti semitism within the party. Should’ve been more easily fixable.
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Interesting detail on USA 31 man squad:
“More than half of the named squad began playing rugby at the youth level (middle school and earlier) with another 12 picking up the sport in high school and three doing so in college. A total of 29 players can be considered multi-sport athletes, having played in an official program for a sport other than rugby at one point in their athletic career”
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Interesting how the rankings have changed over the course of a couple of weekends of friendlies. Wales have dropped to number 5 after being number 1, what 2 or 3 weeks ago? Ireland obviously nailed on for the Cup after thrashing the erstwhile top ranked side two weeks in a row.
Top 20 in the latest World Rugby rankings:
1. Ireland 89.47
2. New Zealand 89.40
3. England 88.13
4. South Africa 87.34
5. Wales 87.32
6. Australia 84.05
7. Scotland 81.00
8. France 79.72
9. Fiji 77.43
10. Japan 76.70
11. Argentina 76.29
12. Georgia 73.29
13. USA 72.18
14. Italy 72.04
15. Tonga 71.04
16. Samoa 69.08
17. Spain 68.15
18. Romania 66.69
19. Uruguay 65.18
20. Russia 64.81
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That means Wales and Australia once more meet in the Group of Death – 4 Top 12 teams. Nailed-on Ireland get a slightly less tough group – 3 Top 10 teams as well. England’s group is very sold, all 5 teams are in the Top 15.
New Zealand and South Africa have a stroll in the park.
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Deebee,
Dweba’s done very well but it’s only Currie Cup. Let’s wait for big boys rugby in Pro14 before annointing Bok hooker-in-waiting.
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Craigs,
This is an interesting article:
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/first-time-my-life-im-frightened-be-jewish/
Also, ties in with what Ticht was talking about yesterday.
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That means Wales and Australia once more meet in the Group of Death – 4 Top 12 teams.
Yeah, but no-one in the top 4: Wales have crashed calamitously in recent weeks and may not even be in the top 20 by the business end of the tournament and Australia are punching well above their weight at number 6 – probably inflated by wins against the punctured Pumas. Mid-table scraping top 10 is more their natural habitat. Fiji are riding the crest of a ripple and Georgia are a poor version of the Boks, who are a poor version of Ireland, as we definitively established yesterday. Uruguay will be licking their lips eyeing that motley bunch.
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TomP – I like the cut of Dweba’s jib. Hits his jumpers more often than not, controls mauls from the back well and is good in open play – supports well, runs well and is tricky to stop close to the line. Granted it’s a neutered Currie Cup, with the Lions robbed of many of their stars, but still, I like him.
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“Hits his jumpers more often than not”
Poor old Malcolm.
The Southern Kings are after Bongi, chucking a load of money his way I read. Would be great if they could sign him.
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“Australia are punching well above their weight at number 6 – probably inflated by wins against the punctured Pumas.”
They beat the All Blacks. Really should be number 1.
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An All Blacks side that couldn’t reach three figures against poorly Tonga? An All Blacks side that hasn’t beaten the Boks in New Zealand since 2017? Overrated.
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Forgot to mention, it’s an All Blacks side that has meekly surrendered the number 1 spot to both Wales and Ireland in less than a month. Pathetic.
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Poor old Malcolm
You can actually see when he’s going to cock it up. Delays the throw for a split second longer, hesitates with both the coil and recoil (whatever you call the action?) and then chucks it miles over the back. I cringe when we have defensive lineouts close to the line. And offensive lineouts close to the line.
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He’s like Malcolm in the Middle, just with more humour and better timing of his punch (lines).
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Like Herschel Jantjies sniping down the blindside, a cheeky mid-afternoon steal.
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Tomp – that’s a good article. I used to cycle past that mural on the way to work every day. The point I was making is that Corbyn should have done a better job, if from a pr perspective, of tackling the issue.
Made a bit more strength in leadership would have helped. Pure gross and unfounded speculation on my part but if he couldn’t face down his opponents in Labour why would he put his ‘body on the line’ in the street?
There’s also documented instances of him seeming to agree with antisemitic remarks (I’ll have to find them) and the fact that he has referred to Hamas and Hezbollah as ‘friends’ in the past. This makes him an easy target from those mentioned in article who try to smear him.
More generally I’ve read other accounts on antisemitism from Jews about it’s rise in Europe and attitudes faced from the left. I. E. Some of the reasons Kim Bodnia cited for leaving The Bridge. So I don’t think it’s confined to the UK left either.
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This one really fucking annoys me. How would one refer to guests in the Houses of Parliament?
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Also, it was just Hamas. You know, the governmental party of Palestine.
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Refitman – synts in this case.
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Guests then.
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I’m not a diplomat.
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Can’t remember if I mentioned this but about a year before he was elected leader I sat opposite Corbyn on the Jubilee Line. He seemed to be going to Stratford.
He was doing his emails. Well he was reading his emails that someone had printed off and stapled together.
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Destroying the forests unnecessarily. Is there no end to his evil?
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OT – I sat next to Charles Dance on the tube. He wasn’t reading anything.
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@chimpie
To be fair he did have a very serious expression on his face and his brow was furrowed for the entire journey.
Am sure he was solving an important problem in his head. The trees did not die in vain.
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