Seen some England games on FF ( didnt see Ukraine). Found them quite tedious and low on quality, except the marvellous Raheem Sterling, and surprise surprise a very good goalie.
@BB – Sort of. They’re the England cricket team that lost the test series against World Test Champions and number one ranked team New Zealand.
England are pretty dominant in one-day and twenty over cricket (World Cup holders and possibly the best team though not ranked first in the former and ranked one in the latter). And that’s what they’re playing at the moment.
The England football games have been dull, but then that’s not entirely England’s fault other than for defending well as their various opponents haven’t been able to score. England did play very well last night, but as they didn’t really allow Ukraine to ever get going it wasn’t a great spectacle.
I’m still supporting the Danes despite what they did to Daff, but Italy and England look the best teams.
Andrew Brace with another baffling decision. USA player challenges the England 15 in the air. While he does make contact with the ball, he also drags the England plater down, who lands face first. Ref’s decision – USA scrum?!?!
Sloppy start to the 2nd half by England. Concede a penalty from the restart (knocking the ball out the USA 9’s hand). Then another from the resulting line out. USA then have another lineout on the England line. Throw to the front and a quick maul over the line.
Wooo, Harry Randall scores his first England try. Spots a gap in the US line, steps the defending winger and has enough strength to make it over the line while being tackled.
Final score 43-29. Randall got MotM. USA were pretty decent, although they were probably helped by the England injuries meaning there were players out of position for large periods of the match.
USA made a pretty good showing there, right up with England in the fitness stakes, and still looking sharp at 80 mins. 6-2 bench split made it difficult to get any kind of consistency in the England back line, whole thing was pretty shambolic in the second half, Moral victory to US, i think. I would also have given the MoM to Cam Dolan , the US 8, who was a real pain everywhere, but it would have been a close thing with Randall. He does need to tidy his pass up a little, I think.
There was an interview with this guy in my music magazine this month, so I thought I’d check him out. His technique is amazing! Love seeing all the kids dancing too.
Second son was playing (gaelic) football yesterday evening and – late in game – got clothes-lined. Short walk home (our house backs on to the pitch) and he started to complain of blurred vision, then a headache, then he puked.
Alarm bells go off – so off to A&E. My wife and son got back early this morning. No lasting effects, we think.
Obviously from my involvement with rugby I’m tuned in to head injuries (probably miss some but try to make parents aware of what they need to look for). In case you’re wondering, only sanction was a free (kick). And there appears to be no protocol for reporting injuries and concussions.
Without sounding morally superior (and no doubt I am) – I’d guess GAA has a problem from top to bottom with head injuries and concussions in football – they don’t accept/realise it and no-one is tuned in to be aware of it, not the players, not the coaches, not the refs, and not parents.
It was a match between local rivals – and a lot of the kids would go to school together (more clubs than schools) but I reckon a rugby ref would have given a couple of reds and 3 maybe 4 yellows (not all one way either) – only yellow I saw was – apparently – for not wearing a mouthguard.
Trisk – glad there was no lasting effects, sounds awful. Are you going to talk to the ref or anyone else about this? I might not have reacted so reasonably tbh.
I also have no doubt that Trisk is morally superior and find it a little disappointing that his son was yellow carded for having his mouthguard knocked out in the incident.
More seriously I agree with Craigs that it sounds like it somehow needs to be raised as an issue though I can imagine that might not be all that easy to do in a way that will make any difference.
There’s no way I know of to make the ref aware of the aftermath – there’s no equivalent of MAR (Munster Association of Referees) in GAA – refs are freelance more or less. We have made the coaches aware. I’m waiting for the hospital to send in their report to our GP – we get cc’d on that – and I will send that to the competition organisers requesting that it is added to the ref’s report.
As I mentioned, there’s no real awareness that concussion is or might be an issue – so I’m starting at the bottom. At least in rugby, we’re one or two steps ahead. But coming from that…. refs let stuff go or don’t penalise it severely enough – mainly because they can’t or don’t have the guidelines to cover it.
When I did the MAR affiliate ref course, the first thing on the agenda was safety. Get them on and off the pitch in one piece – don’t worry about forward passes, crooked feeds, knock ons (well, just give the obvious ones).
Oops! NO lingering effects. Not my fault, my brain is mush from translating West Cork accents for Mrs Deebee for the last couple of days. Murder series on Netflix.
Just watched Jimmy Anderson take his 1000th first class wicket. He’s doing it against Kent. All of them. In one spell. So far he has five for three in seven overs and Kent are 19/6 having looked at the swing-friendly conditions, noted Anderson’s presence in the Lancashire side and… chosen to bat.
Lood de Jager trying to scupper the Lions series on his own. Whole Bok squad now in isolation after he tested positive for Covid. If the series does go ahead, the Lions must be massive favourites to win 3-0 after this and the Irish petrol bombing half our squad.
Ovally Balls 
Would that be the England cricket team that lost the series against New Zealand?
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@Flair – ta, France added to Weds.
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Seen some England games on FF ( didnt see Ukraine). Found them quite tedious and low on quality, except the marvellous Raheem Sterling, and surprise surprise a very good goalie.
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@BB – Sort of. They’re the England cricket team that lost the test series against World Test Champions and number one ranked team New Zealand.
England are pretty dominant in one-day and twenty over cricket (World Cup holders and possibly the best team though not ranked first in the former and ranked one in the latter). And that’s what they’re playing at the moment.
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The England football games have been dull, but then that’s not entirely England’s fault other than for defending well as their various opponents haven’t been able to score. England did play very well last night, but as they didn’t really allow Ukraine to ever get going it wasn’t a great spectacle.
I’m still supporting the Danes despite what they did to Daff, but Italy and England look the best teams.
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That’s Spain nailed on for the trophy.
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Looks like a lovely day at HQ.
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Bugger, Malins is broken – landed on his shoulder after making the try for Underwood.
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Jeremy Guscott never had that problem.
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USA have their huge lump of a winger, Teo, but Olly Lawrence still managed to make it over the try line with him literally hanging off his shorts.
12-3 to ENgland.
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Andrew Brace with another baffling decision. USA player challenges the England 15 in the air. While he does make contact with the ball, he also drags the England plater down, who lands face first. Ref’s decision – USA scrum?!?!
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Welp, Lawrence just knocked himself out, with accidental head-on-head with the USA 15. England looking a bit buggered with the 6-2 split.
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26-3 at half-time oranges.
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Sloppy start to the 2nd half by England. Concede a penalty from the restart (knocking the ball out the USA 9’s hand). Then another from the resulting line out. USA then have another lineout on the England line. Throw to the front and a quick maul over the line.
26-8
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Day-boo try from Jamie Blamire. Charge down on the USA 9 and regathers and gets over the line.
31-8
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Wooo, Harry Randall scores his first England try. Spots a gap in the US line, steps the defending winger and has enough strength to make it over the line while being tackled.
43-15
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Final score 43-29. Randall got MotM. USA were pretty decent, although they were probably helped by the England injuries meaning there were players out of position for large periods of the match.
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Ok, Ellis Genge playing with his baby, in the middle of the Twickenham pitch, might be the most adorable thing.
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Ellis Genge kills blog. Bastard.
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DeeBee kills blog. Also bastard.
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BB also kills blog. Worst bastard of them all.
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USA made a pretty good showing there, right up with England in the fitness stakes, and still looking sharp at 80 mins. 6-2 bench split made it difficult to get any kind of consistency in the England back line, whole thing was pretty shambolic in the second half, Moral victory to US, i think. I would also have given the MoM to Cam Dolan , the US 8, who was a real pain everywhere, but it would have been a close thing with Randall. He does need to tidy his pass up a little, I think.
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@SBT – to be fair to Randall, he’s got to make time for his paper-round, as well as passing practice.
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There was an interview with this guy in my music magazine this month, so I thought I’d check him out. His technique is amazing! Love seeing all the kids dancing too.
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Well, “interesting” Sunday evening / Monday morning…
Second son was playing (gaelic) football yesterday evening and – late in game – got clothes-lined. Short walk home (our house backs on to the pitch) and he started to complain of blurred vision, then a headache, then he puked.
Alarm bells go off – so off to A&E. My wife and son got back early this morning. No lasting effects, we think.
Obviously from my involvement with rugby I’m tuned in to head injuries (probably miss some but try to make parents aware of what they need to look for). In case you’re wondering, only sanction was a free (kick). And there appears to be no protocol for reporting injuries and concussions.
Without sounding morally superior (and no doubt I am) – I’d guess GAA has a problem from top to bottom with head injuries and concussions in football – they don’t accept/realise it and no-one is tuned in to be aware of it, not the players, not the coaches, not the refs, and not parents.
It was a match between local rivals – and a lot of the kids would go to school together (more clubs than schools) but I reckon a rugby ref would have given a couple of reds and 3 maybe 4 yellows (not all one way either) – only yellow I saw was – apparently – for not wearing a mouthguard.
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Trisk – glad there was no lasting effects, sounds awful. Are you going to talk to the ref or anyone else about this? I might not have reacted so reasonably tbh.
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@Trisk – Sounds pretty grim, hope your boy’s OK and it doesn’t put him off.
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I also have no doubt that Trisk is morally superior and find it a little disappointing that his son was yellow carded for having his mouthguard knocked out in the incident.
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More seriously I agree with Craigs that it sounds like it somehow needs to be raised as an issue though I can imagine that might not be all that easy to do in a way that will make any difference.
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Cmw – set fire to a bin in their office?
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Strong and Interesting – and credit to Henderson – very underrated player:
British and Irish Lions: Williams; Watson, Daly, Aki, Van der Merwe; Biggar, Davies; Vunipola, Cowan-Dickie, Fagerson, Henderson (capt), Beard, Navidi, Curry, Simmonds.
Replacements: Owens, Sutherland, Furlong, Beirne, Conan, Murray, Hogg, Harris.
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@craigs, @cmw
Thanks for the comments and good wishes.
There’s no way I know of to make the ref aware of the aftermath – there’s no equivalent of MAR (Munster Association of Referees) in GAA – refs are freelance more or less. We have made the coaches aware. I’m waiting for the hospital to send in their report to our GP – we get cc’d on that – and I will send that to the competition organisers requesting that it is added to the ref’s report.
As I mentioned, there’s no real awareness that concussion is or might be an issue – so I’m starting at the bottom. At least in rugby, we’re one or two steps ahead. But coming from that…. refs let stuff go or don’t penalise it severely enough – mainly because they can’t or don’t have the guidelines to cover it.
When I did the MAR affiliate ref course, the first thing on the agenda was safety. Get them on and off the pitch in one piece – don’t worry about forward passes, crooked feeds, knock ons (well, just give the obvious ones).
So, it’s a mindset and it’ll be a long path.
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Trisk, really hope the lad is fine and has lingering effects. And I hope that your efforts to bring attention to the issue are taken seriously.
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Dear me Deebs, even bastards like Ellis Genge and BB wouldn’t wish lingering effects on the lad.
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Sharks side to play the Lions on Wednesday (15 to 1):
They’re without 9 Boks, but should provide stiffer competition than the Joburg mob (glorious mob, but mob nonetheless).
Manie Libbok; Werner Kok, Jeremy Ward, Marius Louw, Thaakir Abrahams; Curwin Bosch, Jaden Hendrikse; Phepsi Buthelezi (capt), Thembelani Bholi, James Venter; Hyron Andrews, Ruben van Heerden; Khutha Mchunu, Fez Mbatha, Khwezi Mona
Replacements: Kerron van Vuuren, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Wiehahn Herbst, JJ van der Mescht, Reniel Hugo, Dylan Richardson, Grant Williams, Anthony Volmink
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Oops! NO lingering effects. Not my fault, my brain is mush from translating West Cork accents for Mrs Deebee for the last couple of days. Murder series on Netflix.
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I’d normally say that blaming the Irish was a sound policy, but in this particular instance I’m not so sure.
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Cmw –
even bastards like Ellis Genge and BB
Come on that’s a bit harsh. There is very little evidence for Gengey being a bastard.
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Craigs, he plays for England. What more do you want?
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Just watched Jimmy Anderson take his 1000th first class wicket. He’s doing it against Kent. All of them. In one spell. So far he has five for three in seven overs and Kent are 19/6 having looked at the swing-friendly conditions, noted Anderson’s presence in the Lancashire side and… chosen to bat.
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Six for three now.
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Now he’s been hit for four by Darren Stevens who is even older than me, let alone Jimmy.
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Bet Jimmy isn’t swinging them like this old chucker:
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Deebs – he might be a good egg though. Come on, where’s the proof?
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@OT – An understandable leave, especially as I don’t suppose they’ve seen the bowler before, every year for over half a century or anything like that.
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Swinging in Kent? Who’da thunk. Jimmy you saucy bugger!
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Anderson’s having a rest having bowled ten overs and taken seven for nineteen. Stevens got after him a couple of times in his last over.
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Craigs I’m confused. Thought I’d made it clear?
Lood de Jager trying to scupper the Lions series on his own. Whole Bok squad now in isolation after he tested positive for Covid. If the series does go ahead, the Lions must be massive favourites to win 3-0 after this and the Irish petrol bombing half our squad.
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Stevens manages to get caught at long-off. Perhaps not the best shot in the circumstances, 51/9.
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Can LAncs declare for ) and make Kent, in effect, follow on?
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