Cracking the Code

  The late try that took the Blues within a point of the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium last Saturday was a beaut. A well-executed chip and gather from Steve Shingler, inter passing between the Cardiff backs, before Garyn Smith exploited a gap in the fatigued scramble defence to cross the line. Whilst I questioned whether Shingler would have initiated such a play if it wasn’t a low pressure, shot to nothing moment. The Ospreys were in Nigel Owens’ ear, disagreeing with his judgement that the penultimate pass, delivered by Alex Cuthbert had not traveled forward. My dismay was not with the trajectory of Cuthbert’s pass, but that he passed at all. Once upon a time, the Blues' wing would have switched to turbo and backed himself to motor through the gap. The tentative manner with which lobbed the ball to his team mate was a sad indictment of a player who now seems to question the instincts that once made him such a devastating ball runner. Last week, it was announced that ...

When the East Great Falls High School, class of '99 wanted a host for their prom party, they selected one Steve Stiffler to organise the most prestigious of soirées. At this stage, for the sake of my tenuous analogy, I ask you not to focus on the police involvement at the aforementioned shindig. Instead, think of the good times, the laughter. Putting on Blink 182 at this point is optional. In selecting France to host the 2023, The World Rugby Council, simultaneously shunned the offer of Rugby's party protagonist. South Africa, this is not you. Ireland - my comparison of you lot with the Stiffmeister is not meant in a derogatory manner - endearing if anything. Bear with me. Before continuing, I will mitigate the hate from those supporting either of the opposing bids. I'm sure that France will host and South Africa would've hosted phenomenal sporting events. I have fond memories of both the 2007 Rugby World Cup and 2009 Lions tour. When it comes to pre/post m...