Off on Holiday

Off on holiday, but a few things I have been thinking about!

Summer Tours;

Rob Andrew has hinted strongly that England might well not be taking many of the key players to South Africa, and Ieuan believes the Welsh will do the same. The thinking is that the guys need a rest and a chance to get fit!
Does that not beg the question, what the hell is the point of the tour then? So the Springboks get to whack some of our younger guys??!! Always good for their future development!!! Or is it meant to be good for the character? Stiff upper lip and all that??!!
As I said on the Podcast, the best thing that England did before the 2003 World Cup was go and beat New Zealand and Australia on their own patch. Massive psychological advantage to England!
I think what we are really saying here, and it seems the Welsh are too, is that we are not good enough to beat you down there, so we won't try. We will hide up here and try to beat you with a bit of luck in a few months time!
I know I am old fashioned, but I would prefer us to go. For two reasons;
Firstly experience! These young England players need as much experience as possible, and playing in SA at Bloomfontein and Pretoria is right up there!
Secondly I think we will get beaten. That will hurt! And I believe that hurt, that experience, that desire for revenge is our best chance when we face them in the World Cup.
Otherwise I believe our guys will lose in the World Cup, due to inexperience as much as anything, and only after they lose will they realise that they were good enough to win! Crazy logic I know, but it does work!!!
I know Zinny disagrees, but what does he know!!!
In all seriousness, he said that the guys do not need more rugby in order to win at the World Cup, it is all in the head. You win when you turn up mentally. (ask the Irish) And I think our best chance is to be hurt into turning up.

Can anyone tell me what has happened to the likes of Abbott, Smith and Allen?
At the beginning of the season I thought we had a few interesting centres, and now apart from Tait, the cupboard is looking very bare! Who has raided it??

I will leave that one with you as I head off to enjoy the beach for a week or so!