Pool C - New Zealand, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Scotland

[ohtani's jacket]

I still say Mains was worse. The All Blacks were so bad under Mains that people were willing the French to beat them in '94. There were so many selection debacles & yet he somehow managed to hold onto the job heading into the '95 World Cup.

 

[Fiery]

I still say Mains was worse. The All Blacks were so bad under Mains that people were willing the French to beat them in '94. There were so many selection debacles & yet he somehow managed to hold onto the job heading into the '95 World Cup.

If we hadn't been poisoned in '95 he would go down as one of the very good coaches. I've always respected Laurie Mains actually...can't say the same for Mitchell, and I'm from the Waikato

 

[Jamee999]

Hate words that have three different meanings tbh.

Yeah, me two

 

[BoyBrumby]

I hope Romania can get two wins, Scotland didn't look so well in the Six Nations and Portugal is pretty accesible. The NZ game will be holiday - last game in the group at 2pm.
And with Italy... who knows...?
Tbh our rugby fell down a lot, only the Bucharest team has put out some good matches in the European Shield.

How's Rugby doing over in Romania now atisha? The received wisdom over here is that it's been on the downward slope in terms of popularity since the end of communism. Results seem to back this up too, in the 80s you beat France & Wales, but when we (England) last played you we won 134-0.

 

[atisha_ro]

now - as now - we had two games in the IRB Nations Cup which we host: lost 7-61 to Emerging Springboks and won 14-8 to Italy A. The domestic league ain't so bad, but there is no big stadium for rugby. And not many young lads want to take up the hardships of a rugby career - they're all blinded with the glamour of famous footballers, of whom the media will never cease to talk.
Football dominates the stage too much, I'm getting fed up of it. I'd rather watch the African Nations Cup than the European Champions League which is so agressively marketed here.
So yes, there was a decline in rugby, but the Bucharest XV pulled up some wins against French sides, and this is a good sign. We'll see how we fare in this "minnow" tournament and then in the World Cup.
You can compare Romania in rugby with Zimbabwe in cricket, if you wish. We have a fame, we struggle to get up there again.

 

[Jamee999]

My Mum's met the Romanian Rugby Team (of 15 years ago).

 

[DCC_legend]

I met the Romanian under 19s a few weeks ago

 

[cbuts]

The year was 1981 and Andy Dalton lead the All Blacks out infront of 30,000 screaming fans in Bucharest. The game was tight at halftime and nothing could seperate the teams, but in the end the All Blacks pulled away to win 14-6 in the only encounter they have ever had with Romania.

We have actually played Romania plenty of times, infact they toured here in 75, but the game in 1981 is the only one that we gave test match status to.

Most games the All Blacks played were not test matches as we didnt consider the opposition good enough.This changed in 87 with the advent of the World Cup

 

[cbuts]

Can only see Italy coming within 30 points of the All Blacks.

With the revelation that Scotland are going to play their second stringers in the game against us, i cant see us not getting at least 70 points in every game. I dont think it would be outragoues for us to crack a 100 in every game either

 

[cbuts]

If we hadn't been poisoned in '95 he would go down as one of the very good coaches. I've always respected Laurie Mains actually...can't say the same for Mitchell, and I'm from the Waikato

The only reason we got to the final in 95 was cos he called in two of the greatest rugby names. Meads was the Manager and Lochore was the campaign manager.

 

[Smudge]

My Mum's met the Romanian Rugby Team (of 15 years ago).

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

My Mum's met the Romanian Rugby Team (of 15 years ago).

Were they on a reunion tour or summat? Live from the Westpac Stadium, the new smash hit boy band.... All those years ago (15 to be exact) they were taking the field in rugby union, but now, for YOU (and Jamee's mum), they take to the stage....

 

[KennyD]

Quite certain Jamee IS half romanian, isn't that right Jamee?

 

[Smudge]

The only reason we got to the final in 95 was cos he called in two of the greatest rugby names. Meads was the Manager and Lochore was the campaign manager.

What a load of bollocks. The ABs got to the final in 1995 because of the style of rugby they were playing, and because of selections like Josh Kronfeld and Andrew Mehrtens and, of course, Jonah Lomu.

 

[Fiery]

The only reason we got to the final in 95 was cos he called in two of the greatest rugby names. Meads was the Manager and Lochore was the campaign manager.

Of course, the coach and players would have nothing to do with it I doubt these 2 guys you mentioned did much more than give the odd motivational speech about the "pride of the jersey", etc and perhaps count the bags as they came off the bus

 

[Smudge]

And, in Meads' case, complain about how much "bloody pasta" they're eating.

 

[Perm]

The only reason we got to the final in 95 was cos he called in two of the greatest rugby names. Meads was the Manager and Lochore was the campaign manager.

Haha, worst post. I take it you don't actually remember much about the 1995 World Cup? To complete ignore the fact that we had Kronfield, Lomu and Merhtens all playing very, very good football is a large oversight on your behalf.

 

[Fiery]

Haha, worst post. I take it you don't actually remember much about the 1995 World Cup? To complete ignore the fact that we had Kronfield, Lomu and Merhtens all playing very, very good football is a large oversight on your behalf.

I take it you remember heaps of it, given you were 4

 

[Smudge]

I don't remember much of the final, because we had been at a party (must have been a blue moon that night, because I got lucky), and we went back to my friend's place to watch the final. Unfortunately the reception was so terrible we could barely make the ball out in amongst the fuzzy static, so it was a guess whether the drop kicks had gone through the posts. I've never watched that game again.

 

[Perm]

Mum and Dad slept through their alarm so didn't watch it and have never sought out a replay.