Com certo atraso (justificado pelo terrível fim de semestre universitário), o Blog do Rugby traz o time candango do Brasília Rugby, campeão do Pequi Nations 2009, e os Harlequins, da Inglaterra.

Nome: Brasília Rugby

Cidade/Estado: Brasília/DF

Campo: Estádio Vasco Viana de Andrade – Metropolitana – núcleo Bandeirante; e Asa Norte 307/308

Títulos: Campeão do Pequi Nations 2009; Campeão da IV Etapa do Campeonato Paulista do Interior 2007 – Campinas-SP; Campeão Taça Estímulo (Taça de Madeira) no Torneio Internacional de Sevens de São José dos Campos.

Site: www.brasiliarugby.com.br

O Brasília Rugby Clube, BRC, foi o primeiro clube de Rugby na capital federal. Criado em 2000, a equipe foi fundada por J.R. Zakrzewski e alguns estrangeiros praticantes de Rugby em seus países de origem. Juntamente com alguns brasilienses interessados, deram início às atividades do time em 2001. Em meados de 2002, um grupo de franceses liderados por Bruno Guerrard, e outros representades da Embaixada Francesa, criou o Rugby Sem Fronteiras, RSF; clube que chegou a participar de alguns campeonatos nacionais. Ambos os clubes contaram com a identificação de vários brasileiros com o esporte, e rapidamente angariaram vários atletas.
Infelizmente a falta de apoio e de estrutura durante os anos que se seguiram acabou por diminuir o interesse dos atletas e aumentar a dificuldade em conseguir novos membros. Em meados de 2005, as diretorias dos clubes decidiram unir forças para o desenvolvimento do rugby no Distrito Federal. A fusão dos dois times foi feita com o objetivo de participar do Campeonato Brasileiro – 2ª Divisão no mesmo ano, e desenvolvimento de vários projetos para 2006 e anos seguintes.

Levando as cores e a bandeira do DF no brasão, o novo clube, o Brasília Rugby, teve rápida identificação com o povo candango. Com a experiência dos membros do RSF que já haviam disputado o Brasileiro em 2004 e a vontade dos membros do BRC, a primeira conquista veio logo. Em junho, o time foi Campeão da Taça Estímulo do Torneio Internacional de Sevens de São José dos Campos, dada ao melhor time estreiante. Teve também eleito o jogador revelação do campeonato, Cedric Wamba. No Brasileiro, a equipe conseguiu uma vitória em casa diante do BH Rugby e foi derrotada pela o Rio Union no Rio de Janeiro, terminando a competição em 3° lugar juntamente com o Pasteur.

Em 2008, o clube iniciou um projeto de fortalecimento interno e formação de equipes juvenis. Por fim, em 2009, o Brasilia ingressou no Pequi Nations, torneio que envolve equipes do Centro-Oeste brasileiro, e foi campeão.

Fonte: site oficial do clube

Nome: Harlequin Football Club

Cidade/País: Londres, Inglaterra

Estádio: Twickenham Stoop Stadium (capacidade: 12,700)

Títulos: Copa da Inglaterra (John Player Cup/Pilkington Cup): 2; European Shield/Challenge Cup: 1 (2001 e 2004)

Site: www.quins.co.uk

O genuíno clube londrino. O Harlequin F.C., mais conhecido como Harlequins, ou simplesmente Quins, é um dos mais famosos clubes de rugby da Inglaterra. E também um dos mais antigos. Fundado em 1866 com o nome de Hampstead Football Club, em alusão ao bairro central de Londres onde o clube foi fundado – um dos bairros mais caros da cidade. O clube foi fundado por jovens empregados que trabalhavam nas empresas financeiras da City londrina. Em 1870, contudo, buscando se desvincular de sua identidade restrita ao bairro de origem, o clube mudou de nome para Harlequin F.C. A mudança de nome foi curiosa. Para não precisar mudar as iniciais do nome (HFC), os membros recorreram ao dicionário. A palavra Harlequin foi escolhida, mas não sem criar polêmica. Um racha entre os membros se seguiu à mudança de nome. O antigo Hampstead foi dividido em dois clubes: o Harlequin F.C. e o Wasps F.C. (atual London Wasps).

A fama do clube vem de seu famoso e pitoresco uniforme, dividido em 4 partes no tronco, cada uma com sua cor, mais as mangas. A meias também são coloridas, fazendo jus ao nome da equipe – harlequin traduzido para o português é arlequim, um bufão ou um palhaço, muito comum como figura carnavalesca. A fama boêmia do clube e de seus torcedores também é notória, o que uma das agremiações de rugby com mais torcedores na Inglaterra, apesar de não possuir títulos expressivos. Não à toa que o nome “Harlequins” se espalhou pelo mundo e dá nome a uma porção de equipes nos mais variados países: de Dubai a Melbourne, de Hangzhou, na China, a Dallas, o nome e o tradicional uniforme são verdadeiros ícones do rugby.

Em 1906, a RFU convidou a equipe a usar o recém construído estádio de Twickenham como casa. Mesmo tendo passado por mais de 15 sedes diferentes, os Harlequins mantiveram sua identidade vinculado a Twickenham, e desde 1963 mandam suas partidas no The Stoop, pequeno porém muito atmosférico estádio vizinho ao grande templo do rugby inglês, o estádio de Twickenham.

Apesar de não ser conhecido pelos títulos, os Harlequins já tiveram grandes equipes. Tiveram um dos melhores times do país até a Primeira Guerra Mundial, e voltaram ter proeminência no cenário inglês na década de 1980, quando conquistaram a John Player Cup (a Copa da Inglaterra), em 1988. O segundo título da competição, já sob o nome de Pilkington Cup, veio em 1991, e atingiram mais três vezes as semi-finais. O primeiro título internacional veio em 2001, no European Shield (atual European Challenge Cup), ao derrotarem o Narbonne, da França, por incríveis 42 x 33. O bicampeonato da competição veio em 2004, com vitória na final sobre outra equipe francesa, o Montferrand (atual Clermont), por emocionantes 27 x 26. O sucesso europeu, contudo, foi eclipsado pelo rebaixamento no Campeonato Inglês, na temporada 2004-05. A promoção de volta à elite do rugby inglês veio no ano seguinte. Por questões de patrocínio, o time também era conhecido como NEC Harlequins. Agora, com patrocinador principal novo, a equipe principal voltou a ter apenas o nome do clube: Harlequins.

Em 2006, o clube iniciou sua empreitada no Rugby League, fundando o Harlequins Rugby League, única equipe londrina que disputa a Super League (divisão de elite do rugby league inglês). Todavia, a direção das equipes de rugby union e de rugby league são mantidas completamente separadas.

Dentre os grandes jogadores que vestiram a emblemática camisa dos Quins o brilhante hooker inglês Keith Wood (ex-melhor do mundo segundo a IRB), o ex-all black Andrew Mehrtens, o abertura francês Thierry Lacroix e os ex-centros ingleses Will Greenwood e Will Carling, que atuaram pelos British & Irish Lions.

I haven’t spent much time on the roof as I’d like to recently.  The weather’s been pretty unkind of late, plus daylight hours at home are getting rarer.   But yesterday the sky turned the most brilliant of blues and I stole a few precious minutes in my secret garden.  The sycamore tree that towers over it is almost bare now, but still casts the odd last leaf adrift. Those final leaves were dancing about the roof in slow motion on Saturday.  I kept catching them out of the corner of my eye and mistaking them for huge brown butterflies.

Despite wild weather, and gale like wind and rain, the bulbs and seeds I planted in October are all doing really well.  I’ve got lots of green shoots – lettuce and leaves, spring onions and chard, garlic and flowers.  My flat leaved parsley plants are doing especially well.  The tomatoes have just about finished now, the plants are looking very withered and wrinkly.  There are a few lone fruits left on the vines but I don’t expect they’ll turn red.  The squirrels continue to gnaw at them when they get desperate.

It was almost odd being out there yesterday, momentarily just sitting and looking.  After a summer devoted to lounging around in my mini jungle doing not much at all, the roof is now starting to feel like less of an escape.  Even choosing to have the door open, so fresh air can blow into my bedroom, is a decision to freeze these days.  The roof is somewhere to be still, it’s prime daydreaming territory.  As it gets colder, wetter and windier it becomes a much less enticing space.  It’s still wonderful of course, we just don’t spend as much time together these days!

At this time of year one needs bigger expanses of outside space to march across in order to keep warm and to get desirably rosy cheeks.  I went for a wonderful walk a couple of weeks ago with one of my best friends.  It was a weekday treat, we ate soup in a tiny cafe then roamed over Hampstead Heath in the autumn wet for hours.

A downpour left the leaf fall slick and gleaming, and the lichen on tree trunks fluorescing lime green.  Glossy droplets balled on fat pink berries.  When the rain returned tree canopies made protective umbrellas over our heads.  We searched for and we found the hollow tree we’d last visited over two years before.  The tree is huge and bulbous at the bottom, there’s enough room inside it for two people to sit.  It’s seriously special.  More so that day because it had taken us years to re-find it.

The weekend following the weekday walk I headed out west, excitingly on the back of a Vespa.  It took us quite a while to get to the Thames at Twickenham, but it was a beautiful day and the novelty of travelling through London on a scooter kept me thoroughly entertained.  I was pulled to the river at this westerly point because I was determined to see the effects of the annual November draw-off, something I had no idea even happened until the week before.

Every year the weirs at Richmond Lock are lifted to allow the Port of London Authority to carry out essential maintenance works on the lock, weirs and sluices. The weir being lifted allows the river between Richmond Lock and Teddington Lock to drain naturally at low tide and this creates a short annual opportunity to access the lower shore.

The draw off leaves behind the lowest of low tides, with the river around Eel Pie Island emptying to almost nothing.  We slurped around in the oozing mud, crunched over hundreds of mussels and sifted through all kinds of debris.  And I discovered my beautiful red wellies weren’t at all waterproof. It was a brilliant afternoon, if a little damp.

Back in the big smoke, and in the far less idyllic surroundings of Elephant and Castle in south London, I went to an interesting event organised by CABE – the Commission for the Built Environment.  They were launching their new ‘Grey to Green’ campaign, which is all about investing in green infrastructure in our cities.  Similar to the Urban Task Force in the 1990s, they’re calling for a green infrastructure task force, “to galvanise us all to create great green places”.

The campaign asks why grey infrastructure receives so much more investment than green, and questions how wise this is in an era of climate change and in the context of the opportunity to improve public health.  It also highlights the urgent need for more people with the right skills “to manage the living landscape of our towns and cities”.

The landscape designer and writer Dan Pearson delivered a great speech during the event, illustrating the idea of green urban environments with stunning examples of projects in world cities like Tokyo and New York.  Excitingly he also highlighted one of my friend’s gardens as a favourite of his.  She lives on a community of barges that float on the Thames at Tower Bridge, where they nurture beautiful gardens on the boat tops.

I felt heartened by the event, by the fact that advisory bodies like CABE are getting more and more serious about the importance of gardens and green spaces; that they’re pushing for serious action from the powers that be.  Here’s hoping that there soon will be a green infrastructure task force in place, protecting London’s existing green spaces and pushing for the creation of more.

All this makes having the roof garden feel more important.  It may be my indulgent summer retreat, where I laze and pick strawberries straight from the plant, and I may be neglecting it somewhat now as the weather turns nasty, but all year round it is valuable.  It’s an example of a little bit of grey turning into a little bit of green.

English sports fans will be pleased overall with the weekend’s performance of its nations heroes despite Martin Johnson’s men proving its rugby team are very much still in a state of flux.

In a thoroughly satisfactory couple of days of sporting entertainment Lee Westwood won the race to Dubai, Andy Murray got off to a flyer in the ATP World Tour Finals and England’s cricket team produced a rare ODI victory to take the lead in the series with South Africa.

Yet while England’s defeat at Twickenham and Westwood and Murray’s triumphs were not that surprising, the success of the cricket team, for me came completely out of the blue.

Luring the entire nation into believing they were going to be royally humiliated was such a cruel thing for Andrew Strauss et al to do.

Having given the impression they were struggling with injuries with the likes of Alistair Cook, Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad all out injured, it very much looked to be a case of damage limitation.

Instead England fans were treated to an unusual display of brilliance as they casually knocked off the 251 target set by their hosts.

Where exactly have they been hiding such a composed innings? Usually fans are left biting their finger nails or drowning their sorrows such has been the lamentable performance of England in the short forms of the game.

It has been a long time since an English batsman last scored an ODI century and it just goes to show how important one is to winning a game.

Fim de semana recheado de jogos importantes! Grandes amistosos internacionais (Test) e Eliminatórias para a Copa do Mundo! Vamos ao bolo de resultados internacionais!

O fim de semana de amistosos internacionais começou na sexta-feira com dois jogos menores. A Geórgia foi derrotada pela Itália A (8 x 7) e Tonga, que foi tão bem na última Copa do Mundo, teve mais um péssimo resultado: derrota para a Escócia A, por 38 x 7. No sábado, tivemos as grandes pelejas. Os Springboks se recuperaram dos últimos vexames e venceram a Itália, em Udine, com casa cheia novamente. Os azuis lutaram muito, mas novamente foram incapazes de derrotar um gigante do rugby mundial. Habana, Fourie, du Preez e Olivier fizeram os 4 tries dos Boks. Gonzalo Garcia anotou o try italiano. 32 x 10 para a África do Sul.

Em Twickenham, Londres, a Inglaterra recebeu a Nova Zelândia, e liderados por Jonny Wilkinson buscava melhorar a sua atuação da sofrida vitória sobre os Pumas. Mas foram incapazes. Mesmo com os penais convertidos por Wilko, os ingleses foram dominados pelos All Blacks, em bela atuação de Richie McCaw. Apenas um try foi anotado, pelas mãos do half neozelandês dos Highlanders Jim Cowan. Após duro primeiro tempo, os homens de preto deslancharam na segunda etapa, e sairam vitoriosos por 19 x 6. O grande jogo do dia, contudo, foi País de Gales x Argentina. Após perder por pouco para a Inglaterra, em partida fraca tecnicamente, os Pumas foram facilmente suplantados pelos galeses, em Cardiff. Dois tries de Shane Williams – que detonou na partida – e um do grande Stephen Jones, deram a grande vitória aos vermelhos, por ótima margem de pontos. Os 33 x 15 dizem tudo. Nem os esforços do centro Martín Rodriguez puderam deter os galeses. Para os Pumas, resta melhorar e muito as atuações, já que a equipe mostrou um rugby aquém do seu melhor nas partidas realizadas no Reino Unido. A outra seelção argentina, os Jaguares (o quadro reserva), derrotou  Portugal, em Lisboa, por 24 x 13.

Nas partidas envolvendo potências euroéias e ilhas do Pacífico, ampla e tranquila vantagem para os europeus. A França atropelou Samoa, em Paris. Em menos de 10 minutos já havia anotado dois tries. Só no primeiro tempo foram 5! Samoa não jogou absolutamente nada e os Bleus deitaram e rolaram. 43 x 5 para a França. Já Fiji também foi arrasado, só que pela Irlanda. 41 x 6 para os homens de verde, sem maiores complicações. Na Ásia, o Japão recebeu o Canadá de novo, e obteve outra incontestável vitória, por 27 x 6. Hoje, não resta dúvidas. Os japoneses estão melhores que seus rivais da América do Norte!

O jogo mais emocionante da rodada talvez tenha sido Escócia x Austrália, em Murrayfield. Poucos apostavam na Escócia, que não derrotava os Wallabies desde 1982! Mas a fase dos comandados de Robbie Deans é temeroso. Displicentes e incapazes de corverter a clara superioridade ofensiva em pontos, os australianos deixaram o jogo se arrastar em um fraco empate de 3 x 3 por todo o primeiro tempo. O jogo teve um toada: ataque australiano e defesa brilhante da Escócia. De fato, o poder e a organização defensiva demonstradas pela Escócia foram dignas dos mais longos aplausos. E foram recompensadas. Phil Godman anotou o penal que colocou a Escócia na frente, por 6 x 3. A partir daí, os Wallabies entraram em curto-circuito. Matt Giteau, tão brilhante, entrou em pane nos chutes e foi incapaz de anotar novos pontos para seu time. No ataque, o máximo que os aussies conseguiram foram dois tries anulados. E quando Chris Paterson entrou em campo, e anotou um drop goal, o estádio veio a baixo. A vitória estava próxima para a Escócia. Para evitar o vexame, os Wallabies foram para cima, para o verdadeiro abafa. E conseguiram o try, nos acréscimos, após uma fantástica resistência esoccesa. 9 x 8 , para a Escócia, e vitória australiana nos pés de Matt Giteau. E ele chuta para a fora a conversão. Vitória história da Escócia!

Nas Eliminatórias para a Copa do Mundo de 2011, os Estados Unidos garantiram a classificação, ao derrotar, em Lauderhill, Flórida, o Uruguai, por 27 x 6. Os Eagles carimbaram seu passaporte para o Grupo C, e enfrentará no Mundial Austrália, Irlanda, Itália e uma equipe européia. Já o Uruguai espera agora pela repescagem, sua última chance de ir à Copa. Os Teros enfrentarão o segundo colocado da zona asiática e, se vencerem, jogarão contra o vencedor da partida entre o terceiro colocado da Europa e o segundo colocado da África, valendo a vigésima e última vaga na Copa do Mundo de Rugby de 2011.

By Paul Morgan, editor of Rugby World Magazine

Former England legend Gill Burns (many of the the players are there now because of people like Burnsie) put it so well in her role as pitchside commentator when she said the women’s game was the better one of the England v New Zealand clashes at Twickenham today…and everyone in the 12.500 who stayed on to watch a cracking game must agree.

For the good of the women’s game England emerged victorious, which ensures that next year’s Women’s World Cup (which will be held in England) will not be the usual procession of New Zealand winning it. They clearly have a fight on their hands.

Coach Gary Street and his assistant Graham Smith pulled off a masterstroke in victory. England lost 16-3 to the same New Zealand team last Saturday and the coaches gambled on a no-holds barred contact session on Wednesday to put some devil into their team. The coaches would have their fingers crossed as the tackles when in, but despite some blood and a few scratches emerged unscathed.

And it looked like England were still in that contact session when the game started as they got out of the blocks hitting rucks and getting stuck into the tackles as if their lives depended on it. The New Zealand haka – which is very different from the men’s – has the unfortunate finish of the Kiwis marching 10 or 20 feet towards their opponents. England refused to budged and ended nose to nose with their opponents. That confrontation set the tone.

The first victory for England over New Zealand in eight years was secured by a try from Catherine Spencer and the boot of Katie McLean. That boot didn’t just kick a drop goal and conversion as McLean’s kicking game was a key reason why England won. The Black Ferns simply couldn’t match it and in worsening conditions couldn’t get close enough in the final minutes to think about closing the gap.

But the real heroes for me were props Claire Purdy and Sophie Hemming. When the going got tough, these two got going! Most coaches will say you can’t win a game without a great tighthead and Hemming fitted the bill against New Zealand. putting their side on the front foot. And coach Street has the luxury of knowing he will have props Katie Storie and Rocky Clark back for next year’s World Cup. That is going to be some selection headache!

Everyone who watches women’s rugby has known for some time what a talent Maggie Alphonsi is. But the Saracens openside really came of age in this game, fulfilling the potential she has shown, on the biggest stage. She is set to not only be one of the stars of the 2010 World Cup, but is already setting new world-class standards for women’s rugby. The breakdown has never been more important than it is today and Alphonsi is the team’s hunter, the women’s equivalent of Richie McCaw.

What difference will this make to next year’s World Cup!

England’s message next week will be this victory has achieved nothing. These women’s career will be defined by the World Cup next August. Also they know New Zealand will come back 10 points better. England’s challenge is also to be ten points better.

But crucially this win will give them belief. It is all very saying you believe you can beat a team, but England do believe it now and when their backs are against the wall in next year’s World Cup they will have this match to use as inspiration.

Off the pitch well done to Sky for televising the match. BBC never did! And well done for putting Gill Burns on the pitchside and Susie Appleby in the studio for the game. Let’s hope these two are there again for the World Cup and the commentators also have a woman, like Appleby, alongside them to give expert comment during the games.

England Head Coach Gary Street said: “It’s brilliant to win here at Twickenham in front of our biggest ever crowd. Hopefully we have showed the people watching here today and watching on sky what a fantastic sport this is, and how skilful the women’s game is at this level too.
“We won this game because of our physicality, our defence was tremendous and we really believed in ourselves. Catherine Spencer today put on one of the great Twickenham performances. To come out and play as well as she did being captain and earning her 50th cap is amazing. She is a tremendous athlete and brilliant leader of this team.

“From here now the important thing is that we keep moving forward and improving. We know that winning the world cup is not a pipe dream anymore, we can do it and that is our goal for the next nine months.”

England Team

15 Emily Scarratt (Lichfield), 14 Katherine Merchant (Worcester), 13 Claire Allan (Richmond), 12 Rachael Burford (Richmond), 11 Charlotte Barras (Saracens), 10 Katy Mclean (VC) (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 9 Amy Turner (Richmond), 1 Claire Purdy (Wasps), 2 Amy Garnett (Saracens), 3 Sophie Hemming (Bristol), 4 Rebecca Essex (Richmond), 5 Joanna McGilchrist (Wasps), 
6 Heather Fisher (Worcester), 7 Margaret Alphonsi (Saracens), 8 Catherine Spencer (C) (Bristol). Replacements: 16 Sam Reeve (Worcester), 17 Rosemarie Crowley (Lichfield), 18 Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 19 Jane Leonard (Team Northumbria / Army), 20 Georgina Rozario (Bristol), 
21 Alice Richardson (Richmond), 22 Fiona Pocock (Richmond)

Tries: Spencer
Conversions: Mclean
Penalties: 
Drop goal: McLean
Substitutions: Richardson for Burford, Taylor for Essex (HT), Pocock for Barras (53), Crowley for Purdy (61), Leonard for Fisher (65), Reeve for Garnett (67), Rozario for Turner (74).

New Zealand Team

15 Kelly Brazier (Otago)
14 Victoria Grant (Auckland), 13 Huriana Manuel (Auckland), 12 Amiria Rule (Canterbury) VC, 11 Carla Hohepa (Otago), 10 Rebecca Mahony (Wellington), 9 Emma Jensen (Auckland), 1 Ruth McKay (Manawatu), 2 Fiao’o Faamausili (Auckland), 3 Stephanie TeOhaere-Fox (Canterbury), 4 Vita Robinson (Auckland), 5 Victoria Heighway (C) (Auckland), 6 Casey Robertson (Canterbury), 7 Justine Lavea (Auckland), 8 Linda Itunu (Auckland). Replacements: 16 Claire Rowat (Wellington), 17 Kimberly Smith (Canterbury), 18 Beth Mallard (Otago),
19 Olivia Coady (Canterbury), 20 Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury), 21 Renee Wickcliffe (Auckland), 22 Anika Tiplady (Canterbury)

Tries:
Conversions:
Penalties:
Drop Goal: Mahoney

Bookmakers are forecasting it’s Mission Impossible for coach Martin Johnson and his England XV when they take on the world No.1 ranked rugby team New Zealand in their third Investec Challenge series match at Twickenham on Saturday.

According to the Racing Post, the nation’s favourite sports and betting daily paper, New Zealand are huge odds-on at 1-7 to inflict further damage on the already – beleaguered England team following their unconvincing victory over Argentina last week. Bookies are offering home supporters 7-1 about a surprise England win, and 10-11 England with a 13-point start.

Since winning the World Cup in Australia back in 2003, England have taken on the All Blacks in seven internationals and lost them all. One of the chief players responsible for those defeats has been fly-half Dan Carter, who scored 137 points in those games. He is priced at 10-11 to score more than 12 points on Saturday and 5-1 to score all of New Zealand’s points.

For patriotic punters, Jonny Wilkinson, despite a disappointing display against the Puma’s last week, can be backed at 6-4 to score all of England’s points, and 8-1 to send the home crowd into raptures by winning the man of the match award.

Don’t miss Saturday’s RPSPORT for rugby expert Graham Woods’s opinion and analysis on the match, plus views on the rest of the rugby internationals including Wales v Argentina and Scotland v Australia. With unrivalled statistics and best value bets, it all adds up to the complete package for rugby fans and punters.

Visit the Racing Post for all the latest sports news.

Further Reading:

• Shaw recall does little to entice England backers

Fim de semana recheado de amistoso internacionais, disputadas por vagas na Copa do Mundo e de partidas da Anglo-Welsh Cup! Vamos aos resultados!

Cinco grandes partidas dos Tests de fim de ano marcaram este final de semana. Na sexta-feira , a tivemos as vitórias da França sobre a África do Sul, por 20 x 13, em Toulouse; e do País de Gales sobre Samoa, em Cardiff, por apertados 17 x 13. No sábado, mais duas grandes partidas. Itália x Nova Zelândia e Inglaterra x Argentina.

Jogando no San Siro de Milão completamente lotado – com 80,000 no estádio – a seleção italiana mostrou muita força e soube resistir soberbamente à clara superioridade All Black. A vitória, como não poderia deixar de ser, foi neozelandesa, por 20 x 6. Mas com apenas um try anotado a favor dos homens de preto, a partida de Milão entrou definitivamente para a história da Azzurra. È vero que os All Blacks entraram com 12 reservas em campo, mas a pressão que a Itália imprimiu nos minutos derradeira nas 22 All Blacks mostram que os italianos evoluiram. Não sei se da forma como muitos gostariam, mas as perspecrivas futuros são positivas para o rugby da Bota. Uma derrota no placar, mas uma vitória fora de campo.

Em Twickenham, Londres, a Inglaterra recebeu a Argentina, em jogo de grande rivalidade. Um try no final do jogo de Matt Banahan e uma ótima partida de Jonny Wilkinson deram a vitória aos ingleses, que não dominaram a partida. Mesmo melhor que os ingleses no jogo de forwards, os Pumas não souberam capitalizar a superioridade em pontos. O primeiro tempo inglês foi muito fraco, e os argentinos poderiam ter virado o jogo na frente. Mas não o fizeram. Nervosos demais para concluir com efetividade as jogados, os Pumas vacilaram quando não podiam, e a vitória caiu nos colos da Inglaterra. 16 x 9.

Ainda no sábado, a Escócia recebeu Fiji, em Murrayfield, com fraca presença de público. 23 x 10 a favor dos escoceses, que subiram e desbancaram os fijianos no ranking mundial.

No domingo, no Croke Park de Dublin, Austrália e Irlanda se enfrentaram, em partida que marcou o 100º jogo de Brian O’Driscoll pela seleção esmeralda. Sorte dos irlandeses que “in BOD they trust”! Até os 80 minutos os Wallabies venciam por 20 x 13, com tries de Drew Mitchell e Rocky Elsom. Para os irlandeses, o try anotado foi de autoria de Tommy Bowe, em fase sensacional. Eis que surgiu a figuro do fora-de-série Brian O’Drisvcoll. Em partida apagada, BOD mostrou que basta a ele uma jogada para se tornar o homem da partida. Após grande jogada de Bowe, BOD cruzou a linha de defesa australiana sem ser sequer tocado, e anotou o try. O’Gara converteu e empatou a partida. 20 x 20, e fim do sonho do Grand Slam para a Austrália.

Outros amistosos movimentaram o final de semana. Em Sendai, o Japão surpreendentemente pulveriozu o Canadá. 46 x 8. Em Piacenza, a Itália A ganhou fácil da Romênia, 33 x 6. O que mostra a franca decadência do rugby romeno….

Em Tblisi, a Geórgia derrotou os Jaguares argentinos (a Argentina A) por apertados 24 x 22. E, por fim, a Irlanda A atropelou Tonga, por 48 x 19. Fraco resultado para a equipe do Pacífico, que não parece fazer sombra à seleção da Copa do Mundo de 2003 que assustou e muito os Springboks e chagou às quartas de finais.

Nas partidas válidas pelas Eliminatórias para a Copa do Mundo de 2011, vitórias de Namíbia e Estados Unidos, ambos fora de casa.

A Namíbia visitou a Tunisia, em jogo que prometia muita emoção, pelo passado recente do confronto. Desta vez, os Welwitschias não deixaram dúvidas sobre sua superioridade. Mesmo contra uma valente seleção tunisiana, a Namíbia mostrou que o profissionalismo de muitos de seus atletas, acostumados a um nível muito superior de rugby, faz toda a diferença. Vitória por 18 x 13, em Túnis. Para o jogo de volta, a Tunísia terá que se superar e muito para reverter a desvantagem. Jogando em Windhoek, os Welwitschias deverão confirmar o favoritismo e ir à quarta Copa do Mundo consecutiva.

Em Montevidéu, com um público a meu ver decepcionante, o Uruguai recebeu a seleção dos Estados Unidos. Com quatro tries anotados em erros capitais dos Teros, os norte-americanos foram muito superiores aos uruguaios durante toda a partida. Usasz, Swiryn (duas vezes) e Wyles fizeram para os Eagles, enquanto Hercus, em dia não muito inspirado, anotou 2 conversões e 1 penal. O destaque da partida pelos Estados Unidos foi o capitão Todd Clever, dos Lions, da Africa do Sul. Ngwenya, muito badalado, fez partida apagada. Contudo, o destaque do jogo foi uruguaio. O full back Etcheverry fez uma monumental partida. Chutou 4 penais e fez um try de suma importância para os Teros, aos 79 minutos. Converteu-o e colocou o Uruguai a apenas 5 pontos atrás no placar: 22 x 27. Com isso, os sul-americanos ainda têm chances na partida de volta, na Flórida, mas a tarefa pode ser considerada quase impossível, ainda mais se jogarem o que jogaram no Estádio Charrua.

Na Europa, a República Tcheca jogou fora a última chance que tinha de ir à Copa. Foi derrotado por 45 x 30 (deve ter sido um grande jogo!) pela Moldávia, fora de casa, em Chisinau. A vitória dos moldavos deixou a Segunda Divisão A do European Nations Cup (o Europeu de Nações) completamente embolado. A Ucrânia já está com o título da divisão garantido, e já tem vaga na próxima fase das Eliminatórias para a Copa do Mundo. Mas apenas 2 pontos separam a segunda colocada (Polônia) da lanterna Moldávia (quinta colocado). A briga contra o rebaixamento segue quente na 2A! Vale lembrar que uma vitoria na competição vale 3 pontos, o empate 2 e a derrota 1.

Após 6 (de 8 ) rodadas, a classificação da 2A é a seguinte:

1 – Ucrânia – 16 pontos

2 – Polônia – 12 p.

3 – Bélgica – 11 p.

4 – República Tcheca – 11 p.

5 – Moldávia – 10 p.

Pela Terceira Divisão B (3B), a Áustria foi derrotada em casa, em Viena, pela Noruega, por 12 x 9. Após 6 rodadas, o norugueses estão em terceiro lugar, e os austríacos são os lanternas (quinto lugar). Por fim, pela Terceira Divisão D (3D), em partida disputada na cidade francesa de Menton, Mônaco foi atropelado por Chipre. 44 x 5, e vice-liderança para os cipriotas, apenas 1 ponto atrás da Bósnia, mas com 1 jogo a menos.

Segunda rodada da Copa Anglo-Galesa (a Anglo-Welsh Cup, ou LV= Cup).

Resultados:

Sale Sharks 27 x 3 Leeds Carnegie, em Stockport, Inglaterra

Bath 21 x 11 Ospreys, em Bath, Inglaterra

Northampton Saints 19 x 3 Saracens, em Northampton, Inglaterra

Leicester Tigers 29 x 20 Newport Gwent Dragons, em Leicester, Inglaterra

Scarlets 32 x 17 Worcester Warriors, em Llaneli, País de Gales

Cardiff Blues 11 x 12 London Irish, em Cardiff, País de Gales

London Wasps 21 x 14 Gloucester, em High Wycombe, Inglaterra

Newcastle Falcons 8 x 19 Harlequins, em Newcastle, Inglaterra

Classificação, após duas rodadas:

Grupo 1

1 – Sale Sharks – 5 pontos

2 – Leicester Tigers – 4 p.

3 – Saracens – 4 p.

4 – Ospreys – 1 p.

Grupo 2

1 – Scarlets – 7 pontos

2 – London Irish – 5 p.

3 – Gloucester – 2 p.

4 – Newcastle Falcons – 0 p.

Grupo 3

1 – London Wasps – 8 pontos

2 – Harlequins – 6 p.

3 – Cardiff Blues – 5 p.

4 – Worcester Warriors – 5 p.

Grupo 4

1 – Northampton Saints – 8 p.

2 – Bath – 4 p.

3 – Leeds Carnegie – 4 p.

4 – Newport Gwent Dragons – 4 p.

Pelo The Championship, a segunda divisão do Campeonato Inglês, o Bristol bateu seus rivais diretos do Nottingham e está em segundo lugar. A liderança é do aidna invicto Exeter Chiefs, que derrotou o Conish Pirates no duelo do sul.

Resultados:r

Bedford Blues 23 x 7 Moseley, em Bedford

Rotherham Titans 11 x 7 Doncaster Knights, em Rotherham

London Welsh 12 x 26 Plymouth Albion, em Londres

Exeter Chiefs 22 x 15 Cornish Pirates, em Exeter

Birmingham & Solihull Bees 6 x 21 Coventry, em Solihull

Bristol 35 x 11 Nottingham, em Bristol

Classificação, após 11 rodadas:

1 – Exeter Chiefs – 49 pontos

2 – Bristol – 43 p.

3 – Nottingham – 33 p.

4 – Bedford Blues – 30 p.

5 – Cornish Pirates – 27 p.

6 – London Welsh – 24 p.

7 – Moseley – 24 p.

8 – Coventry – 20 p.

9 – Plymouth Albion – 20 p.

10 – Rotherham Titans – 20 p.

11 – Doncaster Knights – 19 p.

12 – Birmingham & Solihull Bees – -13 p.

The controversial plan to redevelop borough garages and associated community award-winning gardens into affordable housing has been the official go-ahead.

The demolition of these garages is part of the ‘linked-sites strategy’ which has ties to the much wrangled and protested Twickenham riverside development plans.

Despite delays to the Twickenham scheme, the building of the 13 three-bedroom affordable houses will go ahead separately. Councillor Stephen Knight: “In the case of the riverside, the strategy will allow us to minimise the amount of development near the river, and hence maximise the amount of the site available for new public open space.”

Specifically in Teddington areas to be used for the housing will reside in Railway Road and Shacklegate Lane and Teddington garage blocks. Across the borough residents have collaborated to officially complain about the consultation process and generally the need for the housing vs impact that removing the garages will have.

We’ll be live blogging England’s latest Autumn international against the Pumas live from Twickenham (again in reality West Hampstead) from 14:15 tomorrow.

Click here for live updates.

Argentina. Land of Corned Beef, Eva Peron, the Tango, and Los Pumas rugby team. Whilst their footballing counterparts, driven by Maradonna and primadonnas, have twice won the World Cup, the Argentine rugby team has never dominated on the world stage. They face a permanent struggle in fact. They have no annual tournament to compete in (entry to the Tri-Nations in 2012 is long overdue), an amateur domestic league and their players ply their trade far and wide across Europe (mainly France, a place that has become a home from home for their top stars).
Despite this, they finished third in the 2007 World Cup and come to Twickenham ranked higher than England in the IRB rankings list.
Argentina have always produced great forwards, particularly front five forwards. Scrummaging is in their blood. Some of the forwards turned out by the Pumas are bigger and stronger than the beef cattle that roam the Humid Pampa. Their problem (like Italy) has always been finding backs who can convert possession into points. The reason for Argentina’s success over the last few years is that those backs finally appeared. The likes of Juan Martin Hernandez, Felipe Contepomi, Ignacio Corleto came on the scene and provided the dash to go with the dump trucks up front. Sadly none of these three will feature at Twickenham and the test for Argentina will be whether the new players they bring in to their back line can match the exploits of the missing stars.
Although maybe the backs won’t have to do much. The forecast is for a torrential downpour in TW1. Manna from heaven for the likes of Scelzo, Roncero, Albacete. One shudders to think what that crowd could do to England’s pack.
England’s pack. Yes. Where do we start? Forget the injury excuses. Compared to Argentina’s preparation for this match we have nothing to complain about. There was an interesting statistic on Sky’s Rugby Club last night. Against Australia, the England front five, between them, carried a total of 11 times, for a total of 11 metres gained. 11!! No wonder we are struggling to dent holes in attack if our big men are not getting over the gainline! OK so Steve Borthwick might be in the side for leadership and lineout (alledgedly). That is fine if you pick someone alongside him who is a big brute (a Danny Grewcock if you like). Louis Deacon is not that person. Presumably James Haskell and Dylan Hartley have been introduced to rectify this glaring issue. My question would be, who in this England pack is going to do the dirty work, the hard grunt around the fringes, knocking down the waves of big Argentine forwards? Joe Worsley is on the bench but I would have picked him to start this one. Still, the team is what it is.
On another note, it is disrespectful that the RFU still do not consider Argentina worthy of the same status as the other SANZAR nations when it comes to billing this match. Yes it makes it easier to get tickets, but is it not time Argentina were given some more kudos? After all they beat England on their last visit to Twickenham. Dom and I were at that match ( a depressing experience) and for the first time ever we nearly had a fight at a rugby match. With England “fans”. Who objected to us applauding good Argentina play. Sometimes free ticket allocation is not a good thing.
So who will win the game? Well, Jonny will kick the points again to keep England in touch, Argentina will probably struggle to gel and surely Shane Geraghty cannot play as badly as last week? But that rain….
I think England will sneak a win by no more than 4 points. But then I also think Los Pumas will claim another (marginally) against the odds victory to add to the impressive list of notches on their belt.

Getting ready to join my paintings in Florence for the Biennale – but first I will open my studio on Eel Pie Island to the public on Sunday 29th November from 1pm to 5pm along with other island studios. Free parking available on the Twickenham Embankment, 5 mins from Twickenham Station

There will be ‘work in progress’ plus a large selection of new oil paintings which will be available to purchase along with prints and cards.

Twickenham at Dusk

I’ve recently returned to working on small (6.5 x 4.5 inch) wooden panels which are displayed in a block of wood cut with a groove. This gives the work a 3D presence, more an accessible ‘object’ than a painting.

English Roses

Union 1

To my darling Tigger,

What can I say? You have left me completely heartbroken. I miss you more than I think you could even have imagined. I am working through anger and pain each and every moment I take a breath. You were my partner in life… every single memory I have on this earth, you were around for… even if not with me, not far from me.

I remember going down to the Thames in Twickenham to feed the ducks with Mummy and Daddy. I remember walking into Queen Mary’s hospital with you when the twins were born. I remember when you went looking in all the cupboards to try and find Alexander when he left us. You will be with him now, please let him look after you.

I remember arriving in New York with our seventeen suitcases, and Topy, feeling overwhelmed, but excited, but again, with you at my side. I remember building our special fort with the Spitzer-Williams’ in between our two houses. I remember walking up and down Halfmoon lane twirling multi-colored umbrellas to try and attract customers to our little toy stand outside the house. It didn’t work, but what a great memory. I remember when you gave me Silky for Christmas, she is not as silky now, but still carries your presence and I will keep her with me always.

I remember when we went to Agrigento with Nouf and Bernard. It was so cold at night sleeping under the stars and I didn’t really want to cuddle with Nouf or Bernard, so I used the one sheet we had to cover you and me and held you close all night to try and keep you warm. I remember on your 13th birthday running around with Daddy to get you all the things you needed to become a ‘man,’ shaving cream, a razor, deodorant, yes even a copy of Penthouse (that was Daddy’s suggestion).

I remember coming down with Daddy and Robs to visit you at Drexel and having tea in the lounge on your floor looking out over Philly. I remember running out of the office ecstatic when you called me to tell me you had been accepted into NYU.

I remember walking down 2nd avenue with you just last week, trying to figure out where to go for dinner, when all of a sudden you said to me, ‘Nanny, d’ya fancy a curry?’ We discussed the incredible ability of the British to diminish centuries of history of a civilization into a short sentence. And then we giggled about it all the way to Gandhi on 6th street. I remember sitting at my office in Alumni Hall and seeing you pop up at my window with some nocciola ice cream for me to come out and try.

I remember meeting you in the middle of the street on Monday at 5pm giving you a big hug and being spun around (in the middle of the street) by you. We went to Sundaes and Cones, obviously ordered nocciola (hazelnut) ice cream, but you insisted that I try the corn flavor, to check if Daddy (who is obsessed with corn) would like it. The corn was good, as was the nocciola, but my favorite part was just sitting next to you, being with my Tigger. You gave me a hug good-bye and told me you loved me as you left.

I love you too Andrew and I promise to you that I will work through the anger and pain to come to a complete peace with you. Stay by my side Tigger, as I did for you while you were on this beautiful earth.

I’d like to close by thanking each and every person who has come to support me and my family during the past 6 harrowing days. Your love has literally been our strength and we are eternally grateful for it.

Confira as escalações e alguns fatos envolvendo o jogo entre Inglaterra e Pumas, nesse fim de semana.

A Inglaterra recebe mais um grande adversário, depois da derrota para a Austrália em Twickenham, nessa que será a 16ª partida entre as seleções. O jogo será nesse sábado, às 12h30, horário de Brasília, e será transmitido no O’Malleys.

A última partida entre ambos, ocorreu em Salta, com vitória do time local por 24 a 22, mas é necessário dizer que haviam muitos desfalques do lado inglês, fato semelhante ao que ocorre agora. A última partida em Twickenham também contou com vitória dos Pumas, a primeira da história para o time em solo inglês . Os Argentinos somam 4 vitórias sobre os ingleses, e 9 derrotas, além de 3 empates.

Inglaterra: Ugo Monye; Mark Cueto, Hipkiss, Geraghty, Matt Banahan; Jonny Wilkinson, Phil Hodgson; Payne, Hartley, Bell, Deacon, Borthwick (capitão), Tom Croft, Moody, Haskell

Reservas: Thompson, Doran-Jones, Lawes, Worsley, Care, Andy Goode, Erinle

Argentina: Horacio Agulla; Lucas Borges, Gonzalo Tiesi, Martín Rodríguez, Mauro Comuzzi; Santiago Fernández, Alfredo Lalanne; Juan Fernández Lobbe (capitão), Alejandro Abadie, Tomás Leonardi, Patricio Albacete, Esteban Lozada, Martín Scelzo, Mario Ledesma, Rodrigo Roncero

Reservas: Alberto Vernet Basualdo, Marcos Ayerza, Manuel Carizza, Alejandro Campos, Agustín Figuerola, Benjamín Urdapilleta, Federico Martín Aramburu

Essa partida não será televisionada no Brasil (na Argentina, vai passar na ESPN+), mas provavelmente terá canais no Justin TV disponível. Quem souber de algum, informe!

River levels currently look surprisingly low at the moment particularly along stretches from Richmond, past Twickenham and Teddington but all is not quite what it seems. There certainly isn’t a lack of rain lately – the low levels are actually man-made.

The ‘Annual November Draw-off’ is triggered by lifting weirs at Richmond Lock so that the stretch of the Thames between Richmond and Teddington can drain to its natural level at low tide. This gives better access to locks, weirs, and sluices along the river for essential maintenance and also allows the inspection of the river bed.

After the excitement the eco-group continued to clear the riverbed of rubbish and to explore the ecology and archaeology that lie beneath the surface of the Thames.

[Update] Volunteers from Richmond’s Environment Trust have been exploring the river bed for ecology studies and whilst clearing it of rubbish found a bag containing two pistols and a knife near Twickenham riverside – this has now been handed to the Police.

Fresh from a commanding 18-9 victory over England, Rocky Elsom, is relishing the chance to come back to Dublin. The Australia captain inflicted Martin Johnson’s seventh defeat in 12 matches. Despite the positive performance  of Jonny Wilkinson, the English coach needs to really assess his team selection as he claimed he fielded a young side but the Australia side were even younger and more importantly better.

As Australia prepare for a stern test against Ireland, Elsom will have time to catch up with his old Leinster mates.

“I am really looking forward to going back to Ireland. I made a lot of good friends there. I had a great time at Leinster. I can’t think how I could possibly have had a better time!

“But what made it an easy decision to leave was that I thought I would regret not going back to Australia because of international rugby.

“Because I would be missing that aspect of the game, I thought it would take away from the experience of staying in Ireland.

“I do regret leaving pretty soon after the Heineken Cup final – I would have liked to stay around for a bit longer!”

I think that is what every Leinster fan is thinking. Hopefully we can do a deal where he can come back following the World Cup. I will find it difficult not to cheer next Sunday when he makes a trademark break from the base of a ruck. I can imagine there will be a few poignant ‘Rocky, Rocky’ chants during the warm up too!

For the first 10 minutes of yesterday’s match, it was as if we had been set into a time machine, back six years. Here was Jonny Wilkinson, dropping a goal, kicking a penalty, ticking the scoreboard over, giving England an early lead, a lead from which they would press on and suffocate the opposition. But then, Jonny lined up a long range penalty from over halfway. This for 9-0. It sets sail, its on target! It hits the post. It misses. Suddenly, the spell is broken. We wake up. Australia wake up. They realise they are not playing England of 2003, but of 2009. Safe in that knowledge, they go down the field and score a try. They then dominate the entire second half and win comfortably, despite blowing at least three “open goal” try chances. And we England fans are left to scratch our heads and wonder just what the result means, and just where it leaves us. Was it a reasonable effort from a hastily assembled side and something to build on? Or was it a muddled catastrophe to rank alongside something from the Andy Robinson era? At first I thought it the former, but after watching the match again, I am leaning towards the latter.
Aside from the first 15 minutes, when England ruled the lineout, bossed the breakdown and had something like 65% possession, it was all Australia. England’s front five faded visibly with every minute the match went on, and hence there was no platform for the backs. If not for the heroic tackling of Moody and Wilkinson, the score would have been embarrassing.
England looked absolutely impotent in attack. Not once did we look like scoring a try. Not once. Australia on the other hand looked like arch wizards every time they had ball in hand.
Shane Geraghty had a shocking match. I think he deserves another go but I am now starting to fear that he is cut from the same cloth as Charlie Hodgson and that the biggest stage is a step too far for him. Matt Banahan looked totally lost and was unable to impose his size on proceedings, one tap back from a cross kick apart, and Ugo Monye had one of those games that make you think that maybe he is just someone very fit and very fast, but not actually any good at rugby.
Perhaps it is unfair to be harsh on these guys though, when in truth they had almost no quality ball to work with. The lack of snap and continuity from the forwards just heightens the doubts about John Wells as forwards coach. These doubts are now starting to be raised ever more loudly in the press, and for the first time, a major journalist has said that Martin Johnson should go. Over the top criticism? Maybe, but it is nothing compared to what will happen if England lose to the Pumas next week then ship another 30-40 points to the All Blacks the week after that. It is as if Andy Robinson/Brian Ashton had never left. Players have come and gone, Jonno might find to his cost that head coaches have as well, but somehow the Mike Ford/John Wells duo survive.
Perhaps we just have to accept what England are, a second division team fuelled by past glories to unrealistic expectations. And yet is it unrealistic to expect progress and competitiveness from the best funded team on the planet? There lies the problem for Jonno and the mysterious Rob Andrew. All the plans of the EPS, the acadamies, the long form agreement, mean nothing if the end result is clueless defeat like yesterday.

 09   18 

No jogo que marcou a volta de Johnny Wilkinson aos XV da Rosa, os visitantes australianos venceram por 18 a 9 e acabaram com a festa adversária, em plena Twickenham lotada.

A volta do Golden Boy era motivo de comemoração para os ingleses, que vem no seu grande ídolo, se não a certeza da vitória, uma grande chance de que ela venha, ainda mais com muitos de seus jogadores fora de batalha devido a lesões. E ele, em sua 71ª jornada com a camisa da seleção, não decepcionou a torcida, marcando um drop logo aos 3 minutos de jogo.

Os ingleses começaram muito bem a partida criando mais chances e dando trabalho para a defesa asutraliana, e após mais um penal, Wilkinson ampliou a vantagem para 6 X 0, aos 10 minutos de jogo.

Mas a resposta wallabie veio aos 20 minutos, em uma jogada que envolveu Matt Giteau e Ashley Cooper, e acabou sobrando para Will Genia, junto da formação apoiar no ingoal. A conversão foi desperdiçada, mas encostaram no placar. Cinco minutos depois, Wilkinson bateu mais um penal fazendo 9 a 5, placar que se manteve até o fim do primeiro tempo.

Logo no início do segundo tempo, depois de uma série de tackles dos ingleses com Matt Benahan e Wilkinson, um offside deu a chance dos australianos diminuirem a diferença, com Giteau. Os Wallabies passaram a dominar o jogo, com grande parte das jogadas ofensivas e viraram o jogo com Matt Giteau 15 minutos depois, para 9 a 11.

A maior parte das jogadas perigosas da Inglaterra passava por mãos e pés de Wilkinson, mas foram pouco efetivas frente à bem postada defesa dos australianos. Eles erraram muito pouco nesse quesito no segundo tempo.

Faltando pouco menos de 10 minutos para o jogo terminar, Genia e Giteau começam boa jogada que termina nas mãos de Adam Ashley Cooper, que avança bem mesmo sendo agarrado por Ugo Monye e Mark Cueto. Com a conversão, o placar fica 18 a 9 para os visitantes do hemisfério sul. Os ingleses ainda tentam, mas não conseguem marcar nem mais um ponto. A linha inglesa não foi muito bem nesse jogo. Os melhores em campo foram Johnny Wilkinson e Will Genia, sem dúvida. O domínio australiano no segundo tempo foi total, aproveitando melhor as chances.

Escalação das equipes:

Inglaterra: Ugo Monye; Mark Cueto, Hipkiss, Geraghty, Matt Banahan; Johnny Wilkinson, Care; Payne, Thompson, Wilson, Deacon, Steven Borthwick (capitão), Tom Croft, Moody, Crane.
 

Reservas: Hartley, Bell, Lawes, James Haskell, Phil Hodgson, Andy Goode, Erinle.

Australia: Ashley-Cooper; Peter Hynes, Ioane, Cooper, Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Will Genia; Robinson, Moore,  Alexander, James Horwill, Chisholm, Rocky Elsom (capitão), George Smith, Palu.
Reservas: Polota Nau, Dunning, Mumm, David Pocock, Burgess, Cross, James O’Connor.

Árbitro: Bryce Lawrence (Nova Zelândia)

Vídeo: Inglaterra X Austrália

Whilst England can claim only two victories on Australian soil in their entire history (albeit one was rather special!), at Twickenham their record is rather better. Matches between the two teams in TW1 tend to be close run and exciting matches. Here I recall some of the best Autumn Internationals of recent years.

2005
England 26 – Australia 16
Not a particularly memorable match, but England’s last victory against Australia at Twickenham. Notable only for England’s scrum (and Andrew Sheridan in particular) marmalising the Aussie pack. Despite umpteen amounts of possession, England still nearly managed to stuff it up and the game was only safe when Cueto scored late on.

The above words and numbers are all the official property of the Olympic committee I discovered while attending a seminar on how to submit business proposals to them. It was held under a massive chandelier which was duplicated by an equally massive mirror in the beautiful 17th century York House in Twickenham.

York House

The wild shadows it cast and prism-like reflections in the bevelled edges of the mirror gave me some great ideas for painting. That’s one of the great things about having trained ones’ eye to really ‘see’ beyond the obvious – certainly helps pass the time during dry business presentations. With a good imagination you are never bored – agree??

The speakers did their best to explain the arcane and convoluted processes that were involved in extracting money from councils and Olympic funding bodies but the biggest revelation came when someone gave an example of names being put into a hat when the awarding bodies became weary of examining all the forms. Sounds believable. The process can take weeks to complete making it really difficult for small business, so quite dispiriting to think that all that work could be a waste of time.

Union Jack and Roses

This oil on canvas painting is the design that I used on the piano it’s really large but I’ve had giclee prints made of it this week ( by Ken (Genesis) my BNI friend) these can be ordered in any size. It will be up on the Bridgeman Art Library’s site soon . Did you know that if a union jack is displayed the wrong way around it is meant as a distress signal?

Dark drive to Hammersmith this week where I attend weekly BNI business breakfasts that start at 6.30 am (yes that really is am not pm).Is it me or do people drive more desperately early in the morning?

I joined the Hammersmith BNI last spring so it was the first time I’d driven there in the dark, crossing the river twice and passing a cemetery, I also have to negotiate a very narrow rickety ramp leading up to the motorway but it’s all worth it for the warm welcome from my fellow BNI members and an excellent breakfast. We each have a minute during the meeting to talk about our business and educate fellow members in how to find us business referrals. There are not many artists amongst BNI members as a rule (it’s the early morning I think) but we do have a group of ‘creatives’ in the Hammersmith Group – Luna the florist, Tony the photographer, Dan the cartoonist, Ken the graphics printer and Jean the graphic artist, Doug the web designer and there are also 2 architects, one whom is Professor Hans Haenlein.
It’s not all business though and we had our monthly gathering at a pub last Tues night – it’s always good to see people later in the day. No one really looks their best when they have to be up at 5 am (some people travel long distances) but it means that the meeting can end at 8.30 so I still have the rest of the day free.

I completed a commission this week – a tall painting designed to hang in the stairwell of a converted bungalow owned by an award-winning architect.

Another great thing about being an artist is that my work is (hopefully) enjoyed in many homes and public spaces around the world – how amazing it would be to visit all the locations one day and photograph them in situ????

Remember Dave Gorman and how he once gathered all the Dave Gormans together in a big convention? Well there are at least 2 other artists in the UK called Lee Campbell – same spelling – I’ve met one who also worked at the Tate Bookshop – but they are both blokes, and as far as I know don’t work as oil painters. I’ve always thought it would be fun to have a show of our work one day though.
If you’re out there – how about it boys?

The Lee Campbell Three perhaps?