Olympics 2020

[Eddie]

10 hours ago, StockholmRam said:

We have much in common on the sporting front then. Ive followed Wigan since late 70s and continue to do so. 

Favourite player ever is Joe Lydon and best player I have seen in either code is Andy Farrell with Jason Robinson close 2nd.

Problem solved for next Olympics then. We just pick Bateman, Gildart, Ryan Hall, Makinson, Ratchford, Bibby, Powell. Job done. 

That side from the early 90's with Shaun Edwards at his imperious peak was utterly outstanding - Tuigamala, Chariots, Billy Whizz, Dennis Betts, Andy Farrell etc etc.

[Stagtime]

18 hours ago, StockholmRam said:

Anyone know owt about Rugby 7s ? Ive enjoyed watching it and been wondering how they pick the squads. Anyone know? 

Are these just specialist 7s players? Ive not recognised any from XV a side union!

I also wondered if you can pick players from both codes union and league. Some of these big powerful impressive players from Fiji look more suitable for league given the size and offloading skills they have. 

Be grateful if we have any 7s experts on this board. 

Specialist sides mate. You’ll find they play in the World’s Rugby 7s and it’s really a standalone comp. They play anywhere from Bogoata to Scandinavia all year round with the Hong Kong 7s the biggest round. A lot quicker game than Union or league and I know of only one league player crossing over (Jarred Haynes) and he was only a bench player for Fiji.

Hows John Bateman going at Wigan this year? We’re really missing him at the Raiders this season.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Stagtime

[Stagtime]

10 hours ago, StockholmRam said:

We have much in common on the sporting front then. Ive followed Wigan since late 70s and continue to do so. 

Favourite player ever is Joe Lydon and best player I have seen in either code is Andy Farrell with Jason Robinson close 2nd.

Problem solved for next Olympics then. We just pick Bateman, Gildart, Ryan Hall, Makinson, Ratchford, Bibby, Powell. Job done. 

We had a handy player from Wigan play for us at West’s (Brisbane) in 1985, Andy Platt and one of our best players ended his playing career at Wigan as well as coaching them, Adrian Lam.

[StockholmRam]

2 hours ago, Stagtime said:

Specialist sides mate. You’ll find they play in the World’s Rugby 7s and it’s really a standalone comp. They play anywhere from Bogoata to Scandinavia all year round with the Hong Kong 7s the biggest round. A lot quicker game than Union or league and I know of only one league player crossing over (Jarred Haynes) and he was only a bench player for Fiji.

Hows John Bateman going at Wigan this year? We’re really missing him at the Raiders this season.

Injured since end of May as are two or three more. Tough season for Lam and our young squad.

Platt was a hell of a player in his day.

From memory Dallaglio and Mils Mulliana have won world cups at both 7s and XV Union.

[StockholmRam]

2 hours ago, Eddie said:

That side from the early 90's with Shaun Edwards at his imperious peak was utterly outstanding - Tuigamala, Chariots, Billy Whizz, Dennis Betts, Andy Farrell etc etc.

Ive been lucky enough to watch a number of great Wigan sides...the early 90s team was as you say incredibly good.

I loved the Radlinski, Connolly, Paul, Iro brothers era too. 

Ive a Man City mate in Sweden who said before Man City v Wigan FA cup final ” so lovely that a small town like Wigan gets a day out at Wembley” to which I answered that there is no other town in England knows its way to wembley better than Wigan.

[StockholmRam]

2 hours ago, Stagtime said:

We had a handy player from Wigan play for us at West’s (Brisbane) in 1985, Andy Platt and one of our best players ended his playing career at Wigan as well as coaching them, Adrian Lam.

Its on my bucket list to come over to Australia one day and watch NRL and some Ashes Cricket too.

[Kernow]

Clare Balding is a British treasure.

 

Edited July 29, 2021 by Kernow

[Bris Vegas]

I was having a debate with a few friends out here in Mexico over football in Olympics.

Mexico take it pretty seriously, having previously won Gold in London. Games are on at 2:30am here, yet my friends are up watching them, getting excited as Mexico beat France 4-1 the other day.

It’s weird. Olympic football for me is just bizarre. I told them, trolling somewhat, that it’s a joke of a competition and Great Britain don’t even bother with it like most leading nations.

But I later read that GB and Hungary are actually the leading nations in Olympic football with three Gold medals each. Maybe we should take it more seriously! 

[Van der MoodHoover]

2 hours ago, Bris Vegas said:

I was having a debate with a few friends out here in Mexico over football in Olympics.

Mexico take it pretty seriously, having previously won Gold in London. Games are on at 2:30am here, yet my friends are up watching them, getting excited as Mexico beat France 4-1 the other day.

It’s weird. Olympic football for me is just bizarre. I told them, trolling somewhat, that it’s a joke of a competition and Great Britain don’t even bother with it like most leading nations.

But I later read that GB and Hungary are actually the leading nations in Olympic football with three Gold medals each. Maybe we should take it more seriously! 

It's the politics isn't it, that stops gb. 

Basically, once the individual home nations were recognised by fifa as "countries"  back in the 1950s, we haven't been allowed by the Olympic committee to field a mens gb side. 

Until London 2012, where we made a special application. 

I read around that time that the reason gb men wasn't pushed harder was concern that fifa would revoke the individual nations membership. 

Bizarrely, the same does not seem to be the case for the women who seem to compete happily as gb and then England Scotland Wales etc in wifa events. 

[TigerTedd]

1 hour ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

It's the politics isn't it, that stops gb. 

Basically, once the individual home nations were recognised by fifa as "countries"  back in the 1950s, we haven't been allowed by the Olympic committee to field a mens gb side. 

Until London 2012, where we made a special application. 

I read around that time that the reason gb men wasn't pushed harder was concern that fifa would revoke the individual nations membership. 

Bizarrely, the same does not seem to be the case for the women who seem to compete happily as gb and then England Scotland Wales etc in wifa events. 

If Scotland Wales and ni can’t play nicely, I don’t get why we can’t just submit an English team under the gb banner. Then it’s up to the top Welsh and Scottish players to petition their respective fas to stop being killjoys and let them be part of the team. 

there’s a British lions tour on right now, simultaneous to the games. So plenty of examples of it working well and apparently being a huge honour for those that take part. 

[StockholmRam]

4 hours ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

It's the politics isn't it, that stops gb. 

Basically, once the individual home nations were recognised by fifa as "countries"  back in the 1950s, we haven't been allowed by the Olympic committee to field a mens gb side. 

Until London 2012, where we made a special application. 

I read around that time that the reason gb men wasn't pushed harder was concern that fifa would revoke the individual nations membership. 

Bizarrely, the same does not seem to be the case for the women who seem to compete happily as gb and then England Scotland Wales etc in wifa events. 

I dont think Fifa can revoke the individual nations membership. Its pretty set in stone as we bailed them out the financial cart many moons ago.

[Day]

GBOC

Great British Olympic Committee

That would get round it wouldn’t it? 

[Bob The Badger]

Steve Backley is a truly awful commentator. Yes he could hurl a pointy stick a long way, but that doesn't mean he's interesting or should be commentating on other sports.

Steve Buckley would do a better job.

 

[Inverurie Ram]

When is Derby's Sandy Ryan boxing again?

Good to see her boxing earlier in her white Rams shorts.

[Inverurie Ram]

9 hours ago, Inverurie Ram said:

When is Derby's Sandy Ryan boxing again?

Good to see her boxing earlier in her white Rams shorts.

Oh I see it was a fight camp box, and she is not in the Olympics, as she has turned proffessional.

She still looks great in her white Rams shorts.

 

Edited August 3, 2021 by Inverurie Ram

[Mostyn6]

Some great Golds in last couple of days. That Madison was interesting. 

[Angry Ram]

Chris Boardman. Contradicting himself with every comment.  STFU

[Comrade 86]

Some odd views on this thread really as there's surely something for everyone Olympics? Being a raging insomniac and a massive fan, I've  not been too bothered by the time difference and despite some awful luck, I think the British team has shone yet again.

When you look back to the horror days of the Atlanta Olympics it really does show how our athletes have benefitted from lottery funding. Also shows that we're pretty good at this stuff given a fair go at it and it's nice to see our team once again doing us proud on the international stage.

[CWC1983]

2 hours ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

Some odd views on this thread really as there's surely something for everyone Olympics? Being a raging insomniac and a massive fan, I've  not been too bothered by the time difference and despite some awful luck, I think the British team has shone yet again.

When you look back to the horror days of the Atlanta Olympics it really does show how our athletes have benefitted from lottery funding. Also shows that we're pretty good at this stuff given a fair go at it and it's nice to see our team once again doing us proud on the international stage.

It's been a great Olympics and it might have been one of the best if fans were present. 

Such a shame for Japan that they had the bad luck to host during a pandemic. 

Loads of British olympians giving a shout out to the Lottery in their interviews, it's definitely lifted the standard. 

It warms the heart to see athletes compete in something that they've been preparing 4 years for, give their all, and see the elation and emotion afterwards. 

 

 

 

 

[Phoenix]

On 02/08/2021 at 18:31, Bob The Badger said:

Steve Backley is a truly awful commentator. Yes he could hurl a pointy stick a long way, but that doesn't mean he's interesting or should be commentating on other sports.

Steve Buckley would do a better job.

 

Paula Radcliffe must be the most boring, droning, uninformative commentator of all time.