A whiff of Cordite

[ceemec]

GT's back alright, and back to what he does best, bemoaning the penalty count for losing Irish teams. His assertion that Connacht are the 'Italians of Europe' is a bit glib, to say the least.

It's simply disrespectful. With all due respect to Connacht, Treviso have significantly outperformed them in this year's HEC and, if it wasn't for the late concession of penalties against the Ospreys, should be going into the halfway stage in second spot in their group with the leaders still to visit. GT gives little insight or writes anything thought provoking these days. He is the Girvan Dempsey of rugby journalism. You know exactly what you're going to get every time with him. Consistent, nothing flash and ticks a box. Great in a full back, dull in a journalist.

[Apocrypha]

His assertion that Connacht are the 'Italians of Europe' is a bit glib, to say the least.

Do you think he meant the Italian national team? Because, I don't recall Connacht beating any French team at home recently?

Or

Do you think he meant the Italian club teams? Because, once again, I don't recall Connacht beating any French team at home recently?

Perhaps, he meant to say that Connacht are the 'Aironi of Europe', but then aren't Aironi the 'Aironi of Europe'.

Reverting to stock phraseology, ala 'a whiff of cordite', methinks it would have been far better for him to say that Connacht, like Aironi, have become the 'whipping boys of Europe'.

[suisse]

If you haven't read Thornley's article yet, no need....He included the following words or phrases, so just piece the rest of the column together yourself....

The following Gerryisms.....

but yet again the cream is rising to the top
European grandees
With their totems, Paul O’Connell and Ronan O’Gara
vintage style
their willingness to run from pretty much anywhere
and Tony McGahan has also been vindicated, thus far, (I think 'thus' is Gerry's favourite word)
In sharp contrast
Leinster have more in their armoury but have been something of a curate’s egg this season.
issued an edict
French travel sickness
Furthermore
are still only flexing their pecs (a notable change, where is the word muscles?)
à la
The suspicion also lurked that
have possibly the more potent and physical mix
They had no right to, really

[TerenureJim]

Leinster have more in their armoury but have been something of a curate’s egg this season.

This is annoying analysis, how have we been a curate's egg? We are ticking along very nicely in the league with some very big wins over the more fancied sides (Munster, Cardiff) and have not lost in Europe where we have played what are arguebly our two toughest games on the road in France against a monster pack with a classy 10, and against Bath at the Rec which is just a horrible pitch to play rugby on. All of this has taken place with a new midfield experiment going on where we don't have the greatest player this country has ever produced.

Ok so maybe we could have won by more in Bath and probably should have two bonus point wins under our belts at this stage as a result but the tries are there and it will click when it needs to.

[cormac]

GT's back alright, and back to what he does best, bemoaning the penalty count for losing Irish teams. His assertion that Connacht are the 'Italians of Europe' is a bit glib, to say the least.

It's simply disrespectful. With all due respect to Connacht, Treviso have significantly outperformed them in this year's HEC and, if it wasn't for the late concession of penalties against the Ospreys, should be going into the halfway stage in second spot in their group with the leaders still to visit. GT gives little insight or writes anything thought provoking these days. He is the Girvan Dempsey of rugby journalism. You know exactly what you're going to get every time with him. Consistent, nothing flash and ticks a box. Great in a full back, dull in a journalist.

He also claims the Irish provinces currently have a win rate of 87.5% in the HEC so far, a figure he presumably plucked out of thin air as it bares no resemblance to the actual percentage figure of 58.3% or 62.5% if you include Leinster's draw.

[bails]

Great News - GT is back in the Irish Times today.

But dissappointly, no mention of a "whiff of cordite" in the air at any of the games. And by my reckoing nobody was " hors de combat" dueing the round of European games.

I might have to pen a letter to the Irish Times.

[Donny B.]

He also claims the Irish provinces currently have a win rate of 87.5% in the HEC so far, a figure he presumably plucked out of thin air as it bares no resemblance to the actual percentage figure of 58.3% or 62.5% if you include Leinster's draw.

I can only assume he's simply forgotten to include Connacht's three defeats in his calculations. Talk about disrespect!

[Darce]

Surprised he didn't squeeze 'diktat' or some such in there

[kendalgerty]

His assertion that Connacht are the 'Italians of Europe' is a bit glib, to say the least.

Do you think he meant the Italian national team? Because, I don't recall Connacht beating any French team at home recently?

Or

Do you think he meant the Italian club teams? Because, once again, I don't recall Connacht beating any French team at home recently?

Perhaps, he meant to say that Connacht are the 'Aironi of Europe', but then aren't Aironi the 'Aironi of Europe'.

Reverting to stock phraseology, ala 'a whiff of cordite', methinks it would have been far better for him to say that Connacht, like Aironi, have become the 'whipping boys of Europe'.

Worse still, I think he meant it in the sense of referees picking on them. When the penalty count is heavily against an Irish side, Gerry always assumes it's because the referee has it in for them. 'It's so unfaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiir!!!' I didn't see the Connacht game, and I know Gerry plucked out one example of a harsh penalty, but they are generally one of the most illegal teams around, constantly flying off their feet at the breakdown and killing opposition ball. A 12-4 penalty count against them wouldn't surprise me in the least.

[TerenureJim]

He also claims the Irish provinces currently have a win rate of 87.5% in the HEC so far, a figure he presumably plucked out of thin air as it bares no resemblance to the actual percentage figure of 58.3% or 62.5% if you include Leinster's draw.

I can only assume he's simply forgotten to include Connacht's three defeats in his calculations. Talk about disrespect!

Now that is poor stat analysis if he actually forgot to count one of the four provinces in working out his numbers. Suppose we might hear more about "damned lies and statistics..." in a future article

[John23]

Frankly I'm annoyed we didn't see "by dint of" this week

[cormac]

He also claims the Irish provinces currently have a win rate of 87.5% in the HEC so far, a figure he presumably plucked out of thin air as it bares no resemblance to the actual percentage figure of 58.3% or 62.5% if you include Leinster's draw.

I can only assume he's simply forgotten to include Connacht's three defeats in his calculations. Talk about disrespect!

It's actually more bizarre than that. 87.5% = 10.5/12. So, he's managed to realise that Connacht are in the HEC (the 12 games bit) but completely forgotten to include their results. He realises that Ulster have lost one and we've drawn one but then forgets that Connacht are in the tournament and lost all three. Superb effort all round from GT.

[Danthefan]

Was also baffled by the "curates egg" thing. Leinster are top of the league and in complete control of the HEC grounp. What does he want exactly?

[deco]

The expression "a curate's egg" originally meant something that is partly good and partly bad, but as a result is entirely spoiled. Modern usage has tended to change this to mean something having a mix of good and bad qualities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curate's_egg

I am tempted to edit Wiki's entry, but I'm just too damned lazy.

[Apocrypha]

The expression "a curate's egg" originally meant something that is partly good and partly bad, but as a result is entirely spoiled. Modern usage has tended to change this to mean something having a mix of good and bad qualities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curate's_egg

I am tempted to edit Wiki's entry, but I'm just too damned lazy.

"A whiff of cordite" used to refer to the smell of gunpowder in the air. Now it is short-hand for GT's purple prose and dead phrasing.

[hugonaut]

The expression "a curate's egg" originally meant something that is partly good and partly bad, but as a result is entirely spoiled. Modern usage has tended to change this to mean something having a mix of good and bad qualities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curate's_egg

I am tempted to edit Wiki's entry, but I'm just too damned lazy.

Spot on deco. It's not even a particularly old saying [as I'm sure you know]. I haven't got a f*cking clue how Thornley can say that it is a "curate's egg" of a season. Top of the Pro 12, top of our group in the Heineken Cup. We're unbeaten in the last ten matches in all competitions; the 'A' team have won all their games to date. What's not to like?

[Degz]

Bar the first half v Glagow, and smashing a disinterested Cardiff team, have we actually played up to our own high standards this year? I'm assuming this is what he's getting at, for as you have all pointed out, the results cannot be moaned at.

[cormac]

Bar the first half v Glagow, and smashing a disinterested Cardiff team, have we actually played up to our own high standards this year? I'm assuming this is what he's getting at, for as you have all pointed out, the results cannot be moaned at.

second half performances against Aironi and Connacht were pretty good.

[Apocrypha]

Bar the first half v Glagow, and smashing a disinterested Cardiff team, have we actually played up to our own high standards this year? I'm assuming this is what he's getting at, for as you have all pointed out, the results cannot be moaned at.

second half performances against Aironi and Connacht were pretty good.

Four poor teams.

The results that mattered and the games that will battle harden you are: Montpellier, Munster and Bath.

[TerenureJim]

Bar the first half v Glagow, and smashing a disinterested Cardiff team, have we actually played up to our own high standards this year? I'm assuming this is what he's getting at, for as you have all pointed out, the results cannot be moaned at.

second half performances against Aironi and Connacht were pretty good.

Do people remember standards or results? Because I can remember some seasons where we played the best rugby I've ever seen from any team but ultimately won nothing.

As has been said we may not be playing to our potential but we're getting results and it's not like we're scraping them and playing badly like some teams. We're actually playing quite well, it's just that what we're capable of is so much better. In saying that I'm happy with the team leaving the classic performances to the business end of the season because you win feck all in December.