Messam not sweet on Ireland's culinary delights
Wednesday November 19 2008
THE All Blacks' time in Ireland has been characterised by the players' polite public utterances as they have made all the right noises about the opposition (Munster/Ireland) and venues (Croke Park/Thomond Park).
However, they have been less enamoured with the Irish food, if the comments of squad member Liam Messam in his tour diary are anything to judge by.
"I was up at 8am and down for a bit of porridge for breakfast. They don't have brown sugar here, so that's a bit disappointing. After the gym I had dinner, which was a bit plain. I had the chicken with some potato and peas. I was tempted big time with the apple pie but I held out. The one thing that would put me over the edge would be a wood-oven Italian pizza, but there's not much chance of that here."
Messam also noted that the weather in Ireland wasn't much to his liking: "on the cold side and a bit windy." As these are the observations of someone who hails form the most rain-lashed part of the planet this side of Limerick, and a country not known for its Michelin-star restaurants, the observations appear a tad hypocritical. However, it turns out that Messam hails from Blenheim, the sunniest part of New Zealand and the hub of country's wine industry, so fair enough. But we do have brown sugar, Liam.
Kiwis put citing boot in
IT is hard to fathom the thinking behind Monday's citing of Ireland flanker Alan Quinlan. While it is understood the IRFU made no approach to the citing commissioner regarding the Tony Woodcock incident, or any other, it would appear the All Blacks did seek action over the Quinlan 'stamp' incident.
There was no suggestion of a boot going anywhere near the head, which would change the situation entirely, and the incident did not warrant sanction from referee Mark Lawrence. Indeed, it was once merely regarded as 'justified shoeing' of a player on the wrong side of the ruck.
Munster fans, virtually
WITH Munster's support base ever-growing, word comes to us of a new social networking site for Munster fans at www.mymunster.com. We're not too sure how Facebook operates but apparently mymunster.com works on the same principles and, developed in association with Munster rugby, offers fans the opportunity to win tickets to matches.
Munster supporters would also do well to check out the DVD 'Axel -- Munster's Heineken Cup journey' which proves a worthy companion to Peter O'Reilly's excellent book with Anthony Foley, also called 'Axel'. Any opportunity to view the 2000 Heineken Cup semi-final win over Toulouse in Bordeaux in full should not be passed up.
'QUOTE-UNQUOTE'
"I've become impossibly bored with the half-cocked, semi-lucid, self-indulgent musings of so called 'Rugby' writers watching the game through the bottom of a half-empty pint glass. You sad little drunk skunks." -- 'New Zealand Herald' columnist Jed Thian has a rant at the Irish rugby media's use of stereotype to describe the Kiwis.
"We've to try and beat a team that's ranked above us and we haven't done that for a while." -- Declan Kidney puts this weekend's game against Argentina in perspective, the last time was November 2006 when Ireland beat Australia in Dublin.
WEEKEND ODDS (best available)
Ireland 4/7 v Argentina 7/5, draw 20/1; England 6/5 v South Africa 13/15, draw 31/1; Scotland 1/29 v Canada 21/1, draw 64/1; Wales 19/2 v New Zealand 1/9, draw 74/1; France 11/10 v Australia 13/16, draw 26/1.
