The East Terrace

Wither media outrage?

The East Terrace awaits the media outrage over John Hayes getting his lenient six week ban for stamping reduced: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8305958.stm

We are 100% sure those same journalists who were outraged over Mr. Burger getting a mild slap on the wrist from the SARFU in the summer will also be screaming blue murder over Mr. Hayes and his outrageous appeal.

They will....won't they?

Hello?  Anyone?

 

What's that coming over the hill? A maul? Is it a maul?

So it looks like the International Rugby Board may allow rugby union to go back to being a little bit more like rugby union again by having things like proper mauls in our games once more.

An IRB conference in London on the controversial ELVs seems to indicate that most of the major measures tried out will, thankfully, be abandoned.

It also seems that the experiment introduced in the southern hemisphere (but not the northern hemisphere, some trial system, eh?) in which even the act of breathing seemed to result in a free kick is also set to go.

IRB radio discussion on ELVs

Our readers may find this interesting radio debate on the pros and cons of the ELVs on the IRB website worth checking out.

Nice to see the IRB actually giving some airtime to criticisms of the ELVs.  For a long time they seemed to be denying any negative feelings existed at all about them.

Contributers include Stephen Jones (Times writer), Eddie Jones and Paddy O'Brien.

Media Review: Eddie Butler weighs in on the ELVs

There is a very good article in today's Guardian (UK paper) on the ELVS: click here.

Eddie Butler picks up on one of The East Terrace's biggest annoyances, the use of 'Ball in Play' statistics to justify law changes. 

This weekend we'll be starting a new East Terrace series called 'Great Rugby Myths'.  The ball in play statistic will be our first topic.

Meanwhile, here is our take on the ELVs (from April last year).

Elsewhere, The Time's Stephen Jones (the writer obsessed with Rugby League/New Zealand/big, strong, tough players rather than the current Welsh fly-half) has caused a great deal of upset with his Lions' selection, in particular his refusal to select Brian O'Driscoll in his Test XV.  The article appeared last weekend but The Times has now added a 27 page version for those with nothing to do/who work in the Civil Service. 

Worth reading for David Walsh's fly half views.

8cm Will Carling appeals to the BBC

Why can't the BBC show scrums, lineouts and restarts during its rugby coverage?

In recent years it seems to prefer showing (often pointless) replays rather than the throw into the lineout, the feeding of the ball into the scrum or the kick to restart play.

That's to say nothing of the often bizarre choice of angles for showing live action.  

The East Terrace's very own 8cm Will Carling did on column on this a while back that was massively popular: http://theeastterrace.com/8cmWillbbc.shtml

If anyone knows of anyone in the Beeb who may be able to help, please forward on 8cm Will's piece.

Gabby Logan mentions she is married to Kenny Logan

Gabby Logan, BBC pundit and newspaper columnist, has published another Times article.  In her latest insightful look at the Six Nations Gabby mentions that she is married to ex-Scottish international Kenny Logan.  

The East Terrace seemed to have a vague memory of her relationship being mentioned before during her musings on this year's tournament.

Ah, that's it...she also mentions it in her column of February 6th, 2009.   Or did we see it in her piece on the 20th February, 2009 when she talks about how they met?  Then again, we may have learned she was married to Kenny Logan when she wrote this article on Lance Armstrong.

Wait, maybe we found out that Gabby Logan is married to Kenny Logan (ex-Scottish player, in case you don't know) in this Six Nations article from March, 2008.  It all gets so confusing.  Who is it she is married to again?  Ah, that's right, she says who it is in this article on retired sport's stars.   

So that clears that up.  Gabby Logan is married to Kenny Logan, ex-Scottish player. Just in case you want to check, why not enter it as a search on the Times website?  You may find more proof.

We look forward to The Times giving us more fascinating articles on the Six Nations in the near future.