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  • irishtimes.com - Posted: June 23, 2009 @ 3:30 pm

    Harry aside, we’re quite a learned bunch

    Tommy

    Due to the numerous knocks us rugby players take to the head people assume we are a little bit slow – or some may even suggest stupid! 

    This squad in particular, however, may debunk that theory and prove that us rugby players at not quite as slow as many think.

    I have an engineering degree, Jamie Roberts is studying to become a doctor, Alun-Wynn Jones is almost finished a law degree, Euan Murray is a qualified vet and many of the other players are all either doing courses or already have a degree under their belts.

    It was going so well there until players like Harry bloody Ellis opened his mouth. He really let us down yesterday by asking a South African; “Why is Nelson Mandela so famous?  Was it because he discovered South Africa?”

    Poor Harry said he just got a little mixed up and was merely taking the piss!  I’m not so sure.

    Anyway, I’m now back in Cape Town, which every person I met before coming to South Africa recommended as the most beautiful city.  So far, it has rained every day we’ve been here and the only sight of Table Mountain I’ve had have been of the clouds covering it which are known locally as the table cloth.

    It’s a massive game against the Emerging Springboks later today and following the loss at the weekend vitally important we don’t allow them get a mental edge on us, so winning tonight is vitally important.  If we can get a good win today, it will send out a message that we won’t be caught on the hop this time!

    Our review of the first Test was quite intense, the coaches showed the amount of opportunities we missed and how if we had been more clinical it would have been a different game.  It was also pointed out how if we give them the opportunity to get easy set-piece ball and power plays it is playing right down their alley!

    ROGJ is captain tonight and I think after the disappointment of the weekend we will come out with a good victory.
     

    • 32 Comments »

    1.
    June 23, 2009
    3:47 pm

    Tommy,
    Next time you face to face with Habana, remind him of your engineering degree!!!

    Also you forgot to mention Drico’s philosophy degree

    “Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit,
    Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad”

    Playing like a serious goy
    Best of Luck

    Comment by Ger
    2.
    June 23, 2009
    3:57 pm

    AND DARCY’S ORTS DEGREE FROM UCD

    Comment by DREW
    3.
    June 23, 2009
    4:18 pm

    Tommy believes the Lions are playing today i.e. 23 Jun? How come Sky Sports says it’s tomorrow? or am I just confused.com  ?

    Comment by Paul Grose
    4.
    June 23, 2009
    4:26 pm

    Silly me!! it is tonight

    Comment by Paul Grose
    5.
    June 23, 2009
    4:45 pm

    Good to have yet another Irish Captain. Hopefully that will give ROG the boost he needs to play a perfect game and increase his odds of selection for the weekend!

    Comment by Ferg
    6.
    June 23, 2009
    5:15 pm

    RoG captain – a nice consolation prize unless he shows them …….

    Comment by Rich
    7.
    June 23, 2009
    5:15 pm

    best of luck to the lions tonight (or tomorrow night!). ROG will almost definitely get pick for the 2nd test, and ‘the bull’ has an outside chance after the frontrows display last weekend

    Comment by donal
    8.
    June 23, 2009
    5:15 pm

    Let’s hope ROGJ can stake a claim..

    Comment by Britch
    9.
    June 23, 2009
    6:26 pm

    Well Tommy
    Enjoyed the game last saturday; ended up pissed in da pig.Is the bull looking after you ok?
    look forward to another exciting game this weekend with a better result. the boys in the pig will be cheering you all on. wishing you all the best of luck

    Comment by gerry brennan
    10.
    June 23, 2009
    9:59 pm

    A draw against the emerging Springbok’s…. not quite good enough lads. I tell you what though Jamie Roberts sounds like the most amazing guy; smart, funny, sporty and musical WOW!
    RO’GJ deserves a chance in a test but most importantly get the Bull on. Best of luck on Saturday boys.

    Comment by Orla
    11.
    June 23, 2009
    11:15 pm

    I hear what you are saying about pre-judgements of intelligence. Being a blonde (who has a degree and soon a MA) it can be frustrating being preceived stupid especially when you hold a fountain of knowledge. But I find it can be fun to play along with these mis-conceptions then hit them with a headache of a brain teaser of if you want, just hit them.

    Give Habana a headache- you can choose which type!

    Xoxox

    Comment by confusedblonde.com
    12.
    June 24, 2009
    1:19 am

    I was watching today and up until the downpour of rain it looked like the lions were going to dance bigtime over the hopeful Emerging Springboks who deserved better than their draw.
    Thought exercise for all and sundry: the Lions are a hangover from imperial times. Forget the discussion around amateur v professionalism. We are all past that. Like in boxing the world champs must take on the best available in a context until the next world cup or forfeit their title. What would it been like if Sergio Parisse and Chabal were involved today or last Saturday. I hope the Lions will sort out a win this Saturday and build a platform for the biggest world sporting event after the soccer world cup. Langer over and out.

    Comment by FECKINGGOBSHITE
    13.
    June 24, 2009
    1:28 am

    weather kinda ruined it this evening, probably a fair result, just goes to show the magnitude of the challenge ahead. Be rooting for ya all on Saturday.

    Comment by Andrew
    14.
    June 24, 2009
    1:47 am

    Hi Tommy

    Love the blog. It’s a classic read everytime.Keep up the good work in SA we’re all cheering you on.

    Also I play a bit of tag rugby and recently heard a crazy rumour that another team had George Hook coaching them. George Flaming Hook!! So I’m going to go one better than that and cordially invite you,Tommy Bowe to mentor our team. I know your a bit busy at the moment but sure maybe when nice Mr O’Connell is finished with you, he might lend you to us ;-)

    Once again keep up the chin up.

    Claire

    Comment by Claire Mc
    15.
    June 24, 2009
    9:09 am

    Didn’t enjoy last nights match as much as i have all the others but one things for sure if Donncha and Ronan dont get picked on Saturday it will be a disgrace.

    Best of luck for Saturday Tommy – pass on a lil kiss to Donncha for me xxx

    Comment by Marsha
    16.
    June 24, 2009
    9:45 am

    Tommy, I have had another thought, one that may have been alluded to already by another reader. For Gods sake, if Bismarck du Plessis stands over BOD, or anyonelse for that matter, and threatens to hit him, dont stand for it. If Willie John McBride was in a grave he would be doing somersaults.

    Comment by Niall
    17.
    June 24, 2009
    10:13 am

    Please tell the coaches we need The Bull on Sat and also Rogs to play from kick off. We miss Jerry Flannery big time, but we are still behind ye 100%, Keep up the good work, good luck Sat and love the blogs, keep them coming.

    Comment by anna
    18.
    June 24, 2009
    10:28 am

    Tommy Bowe – excellent running and jumping skills on you. Go team lions.

    Best of luck saturday.

    Maybe you should all bring your framed degrees and whatnot onto the pitch on saturday – see what the springboks think of them apples.

    Also… you never mentioned what RoG has a degree in? Is it a degree in Blue Steel™??

    –– SPOT THE DIFFERENCE ––

    http://api.ning.com/files/*8KC61qJkbUmbpiRxkAbUdjll1fGQjOt6w7kHx242CPKJ*aUMnVi2iheOQiOD5e0yCY2Uxz-WSfg11PrGBaA03jjM5mgVIzy/bluesteel.jpg

    http://www.currychips.com/brokeback-tv.jpg

    Comment by Jimbo Jones
    19.
    June 24, 2009
    10:49 am

    T- Bomb keep up the good work!

    Here listen would you mind only beating the Boks by 5 or less on the weekend, have a few sheckles on it!

    Cheers Big Man!!!

    Comment by Eoin
    20.
    June 24, 2009
    10:49 am

    Wow have to love the emerging boks loosetrio. Wow they are talented in this department.

    Bok weakness: Fullback. Steyn is dumb and gets rattled easily. Channel between Pienaar and Jacobs.

    Focus and you can take this one.

    Comment by Irish Devil
    21.
    June 24, 2009
    11:11 am

    Keep her lit for Saturday Tommy, Inflict some of the olde T-pain magic onto the Beast and we will rock out with our……….

    Mike

    Comment by Michael
    22.
    June 24, 2009
    12:27 pm

    Loving the blog Tommy.

    Hoping Lukey and Rog have done enough to get into starting 15 for Sat, the bull has got to be there too.

    A tough 80 mins ahead on saturday but there’s no doubt the Lions can do it, leaving all to play for on the 4th.

    Best of luck, we’re all shouting for you.

    Comment by Emer
    23.
    June 24, 2009
    1:08 pm

    Tommy – the weather in Cape Town is the opposite to Ireland, e.g. we have 3 months of rain and sunshine for the rest. Good ole Dublin has a good 9 months of rain. Actually it rained most of last week and we’ve just passed the longest day of the summer! Ha ha ha – shouldn’t have gone to SA in the winter!

    Lions lucky to draw to the emerging Boks. They seemed hungrier. Although someone needed to tell them to stop kicking!

    Comment by Tom Johnston
    24.
    June 24, 2009
    1:18 pm

    ROGJ – classic. Best of luck on Saturday

    DC

    Comment by DC
    25.
    June 24, 2009
    4:02 pm

    As a munster lad i’ve got to admire the depth that the boks have at loose forward . The 3 youngsters who played last night were superb – Brussouw has also been outstanding. There seems to be an endless supply!

    Comment by Steven
    26.
    June 24, 2009
    6:15 pm

    Pathetic comments by Ger and ANDREW above

    Comment by Tim
    27.
    June 24, 2009
    7:47 pm

    “This squad in particular, however, may debunk that theory and prove that us rugby players at not quite as slow as many think”??!! Think you just shot yourself in the foot there Bowe!

    Comment by Rico
    28.
    June 24, 2009
    9:02 pm

    Seriously Tommy, any chance of a date?
    Good luck at the weekend ya ligind :)

    Comment by Desperado
    29.
    June 25, 2009
    1:22 pm

    Congrats Tommy on getting picked for Saturday – you well deserve it.

    But i have to say i am hugely gutted Donncha didn’t get picked – i mean how hard does someone have to work to get picked – will not be the same without him – Who can i complain to? Could cry i’m that gutted.

    Comment by Marsha
    30.
    June 25, 2009
    3:39 pm

    Love the blog! Good luck on Saturday fingers crossed we will get the result we need…

    P.s. Any chance you might sign for Munster :-P

    Comment by Carly
    31.
    June 25, 2009
    4:38 pm

    Howya,

    You mentioned in an earlier Post that you tell a few Jokes on the Bus journeys to the games. Here are a few Tommy Cooper Gags that might get you a few howls..

    Best of Luck on Saturday

    Mick

    Two Aerials meet on a roof – fall in love – get married
    The ceremony was rubbish but the Reception was brilliant.
    ——————————————————————-
    Man goes to the docs, with a strawberry growing out of his head.

    Doc says, “I’ll give you some cream to put on it.”
    ——————————————————————–
    “Doctor, I can’t pronounce my F’s, T’s and H’s.”

    Well you can’t say fairer than that then”
    ———————————————————
    So I went to the dentist.
    He said “Say Aaah.”
    I said “Why?”
    He said “My dog’s died.”
    ———————————————————
    So I rang up my local swimming baths.
    I said ‘Is that the local swimming baths?’
    He said ‘It depends where you’re calling from.’
    —————————————————————-
    So I rang up a local building firm,
    I said ‘I want a skip outside my house.’
    He said ‘I’m not stopping you.’
    —————————————————————-
    So I was getting into my car, and this bloke says to me
    “Can you give me a lift?”
    I said “Sure, you look great, the world’s your oyster, go for it.”
    —————————————————————-
    Police arrested two kids yesterday, one was drinkingbattery acid, and the other was eating fireworks.
    They charged one and let the other one off.
    —————————————————————-
    I had a ploughman’s lunch the other day.
    He wasn’t very happy.
    —————————————————————-
    I went to the butchers the other day and I bet him 50 quid that he couldn’t reach the meat off the top shelf.
    He said, “No, the steaks are too high.”
    —————————————————————-
    My friend drowned in a bowl of muesli.
    A strong currant pulled him in.
    —————————————————————-
    A man came round in hospital after a serious accident. He shouted,
    “Doctor, doctor, I can’t feel my legs!”
    The doctor replied, “I know you can’t, I’ve cut your arms off”.
    —————————————————————
    I went to a seafood disco last week…and pulled a Mussel.
    —————————————————————
    Our ice cream man was found lying on the floor of his van covered with hundreds and thousands.
    Police say that he topped himself.
    ————————————————————–
    Two fat blokes in a pub, one says to the other “Your round.”
    The other one says “So are you, you fat slob!”

    Comment by Mick
    32.
    June 25, 2009
    5:42 pm

    Dammit, we needed a bull to fight the Beast and Donncha would be a way better bet at No. 2 in the lineout, nobodys gonna be able to lift that ox Shaw

    C’mon d lines….

    Comment by Greg the leg - short for ligind

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