I certainly don’t hate the pommies (although don’t mind pointing out areas of needed improvement (extra point, just heard that a pom asked one of the England players for an autograph after the game, he was told to F*** O**…nice)), but Dame Clive needs to learn how to be a good loser. He should also learn to pick a clean team, not emphasise cheating tactics. Of last Saturday? We beat them fair square, they chose rough-house and got their due. They were last seen wimpering at the airport. And Shaw wouldn’t have stopped any of those tries. A win’s a win. Next.
You say the team ABs used to be…exactly which one was that? Last 5-6 years when we were Aussies whipping boys? Fitzy era? Late 1980’s with Buck? The Invincibles? We showed enough at the House of Pain to point out our potential. There are a lot of areas to work on. It takes time to build a winning pattern and record, so be patient. First we have to get past Boks and Wannabies. It would be wise for some people to focus on the present, not wish for the glory days…one of moonhead’s pluses (also a minus bc overdone) was a willingness to discard the egos in favor of form. Well, he tried anyway, but made a bit of a hash of it.
Also, who was trying to convince you they were the best ABs ever? I don’t believe that at all, just this week I marvelled at the 1997 all blacks demo-job of the argies, which can be viewed on home page of www.allblacks.com ). Well done for not falling for that, but it can’t be much fun to be so negatively pessimistic, eh mate? 
I’m mightily impressed with Gibbes and Robinson the mongrel, he’s a funny bugger. Marshall needs to retake passing 101, and the pack as a whole needs to try to do long periods of rampaging as a unit up the middle phase after phase, rip the opposition a new arsehole before passing to the backs (who, although not our best ever (as if, that’s impossible), will go well). We should be feared. Sharpen the sprigs, guys (and none of moonhead’s infamous order for no rucking ) :fume:
I encourage you to make specific points about the current team.