From: wft@math.canterbury.ac.nz (Bill Taylor)
Subject: "Bests"; Wembley; Loe.
Organization: Department of Mathematics, University of Canterbury
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 01:40:44 GMT

Player of the year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Allan (chemmail@otago.ac.nz) reported Bunce and Timu as possible awards for
player of the year, with a powereful preference for Bunce. I agree with his
remarks, especially regarding the awesome try he set up at Carisbrook. 
However, I think nonetheless, that I'd put them in the other order. Though
Bunce definitely has the edge on Timu for attacking play, it's only by a
silvery thread, and Timu's defense is at least as good, probably better,
and adding in his positional play and tactical kicking, I would say he wins.

For try of the year they gave the one Bunce scored against Australia, in
which about 5 or 7 AB's jointly ran the ball up from the other end, starting
with a break-out by Little. For runner-up they gave Yoshida's flying mid-air
leap and catch for the World against the ABs. Again I agree with the choices,
but would put them in opposite order. The Bunce try would easily win any award
for a team-effort try (Fijian style), but for sheer individual brilliance
the Yoshida try wins "try of the decade", in my book; even better than the
sparkling Tim Horan at his best.

Twickers
~~~~~~~~
Bruce C. Beadle comments on the Twickers delay in favour of Wembley...

> snide comments about doing this deliberately so that Wembley can 
> stage an international that England have a chance of winning,
> (Sorry for contaminating this news group with obscure footie references)

Surely you don't mean to imply that England can win soccer internationals,
at Wembley or anywhere else ?!  I never knew this !

Charlie Pearce promises a full game report.   Great !!  Can't wait.  But...

>impressed with Canada rugby both before and during (running the ABs close) 
>the 1991 World Cup

...yes, Canada were surprisingly good, for a "minnow" country. Full marks and
best wishes to them. But "running the ABs close" ?? Dream on! Were we watching
the same game ? As I recall, we cruised to an easy win over a committed and
competent but clearly inferior side.  Running them close.....?!

Loe
~~~
There's been much comment, and there'll be a lot more. I'll help stir the pot.
I agree with most of NZ (with the disgraceful exception of the Waikato club
itself), and all the rest of the world, that Loe is a thug, and has come
to the end of his rope (I earnestly hope). Full marks to France for their
stand on his presence being unwelcome.   Can *someone* else take him please ?
Of course the NZRFU has got to hear his appeal, if he wants one, but I 
sincerely hope they have no truck with it. Especially an appeal based on
his family's possible hardship !! Such irrelevant arguments have no place in
legal proceedings, (I thought they disappeared in Hellenistic times). If Loe
is so worried about his farm and family, he should have thought of that before
committing his assault.

One of his gripes is that he got more than others had for "similar" offenses.
Rubbish ! There's never been anything remotely as bad as this. Cooper is
lucky to have full sight still. *I* think Loe got off lightly.   There are
also claims that he has been "tried by media".  Rubbish again.  Certainly the
disgraceful incident has been shown many times on NZTV, and rightly so; the
NZ public should know, ASAP, what a viper they have in their bosom. The footage
shows in the clearest possible terms how deliberate and inexcusable Loe's
behaviour was. "the more it is shown the worse it looks"... what nonsense. It
looks atrocious first, last, and every time. If it was a trial by jury, there
might be some question as to the propriety of such advance publicity; but it
was not. It was by experts in a particular field (rugby), and with substantial
legal training, who will be well aware of the possible dangers of advance
publicity and similar prejudice. They will have been careful, and have said 
that they were so, to avoid any prejudice of this sort.

----------------------. Loe is guilty. He has to go. Most of us NZers think so. 
                      | I sincerely hope the NZRFU doesn't back down. Even if
          \           | they do though, there is still good hope of justice. 
           \          | He will almost certainly be left with some time on
           \\         | suspension, and Laurie Mains can use it as an excuse
            \\        | to call him "rusty" and drop him permanently. Mains is 
             )`--')   | a good guy, and I'm sure he won't want Loe to stay on
            <  o /    | at any price.  Hope not, anyway.
             `\  /    |
              / /     | Replacement ? It's *got* to be "Bull" Allen.   Clean,
         /_,, ~~      | determined, powerful, inspiring.    *AND* young ! 
        /   )         |=======================================================
        |  /          |
       /  _>    <-------- Bill Taylor         wft@math.canterbury.ac.nz
      /  /            |
     /   |            |=======================================================
    |    /            |
    \___/             |Of COURSE you're entitled to your own opinions,
      o               |            just keep them to yourself !
                      |=======================================================