The Blog is Back for 2008...and meet Donagh Foley (Old Boy #2), if you dare

The only reason this odd photo of a ginger Irishman who finds it rather hard not to get yellow-carded at crucual moments in international matches is here is because Donagh wanted it to be.

Happy New Year to all

Hope 2008 is treating you well so far. After two weeks of idleness (sorry Q, I have been injured), it's back to the fray this weekend. More to come on that, but to keep you happy for now, the Blog is proud to offer everything you never wanted to know about our esteemed Section Chairman, Mr Donagh Foley. Goodness knows what he's on about half the time but never mind. Once again, many thanks to Broony, whose links in the criminal underworld have been invaluable in setting up these delightful 'Meet the Old Boys' numbers.

Harps

Name: Donagh Foley
Age: 45
Year retired: 1998
Years at Club: 18
Occupation: Shepherd
Nationality: Irish
Rugby position: Centre (outside Woots and he was shit!!!)
Previous clubs: Associates (Perth), Wimbledon and Bective Rangers
Favorite things about rugby: Watching Sequins try to play rugby and then talk about it afterwards as if they had.
Favorite current HKFC player and why? Nigel Hobler. He's slow and looks like he needs a good feed. Reminds me of Don Rider in his prime. Now all Nige has to do is get the limp right.
Most embarrassing rugby spectating experience: 1999 World Cup. A pint of Guiness. Wootten. Sick. Need I say more (a bit of a Matt Dunning moment)?
Wanchai or Manila? Neither, but ex-Chairman Rider speaks highly of both.
Sequins corner or Sportsman's? Sequins Corner, where there is more bullshit spoken in one hour than at the UN in a whole year.
HKFC 10s or HKRFU 7s? 10s
Drinking with Woots or shopping with the wife? Shopping with the wife as I hate rum.
Marilyn Munroe or Sophia Loren? Sophia Loren - a better class of bird or so Burgess told me and he should know, they’re the same age.

Sound familiar?

Not a huge RL fan, but I thought some of our Kiwi cousins might appreciate this. Quite frankly, my first thought was "don't be a sook, it's over." If Chalmers would like a shoulder to cry on, I suggest he calls Brian O'Driscoll and Clive Woodward.

Harps


Kiwis enraged by Burgess decision (BBC Sport)

New Zealand have reacted furiously after Great Britain prop Sam Burgess escaped punishment for a high tackle on Fuifui Moimoi in the first Test.
Burgess was placed on report for the incident, but a three-man panel cleared him - by a 2-1 vote - to play in the second Test on Saturday.
"This just leaves me gobsmacked," said New Zealand Rugby League chairman Andrew Chalmers.
"They seem intent on treating us like a bunch of natives from the colonies."
The 18-year-old Burgess scored a try on his debut as the Lions won the first Test 20-14.
606: DEBATE
Referee Tony Archer put Burgess on report for a clear high tackle on Moimoi in the second half at Huddersfield, but the video review panel, which included a New Zealander, decided to take no action.
The decision has aggravated New Zealand, who already felt a sense of injustice after Burgess' fellow Great Britain prop Adrian Morley also avoided disciplinary action for a high tackle on Awen Guttenbeil during the Northern Union's match against the All Golds.
"It's dejà vu," said Chalmers, who sat in on the hearing as an observer.
"It was an appalling set-up job to let Morley free last week.
"These people show a flagrant disregard for their own rules or they just simply opt to use them or discard them as and when it suits them.
"With this current system in place, the numbers will always be stacked against us Kiwis."
Moimoi sat out training after the clash with Burgess and is on painkillers after sustaining neck and jaw injuries. But Kiwi coach Gary Kemble is certain he will be fit for the second Test.
For him to miss a game would have been unjust GB boss Tony Smith
A delighted Burgess said he was happy to be in the clear, admitting: "It's definitely a relief.
"I would have been heartbroken to miss the Test.
"I have a few things I need to work on in my defensive technique, no more high shots."
Great Britain coach Tony Smith was also relieved that the Bradford forward will not miss the second in the three-match Test series.
"It's great to have him available," said Smith. "He did some good stuff last week for us.
"The incident such as Sam's the other day, which was accidental rather than deliberate, may have warranted 10 minutes in the sin-bin and then it's done and dusted.
"For him to miss a game would have been unjust because it's a third of the whole series. That is like suspending someone from the normal competition for nine games."
Burgess, who is now expected to win his second cap at the KC Stadium, was the youngest player to make his Great Britain debut since Andy Farrell in 1993 and emulated the Wigan great by scoring a try.