Bang goes the next proposal - I was thinking about putting a just fun and again O/T, putting up a poll as to see everyone thinks who's going to win it.

More shortliist of ten would have been:

1. Spain - current European champions, but have never reached the final of the World Cup, best performance, semi finals in 1962.
2. Argentina - if Maradona's around, quite simply anything's possible with this lot, but hopefully for the sporting reasons, best performance, champions in 1978 and 1986.
3. Holland - another of the World Cup's bridesmaids, but if not altitude, the squad's players all play domestic football in countries whereby its winter conditions for half of the season, should have no problems in acclimatising to the South African winter, best performance, finalists in 1974 and 1978.
4. Germany - as much as I can't stand the Germans for their cynacism and effecientism, it would be foolish to write them off, as they are still smarting from being knocked out at the semi-finals from their own tournament four years ago, best performance, champions in 1954, 1974 and 1990 all as West Germany.
5. Brazil - always a very safe bet, probably the best team through sheer skill alone, best performance, champions in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.
6. Italy - defending champions, yet always very unpredictable when it comes to the big tournaments as you never know how well exactly they are going to perform, best performance, champions in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006.
7. Portugal - third in the FIFA world rankings and have the players to back that up, yet have an atrocious record in past tournaments, in fact they have never won the European Championships or the World Cup, best World Cup performance semi finals in 1966.
8. France - cheats should never prosper, they are clearly in the World Cup under false pretences, yet annoyingly always seem to play well when it matters, best performance champions in 1998. PS, hope France get sent home early.
9. USA - surprise choice this one, and not just saying this because England are playing them this Saturday. Despite their uninspiring looking "pub league" and past low-key attitude to this tournament, the yanks are now a genuine threat and have some great players in their team, best performance, semi finals in 1930.
10. England - only through hope and wishful thinking. Best performance... clue:- the first World Cup tournament held when the year ended in a number 6.

what makes them death traps is car drivers that don't understand what its like to ride aside other cars,
you find that bike riders in cars have the respect to make room for them,

talking to a friend today he told he he nearly got wiped out in germany last week by a truck pulling a trailer

but had the sense to read the situation, I have had spills as a young lad and its amazing how you know what to do, one spill was on ice and was followed closely by a van, he stopped to help me up as he could pass, he ask why I was lifting my head up while bouncing on the road and I told him I didn't want to scratch my lid

and its still scratch free



bought a cracking 2.2 zafia elite and brought that home today, its like poor mans land rover but boy is it nice



how old was the silver sharks?

So you have decided to buy it then

nice car if a little sluggish



Mines not broken down yet and thats a suprise, i've had it over 12 hours

used to call the other zafi the brick

Sharks were tiny, only 2 inch. We went to get some more but every stockist in the Wakey area had their's off sale under treatment.

Apart from Victoria Garden centre, we bought 2 slightly larger Silver Sharks. Only thing I think might have killed them is the stupidly hard water we get.

There was a bloke near us who was flying up Chevet Lane on his bike and a tractor pulled out on him. He had no chance. I always make room for bikes and Horses especially as friends/family own both but I have no time for any moped rider, they should raise the age people can ride these to at least 21.

not testing the water is a risky business and I too learned that to my experience losing a full tank full of marines

I was only left with a cleaner shrimp



I know chevet very well and there is a blind corners there, he was obviously not thinking, as for moped riders please take this on board we all start riding at some time and late teenage kids are no worse than in my day and I too could be labeled in the same category at that time, what you should imagine is 'your body' hitting a car wing / bumper it may make you cringe and think,
just let them pass,
I once had a lady try and run me off the road all because I passed waiting traffic at the lights, I thought about following her but just put it down sheer stupidity on her behalf,

they do press ads saying think bike for a reason and they are the most enjoyable ways to travel if done safely

first world cup game and fed up already with the racket, they should shove every horn right up their chocolate wizz way, if this anything to go by then I doubt I will be watch many games if any at all,

ban all drums, horns, bands from games

That's pretty standard stuff when you ride a push-bike - we're even further down the road-users food chain than motorcyclists.

my mate used to race push bikes and got knocked of with a jag

what a mess he was, broken arm and hip and loads of gravel rash

... and that's the most popular sport in the world, my god with that as entertainment it's a wonder why RL struggles to get numbers though the gate for it's domestic and international matches.

Its a fashion not entertainment, if you want to "fit in" and be "part of the crowd" then you have to "buy into it" can't really call it a sport either.

Don't get me wrong I enjoy a good game of football, but more often than not it flatters to deceive yet it still remains immensely popular.

125cc? Have you passed your CBT then?

think a 125 is small fry for snowie

I'm lucky enough to go through the system that is in place as I passed my test back in '77' but wise enough to understand the power that it has, maybe there should be something in place for riders that hasn't ridden for some time,
the last bike I rode was about 12 yr ago and was a honda cb 500 having had a previous break of 3 yrs, I realised after two months that it was under powered with two on and wished I had gone bigger after having an old honda super dream 250 and I thought I would need get some practice so didn't go straight for the bigger bike, I have ridden the bike for 10 mins on my street and have got used to the throttle and biting of the clutch so feel confident to bring her on to the main streets now,

I was working in tadcaster and had to go on site up glasgow to work in a brewery, I was asked if I had drove a cargo 7.5 ton before, having never driven one I ended up doing half the journey both ways, I now end up being volunteered to drive one as my license says I can and young drivers have to take a test

something not quite right there

so I am licensed tax and insured and confident to go back to two wheels

Well, I did ask if I could go for a pint as I M NOW ON MY FRENCH HOLS.


But someone deleted it.
Anyhoo, I went for a pint without any permission. Sorry if offence was taken.

I would never have ridden a bike but when I first came over here 10 years ago I had to learn as the transport provided was a motorbike.

Learning to ride has made me a much better, more observant and more considerate car driver. I think all car drivers should be made to do at least the CBT on a bike.



Must admit it scared me to death learning in Leeds in January in the ice and snow and traffic. I was under pressure as I only had a month to pass the test from never being on a bike before going abroad. (failed anyway

)

It took maybe 6 months after that before I felt confident enough with my ability, but now I love it.

Never really enjoyed driving cars, probably because I've always had rubbish cars, but even a rubbish bike is really great fun. The freedom and level of control just doesn't compare to a four-wheeled armchair.

I only have an old Honda 125 (the roads are not good enough for anything heavier/more powerful) but it's still fun just to go for a ride for the sake of it. (The weather also helps

)

I would recommend motorbikes to anyone, but make sure you get some good training! You can ride safely, it's mainly about looking after yourself. Motorbikes, like guns, are not dangerous on their own.

P.S. I also have driven 7.5 tonners despite no experience because it came with my car license in '84

The RSA / Mexico game was pretty good - but the France thing was awful.

Al's right though, it's about much more than the sport itself and that's why we can never compete!



I will still be cheering England on to win as, unlikely as it is, it would put a lot of smiles on people's faces - and there's nowt wrong with that!



On the other hand, in the RUWC, I would be cheering for the 3-eyed lot in green against England - and that again is about something far bigger than the sport itself!

I'm with you on that one.
Last 'rugby' world cup I wore a South Africa T-shirt and got a fair amount of stick, but I explained my reasons and that I'd support England at any other sport even tiddly-winks.


I lived in Wales for a while so I gave their RU team support and, like them, support just 2 teams, Wales and anyone else who's playing against England

Thats a first

If anyone's "stocking up" for tonight's rubgy/footy Tesco's are doing 54 bottles of Stella for £20. That works out to just 37p/bottle and they are the 300ml ones not the stubbies. Better hurry though I think the promotion finishes at 3pm. I got mine from the place at East Ardsley.

What do i drink watching the second half




Nice offer bur can't stand Stella.

we live in a great street and just been invited to a mad neighbours house for few beers to watch the match, quite a few going, hes put on table football on the lawn as well

let the beer flow



who else is doing the same

I'm off out for a walk and as far away from that garbage as i can get.

St Georges day and no one cares, puffball and "get the England flags out" disgracefull.

All set to change in the coming years!

It is a crazy ruling at present, but come the year 2014, if you haven't gone through the proper courses and had the correct training you won't be able to drive one. I attended the first part of my course at the back end of last year and am doing it spread over 5 years, it wasn't half bloody boring!