Ian Thomas

Family comes first, then cycling, golf, rugby and anything Welsh. Retired Royal Engineer living in Swansea

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@RonSwanson145 Where’s the photo of the ‘Magic Roundabout’? IYKYK 😂

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@RobertClark87 And his embarrassing and inappropriate man hug of Cpl Leakey, when the latter’s VC was announced, ended whatever credibility he had left as CGS

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@the_ex_engineer @sequi_simon I know that mil are more expensive but I’m more interested in your belief that ‘they’re often less effective’. Having done one tour in MoD Main Building and 2 in DPA/DE&S, I witnessed the majority of mil pers, after short ‘acclimatisation’ periods, working on a par as a min

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@the_ex_engineer @sequi_simon Can you cite any evidence of this?

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@Steven_Swinford Much of the blame for the parlous state of the current Armed Forces, particularly the Army, can be directly attributed to Carter. He was a very poor CGS/CDS, and the fact he has the gall to write such a letter confirms that he has low EI and no self awareness

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@ShelaghFogarty @kateferguson4 And your point is? Lifting an extract from his Wikipedia page is not evidence of relevant experience for the SoS job. Whilst I have enormous respect for Jarvis, he is highly unlikely to get the necessary budget to build to Defence to its required capabilities. Bad decision

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@insiderugbymark Olivier Merle’s unprovoked head but on Ricky Evans (Fr v W 1995) which resulted in the latter breaking his leg
https://t.co/FIT8Ukvwtc

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@pinstripedline @tnewtondunn Bdes have assets that are force packaged to suit the op. It’s un likely that the UK will conduct bde level Cdo ops, but changing name to the nebulous term of ‘force’ is clearly confusing many outside RN/RM, and reminiscent of the Royal Mail/Consignia renaming disaster

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@RoyalMarines This has the potential to be a renaming disaster on a par with Royal Mail to Consignia in 2001; which was mocked by consumers and politicians and lasted a year before Royal Mail was reinstated

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@Mr_Andrew_Fox Rhossili?

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@DrAlexFord @thepaulwilliams @BBCScrumV @simonrug Mark Perego

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@Daib212 @jamierkennedy @MorayGC Good shout

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@ALavoipierre @PlanetRugby I concur that there will always be slight differences in application of the Laws, and they are very complicated. But WR allows clear illegal tactics, eg croc rolls are penalised, BUT Jackals are allowed despite collapsing the ruck, which should be a penalty

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@Richardwilwel @JacquesMaree73 I’ve always questioned the legality of jumping high for the ball and then endangering players on the ground. Rugby is a game to be played with feet on the ground

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@Richardwilwel @JacquesMaree73 If you apply this logic, which I don’t disagree with, then refs would have to penalise catchers jumping for high balls who then hit an opponent.

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@RugbyBits By your logic any player that jumps for a high ball and hits a player on the ground is jumping into a tackle.

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@ALavoipierre @PlanetRugby I agree that refs should never be abused, but they are being let down by WR; which continues to condone, and even encourage, blatant disregard for properly applying the LOTG, eg rucks laws are inconsistently applied and a frequent source of player/fans frustration

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@Louivier @RugbiOBarbarie Players joining a ruck must bind onto their own or opposition; this is a blatant and illegal attempt to hurt the opposition player. YC as a minimum

[Ian Thomas @exiledholdfast]

@pinstripedline @SOE_Spirit @Hayes1Jonny Odd that he was awarded the BEM; which ceased to be awarded for gallantry in 1974, when it was replaced by the QGM