Six Nations Rugby

Anybody out there going to be glued to this year's championship?

I'm gonna be watching it like this:

Oh God...

[happygeek]

Ho yus! Roll on Friday, you Welsh boys are gonna get a good seeing to >:-)

Seriously though, should be a good game. Will be interesting to see if the baiting has got to Hartley. Personally I think that was a mistake, Hartley is the kind of player who doesn't need a lot of winding up and I wouldn't like to be around when he unwinds...

[Moncky]

I've been practising holding my breath for 80 mins. Though no doubt our trip to Paris on Saturday will end with our annual gubbing.

That being said the French haven't been on the best form so we'll see. In fact none of the teams played particularly great rugby in the Autumn so it should be a fun and interesting championship this year.

@HG

As you know, this is the one game the Welsh want to win. We couldn't give a fig about anyone else. I remember growing up in the 70's when the game against the old enemy, England, would never be in doubt. Golden Era. Now, I have butterflies in my stomach a week before each game. I just don't know which Welsh team will turn up. With both sides suffering from losses due to injury, it'll be an interesting match. Why do they insist on Friday night? Ridiculous. Most of our boys won't get the regulation 5 hours drinking in before the match. Scandalous if you ask me.

@Moncky

You've got an uphill battle in Paris, but you never know. Good luck - c'mon the Celts!

[elsiekins]

I cant wait i just wish the tickets were not so expensive ! anyone and idea when next years tickets go on sale ? it would really be a who to support england or wales...

[happygeek]

@ardav

Here's hoping that, whichever side wins, it's a bloody good match.

If only Wales could recapture the form of the seventies, and England that form from 2003. Now that would be a blinder...

Yes HG, couldn't agree more. Hope the best team wins. Ermm, no not really.

I have to be honest I don't think the greats of the 70's (all teams) could stick with the pace or the physicality these days. Although, it could be argued that their flair and vision cannot be replicated by today's players. Too much playing to patterns, drift defences and blitzes. The worst one - NO RUCKING! How mamby-pamby does the sport have to become? God I love the rucking of 70-90s rugby. Terry Cobner like a rabid bull, shoeing even his own players out of the way. Beautiful.

Anyway, got away from myself again...

Anybody fancy predicting finishing positions for this year?

Here's mine:

France
Ireland
Wales
England
Scotland
Italy

I reckon I'm being partisan here and possibly harsh against Scotland. Following the draw against Fiji, I reckon Wales would be lucky to come 6th.

[frogboy77]

I think Italy and Scotland need to be switched.
I would love to be more upbeat but hey im a realist.

[happygeek]

England
France
Ireland
Wales
Italy
Scotland

HG - is that England for the big GS or merely the championship? Tell you, if England manage to win the GS or even the championship, it'll be one hell of an upset. Hah, you'll see Welshmen in Green, Blue, Blue and Blue if you beat us. Well, you probably will anyway!

@FB77
I love the Italians and would like to see them beat 2 teams this year. The two biggest teams, that is. Hope Scotland do well, they need a good season.

[frogboy77]

I would love to see the Italians beat anyone but us.(although the missus probably wouldn't agree, being a good old gal from the valleys.)

[AndreRet]

I for one will not miss a game. We have started with our Super 14 series here, we'll see what will come from that.

Here is the fixtures if anyone wanted it -

Date KO (GMT) Home Score Away Venue Links
Fri 4th Feb 11 19:45 Wales v England Millennium Stadium More
Sat 5th Feb 11 14:30 Italy v Ireland Stadio Flaminio More
Sat 5th Feb 11 17:00 France v Scotland Stade de France More
Sat 12th Feb 11 14:30 England v Italy Twickenham More
Sat 12th Feb 11 17:00 Scotland v Wales Murrayfield More
Sun 13th Feb 11 15:00 Ireland v France Aviva Stadium More
Sat 26th Feb 11 14:30 Italy v Wales Stadio Flaminio More
Sat 26th Feb 11 17:00 England v France Twickenham More
Sun 27th Feb 11 15:00 Scotland v Ireland Murrayfield More
Sat 12th Mar 11 14:30 Italy v France Stadio Flaminio More
Sat 12th Mar 11 17:00 Wales v Ireland Millennium Stadium More
Sun 13th Mar 11 15:00 England v Scotland Twickenham More
Sat 19th Mar 11 14:30 Scotland v Italy Murrayfield More
Sat 19th Mar 11 17:00 Ireland v England Aviva Stadium More
Sat 19th Mar 11 19:45 France v Wales Stade de France More

My prediction -

France
England
Italy
Wales
Ireland
Scotland

Italy 3rd and the Grand Slam holders 5th?? Too much khat Andre? You'd get amazing odds for that down the bookies. :)

[AndreRet]

What can I say, not a big Irish supporter. If you look at the way that Wales has managed to pull through in the past years, I think they stand a good chance to get there. I have seen it many a time with our own team (springboks) where they were rated the odd team out, to end up taking the wins.;)

Having a look at all the buzz surrounding France and England, I think they might end up in the finals, again, who knows....:)

Yep, just over an hour to go. My hands are shaking and I feel sick. I can't even listen to the pundits on the radio. Why did Gatland have to open his big mouth? HG's right - he's put his foot in it again. :(

[happygeek]

Gatland has got to be worried about his position now, that's eight defeats back to back for Wales.

Without taking anything away from England who put in a very strong performance overall (especially Flood and Hartley), Wales seemed to lack cohesion and conviction. In fact, I wonder if they actually truly believe that they can win at the moment.

You HappyG**** I'm shattered. Losing is bad, but losing to the English must be the worst feeling in the world. It's like being surrounded by bad breath and not being able to move away. Ugh. Bollocks to the championship now. The one game that really mattered is over and done with. Gatland has got to go - no knee-jerk reaction - just fact. he talks the talk, but he's yet to walk the wlak. The 2008 GS was a fluke - we just happened to be the best of the worst. Wales and most of the rugby playing nations will be supporting Italy on the 12th. :)

Avanti Italia. Spero che a battere quei porci inglesi. Si prega di vincere.

[happygeek]

OK, so after the first round matches I will have to revise my predictions for the six nations.

1st and 2nd looks like being England and France
3rd and 4th I'd say is between Italy and Scotland
5th and 6th Wales and Ireland

Yes, I know Ireland won their game against Italy but they were extremely lucky to get the win and looked really ragged IMHO, whereas Italy were actually quite strong.

Sadly, I think I agree HG. France were frighteningly good when they had to be. Ireland were sloppy, Scotland will improve. Italy - heartbreaking. Wales could win one or two, although with our error count, it'll be tough. England still an unknown quantity as far as I'm concerned. Can't say they played particularly well - perhaps they'll play better against better opposition.

[happygeek]

>Can't say they played particularly well

It's a Welsh genetic thing :)

Ho ho. Maybe you got me there HG. Seriously though, I don't think France will be particularly worried about England's performance. Wales didn't really push them too hard. They didn't have to cope with the pace that France played with at times. I have to say, and it kills me, England vs. France will probably be the championship game.

[AndreRet]

It seems that I will be sticking with my predictions. Yeah, sure, Ireland won, but I think just by luck and not skill, which leaves them at the second from last place for me. Italy vs England on the 12th, I'll go for Italy.

How was that first try from France in the first few minutes? Awesome stuff. I think they are the team to watch. If Wales put would have put in some more effort and showed some more skill, they might have shown England a thing or two..;)

[happygeek]

Italy winning at Twickenham is about as likely as me having a romantic Valentine's Day date with Avril Lavigne or Ronan O'Gara being humble.

It was a great performance in Rome, no doubt about that. However, I think the most important thing was the 'in Rome' bit...

[AndreRet]

taly winning at Twickenham is about as likely as me having a romantic Valentine's Day date with Avril Lavigne

Anything is possible, would you like to have a date with her?;) (Not a bad choice though...)

As far as Italy and England is concerned, yeah, I think I will have to agree with you (with my predictions as Italy below England), but I think they might just surprise everyone if they continue with the same spirit as they showed on Saturday, we'll have to wait and see I suppose.:)

[happygeek]

I would like a date with Avril, but my wife seems as set against the idea as Avril herself (if the restraining order is anything to go by at any rate...)

[AndreRet]

hahaha, poor you. Imagine....;)

[happygeek]

Wow! What a display by England. That was some statement, and Italy just looked totally overwhelmed pretty early on. I actually felt sorry for the Azzurri, conceding 59 points at this level must be soul destroying after playing so well last week.

Mind you, I'm a more than a bit pissed at Ashton's antics. There is no place for that kind of showboating at test match level. It's all funny and smiles until he drops one, and he will at some point, and then Ashton will be the most hated man in England. That said, hearty congrats on being the first man ever to score six tries in a 6N match, and he will surely now take the most tries in any 6N tournament as well.

Congrats to Wales on the win, but I have to say the game overall didn't inspire much confidence that the Welsh side had found their form or will progress too far in this tournament or the World Cup for that matter. If Scotland couldn't even score more than 3 points while Wales were on 13 men, well it kind of says it all as to how badly they played.

Looking forward to this afternoon already, and predict that France will 'do an England' on Ireland.

I have to say the 6N is now looking like a two horse race between England and France, with the remaining four places up for grabs depending on 'who plays the least badly' in the remaining games.

[happygeek]

Hmmm, well neither Ireland nor France were particularly convincing this afternoon. Too much loose play on both sides, a draw would have been the fairer result overall.

From the matches I've seen thus far, England are the best of the worst. Italy blew after 10, Scotland were shocking - skill levels???, Ireland and France were decidedly creaky (I could only listed to that one on long wave), Wales were very poor - again. England must feel confident about the GS. However, they always seem to mess up on the old banana skin. Will it be Scotland to thwart them again?

[frogboy77]

Will it be Scotland to thwart them again?

:D