Six Nations Rugby - Page 4

Seriously, you guys need to get rid of Warren Gatland and the upper echelons of the Welsh game who employ him...

This has been the scourge of Welsh fans for so long. The powermongers in charge have always messed up the great potential we have for long-term success. Gatland was hailed as a hero after the 2008 Grand Slam. The realists amongst us - (very few considering the nature of the average Welsh rugby supporter - we have a tendency to see black and white - either something is depressingly bad or we perceive ourselves to be world - beaters) - realised that we were the best of a bad lot. The 08 GS was a fluke that we really didn't deserve. Gatland was catapulted to the level of Messiah. In the words of Monty Python, "He is the Messiah, I should know, I've followed a few..."
Has he lost the changing room? I don't think so, but his tactics are naïve and his management team seem to be lacking in quality. Gatland shoots his mouth off and antagonizes the opposition. This has never been the Welsh way. We never put down the opposition like that. It's embarrassing and I wish he would conduct himself in a manner expected of a national manager.

Anyway. Wales says YES!!!!

Referendum result today for giving our National Assembly law making powers. Overwhelming Yes, even from many of the English-settled regions like Flint, Wrexham, Vale of Glamorgan, Flint and Pembrokeshire. Monmouth said No, but then I'd expect that from them, but only by about 300 votes.

St David's Day on March 1st, Law making powers on March 4th. Can't wait until the next international!

[happygeek]

Aaaaargh! Tigers lose at home to Saracens, again!!! Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Seriously, what a way to spend your Saturday afternoon: getting cold and wet, angry, elated and ultimately disappointed. Sort of sums the game up for me :)

Now, if I can just find Billy Twelvetrees, the ref and a big box of dynamite I should be able to make everything better...

[happygeek]

Can I just say Exeter Chiefs, wowser! What a performance against an admittedly underspecced and struggling without Ashton/Foden Saints side, but what a performance nonetheless.

I've always said that if the Tigers were not my closest premiership team (Leeds are about the same distance in actual train/drive time but they obviously don't count) then I would probably support the Saints as I love the way they play. But if the Chiefs were on my doorstep I'd be proud to wave the tomahawk and do the ha ha ha ha Indian chant (well maybe not, they sound like right knobs doing that)...

[happygeek]

OK, so it's Six Nations weekend coming up again: predictions?

England will beat Scotland, can't see any reason this year of all years to break the 23 year home run of Calcutta Cup victories.

Likewise, I can't see Italy bothering the French winning record in Rome much either.

Wales and Ireland will be the match of the weekend I reckon, should be very close and very tough on all concerned. I, for one, cannot summon up a prediction for this though. My Irish genes want them to win, but my love of Wales (we plan to move to North Wales when the kids have finished school and buggered off) says the Welsh deserve this one.

[frogboy77]

The question for us isn't wether we will lose or not. The question is how embarrassing it will be.

[AndreRet]

The question is how embarrassing it will be.

Very true.;)

England 28 Scotland 15
Italy 17 France 21 I think Italy might just be lucky enough to put up a fight on home ground...

Wales 26 Ireland 21

[happygeek]

I await the announcement of the England line up with interest, and am hoping that Johnson doesn't meddle too much and 'try out' some different players to get an idea of how they might for the world cup as some have suggested. My hope is that Scotland is treated with the respect the team deserves, despite the relatively poor performance so far in the 6N.

[frogboy77]

Scotland should be treated with the disdain it deserves. Send out the under 16s and the over 40s and i fear we would still lose.

[AndreRet]

Send out the under 16s and the over 40s and i fear we would still lose.

:) hehehe.

[happygeek]

:) I'm guessing you will not be sending Andy Robinson a Xmas card this year then?

Mightily interestin comments.

I think:

Wales 17 : Ireland 16
England 47 : Scotland 9
Italy 15 : France 38

It could go either way in Cardiff. Squeaky bum time. England must beat Scotland, I can't see how the Scots can dig themselves out from under Mr. Robinson's 'leadership'. What a waste of money! Wales have had a series of clangers in the past, but Robinson must rank with the worst national coaches. Poor sods. Mind you, as I've mentioned, England have a knack of looking foolish against the Scots. They go out all cock-sure and arrogant and come back looking like a right bunch of Herberts.
Italy, France - no contest.

[AndreRet]

England 47 : Scotland 9

I expect England to win, but by 38 points! I think it might be a closer match, but then again, I have been proven wrong before.

I can only imagine what comments I'll see when the world cup starts. I will of course then only be supporting one and only one team. If I look at the super rugby series we currently have down here, there are some awesome players up for selection into the Boks team.:)

[happygeek]

The Boks need to select those awesome young players though, and start kicking the old guard into touch. Let's face it, they have looked pretty static in many of their recent games.

South Africa now reminds me of England six months ago: all that promising young talent, but a manager who prefers to play the same tired old men in the same tired old way. No disrespect to Wilkinson, but look at the difference Flood made at number 10...

[frogboy77]

I predict:

Wales 21 - Ireland 20

[AndreRet]

Very true. They have started last year by giving the "youngsters" some games, in which they did excellent (Gio Aplon) for one. When the more serious games came up, guess who played, the entire old age home brigade. I honestly hope they will adapt this year and add some new players. We'll have to wait and see I suppose.

[happygeek]

I think some national coaches just have a real problem with letting go of what they know and trust, even when it patently isn't working any more, and taking a risk on something new. Certainly that was the case with Johnson and England, where he insisted on keeping all his old chums from the World Cup winning side - Borthwick as captain was the most obvious old mate hanger on I reckon - and kept losing until he pushed them away for the new blood that has proved so devastating in the 6N so far.

[happygeek]

Big congrats to Italy. That put the biggest smile on my face of the whole 6N so far, even bigger than when England thrashed them. Italy deserved that win, France played with so little heart it was embarrassing.

And well done Wales, about time some of the luck of the Irish went your way - although how the linesman missed the new ball for that pass to Phillips is beyond me. Was he polishing his nails or something?

Hmm. My Wal/Ire prediction was close, but a rubbish game with two rubbish teams. Neither team deserved to win - if both lost, I think that would have been a fair sult! I didn't see the Italy result coming though. Fantastic - well done Italy - I agree, best moment of the 6N so far.

England with win the GS by default this year I think. There has been no opposition (just as in Wales' 2008 GS). This must be by far the most boring, disappointing 6N. The Southern Hemisphere countries must be laughing. Even the South Sea Islanders must fancy their chances against everyone except England.

As for the lucky try. It was given, bit of luck - great. I think Brian O'Driscoll should get over himself though, judging by his sour grapes comments in our national paper this morning. Prat. The truth of the matter is that they didn't play well enough to win. He should focus his attention of building up to the England game as see if he can restore some pride in the national side.

I respect Kaplan as a ref. It wasn't his fault, but the blind linesman. BOD calls for the TMO to intervene. That's the last thing we need. We see 15 minutes of boredom clamped on to games as it is, while waiting for a decision from a TMO that was clear cut anyway.

Could a TMO be used to check whether the same ball was used in a quick throw in anyway? I thought it was just to judge a touchdown.

Scotland will be pooing themselves right now I reckon. I envisage a cricket score unfortunately. My rugby club will be decked in Blue and tartan, but I fear it will be in vain.

20 minutes in. Scotland's scrum is a shambles.

[happygeek]

The Scottish defence was pretty damn good, plenty of heart in the second half. I think England took the afternoon off, lucky to get the win. Predictable...

Well, the old banana skin, but they did enough. Congrats.
Will be an interesting match nest Saturday.
Ireland and Wales win = will be a points difference affair. Can't see Wales winning then though, not after the Italians found their famous reverse gears in Twickers.

[frogboy77]

not as embarrassing as i thought but no less painful:(

@frogboy77

I think your boys can hold their heads up high after that display. They showed plenty of guts and determination. If they'd played like that against Wales and Ireland, they'd be 2win-2loss. Hope you perform as well next game and give the Italians a run for their money. Although I have a soft spot for the Azzurri, Celts are Celts after all. What a fantastic set of games for the last weekend. Although most teams have played atrociously for the majority of the 6N, I can't wait for the final hurrah!

[AndreRet]

I fell behind a bit, moved offices. What a surprise (really?) that Italy won in Rome. I said that they will give a good performance, but I never thought them to win!

As for England/Scotland, I think it was a good game. Scotland has put up a much better display than their previous games AND they almost took the game from England, breaking their bad luck spree of since when, 1983??? I thought your "highscore" of 30 something" against 16"something" was a bit askew ardav.:)

Down South, we had a few good games as well. Sharks and Stormers (my hometown team) has an all win feat so far, and is laying on the top of the league. There is however quite a few more games to go...

> I thought your "highscore" of 30 something" against 16"something" was a bit askew ardav.

Yes, my oneiromancy let me down badly! Glad it did though.

[frogboy77]

I think Scotland are in need of a cutlery item, preferably made from some natural substance from the forest, with which they can take turns beating each other.

Close at the moment, frogboy. Squeaky bum time.

[frogboy77]

Can't even win a bloody spoon!

Well done Scotland!
Looks like Ireland too!

//EDIT

Fantastic!!!!

Ireland 24-8

Made my night. The Wales game has just paled into insignificance for me. Best result of the 6N.

Hope it'll be a Celtic clean sweep, though.