Yeah the only guy I can think of who went from League to Union and made it as a forward (without any union background) was Brad Thorn.

I can’t see the point of the Burgess move except for, presumably, his bank balance.

(If it IS a move. I did say it was on the Daily Mail site. As an aside, I was amazed by how many pictures there are and how little writing there is when you click open an article.)

so predictions, cant see much past three home wins this week

Ireland 24 Wales 18
England a lot Scotland almost nothing
France 28 Italy 6

Oh its at murryfield… England by a lot still!

Ireland by ten
England by an embarrassingly large amount
France by ten

Got to say that Burgess wont cut it in union, he’s a complete mutant, hyper aggressive, supreme athlete etc, however he’s a league forward, and has played league his entire life. Its almost that the union game wont be enough for him (that’s not knocking union, more the position he’ll find himself in). In league he’s working all the time, in union he’ll be rarely on the ball. Its almost like trying to turn an ice hockey player into a grass hockey player – The sports have the same principles but they are chalk and cheese when it comes to the collision (league)and the scrimmaging (both forwards and backs responsibilities in union)

Worcester always amaze me, used to play them all the time as a kid, they were just a little club like Bromsgrove… how did they get where they are now?

keith wood will explode

Just setting off to watch Sale V Gloucester, with Sale’s Academy lads playing Leeds Carnegie first. Would be nice to do a double on Glos, Sale have improved a lot this yr but still an awful long way to go.

The Irish rugby media and public are currently seeking an answer to the question of whether they have ever, at any point in the past, spoken about the fact that Brian O’Driscoll was dropped last summer during the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2013.

BOD“Not sure if I ever mentioned this fact before, but O’Driscoll was dropped last summer,” said Michael Earls of the Leinster Supporter’s Club. “Warren Gatland, who is coaching Wales now, was the man who dropped him. Did I ever say that?”

Similarly, Elaine Connors of Munster has also publically appealed for an answer to the vexing question. “Did I, or any of my fellow patriots, ever voice our opinion on the non-selection of a certain Irish player last year?” pondered Elaine to anyone who would listen.

Ireland’s top journalists and pundits are also debating whether to mention the non-selection of Brian O’Driscoll in any of their media output this week ahead of the Six Nations clash with Wales or whether to ignore the issue for fear of realising too late it was a topic they had addressed previously.

“That would be awfully embarrassing,” said one Irish Times journalist (off the record).

As reported previously on The East Terrace, the Irish rugby community is furious that players like Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell were finally part of a successful Lions tour after a succession of miserable failures dating back to 2001.

Many in Irish rugby are also annoyed that after coming fifth in last year’s Six Nations (and bottom from all the unions which make up the British and Irish Lions) they only supplied almost a third of the starting lineups for the opening two tests.

“Gatland clearly hates the Irish,” said Earls. “If the likes of Bowe and Healy hadn’t been injured before the first test against OZ we would have only had about six players in the starting lineup. We came fifth in the Six Nations. We should have had more. I tell you, as a grown man who can vote and have children, Gatland is holding a grudge against us after his time in Ireland and paid us back by dropping one Irish player for the third test test and at the same time bringing in Sean O’Brien. Is it not clear he hates us? Woe is us and a plague upon all things Kiwi.”

Despite the time that has lapsed since the Lions series victory, actual real human beings like Rob Henderson (on the BBC’s Scrum V (aka as Mob V) on 2nd Feb) are still suggesting that Gatland should have selected a specialist centre on the bench for the third test and then brought that specialist centre on for a farewell, sentimental ten minutes of rugby.

The Irish rugby community has asked the world’s media and fans to help them find a voice and air their righteous grievance with the world. The East Terrace is proud to support that cause.

“Please use #didweevermentionBODwasdropped on social media to help spread the word,” added Earls. “Never forgive, never forget and never, whatever you do, apply logic and reason.”
http://theeastterrace.typepad.com/my_weblog/2014/02/irish-nation-wondering-if-they-ever-mentioned-the-time-gatland-dropped-odriscoll.html

A wet miserable Murrayfield is always a potential trap for England. Scrappy first 30. Hopefully more open and quality (weather permitting) last 50.

Really looking forward to Ireland v Wales. Should be the highlight of the weekend.

My instinct is to agree with this and I see Ireland as the better collective group of players at the moment too. What we easily forget is that Sexton, O’Connel, BOD etc’s limited game time lately too and/ or ongoing injury concerns are not different really to similar thing within the Welsh team. Sexton’s hamstring has been up and down lately for example and who knows how he is really doing (despite a good break last weekend).

I think the game is so tough nowadays and injuries so frequent that you can’t really be a club player and international player at the same time. Roberts, Warburton, Gethin, etc are prime examples of players who give everything come international time but spend most of the club season injured.

Interesting that everyone predicts an Irish win. Sadly I too have the same prediction 😥

Top international stadiums with shite pitches…….extraordinary?

Murrayfield tomorrow..rain wind pitch cut to bits……….expecting forwards battle with high ball bombs looking forward to

Hogg vs Brown ( this tournament has some outstanding 15s)
Fusaro vs the referee ( not seen the lad play on real time but heard a fair bit from Scottish friends)
Hamilton defending himself against Hartley
Scotland cannot cross the gainline and really do not a 10 thankfully they are not playing Hogg there

I expect it to be closer than predicted but England will win by 10

Wales to beat Ireland by 3…….irish were not good last week and Hibberts tackling was dominant

Wynn Jones vs O’Connell
Welsh front row will be dominant

France to beat Italy………….unlikely but I do think the Italians could be winners here, more I hope they will than a reality I am afraid to say

U20’s game here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/25865163

bit damp

Henry has been storming lately and will be hard for the Welsh to keep quiet. A guess a lot too depends on how the breakdown is refereed. What is the forecast on that front?

Heaslip… I’m less convinced. He might well do a lot of work that goes largely unseen but he always looks like he plays with the physically of a five foot nothing 9 but in an 8’s body.

its a 3 nil thriller at half time in the u20’s!! the kick from the wales 10 is the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen, it turned 90 degrees when the wind caught it and took it over.

Very much enjoying the u20 game!

Hogg is very very good, saw a good few times last year and impressed could be a real superstar

Brown is what England need, edgy in the face player great runner and much more disciplined

r Kearney is better than a just a honest trier good under the high ball

but all pale in comparison to Halfpenny.

The art of the hooker….actually hooking in the scrum and being able to throw in has been lost……

Looks like Eli Walker bust his hamstring again. If he had given that pass Ospreys would have won.

That was satisfying 🙂