Gatland really is an idiot, and wales are looking at a kicking but this is quite funny about Hartley:
“Some of those Kiwis crack under a bit of pressure, don’t they?” quipped Gatland, alluding to Hartley, like himself a New Zealander, and the All Blacks’ failures at World Cups."
I reckon it will finish in this order.......
England
France
Scotland
Wales
Ireland
Italy
I think Wales will be lower and Ireland higher, cant see england winning either, France for me. Although I havent looked at who's playing who where.
Turns out England have France at Twickers so I may have to change my mind
millenium magic is on in a couple of weeks mate.
educate yourself to man's rugby........... 
mans rugby my arse, run and wiggle you mean? Sorry I find it extremely dull.
as i do union, and your pin up henson moreso.
Ton is correct 13 man better than 15. 
Too early to start predicting, still time for injuries to make a difference but England must be in with a good chance alongside France,
as i do union, and your pin up henson moreso.
the new object of my desire ex run and wiggleist too!!:
League isn't rugby - a fine game but it stopped being rugby when they took out the flankers & stopped scrummaging!
Anyway, My mate (who is usually spot on in these things) reckons a 4th place finish for Wales. Not sure about England TBH, if they can give Wales a hiding (not a foregone conclusion) then they may just go on to do well. Still think France are the best bet.
Scotland will surprise us i think - a winning series against the Argies has done them the world of good.
tough cookie that sonny bill.......... 
i fancy france
england will be crap i reckon.
France - who knows? Has leivremont worked out whet the team should be yet. Teh hardest to predict of the teams.
England - badly damaged by injuries. Will do reasonably well but I would be surprised if they win. Too many old slow dinosaurs in the side still - but partly forced by injury. No defence to a fast and loose game.
Scotland - can they actually hit somewhere near their potential? Thats the team that beat Ireland / Argentina / SA not the team that lost to Italy and Wales. Major weakness in the centres and the whole of the backs are uninspiring. Best pack of the 6n as a unit.
Wales - In big trouble. Badly weakened by injuries and don't seem to be a happy camp. I think they will struggle.
Ireland - a fading force.
Italy - mixed bag. I expect them to win at least one game ( but its not Scotlands turn tight!)
I look forward to a close contest with some great matchups.
Final order
France
England / Scotland ( could be points difference)
Ireland
Wales
Italy
Wales wont do much but I could still see them beating England at home however loosing Gethin and especially Adam seriously weakens wales, if those two were fit I'd be confident of beating England.
Major plus for Wales is that Biggar and Bennett are not in the squad.
No no no it doesn't work like that for Scotland, you can't predict we will finnish 3rd, you have all just gone and jinked it for us. We are now destined to finnish last and it is all your fault. I'm off to cry in a corner now. You big bunch of spoil sports.
Will England beat Wales? In Cardiff? Recent history says no, but this may just be England's year. Tis a pity the welsh Lions front row are injured as i'm sure they would hammer their opposites. Once that match is over, my interest goes back to the Premiership.
I had lunch with Richard Hill today
that is all
I have recently found myself a girlfriend of South African origin. She seems to be viewing my increasing excitement at the upcoming Six Nations tournament with a certain sort of humor...she did ask what the fuss was all about given that there were no southern hemisphere teams in the tournament?
Suddenly it all seemed like much less of a big deal.
Rugby is shite.
France
England
Scotland/Wales/Ireland
Italy
Hows that for sitting on the fence?
France; Biggest pool of potential players,but don't have the blend.
England;beset by injury,pack will struggle,and despite what they claim,I feel that is still the cornerstone of the English game mentality.
Scotland;Increasingly nasty pack,nae backs,and I mean NAE backs.We seem to be able to grow back rowers and props just now,but no stand-offs of any guile.
Wales;Will they raise a team with their injury worries? I don't rate Gatland either,he will have his favourites who will play despite lack of form.
Ireland; getting on,with no real bite,in Europe their increasing age is beginning to show,I expect that to translate to the 6N.
Italy; Still a minority sport.
Rugby league;So much on the bones of it's arse it is little more than a feeder sport for the Aviva,with their best players viewing it as a window for either Oz or Rugby Union.Moved to Summer and Fridays to avoid losing MORE fans to RU.Alright to watch while waiting for the real game to start,I suppose.
I think Wales are in for a beating, I dont want to watch but I cant help myself. Why can we never manage to play a full strength team? Gatland is right about Hartley the guy is an oaf and a red card about to happen.
Biggar needs to go back to the premiership and cant believe Ospreys have let Hooky go.
Despite Scotlands good recent form I fully expect them to revert to type for the 6n's.
Looking forward to the opener though, love the banter with my welsh mates.
I fear it may not go well on a Friday evening soon....
Bugger. It's come around quickly - when are they playing at Twickers?
I shall watch each Welsh game nervously and, I fear, ultimately with disappointment.
So, instead, I shall cheer for anyone who comes up with decent attachking play and doesn't kill the ball in endless rucks.
And then we can get on to Wigan doing the cup/league double this year.
Might actually get my son to watch some of the games - he's finally working out that maybe watching the professionals play might give him a clue on where he should be on the pitch 
Other than that Duckman + 1
Wales;Will they raise a team with their injury worries?
Am I missing something because wales are only really missing Adam and Gethin from potential first 15 arent they... form is another matter but they are not too many injuries.
Byrne
1/2p
Hook
Roberts
Shane
Jones 10
Phillips
Powell
Warbaton
Jones 6
Jones 5
Davies
A N Other (Mitchell?)
Rees
James
should make england work hard as long as the ref allows lots of messing about at scrum time
I'd say it's almost as crap as cricket.
A.A How many of those players are just back from injury? And please tell me Mongo ain't starting He had a good game on Sat,but has not really looked like a premiership,let alone international this year. There looks like a good reason he likes to go everywhere in a golf buggy,and has obviously made lots of trips to get munchies from a 24hr garage.And I am afraid your front row is going to get eaten.(perhaps by Mongo,if the garage is out of pork scratchings)
A.A How many of those players are just back from injury?
Lots Shane, Byrne, 1/2p and Roberts and Jones 6 has played 6 once this season I think, rest of the games at lock.
Phillips has been shit too.
Powell is easily of a good enough standard to play in the Aviva premiership and is the best 8 wales have available, playing Jones 6 at 8 and putting in Lydiate is the other option but Jones lacks the ball carrying ability.
fat bugger though!!
Say what you want about the big dumb oaf but physic has never been a problem.
Front row could be an odd encounter, James is a better scrumager than gethin and am happy enough with him against Cole, Rees will be fine compared to the Kiwi gouger but any 3 avaibale is going to be rinsed by Sheridan which will mean the other 2 will be passengers.
France - Should be good but can't always be guaranteed to turn up.
England - Great AIs, have had a few injuries since, hopefully Johnno won't revert to type and pick the same old tried-and-failed donkeys.
Wales - Looked muck in the AIs, didn't get a team into the HEC quarters, back row is dirt. Should still put in a decent performance.
Scotland - Good finish last year but not much depth and both Magners sides are doing very badly.
Ireland - Terrible form in the AIs, injuries in the back row and back 3, need to clear out a few old lags in the forwards.
Italy - Same old same old, may surprise somebody at home.
In my defence,I don't go looking for pictures of the welsh team with their tops off,anything you are not telling us? He looks significantly chunkier than that on the box.I think Wale's just back from injury players will struggle to find their feet at international pace.Blair last year being an example of that.
Hang on,how old is that pic? It's just I am sure he has his car keys in his hand 
I have seen Powell in a few club games on the telly recently and he looked impressive.
Powell is thick as a hobby horse and hits about 3 rucks per game but Wales really need some go-forward ball from their back row and he does provide that.
Powell is thick as a hobby horse and hits about 3 rucks per game but Wales really need some go-forward ball from their back row and he does provide that.
exactly
Ireland have France and England at home so I'm going for:
Ireland
Fra
Scot
Eng
Italy
Wal
Shandy - Member
Powell is thick as a hobby horse and hits about 3 rucks per game but Wales really need some go-forward ball from their back row and he does provide that.
And the problem with that is?? The one thing that you don't want is for Powell to be tied up in rucks when there are other players who should be doing that.
He's been playing very well in the last few weeks - deserves a starting place.
Pigface - Member
Gatland is right about Hartley the guy is an oaf and a red card about to happen.
More to the point, he is always the first to pop up in the scrum and of course the refs are supposed to be sorting the scrums out this season..... Having said that, in the last Northampton game he must have popped up about a dozen times before a penalty was given. Against the opposing hooker!
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