A great championship deserves its own thread

Bring it on – RWC performances suggest 2016 could be another close call. Home advantage and/or early momentum a key???

Anything could happen, really.

Resurgent Scotland
New English coach
Toughened Wales
Intermittent Ireland

I’m just going to sit back with some snacks and a big grin 🙂

France and Italy?

As an Englishman, I’m not expecting much.

I expect we will beat Scotland and Italy, which will raise expectations.

Expectations will then be cruelly dashed by back-to-back thumpings at home.

A resurgent England will then beat France who will have given up by the last round.

I haz tickets to see England receive one of those thumpings at the hands of a Wales team who will blow hot and cold throughout.

France and Italy?

I haz tickets to see England receive one of those thumpings at the hands of a Wales team who will blow hot and cold throughout.

Didn’t get anything in the residents ballot ( 🙁 ) so I will either be in the Blucher or my front room.

Can’t help but feel a wee bit optimistic over Scotland’s chances. Again. No doubt to have hopes dashed. Again.

But surely they have their tails up coming into this one? Surely?

Scotland might be my second team this year. They always looked under-coached and under achieving in the past, which is a shame.

I think if Wales beat Ireland on Sunday (which will be tight game but think will swing in the Reds favour), the title will be theirs. Think it will be a testing day for Anscombe at 15 and interested to see if James is the answer to our try drought, but reckon we should be ok.

Looking forward to see how England & France get on with new coaches and if jones has had time to make an impact yet. Don’t see Italy winning by any games and have a feeling Scotland might go backwards after the Calcutta cup

jemima – Member

Can’t help but feel a wee bit optimistic over Scotland’s chances. Again. No doubt to have hopes dashed. Again.

But surely they have their tails up coming into this one? Surely?

This. Yet again I’m scared to believe. Would be so chuffed if they beat England, but I don’t deep down think they will.

Got tickets for Wales – Scotland, the last time i went it was a horrific embarrasment so it can only go upwards from that experiance!

@ jemima and ferrals me too head says Scotland will underachieve and find new ways to lose yet heart says there is hope… So I am “looking forward” to more frustration and disappointment as the the Northern hemisphere teams battle it out to be the best of the international also rans

I’m looking forward to see what impact EJ has on England but I think his game will take time to bed in with the England players, so England will have a poor 6N. Scotland for the win then, Wales will overcome Ireland and France might surprise everyone with a fantastic performance (possibly).

Very much looking forward to the 6N.

Calcutta cup always requires beer and shouting at the TV. Closely followed by more shouting at the TV.

I am a bit underwhelmed.
Wales more of the same bish bash bosh
England are easier to hate when doing well
Ireland kick kick and more kick
Scotland talk it up all the time
France Shrug
Italy mleh

Actually the French situation is one of the most interesting. Some very big names left out some retirements and a new coach with a very new look squad.
No Huget, Bastardo, Tillois-Borde, Nyanga, Michelak, Trinh Duc, Mas.
Big changes.

Agree the french look interesting:

France team: Maxime Medard; Hugo Bonneval, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Virimi Vakatawa; Jules Plisson, Sebastien Bezy; Louis Picamoles, Damien Chouly, Wenceslas Lauret; Yoann Maestri, Paul Jedrasiak; Rabah Slimani, Guilhem Guirado (capt), Eddy Ben Arous.

Replacements: Camille Chat, Uini Atonio, Jefferson Poirot, Alexandre Flanquart, Yacouba Camara, Maxime Machenaud, Jean-Marc Doussain, Maxime Mermoz

Some good young players breaking through that should make them more dynamic.
And, for the first time that I can remember, they’ve got their 12 and 13 round the right way.
Nice “fixtures” for a new coach too, with 2 home games headed Italy.
Got to admit Wales look interesting too. Apparently the new prop ahead of Jenkins is a decent carrier, and with Tipuric in for Lydiate too, they already look three times as attacking as usual. maybe the Oz problem’s behind them?

As the son of a Scotsman, born in England and lived in Wales, this year, once again, I will be supporting the Italians.

maybe the Oz problem’s behind them?

our Oz problems are never behind us and it will take many years to erase the past 6 years of losing to them by less than 5 points each time!

and never forget, we’ve always got Rhys Priestland on the bench to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in his 15 minute sub appearance

Some good young players breaking through that should make them more dynamic. And, for the first time that I can remember, they’ve got their 12 and 13 round the right way.Nice “fixtures” for a new coach too, with 2 home games headed Italy.

agree, i think the old adage of you never know what french team might turn up might actually ring true this year as the previous few years we knew it would be the bitterly divided, in open revolt against the coach and generally can’t be arsed french team

theres lots of talk about it being the most open competition for many years (although they say that every year), which imho i think is off track as realistically i think it’s irelands or wales for the title, but i do think some of the matches could be the most unpredictable they’ve been for a fair few years if that makes sense?

so excited – tickets for wales france and englend wales – can’t wait. Cymru am byth!!

Sorry sofaboy, was maybe a bit cryptic.
Wasn’t talking about the ongoing Oz results, more about the style shown in last WC game where they couldn’t seem to find space/make a break against 13 men and just kept bashing the same players into contact. Always good defensively, but in my eyes , they might just have that bit more in attack now with the team changes.
For Ireland, it’s a massive test of strength in depth. The WC showed that they’re still stuggling to cover 13. When Payne got injured there wasn’t much there.
And then there’s no POC up front, and his successor Henderson is out too . Along with Peter O’Mahony, Healy, and Ross.
Can see it going very wrong for Ireland if they lose the first home game.

Wasn’t talking about the ongoing Oz results, more about the style shown in last WC game where they couldn’t seem to find space/make a break against 13 men and just kept bashing the same players into contact

ok, makes sense. i think that was down to a classic case of white line fever and north playing at center. if JD2 or scott williams had been there i think the ball would of been shipped to exploit the overlaps – biggar was screaming for it on more than one occasion – or at least test a different channel of attack.

we basically cracked under the pressure and reverted back to type – one dimensional game plan (although the convicts defense was immense – held up 3 times).

i genuinely think though, if we hadn’t of been decimated by injuries, you would of seen a more expansive , exploiting the wider channels style of play form wales in the WC. the indications were there last 6N and in the warm ups and i think Gats had finally got them to playing with their heads but with some of the pre 2008 flair, but then it was scratch teams for the majority of the WC

i think we need to make big strides this 6N and win at least one of the summer tests against the currently slightly weakened all blacks otherwise we have to accept we have truly hit a glass ceiling and howley and probably gats needs to go (we’re keeping sean edwards though!)

very much hoping scotland do the job on saturday – not for anti englishness reasons (never bothered unless theyre playing us), but i think they they need to build on the WC when they finally realised how to score tries and taking the calutta cup would give them a massive boost

Really looking forward to seeing how England perform under EJ’s command,hoping they’ll be more clinical when they have the advantage,lost too many games last year.

Think he’s picked a sows ear there. Moved a blind side to blind side and picked a blindside at open side also fly half and inside centre will be very flimsy might have a bet on the jocks by8 points

We don’t need another thread. Next 2 6N’s are about building for 2019 so pretty pointless as championships

Next 2 6N’s are about building for 2019 so pretty pointless as

Bet you’ve been saying that since 2004!

probable

S Zebo ; A Trimble, J Payne, R Henshaw, K Earls; J Sexton, C Murray; J McGrath, R Best (capt), N White; D Toner, M McCarthy; CJ Stander, T O’Donnell, J Heaslip.
Replacements: J Cronin, R Strauss, T Furlong, D Ryan, R Ruddock, E Reddan, I Madigan, D Kearney.

RKearney and SOB out injured too , now.
Would have loved to see McCloskey getting a start this time as it’s probably the game that he’s most needed for, but can understand Joe going for what he knows and trusts with all the other enforced changes.
Still, Payne at 15 with McCloskey and Henshaw in the middle might have been a cracking little combo.

piha – Member

Very much looking forward to the 6N.

And one of my favorite things is, by the time its over and there’s no more excuses to sit in the pub all afternoon, the weather is normally spring like!

I absolutely can’t wait for it to start. Understand why EJ couldn’t really shake things up too much at the start, but I’m still gutted with Haskell at 7. I’m a Gloucester fan though and quite like the fact we still have the 7 that has the most turnovers in the premiership this season 🙂

This made me laugh:

Fat Lads Who Played Rugby Once In School To Talk Shit For Next 6 Weeks, Warns Barman

Thats you lot, that is 😉

I think some of you guys need to update your stereotypes. I worked in a bar during 6Ns a couple of years ago, and there was close to zero classy behavior. Although I guess that is subjective – depends where you set the bar.

Surprised it took this long for Binners to post.

He needs to put his Utd Manchester (sky tv) season ticket down for a day and re-educate himself with an afternoon in the Shed 😉

Next 2 6N’s are about building for 2019 so pretty pointless as championships

What?

A load of rugby matches to watch, and teams to cheer for – how can that be pointless? That’s what sport is all about! You don’t half say some odd things mate.

From @bbcscrumv, SOB and Rob Kearney out. Interesting if true.

Scamper – I’ve already popped my collar in anticipation 😀

binners how very dare you; I shall be shouting at the telly from my own sofa not with oiks down the pub….
and I thought the RWC was just a sideshow to give us some more international rugby to watch in addition to the annual 6N 🙂

And hopefully Kvesic will do the Cherry & Whites proud tonight

Pub? it is all about corporate hospitality chaps.

And hopefully Kvesic will do the Cherry & Whites proud tonight

Wigan Warriors have a new signing? Missed that one.

Can we park the RWC – that was last year, yes Scotland were dealt a hard blow and England were crap. But that’s history.

Get over it…..

And hopefully Kvesic will do the Cherry & Whites proud tonight

He did when he came on. I have a feeling that the England squad have been worked hard as a lot of those who were released were bench cover for their clubs.