[Closed] 6 Nations

G Jenkins
L Mears
D Szarzewski
AW Jones
P O'Connell
I Harinordoquy
S Ferris
L Moody
T O'Leary
J Wilkinson
J Roberts
B O'Driscoll
T Evans
C Poitrenaud
U Monye
Unsure about Monye, may change to shaun w.
Also, I'm not up to date with regards to form which I blame on the woeful coverage of rugby we get on the telly here in england. Maybe I should read more. Tempted to put some more frenchmen in the side, ouedrago(sp)etc, very good players should be maturing nicely.
I see that dan ward smith has made the england team as cover. I really hope he gets a chance, hes a great bloke and a fearsome player.

Jesus boys, I've been entertained enough with your Wales selection fights, don't start making fantasy teams...we'll be here all night!

I think Godman will get the nod too unfortunately, though one bad game and Parks will be in. I don't agree with it, but I can see it happening.

I predict Godman for the France game then parks for the rest. Paterson will likely be brought on to save us when dodgy Dan screws up.

Scarlet pimpernels

D Szarzewski (FRA)
A Jones (WAL)
G Jenkins (WAL)
P O'Connell (IRE)
S Borthwick (ENG)
Ma Bergamasco (ITA)
T Dusautoir (FRA)
J Heaslip (IRE)
M Parra (FRA)
J Wilkinson (ENG)
J Roberts (WAL)
B O'Driscoll (IRE)
T Bowe (IRE)
L Halfpenny (WAL)
D Armitage (ENG)

Oh God now we have a week to go and everything is being ratcheted up, just read that gimp Guscot and he says Wales are weak mentally, my stomach is churning and I feel sick. Dont know about the team I am weak mentally it gets worse every year. My old man god bless him was not allowed to watch internationals due to his heart condition. I think I am going the same way.

Going to see the Under 20's at Gloucester on Friday night.

England: D Armitage (London Irish); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Sale Sharks), R Flutey (Brive), U Monye (Harlequins); J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Haskell (Stade Francais), L Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins).
Replacements: S Thompson (Brive), D Cole (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), S Armitage (London Irish), P Hodgson (London Irish), T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton).

Will be odd to thing to see but if Byrnes appeal fails, England have the more attack minded backs with Wales having the edge up front and two big boshers in midfield.

Who is there on the pitch tothump Tait backwards this time?
[url=

tire of watching this![/url]

[url=

then there's one as well....There's lovely for you....[/url]

Saturday is a must win game. Lose at the Cabbage Patch and we may as well kiss goodbye to any and all hope of a championship win, or even anything above a third place finish. If the appeal fails, we simply move Hook to 15, where he's looked very good of late, and then have Wellies Jones or Biggar in at 10. Nice thing about that is, it gives a lot of versatility in the backs.

The only problem with the Henson handbag clip is the sight of a certain Haldane Luscombe in a wales shirt. Dont think Tait will get much change out of Roberts and Shanklin unless England can manage to get him on the outside

Roberts v Tait...ouch!Not sure about how mobile the England pack will be either.

Not sure about how mobile the England pack will be either.

I like Shaw, But age is finally starting to catch up with him,he is not the player from SA last year.Even Hartley is looking a lot less dynamic this year.A lot of work for Moody I think( which will suit him fine.)Jenkins, jings that boy is like a bigger Tom Smith.I once had the misfortune of playing against him in the Midlands sevens about 15 years ago.It was like trying to tackle a pallet of bricks.He was playing on the bloody wing for a prem 2 side in a sevens tournament.

Scotland:
Paterson;
S Lamont,
M Evans,
Morrison,
T Evans;
Godman,
Cusiter (capt);
Dickinson,
Ford,
Lowe,
Kellock,
Hines,
K Brown,
Beattie,
Barclay.
Replacements:
S Lawson,
Jacobsen,
Gray,
MacDonald,
R Lawson,
Grove,
Southwell.

😯 Well thats a surprise and a good one. Robinson with adventurous picks? No place for desperate Dan?

Is that the fastest team position for position in the 6N?

My spirits have risen and the championship is on.

Edit. If you think Jenkins the prop is fast wait until you see dickinson. The fastest Prop in the world. Scotland will rule the breakdown! @cos as well as a good back row the whole pack are fast.

TJ, Gethin's fast as you like, but he has the benefit of having a real back row playing with him...

😉

Oooooooh hark at her? saucer of cream for CFH.

I wish that the stats were available for all players 40 m time. I think it would be interesting.

Scotland are weakened for the lack of Strokosch but Brown Beattie and Barclay are not poor players. We do also sneak in an extra back row in Ford :-)( even if he is a hobbit)

Is Dickinson the fella who got yellow carded with ten seconds of coming on for his debut?

I’m still disgusted with the amount of Kiwis playing for England especially one that has represented NZ in League and Fluety who lets face it is a carpet bagger who spent barely enough time in the country to qualify and then departed to France for a bigger payday. How is he English in any sense of the word?

I know other countries have selected people using the these rules but England have double the number of senior players of the other 5 nations put together.

AA - I think that was Cross? Took out a Welshman under a high ball? Injured himself and got a yellow?

On the Kiwis. I believe the rules need tightening up. There has been a few "kilted Kiwis" over the time I have followed Rugby. Some such as Lineen have clearly made their home in Scotland. Some such as the Leslie brothers came to Scotland to play club rugby ( and played for a while) and then were selected for Scotland international side. They did not come to play international Rugby. However they did **** orf again PDQ after they finished playing. Some are pure mercenaries who couldn't get a game for NZ and came here to play international Rugby. Not on IMO

I would only allow those who make the country their home play. I'd have a three fold qualifying. Scots parent plus residence for a year, or a grandparent plus residence for a couple of years or residence for 5 years.

I want to see a commitment to the country before they can play for it.

Which bridge did you find Backhander under? 🙄

I'm off to Murrayfield this weekend, usual mixture of hope/apprehension that won't be calmed until kick off on Sunday. Taking a frenchman with us too, could be a mistake... The great thing about the French is that you never know which team will turn up, the one full of flair and invention or the one trying desperately to implode. I'm hoping for the latter!

Yeah, it was Geoff Cross who was carded.

All the countries have benefited from 'foreigners' playing under dodgy residency rules, Ireland less than the others maybe? It annoys me when it is as cynically done as Flutey though.

Wales can't complain too much though - wasn't it Shane Howarth who didn't know he was Welsh until Graham Henry rang him and told him?

The Beard - Member

Which bridge did you find Backhander under?

who the **** are you? wind your neck in gobby.
I think I'm going to enjoy watching that game a lot more than you are.

IdleJon, I think one of the differences is that many of those who ahve gone before haven't played sport for anyone else before. This league convert, Haype (?spl?) has been capped as a New Zealand rugby legaue player. He has played representative sport at full international level for a country, and then changed to another as and when it suited.

Take someone like Brent Cockbain. An Aussie. Never played for them though, and moved to live in Wales. Married a Welsh lass. Had Welsh kids. Played for a Welsh club and was a very proud member of the Welsh team. Key thing is, never played international sport for anyone else.

Another example - John Eales and Martin Johnson. Both played schoolboy level for New Zealand. They then "came home" and played for their country, which is just fine.

CFH - I would say to leave England to it, though, as Flutey is nothing special and Shontayne Hape again looks very average on the occasions I've seen him.

I said a few days ago that Wales made these mistakes years ago, it amuses me hugely to watch England do the same.

wasn't it Shane Howarth who didn't know he was Welsh until Graham Henry rang him and told him?

and then he found out years later he didnt have any welsh ancestory, something like his grandmother wasnt sure who was the father.

Cross that was the fella bloody funny it was.

Byrne appeal being heard as we speak, be prepared for me venting if it doesnt go as I hope!!

Lads there are a few Irish players in those Fantasy teams who might not be the best choices. Ferris is injured for at least one game and Stringer is dropped out of the squad and likely to stay that way.

Hartley is also likely to feature ahead of Fat Tommo/Mears, O'Gara may well be dropped when Sexton regains fitness, and one of the Scottish props, Murray I think, won't play Sundays so will miss at last 1 game. Also heard a rumour Gethin Jenkins is injured but haven't seen any press.

Ireland less than the others maybe

I think we've been quite good when it comes to that kind of thing - more in recent years than previously though. Geoghegan was born and raised in London - pure plastic paddy, as was Jim Staples (not sure where though) and they both played in the early nineties (funny - they were dark days for us too)?

Cockbain, I never really thought of him as anything other than a welsh player - despite the background. England are being bloody cynical if you ask me - it's the result at any costs now for Johnson and his staff. Still, what are you average fans at HQ going to care? They're not sure what sport they're even watching most of the time.

Ireland have quite a few "foreign" born players - O'Gara was born in San Diego, Heaslip in Israel and Isaac Boss in New Zealand. This is easily accounted for by considering the Irish diaspora - I'm fairly sure most of the lads in the green machine are as Irish as you can get these days.

Ireland line up looking quite strong - D'arcy is in for Wallace as partner for BOD - happy to have Wallace to come on if it starts getting a bit rough and tumble. Let's hope the green machine has sorted the scrum out - Italy will no doubt be an early test.

I can't wait for the game at Twickenham - that's the game of the weekend for me. Scotland might just beat France - and it will assure them third place if they do 😀

Anyone got any news on Byrne's appeal result? Can't find owt about it on the Beeb or via Google yet.

Fingers crossed... 😐

drain, nothing on Western Mail or ScumV so far...

First rumours appear to say that he is free to play at the Cabbage Patch!

😆

More if/when I can find it.

Here we are, folks;

LEE BYRNE APPEAL DECISION
2 February 2010, 8:41 pm
An Independent Appeal Committee sitting in Glasgow today (Tuesday, 2 February, 2010), allowed the appeal brought by Ospreys player Lee Byrne against the level of sanction imposed by an independent Disciplinary Hearing.
The appeal was against the level of sanction imposed by the original independent Disciplinary Hearing on Friday, 29 January, 2010, who had found Mr Byrne guilty of a Misconduct Complaint arising from the Heineken Cup round 6 match against Leicester Tigers at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday, 23 January, 2010, in that he had re-entered the pitch without the referee's permission and that he knew or ought to have known that he needed that permission.

The Independent Appeal Committee, chaired by Rod McKenzie (Scotland) and also comprising Professor Lorne Crerar (Scotland) and Bill Dunlop (Scotland), found that Mr Byrne had demonstrated that the original decision had been in error and the sanction should be varied to a fine of €5,000.

Mr Byrne is free to play again.

Independent Appeal Committee
a) Following a decision of an independent Disciplinary Hearing, both the Club/player and ERC have the right to appeal the decision of the Judicial Officer.
b) The initial independent Disciplinary Hearings are determined by an independent Judicial Officer. Appeal Hearings are determined by a three man independent Appeal Committee.
c) The independent Appeal Committee is chosen by the Chairman of the independent Disciplinary Panel, Professor Lorne Crerar.
d) The independent Judicial Officer who issued the decision being challenged may not sit on the independent Appeal Committee.
e) The full written decision of the Appeal Hearing will be made available on ercrugby.com/disciplinenews at a later date when the full written decisions for the Appeal hearing have been completed and issued to all parties.

Woo-hoo, he's back in! Now on the Beeb too. Excellent. 😀 😀 😀

Top stuff. I just found it on the Beeb. Its the right decision.

He's back and he's angry.......

angry? he's off scot free. I reckon he's over the moon.

five grand is hardly scot free

yeah, i bet he's bawling his eyes out.

Wales v England is rarely dull because the welsh hate us so much

We don't hate England... I think you've got it wrong. You're jealous of our superiority and that fuels the fire on match days and why this is one of the best days of the year! If we play the Scots or Ireland we just carry on drinking win or lose. Play England and it's banter all day long.

 

There's no hate in rugby. Apart from Larry Dayglo. I hate him. But then, that's not about rugby. That's personal.

I used to hate Brian Moore. Perhaps I mellowed or perhaps he has as I enjoy his commentary now.

I could never get tired of slapping Austin Healy and Will Carling - but thats not hate really is it?

I used to "hate" (but a rugby kind of hate, which isn't a real hate) Dayglo but I actually quite like him now. Always gives a good interview, intelligent and seems like a nice guy.

As for hate...now Warren Gatland...I could plant one on his chin (only after a few pints of Brains though... 😳 )

I could never get tired of slapping Austin Healy and Will Carling - but thats not hate really is it?

No TJ, that's just on-the-level sane behaviour 😆

So - Brain Moore - enjoy his commentary or not? He seems to have lost some of the chips on his shoulders and both says it as he sees it and will say he was wrong when he is shown to be by replay.

Speak it quietly, but I quite enjoy Butler and Moore. There's always good banter between them and Moore's far better than he used to be.

Judging by his recent interview in the Sunday Times,Moore has become even more bitter about THE slam. I kind of shared his way of thinking about foul play mind,until I became a ref of course.But never had any time for him.Thomson,now he was the man.Came home one day at 16 and his mother threw him out of the house,he decided that he make something of himself and did/has.

New cat; Player of the tournament... Nathan Hines.

so I'm caught in an upwelling of optimism now, Wlaes are going to hammer em. 😀

lets compare the likely teams

Armitage v Byrne Both very good players but Byrne has more big match experience - Wales
Cueto v Williams Cueto is solid and can beat a man but lacks pace Williams on form is a rugby God, but he's not on form - Even
Roberts v Tait David v Goliath could be tricky if Tait gets good ball on the outside but you'd still pick Roberts - Wales
Flutey V Hook Moari kid who lives in France but qualifies on residency v namesake of a VC winning hero.. - Even
Wilkinson v Jones No englishmen will agree with me but Jones is a far better all round player. Wales
1/2 v Monye Monye is rubbish and 1/2p is off form - Even
Care v whichever scrum half in Wales can currently walk - England
Easter v Jones Jones has lost weight increased his speed from last year and is playing very well - Wales
Moody v williams If wales get front foot ball williams will give Moody a schooling in attacking and linking play, but its likely to be a scramble for ball on the floor - England
The Hask v Mongo Both players are huge, quick and powerful, but both lack something in the top two inches, Mongo is playing well and crucially at 6 for Cardiff as Molitika has been injured - England (just)
Shaw and Borthwick v AW Jones and Thomas or Girafferish or Gough -AWJ better than Borthwick and Shaw better than whoever wales put out so on balance - Even

Jones, Rees, jenkins v Payne, That gouging Kiwi ****, Wilson - 3 to wales

so in summary

wales 7
England 3
Even 5

Sounds not too far away to me.

You didn't mention leadership. That will be crucial.

I love referring to one of your own players as "Mongo" It does have a certain truth about it tho.