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I'm actually looking forward to the 6N now.
TBH whilst i of course would love to see England win all their games, what i really want to see is a new sense of purpose and direction take hold in the England set up. If that means taking a series of losses along the way so be it. We got thumped by the Aussies a few years ago then went on to win a World Cup.
As long as the RFU don't panic (again) and throw the baby out with the bathwater the tide will turn. There are some really good young players out there and we now have a once-in-a-generation chance to do something with them.
So we lose to Scotland? big deal, if it means a team is made from the process i'm happy.
The Calcutta cup game could be crucial and interesting. Whichever teams wins will be in a good place for the rest of the tournament. I wouldn't like to bet on it 🙂
The Calcutta cup game could be crucial and interesting. Whichever teams wins will be in a good place for the rest of the tournament. I wouldn't like to bet on it
Pretty much everyone else would be very happy to bet on it, TJ!
I'm not bothered if Scotland win so long as none of our English lads hurt Richie Gray - he has an important appointment in Stockport next September!
2004 since England last won at Murreyfield 🙂
Who are you supporting this year O'Flashearty?
I always look forward to your announcement. 🙂
Gosh, Darcy, that just keeps getting funnier every time you say it!
🙂
Oooh...sensitive. Just like your TeeJ baiting. 🙂
Too many changes, a team that hasn't learnt to play attacking rugby together (think Barbarians) and don't yet know how to grind out wins. England's not getting hands on the Calcutta cup this year. Maybe if at HQ, but it's not.
100!
DD - know where I can get any tickets for England Vs Wales that aren't ridiculously expensive? I gather from the big'uns you've been giving it on all the rugby threads you might be affiliated to a club that have some knocking about 😀
Edit - wife and I would consider watching the Irish as well.
big'uns deluded? I've hardly contributed to them at all.
You wouldn't be welcome at a Green Machine game(EDIT). My tickets contacts remain closely guarded. You can harass me and arrest me all you want. 🙂
MDwarf; should have spent the money on Jim Hamilton instead (waits for TJ to come gunning for me) Gray is a show pony, Hamilton is a big gnarly nasty man. I was at a course at Murrayfield in November and he was part of the squad get together...He is HUGE! I am 16 stone and the best part of 6"3" but he was blocking out the light.I think he is more what your pack is needing. As an aside,with notice I can get tickets for any 6n game if given notice. We could have an STW get together in Embra next year.
duckman -
Gray is a show pony
He certainly neeeds to put in some performances to match his reputation in this 6 nations.
deadlydarcy - MemberWho are you supporting this year O'Flashearty?
I always look forward to your announcement.
Next he'll be saying he's drinking mates with the big name players... 🙂
Lock is going to be intresting for wales. Bradley davies has potntial and a lot to prove after being dropped and ian evans will either be rubbish or could just fulfill the promise he had before injury seemed to have ruined his career. He came on the scene with aw jones and eas considered the better player. After that its ryan jones and j thomas which is a scary thought.
I hope Gray has a good tournament, he certainly showed promise last time round. Steve Diamond has proven to be a pretty canny recruiter of personnel since he's been at the helm for Sale so until proven otherwise i'll trust his instincts. Sale have gone full circle it seems, from a team that had incredible backs but no pack worth the name, through the high points of 2003-2006 with a great pack and backs, a team that couldn't buy a win to having some very good backs and a mediocre pack again. At this point i'm just hoping we can finish top 6 for HEC qualification and then attract some high-calibre players.
Gray is a show pony,
Hopefully this will go the way of your previous pronouncement ref Sale in a relegation battle! 😉
Both Muddydwarf and myself will be along to remind you (hopefully!
Gray underperformed badly at the WC. Didn't look anything special at all.
surfer - MemberGray is a show pony,
Hopefully this will go the way of your previous pronouncement ref Sale in a relegation battle!
Fair one; no relegation battle this year as both Wasps and Newcastle are still in the Premiership.And in all fairness night and day between how dire Sale were all over the park last year and how they played against tigers over the hols.But you need some dog in your pack, Gray isn't it;especially this season,Maybe he needs a new challenge which England would provide.
So anyway here was me thinking the 6 nations might be some break for a welsh fan from watching the regions play like ****s and now we have injured:
Roberts
Lydiate
Gethin
Priestland
AW Jones
Luke Girafferis
so the welsh team is looking like:
1/2p or Byrne
North
Williams
Davies
1/2p or Cuthbert
Hook
Phillips
Faletau
Warburton
erm... Ryan Jones?
Evans
Bradley Davies
Adam Jones
Rees
Paul James
even more worrying is that unless people get better or someone else is added to the squad, Agent Orange will be on the bench covering 10 and we all remember last time he did that in Ireland whilst having not played much rugby.
Given Edinburgh and Glasgow recent performances I do feel a bit more optimistic than I did
Will Robbo be brave and play some of the youngsters? Laidlaw must play 10
I do feel a bit more optimistic
😐
Robinson needs to get the backs over the try line - Doesn't really matter how gruesome your pack is.
Feeling really confident, we've now got a Yorkshire man in charge of the red rose(?!?) - New captain, some promising flair in the 3/4's.
just a bit unsure of the loose forwards.
Scotland have a pack to match any. Now we have some potential in the backs which might come to something if Robinson can find the courage to play them. we just need McVisser for the cutting edge.
Edinburghs backs today made London Irish look pretty ordinary with similar amounts of possession and Irish have a fair selection of recent England backs Delon Armitage Topsy Ojo Shontayne Hape Paul Hodgson all recent / current caps are they not?
1st - wales
2nd - Ireland
3rd - England
4th - France
5th - Italy
6th - That team that always thinks they can take on the world but realistically they couldn't cope in the championship..... cant remember the name
Wales are on a high after the world cup and have a very strong team this year
jacko54321 - Member
1st - wales
2nd - Ireland
3rd - England
4th - France
5th - Italy
6th - That team that always thinks they can take on the world but realistically they couldn't cope in the championship..... cant remember the nameWales are on a high after the world cup and have a very strong team this year
Please refrain from posting while under the influence of crystal meth.
Tj what do you reckon the scottish 15 wil be. Oh and london irish are ordinary!
Cannot see wales winning in ireland given the injuries, glad Steven Jones has been added to the squad as cover for Priestland.
Some bunch of hobbits 🙂
A hobbit
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the new Scottish Captain
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Seriously Its hard to Guess the Scottish 15 - it all depends how braveRobbo is feeling and dare he play one of the young halfbacks?
Why not? Neither Scotland nor England have much option really, both need to let the young bloods rip and see where it takes them.
I do hope both teams field the rising youngsters, we've seen what the boring and staid old players can(not) do now it's time to see the next generation.
Not at all optimistic for Wales, too many injuries, we'll lose in Ireland and come 4th I wreckon.
France
Ireland
England
Wales
Scotland
Italy
As an English fan i can't say i have too much hope for a resurgent England this time round but i'll be happy to be proven wrong! 😀
The thing that worries me is Andy Farrel as backs coach - the coach for the Premiership team that has scored the least amount of tries this season and who's team appears to play to the philosophy of 'give the ball to my son and he'll kick it'.
England have some fine young backs with good hands at their disposal, but if they don't see the ball what's the point?
Another thought is that as Flood is injured, will Charlie get the starting 10 shirt? He is good with ball in hand and a good distributor of the ball but not that great a defence and not a JW with the boot. Whilst i'm a Sale fan and still have a soft spot for Charlie and have seen how his game has improved down at Sarries i fear he will get the blame again if England lose.
Scots team ( I hope)
Front row - Murray, Ford , Chunk
Locks - Gray, Hamilton (kellock?)
Back row Strockosh, Denton, Barclay ( Vernon / Rennie ?)
Half backs - Blair, laidlaw
centres S. Lamont, Deluca
Wings R. Lamont, Evans
Full back - Hogg.
Probably not too far from the team I hope
Am actually disappointed that Priestland and Jenkins won't be playing in Dublin. Two fine players I always enjoy watching, even if it is being beaten by their team.
Still think Dublin could go either way.
Wales will always worry me - a team that always plays above the level of its component parts when facing England. Whilst i really don't like the set-up of the Celtic League (or whatever its called this week) with it's built-in protectionism of teams its been a revelation for Wales and allowed a fantastic system in which to bring through players.
Fanrastic muddy dwarf i love the english arrogance that makes out everyone raises there game against them! Also whilst the Rabbo Celtic Cider League thingy has been great for irish rugby its killing the game in Wales.
I don't see much arrogance from England or her fans at the moment A-A, do you?
How is it the League killing rugby in Wales? It certainly seems that its producing better quality players these days.
The welsh component parts look pretty decent to me compared to Englands at the moment.
Its killing the game because no one is going to games. No one in wales cares about the regions or playing the irish or scottish they want to see welsh teams play each other and games against english clubs. Players are no better, same old same old as far as players go. 15 good ones no back up for injuries.
Ah i see 🙁
That's why i don't want to see a similar scheme in England, the clubs have history that new 'regional' teams wouldn't.
As for players i would disagree, back in the 90'/early 2000's Wales had great players but rarely a full 15 of them. Now you may still have problems with replacement Internationals but your starting 15 (injuries permitting) are definitely top table. Wales at the moment look best placed for the future with players.
England went on for way too long with the old players and didn't bring through the youth. Now we have been forced to do that and no-one knows how they will be.
EDIT: I agree scamper. Would love England to have players like those lads.
A quick note to say that the provincial teams in Ireland actually have a history. They're not purely manufactured for the Hydrogen Cup or Rabo.
Back in the early 90's wales were stll loosing most of the talent to league. It took till at least 2000 to recover from this. Wales have always had enough talent they just lost a lot of it and what remained was poorly coached and conditioned. This only changed due to the arrival of Henry and Hansen and has had little if anything to do with the regions who remain poorly coached collections of decent players.
Same problem as Scotland,AA If you take the hiney cup out of the occasion, Melrose have a better average attendance than Embra.
My view is a lot of the issue with Edinburgh is the lack of promotion.
Me and several of my friends enjoy rugby and are the sort of people Edinburgh need to come tot eh games.
However there is no promotion of them at all so nothing to remind you when they are playing. A few years ago voluntary bodies and charities were getting free tickets, the games were advertised on buses and there were halfway decent crowds at meadowbank.
The SRU should be looking to build audiences. free tickets distributed round schools and clubs, kids in for free, cheap deals and advertise the games. The audience is there as can be seen from the crowds at the 1872 cup and last HC games. It just needs to be mobilised