[Closed] Rugby - 6 nations.

I think the pundits got it correct - combination of (slight) foul play and legit contact with ankles/feet. Unfortunate with the latter, but ref probably got the first correct. But a marginal call.

I used to feel sorry for Scotland due my educational allegiance, but frankly three people make feel the complete opposite these days - Andy Robinson (because its so funny to see him wound up), Andy Nicol (because of his absurd over-optimism and inability to accept that Scotland are simple not good enough) and the plod of a prop AJ (who's main contribution seems to be stand in the way on the edge of mauls and otherwise be little more than a nuisance/puffed up hard man).

One outstanding player - Gray. Two good players - Denton and Ford. Any others get a look in for Lions even as subs? So let's be realistic - they punched above their wait in some games and were unlucky at times. But otherwise simply not good enough at the moment. Most of us love an underdog, so lets get back to Patterson and Nicol calling it as it is, instead of spinning fairy tales.

Hmm....interesting call on irish 2nd row now!

Bear - Member

yup so card cynical fouls boo play acting, TJ agreed?

Yup.
teh comentators should highlight it and scorn as well.

Any others get a look in for Lions even as subs?

Ford has to be in the team I would have said. Ford and Gray the only two in the team for sure with the various back row fighting for a place

There are a few who could grab a place between now and then but you would be hard pushed to say there should be any others on the plane. Hogg is good but Kearney has looked absolutely top class so no vacancy at full back.

Ten is still up for grabs - no 10 has shone so far in the 6N Sexton maybe the best of the bunch. Farrell could get his nose in with a good display tomorrow. Preistland not looking great.

I'd like to see Grey and Charteris on Tour.

Still not too late for Ladyboy to claim the number ten shirt 😆

Girafferis certainly made an impact when he came on.

Two predictions right 🙂 Any Welsh person who experienced the 90's with Welsh rugby can sympathise with Scotland, just have to grit your teeth and believe it will get better, never stop supporting your boys.

[i]Hmm....interesting call on irish 2nd row now[/i]

Nice to have the two best locks, when POC's fit again. Ryan demonstrated just why he's first choice at Munster now , and should have played a lot more in this tournament. Gray impressed, but was a definite second best today.
MOTM for me though was Healy. Tackles like a back row, carries like a centre, side-steps like Billy Whizz 😆
Won his first scrum battle, then beat Murray too. I'm a big fan, but even I've been surprised how much better he's getting at the scrum.
Best had his best game too, bar a couple of darts.
One worry was that Scotland's try was so similar to France's, with Kearney coming across looking like he had loads of time but not getting a hand to him. But he was good on the counter.

Good to see both sides go out and try to play good rugby.

Grey and girrafe boy too similar and both front jumpers. Grey needs a big ugly ****er to do the grunt work. Shame Bradley Davis got banned as he fits the bill. Ryan ( the one he tossed) looked good today.

Kearney playing his way out of my dream lions 15. Run over several times v wales, eazily outpaced by Fofana and missed Grey today. Poor imo. Not sure he would be best placed against aus who will run at him and be stupid enough to pepper himwith high balls.

Healey still gets bent in half everytime he comes up against Adam though

And he runs in to players when a country mile offside.

AA give it a rest you are getting boring.

in the game that Wales apparently murdered England at scrum time there were 3 scrums in the whole game, none of which were lost according to the stats from Accenture on the BBC web site.

Does Healey play for England now? 😕

I put a player forward for my Man of the match, and a-a counters with a player from a different match. That's gotta win the "Cyclop's of the day" post, even though I've already compared a prop to Billy Whizz 😉
And its nonsense anyway, Stats from the last Ireland Wales game:
[i]Set pieces
3 won, 1 lost (75.0%) Scrums on own feed 3 won, 1 lost (75.0%)
5 won, 0 lost (100.0%) Lineouts on own throw 10 won, 4 lost (71.4%)[/i]

[i]And he runs in to players when a country mile of side.[/i]
Very true. If you're gonna have a player offside its worth getting a front row there. Further to run round. Sean Fitzpatrick perfected it first.
He excels at getting in the way, like his little block for Best's try 😉

Your point about Kearney may be valid. I wasn't happy with the way those trys have been run in. From recent games, Halfpenney would have got his head in the way.

"Healey still gets bent in half everytime he comes up against Adam though" is my second favourite quote of the weekend behind Gerald Davies which was along the lines of, "even when we were beating England their scrum was good. Against Wales two weeks ago their scrum was shunted backwards twice in the opening passages. This has not happened before in modern times" 😆

I didn't think Kearney was to blame for the Scotland try it was a 2 on 1 on him - international players should always score then and he is not the only player to have bought a dummy off Gray. 🙂

Kearney is the best full back out of the current home nations by a considerable distance IMO. I do think he bought that dummy a bit [i]Too[/i] easily though and I don't blame him. Grey is a monster! He impressed me no end today as did Denton.
I ended the game really feeling for the scots (and I have Irish blood!), I think that they do have the players to be a good team. I'm not sure if it's the management or just the mentality but they always seem to lack that final 10-15% to turn play into points.

in the game that Wales apparentn ly murdered England at scrum time there were 3 scrums in the whole game, none of which were lost according to the stats from Accenture on the BBC web site.

Well all i can say is that must not include the scrums that ended in pens rather than being completed or its just plain wrong. Did you even watch the game ffs. First three scrums in the second half ended in pens to wales. As said at the time it was suprising how dominant wales were and it was why england when the got pens at the end kicked for the corners when the lineout isnt as good an attacking option. A few englanders her could do with openning the other eye.
As far as Healy goes i was simply making the point that he is not yet world class. Be intresting to see if he can better gethin on the next lions tour. If he continues to improve he may well but he was only propping against Cross and a player trying to imitate Murray.

anway here's some links for fans of the scrummage:

Kearney is the best full back out of the current home nations by a considerable distance

I would agree but worry about how he'll cope with the aussie runners. I think Foden if he finds form could be better. 1/2p still looks like a winger playing fullback imo.

Right then, predictions for today?

Punchy Guscott has this to say;

It might be a false dawn, but I was impressed by England against Wales and I think they're so close to delivering.
It is going to be harder against France, though, because they are a bit more physical than the Welsh, particularly up front - the English pack is going to get a real examination from the French eight.
The question is whether the Corbisiero/Hartley/Cole front row is hard enough to withstand the battering they will get from the hard-nut French trio confronting them.
If they crack there's no way back for England and they will get stuffed.
I don't think that will happen and if they do hold the powerful French in the scrum, which is the first line of defence, I believe England will win.

I disagree with him on the very last point. I think that the English front row is no match for the quality, not to mention depth of quality, in the French front row. Ditto the second row. And the back row.

I do not see England scoring enough to b3eat France. France will score - and england have not really looked like they have the cutting edge to outscore them

France comfortable win

Keet Earls thing

it was a yellow, but the ref should have then reversed the pen.

Oh FFS - looks like Lineen is getting sacked from Glasgow and Townsend being parachuted in - might mean Lineen is being lined up for the Scotland job.

englanders her could do with openning the other eye

Right, neck on the line time...All predictions to be in at least 15mins before kick off (To deny any sneaky edits!)

For me, France by 8-12 points.

Glitch? What glitch? 😉

I'll let my heart rule my head and say England by a nose.
England 18 - France 15.

France by ten.

France by 10-15.

Rolland to make a couple of iffy decisions so there can be what ifs afterwards.

Hartly to get pinged for standing up in the scrum, England a yellow card for persistent offside / breakdown infringements

Rolland to make a couple of iffy decisions so there can be [s]what ifs[/s] lots of whining that "it was a try! No, it WAS A TRY! THE VIDEO REF ROBBED US, IT WAS A TRY! SHOULD HAVE PLAYED THE ADVANTAGE LONGER. IT WAS A TRY GODDAMMIT!" and "Oh, if only Jonny was still playing" afterwards.

😉

double post glitch.

"it was a try! No, it WAS A TRY! THE VIDEO REF ROBBED US, IT WAS A TRY! SHOULD HAVE PLAYED THE ADVANTAGE LONGER. IT WAS A TRY GODDAMMIT!"

but it was a try 😉

Brakes,
[img] [/img]

🙂

englanders her could do with openning the other eye

You Must have been giggling to yourself when you wrote that. Go on, admit it.

I was, 😆 but my point was about the bloke who thinks there were only three scrums in the England Wales game and England were not shoved backwards a suprising amount and gave away loads of pens (mostly for the 9 being offside).

Looking forward to today's game after the 1 shit and one decent game yesterday. My prediction is that France will take england apart up front and win by 12. The back back 5's of each pack look like complete missmatches to me. Having said that I dont think Fofana looks the best defender if England can get Tuilagi or Morgan down his channel regularly it could be intresting.

England by "some" if they get behind the french in the first 15. Otherwise a dull, mistake ridden (by both side) game leading to a fortuitus win by France.

France will take england apart up front and win by 12

even if they don't take them apart, you'll say they did anyway

just to fuel the pre match debate, my eye still cant see how this was a yellow, he clearly went for and got his hand to the ball.

love the tag line though

Midget scumbag leek muncher takes Argie out in the air

Errmm- took a man out in the air. Didn't get off the ground hrdly, didn't really go for the ball

France will take england apart up front and win by 12

even if they don't take them apart, you'll say they did anyway

happy to say when I'm proved wrong, like with farrel pre the England Wales game, but the welsh 8 were certainly in the ascendency in most aspect v england (lineout was better for england). Look at what the welsh pack did when Priestland was binned. The current England pack as a whole is not fit to fill the shirts of some of its previous incumbants.

didn't really go for the ball

look at 1.20 his hand is on the ball trying to knock it back.

Not buying it - he knew exactly what he was doing and that was taking Parrise out

[img] [/img]

I give up

not buying what? his hand is clearly on the ball, to me thats a rugby incident, pen at most.

brakes.. do you have anything to add? Oh you give p, fair enough not sure you've said anything worthwhile yet.