Anyway good luck Wales - one "sure" away win this weekend?

Well I am glad you are sure, yesterday was pretty worrying from a Wales point of view as all 4 teams looked much better than Wales.
If we do lose just make sure no one smiles.
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I think it's great TJ is back with the normal over optimistic Scottish rugby report. I think last time there was a great revival about to happen they won a wooden spoon.....

(I don't think it'll happen this time but Glasgow vs tigers / Racing is a long way from Scotland vs England or France!)

Humble pie sir? To go with your saucer of cream? 😉

Scotland did to Ireland what Glasgow did to Racing. Finally they did it. I'm a happy beagle

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To echo AA seriously worried about next weekend in Cardiff, what ever happens in Italy this arvo, england will never play so badly again. With Howley being rubbish as well as stubborn it could get ugly.

Yes, fair play Scotland. I honestly think they caught Ireland napping. Which is poor from Irelands perpesctive as they should have been ready for it. I still think they'll struggle against England and France though (as per my post....)

Eddie Jones summary of the England performance 'we were rubbish' which compared to the old 'we did some things well we're growing as a team and I thought we were good ambassadors' is great to hear - something approaching the truth!

Do you think anyone will let us do this again? Audacious 🙂

[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/313/31907445403_b8aaf070cd_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/313/31907445403_b8aaf070cd_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/QBxZT2 ]Image1[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/ ]TandemJeremy[/url], on Flickr

I didn't the think the Eng/Fra ref was biased - I thought he was equally incompetent towards both teams but I agree the non English speaking sides generally get a rough deal.

I remember Eddie Butler once mentioning that Irish referee Alain Rolland was fluent in French to which Brian Moore replied, "Good, he can be wrong in both languages then."

The amusing thing about a lot of (but not all) Scotch rugby fans is that they take more joy from England losing than they ever gain from their own side winning.

My mate George (or "Dod" as he likes to be known) was delighted that his boys won a famous victory but by the end of the day he was a bitter and twisted man. Soured by the undeserved win for the dastardly English over the other half of the Auld Alliance.

What made his misery complete were my generous congratulations for his team.

😀

THe best bit of Satruday was having two matches that could have gone either way. We have a competitive 6N which is great and enjoyable to watch even when the skill levels are down.

But interesting that the pros were talking about the 6N enjoying the best refs in the world, but "we" know better... 😉

And another thing......

All this sniping about foreign players can stop.

ALL the home nations have played people who are not English/Scottish/Irish/Welsh.

I don't think the likes of Te'o and Hughes should be playing for England because they're not English. Hartley is English despite being born in NZ and the Vunipolas have been brought up in the UK so they're OK (even if they really should have played for Wales).

Scotland have used English players for years - long before the influx of kilted Kiwis and Saffas. Big Jim Hamilton is from Coventry for Chrissakes.

THe French have got it right. We should follow suite.

amusing thing about a lot of (but not all) Scotch rugby fans is that they take more joy from England losing than they ever gain from their own side winning.

England played yesterday? I switched off after GL kicked the last 3 points.

THe French have got it right. We should follow suite.

didn't the think the Eng/Fra ref was biased

I dont either just think he was crap and let the crowd guide him on top of the French front row not understanding what he was saying!!

What does "the ref was a massive homer" mean.....a fan of the Simpsons?

Well if you cannot understand what it means theres no point me trying to help you.

Its well understood, don't worry. Just checking. He was a classics major....far more refined than a Simpsons fan.

For one teeny moment, I thought you were suggesting that he was very significantly (massive) favouring the home side (homer), but glad that this was not the case!!

Now off to listen to Nigel on the desert island on iplayer. He talks a lot of sense about rugby and life.

What does "the ref was a massive homer" mean.....a fan of the Simpsons?

Its well understood, don't worry. Just checking. He was a classics major....far more refined than a Simpsons fan.

How do I install that thing that blocks your pathetic gibberish?

Nmb, that is exactly the same as the English supporters,plus you can also add in the "reasons" why you lose...always somebody else's fault,see post Welsh grand slam STW for example,although in all fairness you were only following the coaches lead after he went public with what EVERY other team does quietly. Some might even call that "arrogance."

The ref wasn't homer in the slightest - he was just rubbish.

Calm down chaps.

Its only a game 😉

^^Somebody got out of the right side of the bed this morning! ^^

The funny thing was, I thought AA had written that the ref has a massive boner at first. That would have explained the worried looks on the players faces better

"Are you signalling advantage, or just pleased to see me?"

Just remind me how French their 2 wingers were yesterday??

In my car today, 5 live was drivel, so flicking channels I discovered Nigel Owens on Desert Island Discs. An insightful, honest and open view into his life & troubles.

Edit : just spotted the other thread.

Indeed CFH - the 6 nations table makes delightful reading in this mornings papers.

1 Scotland
2 England
3 France
4 Ireland
5 Italy
6 Wales

Why isn't the roof closed?

😉

Just remind me how French their 2 wingers were yesterday??

No, the French have decided to only pick French players from now on, not restrospectively.

You can't blame the players themselves. They're just working with the system.

Nathan Hughes openly stated it was a financial decision to play for England rather than Fiji and you can't disagree.

Someone like Sean Maitland was close to ABs selection but never made it so used the rules to play international rugby.

Ben Te'o, purely following the next pay cheque.

Private International Law uses the concept of domicile as "the country with which you have the closest and most real connection". THey should apply that to rugby.

Anthems...adverts...

URGH. ITV rugby.

At least it's not Cotter and Nicoll. Look on the bright side Captain.

15-love to George North.

Well said JP!

I agree - normally it's Biggar appealing like a footballer though!

Urgh.

Italy worth their half time lead. Wales annoying the ref altho he does seem to have got out of bed the wrong side today.

Italy running out of steam?

Have refs given up with being behind the kicker at restarts and open play? It's like the scrum feeds!!

"****ing hell ref" 😆

not the best game for wales, but as mentioned at least this seems like anyone's tournament so far no stand out favourite at all IMO.

Wales are going to win this, but they've got major problems up front, with the Italians making a right mess of them in the scrum.

"**** hell ref"

That swearing was a two drink incident!

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better late than never

Gorgeous George!!!

Winning is good. But Wales weren't great!

Well done Wales - at least 2H

Thanks for not taking the bonus point, very sporting!

Get some ice of North's hamstring pronto. That was making me wince watching him run like that! Bravo

AWJ putting a good card down for midweek Lions captain ?

Been out on my bike what did I miss?

What happend to Biggar? Sammy Davies juniorcwas good but can we risk him v the orc hoard?
Hope George is ok.

Phew will take that.

Indeed, perennial slow starters so to be in with a shout of a bonus point was pretty good going

So Lions after round 1 what have we learnt?

Hogg @15
Russel@10
Itoje not @6
Hooker looks an issue.

And Ospreys put one over on Wasps away, happy about that.

Lions round 1, pure scrummaging
Jack McGrath and Tadhg Furlong in the front row.

Rather good yesterday at Murray field in dismantling the Scots scrum.

Furlong is a proper prop. A real talent in the scrum, a technical joy.

Good point Vondally so

15 Hogg
14
13
12
11
10 Russel
9
8
7
6
5 Itoje
4
3 Furlong
2
1 McGrath

Russell???

Need to decide in first choice goal kicker early, then other positions can be filled in

2: J George 😉
5: G Kruise

AWJ as mid week captain

4: AWJ (Cpt)
7: Tipuric
9: Gareth Davies
12: Scott Williams

Not that I'm biased. 😉

Both Tipuric and Hovis were excellent today. AWJ rock like as per.

Kruise

Lots of unecessary e's today...
I thought he was broken? Launchbury was good yesterday I thought.

AWJ as mid week captain

I saw it first time thanks...rancid

He is but should be there for the Lions, Launchberry was blowing too much for my liking, but played ok

But itoje and Kruis should be the second row - hence AWJ cannot guarantee his place, hence MW Capitain....

Itoje@6 wasn't a total disaster. He was still probably England's best forward in a pack that was comprehensively outplayed for a lot of the match.

Jamie George was possibly the best hooker on show but we'll see where Hartley is once he has a few games under his belt.

Kruis out for 3 months which means he won't be playing again before the Lions squad is named on April 19th.

we'll see where Hartley is once he has a few games under his belt.

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Itoje@6 wasn't a total disaster

Great, lets hope Jones is too proud to put him back in the row. If Wales can get Not Toby fit and the even bigger if the welsh front 5 can compete I would fancy Tips, Not Toby and Not Captain Sam over The Mercenary, John Rambo Wood and Itoje

if the welsh front 5 can compete I would fancy Tips, Not Toby and Not Captain Sam over The Mercenary, John Rambo Wood and Itoje

I agree but the English tight 5 surely can't be as poor again and Haskell will mostly likely be back at 7.

As long as Itoje is on the field he will make a difference - wherever he plays.

I agree but the English tight 5 surely can't be as poor again and Haskell will mostly likely be back at 7.

I dont think the English tight 5 will have to improve to over power Wales!

Jamie George was possibly the best hooker on show

🙁 maybe we can find Guirado a british nan.
Jamie George ffs have you seen the All Blacks hooker they are going out to play rugby not have a pie eating contest!!

Best had a good game and I would expect 'ickle Gray to be pushing behind him.

Jamie George was very good, certainly better than Hartley. And he's in no worse shape than Best!

Best had a good game

If you consider lobbing pies at the Gray brothers in the lineout good!

Jamie George ffs have you seen the All Blacks hooker they are going out to play rugby not have a pie eating contest!!

What happened to a game for all shapes and sizes?

Anyway, in the absence of any Dane Coles-a-likes I'll settle for a fat bloke who can do the basics well and leave prancing about on the wings to the.....errr.......wings.

9...???? Connor Murray was well marshalled yesterday.

Scotland back row as a unit including Barclay were excellent. Heaslip made some impressive ground and some exceptional passes, to Scottish players....

5 Jonnie gray, again good around the park. Midweeker defo.

Rory best was way off yesterday, not sure what he offered at all.

Best, Heaslip and Murrayhad their worst game for Ireland in a long time. The only forwards with credible performances were the props and possibly Stander to a lesser extent.

BF (Butter Fingers) Stander?

He dropped everything anyone threw at him.

Best threw some dodgy arrows, however he is still the most consistent candidate and has the experience of dragging a team over the line against this Summer's project. I would have liked to see Wasps Taylor get some time at this level though as I think he is the future for England once Jamie George returns to his part time job in the quality control dept of Ginsters. In other news; what is the going rate of pay for a Lions tighthead this year? Ian "the bear" Milne.Former rugby star set to lose 100lb for charity | The Times
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/share/3b5cdb4a-ebb4-11e6-b160-fe23d6a9b5dd.

Best had a good game

The line out in the first half was awful. He does seem prone to having some really bad days. He doesn't seem to do OK; its other spot on or utter tripe.

Jamie George is quite quick for a fat lad though. He and Sinckler do look like a pair of chubbers though.

Best has been much more consistent in the past couple of years but lineouts were poor on sat.

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Not sure what Ireland team Guscott was watching.

Davies has been shit all season wouldnt pick him. Would have North over Williams and Ken Owens is a good club player but under powered at international level.
Laidlaw is pants but I suppose the other options werent up to much. No idea how he picked Jackson over Russel.

Did anyone really play their way into the Lions starting XV other than A.N.Other?

Hogg
Maybe the two irish props.

^I'd tend to agree with that a_a.

I only saw the second half of Scotland v Ireland, but I thought that Rob Kearney looked really good too. Not seen his name mentioned much in potential Lions squads, but if he's in form, he's surely a contender?

Just read online that Joost van der Westhuizen has passed away. Such a shame.

Thought it was coming. Still sad news.

Joost was a true great RIP.