Would it make a difference to a game if, instead of the current bonus point system, the winning side was docked a point if the losing side was within 7 points of them? (In the Euro Cup for instance.)
In know that it's effectively the same but if a side knew they needed x amount of points to get a home tie and the losing side was staying irritatingly close, would they open up to score more?
(Difficult to explain when I should be working!)
It isn't broke why fix it.
No need for a bonus point system in international rugby.
It is used in leagues to help encourage positive play and ensure very few dead games, which it seems to do quite well.
No need to ensure positive play and no dead games in international rugby?
It might make final weekend jitters even more fun if theoretically three or four of the six teams could win.
There's very few international games that are dull due to nothing being at stake though is there? This isn't soccer ball!!! There's nothing to play for but pride in the Autumn internationals but most of them were pretty tasty games.
Tom B - exactly!
Think that the best side should win the championship as only a short competition. Different in a league over so many games.
Please don't knock " numbers" as I have drawn him for next weekends drinking game. I should be hammered by mid-way through 1H. I wonder if I should split " numbers" according to which side he is referring to. Then I would have a chance of making the 2H.
On the topic of stupidity, how stupid must Telfer feel know. Cliched wind up and not even very relevant at the moment (excluding Ashton obviously as a matter of course 😉 )
[img] 
[/img]
France team: Y Huget (Toulouse); W Fofana (Clermont Auvergne), M Mermoz (Toulon), M Bastareaud (Toulon), B Fall (Racing Metro); F Michalak (Toulon), M Machenaud (Racing Metro); Y Forestier (Castres), D Szarzewski (Racing Metro), N Mas (Perpignan), J Suta (Toulon), Y Maestri (Toulouse), F Ouedraogo (Montpellier), T Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), L Picamoles (Toulouse).
Replacements: B Kayser (Clermont Auvergne), V Debaty (Clermont Auvergne), L Ducalcon (Castres), R Taofifenua (Perpignan), D Chouly (Clermont Auvergne), M Parra (Clermont Auvergne), F Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), F Fritz (Toulouse).
Interesting that they've kept the same half backs who were criticised after last week. Hopefully Wales will put lots of pressure on Michalak.
And they really do have a formidable back row!
They're mad not to start Trinh-Duc IMHO.
Wales: L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); A Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), J Davies (Scarlets), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), G North (Scarlets); D Biggar (Ospreys), M Phillips (Bayonne); G Jenkins (Toulon), R Hibbard (Ospreys), A Jones (Ospreys), A Coombs (Newport Gwent Dragons), I Evans (Ospreys), R Jones (Ospreys, capt), J Tipuric (Ospreys), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).Replacements: K Owens (Scarlets), P James (Bath), C Mitchell (Exeter), L Reed (Cardiff Blues), A Shingler (Scarlets), L Williams (Cardiff Blues), J Hook (Perpignan), S Williams (Scarlets).
Wales captain Sam Warburton has been ruled out of Saturday's Six Nations clash against France in Paris with a shoulder injury.
Both teams missing their captains through injury.
Early wooden spoon decider? 😉
The wales/france could be a fantastic game. Both teams are capable of sublime rugby, both a little wounded coming off of losses and both with something to prove. Looking forward to it. Also looking forward to england vs ireland and watching the italians pulverize the scots 😀
Last time Bastareau and Roberts met in paris Roberts came a very distant second.
Roberts is finishing second to most at present 😀
Well, England consistent and look strong. 36 in, Tuilagi for impact later and the bench could be the difference with 20 to go. But players out of position...
15 - Goode
14 - Ashton
13 - Barritt
12 - Twelvetrees
11 - Brown
10 - Farrell
9 - B Youngs
3 - Marler
2 - T Youngs
1 - Cole
4 - Launchbury
5 - Parling
6 - Haskell
7 - Robshaw
8 - Wood.
Replacements: Hartley, Wilson, Vunipola, Lawes, Waldrom, Care, Flood, Tuilagi.
Ireland team unchanged:
5 - Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster/42)
14 - Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster/2)
13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster/121)
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster/72)
11 - Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster/4)
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary's College/Leinster/35)
9 - Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster/15)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster/36)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster/63)
3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster/25)
4 - Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht/7)
5 - Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster/24)
6 - Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster/10)
7 - Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster/23)
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster/53) Captain
Replacements:
16 - Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster/23)
17 - David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster/3)
18 - Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon/Ulster/3)
19 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster/91)
20 - Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster/5)
21 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster/48)
22 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster/126)
23 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster/35)
Its going to be a really close game but I think that home advantage and the fact that its 10 years since England won in Dublin in the 6N should see us home.
Interesting that there's only 2 ulster players in the starting 15. With their current performance, I'd have expected to have seen more. Is Ulster a "greater than the sum of the parts" team or have a lot of non-irish players?
Wrecker I think its a bit of Ulster being a good team as opposed to outstanding individuals, having injuries to guaranteed starters (Tommy and Fez) and Ireland being selected by the Munster turnip head Deccie. Whenever Ulster were the third best team in Ireland and we had 2 starters his argument was that if Ulster performances improve in Europe then it will be reflected in the Ireland team. Not sure what his excuse is now.
However the only argument for an Ulster starter would be Chris Henry and Paddy Jackson on the bench instead of ROG.
Thanks blindmelon. I did wonder if the selectors were a bit eire-centric.
So predictions
France by 10+
Ireland by >5
Italy by a submission
France by 10+
Ireland by a single score
Italy by 10+
As much as I think AA is biased and I'm a staunch England supporter, I think he's pretty spot on with that prediction. England/Ireland and Scotland/Italy to be close.
Early Ireland try and England chasing FTW but not quite making it.
Ulster v Osp on BBC2
Exeter sale on espn too.
Alun Wyn Jones playing like a man wanting to be in Oz this summer. Ulster appalling at the moment!
I get a horrible feeling that Tom Youngs is going to get taught a very hard lesson on Sunday 🙁 Ireland by 5....
Ulster v Spreys on Scrum V is pretty dire stuff atm. AW Jones is back and is playing very well.
England to win by 10+
Italy to win but not by much
Wales to beat France by 3 points last minute
Game of the weekend Scotland-Italy
Ulster were terrible tonight. Back row were AWOL all night. Well played to the O's much more desire for the game in the night.
This weekend Ire by 5, France by 10 and Scotland by 10
Woohoo nice one Ospreys 😆
It was well deserved Pigface. Bevington was outstanding as was Wyn Jones when he came on
Crikey! Sale have come to life!
As a Sale fan - bugger me backwards with a barge pole!
that was a great game and finally Sale have figured out how to grab a game by the neck. It wont last but for tonight i'm a happy dwarf..
Unreal, muddydwarf. I was thinking of you mate!
What a comeback; shit in the 1st half, level in the 3rd quarter and really very good in the last quarter!
Confusingly, cipriani offered very little in attack but was good in defence. First chance I've had to get a good look at him, he looks scared to take the ball into contact and passes too early. But ant fault his tackling. Weird.
Great win, and made for an exciting game.
I'm glad the Exeter 7 doesn't play for my team. Total liability. Baxter was rather good though.
Sale were very, very lucky. Exeter crossed over another three times but poor handling meant they were dropped or disallowed. Why do Sale always allow teams to dominate then have to fight to get back into the game?
Exeter were lucky not to have more yellow cards though thanks to that big No7, a bit hot headed that lad.
I'd have Bevington on the bench for wales and Paul James starting. Gethins form has fallen off a cliff since he went to Toulon. Good to hear AW Jones playing well too. He is a very very good player.
I thought gethin looked like he was carrying a few extra pounds in the last match but he ain't playing much for Toulon so maybe not surprising fitness and form suffer.
France by 10-15
Ireland by less than 7
Scotland by less than 7
BlindMelon - Member
Wrecker I think its a bit of Ulster being a good team as opposed to outstanding individuals, having injuries to guaranteed starters (Tommy and Fez) and Ireland being selected by the Munster turnip head Deccie. Whenever Ulster were the third best team in Ireland and we had 2 starters his argument was that if Ulster performances improve in Europe then it will be reflected in the Ireland team. Not sure what his excuse is now.
My considered and unbiased opinion is that Wales have quicker props than Ulster's midfield, so that may be the reason... 😆 (Sorry BM! Had to get it in.)
Jonny may put on the after burners for 2 individual tries so far for glaws
Why are Scotland wearing that ridiculous costume?
Get in there
Average game thus far. I agree Pigface, Scotland look ridiculous!
Shirts look great.
What a difference 7 days makes! Especially if your surname is Orquera!
First time in years that a ref penalises a forward pass and it looked bloomin fine to me!
**** all wrong with that pass, that's a joke.
