No 6 Nations bickering?
Give them time 😁😁...Good game tonight, France are going to be a handful 🤔
Good start. Vive la France (except when playing Ingurlund, obvs)
Rugby, what rugby? No rugby here......
I am still hopeful a Welsh player strike can save us!! News out of the e Wales camp is that Duncan Jones is out injured and needs surgery on both knees.....you couldn't make it up!!
The Welsh team were always going to be outgunned by England but picking Mann and Macleod on the flank is ridiculous. Mann isn't big enough for an international 6 and Macleod is not good enough or big enough for 7. Mann and Botham could have worked, or Cracknell and Mann. As for Ben Thomas at 12, lovely player for Cardiff but hopelessly underpowered for an international 12...still at least the dwarf at 15 has been dropped...can Wales win a game this season.....doubtful tbh. England backs are "rapid" and big, going to be a long day...
Irish picked a backline of huge slow blokes and the french backs smoked them, of course it was built on the French pack demolishing the Irish pack in the first half
That’s better, just need TJ to return but no fighting……
Wow, I was actually going to write a post saying how I had drifted away from rugby since the Glasgow games were taken away from BBC Alba and the 6N was no longer free to air.
Now I find that not only is the 6N still free to air but there is an URC.tv where I can get all the games for 45 euros a year.
I guess folk in the UK are still stuck with a Premier Sports subscription. No way would I subscribe to that but a rugby only subscription that is actually reasonably priced has convinced me to get back into it (and no, it's not just because Glasgow are apparently doing well).
Now all I need is for someone to bring back GCN+ and I could spend literally all weekend on my couch watching sport.
However, one question. Why the **** was the opening game on a Thursday?
Winter Olympics opening ceremony is tonight.
Watched the Glasgow Saracens game recently, Glasgow very good, they are a side worth watching.
However, one question. Why the **** was the opening game on a Thursday?
Couldn't make head nor tail of this myself. It might make a bit more sense if there was also a Friday match (trying to make the most of the first round of matches), but no.
Maybe to avoid clashing with the figure-sledding-curl-jumping, which starts today?
Annoyed with the adverts mid game - that wasn't great. Ireland were disappointing, although they clearly missed some of their key injured players eg Porter. France are the team to beat - hard to believe they left out some great players too e.g Aldrit and Pennaud,
France were excellent despite leading a few players out
Ireland seemed a bit off the pace. Much better 2nd half but the result was never in doubt
Someone warned me they were going to ads during scrum formation... what a bizarre idea. They must actually think people are going to buy things from their crappy, irritating adverts - these aren't even "subscribe or be annoyed" ads! I guess the advertisers don't realise there are people who actively avoid their products due to their annoyance.
France are such a good watch. That also is annoying :S
It was an entertaining game. It will take a really strong team to beat France in Paris, the combination of a really powerful accurate pack with all the flair and skill they have in the backs will make them really hard to beat.
Ireland just looked a bit lost. They're on the 3rd choice player for half their pack. No Keenan, no Aki. Prendergast looked out of his depth, he had a couple of good little flashes, the cross field kick pass in the first half was good, but he was struggling with a defense that pressed so quickly and gave him so little time.
So Bielle-Biarrey for top try scorer.
Also mid game cutaways to ads can GTF.
France played a blinder. Non-stop movement and fast passes. Ireland just seemed slow and took too long to realise kicking wasn't going to work particularly well.
Dreading Saturday's match and hoping Wales don't get absolutely mullered by the Saes.
Dreading Saturday's match and hoping Wales don't get absolutely mullered by the Saes.
Don't hold your breath!
However, one question. Why the **** was the opening game on a Thursday?
Because of the potential clash with the Olympic opening ceremony. Interestingly it was the most watched opening match in 6N history. Maybe its what the people want.
I'd love to see a Wales win in Sunday but I'm realistic!
France absolutely smashed Ireland if we're honest...
England might trouble France a bit but I think it's very much a two horse race with France and England.
I predict France will win pretty easily overall.
I'd love to see a Wales win in Sunday but I'm realistic!
Yeah, winning on Sunday after being smashed tomorrow might be a game too far for this Welsh team. 😉
France made Ireland look very, very ordinary. It was a lot of fun for a neutral.
I shall be hiding behind the sofa during England v Wales. If wales can keep England below 50 points and score a try I’ll take it as a massive victory. I’m not holding my breath.
Ireland didn't play bad at all.. France just played on a higher level. They will walk this.
My prediction is a grand slam, they may lose one match to England but I wouldn't bet on it.
Ireland weren’t great, lost the physical battle, were second best in the air and had little shape in attack.
How much that was irelands fault or how much it was France stopping them is the bit that is always hard to know.
France on the other hand were very good, the young second row had a storming game.
Well what can I say about Scotland this year ? I think Townsend is right to drop Duhan and Darcy . Otherwise I hope for the best and fear for the worst.
It's the hope that kills ye...
Ireland looked ponderous not just in attack but also in defence which is unusual. Partly because of the French offloading in contact but Ireland didn't seem to be able to adapt.
Given how wet it was the French commitment to a loose offloading game was admirable.
Damp weather and damp Scotland today... Not great but, credit to Italy, who are coping better with the weather
Pray for TJ
Get in Italy!! Woop. Woop!!
Well today's game was good I'm off out on the bike!
Isn't modern turf technology amazing. Barely a patch of mud despite such horrific weather
Seen drier bogs in Ireland.
Stupidest team in the history of the universe
Could a sniper take out Lake please?
I thought we were bad in Italy today but Wales are setting new levels of mediocrity
mediocrity
Not anywhere near that good.
I thought England were average tbh, but then when the opposition hand them the game they need to do much!
Stating the obvious but Italy scoring a couple in the dry won that game - just a lottery after the heavens opened. Pity because I reckon both sides would have gone for a running game in the dry.
England were very England. Dominant, score easily then get arrogant and drop off.
Wales need to stop doing stupid stuff - not going to win the game but at least make it competitive.
Has anyone checked if LRZ has an Irish granny that pace would look good in a green shirt
I'm an England supporter who has always had a strong connection with N Wales.
I feel sorry for the Welsh supporters as their national game is going to shit with seemingly no route out.
(Falling participation at ground roots level, falling fan numbers and falling income to invest in new talent)
If it wasn't for RZ then they would have had nothing today - and he's only there because he can't do what he really wants to do.
☹️
Zammit and Wainwright were excellent, Tomos serviceable the rest hopeless.
Still less than 50 was a win 😆
Well at least the hope flickered briefly, and then died with any luck it won't spark back into life next week and with the six nations being shorter this year it'll all be over in no time. If it's not all over already
Signed a Scottish Optimist
Yeah England will need to be better against Scotland, but that game doesn't really tell anything about how good they are or could be...
England average, don’t think arrogance was a problem though just don’t think they played that well, bit of a lack of cohesion at times but Wales were stupid
Wainwright is a fine player.
I'm not one to bay for the manager's head but I think it's time for Townsend to go.
I'm not one to bay for the manager's head but I think it's time for Townsend to go.
Would you like Tandy back?
Would you like Tandy back?
I don't know who I'd like in the post but I think it's time for a change.
It made me laugh how they were blaming some of the Scottish performance on the weather .....
It's not like it doesn't rain in Scotland and is constantly piss-wet in Italy!!
don't know who I'd like in the post but I think it's time for a change.
Franco for me. Shame to lose him at Warriors though
Still less than 50 was a win
If we want to clutch at straws, the second half was 12-7 until the very final minute. If I was coaching England I'd be ever so slightly furious about that - playing a team who can barely field a first 15 never mind the dregs on the bench who limped on in the last twenty minutes, down to 13 for a chunk of game, and England struggled to pull away. I'm guessing they were being easy on Wales to avoid unnecessary injury. 🤣
Wales seemed to have forgotten how to play rugby at times during that game. They have some players doing well at decent clubs, but don't seem to be able to bring anything together in a Wales shirt. The very occassional flashes of potential, but i don't really know how they solve this at the moment. Astonishing when you think they won 6N 5 years ago. Complete dereliction of duty by the WRC that they had no program to bring on young potential. As if AWJ, Faletau, Liam Williams, Biggar were just going to keep going.
Scotland seem to have (at best) now plateau'd with Townsend - they probably need some fresh thinking.
I still can't see England beating France.
Italy could well finish 3rd
Scotland are suffering from a stupid professional/amateur set up and importing players.
I used to play at gala, just as toonie was breaking through, and the town was putting out 6 or 7 adults teams on a Saturday. Now struggling for 2 at times. Why would you slog your guts out on a Jan evening in the netherdale mud just to be replaced by an average overseas player parachuted in by the sru?
Grassroots rugby in the heartlands is on its knees.
France have this nailed..
They are playing surgically and like a ballet..
They are nimble and probably more crucially... Not making any mistakes.
They are dancing around like ninjas at a boxing match.
Not sure France have it nailed, England are more than capable of beating them.
Complete dereliction of duty by the WRC that they had no program to bring on young potential. As if AWJ, Faletau, Liam Williams, Biggar were just going to keep going.
Academies got closed about ten years ago.
The Welsh regions are shit, the players just practice losing.
France have this nailed..
They were playing at home, with a weak ref who allowed two tries that looked as though there were problems - possible forward pass in the first, a knock-on at the scrum in the second. Being a French broadcaster they managed to lose the coverage of those issues as soon as they happened, so they weren't shown continually as they would have been if Ireland had made those errors. If those tries hadn't been given, then the game is different. For all their efforts France wouldn't have pulled away quickly, the crowd get angsty, the team get nervous and start losing cohesion. All this has happened before.
Thankfully, France don't play all their games in Paris with Dickson as ref. They should win the 6N but we'll get more of an idea how good they are in a couple of weeks, after they've trampled all over Wales and can play against serious opposition.
Scotland just played badly. You can't lose that many set pieces or give away that many penalties in any game and expect to win it.
It doesn't matter that the second half could have been played in the Trevi Fountain, Scotland just made too many mistakes and Italy rightly punished them for it.
The frustrating thing being a Scotland fan is seeing such a good group of players achieve basically nothing. Townsend needs to go.
Never seen a team lose so many lineouts and still not replace the hooker! What was going on? On Rugby Spesh they said that wasn't Gregor's fault, but come on, make a change!
Scotland are suffering from a stupid professional/amateur set up and importing players.
I used to play at gala, just as toonie was breaking through, and the town was putting out 6 or 7 adults teams on a Saturday. Now struggling for 2 at times. Why would you slog your guts out on a Jan evening in the netherdale mud just to be replaced by an average overseas player parachuted in by the sru?
Grassroots rugby in the heartlands is on its knees.
And walkerburn have folded... Again.
Can anyone explain to me what King Blairhorn has done to not get picked?
Scotland: Jordan, Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu (capt), Dobie, Russell, White; McBeth, Turner, Z Fagerson, Brown, Cummings, Ritchie, Darge, Dempsey.
Replacements: Cherry, Schoeman, Millar-Mills, Williamson, M Fagerson, Horne, Hastings, Graham.
It's an odd 23. Potentially 3x10s, 3x9s. No out and out 15.
It's going to be a bit of a kicking match given the sunny dry forecast. That's not a game we'll win. We need to go back to old fashioned ruck and move. But English forwards very good at swinging around a ruck and slowing/disrupting the ball. So the modern game not good for our loose forward game.
Watching Ireland v Italy and hoping they'll be an advert during Italy's bonus points try.
Gutted for Italy, they really played well.
Gutted for Italy, they really played well.
Decent game and great that the ref had a good game. Not that I expected any different, it's just that it gave the keyboard arseholes nowhere to go.
I feel that 5 of the six nations sides are closer in ability than ever before. Makes for an interesting competition
England have already lost their heads. Predicting a 40 point win for Scotland.
Arundel is a pretty class player but that was just daft.
England have already lost their heads. Predicting a 40 point win for Scotland.
I think we all know that's not how Scotland work.
Come on Scotland!
World Beaters 😂
That's awesome! If this doesn't tempt tj out nothing will!
World Beaters
Wales beaters
Good game.
England were flattered last week against Wales.
Our loose forwards were allowed to play that kept it quick. Team just played better over all.
Yep England believe their own hype after a win against a weak Wales (sorry Wales). Scotland are a good team who played poorly last week. I am not a George Ford fan - looks great when not under pressure. first 5 minutes kick to Scotland and they ran it straight back..........
Obviously I'm biased but that was tremendous. However, it shouldn't (but probably will) distract from the fact that Scottish rugby isn't in a great place.
FOR SALE.
One Sweet Chariot. Some impact damage all wheels have fallen off. .Buyer collects Edinburgh area
First yellow was never a yellow, but England were shit and massively under prepared after the training game against Wales.
Scotland are always soooo up for this game, and England seemed to forget that!
When Wales beat France tomorrow though the table will be pretty even so game on for the coming weeks.....
When Wales beat France tomorrow
Nurse he's out of his bed again
Brilliant performance from Scotland, I'm still buzzing. Murrayfield was electric this evening. But in the midst of all the celebrations, full credit to the England players and coach. They stayed on the field to congratulate Scotland rather than sulking off to the dressing room the way many teams would have. And Steve Borthwick gave a very decent interview at the end. No excuses, no whinging, no blaming the ref, he gave full congrats to Scotland. Many coaches, and sportsmen in general, could learn from him.
But let's hope the Calcutta Cup gets bounced up and down Lothian Road tonight as it did in the good old days of John Jeffries etc.
The Scotland v England was a good game for a neutral. I thought England looked very good last week against a very shite Wales. It’s certainly blown the 6 Nations wide open for who’s playing for second place.
France to win in style. Wales to collect yet more woodwork.
Here’s a thought
Would Scotland do better in a 5 nations that didn’t include England?
I mean, beating England seams relatively straightforward, but it distracts from the rest of the championship.
Stick England in the 5/6 nations second division and you’d get a better championship.
(PS Please don’t take this seriously southern types)
First yellow was baked in especially where it happened. Hands on the ground no real separation and dragging ball out (that's what I that the time). His second yellow was a brain fart but if Steyn had landed more head down I'd think it would have been straighter red.
Ford really needs a bit more time with the ball so needs more protection in attack. He's good but Russell manages to play while in the weeds which is a massive difference and saved Scotland. A couple of things changes the match. Obviously the yellow/red, Russell escaping tackles to chip over and genge fluffing the gather, the charge down and try (reckon Arundel would have stopped that with his pace) and D'Arcy's exorcet try saving tackle.
The officials had a decent game but missed a few things. Obviously I see them more for one side than the other.
I'm still fuming about England's last try, at least one forward pass in the build up!
I'm still fuming about England's last try, at least one forward pass in the build up!