6 nations thread, let the arguments commence

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This topic has 949 replies, 87 voices, and was last updated 13 years ago by anagallis_arvensis.

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6 nations thread, let the arguments commence
IdleJon
Free Member

TandemJeremy – Member
Its only sour grapes from me. I’m still disappointed how poor Scotland were. 2000 was the last time Scotland won owt IIRC

TJ, don’t be too depressed. IMO, and my opinion only probably, there was very little to choose between any of the 6N teams.

Forward pass here, shocking yellow card there, home advantage, crap refs (even Jiffy was complaining about SH refs on ScrumV). The difference between Wales (for instance) winning the 6N and coming 4th was 6 tries*

Now, I wouldn’t expect Italy to win the 6N, but they came close enough to beating more teams than just France. Scotland similarly lost games they could/should have won. A different ref, or even a slightly different ‘interpretation’ of the lawbook and Scotland may have beaten England, Ireland may have beaten Wales, and so on.

All credit to England. They almost won a GS and deserved to win the 6N. Just. But at the end of the competition there weren’t many teams holding their heads high.

England were worse at the end than the start.
Ireland were far better but why couldn’t they find that form weeks ago?
Wales look so badly set up it’s hard to believe that they’ll get out of the group stages of the WC.
Scotland keep looking as if the can take the next step. But then select Dan Parks in the next game.
Italy – most improved? Probably.
France. trying out the Welsh Improvement and Disaster-a-Week Management Plan. They should have been playing for the GS on Saturday, but forgot to win the week before.

* And to be fair, they were 6 tries that Wales couldn’t have scored if they’d been playing against my local primary school.

Posted 13 years ago

backhander
Free Member

A very good and accurate summary IdleJon. I thought that after the first week or 2 it was almost impossible to look at any game and confidently state a winner before the games. I much prefer it this way; competition is good for the game, the teams and the fans.

Posted 13 years ago

duckman
Full Member

Gents…speaking as somebody who has gone over to the Dark Side….Your local refs society would love to have you.Free kit,the best seat on the pitch without anybody running into you.And you might have a bit of empathy for how hard it is….Just saying like…

Posted 13 years ago

anagallis_arvensis
Full Member

Wales look so badly set up it’s hard to believe that they’ll get out of the group stages of the WC.

Now I have to take issue with this, the welsh lineout has been markedly improved this season, the scrum even without its two first choice props was OK. They aint going to beat Fiji and Samoa (who are effectively playing at home) by playing chuck it around beach rugby, they proved that at the last world cup. With the strong set piece and defence they have they should have enough to beat both those teams and they have become a very tough team to break down. Look at the welsh tries conceded, only two (1 from ireland and one from england) that I can think of came positive play by the opposition, most came from the welsh attack coughing up the ball.

Posted 13 years ago

Shandy
Free Member

That aging Ireland side looks to have a few miles left in it yet.

Posted 13 years ago

IdleJon
Free Member

duckman – Member
Gents…speaking as somebody who has gone over to the Dark Side….Your local refs society would love to have you.Free kit,the best seat on the pitch without anybody running into you.And you might have a bit of empathy for how hard it is….Just saying like…

Posted 7 hours ago # Report-Post

I posted a long reply which seems to have completely disappeared! 😥

Anyway, I finished it by saying keep up the good work, duckman.

I’ll reserve the right to call you names if you penalise my precious team too much, but the game needs people like you to do the work that lazy gits like me won’t!

Posted 13 years ago

ChunkyMTB
Free Member

The full set 😮

Posted 13 years ago

IdleJon
Free Member

anagallis_arvensis – Member

Wales look so badly set up it’s hard to believe that they’ll get out of the group stages of the WC.

Now I have to take issue with this, the welsh lineout has been markedly improved ……….

Yes, you are absolutely right, a_a, that’s why it’s so irritating that Wales haven’t got a clue what to do with ball when they get it. That’s what I mean by ‘badly set-up’.

This week on ScrumV, the pundits were talking about bringing Nicky Robinson into the team at 10 to inject some life. That sums up where we are only a few months before the World Cup.

Posted 13 years ago

anagallis_arvensis
Full Member

this made me laugh

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/article/39943/

oh and if Nicky Robinson is the answer the question is wrong.

Posted 13 years ago

Stuey01
Free Member

this made me laugh

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/article/39943/

I can see why you find this amusing, but surely this is just standard practice in the massive marketing machine that is professional sport these days?

Posted 13 years ago

anagallis_arvensis
Full Member

that’s why it’s so irritating that Wales haven’t got a clue what to do with ball when they get it.

wales clearly have at least two options:

1. Kick it away before they **** up and concede.
2. Chuck it to Shane.

Posted 13 years ago

IdleJon
Free Member

oh and if Nicky Robinson is the answer the question is wrong.

😆

wales clearly have at least two options:

1. Kick it away before they **** up and concede.
2. Chuck it to Shane.

unfortunately that is so true…

Posted 13 years ago

deadlydarcy
Free Member

I can see why you find this amusing

Yeah, because it’s **** hilarious 😆

Posted 13 years ago

duckman
Full Member

Pssst…option 2 is for a limited time only. What a genius that man was.

Posted 13 years ago

anagallis_arvensis
Full Member

Chuck it to North may well be the new option, he looks like he could be very good if he learns to tackle and keeps his pace.

Posted 13 years ago

IdleJon
Free Member

anagallis_arvensis – Member
Chuck it to North may well be the new option, he looks like he could be very good if he learns to tackle and keeps his pace.

Ah now then, we thought the same about Jamie Roberts.

But then Roberts turned into a sort of more handsome, more intelligent Derwyn Jones. Lumbering about the field looking generally useless.

It’s only now that they’ve wound the elastic up again that he can make 4 runs per match……..

Maybe that’s the problem. Welsh rugby players’ elastic bands aren’t strong enough. Or maybe they aren’t using Duracell?

Posted 13 years ago

villageidiot
Free Member

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OOPPS-England-Grand-Slam-Rugby-Polo-Shirt-Size-Medium-/260755148873?pt=UK_Rugby_Shirts&hash=item3cb637d049

Posted 13 years ago

Scamper
Free Member

Well, Nicky Robinson has been in outstanding form for Gloucester recenty and was MOM in the LV Final last weekend. Is it too late to take him into the fold?

Posted 13 years ago

anagallis_arvensis
Full Member

Problem is there are two Nicky Robinsons, Good Nicky and Bad Nicky and it has always been the latter who turns up for international duty.

Posted 13 years ago

IdleJon
Free Member

anagallis_arvensis – Member
Problem is there are two Nicky Robinsons, Good Nicky and Bad Nicky and it has always been the latter who turns up for international duty.

Or as soon as the opposition back row get to him..

Posted 13 years ago

duckman
Full Member

That was my reading of him as well.Playing behind a dominant pack he is superb,having to scrap/eat no7…Nicky who?

Posted 13 years ago

Scamper
Free Member

That’s a little unfair on this season in which Glos have played out a fair number of tight games. He probebly gets enough advice off the number 7 Gloucester legend that is Andy Hazel. He also does not mind taking the ball up himself when nothing is on.

Posted 13 years ago

IdleJon
Free Member

I’ve only seen him play for Glos a couple of times – hopefully it’s made him a harder player. He could be very good…

Posted 13 years ago

anagallis_arvensis
Full Member

so now we have the old he’s doing well in the english league so must be good enough argument!!!

He’s a decent player who has never stepped up when asked to play at international level, both Jones and Hook are far better. He is better than Dan Bighead but Dan Bighead is younger. Bit like all the southern hemisphere players who think Delve should be in the Welsh squad because he looks OK in Superdooper Wonderful Rugby.

Posted 13 years ago

Scamper
Free Member

No, but last time i looked many a player got picked for an international squad based on club form. Or isnt the English Premiership a good enough starting point compared to the oh, i don’t know, the Magner’s League for example?

Wasn’t that long ago Toby Flood was out of his depth at international level, but has improved. How many caps does he have compared to Robinson?

Posted 13 years ago

Pigface
Free Member

Robinson and Sweeney are similar in that they do well for there clubs but fall flat on the international stage. Nicky R has done well for Gloucester but Gatland seemed to rate Biggar for some reason.

Posted 13 years ago

anagallis_arvensis
Full Member

Toby Flood is what 25? Robinson must be almost if not actually 30 and has about a dozen caps, if he was oing to make an impression at international level he’d have done it by now.

Toby Flood is also a poor example as both Hook and Jones are better than him too 8)

No, but last time i looked many a player got picked for an international squad based on club form. Or isnt the English Premiership a good enough starting point compared to the oh, i don’t know, the Magner’s League for example?

if you look at Wales compared to England, Wales tend to identify talent and bring them on through the international set up much earlier than England (this is changing though). The ship has sailed for Nicky Robinson, which is why he went to Glos. He also played very well for Cardiff the year before he left when they got to the HEC semi final

Posted 13 years ago

Scamper
Free Member

Exactly my point. Age is not an issue and Robinson has only 12 caps, Flood was given 30 plus before he became settled.

Posted 13 years ago

anagallis_arvensis
Full Member

age is an issue because wales have better and younger options

Posted 13 years ago

anagallis_arvensis
Full Member

and to think we said such nice things about him!!

Posted 13 years ago