There is a bit of a 2nd row gap too. If palmer gets injured against Scotland it leaves 2 of Botha Parling and Attwood on and they are very inexperienced at that level, unless Croft goes in and then we lose a very capable back rower

Henson fit to face Reading Samoa on saturday….. Phew!

Shingler’s missed (The chance to play for a second rate team!)

Leaves him in an odd position, I think. Would Wales really want to play someone who didn’t (totally) want to play for them? ❓

Oops

Red faces at the SRU.

Shingler is way down the pecking order for 10 or 12 and not playing in wales means he has almost no chance of getting picked.

Scotland might have had a case in that the tier one nations are supposed to field an A team.Which is the usual cut off for rep rugby.Wales saving money by not,an A cap used to be the cut off as u20 was still considered junior.

Ducky, Wales play a U20 and 7s instead, which I believe the IRB has said is enough to satisfy the A-team requirement. (Could be wrong, though, I often am!)

the crucial thing was the French – both teams in the game have to be the second tier and sometimes the french have an A team sometimes they do not. teh previous year 2 guys played in the wales / france under 20 game and now are eligible to play for Ireland.

Is one of them Rhys O’Ruddock?

The SRU was referring to a ruling relating to Matthew Jarvis and James Loxton in which they believe a precedent has have been set allowing Shingler to feature for Scotland.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/16419741.stm

I’m actually looking forward to the 6N now.

TBH whilst i of course would love to see England win all their games, what i really want to see is a new sense of purpose and direction take hold in the England set up. If that means taking a series of losses along the way so be it. We got thumped by the Aussies a few years ago then went on to win a World Cup.
As long as the RFU don’t panic (again) and throw the baby out with the bathwater the tide will turn. There are some really good young players out there and we now have a once-in-a-generation chance to do something with them.

So we lose to Scotland? big deal, if it means a team is made from the process i’m happy.

The Calcutta cup game could be crucial and interesting. Whichever teams wins will be in a good place for the rest of the tournament. I wouldn’t like to bet on it 🙂

The Calcutta cup game could be crucial and interesting. Whichever teams wins will be in a good place for the rest of the tournament. I wouldn’t like to bet on it

Pretty much everyone else would be very happy to bet on it, TJ!

I’m not bothered if Scotland win so long as none of our English lads hurt Richie Gray – he has an important appointment in Stockport next September!

2004 since England last won at Murreyfield 🙂

Who are you supporting this year O’Flashearty?

I always look forward to your announcement. 🙂

Gosh, Darcy, that just keeps getting funnier every time you say it!

🙂

Oooh…sensitive. Just like your TeeJ baiting. 🙂

Too many changes, a team that hasn’t learnt to play attacking rugby together (think Barbarians) and don’t yet know how to grind out wins. England’s not getting hands on the Calcutta cup this year. Maybe if at HQ, but it’s not.

100!

DD – know where I can get any tickets for England Vs Wales that aren’t ridiculously expensive? I gather from the big’uns you’ve been giving it on all the rugby threads you might be affiliated to a club that have some knocking about 😀

Edit – wife and I would consider watching the Irish as well.

big’uns deluded? I’ve hardly contributed to them at all.

You wouldn’t be welcome at a Green Machine game(EDIT). My tickets contacts remain closely guarded. You can harass me and arrest me all you want. 🙂

MDwarf; should have spent the money on Jim Hamilton instead (waits for TJ to come gunning for me) Gray is a show pony, Hamilton is a big gnarly nasty man. I was at a course at Murrayfield in November and he was part of the squad get together…He is HUGE! I am 16 stone and the best part of 6″3″ but he was blocking out the light.I think he is more what your pack is needing. As an aside,with notice I can get tickets for any 6n game if given notice. We could have an STW get together in Embra next year.

duckman –
Gray is a show pony

He certainly neeeds to put in some performances to match his reputation in this 6 nations.

deadlydarcy – Member

Who are you supporting this year O’Flashearty?

I always look forward to your announcement.

Next he’ll be saying he’s drinking mates with the big name players… 🙂

Lock is going to be intresting for wales. Bradley davies has potntial and a lot to prove after being dropped and ian evans will either be rubbish or could just fulfill the promise he had before injury seemed to have ruined his career. He came on the scene with aw jones and eas considered the better player. After that its ryan jones and j thomas which is a scary thought.

I hope Gray has a good tournament, he certainly showed promise last time round. Steve Diamond has proven to be a pretty canny recruiter of personnel since he’s been at the helm for Sale so until proven otherwise i’ll trust his instincts. Sale have gone full circle it seems, from a team that had incredible backs but no pack worth the name, through the high points of 2003-2006 with a great pack and backs, a team that couldn’t buy a win to having some very good backs and a mediocre pack again. At this point i’m just hoping we can finish top 6 for HEC qualification and then attract some high-calibre players.

Gray is a show pony,

Hopefully this will go the way of your previous pronouncement ref Sale in a relegation battle! 😉

Both Muddydwarf and myself will be along to remind you (hopefully!

Gray underperformed badly at the WC. Didn’t look anything special at all.

surfer – Member

Gray is a show pony,

Hopefully this will go the way of your previous pronouncement ref Sale in a relegation battle!

Fair one; no relegation battle this year as both Wasps and Newcastle are still in the Premiership.And in all fairness night and day between how dire Sale were all over the park last year and how they played against tigers over the hols.But you need some dog in your pack, Gray isn’t it;especially this season,Maybe he needs a new challenge which England would provide.

So anyway here was me thinking the 6 nations might be some break for a welsh fan from watching the regions play like **** and now we have injured:

Roberts
Lydiate
Gethin
Priestland
AW Jones
Luke Girafferis

so the welsh team is looking like:

1/2p or Byrne
North
Williams
Davies
1/2p or Cuthbert
Hook
Phillips
Faletau
Warburton
erm… Ryan Jones?
Evans
Bradley Davies
Adam Jones
Rees
Paul James

even more worrying is that unless people get better or someone else is added to the squad, Agent Orange will be on the bench covering 10 and we all remember last time he did that in Ireland whilst having not played much rugby.

Given Edinburgh and Glasgow recent performances I do feel a bit more optimistic than I did

Will Robbo be brave and play some of the youngsters? Laidlaw must play 10

I do feel a bit more optimistic

😐

Robinson needs to get the backs over the try line – Doesn’t really matter how gruesome your pack is.

Feeling really confident, we’ve now got a Yorkshire man in charge of the red rose(?!?) – New captain, some promising flair in the 3/4’s.

just a bit unsure of the loose forwards.

Scotland have a pack to match any. Now we have some potential in the backs which might come to something if Robinson can find the courage to play them. we just need McVisser for the cutting edge.

Edinburghs backs today made London Irish look pretty ordinary with similar amounts of possession and Irish have a fair selection of recent England backs Delon Armitage Topsy Ojo Shontayne Hape Paul Hodgson all recent / current caps are they not?

1st – wales
2nd – Ireland
3rd – England
4th – France
5th – Italy
6th – That team that always thinks they can take on the world but realistically they couldn’t cope in the championship….. cant remember the name

Wales are on a high after the world cup and have a very strong team this year

jacko54321 – Member
1st – wales
2nd – Ireland
3rd – England
4th – France
5th – Italy
6th – That team that always thinks they can take on the world but realistically they couldn’t cope in the championship….. cant remember the name

Wales are on a high after the world cup and have a very strong team this year

Please refrain from posting while under the influence of crystal meth.

Tj what do you reckon the scottish 15 wil be. Oh and london irish are ordinary!

Cannot see wales winning in ireland given the injuries, glad Steven Jones has been added to the squad as cover for Priestland.

Some bunch of hobbits 🙂
A hobbit

the new Scottish Captain

Seriously Its hard to Guess the Scottish 15 – it all depends how braveRobbo is feeling and dare he play one of the young halfbacks?