Winters coming;all inclusive rugby thread.

Jim Telfer is right you know

It’s a crying shame when people you respect expose themselves as asshats.

Given the importance of momentum in the 6N, isn’t the current process a little unfair? (apologies upfront as I haven’t thought this through properly and I am about to make a slightly offensive (for some) assumption 😉 ). But let’s assume the odds are right and the winner is most likely to come from France, Wales, Ireland or England (very happy to eat humble haggis if necessary on Saturday – deep fried with ketchup and chips preferably!). The fact that Wales and Ireland play each other first puts them at a disadvantage to France and England. Wales in particularly seem to have been a momentum side recently, so that first match is crucial.

Probably not being very clear here, but looks like a slightly unfair draw for Wales and Ireland?

Ireland Team:
Kearney
Gilroy
BOD
Darcy
Zebo
Sexton
Murray
Healy
Best
Ross
McCarthy
Ryan
O’Mahony
SOB
Heaslip

Can’t believe he has brough SOB in at 7 instead of Chris Henry. Henry has been one of the standout players in Europe this season and would be a much better fetcher against Wales. Worried

Telfer is spouting some crap in that piece. Wales are surely one of if not the fittest team in the 6N, that doesn’t come by accident.

Telfer also laid into England’s Six Nations rivals Wales saying: “Wales is not an easy country to coach because, basically, the Welsh are lazy.

Asshat.

thm, It’s never a completely “fair” tournament with 2 home/3 home game splits, but it’s as good as it gets. Beat the team you’re playing then move on to the next game.
TBH, I quite like the look of Ireland’s fixture’s this year even though there’s only two homes , and not bothered in the slightest about playing Wales “first”, got to play them all anyway. Like having England and France in Ireland, best chance of a win even if it is a bit “all or bust”.

I soon realised that loum (ie never completely fair) and dont know what the answer is? Intriguing question though for England/France this time and others theoreticallly? For a first match would you prefer Scotland at home or Italy away. Much more obvious the other way round!

Pretty happy with that Scotland team. Johnson appears, for the most part, to have picked on form and not reputation and we even have a bit of pace in the backline…now if only they can catch and pass.

Good to see Zebo and Gilroy in the Ireland team as well. Despite being Scottish i am looking forward to this 6N lots of good attacking players around just now.

As for Telfers comments, as an Edinburgh supporter what he has said of the Welsh is pretty much what i have witnessed at Edinburgh this season, decent Heine cup run last year and some players think they only need turn up. We really need to get our game sorted before pointing out others flaws.

Can’t help but think that there might be a slight out of context issue with Telfer’s comments. This especially:

Coaching them, playing against and with them, I realised they had reached the top because they were the cream and had not necessarily worked all that hard to get there. Wales do produce very good rugby players.

says to me that there is more to it since it’s so bizzare and contradictory.

Welsh press trying to get the team and fans pissed off and fired up or Telfer losing his marbles?

Telfer was talking to the Daily Mail originally. Is balance and context ther cornerstone of their reporting 😉

Telfer was talking to the Daily Mail originally

I didn’t know that. Target audience and all that, eh?
He sounds like a typical reader.

Telfer also laid into England’s Six Nations rivals Wales saying: “Wales is not an easy country to coach because, basically, the Welsh are lazy.

fixed it for Jim:

Telfer also laid into England’s Six Nations rivals Wales Scotland saying: “Wales Scotlandis not an easy country to coach because, basically, the Welsh Scottish are lazy shit.

Ireland intrigue me this season as their backs look stronger than their pack.

Coaching them, playing against and with them, I realised they had reached the top because they were the cream and had not necessarily worked all that hard to get there. Wales do produce very good rugby players.

fixed it for Jim:

Coaching them, playing against and with them, I realised they had reached the top because they were the cream and had not necessarily worked all that hard to get there cheat. Wales do produce very good rugby players.

A_A Scotland are not sh1t. We just look it because all the grease on our fingers from the deep fried salads makes it hard to catch a ball, hang on to a tackle etc. Saying it before someone else does 😉

Besides if last years BBC blog stats are to be believed, Scotland are pretty decent.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tomfordyce/2012/01/why_scotland_are_better_than_e.html

Joking apart that Scotland pack looks strong and could well cause england problems

Stop believing all the shite spouted on here, the 6 nations defies prediction based on form, especially Wales. There is all kind of possibles and could well do’s, most people on here just use the forum as as a vehicle to be one eyed and try to piss off their favourite enemy.

Yeah joking aside I am pretty happy with scotland team and i think most of the matches will be close.

However I think France may just do the slam this year they have the potential to have one of the great backlines with fofana, fickou, michalak, buttin, parra, bastareaud…the list goes on and their forwards are not to shabby either.

Stop believing all the shite spouted on here, the 6 nations defies prediction based on form, especially Wales. There is all kind of possibles and could well do’s, most people on here just use the forum as as a vehicle to be one eyed and try to piss off their favourite enemy.

How wrong you are. Its quite sad for you. Most here enjoy the endless debate and piss taking and dont take it too seriously.

the 6 nations defies prediction based on form, especially Wales.

the 6N rarely defies predictions based on form*, other than throwing up the odd result like Italy beating Wales (repeatedly! 🙄 )

But if you mean based on form as seen by the normal 6N viewer who watches no rugby at all through the year apart from the 6N and expects England or France to romp it just because, or Wales to sneak it because they did last year, take breath, then you might be right. 🙂

*England squad:*

*Forwards (13):* Dan Cole, Dylan Hartley, James Haskell, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Joe Marler, Ben Morgan, Geoff Parling, Chris Robshaw, Mako Vunipola, David Wilson, Tom Wood, Tom Youngs,

*Backs (10):* Chris Ashton, Brad Barritt, Mike Brown, Danny Care, Owen Farrell, Toby Flood, Alex Goode, David Strettle, Billy Twelvetrees, Ben Youngs.

“Players released:” Mouritz Botha, Lee Dickson, Ben Foden, Jonathan Joseph, Matt Kvesic, Ugo Monye, Henry Thomas, Billy Vunipola, Thomas Waldrom

so either 12trees starts or Flood and Farre start, intresting.

so either 12trees starts or Flood and Farre start, interesting.

Interesting in the sense that England are liable to revert to type and bosh it up front then kick it in the air and run after it – unless Scotland are inept enough to let them score a bunch of tries.

Tuilagi is the only player who can (literally) break the gain-line and he’s not there so it’s the same old problem in midfield.

I think 36* could be a great England player, especially alongside his old tigers back line, Farrell could make any centre look awful! He’s strong and very creative with an awesome boot. First test though so won’t make a huge impact.

* twelvethrees geddit?

As a Scotsman i look at that England squad and think man for man Scotland save for a couple of positions are a match for them. However i would also say that England as a team are greater than the sum of their parts at present.

Lets hope we get some good rugby this weekend.

Predictions
England by less than 7
Ireland by 5-10
France by 7-14

@stephenjones9: Have it on good authority that Wales team more hit by injury than we thought and dramatic new cap up front from the Parade ..__________________

Coombs…. Shit

Concensus of the boys in the Office in Swansea is that we will turn over the Paddies, I am not convinced at all. I fear a bleak 6 Nations 🙁

Pigface the consensus in my office in Belfast is the same! I’m really worried that we won’t see much of the ball, despite turnip head Deccie protesting that a back row with two 6’s is the best combination. Its possible that Wales will play with two 7’s so how we are going to win ruck ball I don’t know. Chris Henry has been in outstanding form and should have been starting at 7 with POM or SOB at 6.

I think we could struggle at scrum time especially if Healy or Ross were to get injured. The replacement props are iffy to say the least. Kilcoyne is a young prop who would struggle with Adam Jones and Fitzpatrick has played about 10 mins of rugby this season.

We have the backs to do a bit of damage but we will need the ball to do so.

Being suggested on gwlad

15. Halfpenny
14. Cuthbert
13. Davies
12. Roberts
11. North
10. Biggar
9. Phillips
1. Jenkins
2. Rees
3. Jones
4. Evans
5. Coombs
6. Shingler
8. Faletau
7. Warburton__________________

Irish backs are midgets by comparison. If welsh forwards do their job welsh backs could do a number on the irish like they did last year. If Bod breaks and Earls replaces him ireland are screwed. That said i still favour ireland.

The odd thing is Ireland have picked a fast exciting backline but no 7. If Wales pick Tips and Warbs or Warbs and Shingler all of whom are very rapid and ireland spread it wide they might come unstuck. But then sending the irish backs down the middle against Roberts and Davies et all could be messy too. Best just kick it to the corners and pressure the shit welsh lineout. Too close a game to call imo.

And the consensus in my office in Swansea is that the Swans had a huge queue for tickets. No talk at all about the 6N!

Its possible that Wales will play with two 7’s so how we are going to win ruck ball I don’t know.

Drive over the top in from the side and flop on the ball same as Ireland have done for years? 😉

Too close a game to call imo.

+1.

No Toby Flood for england seems crazy to me. What do the Englanshire fans think

If Scotland can keep the penalty count down i think we have a chance. I think our backrow and back three are better.

Another question: DO you view the Scottish as unfit? (the rugby team not the nation in general)

Beattie definately has performed well this season, but at club he is alongside Ouedraogo, Gorgodze, Tulou, Galletier, Bias (there’s a lot of choice at Montpellier for the 3rd row and they’re arguably the best in the top14)
I’d like to see what he can offer with a less rehearsed group.

ijs445ra – Member

If Scotland can keep the penalty count down i think we have a chance.

The problem is that playing at Twickenham the penalty count will be in England’s favour – home advantage, noisy crowd, English team constantly whinging at ref and all that.

If Scotland can keep the penalty count down i think we have a chance. I think our backrow and back three are better.

Although I don’t agree that your backrow is better (although your second row is very impressive indeed), I think you have more than a chance. With marler and youngs in the front row, we will get smashed in the scrum.
We have a OH who doesn’t play the position full time, a wing who is out of position, a debutant outside centre and a SH with little imagination.

The problem is that playing at Twickenham the penalty count will be in England’s favour – home advantage, noisy crowd, English team constantly whinging at ref and all that.

Have you seen who the ref is?

Is the ref Jim Telfer? 🙂

Even worse than that….
A man who is near the front of the queue for my fantasy mass grave.

Is it Alain???

It is indeed.

😆 I feel your pain.

As a Scotsman i look at that England squad and think man for man Scotland save for a couple of positions are a match for them. However i would also say that England as a team are greater than the sum of their parts at present.

I agree with everything other than the first sentence.

England more than 20 points clear, easy.