Six Nations Rugby

[SS2]

Six Nations Rugby

I love it, it is just the best (non-golf) sporting event of the year.

I will, as usual, be supporting Scotland but here's my thoughts on the runners:

Wales: reigning champs and playing great rugby. Entertaining to watch and residents of the best stadium in world rugby. They should avoid the potential banana skin of a defeat in their first game at Murrayfield. Unlikely to get the Slam for a second year but certainly string contenders for the title.

England: Martin Johnston needs to distil some of his incredible self-belief into his players. Lots of young talent but where amongst them are the likes of Dallaglio, Back, Guscott, Carling,Wilkinson and Andrew?

France: Always enigmatic. Should be challenging for the title but they only have 2 home games this season.

Ireland: Some fabulous individual talents that can sometimes gel into a formidable outfit. Disappointing last year with just 2 wins, a lot will rest on getting the best out of their undoubtedly talented back line

Scotland: With such a small pool of players to pick from (even less than Italy), anything other than the wooden spoon would normally be acceptable. Hadden has had a few years to try to work his magic and a few class players have emerged but the Dan Parks questions remain...

Italy: Slowly but surely improving every year. Their Rugby is still a bit one dimensional but they are no longer getting thrashed every game. Their opening match against England will be crucial; a win would be astonishing but even a loss by less than 20 points might be acceptable to their fans.

 

[HTL]

Agree with all you have said mate, cant wait for it to kick off.

Still cant get my head around picking Goode at 10 for England, WTF?

Welsh team looks very strong! Get in!

 

[theeaglehunter]

The Millenium stadium is very over rated! I would say Twickenham is far superior but thats just my opinion.

As for the on pitch proceedings I fancy wales to do well again and England to fail miserably. As recent years have proven though it is a highly unpredictable tournament on all accounts- the only teams you can write off for the title in my opinion are Scotland and Italy, and even this is a risky dismissal.

I just hope England play with pride that wins back the respect of the rugby world which has perhaps fallen in recent times. I don't expect them to win or really pose a challenge but as long as they play with pride and determination, giving nothing away cheaply I will be content.

 

[Range_Ball]

Hope England perform they need to or there will be major questions asked. Have to agree wales look like a good strong team. France and Ireland will also be contenders and you never know Italy may surprise a few teams. All in all should be a great contest can't wait. Who do think will win my heart says England my head says France.

 

[nomadpaul]

..................Still cant get my head around picking Goode at 10 for England, WTF?

I think Martin Johnson has gone with what he knows best....and safe.

Goode is a fairly reliable outhalf , not prone to too many mistakes but not too much of a risk taker. Perhaps MJ wants a steady start to the six nations just to steady the ship , after the poor autumn internationals

 

[Range_Ball]

I can see why he as gone with Goode but MJ has a lot of pressure to deliver some results, we were absolutely shocking in the last internationals and i feel England need a good Six Nations to prove that we are still a top team i suppose i just miss the fire that we once had and ned to get it back.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Wales to win but not the grand slam.

 

[vig]

I have a sneaky feeling that Ireland will win it this year

i'd just settle for 5 good consistent performances from England

 

[GB72]

I can understand picking Goode as a safe option in the first match but would not be surprised to see the half back pairing of Ellis and Cipriani in for next week.

 

[SS2]

Goode could be just what England need: a safe pair of hands who'll let the talent outside him do the damage.

Just read this morning that Hadden has dropped Paterson for the opener v Wales. I just hope that Godman has got his kicking boots on for Sunday's clash.

Anyway, bring it on and let's just hope for some top class rugby.

 

[jonesuk]

I love the 6 nations too. As ever it is wide open and a lot will depend on how well the teams start.

I think its between the usual 4 teams for the title but will be closer than last year (no slam).

AS for England I think they will grind out a couple of wins, have 1 or 2 good performances, and probably lose 1 maybe 2. Should hopefully be an improvement on the Autumn Internationals.

 

[SS2]

Well, the game at Twickenham wasn't a particularly good way to start the tournament. I hope Italy keep Bergamasco as Scrum half when they come to Edinburgh because he was appalling. Great flanker but an appalling scrum half. At least Martin J got a decent win and 5 tries to boot but sterner tests await his team and I think the jury is still out on England.

The Ireland-france game was a cracker, more of that please. Great to see Gordon Darcy back on the pitch; him and oDriscoll are a dream pairing when both are fit and on song. The "cheese-eating surrender monkeys", as Clarkson would no doubt call them, played with typical Gallic flair but a deserved win for the Irish.

 

[Imurg]

England were awful.

They only scored because Italy are rubbish. At least Italy scored a "proper" try. I don't get this ping-pong kicking back and forth - why not run with it for a change. Our backs hardly got the ball and when they did they either dropped it or kicked it.

I can't believe that Bergomasco was scrum-half. The guy who came on at half-time for him wasa real No.9 and it showed. But by then Italy had lost the game.

If England play that way against Wales, France and Ireland they are going to get slaughtered. Might beat the Jocks doing it though!

 

[vig]

There was more entertainment in 15 mins of the cracking Ire v Fra game than the whole of the England game.
I do fear we are in for a drubbing if we don't improve AND Quick!
Italy played the better rugby with the exception of scrum half, Bergamasco, Why???

Goode was steady but not good (no pun intended) for an expansive game

 

[SS2]

Might beat the Jocks doing it though!

They might but we are well used to defeat and anything other
than a severe humping is treated as acceptable in Scotland.

England, on the other hand, seem to think that they have a divine right to have the best football, rugby and cricket teams in the world. And, to be honest, they probably have the resources to be up with the best at all three.

It just seems that there is always a huge hierarchy of coaches, trainers, managers and others along for the jolly which seem to make England underperform in recent years. Capello seems to be going in the right direction but the rugby and cricket hierarchies have a lot to answer for.

 

[SS2]

Wales were great yesterday, full of confidence and power.

Scotland were poor, too many mistakes.

 

[HTL]

Wales were great yesterday, full of confidence and power.

Scotland were poor, too many mistakes.

Wales were good for the first 20 minutes then fell apart, they were trying to do too much and forgot about the basics. Think we will win this year but not the grand slam.

 

[Range_Ball]

Best game of the w end Ireland France if Ireland play like that for the rest of the comp then they will win it no problems.Wales put in a good proformance and will only get better. As for England yes a win but what a complete farce MJ must be pulling his hair out individually England have good players but put them together and what a cluster they had better raise there game for next week.