Six Nations / Lions

[lifetime fan]

Those Italian kits are boss, easily the best out of any this year.

 

Just ordered the white away one.

 

 

Arrived today, looks boss.

[George Costanza]

England v France tomorrow and finally France have picked a proper rugby side. Should be one hell of a battle and I'm looking forward to Tuilagi and Bastareaud thumping into each other. Its going to be a bruiser. Low scoring but a proper test match.

 

Wales will beat Italy and Ireland will edge Scotland in an entertaining game

[lifetime fan]

Welsh scrum is looking excellent.

[lifetime fan]

And the heavens open.

[Rapey Hugh]

Welsh scrum is looking excellent.

 

Jones must have found his way out of Cian Healy's pocket!

[lifetime fan]

Andy Robinson joins Bristol as DoR on a 4 season contract.

[gaz181]

A bit of breathing space for Wales with that try. Conditions are really ruining these games up to now, teams are playing no risk rugby. Playing for territory rather than creative rugby.

[Trumo]

The referee's name is 'Roman Twat'?

[gaz181]

Good solid win that for Wales, could have been by a bigger margin but I'm happy enough.

 

England-France should be an interesting game, surely France are better than what they've shown so far in this tournament.

[Red Banjo]

Gonna be a tense 15 minutes here.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Got this now, we have bossed this second half, had the better ball control.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Very good second half by us, deserved and hard fought win. Always nice to beat the French, just hope we stuff the Welsh too.

[George Costanza]

If France had have picked their starting XV in the previous 2 games they would have won them both.

 

Bruising game, France the better team in the first half and the subs swayed it back to England. England maintained their level with a strong bench while France became disjointed with their's.

[gaz181]

England were very good in that 2nd half, they got stronger the longer the game went on. France seem to shoot themselves in the foot over and over again.

[lifetime fan]

Wood was excellent.

[Rapey Hugh]

It's amazing how France manage to continuously fuck themselves every chance they get. Some of those subs were mind blowingly retarded. Parra is one of those players that everyone wants in their team, and to take him off just after you introduce Flakey Freddie is criminal. Felt bad for Picamoles, near MOTM performance for me.

 

As much as I respect the English side and their teamwork/ commitment to the game plan it's painful to watch a team that uninventive trundle towards a grand slam. But then again it's up to the rest of us to be better and so far we've failed ( that said I don't fancy a trip to Cardiff in for a grand slam being to easy!) Barret is a solid defender but IMO he doesn't offer enough and the idea that the total scumbag shitbird that is Lawes can start ahead of Armitage is madness. That Launchbury is a unit though!

 

Tomorrow could be painful for us missing so many but as long as that back 3 is kept quiet scotland are there for the taking!

[Rapey Hugh]

Mongo double post

[RedKnight]

Wales are gaining their confidence back and if they can see off Scotland then the showdown in Cardiff will be exciting. Although I expect England to win by scoring no tries and just kicking endless penalties.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Wales are gaining their confidence back and if they can see off Scotland then the showdown in Cardiff will be exciting. Although I expect England to win by scoring no tries and just kicking endless penalties.

 

We have scored 5 try's to your 6, not exactly a massive margin in your favour, plus we still have to play the Italians. If we beat you lot by kicking penalties i would still enjoy it, it is all part of the game.

[George Costanza]

England do need another option than Barritt, someone more like Greenwood who offers more in attack than maybe a defensively strong centre. Twelvetrees and Joseph are the most likely candidates.

 

This England team does have a good future and if they avoid injuries to key players will only get better over the next few years. We also have superb strength in depth as well as the subs yesterday proved.

 

I've been hugely impressed with Robshaw, he's been superb in every game and leads the team by example. When they have everyone & available for selection it will be interesting to see who becomes regular starters at 6 & 8 between Wood, Croft, Armitage, Haskel & Morgan

[sir roger]

Assuming both win their next game, I would make Wales slight favourites for the last game, with England to win the championship on points difference.

 

I think England have a decision to make on Ashton as he has been awful for a while & his 'tackle' on Fofana was cringeworthy. I would also have Care over Youngs at the moment although both are decent.

 

I think England have the players to be a very good team, but need to swallow a bit of pride with Armitage & sort out 10 & 12/13 as I don't think a kicker without generalship like Farrell will win us a World Cup and while I appreciate Barritts talents, they are too defensive in origin. Tuilagi already givs us some biff in the centre so I think we need a ball-player to complement him.

 

With Armitage in & Corbisiero back, the pack looks good.

[mrw74]

Once again we have a fun weekend of 6 nations rugby that brought more questions that answers!!!

 

Why did the French make those ridiculous substitutions? They were playing some excellent rugby and took off their better players and it all went to pot. As others have said, if they'd put out that team against both Italy and Wales, then they wouldn't be lying bottom of the table.

 

How did Ireland manage to lose that game? They were in total control and somehow messed it up. Why couldn't they have done that a few weeks ago in Cardiff.

 

Scotland - love the commitment and tenacity and they really battled hard to stay in the game and did what they they had to do to win. It sets up the match against Wales perfectly.

 

As for Wales....well, the first half did send me to sleep, but the scrum looked solid, and when they finally got ball to the backs, they showed what they can do. We need a victory against Scotland to set up what would be a fascinating battle with England in Cardiff.

 

England, well, they are just doing what England have traditionally done, grinding out results, the performances aren't brilliant, but they are getting the right results, and that's all that matters in any sport.

 

I hope it comes down to the final match in Cardiff, as I'm away for the weekend in Wales, with 5 English mates, who know fuck all about rugby, but love giving me stick when Wales lose.

 

Any cemented places in the Lions test team yet?

[Welsh]

Be interesting to see if Halfpenny does get the full back position, I think he will purely based on Gatland managing him in the past, however, Stuart Hogg probably deserves it more.

[lifetime fan]

Wales at home, last game of the tournament to deny England the Grand Slam.

 

You can guarantee there'll be no flat atmosphere at the Millenium for that match.

[mrw74]

Be interesting to see if Halfpenny does get the full back position, I think he will purely based on Gatland managing him in the past, however, Stuart Hogg probably deserves it more.

 

Good comment that one. Hogg has impressed me recently, but I think that Halfpenny's all round game is just edging him clear. His positional sense seems better, is very impressive under the high ball and his place kicking has become Neil Jenkins-esque for accuracy and consistency.

 

Plus, as you say, Gatland knows him and will have seen the improvement in his game over the past few years.

 

I saw on twitter the other day, that Jiffy reckons that Phillips is cert for the number 9 jersey, opinions anyone?