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RE: Six Nations 2012

Thought 1.

Final table

France

Wales

Ireland

England

Italy

Scotland

Thought 2

Scotland are playing uninspired rugby, they keep picking past it players , and their coach is Andy Robinson.  Does this remind you of any other country 6-7 years ago ? ROBINSON you are an A1 forwards coach, you are not a supremo.

Thought 3

Please please please please somebody find an English centre with an ounce of inspiration.

Thought 4

I played the game for 20 years and never saw a single spear tackle.  This stupid tactic must be eradicated now.  If a few players are harshly sent off - tough, better that than broken necks. Rugby is already hard physical game, it does not need reckless stupidity to prove itself.  I know what I'm talking about, I wasn't a prancing fairy, I proudly wore No. 2 on my back.

Thought 5

Charlie Hodgson - why ?  He got lucky with a try, but apart from that he was a liability, poor catcher, tackler and kicker.

Thought 6

Why do refs allow scrum halves to cheat at every scrum.  feeding shouldn't be a yellow card offence it should be a hand chopping off offence. 

Er, I'd better do some work

RE: Six Nations 2012

 Well what a brilliant win for Wales then, yes the performance was patchy at times and Scotland played really well, but it was a good game and a very good game too. Wales played well both up front and through the backs. Dan Lydiate was awesome, really nullifed the Scottish back row, especially coming straight back from injury. Aaron Shingler did well filling Warburton's shoes in his first cap for Wales and Ryan Jones was his superb self again, why do some fans think he's past it i dont know. A true warrior for the cause.

The backs again were superb. Leigh Halfpenny, what a player! He can score great tries and kick brilliantly. A points machine par excellence! Jonathan Davies and Jamie Roberts are turning into a great centre partnership, with Davies maturing in every game. A dangerous duo. Alex Cuthbert did well too, scoring a great first try for Wales and was good in support and defence. I hope George North is not too seriously injured for the Triple Crown game at Twickers, he will be a big loss.  However with players like James Hook on the bench and Matthew Rees and Alun Wyn Jones coming back from injury things are looking good!

Im feeling confident for the England game, whilst England will be tough opponents, they have not been convincing in their wins against Scotland or Italy and i think for a change the Welsh pack has the beating of the English pack too. There is no one to fear from the pack and because of that the likes of Foden and Ashton havent been able to shine.

As for the other games, Italy should have beaten England, just like against Scotland it was a bit of opportunism from Hodgson's charge down and Farrell's kicks. Italy did have the beating of England's pack but lacked the backs to due damage. Sergio Parrise is one of the best players in the world but Italy need more like him sadly.

What a farce for the France vs Ireland game, why hadnt that been cancelled earlier? Sub zero temperatures all week in Paris would have given the pitch no chance to be playable. But the biggest farce was that the Stade De France does not have undersoil heating. One of Europe best sporting stadia built for the 1998 World Cup and no undersoil heating. WTF!!!

Well bring it on the Triple Crown!!! 

RE: Six Nations 2012

darthifan said:

England will be tough opponents, they have not been convincing in their wins against Scotland or Italy and i think for a change the Welsh pack has the beating of the English pack too. There is no one to fear from the pack and because of that the likes of Foden and Ashton havent been able to shine.

Hmm not sure I agree with much of this.

1. On current form I don't think we will be tough opponents, I fear the papers the day following the game will include the word "humiliation"

2. I think we will actually beast you in the tight, but hartley has the cows arse bamjo interface problems which have been the bane of all England hookers in the lineout since Moore.  In the loose I concede we are poor, Robshaw is not international class.

3. The lack of Foden Ashton and Strettle is more to do with problems from 9-13, rather than the pack.

4.  How to win.  use the back row to attack Hodgson down the number 10 channel, the English defence is forced narrow, George North gets a hatful round the outside.

I am afraid, very afraid 

RE: Six Nations 2012

Nobody knows how good or bad this England team is yet.  The pack has been awesome, where as the Welsh pack got demolished by both the Irish and the Scots.  England haven't shown any attacking prowess, but the Welsh have been semi exciting in attack.  Will Lancaster have the bollocks to pick Lawes, Dickson, Tuilagi, Morgan and Flood? Or will he do a Martin Johnson and stick with the obvious donkeys? Only time will tell. 

England by 7

RE: Six Nations 2012

There's no denying the fact that your lineout has been crap and your has scrum spent a lot of time going backwards..  England on the other hand pushed the supposedly superior packs of Italy & Scotland all over the park.  But we also have problems in the lineout.

RE: Six Nations 2012

Is it over yet - can I come out from behind the sofa?

(I might be Scottish btw)

RE: Six Nations 2012

 It WASNT a try and if England were a "better" team they would have capitalised when Wales were down to 14 men. 

England won the first half 9-6.

Wales outscored England in the second half 10-3 with a period down to 14 men too.

That says it all really.

We win the Triple Crown  

RE: Six Nations 2012

To quote a well known gay welsh comedian.  I know cos I was there.

I was sitting in the North east corner of twickenham and I clearly saw Strettle ground the ball.  I understand why it wasn't given, but that doesn't alter what I clearly saw with my own eyes.  I was in the perfect place, the ref and the TV cameras weren't.

Add to that the 10m welsh knock on which immediately preceded one of their penalties, and the final score could've been 17-16 (assuming Flood didn't get the final kick).

Actually 19-19 would probably have been the perfect score for the game.

I have to say howver that Steve Walsh had a terrible game, inconsistent for both sides.  But then he is consistently inconsistent.  I always groan when I see he is going to be the ref

RE: Six Nations 2012

smartcooky ,your on drugs son!!

RE: Six Nations 2012

I thought Strettle got the try (only Welshman you'll probably ever hear say this).  I thought he might have applied downward pressure with his thumb.  Evidence for me was in the video replay and the look on George North's face after he pushed the ball back over the line.

Still unimpressed with Welsh back play with exception of Scott Williams and he only scored because he chipped the ball through instead of trying to bodily smash himself through a non existent hole in the English defence even though he blew a simple score much earlier too.

Tuilagi was great as was Barritt and that game could have gone either way including being a draw, had Strettle "officially" scored I would have said Flood would most likely have made the kick as he is an amazing place kicker too.

Warburton man of the match? Yeah ok but I would have said Tuilagi & Strettle were there or thereabouts too.  So congrats to my lucky Welsh boys and my commiserations to a very unfortunate English team.

RE: Six Nations 2012

dolls said:

Id be on here a lot more if that was the case Archibald ! ;-) , how are you mate ? , long time no speak . Hope all is well with you and yours ya bewt . xxxx

I'm good thanks dude. Getting out in the van, 2 dogs to walk, very busy at work  that sort of thing.

 After yesterdays draw i think Wales are a shoe in for the Grand Slam, unfortunately.

But England have played better than i thought they would, things are looking good for them for the next 2/3 tears.

You still running ??

RE: Six Nations 2012

dolls said:

.

If George north would have scored early doors when he was ankle tapped the flood gates might have oppened but it proved to be a tough test for us.Nice to see hartley and co breathing out of theyre arses at the scrum ( what do you reccon Smartcoocky ?)

   

                                       

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my thoughts exactly.

after watching sundays game France dont look awesome. Gatland has picked the strongest side available against Italy and we should win and then hopefully Warburton fit for the French game. 

RE: Six Nations 2012

 Nice to see the British Lions front row back in action too!! Matthew Rees is a top performer and its great to see him back. 

As for Ryan Jones he has been superb this year for both Wales and the Hairsprays. Your comparison dolls to Richard Hill is a good one, two tough world class players who give a 100%  all the time. Why do some welsh fans say he's past it i dont know! However Dan Lydiate has been superb too, with his tackling and workrate too. Also he its not a lock so with the return of AWJ and Charteris he shouldnt be at lock. But what a player to bring on off the bench!

Ian Evans deserves a lot of credit too. he has done well at the lineout, tackled hard, good workrate and carried well. He has really stepped up to the plate. 

My predictions on the weekends games:

Wales vs Italy. Wales by +15 points 

Ireland vs Scotland. Ireland by 10

France vs England. Depends which French team turns up. Either France by 10 or England by 6