2012 6 Nations

[Bardon]

On the Ireland-Wales thing around the whole Warburton red card. There is a lot of bad blood between Ireland and Wales over that which makes this year strange as out of the 6Ns team the supporters are normally the closest.

Myself I think that Roland was spot on with the red card and all the bullshit afterwards was out of order. At the Wales game there were some Weslh fans a couple of seats down from us. So after the game I shook each of their hands and congratulated them and told them to go do the slam so that we wouldn't have lost for nothing. That's what our game is about, at least to me.

I really enjoy the style of rugby that Wales play and wish Ireland could finally get a backs coach to have our backline moving the same. Anyone who's watched Leinster this year knows the potential is there to do it, just the ideas are lacking. I'm glad Gafney is gone but disapointed there's no talk of a replacement.

As for when things will smooth over between Ireland and Wales, I think in just over a years time when the majority of the Lions are Welsh or Irish it wont be too hard to come together to hate you lot in Oz. Understand the hate is in the best spirit of the game, although individual players may earn themselves a lifetime of animosity due to some incident or other, the next time you guys play someone who isn't us the general good feeling towards Oz that exists among the Celts should return.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Think the single thing that made me most angry at the time was the leader of the Welsh assembly sticking his oar in. Anyway, I am going to do my protest this year although it will be strange wishing England to beat Wales.

As far as the Lions is concerned, I have come round to the belief that the Lions should be done away with and although the players love it I personally hope as few Ireland players as possible are on the squad. No sour grapes just think it places the SH teams on a pedestal and we would be better off competing as individual nations against them. And I am not alone in my opinion.

 

[spooony]

19 Year old Stuart Hogg makes his first start for Scotland. Scotland’s problem in their first two matches and basically most matches in recent years has been their finishing. They failed to turn all their possession and territory against England and made a mess of some opportunities against the Welsh.

France might take a bit of time getting into the game as they had a nice long break. Just hope they fire up the engine cause when they don't they look awful. But French always play better in the 6 Nations and have more constancy.

British Lions is a tradition started long ago and no matter what it should be continued. It is great for the game. The Lions has held its traditions better than any sporting team, even with the blip of 2005. The Lions is about picking the best of British and Irish talent and not about who's got the most numbers in it.

 

[Bardon]

The thing with France and Scotland I think is that the French can afford to start slowly and for the neutrals it would probably be a better spectacle. If Scotland are as wasteful as their opening two games it would only take France to click for 20 minutes for them to wrap up the game.

Knowing how Scotland tend to perform they'll probably run in 3-4 tries and still manage to lose. But if they did I wouldn't mind as it would be a pretty exciting game to watch as opposed to watching them butcher chance after chance leading to a one sided scoreboard.

Paddy,

On the Lions you're definitely entitled to your opinion. For me the Lions is one thing in Rugby I look forward to the most. I still like to see the celtic nations do well against the SH teams. If Ireland could win one test against NZ this year but the Lions lost 3-0 I'd not only take that and give my right arm for it, I'd probably give your right arm and any other right arm of ppl who were looking the other way when the devil offered me the deal.

When Ireland are playing I'm as green as you can get in my support of the lads, then when the Lions are playing I'm just as passionate in my support. But if it came to a choice between the 2 Ireland wins out everytime. I'm just glad I don't need to make a choice and I can enjoy supporting both. The way I see it is not putting the SH teams on a pedestal, rather saying we can put a scratch team together and come and beat you on your own patch.

Those who are for and against the Lions will never see eye to eye on that point but thankfully they're a whole lot more to this wonderful game for us to enjoy together. I just hope my head doesn't explode from watching 10 games across 6Ns and S15 this coming weekend.

On an Ireland note a one score win against Italy is not going to be good enough for me. We need a performance like the WC pool game but then to back that up in the rest of our games. Selection would seem to be focused on attaining the highest possible ranking for 2015 WC draw. So we should aim to win our remaining games. If we end up with only 1-2 wins and no new talent brought through it will be a completely wasted campaign in my opinion.

 

[Dai bando]

Paddy The red card effectively put us out of the WC, yet you 're surprised that some welsh men got a tad upset, Come on paddy thats just a reaction that has since dissipated.
As for you supporting England, well we all have our cross to bare,
In all honesty I cant see this England side beating us we have too much all over the field, again the ref may have some baring on the game, but still I see no reason for us to lose. I hope that does'nt come across as arrogant, but it has been many many years since I was able to say such a thing with some justification.
Welsh rugby in dissaray, reginal rugby yes, has been since the start, Could go into it in some depth but, this is not the thread for it.

 

[Dai bando]

Looking forward to the game, nerves are starting to kick in now. Warburton fit and playing but, James Hook has'nt recovered from Chicken Pox so Steve Jones has been called up for bench cover. Ryan Jones is droped to the bench to make room for Wyn Jones. a little harsh as Ryan has been playing well but Wyn Jones offers a bit more at the line out. Bring it on.

 

[Riptide]

Wales are simply too polished and well honed for an English team playing with new combinations at 9/10, and 10, 12, 13. They also have a new lineout caller in Parking who is earning his first 6N cap.

The Welsh backrow is right up there with the best in the game at present and well balanced. I dont think England will generate much quick ball off which to attack with any width against a well-tuned rush defense. Warburton is a stud at 7.

Wales win this comfortably.

 

[spooony]

if you want to put pressure on the Welsh then you attack Phillips lazy pass. Wales have been poor in the line outs. Englands problems is when they nick Wales ball what are they going to do with it?

 

[Dai bando]

if you want to put pressure on the Welsh then you attack Phillips lazy pass. Wales have been poor in the line outs. Englands problems is when they nick Wales ball what are they going to do with it?

questions have been asked of phillips before, he somehow always answers them, for the lions against the saffas he answered them all.

 

[spooony]

questions have been asked of phillips before, he somehow always answers them, for the lions against the saffas he answered them all.

If he do well Wales do well. But I am confused who won that series again? Or are you referring to the dead rubber after the series was already won and we fielded a wannabe side?

 

[Dai bando]

Ha Ha yeah, the question was about phillips, not the series, phillips aquited himself very well against you I thought and is one of the best 9s in the world, if Englands back row was as good as yours and their not they would still have a job of woork to do.
As for the lions we put a scratch side together every 3/4 years and you just managed to beat us, have a good day spoony I know I'm about to have one

 

[Bardon]

Hope you guys do it today Dai. The English players are talking a good game in the media over the last few days which normally means they're very worried, can't blame them really. Normally when they're quietly confident of turning you over they talk about how the other team are favourites and then quietly go about getting their preparation right.

Despite the difference in quality between the two teams I still think it will be a close one. England are very good at being better than the sum of their parts and somehow doing well with a team that looks like complete dross. They have a few stand out players but for all their depth over the last 6-7 years they remind me what Scotland would be like if they had enough players to pick 6 teams. The difference between the two is attitude and England's more positive (many would say arrogant) attitude allows them to play above themselves.

 

[spooony]

Ha Ha yeah, the question was about phillips, not the series, phillips aquited himself very well against you I thought and is one of the best 9s in the world, if Englands back row was as good as yours and their not they would still have a job of woork to do.
As for the lions we put a scratch side together every 3/4 years and you just managed to beat us, have a good day spoony I know I'm about to have one

If he plays well Wales plays well. I just hope he has a good game cause I do like seeing England lose. On the other hand although England been looking 1 dimentional and not creating much they do not concede much. It is strange to see them as going in as the underdogs. Lets see how Wales goes about it going into matches as the favorites for once.

As for the Lions it was the best the UK had to offer. It made up for the crap Carel Du Plessis made in 97 and Snor De Villiers is even more of a useless coach than he was. Lucky for him there was a foundation that was there and that saved him thx to Jake White.

 

[Dai bando]

The trouble with the lions is its played after a very hard season 12 -14 internationals Hieneken cup then the pro 12, not the best prepared side or not always the best players just whats left.
As for England this afternoon, your right we are usually the under dog, whicj suits us, going there as firm favourits might not sit to well with the team, but they must over come any trepidations they have and go there feeling confident, if we play like I know we can then I feel the outcome will favour us.
In saying that England will come to fight for every inch of ground, they do have some very good players, but they are a new side, combinations have not been tried or tested against better opposition, we shall see.
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[Dai bando]

Hope you guys do it today Dai. The English players are talking a good game in the media over the last few days which normally means they're very worried, can't blame them really. Normally when they're quietly confident of turning you over they talk about how the other team are favourites and then quietly go about getting their preparation right.
so do I Bardon, I work with several English and Scots, Monday if we were to lose would be a good day to call in sick
Despite the difference in quality between the two teams I still think it will be a close one. England are very good at being better than the sum of their parts and somehow doing well with a team that looks like complete dross. They have a few stand out players but for all their depth over the last 6-7 years they remind me what Scotland would be like if they had enough players to pick 6 teams. The difference between the two is attitude and England's more positive (many would say arrogant) attitude allows them to play above themselves.quite true, not as easy as some would have us think, as I've said in the earlier post their combinations have not yet had time to gell, our front row will hold its own at scrum time, our lineout is our weakness yet Englands is not of the highest quality, we neeed quick ball to cause them problems if we get it we have enough class behind to give them another bad day at the office.

 

[Bardon]

Well done to Nigel Owens for calling that Earls try and saving Joubert from going up stairs. TMO is a great option to have but it's nice to see a touch judge being direct when he knows it's a try.

 

[spooony]

Ireland up 10 - 3. Pathetic attempt from Botes to stop Earls though

 

[humanbeast]

Good game so far, enjoying watching Italy run the ball instead of kicking it away, hope it stays this close

 

[Bardon]

That try was nothing less than Italy deserved for their efforts. Ireland need to wake up and realise they're in a 6Ns game. I really like Murray and think he's our best scrum half but he's been unbelievably slow today. Not just him underperforming so far though not many in green would be happy with their performance.

 

[Bardon]

17-10 at half time flatters Ireland a little. Good work for Bowe's try and nice hands from Kearney to get the ball away to Ferris. Glad to see Ireland back themselves to get the try and go to the corner and then deliver.