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2012 6 Nations

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Peter Fenwicke (45)
T

My Possible Lions 2013 team:
1. G.Jenkins
2. R. Ford
3. A. Jones / D.Cole
4. R.Gray / C.Lawes
5. P. O'Connell
6. S.Ferris
7. S.Warburton
8. T.Faletau / D.Denton

Pardon about the ignorance as I don't follow much European football due to not having pay-tv, but what happened to Sean O'Brien?
 
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spooony

Guest
Lancaster is recieving praise from Brian Ashton for how he's handled the England job. I like how Ashton is pretty much warning the RFU to do to Lancaster what they did to him i.e. drop him like a hot potato as soon as a shiny big name shows interest in the job. Have a lot of respect for Ashton.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17187007
Apparently he is building for 2015.

Here is the team for me so far

Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Brad Barritt, Jamie Roberts, Max Evans, Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips pushed by Conor Murray, Alex Corbisiero, Rory Best, Adam Jones, Richie Gray, Paul O’Connell, Tom Croft, Sam Warburton (capt), Jamie Heaslip pushed by David Denton
 

Bardon

Peter Fenwicke (45)
O'Brien's form has been patchy since the WC. If he's going to start for the Lions it would probably be at 6, but Ferris has been one of the form players this season in Europe and if his knee holds up he'll probably be the 6 for the Lions. There are probably 6-7 player competing for those 3 back row spot at the moment and given another year of development I would add Peter O'Mahony and Ben Morgan to that list.

If Warburton is named captain then he's nailed on at 7 potentially leaving 8 guys to compete for 6 and 8. Once the squad is annouce you could probably make a pretty tasty back row just from guys who didn't make the squad, that's assuming they don't do a Woodward and select anyone who's every heard of rugby in the squad.
 
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spooony

Guest
O'Brien's form has been patchy since the WC. If he's going to start for the Lions it would probably be at 6, but Ferris has been one of the form players this season in Europe and if his knee holds up he'll probably be the 6 for the Lions. There are probably 6-7 player competing for those 3 back row spot at the moment and given another year of development I would add Peter O'Mahony and Ben Morgan to that list.

If Warburton is named captain then he's nailed on at 7 potentially leaving 8 guys to compete for 6 and 8. Once the squad is annouce you could probably make a pretty tasty back row just from guys who didn't make the squad, that's assuming they don't do a Woodward and select anyone who's every heard of rugby in the squad.
O'Driscoll is he taking a time out? His body is starting to feel the effects but one can not leave him out.
 

Bardon

Peter Fenwicke (45)
BoD had long over due surgery on his shoulder just before Christmas. He'd been playing with one shoulder for over a year. No one is really sure how good he'll be when he comes back but he'll definitely be in the mix for the squad and probably a starting spot.

I'm sure after the 6Ns many will have forgotten how good he is but he'll have almost a year to remind them once he's back playing. I don't think he'll be up for captain as he'll probably just want to focus on his own game when he's back.
 
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spooony

Guest
Captain or not if he can get up to his best or around there he is one weapon you do not want to leave behind as he loves to perform against Australia.
 

the plastic paddy

John Solomon (38)
BoD had long over due surgery on his shoulder just before Christmas. He'd been playing with one shoulder for over a year. No one is really sure how good he'll be when he comes back but he'll definitely be in the mix for the squad and probably a starting spot.

I'm sure after the 6Ns many will have forgotten how good he is but he'll have almost a year to remind them once he's back playing. I don't think he'll be up for captain as he'll probably just want to focus on his own game when he's back.
Report in Indo that BOD is hoping to be back playing in April; one of the lads on MF who knows him says the recuperation has almost gone too well (touchwood) in that he has been tearing the place up to come back quicker than he should and no one will be surprised to hear he is a bit of an impatient fecker. Has stated that 2013 Lions is his last aim, after Ireland win in NZ in the summer that is!!???!!!;)
 

Dai bando

Charlie Fox (21)
When I was a very young lad, My father took me and my oldest brother to a rugby match it was between Cardiff (the glamer boys at the time) and Pontypridd, My brother and father were discussing the game while I sat very quietly listening to my two heros talk rugby, Two very good Halfbacks for cardiff my brother sez to my father, might need a bit of watching.
Well the scrum half had a good game but the Flyhalf/1st 5/8 had a shocker, The scrum half was Gareth Edwards, 1st5/8 was Barry John,
Yeah Priestland had a bad game which wasnt all down to the English. When George North broke through, my first thought and that of my companians was try , he will just run through Foden.
Skrettle came from his wing and tap tackled him, was a brilliant tackle and saved the try. When Priestland gathered the ball he kicked for the corner to a man and woman we all shouted too frigging hard. His game deteriorated from there, Kicked when he should have run, run when he should have kicked etc,
Priestland plays heads up rugby scans whats in front of him and reacts usually very quickly, He gets our back line moving and mostly makes all the right moves.
Englands defence as I've already said in earlier posts comes up very quickly, they did to some degree close our attack befor it started, other teams will look at this, so we need a stratagem to counter this. The fact that phillps delivery is not the fastest does not help, perhaps we will have to stand a little deeper, or a kick over the top we have some very good strike runners in our backline, Hope I'm not boring you, I'll sign off ;)
 
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spooony

Guest
When I was a very young lad, My father took me and my oldest brother to a rugby match it was between Cardiff (the glamer boys at the time) and Pontypridd, My brother and father were discussing the game while I sat very quietly listening to my two heros talk rugby, Two very good Halfbacks for cardiff my brother sez to my father, might need a bit of watching.
Well the scrum half had a good game but the Flyhalf/1st 5/8 had a shocker, The scrum half was Gareth Edwards, 1st5/8 was Barry John,
Yeah Priestland had a bad game which wasnt all down to the English. When George North broke through, my first thought and that of my companians was try , he will just run through Foden.
Skrettle came from his wing and tap tackled him, was a brilliant tackle and saved the try. When Priestland gathered the ball he kicked for the corner to a man and woman we all shouted too frigging hard. His game deteriorated from there, Kicked when he should have run, run when he should have kicked etc,
Priestland plays heads up rugby scans whats in front of him and reacts usually very quickly, He gets our back line moving and mostly makes all the right moves.
Englands defence as I've already said in earlier posts comes up very quickly, they did to some degree close our attack befor it started, other teams will look at this, so we need a stratagem to counter this. The fact that phillps delivery is not the fastest does not help, perhaps we will have to stand a little deeper, or a kick over the top we have some very good strike runners in our backline, Hope I'm not boring you, I'll sign off ;)
haha no Very good points you made there. England were targeting him that is why they rushed up so quickly. But he will still learn and get much better. That is how they learn. But what are your thoughts on the Weslh team of this year and last year in similiar situations? The old welsh teams will lose such games normally and they did well twice to come from 6 point deficits.

What is exciting is they get a tussle with Italy and then the decider (maybe) against France which is the last match of the 6 Nations. Not much needed to promote it. It is beautifully setup between two teams that can attack and counter with pace. Going to be a great game.
 

Dai bando

Charlie Fox (21)
England use the blitze, no secret, we weren't prepared for it, What I will say about this Welsh side is they don't stop playing untill the whistle ends the match,
In the past there have been players playing for Wales that were content to just go through the motions for the 80min.
This side come to play for the 80,
It has been a long learning curve started by Steve Hansen and now baring fruit under Gatland, we've had the physicality for several seasons what we didn;t have was mental toughness,
In the past we would enter a match hoping for the win, now we enter a match thinking we can win, There is a togetherness about this side they want to play for each other, there are still many things we haveto do to be a genuinely good side, but finally there is light at the end of this very long dark tunnell we have been in.
 

Dai bando

Charlie Fox (21)
As for the remaining Games France have Ireland England and us in consecitive weeks, we on the other hand Have a week off then Italy then as i've said France . Two hard games for France me thinks all be it at home, Ireland and England might ruf em up a might and make it easier for us, BTW our last two games are at home.
 

the plastic paddy

John Solomon (38)
England use the blitze, no secret, we weren't prepared for it, What I will say about this Welsh side is they don't stop playing untill the whistle ends the match,
In the past there have been players playing for Wales that were content to just go through the motions for the 80min.
This side come to play for the 80,
It has been a long learning curve started by Steve Hansen and now baring fruit under Gatland, we've had the physicality for several seasons what we didn;t have was mental toughness,
In the past we would enter a match hoping for the win, now we enter a match thinking we can win, There is a togetherness about this side they want to play for each other, there are still many things we haveto do to be a genuinely good side, but finally there is light at the end of this very long dark tunnell we have been in.
And all the Welsh players look to be fecking off to France and the Welsh club game is in complete meltdown; only in Wales. Very bad news for the pro 12 by the way which is bad for the Irish, Scots and Italians.
 

Dai bando

Charlie Fox (21)
And all the Welsh players look to be fecking off to France and the Welsh club game is in complete meltdown; only in Wales. Very bad news for the pro 12 by the way which is bad for the Irish, Scots and Italians.
Yep it don't look too good, the regions have never catered for every one, In Wales we have super clubs The Rhondda and Gwent Valleys have no representation at the top table, Crowds are abysmal 8 -10 thousand at the top games while you can boast 30 - 40 and france even more, something has to be done queit exactly I don't know.
 

Cardiffblue

Jim Lenehan (48)
Following the posts here anyone would think we lost. Like the way Foxy is still under the radar for rugby pundits. Jamie the Jaw wasn't played out of the game, he was injured after about five minutes. But the welsh back line doesn't start and end with him. A Lions side with Roberts playing alongside tuigali would be as subtle as brick and totally one dimensional. The English played the ref really well at the breakdown and it's true priestland got very little space and looked frustrated but I too remember the criticisms of Jonathan Davies, gareth Davies, Barry John...... in fact anyone who puts on the sacred outside half jersey
 

Bardon

Peter Fenwicke (45)
Cardiff I believe Priestland will learn form the England game and future targeting from oposition and he'll be a better player for it. If he does it playing outside Phillips he'll be better again as the slow pass really has cut his execution time down. I don't think he's a Cipriani who'll fall apart just because people figured out one way to put some pressure on him.

What do you think about him talking about going to France is 2014? Personally I think every player will benefit from spending a few seasons in a different league. But not if they all go together. The situation in France is eventually going to lead to some players not getting a look in, some may be Welsh, and then there will be a bit of an exodus as players lose their spot for their national team due to not playing regularly.
 

Bardon

Peter Fenwicke (45)
Courtney Lawes is out of the rest of the 6Ns with a shin injury. Real disaster of a tournament for him. Started off injured, got on the pitch from the bench against Wales only to be stripped of the ball for the winning try and now injured just when he would have been fired up to make amends in the next game.
 
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spooony

Guest
Following the posts here anyone would think we lost. Like the way Foxy is still under the radar for rugby pundits. Jamie the Jaw wasn't played out of the game, he was injured after about five minutes. But the welsh back line doesn't start and end with him. A Lions side with Roberts playing alongside tuigali would be as subtle as brick and totally one dimensional. The English played the ref really well at the breakdown and it's true priestland got very little space and looked frustrated but I too remember the criticisms of Jonathan Davies, gareth Davies, Barry John...... in fact anyone who puts on the sacred outside half jersey
No one said you lost. England just showed everyone a chink in your armor. Now the sharks will come and try and exploit it. Lets see how Priestland reacts when they come.
Welcome to International Rugby son
 

Cardiffblue

Jim Lenehan (48)
Courtney Lawes is out of the rest of the 6Ns with a shin injury. Real disaster of a tournament for him. Started off injured, got on the pitch from the bench against Wales only to be stripped of the ball for the winning try and now injured just when he would have been fired up to make amends in the next game.
Shame. Must've got a blocked tear duct.
 

Cardiffblue

Jim Lenehan (48)
Cardiff I believe Priestland will learn form the England game and future targeting from oposition and he'll be a better player for it. If he does it playing outside Phillips he'll be better again as the slow pass really has cut his execution time down. I don't think he's a Cipriani who'll fall apart just because people figured out one way to put some pressure on him.

What do you think about him talking about going to France is 2014? Personally I think every player will benefit from spending a few seasons in a different league. But not if they all go together. The situation in France is eventually going to lead to some players not getting a look in, some may be Welsh, and then there will be a bit of an exodus as players lose their spot for their national team due to not playing regularly.
I've read Paddy and Dai's posts predicting another disaster period as if the exodus now mirrors 87. Personally think this is totally different. Players are not barred from playing for Wales like they were when they went to RL. If someone thinks the welsh players are worth a place in the best club sides, that's a good thing, they'll be better for it. Only problem will be getting them to squad training but that problem is same for French team and they got 2nd in RWC. Also means that there is space for new generation of young players in Welsh franchises. Can't see the problem cept Welsh teams will struggle to win Rabo or European cup. Then again, as Dai says the teams haven;t attracted great followings anyway. Can;t fight economics forces. French football is cr@p so rugby has exploited the gap. In UK football is so strong that anything else struggles for support. Btw still recovering from Carling Cup Final
 

Cardiffblue

Jim Lenehan (48)
No one said you lost. England just showed everyone a chink in your armor. Now the sharks will come and try and exploit it. Lets see how Priestland reacts when they come.
Welcome to International Rugby son
A poor game- true. A chink in armour -less convinced but you allowed to fantasise. Nice to think we have finally got temas worried. Cementhead and Stan Laurel will have seen the same things we did and will adjust. England's tactic vs the blitz was interesting -get it out to three men wide, but wales were up to it. They still didn't score a try all day and fitness told in the end.
 
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