RBS 6 Nations 2013

[Italophile]

That's Ireland for you, currently we struggle to put two successive good 40 minutes together let alone to good performances. Nilled again in the 2nd half to blow a half time lead.

Really not looking good for Maddigan, very unlucky on his first cap he's going to be out for a long time.

Kidney's decision to take Murray off when he was bossing the game is yet another in a long list of baffling calls he's made.

Yet another pre-programmed Deccie sub and it cost Ireland the game. He was having one of the best games I've seen him play, bossing things, driving the team. Official MOTM, in fact. Michelak? Why? PSA has a death wish. France played 15 minutes of rugby and nearly won. It would have been criminal.

Bad old Scotland returned today. Weir kicking the ball away at every opportunity - give him sideburns and it could have been Dan Parkes - and giving the talented back three not a scrap of a chance. Poor in the forwards, too, after some very strong performances. And idiotic penalties. Puzzling. Wales played more rugby but in their limited bosh fashion. Dire old game overall.

 

[Quick Hands]

Joubert. It's a reaction to the WC final refereeing performance.

Joubert has been poor for a while now. Not surprised he's wrecked another match.

 

[Quick Hands]

Yet another pre-programmed Deccie sub and it cost Ireland the game. He was having one of the best games I've seen him play, bossing things, driving the team. Official MOTM, in fact. Michelak? Why? PSA has a death wish. France played 15 minutes of rugby and nearly won. It would have been criminal.

Bad old Scotland returned today. Weir kicking the ball away at every opportunity - give him sideburns and it could have been Dan Parkes - and giving the talented back three not a scrap of a chance. Poor in the forwards, too, after some very strong performances. And idiotic penalties. Puzzling. Wales played more rugby but in their limited bosh fashion. Dire old game overall.

The pre-programmed subs routine seems to have caught on like a contagion in professional rugby. Like going out with a pre-programmed game plan, it is not successful. I've lost count of the number of games I've watched in which one of the best players on the field has been replaced and the team have lost all momentum and often the match. It's crazy.

 

[JSRF10]

Shocking use of the bench by Kidney again. Only one more match until the bluffer is gone, hope Luke Marshall is ok for next week. Would like to see Cronin get more than 4 seconds as well

 

[Italophile]

Shocking use of the bench by PSA too. Tin-Duck didn't even get to take his track suit off while Michelak faffed around, fumbled, kicked the ball away when he shouldn't have, et al. Not one of Parra's finest passing games either. He's usually pretty good. A lot of his passes were behind the man.

 

[Cardiffblue]

All sporting stars aligned. Wales beat jocks despite Joubert plumbing new depths of ineptitude. French draw with Irish. All Cardiff city s rivals lose leaving us 6 pts clear. Had a dream that orcs lose to Italy. Before all this happened i had put it down to the gnome. But now,who knows! We can't come worse than second in 6n. Shame we started it 40 mins after everyone else.

 

[Cardiffblue]

Wales coming first or second in 6N should ensure we drop at least another 6 places in IRB rankings to just behind the Portuguese womens' U21s

 

[Cardiffblue]

Shocking use of the bench by PSA too. Tin-Duck didn't even get to take his track suit off while Michelak faffed around, fumbled, kicked the ball away when he shouldn't have, et al. Not one of Parra's finest passing games either. He's usually pretty good. A lot of his passes were behind the man.

Reckon Picamoles is player of the tournament despite the shambles all around him. the way things are going he'd be well advised to go on ancestry.com and check his options. He and Parisi must get on famously. Both outstanding players amongst crocks. Actually Dusatoir and Huget playing ok. but the rest! Any need for them to be investigated for match fixing? They don't look to be trying.

 

[qwerty51]

I think Dusatoir is crap tbh, holding France back. Were much better with Nyanga and Ouedraogo in November

Picamoles is just a beast.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Cardiffblue, I think that your gnome has been spotted around Moore Park recently, wearing a Waratah Blue Jumper, playing havoc with Tah Fans expectactions.

 

[Italophile]

Dusautoir still isn't back up to speed after his injury. Or, alternatively, maybe the injury has crocked him. I hope not. Picamoles has been outstanding. He must want to tear PSA to pieces for the idiotic selections around him.

 

[Cardiffblue]

Yet another pre-programmed Deccie sub and it cost Ireland the game. He was having one of the best games I've seen him play, bossing things, driving the team. Official MOTM, in fact. Michelak? Why? PSA has a death wish. France played 15 minutes of rugby and nearly won. It would have been criminal.

Bad old Scotland returned today. Weir kicking the ball away at every opportunity - give him sideburns and it could have been Dan Parkes - and giving the talented back three not a scrap of a chance. Poor in the forwards, too, after some very strong performances. And idiotic penalties. Puzzling. Wales played more rugby but in their limited bosh fashion. Dire old game overall.

Tips and Breadman awesome today. Ryan too til he went off. Goin through the Sots maul worked a treat. Can't think why they stopped doing it in 2nd 20 mins. and just as we got ball to use, Jocks tried to kill it any way they could and Joubert blew his whistle. For mine that wasn't the problem. He just didn't card anyone til the 79th minute and then it was one of ours! There were two cardable offences and a third penalty in one move at one point. Jeez he must've god awful even Plastic has criticised him!

 

[Cardiffblue]

Was feeling great this morning til I watched the Barry John doco. Very sad. Can't think why he agreed to it

 

[Cardiffblue]

Dusautoir still isn't back up to speed after his injury. Or, alternatively, maybe the injury has crocked him. I hope not. Picamoles has been outstanding. He must want to tear PSA to pieces for the idiotic selections around him.

Poor guy's doing the work of three. Just can't manage to do the work of the other 12.

 

[Cardiffblue]

And whilst I'm on the subject of Plastic, seem to remember one of his pet hates (apart from Lions team) was the 'meat grinder' that is the top 14. During my absence I've come to the conclusion that he was right. It's certainly not doing french side any good. One good game in the RWC and the rest of the time they played, well..... just like they are now. It can't just be their coaches make Wales' pre-gatland choices such as Gyppo look like geniuses

 

[Cardiffblue]

Saw someone contrived a reference to French team and the St Andreas Fault this morning that amused me

 

[Hugh Jarse]

IRE vs FRA. Catching up on overnight games, and they have just kicked off (Fox Replay).

Question for the Paddies. At Anthems time the Irish had two. One I assume was the Eire National Anthem, and the other is one I recognise as the IRU song (played as the "anthem" on most times I have seen the Irish play).

My understanding is that the IRFU is in the unique situation of playing players from two sovereign nations under a geographic barrier, and therefore a "Neutral" Anthem is normally used for political sensitivities. Understandable that a Landsdown Road crowd would not want to hear God Save the Queen, and the Queen lovers in Ulster probably wouldn't like top hear the Eire Anthem.

I can't recall hearing two anthems being played at Landsdown Road previously. I may not have been paying attention. Is the two anthems thing that they did before Les Frogges v The Paddys a typical thing that they have always done or is it a new protocol?

This is also a good segue into the B&I Lions Tests. What do they play as an anthem before those games?



PS. Loved the massed Brass Band that pumped out the Anthems. Should be more of them, and less of the canned music, and Pretty Young Things from the Reality TV Talent Quest Du Jour.

 

[Cardiffblue]

IRE vs FRA. Catching up on overnight games, and they have just kicked off.

Question for the Paddies. At Anthems time the Irish had two. One I assume was the Eire National Anthem, and the other is one I recognise as the IRU song (played as the "anthem" on most times I have seen the Irish play).

My understanding is that the IRFU is in the unique situation of playing players from two sovereign nations under a geographic barrier, and therefore a "Neutral" Anthem is normally used for political sensitivities. Understandable that a Landsdown Road crowd would not want to hear God Save the Queen, and the Queen lovers in Ulster probably wouldn't like top hear the Eire Anthem.

I can't recall hearing two anthems being played at Landsdown Road previously. I may not have been paying attention. Is the two anthems thing that they did before Les Frogges v The Paddys a typical thing that they have always done or is it a new protocol?

This is also a good segue into the B&I Lions Tests. What do they play as an anthem before those games?



PS. Loved the massed Brass Band that pumped out the Anthems. Should be more of them, and less of the canned music, and Pretty Young Things from the Reality TV Talent Quest Du Jour.

Been doing this for a while. takes ages! S'funny cos some time back they were alone in not playing anyone's anthems for the reasons you state. then they started this. that of course meant that when they moved to Croke Park for a while they had to play god Save the Queen, which was kind of weird given the history of the place.

agree re: brass bands. And piped music at very point scored is a bad idea that needs to end

 

[Cardiffblue]

Best to start with Ire vs FRA. then if you really feel the need to see how a ref can destroy the game we love watch ours

 

[Cardiffblue]

By the way, the TMO asked to rule on the shoulder charge is not Nigel Owens, despite the accent. Acording to twitter he is running the line today at Twickers. He was being inundated with abuse