For those playing at home, the first game is on at 12:30am on Sunday morning (Wales vs Ireland), second game is 3am (England vs Scotland) and the third game is at 2am Monday morning (Italy vs France). These times are AEDT (Sydney and Melbourne).
Wales have missed a massive trick by starting Warburton ahead of Tipuric. Ireland should win this providing Mike Ross stays fit for 80 minutes.Wales Team to face Ireland -
WALES: Leigh Halfpenny (Blues); Alex Cuthbert (Blues),
Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Blues), George North (Scarlets); Dan
Biggar (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Bayonne); Gethin Jenkins (Toulon), Matthew Rees
(Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Ian Evans (Ospreys),
Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Sam Warburton (Blues, capt), Toby Faletau (Dragons).
REPLACEMENTS: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Paul James (Bath), Craig
Mitchell (Exeter), Olly Kohn (Harlequins), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Lloyd
Williams (Blues), James Hook (Perpignan), Scott Williams (Scarlets).
I am not going to say that Ireland should beat that team but if we don't Kidney will definitely lose his job and there will also not be many Irish lads going on the Lions tour, in which case the phrase about clouds and silver will come to mind.
I used to coach him when he was 16. He's a good kid and made the Aust Schoolboys team after being selected in QLD 2. It wasn't an overly strong schoolboy year for 10 after the previous years had Cooper, To'omua, JOC (James O'Connor) etc. Went to school at Lauries in Brisbane, so they are starting to get a reputation for Italian players after Luke McLean also went there. He was with the Brumbies for a few years on the outer squad but never cracked the big time. Was the 10 for UQ last year before moving over to Italy. Also played in the UK for one of the Uni's, can't recall which one off the top of my head.
I always thought this would be his best shot at playing test rugby.
With Ocquerra at 10 Italy look like a half decent outfit, I think this year I'd fancy them to beat Scotland and maybe Wales or Ireland at home (depending on who loses tomorrow).Italy had struggled for a decent 9 since Truncon retired 7ish years ago. Now they have 2 in Gori and Orquerra. Italy should look at playing them at 9 and 10, as France did in the RWC with 2 scrum halves. There is no clear 10 favourite and it would be a shame if either had to sit on the bench.
Italy had struggled for a decent 9 since Truncon retired 7ish years ago. Now they have 2 in Gori and Orquerra. Italy should look at playing them at 9 and 10, as France did in the RWC with 2 scrum halves. There is no clear 10 favourite and it would be a shame if either had to sit on the bench.
With Ocquerra at 10 Italy look like a half decent outfit, I think this year I'd fancy them to beat Scotland and maybe Wales or Ireland at home (depending on who loses tomorrow).
He started out as a 9, but this is going back 4-5 years. He was quick and sharp, a bit of a poor mans Mike Phillips, although I always rated Gori ahead of himHow does Orquera go at 9? I've seen him play Top 14, Pro 12, and International rugby but never at 9. It'd be interesting, don't think he's needed though.
For many years France had a top level lineout with no lock as lead jumper. Harinordoquy and Bonnaire + 1 lock at the front (Papé as of late) more than did the job, and you had the other lock (Nallet at the RWC) + Dusautoir as fourth and fifth.What they could have done is play the two 7s because then all 3 of their back rows would be 6'2 lineout jumpers (including Faletau). Now nobody would tell you this is ideal but with plenty of options and a bit of coaching creativity you can make a perfectly workable lineout.
Fofana playing wing despite being the best centre in Europe.
have the same feeling myself! Really hope we see Ireland play to their potential, can't sit through another 80 minutes of Kidney-ball ie no aimless box kicks from Murray and for the love of god be aggressive in defenceLess than 3 hours to go until the start of this year's 6Ns and I'm as excited as a kid on Christmas Eve.
In the pair Mermoz-Fritz I think the coaches value the playmaking skills of the former and the defence and the kicking game of the latter. Personally I dream of a Fritz-Fofana pair, but I'm not sure that'll ever happen.