• Welcome to the forums of Green & Gold Rugby.
    We have recently made some changes to the amount of discussions boards on the forum.
    Over the coming months we will continue to make more changes to make the forum more user friendly for all to use.
    Thanks, Admin.

Six Nations 2014

Status
Not open for further replies.
Wales Fan

Wales Fan

Alfred Walker (16)
JSRF10 said:
In 2012 he told us Wales expected win all 4 of their November tests, that they were going to Australia to win the series. Same in 2013, he told us he was getting sick of losing to Southern Hemisphere teams because he expects Wales to beat them. No one forcing him to come out with these kind of statements.
Yes he has had injury issues but he hasn't helped himself with his pedestrian performances for Cardiff, I've seem him throughly outclassed by academy players and journeyman in that time when he meanders around like he has something better to do. If he bothered his ass trying for more games than against England he might forge a decent career. He seems like a bloke who would be better off getting dropped to bring him back to the reality that he isn't anywhere near a world class 7, despite the potential he had.
Click to expand...

Are you serious ?
He was the captain of a successful (in Europe anyway) side & what, you expect him to go into a series of matches saying - "oh, well we'll do our best but will probably end up losing all our games anyway" & "hope you still want to come out & watch us lose though, thanks"
Has any captain ever come out with bollocks like that ?
As for his sub-standard performances for the Blues, I think most of their fans would agree. I wouldn't like to guess as to why, but he's probably played as many games for Wales as for them which may give a clue ??
 
JSRF10

JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
Wales Fan said:
Are you serious ?
He was the captain of a successful (in Europe anyway) side & what, you expect him to go into a series of matches saying - "oh, well we'll do our best but will probably end up losing all our games anyway" & "hope you still want to come out & watch us lose though, thanks"
Has any captain ever come out with bollocks like that ?
Click to expand...

It was in relation to that he loves to talk himself up but never delivers against the big 3 teams, and his 6 Nations form hasn't been great over the past few years either. The likes of Davies and Halfpenny have backed up comments like that but Wales always get outclassed at the breakdown. I have no doubt that Gatland is encouraging him to make those comments but if I was captain of team that hadn't won against these sides since 2008 I'd be talking with a bit more humility.

Ireland team announced for the weekend, interesting that Schmidt has gone for ball carriers in Henderson and Murphy on the bench ahead of the aggression of Ryan and the speed and skill of O'Donnell. Points towards a more ball in hand approach, Ireland will want to send Murphy down George Fords channel assuming they both enter the fray with 15 to go. Would have like to have seen Luke Marshall in at 12 but I think we'll see him, TOD and Ryan back in for the Italy game

Ireland: Rob Kearney (Leinster); Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Dave Kearney (Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro), Conor Murray (Munster); Cian Healy (Leinster), Rory Best (Ulster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Devin Toner (Leinster), Paul O'Connell (Munster) capt; Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster).
Replacements: Sean Cronin (Leinster), Jack McGrath (Leinster), Martin Moore (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Jordi Murphy (Leinster), Isaac Boss (Leinster), Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster)
 
Wales Fan

Wales Fan

Alfred Walker (16)
JSRF10 said:
It was in relation to that he loves to talk himself up but never delivers against the big 3 teams, and his 6 Nations form hasn't been great over the past few years either. The likes of Davies and Halfpenny have backed up comments like that but Wales always get outclassed at the breakdown. I have no doubt that Gatland is encouraging him to make those comments but if I was captain of team that hadn't won against these sides since 2008 I'd be talking with a bit more humility.
Click to expand...

Agree with some of that apart from him talking himself up - I've met him a couple of times and don't think you'd meet a more humble guy. He's certainly no Mike Phillips in that regard and I've never read or heard anything of the sort in all the time he's been involved with Wales.
The only criticism I have about Sam in any way is the many times he's been selected when clearly not match-fit or in form. That of course isn't in any way his fault just that of a stubborn bloody coach who refuses to change his selection policy.
And that policy is now coming back to bite Gatland on the arse !
Anyway back to the rugby, can't see a Wales win - France (if they have any sense) will attack us with the driving maul as Ireland did. Can't remember us ever being much good at repelling it when done well.
North at 13 is a huge risk defensively and our new scrum half can be a liability at times (much like the last one ironically :) )
Hoping Ireland can keep their form going & England don't (literally) spoil the party. Healy should have field day at the scrum.
Italy should win on current form but they don't wear the favorite tag too well so it could be close. Scotland just can't seem to cross the whitewash at the moment.


Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
 
Bardon

Bardon

Peter Fenwicke (45)
Very interested to see how Jordi Murphy goes off the bench in his first cap. He's been in sensational form for Leinster lately, but can he make that step up in such an important game. Just one of the many sub-plots to this game.
 
JSRF10

JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
Wales Fan said:
Anyway back to the rugby, can't see a Wales win - France (if they have any sense) will attack us with the driving maul as Ireland did. Can't remember us ever being much good at repelling it when done well.
North at 13 is a huge risk defensively and our new scrum half can be a liability at times (much like the last one ironically :) )
Hoping Ireland can keep their form going & England don't (literally) spoil the party. Healy should have field day at the scrum.
Italy should win on current form but they don't wear the favorite tag too well so it could be close. Scotland just can't seem to cross the whitewash at the moment.
Click to expand...

If France didn't have the worst coach of the teams in the comp I'd be backing them, I think we're going to see a similar game to last years. A turgid forward oriented boshfest decided by a moment of magic from either North or Fofana. PSA selection and tactics are holding France back, I shudder at the thought of how good they'd be if they didn't keep employing terrible coaches.

I'd back Italy to win at home, they looked decent at times in the championship but their basics are letting them down at crucial times. They've proved a tough nut to crack at home in recent years and I don't expect Scotland to have enough firepower to win, especially without Denton.

Still reasonably confident Ireland can bring some silverware home. I think our half backs are better and our back rows work at the breakdown is a lot better than England. If we can stop Vunipola we're half way to winning. England are predictable in attack, much like Wales, so I think if we show similar discipline to the first two games we'll stop them scoring tries. Also we have some amount of impact players on the bench, I can't wait to see Jack McGrath unleashed on either a tiring Wilson or Thomas in the last 25. Cronin, Henderson, Murphy all add ball carrying prowess and some extra physicality. I think we'll take it by around 7.
 
the plastic paddy

the plastic paddy

John Solomon (38)
JSRF10

JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
France have been shocking the in the first 5 minutes, Wales are going to be 8-0 up in second. If this continues Wales point difference will be back in positive territory and they can think about challenging for the championship again. Frances kicking game is playing into Wales hands.
 
JSRF10

JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
14-3 Wales, they've lost their early momentum. French passing has been terrible. Wales getting some change out of grubber kicks in behind the French defence, their set piece is holding up as well France need to take a leaf out of Irelands book and attack the Welsh line out

IF either team had a decent set of half backs they'd be a lot more dangerous, both 9 & 10s are stifling any decent attempt at attacking play
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top