Six Nations 2014

[JSRF10]

Provisional Irish squad and the Welsh squad have been named:

Ireland extended 44-man squad for Six Nations: Forwards: Rodney Ah You (Connacht)*, Stephen Archer (Munster), Rory Best (Ulster), Robin Copeland (Cardiff Blues)*, Sean Cronin (Leinster), Robbie Diack (Ulster)*, Cian Healy (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Rob Herring (Ulster)*, David Kilcoyne (Munster), Mike McCarthy (Leinster), Jack McGrath (Leinster), Martin Moore (Leinster)*, Jordi Murphy (Leinster)*, Paul O'Connell (Munster), Tommy O'Donnell (Munster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Rhys Ruddock (Leinster), Devin Toner (Leinster), Dan Tuohy (Ulster), Damian Varley (Munster).
Backs: Isaac Boss (Leinster), Darren Cave (Ulster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Connacht), Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Felix Jones (Munster), David Kearney (Leinster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), Ian Keatley (Munster), Ian Madigan (Leinster), Kieran Marmion (Connacht), Luke Marshall (Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92), Andrew Trimble (Ulster).
* - Uncapped


Wales squad for 2014 RBS Six Nations:

Forwards: Paul James (Bath), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton Capt (Cardiff Blues), Toby Faletau (Dragons), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets)
Backs: Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), James Hook (Perpignan), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

 

[KevinO]

No Zebo? Come on what's going on here. I know he is only coming back from injury but he should be in the squad.

 

[JSRF10]

No Zebo? Come on what's going on here. I know he is only coming back from injury but he should be in the squad.

He and Bowe need to prove their fitness, I assume they'll both be in the Wolfhounds XV against England and will be in the trimmed down 30 man squad to face Wales.

 

[Highlander35]

Scotland Squad coming tomorrow (UK time). Hoping to see Bennett in the squad.

 

[Highlander35]

Scotland Squad for the six Nations:

Forwards: John Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Geoff Cross, David Denton, Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford (all Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Grant, Jonny Gray (both Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), Kieran Low (London Irish), Moray Low, Pat MacArthur (both Glasgow Warriors), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Tim Swinson and Ryan Wilson (both Glasgow Warriors).
Backs: Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Max Evans (Castres), Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby), Stuart Hogg, Ruaridh Jackson, Sean Lamont (all Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby), Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby) and Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors).

No Kellock, Murray or Visser due to injury.
No Henry Pyrgos, no John Barclay and no Mark Bennett, But 2 uncapped players in Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Openside) and Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Winger)

Would assume that there'll be a chance for some others to break into the squad like the three I listed above. Based on the squad...

1. Ryan Grant
2. Ross Ford
3. Moray Low
4. Richie Gray
5. Jim Hamilton
6. Al Strokosch
7. Kelly Brown (C)
8. Dave Denton
9. Grieg Laidlaw
10. Duncan Weir
11. Sean Lamont
12. Matt Scott
13. Nick De Luca
14. Sean Maitland
15. Stuart Hogg
16. Scott Lawson
17. Al Dickonson
18. Geoff Cross
19. Tim Swinson
20. Jonnie Beattie/Ross Rennie
21. Chris Cusiter
22. Ruaridh Hackson
23. Max Evans/Tommy Seymour

 

[Bairdy]

Scotland Squad for the six Nations:

Forwards: John Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Geoff Cross, David Denton, Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford (all Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Grant, Jonny Gray (both Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), Kieran Low (London Irish), Moray Low, Pat MacArthur (both Glasgow Warriors), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Tim Swinson and Ryan Wilson (both Glasgow Warriors).
Backs: Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Max Evans (Castres), Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby), Stuart Hogg, Ruaridh Jackson, Sean Lamont (all Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby), Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby) and Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors).

No Kellock, Murray or Visser due to injury.
No Henry Pyrgos, no John Barclay and no Mark Bennett, But 2 uncapped players in Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Openside) and Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Winger)

Would assume that there'll be a chance for some others to break into the squad like the three I listed above. Based on the squad.

1. Ryan Grant
2. Ross Ford
3. Moray Low
4. Richie Gray
5. Jim Hamilton
6. Al Strokosch
7. Kelly Brown (C)
8. Dave Denton
9. Grieg Laidlaw
10. Duncan Weir
11. Sean Lamont
12. Matt Scott
13. Nick De Luca
14. Sean Maitland
15. Stuart Hogg
16. Scott Lawson
17. Al Dickonson
18. Geoff Cross
19. Tim Swinson
20. Jonnie Beattie/Ross Rennie
21. Chris Cusiter
22. Ruaridh Hackson
23. Max Evans/Tommy Seymour

How do you think Scotland will fare in this year's Six Nations, Highlander? The pack looks decent and what you would expect from Scotland, but from last year, the backline looks improved (especially with the Lions Maitland and Hogg). In any case, it will be interesting to see how Scotland will do against the like of Italy and England.

Call me crazy, but I think France will do well this year, as is the case following any Lions Tour year, but Ireland and Wales will battle it out for the Grand Slam, me thinks.

 

[Highlander35]

I hope we do well.

Props are adjusting well to new scrum rules. Locks and Backrowers are excellent without being world class. Laidlaw is Laidlaw, plus the backups are pretty good. Back 3 is strong and its depth is strong as well.

Issue, as it always has been, will be moving the ball. 10-12-13, both in terms of starting and depth is pretty poor, with the exception of Matt Scott.

Team Bullshit below

Spoiler

In terms of 10, we might just have to suck it up. Tonks, Weir and Jackson are all known quantities, and are pretty even. Weir's game is that of a test 10, but with 2 known kickers (Hogg and Laidlaw) Jackson's passing game may be prefered. And then There's the combination formed with Tonks at the gunners. Scott is our best center. I rate De Luca, but others don't. Vice versa for Taylor. Evans and Lamont are better wide. I like Dunbar, but I think McGuigan and Bennett are both better options.

Want 2 wins, which is not unreasonable. Would love a Calcutta cup too.

 

[the plastic paddy]

No Zebo? Come on what's going on here. I know he is only coming back from injury but he should be in the squad.

Think that is good management by Schmidt and Penney( he is on the bench for Sundays HC game as well). Going on the Lions was little short of a disaster for Zebo, he came back to Munster overweight and believing himself to be firmly settled in the Arrivals lounge frequented by other wasted talents such as JOC (James O'Connor) and Chavin Henson. He has come within millimetres of flushing it all down the pan but fortunately has come back from his broken foot fitter and I hope considerably chastened. He needs some seriously tough love, and I use the word seriously advisedly. I would love to see him come off the Munster bench on Sunday, fire in a try or two and be back in St Joe's thinking but he needs to cop himself on in a very big way.

 

[JSRF10]

Ian Evans sent off for the OSpreys tonight and Richard Hibbard and Ryan Jones have gone off injured. Could be some big losses for the Welsh national side this weekend

 

[Bardon]

Watching it live it looked like a bad one with Evans stamping on McCarthy's head a number of times. The fact that the side on camera angle shows Evans looking down towards McCarthy won't help his defence either.

 

[Bardon]

Dusautoir tore a tendon in his bicep yesterday and will be out for 4 months. So France will be without their captain for the 6 Nations.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Zebo and Gilroy called up by St Joe.

 

[Bardon]

Ryan Jones confirmed as out of the 6Ns with a hamstring injury.

 

[Bardon]

Ian Evans has been banned for 12 weeks for his stamp so he'll miss the 6Ns.

 

[Bardon]

Keith Earls' knee injury means he will miss Ireland 6Ns campaign.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

ESPNScrum says Top 14 Clubs have all agreed to rest their France players this week: perhaps the extra cash FFR threw at them a few weeks back is starting to pay dividends? If this develops into a regular thing it can only help France: too much to expect France's tour to Aus to take priority over T14 finals, I guess, but a step in the right direction.

 

[JSRF10]

ESPNScrum says Top 14 Clubs have all agreed to rest their France players this week: perhaps the extra cash FFR threw at them a few weeks back is starting to pay dividends? If this develops into a regular thing it can only help France: too much to expect France's tour to Aus to take priority over T14 finals, I guess, but a step in the right direction.

Step in the right direction for France but until they get a cap on the number of foreign players in the 23 they'll struggle to be consistent. Its hard to think of a French qualified ten starting regularly at the majority clubs for example. However after the last 3 Lions tours they've won a slam.

Ian Evans has been banned for 12 weeks for his stamp so he'll miss the 6Ns.

Well deserved good to see the judiciary punish someone for what really was a terrible incident. That said Evans isn't a dirty players so 12 weeks is fair.

Keith Earls' knee injury means he will miss Ireland 6Ns campaign.

Big loss, he was lined up to be our 14 for the first few games. As much as he can be frustrating at times I was looking forward to seeing Schmidt take his game to the next level.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

JSRF10 - funnily enough the same ESPN article quoted Pape on the lack of France-eligible 10's in particular, & he & PSA the influx of foreign players in general affecting France's long-term development. I think you're right, if they're serious about winning a RWC instead of being everyone's pet runner-up they need to have quotas on match-day 23's & total squads (45ish these days?).

 

[Wales Fan]

Ian Evans has been banned for 12 weeks for his stamp so he'll miss the 6Ns.

Big loss for Wales as we don't have too many options at lock. If Luke Charteris picks up a knock we'll really be in the you know what.
Scarlets lock (and Aussie born) Jake Ball called into squad to train as cover, he's been playing well this season to be fair to him - big old lump who puts himself about.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[the plastic paddy]

ESPNScrum says Top 14 Clubs have all agreed to rest their France players this week: perhaps the extra cash FFR threw at them a few weeks back is starting to pay dividends? If this develops into a regular thing it can only help France: too much to expect France's tour to Aus to take priority over T14 finals, I guess, but a step in the right direction.

Not releasing their overseas players though, Sexton is back playing for Racing this weekend!!!! Thank God none of Ireland's other stars are going for a few years.