Six Nations 2015
- Thread starter waiopehu oldboy
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Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
Always been the Orc problem. Still lots of positives. Ford is the real deal, Johnson too and the forwards when they do click can be scary. And mike brown is brilliant.
Must admit I enjoyed seeing gusset, invertwat and lord bald squirming at half time. Love gussets angry face
Must admit I enjoyed seeing gusset, invertwat and lord bald squirming at half time. Love gussets angry face
Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
Some before the welsh game were predicting that we were going to see oireland lay out their game plan for the rwc and we wouldn't be able to stay with them. even 25-6 scorelines. Now I know where the gnome spent the week! Hope there is another plan in the Schmidt notebook cos the one we saw was v lateral. Maybe the running with the ball stat includes side to side runs.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Aussie Steve AR'd the Reds v Brumbies match last night so all good on that front but still a little odd & didn't a kiwi who was down to be Walsh's AR also pull out?
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
Let's hope the French front up with their A game. Leaving PSA at home in Paris would be a good start.
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
Even by French standards, PSA is the maddest coach we've seen at international level for quite a while. The bizarre selections and absence of tactics are obvious to anyone watching the team.
Sadly, everyone but the FFR seems to have worked this out.
KevinO
Geoff Shaw (53)
Going to be a long night next Saturday. Coming down to the wire again for a second year is great, still disappointed with last nights performance. Full credit to Wales who came out firing. Ref was bad both ways, to be expected from Barnes.
Amazing how different the break down is Norht compared to South. If that was a super rugby game it would have been the most penalties seen in one game ever. Both teams off there feet slowing the ball down at every ruck.
Amazing how different the break down is Norht compared to South. If that was a super rugby game it would have been the most penalties seen in one game ever. Both teams off there feet slowing the ball down at every ruck.
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
As a neutral, I thought Barnes was ok - certainly better than the Walsh alternative that you could have got.
Barnes seemed to try to get the breakdown clear in the 1st half, but relaxed things a bit in the second.
The big thing I took out of the match was that the NH teams are very good at maintaining possession, but don't seem so clear on how to shift the ball quickly. Wales had 3 or 4 opportunities in the first half to spread quick ball with an overlap and took it into contact. Ireland also had a couple of chances to do the same when they were hard on attack at the 52 min mark. The conditions didn't seem to play a part in this - from TV the ground looked firm and dry with little wind.
Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
Really don't care who wins on points differential. It's meaningless. Still prefer the days when the championship was decided on points or shared.
Don't think Barnes was that bad. Irritating that there were so many penalties but I reckon that we could claim to have the worst of it with Dubious yellow cards.
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
I see that PSA has only made 8 changes to his team this week for the match against Italy (including what must be about the 20th centre pairing in the last 20 matches).
And with these tactics, who knows;
"Let's play some rugby, believe in ourselves, not be afraid, enjoy, tackle, move the ball around. We will go to Italy with all these intentions.
Read more at http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/matchcentre/28081.php#j3T2vMWBYFxwZ6so.99
And with these tactics, who knows;
"Let's play some rugby, believe in ourselves, not be afraid, enjoy, tackle, move the ball around. We will go to Italy with all these intentions.
Read more at http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/matchcentre/28081.php#j3T2vMWBYFxwZ6so.99
Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
29-0 looks a good score but I didn't watch the game. My guess Italy fell to pieces second half
So, if France beat orcland, we lose to Italy and Scotland win, four teams end up even. Won't be putting any money on it. We won't score enough points against Italy. Cement wants the win too much to risk champagne rugby. It's not in his dna.
On paper its Ireland who have the best chance to get the points and England most at risk. Question is whether psa can get any structure into his rabble to cause an upset. He's got the players. Would be nice to think they might practice together before the match.
So, if France beat orcland, we lose to Italy and Scotland win, four teams end up even. Won't be putting any money on it. We won't score enough points against Italy. Cement wants the win too much to risk champagne rugby. It's not in his dna.
On paper its Ireland who have the best chance to get the points and England most at risk. Question is whether psa can get any structure into his rabble to cause an upset. He's got the players. Would be nice to think they might practice together before the match.
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
Prefereably with PSA not present.
Bardon
Peter Fenwicke (45)
Man that Italy France game was absolutely awful. Just finished watching it for the second time for the review article. My eyes can never unsee the horror.
On the championship itself it's going to be one hell of a final weekend. If Italy perform as badly again I'd expect Wales to set both Ireland and England a target.
People are talking about Ireland having to win by about 15 points but I wouldn't be surprised if we need a 20+ margin. Scotland won't want a campaign they started in such a positive mood to end winless and I'm worried that Ireland will need to battle just to win nevermind chase a target.
If England just need to win against France I think they'll take out the title. If they have to chase anything beyond 14 points they may be stung by the French who could concievably finish in the top 2. A top 3 finish for them would be a travesty given the quality of their play.
On the championship itself it's going to be one hell of a final weekend. If Italy perform as badly again I'd expect Wales to set both Ireland and England a target.
People are talking about Ireland having to win by about 15 points but I wouldn't be surprised if we need a 20+ margin. Scotland won't want a campaign they started in such a positive mood to end winless and I'm worried that Ireland will need to battle just to win nevermind chase a target.
If England just need to win against France I think they'll take out the title. If they have to chase anything beyond 14 points they may be stung by the French who could concievably finish in the top 2. A top 3 finish for them would be a travesty given the quality of their play.
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
I suspect you are right about Wales v Italy. If Wales decide to use their backline they could run up a big score.
Scotland won't have the home crowd to inspire them, so I'd expect Ireland to win reasonably well, but Scotland won't be as bad as Italy.
France coming off a win could put on one of those sublime rugby matches that only they can provide. Defeating England and thus ensuring that England don't win should add that little bit extra to their effort. The great unknown of course is PSA, he could well select a completely different starting 15.
Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
If is the keyword. I think cement head set his store out in game one. Wales will go aerial for first 20 mins. Whether we score at all in that period depends on Italians. I think they willgive away penalties. I think after the highs of Saturday this game will be depressingly close. Gatland s goal was never the 6 n title. It was to beat Ireland and England in run up to rwc
Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
Been reflecting on the prospects of tim Cymru in rwc in the light of 6n. One of the best observations I've ever heard on gatlandball was from one of the Irish guys on this site (Bardon I think): that it depends on Wales being fitter than the opposition, getting on top at breakdown and staying on top. When it works like Saturday its awesome. However it's never going to work at the beginning of a run of games. Nor are we going to dominate nz at the breakdown, certainly not for a whole game. Plus, we don't have a plan b. With cement you know exactly what you're going to get. Conclusions. we re stuffed.
Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
It's not going to happen. Sublime running rugby hasn't been played in France for a generation. Probably since psa was a player
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
Such a talented backline, almost criminal not to use it more often.
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
If it occurs, it won't have anything to do with PSA this time around.
I agree it's highly unlikely, but one can always hope - particularly if England or New Zealand are on the receiving end.
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