Six Nations 2020

[Ulrich]

Did you say Ireland to get the grand slam?

Loving the look of this new French team.

That last game will be a cracker if the Irish get up tonight.

I meant the French

 

[molman]

I meant the French

Last game will still be a cracker I reckon - if it happens that is.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/fran...ust-be-dealt-death-blow-by-french-government/

The coronavirus playing havic to the whole tornament. CVC must be loving their investment this year. Guess insurance would cover some of it.

 

[Spruce Moose]

Last game will still be a cracker I reckon - if it happens that is.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/fran...ust-be-dealt-death-blow-by-french-government/

The coronavirus playing havic to the whole tornament. CVC must be loving their investment this year. Guess insurance would cover some of it.

Hearing some strong rumours that they will potentially delay many of the games until September. Something similar was done with the hand foot mouth out break few years back.

I can't see any of the italian matches being played. Plus they don't want to lose revenue playing games in closed stadiums.

 

[formerflanker]

I admit it.
I enjoyed the hard slog of the England-Scotland game in the driving rain, swirling wind, low scoring and slippery ball.
All that was missing was mud.

 

[Slim 293]

Joe Marler facing a minimum 12 week suspension for grabbing AWJ's testicles.........

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/...s/news-story/3fa70197c424e8c06b3192349457dca5

 

[qwerty51]

The reaction to that incident by various gay people has been absolutely staggering. They're all pretty much completely dismissing it as a funny incident that is harmless.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Joe Marler facing a minimum 12 week suspension for grabbing AWJ's testicles...

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/...s/news-story/3fa70197c424e8c06b3192349457dca5

It looked less like a grab and more like a friendly fondle to me.

Of course, you shouldn't go fondling someone else's knob without an invite.

 

[Forcefield]

Yeah. It's hairy territory (pardon the pun!). It's really up to AWJ to decide whether he thinks its okay or not. Gut feeling from the post match interview is that he falls into the not camp. Problem is you don't know whether something like that is okay with the recipient until after you've done it. Better not to do it all unless you already know what someone's reaction will be.

I remember a while back reading Joe Marler saying that he used to intentionally find ways to pick up suspensions to avoid playing for England (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/oct/02/joe-marler-suspended-avoid-england-duty-rugby-union). I wonder if this could be a repeat of that.

 

[Derpus]

We forgive assault in the sporting arena because of the context, but sexual assault? It's not nearly as justifiable as punching someone in the heat of the moment.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

You don't touch another players genitals, just like you stay away from the eyes. Throw the book at Marler to make an example of him.

 

[kiap]

It's really up to AWJ to decide whether he thinks its okay

Nah. That's fine as far as it goes and, like you say, he's not okay with it.

But it's not up to AWJ, even if he really liked it and wanted more.

WR (World Rugby) need to knock this on the, ah … <ahem> head.

 

[wamberal]

The reaction to that incident by various gay people has been absolutely staggering. They're all pretty much completely dismissing it as a funny incident that is harmless.

If AWJ had clocked him, would that have been funny? I have no doubt that the intent was to provoke a reaction.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Ringinland' pre-resumption warmup v Baabaas cancelled:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...ed-off-after-players-breach-covid19-protocols

TLDR: 'twas Baabaas who broke protocols, not Ringinland.

 

[Dctarget]

Switch on France v Ireland if you want some soothing rugby after last night’s complete clusterfuck.

8 minutes in, Ireland looking really good, France scratchy and then some Fickou magic and Dupont in across the line, France does as France does.

 

[Dctarget]

Spoilers ahead if you're still going to watch it:

France were my darkhorse in Japan and I think they'll be my favourites barring NZ come 2023. A RWC on their home turf with their current crop is downright salacious.

No. 8 Alldritt just got his third MOTM for the 6N and the bloke is only 23. Their spine of 2. Marchand (I prefer Chat, what a choice to have) 8. Alldritt 9. Dupont 10. Ntamack 15. Bouthier (prefer Jalibert or Ramos) is incroyable. All so young and will be hitting good(er)(est?) form by 2023.

Throw in Fickou, who seems to have been around forever but has really stepped up, partnering with Vakatawa ('nuff said). Teddy Thomas and Ollivon too, make up genuinely a title contending side.

Put a pineapple on France to win the cup and it wouldn't be your worst bet.

 

[Kevin77]

Spoilers ahead if you're still going to watch it:

France were my darkhorse in Japan and I think they'll be my favourites barring NZ come 2023. A RWC on their home turf with their current crop is downright salacious.

No. 8 Alldritt just got his third MOTM for the 6N and the bloke is only 23. Their spine of 2. Marchand (I prefer Chat, what a choice to have) 8. Alldritt 9. Dupont 10. Ntamack 15. Bouthier (prefer Jalibert or Ramos) is incroyable. All so young and will be hitting good(er)(est?) form by 2023.

Throw in Fickou, who seems to have been around forever but has really stepped up, partnering with Vakatawa ('nuff said). Teddy Thomas and Ollivon too, make up genuinely a title contending side.

Put a pineapple on France to win the cup and it wouldn't be your worst bet.

Definitely agree that they are going the right way.

Only caveat I'd have is that three years is a lifetime in rugby. I remember thinking at various times over the last decade that Wales or Ireland will look deadly at next World Cup and then within a year they've dropped back.

No doubt though that France are on the way back. Once Dupont and Ntamack amass some more experience they are going to be lethal.

 

[Dctarget]

Well, Six Nations is here again (again).

Feel like the only title contenders are France and England. Both have some impressive names missing out through injury or other so anything can happen. I think England are probably favourites as France's 2 away games are their toughest: England & Ireland.

Italy host France in the opening match 11.15pm AEDT Saturday:

Italy:
TBA

France:
15. Brice Dulin (La Rochelle)
14. Teddy Thomas (Racing 92)
13. Arthur Vincent (Montpellier)
12. Gaël Fickou (Stade Français)
11. Gabin Villière (Toulon)
10. Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Bègles)
9. Antoine Dupont (Toulouse)
1. Cyril Baille (Toulouse)
2. Julien Marchand (Toulouse)
3. Mohamed Haouas (Montpellier)
4. Bernard Le Roux (Racing 92)
5. Paul Willemse (Montpellier)
6. Dylan Cretin (Lyon)
7. Charles Ollivon (c) (Toulon)
8. Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle)
Replacements
16. Pierre Bourgarit (La Rochelle)
17. Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon)
18. Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse)
19. Romain Taofifenua (Toulon)
20. Anthony Jelonch (Castres)
21. Baptiste Serin (Toulon)
22. Louis Carbonel (Toulon)
23. Damian Penaud (Clermont)

No Ntamack, Chat, Vakatawa, Cros. Still a blody good team, good enough to keep Penaud on the bench.

France by 28+

England v Scotland 3:45am AEDT Sunday morning, probably one to be recorded.

England:
15. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 47 caps)
14. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 46 caps)
13. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 34 caps)
12. Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors, 3 caps)
11. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 61 caps)
10. Owen Farrell (C) (Saracens, 88 caps)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 104 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 54 caps)
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 8 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 43 caps)
5. Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, 4 caps)
6. Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons, 19 caps)
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 28 caps)
8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 56 caps)
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 26 caps)
17. Beno Obano (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
18. Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs, 18 caps)
19. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 85 caps)
20. Ben Earl (Bristol Bears, 8 caps)
21. Dan Robson (Wasps, 7 caps)
22. George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 72 caps)23. Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 3 caps


Nothing too revolutionary. New centre pairing in Ollie Lawrence (4th cap) & Henry Slade. Farrell gets to go back to flyhalf with Ford on the bench. Missing Sinckler, Vunipola and Marler from the front row means Genge gets a start and Obano makes his debut from the bench. Expect England to keep to the same game plan as before. Run over players and stay out of their half.



Scotland:
15. Stuart Hogg CAPTAIN (Exeter Chiefs) – 80 caps14. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 50 caps
13. Chris Harris (Gloucester) – 23 caps
12. Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby) – 0 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh) – 5 caps
10. Finn Russell (Racing 92) – 51 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 37 caps
1. Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh) – 11 caps
2. George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 34 caps
4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) – 61 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie VICE CAPTAIN (Edinburgh) – 23 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh – 36 caps
8. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 9 caps
Substitutes:
16. David Cherry (Edinburgh) – 0 caps
17. Oli Kebble (Glasgow Warriors) – 5 caps
18. WP Nel (Edinburgh) – 40 caps
19. Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 65 caps
20. Gary Graham (Newcastle Falcons) – 2 caps
21. Scott Steele (Harlequins) – 1 cap
22. Jaco van der Walt (Edinburgh) – 1 cap
23. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 26 caps
Cameron Redpath makes his debut at 12, thanking his lucky stars Twickenham will be empty & Tuilagi isn't playing.
Amazed Finn Russell has got 51 caps, still feel like he never gets picked. Here's hoping the Scottish Quade has the skills to beat England. But head says England by 10.

Wales v Ireland at Midnight on Sunday night.
Probably the match of the round, can't split 'em! Get the feeling that Pivac doesn't have enough tricks in his bag and Andy Farrell will just wheel out Sexton on a mobility scooter to slot enough penalties to get them home.

both teams TBA.

 

[Dan54]

Well, Six Nations is here again (again).



Italy host France in the opening match 11.15pm AEDT Saturday

England v Scotland 3:45am AEDT Sunday morning, probably one to be recorded.

Well the England v Scotland game sets up nicely for me as it will be 5.45am here in Godszone, and I do rnjoy rugby with my bacon and eggs!
May have to record the Wales v Ireland on Sunday but being a retied gentleman these days just may get up and have a peek, or watch it in bed?

 

[formerflanker]

Re the listing of players in the sequence 15-9, then 1-8, then bench numbers:
have I missed a change in tradition? Or is it just nth hemisphere and I hadn't noticed?

 

[Dctarget]

Re the listing of players in the sequence 15-9, then 1-8, then bench numbers:
have I missed a change in tradition? Or is it just nth hemisphere and I hadn't noticed?

Definitely been going on for a while, think it's a NH thing!