fucthest8
Cool people die horrible, preventable deaths.
Indeed, but I only meant that both teams win quite a bit, but play boring rugby.
Six Nations 2021
- Thread starter Elpenor
- Start date
Indeed, but I only meant that both teams win quite a bit, but play boring rugby.
Admittedly it's mostly the highlights that I see, but I find the Exeter driving maul strangely beautiful.
two sheds
Least noticed poster 2007
where are the highlights shown?
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
BT sport website, premiership youtube channel and C5 Monday evenings
two sheds
Least noticed poster 2007
sleaterkinney
Well-Known Member
As do England.
fucthest8
Cool people die horrible, preventable deaths.
Ta - watching nowall this time and I've missed it. With Flats as a bonus
Flats and Durders are a cracking double act.
fucthest8
Cool people die horrible, preventable deaths.
I meant to say something about this on Saturday but forgot. However, this excellent bit of analysis from Squidge - I don't always like him, but I think he's nailed this one - of the France Italy game includes some really excellent points about why Italy should stay.
My much less well argued comment on Saturday was going to be "Italy really frustrate me, because there were some really solid parts in that game - and some absolute fucking shockers. However, I wouldn't write them off yet. If that one pass hadn't been forward, it might have been quite a different scoreline" Watch the video though for some proper analysis, including key reminders of just how inexperienced they are right now.
flypanam
Sausage to fortune
No Ryan, Murray, or Sexton for Sunday. I'm glad Burns is getting a chance after the error last week, he's probably not up to international play but he's a good player and can't be held at fault for the IRFU's failure to see that Sexton is no Tom Brady. Really excited to see Craig Casey on the bench, a five foot five ball of talent and rage. I'd be really happy if he get ten minutes.
Good to see Ruddock in the backrow too.
Can't see us doing anything but losing by 15 on Sunday.
Good to see Ruddock in the backrow too.
Can't see us doing anything but losing by 15 on Sunday.
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
Yes, that's about how I score it for Ireland too. Wales v Scotland is intriguing, both have been shorn of key players by injury, can Scotland handle being favourites. I hope it's a close game.
As for England, having seen the team, we are going to learn nothing new with the same backline we saw in Japan. A wasted opportunity. If I was Randall or Odogwu I'd consider calling up Pivac and Franco Smith respectively and asking if they've got a spot on the bench for round 3! Expect exactly the same style of play as the Scotland game but for it to be far more successful as Italy are garbage. Eddie to say "ah mate, I told you we'd get out of the slump".
As for England, having seen the team, we are going to learn nothing new with the same backline we saw in Japan. A wasted opportunity. If I was Randall or Odogwu I'd consider calling up Pivac and Franco Smith respectively and asking if they've got a spot on the bench for round 3! Expect exactly the same style of play as the Scotland game but for it to be far more successful as Italy are garbage. Eddie to say "ah mate, I told you we'd get out of the slump".
bendeus
Bellend Tagline Generator
Liam, Adams, Foxy, J Williams, Anscombe, Tomos Williams, LRZ, Ellis Jenkins, Faletau, Tipuric, Beard, AWJ, Evans, Owens, Francis
G. Davies, Elias, Biggar, Hill, North, Navidi, Wyn Jones, Brown
.....is the side I'd pick if we didn't have 21 injured or unavailable players. Unfortunately, we do, so nine of those players aren't anywhere near the side for various reasons. What's taking to the pitch is mostly either green, ageing or just plain shit. We also have a shit coach, so we're basically stuffed
Scotland by 10+
G. Davies, Elias, Biggar, Hill, North, Navidi, Wyn Jones, Brown
.....is the side I'd pick if we didn't have 21 injured or unavailable players. Unfortunately, we do, so nine of those players aren't anywhere near the side for various reasons. What's taking to the pitch is mostly either green, ageing or just plain shit. We also have a shit coach, so we're basically stuffed
Scotland by 10+
bendeus
Bellend Tagline Generator
Ah, young Rhys Ap Ruddock. Wonder if he'd be in contention for us (there's a fuckton of competition with everyone fit) if his old man hadn't fallen out so spectacularly with the WRU and Welsh rugby as a whole.
It would also appear that you and I have been supping from the same, bitter chalice of optimism
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
I worked out that if Wales played their most experienced players in each position the squad (assuming all fit, and brought in Roberts) there'd be nearly 1200 caps in their starting 15! More impressive, as only 2 would have 100 caps as of Saturday. That does say a bit about both Gatland's great generation of players as well as the lack of depth.
bendeus
Bellend Tagline Generator
Yeah, I think the 'debate' over Italy's inclusion is a non-starter and that the alternatives (promotion and relegation or giving Georgia a go) isn't actually a debate at all. There's no chance the 'weaker' unions would countenance it as relegation = bankruptcy, basically and Italian fixtures still fill stadia and sell TV rights and in doing so generate £££ that otherwise wouldn't be generated with a reduction back to 5N.
That said, it is pretty shit that championships frequently can hinge on how many tries get cantered in against a generally weak Italian side but it's something we have to deal with. They're clearly capable of producing quality players and their clubs are starting to get results in the Pro14 (whatever that's worth). Defo a work in progress and let's not forget that it took France something like 40 years to win the 5N and nearly 50 to win a GS. If they can continue to build the game over there there's just the sniff of a chance that before I cark it Italy might be a side worth reckoning with, albeit modestly so.
bendeus
Bellend Tagline Generator
Yeah, it also tells us how the bitter internecine fighting between union and elite sides and the very deliberate defunding of the latter in pursuit of an all-conquering Team Wales has cut off the talent conveyor in a fairly major way. There's a real paucity of quality new players coming through here (although a few watch-this-space-in-a-few-years types), which is leading to a failure to force competition for key positions and a number of our major stars of the last decade still dragging the team to the occasional victory even as their legs give out. The next few years look pretty bleak for rugby this side of the Severn.
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
Agree, this is basically what happened last year, and could happen again this year!
I'm watching 'live' on ITV and there must be a five minute delay - the game hadn't even started when try announced on here.
