Six Nations 2022

[flypanam]

So the six nations is upon us, making those dreary Feb/March weekends a little bit brighter, except the off weekends. Stirs up a little passion and lets age old resentments come to the fore and get an airing.

Really looking forward to it this year, I've watched almost no rugby this year as we've a no screens policy for the 4 month old boy that has turned our world upside down so I'm expecting it to be the most open in years...with France winning the GS.

I like Farrell's squad, although I'd like to see Crowley and Frawley Uncapped Hansen and Lowry named in Ireland squad but if we carry on like we did in the autumn then I'll be happy.

 

[flypanam]

I do notice that we're very light in the second row, with 3 of the four considered light...might affect us in London and Paris.

I do wonder if uncle eddie will continue with his two open sides and a 4 playing eight experiment?

 

[Elpenor]

I’m looking forward to the 6N so much, it really boosts the winter months.

I don’t follow the URC but I’ve enjoyed watching all of Ulsters games in the champions cup - by coincidence as they’ve been on at the times I’ve watched - and they’re playing some great rugby.

Been very impressed with Lowry, also James Hume at 13 and Nick Timoney in the back row. It does seem like non-Leinster players need to do twice as well to get in the team but I hope they start matches.

France to win for me, but I don’t see it as a grand slam.

England to finish second if Farrell breaks a leg in training! Looking forward to seeing Smith playing 10, and ideally Joe Marchant at 13. Please play Tom Curry at 7 Eddie!

 

[flypanam]

I’m looking forward to the 6N so much, it really boosts the winter months.

I don’t follow the URC but I’ve enjoyed watching all of Ulsters games in the champions cup - by coincidence as they’ve been on at the times I’ve watched - and they’re playing some great rugby.

Been very impressed with Lowry, also James Hume at 13 and Nick Timoney in the back row. It does seem like non-Leinster players need to do twice as well to get in the team but I hope they start matches.

France to win for me, but I don’t see it as a grand slam.

England to finish second if Farrell breaks a leg in training! Looking forward to seeing Smith playing 10, and ideally Joe Marchant at 13. Please play Tom Curry at 7 Eddie!

I don't Lowry will start but I can see him at 23 for the French game.as he covers FB and Fly. The thing about Farrell that has surprised me is that he is keen to pick on form rather than reputation, for Hume is is a good thing as I'd put him ahead of Ringrose at the moment so a bench spot is very much in the offing.

 

[Infidel Castro]

I'm expecting Wales to get reamed.

 

[Carvaged]

Looking forward to it! Anyone want to place any bets on the eventual winner?

 

[Elpenor]

I don't Lowry will start but I can see him at 23 for the French game.as he covers FB and Fly. The thing about Farrell that has surprised me is that he is keen to pick on form rather than reputation, for Hume is is a good thing as I'd put him ahead of Ringrose at the moment so a bench spot is very much in the offing.

Problem with picking on reputation is you never build any depth - hence Ireland being scuppered when BoD and Darcy both retired the year before 2015 World Cup, and also the doubt as to who plays when Sexton is injured.

 

[flypanam]

Problem with picking on reputation is you never build any depth - hence Ireland being scuppered when BoD and Darcy both retired the year before 2015 World Cup, and also the doubt as to who plays when Sexton is injured.

Too true. That's why I'm disappointed Jack Crowley didn't get selected, as he's better than Joey at fly imo. Joey is best suited to FB second playmaker.

 

[Threshers_Flail]

I'm expecting Wales to get reamed.

Same.

I'm just hoping that nobody else gets a bad and injury and the young players aren't too traumatised.

 

[Threshers_Flail]

Good few years now since I was excited for a 6 Nations tbh.

 

[Infidel Castro]

Same.

I'm just hoping that nobody else gets a bad and injury and the young players aren't too traumatised.

I just don't know where we are, and I don't know what the camp mood is in regard of Pivac. I'm scared of the wheels falling off ahead of RWC23 and the WRU panicking and all that stuff. Regions still shit, but that's never seemed to be an impediment in the past. That said, there will one day be a correlation, and a negative one at that. Is this the year?

Of course, we'll go and win the thing now. Crazy stuff.

 

[Balbi]

Bloody good read about Keith Earls here - his bipolar, background and Andy Farrell sounding like a very good bloke too

Keith Earls: ‘Hank started to take over. I got to a stage where I hated rugby’

 

[Elpenor]

That’s a really interesting read; I’m glad he is in a supportive environment.

 

[bendeus]

I just don't know where we are, and I don't know what the camp mood is in regard of Pivac. I'm scared of the wheels falling off ahead of RWC23 and the WRU panicking and all that stuff. Regions still shit, but that's never seemed to be an impediment in the past. That said, there will one day be a correlation, and a negative one at that. Is this the year?

Of course, we'll go and win the thing now. Crazy stuff.

We’ll beat Italy, get reamed by France Ireland and England and lose narrowly at home to the Scots. The media will break unedifying news of a changing room dust up between Rees Zammitt and Ross Moriarty and Neil Jenkins will be crushed in a freak chandelier accident in the lobby of the WRU’s shiny new hotel. Pivac will ask us to judge him on the outcome of the World Cup, at which we’ll also be reamed.

 

[AverageJoe]

Junior Joe (11) has Marcus Smith as his screen saver and has told everyone at his rugby club that he's going to be the one to replace him when Smith retires.

Which to be fair, is actually quite possible. He's an amazing player. proud face

 

[bendeus]

I just don't know where we are, and I don't know what the camp mood is in regard of Pivac. I'm scared of the wheels falling off ahead of RWC23 and the WRU panicking and all that stuff. Regions still shit, but that's never seemed to be an impediment in the past. That said, there will one day be a correlation, and a negative one at that. Is this the year?

Of course, we'll go and win the thing now. Crazy stuff.

I’ve been whinging for years about the inevitable crash that will follow of the WRU’s mortgaging of the game below national level in order to continue the success of Tim Cymru. How we even have a trickle of talent coming through given the criminal underfunding of the regions is a miracle in itself. However, that talent is looking more and more sparse: who is coming through at 9, 12, 13, 8, 2 and 3 that inspires any confidence in the future? I thought last year was when the pigeons would come home to roost but the almostjamslam kicked it down the road. This is the year, methinks.

 

[Infidel Castro]

I’ve been whinging for years about the inevitable crash that will follow of the WRU’s mortgaging of the game below national level in order to continue the success of Tim Cymru. How we even have a trickle of talent coming through given the criminal underfunding of the regions is a miracle in itself. However, that talent is looking more and more sparse: who is coming through at 9, 12, 13, 8, 2 and 3 that inspires any confidence in the future? I thought last year was when the pigeons would come home to roost but the almostjamslam kicked it down the road. This is the year, methinks.

That's my fear. Full stop. It could get ugly Bendy. It can't go on forever as it is now. There has to be a sensible structure a la the Irish provinces, but we lack the same historical structure. The closest we have is East v West, but we are 'too big' a rugby nation to fall back to x2 provinces. I honestly don't give a shit about Europe if our regions perform well at Celtic League (showing my age) equivalent level, as that's where the health is. Glad Dai is back. Happy with Ryan down at Dragons. Also with Peel at Scarlets. Give O's a chance as they are. Booth seems decent. But without the financials we have to be a supply nation. That's fine, but the WRU want people back here for fuck all. It'll never work. Let's produce and farm out and drop Gats' Law. We're dead otherwise. We have fuck all money apart from that which comes in from the international game. Unless a billionaire feels friendly, we're dead.

 

[bendeus]

That's my fear. Full stop. It could get ugly Bendy. It can't go on forever as it is now. There has to be a sensible structure a la the Irish provinces, but we lack the same historical structure. The closest we have is East v West, but we are 'too big' a rugby nation to fall back to x2 provinces. I honestly don't give a shit about Europe if our regions perform well at Celtic League (showing my age) equivalent level, as that's where the health is. Glad Dai is back. Happy with Ryan down at Dragons. Also with Peel at Scarlets. Give O's a chance as they are. Booth seems decent. But without the financials we have to be a supply nation. That's fine, but the WRU want people back here for fuck all. It'll never work. Let's produce and farm out and drop Gats' Law. We're dead otherwise. We have fuck all money apart from that which comes in from the international game. Unless a billionaire feels friendly, we're dead.

Bar the Italian sides the regional budget lags far behind any of the other nations participating in whatever acronym the plastic league is operating under at present. It’s unsurprising that we’re getting stuffed on a weekly basis. We’re stuck in a padded cell of the rainbow league, wearing a regional straitjacket sewn by that nice Mr Moffatt that no fucker likes and our warden is a well-meaning ex-schoolteacher from Abercwmfycoff who has absolutely zero experience of leading a multimillion pound elite sporting body. Luckily the nurses are all self-interested blazers representing bumfuck villages with a 45 degree sloped rugby pitch at the end of a road somewhere in the hills, who like the free buffets and the kudos and have absolutely no interest whatsoever in voting themselves out for the good of the game nationally.

I used to fantasise about a CVC sponsored British and Irish league with broadcasting rights ripped from the WRUin’s cold dead hands as the only possible route out of certain doom but it ain’t going to happen. We are absolutely fucked, and Covid just made us fucked-er

 

[Infidel Castro]

Fucked-er. The end. Amen.

 

[Infidel Castro]

But again, as needs saying, watch us go win it. It could happen. It shouldn't. But it might happen. I can't see it though. But it might. The 6N. Majestic. Stupid. Oh my life. We'll get stiffed. I think.

 

[bendeus]

But again, as needs saying, watch us go win it. It could happen. It shouldn't. But it might happen. I can't see it though. But it might. The 6N. Majestic. Stupid. Oh my life. We'll get stiffed. I think.

You are Grandma Death and I claim my £5

 

[Infidel Castro]

Jeez no, I'm a Cardiff lad. And I think we'll get hammered. But being of the 70s-born gen, and given how last year fucked my head, I don't know what to expect. Apart from a wooden spoon or the championship, as I am Welsh and confused as fuck.

 

[bendeus]

Jeez no, I'm a Cardiff lad. And I think we'll get hammered. But being of the 70s-born gen, and given how last year fucked my head, I don't know what to expect. Apart from a wooden spoon or the championship, as I am Welsh and confused as fuck.

Just joshing, mate. I know GD irl but the tendency towards optimism in your last post reminded me of him. Know what you mean about being 70s born: formative years led us to believe we were nigh on invincible, early to mid adulthood taught us that we'd never win anything ever again. Then came the streak from '05 to' '19, which was pretty fucking special (although interspersed with utter excrement) and now we're here. It feels to me more like '82 than '04 right now but what do I know? Welsh rugby always retains the capacity to surprise.

 

[flypanam]

We’ll beat Italy, get reamed by France Ireland and England and lose narrowly at home to the Scots. The media will break unedifying news of a changing room dust up between Rees Zammitt and Ross Moriarty and Neil Jenkins will be crushed in a freak chandelier accident in the lobby of the WRU’s shiny new hotel. Pivac will ask us to judge him on the outcome of the World Cup, at which we’ll also be reamed.

That fucking hotel business is shady to say the least. What a way to run a national union. Mind I haven’t a scooby as to what the IRFU do with their cash but now that Browne is stepping down all I hope for is that a John Delaney type doesn’t take over.

ETA I see a banker is taking over, and rugby is central to his life. Fucking blazers.

 

[bendeus]

That fucking hotel business is shady to say the least. What a way to run a national union. Mind I haven’t a scooby as to what the IRFU do with their cash but now that Browne is stepping down all I hope for is that a John Delaney type doesn’t take over.

There's a logic to it insomuch as they'll be massively increasing matchday and event revenue at the stadium with each and every game and concert. It's a pretty guaranteed income stream. However, they've basically spent money thst would/should otherwise be spent on the game in Wales to achieve this. They would probably argue long term sustainability but others might say that the role of the union is custodianship of the game in Wales, which appears to have taken something of a back seat.

 

[gawkrodger]

really looking forward to this six nations. Good chance it'll be the best in years

 

[Infidel Castro]

I hate the build-up to the first game. That said, I enjoyed Eddie Butler's preview last night. Raymond Blanc is a fucking legend. Jenks and McBride good value too.

My only hope for the opener is that Wales find the form they showed in losing to SA, which in fairness was our best performance of the AIs by some distance, whilst Ireland have a traditional blip of the after the lord mayor's show variety that they're sometimes prone to. I don't doubt Wales will put up a fight in Dublin, but I'm struggling to see anything like a win. And after all the cards and bizarre tries last year, I sense there's a major whiff of payback in the air this time out.

 

[flypanam]

Is there a link to the preview?

Im nervous about Saturday. We’re notorious slow starters. The game against Japan in the Autumn saw a series of bad passes and kicks before we found out way.

Can’t imagine there will be anymore than 5 to 10 points in it come 4.30 on Saturday.

The Wynn Jones Furlong contest will be fascinating.

ETA year out from the World Cup we will be great…even Gerry Thornley in the Irish Times has come to realise that WC are not where it’s at for us. I’d like us to be permanently banned from them.

 

[Infidel Castro]

flypanam, it was on Welsh telly. BBC. Should be on iplayer. I'll try to find a linky though.

E2A - it's called Eddie Butler's Six Nations. I presumed it was just a Welsh thang but it appears it was scheduled in Eng and NI too at the least. Dismissively negligible mention of Italy meant I thought it couldn't have been full Beeb.

 

[dessiato]

I'll be in Scotland on Saturday. A friend there is a huge rugby fan and ex player. He follows Scotland around the world to watch them. I'm thinking of wearing my England shirt, however, he'll be at the game so maybe a different day.