The 6 Nations 2019 Thread

[Ax^]

just a shame about the late scores

still got work to do

 

[Micro]

just a shame about the late scores

still got work to do

It was a shame. One would’ve been okay but two spoiled it a little.
I thought the bench did well for a while after all the changes once they had the bp in the bag, but that last 10 minutes wasn’t great at all.

 

[flypanam]

It was a shame. One would’ve been okay but two spoiled it a little.
I thought the bench did well for a while after all the changes once they had the bp in the bag, but that last 10 minutes wasn’t great at all.

Half the bench did very well. Dillane, Cooney and Carty had an impact and Carty's changed the style of play, it's been a while since we've seen a flyhalf punt the ball down the field like Carty did yesterday.

I think the replacement front row were poor, Scannell's failure to hook was the most glaring error and let France off massively, if he had hooked the ball, the french scrum would have been penalised and at that stage we would have got a penalty try. Wasn't just Scannell neither Kilcoyne nor Ryan seem to want to pass which was criminal especially as we had on occassions overlaps on the wings. It's the little mistakes and poor decisions that encouraged France to go keep plugging away.

But it was much better. Six day turnaround. I would love to see Leavy start in Wales and Beirne to partner Ryan in the second row, with Hendo on the bench.

 

[flypanam]

Beirne and O'Brien set to start on Saturday. I don't think SOB will deliver an 85 minute performance, looks like Schmidt sees the breakdown as key. Anyway The battle of the Wigan legends will be fascinating. Can't call it.

eta last games for Gatland, Best, and maybe Schmidt (who if he was smart, and he is, will return to the 6N as French head coach in two years)

 

[flypanam]

Kearney in at fullback too. Carty retained on the bench, Carbery dropped (Cos he doesn't kick?) and Marmion, Porter, and Roux promoted to the bench.

I can see why Schmidt' gone for heft in the pack and aggro at scrum half as our scrum was poor in the last 15 on Sunday.

Is it good enough to overturn the old truisms that Wales are unbeatable once they beat England in the 6N? Maybe but I don't fancy our chances if there is 15 to go and we need to score tries. I think SOB is going to have to return to his Lions form for us to get close and we have to play as well as we did in November.

For Wales does winning 13 on the bounce add pressure? Does score two tries in the autumn and 9 tries(?) this campaign mean anything?

 

[fucthest8]

I'm going to go on record as saying Wales will get the Grand Slam. Defence and situational awareness will see them through.

England to utterly implode in the second half and lose to Scotland for some fucking reason.

I really hope I'm wrong on both counts.

 

[gawkrodger]

Carbery dropped (Cos he doesn't kick?) bench.
?

nah, he's injured

 

[flypanam]

He trained on Monday and Tuesday.

 

[gawkrodger]

Trained but not fully recovered

Joe Schmidt On The Fitness Of Iain Henderson & Joey Carbery For The Champions Cup

Ireland's Rob Kearney and Joey Carbery doubts for Six Nations clash with Wales

 

[flypanam]

Ah, cheers.

 

[bendeus]

If they hypothetically need to score 4 or more tries to win the tournament why the fuck are Ireland insisting on an open roof during storm conditions on Saturday?

Smacks to me of negativity and will undoubtedly lead to a less entertaining 80 minutes.

 

[Teaboy]

The roof is such a nuisance of a conversation. If the weather is fine its open if its shit (like its likely to be tomorrow) its closed. Problem solved, get on with the game.

This 6N has been starved of good games, the viewing in general has been pretty dismal. Having the roof open tomorrow aint going to help that.

 

[flypanam]

.

This 6N has been starved of good games, the viewing in general has been pretty dismal.

This. First half France v Wales, Ireland v England, and Wales v England have been so so. The rest pretty dire. I guess in WC years no one wants to show too much.

As for the roof I'd be happy with it closed but no matter what the ball will be slippery.

 

[bendeus]

The roof is such a nuisance of a conversation. If the weather is fine its open if its shit (like its likely to be tomorrow) its closed. Problem solved, get on with the game.

This 6N has been starved of good games, the viewing in general has been pretty dismal. Having the roof open tomorrow aint going to help that.

My attitude is: its our stadium and we'll do what the fuck we want with our roof. Protocol, however, dictates otherwise.

 

[fucthest8]

Protocol, however, dictates otherwise.

Really hope the weather doesn't have the biggest part to play in your game, would be a bloody shame

 

[flypanam]

I’m more worried about Angus Gardner, I for one just want the refs to stop coaching pro players. Stop shouting hands off, just blow the penalty. I’d also like to see players penalised fit rolling into the scrum half.

 

[Supine]

If I had a ticket I'd want the roof closed

 

[bendeus]

View attachment 164591

Really hope the weather doesn't have the biggest part to play in your game, would be a bloody shame

Because blazers.

 

[bendeus]

I’m more worried about Angus Gardner, I for one just want the refs to stop coaching pro players. Stop shouting hands off, just blow the penalty. I’d also like to see players penalised fit rolling into the scrum half.

Opinion this side of the Irish Sea seems to be that he will favour Ireland with a typically SH laissez faire interpretation of the breakdown. Others reckon that he favours the defending side at the tackle area, which may favour us.

Totally agree with the rest. It's also ref interpretation that does my head in. Against England we benefitted from very quick calling of mauls when the player was held up in the tackle. Against Scotland (and amongst his catalogue of failings) Gauzere wouldn't blow for a maul for love or money. Consistency would be a fine thing. Two games; two sets of rules depending on who's in the middle.

 

[flypanam]

Agreed. I’ve been pondering the explosion of side entry in the comp. Annoying as it is an obvious penalty, I think I can rationalise it as a player safety issue, I don’t think WR want the jackel to get neck rolled or more importantly suffer two or three heavy impacts on the head and thus absorbed by the neck. It’s a blight but given the dangers, acceptable. Although WR will need something in place to either widen the gate or change the ruck.

 

[flypanam]

Is the under 20’s on S4c tonight?

 

[fucthest8]

Agreed. I’ve been pondering the explosion of side entry in the comp. Annoying as it is an obvious penalty, I think I can rationalise it as a player safety issue, I don’t think WR want the jackel to get neck rolled...

Jackel? Tackler?

Either way, I see plenty of people being taken off their feet at rucks by the opposing player wrapping his arms round their head and then rolling away. Looks fucking dangerous to me.

And side entry is just a penalty, end of.

Rucks seem to be increasingly lawless. Dive over the ball, come in at the side, don't support your weight, whatever you like on either side.

 

[two sheds]

Starts at 12.30pm tomorrow - they're trying to catch us unawares

 

[Mr Retro]

On the way to Cardiff from Cheltenham on the train for day 2 of the best sporting weekend of the year

Intelligent bunch of Cardiff laaaads wearing identical haircuts alternatively singing anti-English/pro-Liverpool songs.

 

[1927]

I’d be interested in serious opinions on this.

AWJ is arguably the best player Wales has ever produced. In my opinion he has never received the credit he deserves because unlike , say Warbs, he’s not a good looking, good talking pretty boy.

In the same way you gumdrop argue that the welsh team of the 70s didn’t go down hill when the likes of Gareth and Benny retired, but when the likes of Geoff Wherl in the engine room lost their influence.

I thought AWJ was finished after the last Lions tour, he seemed dead and buried, but is maybe actually getting better.
Discuss!

 

[bendeus]

I’d be interested in serious opinions on this.

AWJ is arguably the best player Wales has ever produced. In my opinion he has never received the credit he deserves because unlike , say Warbs, he’s not a good looking, good talking pretty boy.

In the same way you gumdrop argue that the welsh team of the 70s didn’t go down hill when the likes of Gareth and Benny retired, but when the likes of Geoff Wherl in the engine room lost their influence.

I thought AWJ was finished after the last Lions tour, he seemed dead and buried, but is maybe actually getting better.
Discuss!

Do you really have to do this again?

 

[bendeus]

There are also a lot of opinions of regular posters about the immortal AWJ thataway ^^^

 

[bendeus]

... and wtf do gumdrops have to do with it?

 

[bendeus]

On the way to Cardiff from Cheltenham on the train for day 2 of the best sporting weekend of the year

Intelligent bunch of Cardiff laaaads wearing identical haircuts alternatively singing anti-English/pro-Liverpool songs.

We are a nation of h'interlectewals, butt.

 

[1927]

Do you really have to do this again?

My apologies. Didn’t realise I’d asked the question before!