The 6 Nations 2019 Thread

[Ax^]

that johnson try

 

[gosub]

What a game though.

Edit: oh my fucking god. I love rugby so much.

Nah where was the acting and associated bullshit that could have secured penalties

 

[editor]

That was some game!

 

[bendeus]

AWJ. I rest my case. GIAT!

2021 Lions captain

 

[bendeus]

Here you go, 1927 - this is what Will Greenwood had to say about AWJ prior to today’s game. He has obviously burnished his credentials even more over the last few hours,

.Considering he may well be the best player the northern hemisphere has produced in the 21st century - and I don’t say that lightly - it’s amazing how many people can’t get Alun Wyn Jones’s name right. It must drive him potty. Alun Wyn is his Christian name. He’s just a regular Jones. Although the truth, of course, is that he is so far from being "just a regular Jones" it’s ridiculous.

When Wales face Ireland in Cardiff this afternoon, for their chance to win their fourth Grand Slam in the last 15 years, their chances of doing so will be exponentially boosted by the presence of their towering, glowering captain in the second row.

Alun Wyn missed out in 2005, making his Wales debut the following year against Argentina. But he was there in 2008 and in 2012. And it’s no surprise that he is still there now. A constant and reassuring presence in the Welsh engine room. I’m a massive, massive fan.

I’ve waxed lyrical so often about him down the years, people probably think I’ve got some sort of man crush on him. I guess I do. But I’ve never actually written a column about him. So as he prepares to lead his team into battle today, I just wanted to try to articulate what it is about him that makes him so special.

First of all - and I played under a few great ones in my time - he epitomises everything you want in your captain. He’s hard. He brooks no arguments. The kind of person you want to lead you into battle. Or to protect you in one. If he lived in Roman times, I reckon he would have been the boss of the Praetorian Guard; the handpicked veterans of the Roman army who were Caesar’s personal bodyguard. Gnarly, old, slightly balding. Basically you didn’t mess.

He’s definitely got a bit of the Martin Johnson about him. Fran Cotton used to talk about Johnno being the man you wanted to toss the coin in 1997, to look the Afrikaaners square in the eye because they were all giants. Well, there’s no one you’d rather have knocking on the opposition changing room door these days and saying, "Hello chaps, it’s time to toss the coin".

As a man Alun Wyn is softly spoken. I saw him at the Six Nations launch in January where I was struck both by his vice-like handshake and his articulate conversation. But he exudes authority. I remember when he stepped in to Sam Warburton’s shoes, after Gatland dropped Brian O’Driscoll for the decisive Lions test in 2013. I was there at the first press conference. The atmosphere was electric. What was going to happen? How would they cope with all the media’s questions? Alun Wyn just killed it dead. Oh alright. He’s in charge now. No need to go on about it.

As a player, he grows on you. When you think of the greats you tend to think of big moments; drop goals, tries etc. Alun Wyn is not like that. In the second row, what do they actually do? They run around a bit, jump a bit, bend over a bit. But they are critical to the backbone of the team.

Sometimes it’s only on re-watching matches that you appreciate how much he does. A strong inside shoulder here, a big tackle there. Take his last match against Scotland, for instance. In the first 30 minutes there didn’t seem to be one ruck which he didn’t counter-ruck. You might think, what’s the point of that? He didn’t win any turnovers. But he gave every single Scottish tight forward a going over at the breakdown. "I’m here," he was saying. "If you’re loose, I’m here. You’d better be solid. All the time."

That’s what he’s like on the pitch. Relentless. He’s always looking, watching, analysing, talking. Not in a chirpy, Matt Dawson-type way. But in a calm authoritative way. When the referee was giving Wales nothing at Murrayfield he was still asking very politely: "Is it out, sir? Is it out, sir?"

He’s the complete modern second row; his movement up and down in the line-out is exceptional (although if there is one area which Ireland are going to target today it is probably the line-out, which has not been infallible from a Wales point of view); as a defender he’s huge, filling that gap between the 15-metre channels, a sort of one-man wall in the middle of the pitch; while as an attacking force, OK he’s no Brodie Retallick, dummying in the outside channels and romping home from 30 yards, but he does have a bit of the crazy giraffe about him. It doesn’t come out often because the way Wales play is much more bludgeon. But he’s actually very athletic.

It’s his unconquerable spirit which most impresses me, though. I like to write down quotes which make an impression on me and this one from Babe Ruth could sum Alun Wyn up: "It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up." That is Alun Wyn all over.

This afternoon will be his 134th international, a world record 128 of them in the boilerhouse. Extraordinary. Is he the best player the northern hemisphere has produced in the 21st century? He has to be in the conversation. Maybe the Heineken Cups Brian O’Driscoll won just shade it. I don’t know. All I know is if I was playing rugby now, I genuinely think he would be the first person I would want on the team sheet

Best NH player of the 21st century? He’s certainly in the mix. Best Welsh forward ever? Undoubtedly.

 

[1927]

2021 Lions captain

Can he really carry on for another 2 years?

 

[Grandma Death]

My head hurts. Anyway. Eddie Jones aka Theresa May (both spunked a formidable lead) this one's for you...

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[Grandma Death]

Ok...so yeah its a little bit early. But Im on the wine. And Im super excited. This year I promise to not get too angry/enraged and post stupid shit. I promise to not let my fury spill onto the thread. I will act with decorum. Take this declaration please and hold me to it!

Anyway. What an amazing Autumn International for some teams. Clean sweeps for wales and Ireland. Controversial TMO decisions. But some really memorable games-some superb tries and most of all-the gap between the SH and NH is closing.

2019 6N promises to be a blinder. Least of all because Bendeus will join me at least one of these fixtures to get absolutely destroyed.

So here are the fixtures:

ROUND ONE

France v Wales, Friday Feb 1, 8.00pm (UK & Ireland), Paris

Scotland v Italy, Saturday Feb 2, 2.15pm, Edinburgh

Ireland v England, Saturday Feb 2, 4.45pm, Dublin

ROUND TWO

Scotland v Ireland, Saturday Feb 9, 2.15pm, Edinburgh

Italy v Wales, Saturday Feb 9, 4.45pm (UK & Ireland), Rome

England v France, Sunday Feb 10, 3.00pm, Twickenham

ROUND THREE

France v Scotland, Saturday Feb 23, 2.15pm (UK & Ireland), Paris

Wales v England, Saturday Feb 23, 4.45pm, Cardiff

Italy v Ireland, Sunday Feb 24, 3.00pm (UK & Ireland), Rome

ROUND FOUR

Scotland v Wales, Saturday Mar 9, 2.15pm, Edinburgh

England v Italy, Saturday Mar 9, 4.45pm, Twickenham

Ireland v France, Sunday Mar 3.00pm, Dublin

ROUND FIVE

Italy v France, Saturday Mar 16, 12.30pm (UK & Ireland), Rome

Wales v Ireland, Saturday Mar 16, 2.45pm, Cardiff

England v Scotland, Saturday Mar 16, 5.00pm Twickenham


So you know the drill. One wildcard selection. One likely


LIKELY

Wales (Points)
Ireland
England
Scotland
France
Italy

WILDCARD

Wales (Slam)
Ireland
Scotland
England
France
Italy

We are embarrassingly rich in depth. Our two toughest fixtures are at home. Im going for a wales win on either. We may drop a game against Ireland. But I think Ireland will drop a game against Scotland. We will beat England at home. After today. I both Ireland and England at home dont look a scary prospect.

Anyway... We have a winner [emoji4]

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[Grandma Death]

Wales to win every match they play.

Hope over probability?

[emoji4]

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[Grandma Death]

Are you for real? France and Ireland made England's kicking game look good by playing players out of position at fullback. Says a lot that England's whole game plan came unstuck when they faced a team with a fullback playing fullback.

Wales are punching and could easily find themselves in the last four come the world cup but your enthusiasm is coming across as deluded, not to mention disrespectful to our opponents. You'd be the first to complain of English arrogance but here you are proclaiming Wales world cup winners before we've even finished the 6 Nations.

Simmer down.

I will take your humble apology for this passive aggressive post in the mail or publicly here. Either way suits me mate [emoji23][emoji23]

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[JuanTwoThree]

[emoji4]

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I'm delighted to be wrong.

Now nobody likes cockiness. I actually found myself momentarily willing Ireland to get that try in the last minutes. (Edited to mean what I meant) Imagine the feeling if they weren't even left with that shred of dignity.

Although let's not worry about that World Cup for a day or two, Welsh people need to manage our expectations.
The winning was fine, but the result taking that form was flukey.

 

[Grandma Death]

I'm delighted to be wrong.

Now nobody likes cockiness. I actually found myself momentarily willing Ireland to get that try in the last minutes. They weren't even left with that shred of dignity. Imagine the feeling!

Although let's not worry about that World Cup for a day or two, Welsh people need to manage our expectations.
The winning was fine, but the result taking that form was flukey.

Flukey? [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

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[JuanTwoThree]

Flukey?

To the extent that I expected it to be closer. But Wales winning was the outcome that I hoped for.

 

[Threshers_Flail]

Bet Cardiff was bedlam last night.

 

[JuanTwoThree]

"We've just put a big target on our backs." AWJ

 

[JuanTwoThree]

This was the state of Cardiff city centre after the Six Nations

Bet Cardiff was bedlam last night.

 

[bendeus]

This was the state of Cardiff city centre after the Six Nations

I know how Cardiff City Centre feels

 

[Grandma Death]

This post from Facebook is just brilliant. Someone needs cream for his sore arse #butthurt

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[Grandma Death]

I know how Cardiff City Centre feels

My head feels like that bin mate [emoji23]

What was that pub all about mate? Seriously. You couldn't have made it up.

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[bendeus]

No, you couldn't. It seemed very fitting somehow, though

 

[Argonia]

I'm a bit confused. They had the trophy in Cardiff in case Wales won but what if Wales had lost and England won it? Would they have had to rapidly drive the trophy over to Twickenham? Or are there two trophies or something?

 

[mx wcfc]

I'm a bit confused. They had the trophy in Cardiff in case Wales won but what if Wales had lost and England won it? Would they have had to rapidly drive the trophy over to Twickenham? Or are there two trophies or something?

I expect they have more than 1. There are 3 FA Cups, and that never needs to be in two places at the same time.

 

[Grandma Death]

Just watched that second half of England v Scotland. Jesus what an incredible game of rugby!

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[bendeus]

This post from Facebook is just brilliant. Someone needs cream for his sore arse #butthurt

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I read an absolute beaut after the England game, which concluded 'I hope Alun Wyn Jones gets run over tonight, the cheating cunt'

 

[bendeus]

I expect they have more than 1. There are 3 FA Cups, and that never needs to be in two places at the same time.

Yeah. There was a replica one at HQ.

 

[Grandma Death]

I read an absolute beaut after the England game, which concluded 'I hope Alun Wyn Jones gets run over tonight, the cheating cunt'

One here from someone that doesn't understand the rules.

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[flypanam]

We came. We saw. We conquered.

I stand my predictions. And would ask Threshers Fail. just repeat what he said about showing no respect to the opposition [emoji6]

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Is that 1927 between your heads?

 

[Gromit]

This post from Facebook is just brilliant. Someone needs cream for his sore arse #butthurt

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When England won the World Cup in 2003 they scored 95% of their points by kicking so who is he to go on about not winning via tries? Is he going to say they didn't deserve that either?

 

[SpackleFrog]

It's fantastic that England fans can say this after what was legitimately the worst 2nd half meltdown in the history of international rugby against Scotland. Credit to Scotland but what happened there just shouldn't ever happen.

Also weirdly mirrors what a lot of Wales fans have always said about 'boring' England teams winning without scoring tries.

 

[mwgdrwg]

Good morning!

What a wonderful gift to be born Welsh!

Cymru Am Byth!