ljkeane Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 The England, Wales, Italy, Ireland, France and Scotland teams for the weekend. I'd be very surprised if it's not a comfortable win for Ireland. France-Scotland should be a good game, it'll be interesting to see if both sides can kick on, but I think France with the power they have and home advantage should be able to pull out a win. I'm not feeling too confident about the game in Cardiff. Generally speaking in the Gatland era if you're more physical than Wales on the gainline they struggle and England, since the 30-3 game, have done that (even at the World Cup they were on top while Wales were playing their usual patterns). Without either of the Vunipolas and with a backrow sporting a grand total of 4 international starts in the backrow I not too sure they will though tomorrow. On the plus side England under Eddie Jones do just seem to find a way to win so fingers crossed but with home advantage, not to mention Faletau to come off the bench, I've got the feeling Wales might win this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Get in! I wasn't feeling too confident before the game and that didn't change for most of the match but this England side under Jones, even when they're not playing particularly well, just seem to find a way to win. If he's anything like fit enough we to have Haskell starting though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Yes, we can't keep relying on willpower and superior replacements to edge us through. We were massacred at the breakdown and failed to win the forward collisions. Once we get the Vunipolas and Robshaw back, that will improve, but the back row still lacks a ball winner. Such a shame we missed out on Steffon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Good first half in Paris. I like the look of France under Noves, they've got a big side but they still look to play with some ambition when it's on. It'd be good for the Six Nations to have a strong France side again. On the same note Scotland are a good team now which is certainly good for the tournament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macklunkey Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Bit disappointed with the ref in the France v Scotland game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Yeah, it looked like a yellow card for Finn Russell for taking the French player out in the air to me too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Good effort from Scotland but France definitely deserved the win, Lamerat scored that try for me so they'd certainly feel pretty hard done by if they'd lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macklunkey Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 If only we had a scrum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 8 hours ago, ljkeane said: Good effort from Scotland but France definitely deserved the win, Lamerat scored that try for me so they'd certainly feel pretty hard done by if they'd lost. I think if Scotland had won that they would have been lucky, they did do a good job of taking opportunities for points when they came up (aside from Russell's comical conversion) but the French were on top for most of the game. I agree it did look like a French try on the slow-motion replay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted February 19, 2017 Share Posted February 19, 2017 Dan Vickerman, the former Australia lock, has apparently died aged 37. None the articles I've seen say it explicitly but given a couple of them reference suicide help lines it sounds like he committed suicide. Sad to hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Just reading an article on Vickerman's Suicide, and that Sione Lauaki just dies recently from kidney failure. Seems like the issues of high creatine use as a legal body bulking supplement and multiple concussions are being raised. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/89630838/Mark-Reason-Cult-of-silence-is-killing-too-many-of-our-young-men Much of the article is an interview with former Chiefs and Tonga player David Briggs. Before his death Jonah Lomu said he believed his creatine use contributed to his kidney disease. Dunno what to make of this myself as I haven't looked into the metabolism and biochemistry of creatine. Though I do know that over-supplementation even of essential nutrients can cause major problems, so if rugby players are being pumped full of creatine then that sort of nutrient imbalance over an extended period could cause problems. When it comes to multiple concussions, I can't but think that educated common sense suggests there must be long term consequences to getting concussed several times. The brain can't be that good at self repair that several instances of trauma don't have a lasting effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 The Scotland, Wales, France and Ireland teams for the weekend. Not too many real surprises. For Scotland I'm a little surprised they've dropped Watson, who's been good, to the bench but Hardie's a good player as well. Losing Goujon for the rest of the tournament is a bit of a blow for France. The Ireland side is pretty much as expected but the question mark, especially with the Lions coming up, would have to be whether Sexton can make it through a game. In the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby started today. Hopefully it's a good season this year because I didn't particularly enjoy a lot of it last year. Mainly because I'm not a fan of the new format and the only non Kiwi side who were any good last year was the Lions. The format's going to be the same this year but fingers crossed the Jaguares in their second season kick on and a few more of the South African and Australian sides step it up this year. Not a great start on that front this morning with the Rebels shipping 50 plus at home. From an England point of view though interesting to see an English player in Francis holding down a starting spot in the inside backs for one of the New Zealand sides (admittedly probably the weakest one). He is basically just a not as good version of Farrell at 10/12 though so I'm not sure he'll end up getting a chance for England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 France vs Ireland the clash I am most interested in this weekend. France is looking good. Shame one of their two wingers is out but perhaps the replacement is good as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 The England team for Sunday. I'm a little disappointed with Te'o at 13, I'd rather see him at 12 with Daly or Joseph at 13 but it looks like Jones is pretty committed to going with the two play makers at 10 and 12 now with Slade on the bench as well. I don't think it's going to be a good game but hopefully there should be a lot of tries scored anyway since I'm going to Twickenham. The other 2 games should be pretty good though. All four sides are still in with a reasonable chance of winning the tournament at the moment but the two losing sides will be more than likely out of contention so they should be an intense couple of games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 Yes, I'd rather see Farrell at 10, Slade at 12, Daly at 13, Nowell at 14 and Watson at 15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 Fairly even after the first half in Scotland/Wales, both sides seem to be struggling a bit to break through the defence. Oddly, one commentator seems convinced Scotland have someone named Tommy Boyd playing on the wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macklunkey Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 Great result over Wales. And my boy Finn motm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 4 hours ago, williamjm said: Oddly, one commentator seems convinced Scotland have someone named Tommy Boyd playing on the wing. Eddie Butler. Paterson even pointed out it was Seymour and he kept calling him Tommy Boyd all through the first half. He really is shit. Two tight games today. Not really the ideal results for England but good to see so many competitive sides in the Six Nations this year. The second Scottish try was quality as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macklunkey Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 Bizarrely I think he was mistaking Tommy Seymour for Tommy Bowe England v Scotland for the Triple Crown and the Calcutta Cup! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The BlackBear Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 At the game, there was an electric atmosphere. Nice to be finally reaping the benefits of home advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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