Rugby

[Padraig]

A fine day for Leinster. Very good win, with some excellent tries. They have a great chance in this tournament. A rather fortunate but hard working win for Ulster. Munster's challenge tomorrow is the toughest of the lot though.

[The Marquis de Leech]

Once again we're the team to beat and everyone's going to bring their A-game. Should be a blast.

Don't jinx it, please. ;)

[ljkeane]

Munster's challenge tomorrow is the toughest of the lot though.

It turned out to be a very tough challenge, Toulon look a very good team at home. So with the Ospreys losing to Irish that means that Toulon are through, that'll teach me to expect the Ospreys to win when the pressure's on I suppose.

[The WaterDancer Knight]

Looks like the end of cycle for Munster. Where is gone the team that won two H-Cup ?

[Padraig]

Looks like the end of cycle for Munster. Where is gone the team that won two H-Cup ?

Too old. Not enough new young players. Staying so competitive for as long as they did was a great achievement in itself.

The problem now is that a lot of those players (especially in the pack) go into the Irish team. Ouch.

[lessthanluke]

Fucking Ospreys. Fuck you.

[Hereward]

Finally, a victory after 10 straight losses. Ospreys were very poor, though, and yet we still made a meal of it.

[ljkeane]

Good win for Wasps to deny Toulouse the home quaterfinal, I didn't think they had it in them after the performance against Glasgow. The red card for Fritz certainly helped but they'd already managed to turn the game round well after a shaky start with some excellent defense in the forwards and some quality finishing out wide. they should have a decent shot of winning the Amlin cup now.

The eight teams that have gotten through to the quarterfinals all look strong and I think all of them are capable of winning the Heineken Cup. Obviously the home teams have an advantage but I don't think you can rule out any of the away teams. They all have very strong packs with good halfback combinations which is a good basis for winning any game, if any of the home teams are off their best they could easily pay for it.

Overall I'd say that Leinster are marginal favourites at this stage but there's not a lot in it as I wouldn't even be confident about saying they're big favourites to win the game against Leicester. It should be a good set of games.

[Hereward]

I don't like rugby anymore.

We're going to be fighting to avoid relegation for the next few seasons. Unless we actually get relegated, obviously, and I wouldn't bet against it.

[ljkeane]

I don't like rugby anymore.

We're going to be fighting to avoid relegation for the next few seasons. Unless we actually get relegated, obviously, and I wouldn't bet against it.

Isn't Mapusua leaving? That'll be a blow but I'd say that you'll still be stronger than 3 or 4 teams.

[Slick Mongoose]

I don't like rugby anymore.

We're going to be fighting to avoid relegation for the next few seasons. Unless we actually get relegated, obviously, and I wouldn't bet against it.

Join the club! :cheers:

[Hereward]

Isn't Mapusua leaving? That'll be a blow but I'd say that you'll still be stronger than 3 or 4 teams.

Yes, but that's the least of it. The front row is poor, Casey has finally totally gone and they spent the only money they had to replace him on getting Tagicackibau to re-sign. Delon Armitage is said to have itchy feet, as is Kennedy. They've put all their faith in winning something to keep the big names while they wait for the Acedmy players to come through, and they're not doing so on either count.

We have a good first XV but an incredibly thin squad, and the first XV are starting to drift away.

[ljkeane]

Yes, but that's the least of it. The front row is poor, Casey has finally totally gone and they spent the only money they had to replace him on getting Tagicackibau to re-sign. Delon Armitage is said to have itchy feet, as is Kennedy. They've put all their faith in winning something to keep the big names while they wait for the Acedmy players to come through, and they're not doing so on either count.

We have a good first XV but an incredibly thin squad, and the first XV are starting to drift away.

I'd still be pretty confident about you having a better team than the two sides I go to watch with any sort of frequency, Sale and Newcastle. Their squads are not exactly packed full of top internationals either.

On replacing Casey and possibly Kennedy finding top class second rows is difficult but it's probably the easiest position to find servicable Premiership level players in, so it's not a complete disaster. Keeping hold of Hudson might have helped though.

[ljkeane]

So the Six Nations starts today and it looks pretty well poised with England, France and Ireland all looking to have good teams albeit all with some problems, Scotland are in good form and Wales and italy are still dangerous. It should be a pretty good tournament especially with the build up to the World Cup to take into account.

Wales-England tonight should be pretty close, Wales are missing a few key players and the loss of Jones and Jenkins in particular will be a big blow but they should be fired up playing England and home and they're always a dangerous team out wide. England are are also missing some key players but I think Haskell and Wood are capable replacements in the back row. Overall I can't see Wales being to replicate the way South Africa caused England problems in the Autumn so I expect them to get the win.

I can't see the Italy-Ireland game tomorrow being anything other than an Ireland win with Italy again lacking the quality of halfbacks that they need but what should be interesting is how the Ireland scrum matches up to the Italians. Mike Ross is decent scrummager at tighthead and that's the first time in a long time you can say that about an Ireland tighthead, if he can give the Iriah scrum some stability that will add a lot to their game. On top of that if O'Brien can take his provincial form to the international stage then when Heaslip and Ferris come back they could have a very intimidating looking back row to take to the World Cup.

Finally I think that France should win their home game against Scotland tomorrow but who knows how they are going to play? on paper they undoubtedly have the best team in the tournament and you'd think they'll perform at home but if they capitulate like they did aginst Australia then Scotland are a good enough team now to take advantage. We'll find out tomorrow I suppose. :dunno:

[Renasko]

Six Nations, yea! Whoo!

...The only time in the rugby calendar I pay attention...

Whoo! Yeah!

Go Ireland.

[lessthanluke]

So the Six Nations starts today and it looks pretty well poised with England, France and Ireland all looking to have good teams albeit all with some problems, Scotland are in good form and Wales and italy are still dangerous. It should be a pretty good tournament especially with the build up to the World Cup to take into account.

Wales-England tonight should be pretty close, Wales are missing a few key players and the loss of Jones and Jenkins in particular will be a big blow but they should be fired up playing England and home and they're always a dangerous team out wide. England are are also missing some key players but I think Haskell and Wood are capable replacements in the back row. Overall I can't see Wales being to replicate the way South Africa caused England problems in the Autumn so I expect them to get the win.

I can't see the Italy-Ireland game tomorrow being anything other than an Ireland win with Italy again lacking the quality of halfbacks that they need but what should be interesting is how the Ireland scrum matches up to the Italians. Mike Ross is decent scrummager at tighthead and that's the first time in a long time you can say that about an Ireland tighthead, if he can give the Iriah scrum some stability that will add a lot to their game. On top of that if O'Brien can take his provincial form to the international stage then when Heaslip and Ferris come back they could have a very intimidating looking back row to take to the World Cup.

Finally I think that France should win their home game against Scotland tomorrow but who knows how they are going to play? on paper they undoubtedly have the best team in the tournament and you'd think they'll perform at home but if they capitulate like they did aginst Australia then Scotland are a good enough team now to take advantage. We'll find out tomorrow I suppose. :dunno:

Agree with pretty much all this. Wales have lost Jones and Jenkins which is a big blow but England have lost Croft who pretty much runs their line-out. It evens out. I'm thinking Davies/Roberts might be able to hurt England in the midfield but I am leaning towards an England win at the moment.

I hope it turns out differently of course! :cheers:

[Renasko]

Come on, Wales. Let's quash the English.

[Fireball07]

Not a bad game England and Wales. Not all that great either. What's the story with Tom Croft though? I haven't been following the Premiership at all this year but I always rated him. Is he injured, out of form, just no favoured?

And why Hape ahead of Flutey??

I like Foden and Ashton though, they are good players and proving it today.

Bradley Davies is playing well for Wales.

[ljkeane]

Not a bad game England and Wales. Not all that great either. What's the story with Tom Croft though? I haven't been following the Premiership at all this year but I always rated him. Is he injured, out of form, just no favoured?

And why Hape ahead of Flutey??

Croft's been injured since the South Africa game and Flutey hasn't been particularly impressive recently so there's no real reason to change what's been a reasonably impressive backline.

Good game and a decent start for England, they haven't blown Wales away but they looked in control for most of the game. Another good performance from the Youngs and Flood combination and I thought both Woods and Haskell did well coming into the team.

Wales weren't too bad and they had some reasonable performances from some of the forwards, Bradley Davis in particular, but there wasn't much penetration and they didn't really look like winning the game after the first 10 minutes. That'll be a concern for Wales and they'll want Phillips and Stephen Jones to be more of an infuence next week.

[Fireball07]

Croft's been injured since the South Africa game and Flutey hasn't been particularly impressive recently so there's no real reason to change what's been a reasonably impressive backline.

Good game and a decent start for England, they haven't blown Wales away but they looked in control for most of the game. Another good performance from the Youngs and Flood combination and I thought both Woods and Haskell did well coming into the team.

Wales weren't too bad and they had some reasonable performances from some of the forwards, Bradley Davis in particular, but there wasn't much penetration and they didn't really look like winning the game after the first 10 minutes. That'll be a concern for Wales and they'll want Phillips and Stephen Jones to be more of an infuence next week.

Well I just don't think Hape and Tindall are that good. I'm sure they have their strong points but Hape gave away a couple of silly penalties and doesn't look that dangerous with ball in hand either. England were good but the backline looked a little uninspired, bar Foden and I wonder will they open teams up. (Youngs and Flood were good, and Ashton did take his tries well admittedly)