6N's Updates

[UlsterRugby1999]

What oh what are England about. I'm not taking anything away from Scotland The Brave who, IMHO, gave an excellent boot string display in both backs and forwards BUT - England are simply a mess. Their back five, again IMHO, are a group of individuals who play as individuals. They have little or no idea where anyone is, and as for running onto the ball and creating space they are just pants. I feel for Jonny Wilkinson who is taking a load of crap from air heads like Brian (The Wingnut) Moore and even Healey but in fact, as Healey showed on his gizmo yesterday when Maradona Flood came on, his backs are miles out of reach (that'll be both in play and mentally). I feel for the pack too who while a bit bitsy at times do provide decent ball only to see it wasted away between hoofing it back to the oppo or their individual Prima Donnas running into the oppo pack for lack of imagination and ideas or even well rehearsed set plays.

Wales aren't much better either. Their packs work rate is superb but rewards are minimal. Yes their discipline might be questionable, as was ours too of course, but they lack imagination or, for us older guys, the boot string and socks game of FECK it, just play your heart out and try and try and try. When the ideas fade so does the challenge.

But then, we have Paul O'Connell...........[:D][:D]

[UlsterRugby1999]

What not one of you going to rise to the bait. Och !!!!!!!!!! [;-)] [;-)]

[Bugsy]

Well given the France - Italy result today I reckon England have more chance of winning the lotto.

.

[UlsterRugby1999]

Ah Bugsy - is that it. I'm ready for a good auld hooley of a thread and thats all you give me.  [:D][;-)][:D]

[powerdesal]

Forcast for next week:-      France 17   England 11.

Unfortunately I will have to watch it on a big screen in the company of lots of Frenchmen - and live with the consequences.

[UlsterRugby1999]

Hey powerdesal - its a very very very rare moment when I cheer the Red Rose but this weekend coming I'll be the happiest lad in the world if you guys turn over the French. And, I'd buy you all a cyber pint of Guinness if its by a 20 point plus margin.

Well you can only but dream [:D]

[Bugsy]

[quote user="UlsterRugby1999"]Well you can only but dream [:D][/quote]

There are Dreams and there are Fantasies [:P][:D]

.

[powerdesal]

I already got loads of flak from my French colleagues today about the Scotland draw. ('everyone beats Scotland dont they ?, except Italy!!!)

I really am not looking forward to next week, other than to tell the French that 'we let them win cos its their turn'

[UlsterRugby1999]

Be strong and stand tall powerdesal - you can do it - your country needs you and all that guff.

[Gardian]

Where have you been UR99?  I was beginning to think that your ballon had exploded and taken you with it!

I couldn't get very excited by Ire - Wales yesterday, probably because I didn't care much who won.  Still felt that my fiver on England to win the Championship had a chance provided that we gave the Scots the stuffing they deserved. However, I just had that sinking feeling that it would go the way that most matches up there seem to go for us - straight down the fosse septique.  The rest is history.

There's not one England player who would get elected to play in a 6N XV.

Today was a delight: OK, the French were flattered a bit in the first half, but it was at least entertaining. That's the general idea isn't it?  

[UlsterRugby1999]

[quote user="Gardian"]

Where have you been UR99?  I was beginning to think that your ballon had exploded and taken you with it!

I couldn't get very excited by Ire - Wales yesterday, probably because I didn't care much who won.  Still felt that my fiver on England to win the Championship had a chance provided that we gave the Scots the stuffing they deserved. However, I just had that sinking feeling that it would go the way that most matches up there seem to go for us - straight down the fosse septique.  The rest is history.

There's not one England player who would get elected to play in a 6N XV.

Today was a delight: OK, the French were flattered a bit in the first half, but it was at least entertaining. That's the general idea isn't it?  [/quote]

Ha - Gardian like a bad penny I'll always turn up. I took myself off to the Ireland for a wee holiday and now I'm trying to get back on track again.

The Irish match wasnt breath taking but it was a a good match to watch nonetheless. If you were a youngster and a forward you'd have learned a lot from Paul O'Connell. But we got the win we needed to help restore some pride after the terrible lacklustre display against France.

The crazy thing about England is that they have several top class players but not one iota about playing as a team or whatever. I dont know for sure but there is a major component lacking and maybe Johnston isnt the man. But then who is?

I didnt see the French match but Italy scored 20 points so the French line isnt as impregnable as we made it look.

 

[Bob T]

[quote user="UlsterRugby1999"]Be strong and stand tall powerdesal - you can do it - your country needs you and all that guff.[/quote]

Yes, your country needs you! I have chosen France as the country I love and live in so will be supporting the blues.

[Weegie]

[quote user="powerdesal"]

'everyone beats Scotland dont they ?[/quote]

Apparently not.[:P][:D]

Now - Allez les bleus![:D]

[Gardian]

Well, a deserved 6N victory for France, but they had to dog it out in the end. Another day, another ref, we'd have nicked that. Pleased for the Jocks - a deserved win (sorry UR99!)

My verdict on the 6N, for what it's worth:

• France: worthy champions, but only really convincing in snatches. Nullified tonight. The big 13 is over-rated: just a basher. No surprise he was taken off.
• Ireland: can't make up my mind about them. I think that they'll eclipse once their world class fwds cease to provide ball for their backs. O'Driscoll past his best.
• England: best perf of the 6N. Should have 'blooded' some of the new players earlier (nothing to lose). Biggest problem in the front 5, traditionally a strength.
• Wales: capable of beating anybody on the day, but too fragile. Can't think of a new player who has distinguished himself.
• Scotland: strangely, the team that can take most credit & satisfaction from the 6N, in that they've made the biggest improvement.
• Italy: not much to say, other than very occasional bursts of skill.   

[UlsterRugby1999]

[quote user="Gardian"]

Well, a deserved 6N victory for France, but they had to dog it out in the end. Another day, another ref, we'd have nicked that. Pleased for the Jocks - a deserved win (sorry UR99!)

My verdict on the 6N, for what it's worth:

• France: worthy champions, but only really convincing in snatches. Nullified tonight. The big 13 is over-rated: just a basher. No surprise he was taken off. Not sure I fully agree with the nullified comment. I think Lievremonts game was simply to win. He has built up a confident and capable squad that are capable of making the final of the RWC next year. That said, this is what he claimed was his plan when he took over the position.

• Ireland: can't make up my mind about them. I think that they'll eclipse once their world class fwds cease to provide ball for their backs. O'Driscoll past his best. Fair comment re our forwards. Mainly it'll be our our front 5 too and our dependence on them is now telling. O'Connell is a seriously hard worker but struggles to keep the old rear-guard along side sometimes and yesterday it was exposed cleverly by Scotland.

• England: best perf of the 6N. Should have 'blooded' some of the new players earlier (nothing to lose). Biggest problem in the front 5, traditionally a strength. I believe that there was too much reliance on the older guys (Vickery & Co) and then too many changes without letting the newer guys have time to bed down. As you say, nothing to lose but anyone coming into a team (already on a confidence dive) needs time to settle in.

• Wales: capable of beating anybody on the day, but too fragile. Can't think of a new player who has distinguished himself. I think you flatter the Welsh a little.

• Scotland: strangely, the team that can take most credit & satisfaction from the 6N, in that they've made the biggest improvement. No arguments here and I think Robinson has injected a belief into a team that were at rock bottom. Their committment is immense and telling.

• Italy: not much to say, other than very occasional bursts of skill. Improving all the time I'd say. Their club players benefit from playing in Europe and this will tell in a few more years. An Irish, English or French scalp isnt too far away I feel.

[/quote]

Agreed re the matches yesterday Gardian - clealry they had done their homework an spotted our line-out weaknessess. Rory's throwing can be suspect under pressure and he was under immense pressure yesterday. They had clearly worked out where our scrummaging problems lie and worked out that our tight and loose heads were very suspect. Good luck to them, they did indeed deserve their win. Our unforced error count must have been close to three digits. God Almighty, how much ball did we gift them and especially our eyes closed type passing.

While BOD is getting on in his years he's still a major threat and has shown this throughout this 6N's. He has a few games left in him yet.

Overall, its been a reasonable 6N's and as you say, Scotland are the team to walk away with their heads high as they developed at each stage of the tournament and I'd fancy them to turn one of two of the SH teams.

[Quillan]

Well I went, I saw and cried with frustration. Today I have watched it at home on the TV and could see some bits I didn't see at the game.

To my mind England gave it away to the French. Cole should have been taken off the first time he was penalised in the scrum especially as we know this ref has a history with England concerning the scrum and Cole had already had problems in the previous match. Tindels work rate was excellent, always seeming to get that extra one or two metres with the ball. He was not tired and after watching and listening today to the commentators on TV and him saying he wasn't tired why they took him off when they did I just don't know.

JW kicked an excellent penalty but then he couldn't find touch after that with his kicking. I didn't realize at the time why he went over to the wing but it said on the TV that he had damaged his shoulder again.

As I said to my French friends as they took the pea at the end "did you get a try, no, but we did". We could have got at least one more if  (forgotten his name) had not kicked his knock through quite so far, the other one we didn't get I would say was just bad luck. The way I see it was we lost because we gave five penalties away and they scored from four of them. By the way I noticed that in the second half after the changes we gave hardly, if any, penalties away.

As to the ref, well he seemed more interested in the teams being 6" to close in the line outs and ignored the off ball tackles and players having their hands round each others necks and a few more off ball incidents that you didn't see on TV. Not to mention off sides and players coming in from the side in the rucks but there you, I suppose you could say it was fair because he didn't notice it with both teams.

Apart from Tindel being replaced too early and Cole too late the other changes in the second half were good and we had most of the territory for that period.

All we have now is the Southern Hemisphere tour then on the World Cup so we don't have much time to sort ourselves out, mind you I don't think France stand much of a chance either at the moment. Johnson have have ebb a good player but a good player does not a good manager make. Managing a national team is no easy thing and you really have to have some serious experience before taking on the role.

By far the most outrageous and serious thing was that 'La Rugby Bar' was closed on Sunday.

Anyway what's done is done and there is always another year.

[Gardian]

So, just for a bit of fun, here's my 6N XV (for discussion!):

• Poitrenaud
• Bowe
• O'Driscoll
• Roberts
• Cueto
• Trinh Duc
• Parra
• Domingo
• Servat
• Mas
• O'Connell
• Shaw
• Dusattoir
• Beattie
• Hari-alphabet

 

 

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

In the 6 nations, why don't they play home and away fixtures? Seems a bit unfair the way it's currently done.

Like playing half a season.