2012 6 Nations

[Cardiffblue]

Don't get too excited Paddy.

 

[Cardiffblue]

Tim FFrainc

Team:
15-Clement Poitrenaud
14-Vincent Clerc
13-Aurelien Rougerie
12-Wesley Fofana
11-Julien Malzieu
10-Lionel Beauxis
9-Julien Dupuy

8-Imanol Harinordoquy
7-Julien Bonnaire
6-Thierry Dusautoir (captain),
5-Yoann Maestri
4-Pascal Pape
3-Nicolas Mas
2-Dimitri Szarzewski
1-Jean-Baptiste Poux.

Replacements: 16-William Servat, 17-Vincent Debaty, 18-Lionel Nallet, 19-Louis Picamoles, 20-Morgan Parra, 21-Francois Trinh-Duc, 22-Maxime Mermoz

Trinh Duc busted but Rougerie still masquerading as centre. Presumuably to stop Tuigali.

 

[Cardiffblue]

If Warburton is rested why on earth is Roberts not rested as well? Wasn't he in doubt for this match?

reckon Jamie the Jaw will be pulled before kick off. Hesitate to mention him again but this french side has a touch of the Livremont's about it. Don't get to watch french rugby but isn't there anyone better than Boxkick who plays 10?

 

[the plastic paddy]

Don't get too excited Paddy.

Given the Italian team, think my bladder will stand the game. 8 changes I think!

 

[the plastic paddy]

Tim FFrainc

Team:
15-Clement Poitrenaud
14-Vincent Clerc
13-Aurelien Rougerie
12-Wesley Fofana
11-Julien Malzieu
10-Lionel Beauxis
9-Julien Dupuy

8-Imanol Harinordoquy
7-Julien Bonnaire
6-Thierry Dusautoir (captain),
5-Yoann Maestri
4-Pascal Pape
3-Nicolas Mas
2-Dimitri Szarzewski
1-Jean-Baptiste Poux.

Replacements: 16-William Servat, 17-Vincent Debaty, 18-Lionel Nallet, 19-Louis Picamoles, 20-Morgan Parra, 21-Francois Trinh-Duc, 22-Maxime Mermoz

Trinh Duc busted but Rougerie still masquerading as centre. Presumuably to stop Tuigali.

True enough but you will need Roberts to deal with Fofana on Paddy's day, the two best 12s in Europe IMHO. Same pack as last weekend, surprised Servat is not starting. Very surprised Rees isn't captain for your unopposed game on saturday. Trying to keep Gethin sweet?????

 

[Cardiffblue]

You know that same thought crossed my mind re: Gethin as capt.. Is hthis to keep him onside. The big weakness in this Welsh side is cover for tight head. With out Adam we're in trouble. As you pointed out the lineout is an issue but there are so few of them nowadays. But if Adam is injured look out scrum time

 

[the plastic paddy]

You know that same thought crossed my mind re: Gethin as capt.. Is hthis to keep him onside. The big weakness in this Welsh side is cover for tight head. With out Adam we're in trouble. As you pointed out the lineout is an issue but there are so few of them nowadays. But if Adam is injured look out scrum time

Is Adam Jones not looking too clever? Has had enough niggles this season. He is not as vital as Ross is to Ireland, we literally do not have anyone else, but there is some drop off if he is missing and the Italians can scrummage. Will try and find the Italian team to post, think they have rested a rake of players for the potential wooden spoon game although could see Scots winning in Dublin with POC and CM missing.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Italy: Andrea Masi (Aironi); Luke McLean (Treviso), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont Auvergne), Alberto Sgarbi (Treviso), Mirco Bergamasco (Racing Metro); Kris Burton (Treviso), Fabio Semenzato (Treviso); Andrea Lo Cicero (Racing Metro), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Treviso), Lorenzo Cittadini (Treviso), Quintin Geldenhuys (Aironi), Cornelius van Zyl (Treviso), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso), Simone Favaro (Aironi), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais, capt).
Replacements: Tommaso D'Apice (Aironi), Fabio Staibano (Aironi), Marco Bortolami (Aironi), Robert Barbieri (Treviso), Tobias Botes (Treviso), Tommaso Benvenuti (Treviso), Giulio Toniolatti (Aironi). Seven Changes from the Dublin team but Hair Bear will need to be at his best to handle Lo Cicero. Burton is ropey but Botes was terrible in Dublin. Won't trouble Wales in Cardiff.

 

[Bardon]

Ross Ford has come out in support of Andy Robinson. In Rugby a vote of confidence from the payers actually means something unlike in soccer where it's a mechanism to muddy the waters when the players stab the coach in the back.

I hope Robinson keeps his job as he's made progress with Scotland and brought through some good players. He realises Scotland aren't the All Blacks and plays a style that suits the talent available without being too dour.

 

[Bardon]

Rory Best passed fit so he's Captain for Ireland v Scotland. Glad he's good to go as he's the standout hooker in Ireland currently and his work around the field is phonominal. Been a bit wayward with his throwing lately but none of the back ups are consistently accurate.

He'll give good leadership but one cause for minor concern is his decisions for when to go to the corner and when to take the points from penalties are not always the best.

 

[Bardon]

Here's the full Ireland team, as predicted only the enforced changes.


Ireland: Rob Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Keith Earls, Gordon D'Arcy, Andrew Trimble; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Rory Best (capt), Mike Ross; Donncha O'Callaghan, Donnacha Ryan; Stephen Ferris, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Mike McCarthy, Peter O'Mahony, Tomas O'Leary, Ronan O'Gara, Fergus McFadden.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Ross Ford has come out in support of Andy Robinson. In Rugby a vote of confidence from the payers actually means something unlike in soccer where it's a mechanism to muddy the waters when the players stab the coach in the back.

I hope Robinson keeps his job as he's made progress with Scotland and brought through some good players. He realises Scotland aren't the All Blacks and plays a style that suits the talent available without being too dour.

And Visser will be playing for Scotland in the Autumn which will make one hell of a difference!!!! He will push North and Bowe very hard for Lions winger spots, a very special player.

 

[Cardiffblue]

Anyone seen the orc team for Paris?

 

[Cardiffblue]

HE is the first on the team sheet, and the first to get involved in the thick of the action.

And now Adam Jones has notched up another first — by becoming the first Welsh rugby player to launch his own app.

Only a select number of players enjoy a testimonial celebration, marking their significant contribution to the game.

But while players of yesteryear enjoying a testimonial might have expected a run-out game with players encountered over their career, and perhaps a couple of drinks over a black-tie dinner, the Ospreys, Wales and British Lion prop has embraced modern media.

The popular tighthead already has a testimonial website, and now the design company which produced it has gone a step further and created an iTunes app.

The app, software made for mobile devices, enables people who sign up to access Adam's blog and his live Twitter feed, where they can be updated on his testimonial events, and also his every move.

And it also features six templates, where the user can superimpose images of themselves into one of the other reasons for which he is famed — his shock of curly hair.

Dan Clemo, director of design company, Sugar Creative Studio, said: "Adam is one of the world's top professional rugby players and when we were approached to sponsor him during his testimonial year, we were extremely flattered.

"Along with producing a website, programme and other literature, we suggested developing an app as a way for people to find out more information about his year — and as a bit of fun.

"The fact you can try on his hair — who wouldn't give it a go? I just can't wait to see Adam's celebrity friends tweet a picture of themselves with that mop of hair."

The big-haired prop has also proved to be big-hearted, agreeing to donate profits from the app to his testimonial year foundation. A percentage of the foundation's proceeds will go to St David's Hospice Care, the charity which supported Adam's wife Nicole and her family, after her grandfather was diagnosed with cancer.

Adam said: "I am so proud to be honoured with a testimonial year for what has already been an unforgettable ten years of rugby with the Ospreys region.

"So many people have offered me tremendous encouragement over the years and I hope the events over the testimonial year pay tribute to the support I've received".
www.adamjones3.com

 

[Cardiffblue]

BTW according to South Wales Echo (always first with the news) Graham Henry is off to Patagonia

 

[the plastic paddy]

HE is the first on the team sheet, and the first to get involved in the thick of the action.

And now Adam Jones has notched up another first — by becoming the first Welsh rugby player to launch his own app.

Only a select number of players enjoy a testimonial celebration, marking their significant contribution to the game.

But while players of yesteryear enjoying a testimonial might have expected a run-out game with players encountered over their career, and perhaps a couple of drinks over a black-tie dinner, the Ospreys, Wales and British Lion prop has embraced modern media.

The popular tighthead already has a testimonial website, and now the design company which produced it has gone a step further and created an iTunes app.

The app, software made for mobile devices, enables people who sign up to access Adam's blog and his live Twitter feed, where they can be updated on his testimonial events, and also his every move.

And it also features six templates, where the user can superimpose images of themselves into one of the other reasons for which he is famed — his shock of curly hair.

Dan Clemo, director of design company, Sugar Creative Studio, said: "Adam is one of the world's top professional rugby players and when we were approached to sponsor him during his testimonial year, we were extremely flattered.

"Along with producing a website, programme and other literature, we suggested developing an app as a way for people to find out more information about his year — and as a bit of fun.

"The fact you can try on his hair — who wouldn't give it a go? I just can't wait to see Adam's celebrity friends tweet a picture of themselves with that mop of hair."

The big-haired prop has also proved to be big-hearted, agreeing to donate profits from the app to his testimonial year foundation. A percentage of the foundation's proceeds will go to St David's Hospice Care, the charity which supported Adam's wife Nicole and her family, after her grandfather was diagnosed with cancer.

Adam said: "I am so proud to be honoured with a testimonial year for what has already been an unforgettable ten years of rugby with the Ospreys region.

"So many people have offered me tremendous encouragement over the years and I hope the events over the testimonial year pay tribute to the support I've received".
www.adamjones3.com

And did you see that Hair Bears number one fan is Boris Johnson the bonkers London mayor.

 

[Bardon]

Unchanged England team for France:

England: Ben Foden; Chris Ashton, Manu Tuilagi, Brad Barritt, David Strettle; Owen Farrell, Lee Dickson; Alex Corbisiero, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole; Mouritz Botha, Geoff Parling; Tom Croft, Chris Robshaw, Ben Morgan.

Replacements: Rob Webber, Matt Stevens, Tom Palmer, Phil Dowson, Ben Youngs, Charlie Hodgson, Mike Brown.

 

[Bardon]

Change to the Ireland team announced. O'Brien has a foot infection so he's out and O'Mahony starts. Shane Jennings comes into the squad on the bench.

 

[Bardon]

Scotland's team to play Ireland:

Scotland : 15-Hogg, 14-Jones, 13-De Luca, 12-Morrison, 11-Lamont, 10-Laidlaw, 9-Blair; 1-Jacobsen, 2-Ford, 3-Cross, 4-Gray, 5-Hamilton, 6-Barclay, 7-Rennie, 8-Denton

Replacements: 16-Lawson, 17-Murray, 18-Kellock, 19-Vernon, 20-Cusiter, 21-Jackson, 22-Evans

 

[the plastic paddy]

Scotland's team to play Ireland:

Scotland : 15-Hogg, 14-Jones, 13-De Luca, 12-Morrison, 11-Lamont, 10-Laidlaw, 9-Blair; 1-Jacobsen, 2-Ford, 3-Cross, 4-Gray, 5-Hamilton, 6-Barclay, 7-Rennie, 8-Denton

Replacements: 16-Lawson, 17-Murray, 18-Kellock, 19-Vernon, 20-Cusiter, 21-Jackson, 22-Evans

Pleased they have moved Lamont onto the wing, has been very good for them in the centre and I don't think he is sharp enough for the wing. They have picked a rapid Back row but they might just be a bit light weight. Think this game will be very tight, praying there are not too many lineouts.