RBS 6 Nations 2013

[the plastic paddy]

Wales' evisceration of England yesterday reminded me of our win 2011. Martin Johnson's flush was busted that day and I can't help thinking the admirable Lancaster had his limited tactics brutally exposed yesterday. Plus England have a serious problem with their scrum and now every ref in the world knows it they are going to struggle.

 

[Bardon]

Well done to Ireland's women who just wrapped up their first 6Ns grand slam. It's great to see the women team becoming more competitive here in Ireland. Doesn't matter to me that England were missing a lot of their stars for the tournament it's still a very special achievement for the women's game here.

 

[KevinO]

CONGRATULATIONS WALES, back to back Championships is a great feat and if it was not for a slow first 20 minutes against Ireland it would have mean back to back Grand slams.

To England fans I think that it is a saving grace that this team did not win the Grand Slam so soon into there tender, it will drive them to accomplish greater fetes in the long term.

Ireland, good bye Declan Kidney. I hope that is not the way Brian O'Driscoll finishes his international career for Ireland. It would be a real shame to one of the all time greats of the game.

Italy and Scotland are defiantly no longer the easy beats of the 6 nations that they have been for the last decade, great to see them causing some big upsets in the last 2 months and now I hope they can start getting the consistency that is required to win a title in the near future.

France, think it is time you put a cap on foreign players per top 14 team, your league may have all the money in the World but it goes to show you have decimated the development of the French national side by not bringing the young stars of the future through the ranks earlier.

 

[boyo]

CONGRATULATIONS WALES, back to back Championships is a great feat and if it was not for a slow first 20 minutes against Ireland it would have meant back to back Grand slams.

France, think it is time you put a cap on foreign players per top 14 team, your league may have all the money in the World but it goes to show you have decimated the development of the French national side by not bringing the young stars of the future through the ranks earlier.

This.

 

[qwerty51]

if it was not for a slow first 20 minutes against Ireland it would have mean back to back Grand slams.

On the same same tune, if it was not for a great 20 minutes against Wales, Ireland would be winless.

 

[Gnostic]

Given the back to back championships to Wales can I ask why they were so awful against the Wallabies last year? Largely the same squad. I am just struggling to see why, as I certainly don't think the Wallabies under Deans are anything special.

 

[Wales Fan]

Given the back to back championships to Wales can I ask why they were so awful against the Wallabies last year? Largely the same squad. I am just struggling to see why, as I certainly don't think the Wallabies under Deans are anything special.

Personally I think Wales are comfortable mentally playing the other 6 Nations sides and know they have the power and physicality to win these matches at the moment.
When they play the old tri-nations sides I feel there is still a mental block there. Wales were a whisker away from winning virtually all the Australia tests last year. But mentally weren't strong enough to close out games they could/should have won.
Until we get the top 2 inches right it'll continue to happen.
Personnel wise we don't have too many options to improve in that area although I think Biggar at 10 (not a world beater by any means) is far,far more solid than Preistland - he's confident in his own ability, not as talented maybe but less flakey.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk 2

 

[qwerty51]

Wales haven't conceded a try in 4 and half games. Incredible.

 

[Cardiffblue]

Given the back to back championships to Wales can I ask why they were so awful against the Wallabies last year? Largely the same squad. I am just struggling to see why, as I certainly don't think the Wallabies under Deans are anything special.

they werent that bad. Just lacked the killer instinct when they were in front and played stupidly at the death

 

[Cardiffblue]

Wales haven't conceded a try in 4 and half games. Incredible.

Sion Edwards is a god!

 

[KevinO]

Wales haven't conceded a try in 4 and half games. Incredible.

And there defense coach is not selected as part of the Lions coaching squad, makes a lot of sense...

 

[Cardiffblue]

On the same same tune, if it was not for a great 20 minutes against Wales, Ireland would be winless.

think it's fair to say they dominated the whole of the first half. 40 minutes that ruined a back to back grand slam?... perhaps, but the Irish in that brief period could do no wrong. That outrageous flick from the outside of the boot said it all.

 

[Cardiffblue]

And there defense coach is not selected as part of the Lions coaching squad, makes a lot of sense.

Politics I think. Gatland, Howley and Edwards? One of them was going to miss out. I like it. Don't want the orcs learning how to defend against us

 

[Cardiffblue]

Wales' evisceration of England yesterday reminded me of our win 2011. Martin Johnson's flush was busted that day and I can't help thinking the admirable Lancaster had his limited tactics brutally exposed yesterday. Plus England have a serious problem with their scrum and now every ref in the world knows it they are going to struggle.

Quite a few have made that comparison. Problem isn't with the orc players per se. It's just the faintest glimmer of life in the English juggernaut seems to send the poodle press to paroxuyms of outrageous hype, so that when the wheels fall off they do so spectacularly. I'm tired of reading how getting stuffed on Saturday was the best thing possible for this young side and all part of a master plan for the next RWC not peaking too early. It's absolute BS. Nobody even now seems to want to say that perhaps this English side isn't as good as they were supposed to be and they may never be.

 

[Cardiffblue]

If the orc beat us by 30-3 these turds wouldn't be saying how 'proud they were of the way we played'. they'd be wetting themselves iwth excitment and proclaiming the death of Welsh rugby.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

So is this the death of Soap Dodger rugby?

It would be a more compelling argument if they hadn't beaten the Darkness, rather comprehensively, in 2012 EOYT.

 

[the plastic paddy]

So is this the death of Soap Dodger rugby?

It would be a more compelling argument if they hadn't beaten the Darkness, rather comprehensively, in 2012 EOYT.

NZ played an absolute fecking blinder by not bringing up the extent to which they were hobbled by the norovirus. The English hype machine went into massive overdrive and even though they did not score one legitimate try in three games against, respectively, an Irish team that couldn't stop dropping the ball, a French team coached by another lunatic and an Italian team fucked dry by the ref , they still believed they were going to beat a welsh team who came into that game in great form. If England had not beaten NZ on the first of december I suspect that Lancaster might well have been forced out of his position by the idiots who write in the English press. After the hammering in Cardiff I suspect that they will have their man by christmas 2013. Ridiculous of course because Lancaster cannot make silk purses out of sows ears, but the English press love to perpetuate the myth that their sporting teams only ever misfire because of an under performing coach or a treacherous ref.

England have major issues in the set piece, Dan Cole was ruthlessly exposed in this tournament. Marler is not international quality and I don't think with his posture he ever can be. The illegal Corbesiero cannot come back soon enough but My understanding is that he might be unlikely to enjoy any sort of longevity to his career because of his knee problems. Robshaw is an admirable sort of chap in a chinless NCO sort of way but I don't think he is a seven and I don't really think he is bright enough to captain an international rugby team. Youngs is mentally weak, Farrell will be susceptible to nepotistic charges from the English press if results start to go against him and Freddie Burns continues to develop. Barritt does not offer anything going forward, Tuilagi can't / won't pass and the tactic of playing two full backs in the back three was ruthlessly exposed by Cuthbert who is good but not that good.

 

[JSRF10]

Given the back to back championships to Wales can I ask why they were so awful against the Wallabies last year? Largely the same squad. I am just struggling to see why, as I certainly don't think the Wallabies under Deans are anything special.

Because the 6 nations has shown how poor the quality of the NH is at the moment. Players skill levels and ability to think on their feet aren't good enough. Once the 6 nations sides come up against Australia, SA and BNZ they can't consistantly raise their game to the next level therefore the big 3 will win the majority of the clashes between the hemispheres.

 

[JSRF10]

Declan Kidney is meeting with the IRFU board tomorrow, he'll be let go at this meeting according to the Irish Indo. Although worringly early indications from the journos usually in the know suggest Kiss will be part of any new set up, he has been the worst of all the coaches involved and I'd rather a complete clear out of all the staff.

 

[KevinO]

After the performance this year, the new coach needs to be given full rain to select his staff and not hang onto any of the under performing staff and players. If he wants to be successful leading into the next World Cup a entire clean out in on the cards.

I don't think anyone should be considered safe under the new management, players and coached should be cross examined and get Ireland back on the track of competing for 4th in the world ranking and not dropping any lower. Being 9th in the world is not acceptable and should be enough to give the entire system a good shake up.