RBS 6 Nations 2013

[Braveheart81]

For those playing at home, the first game is on at 12:30am on Sunday morning (Wales vs Ireland), second game is 3am (England vs Scotland) and the third game is at 2am Monday morning (Italy vs France). These times are AEDT (Sydney and Melbourne).

 

[JSRF10]

Wales Team to face Ireland -
WALES: Leigh Halfpenny (Blues); Alex Cuthbert (Blues),
Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Blues), George North (Scarlets); Dan
Biggar (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Bayonne); Gethin Jenkins (Toulon), Matthew Rees
(Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Ian Evans (Ospreys),
Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Sam Warburton (Blues, capt), Toby Faletau (Dragons).


REPLACEMENTS: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Paul James (Bath), Craig
Mitchell (Exeter), Olly Kohn (Harlequins), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Lloyd
Williams (Blues), James Hook (Perpignan), Scott Williams (Scarlets).

I am not going to say that Ireland should beat that team but if we don't Kidney will definitely lose his job and there will also not be many Irish lads going on the Lions tour, in which case the phrase about clouds and silver will come to mind.

Wales have missed a massive trick by starting Warburton ahead of Tipuric. Ireland should win this providing Mike Ross stays fit for 80 minutes.

 

[en_force_er]

I don't see how Wales could drop Warburton, but not rewarding Tupiric with international gametime is a crime.

What they could have done is play the two 7s because then all 3 of their back rows would be 6'2 lineout jumpers (including Faletau). Now nobody would tell you this is ideal but with plenty of options and a bit of coaching creativity you can make a perfectly workable lineout.

 

[en_force_er]

I used to coach him when he was 16. He's a good kid and made the Aust Schoolboys team after being selected in QLD 2. It wasn't an overly strong schoolboy year for 10 after the previous years had Cooper, To'omua, JOC (James O'Connor) etc. Went to school at Lauries in Brisbane, so they are starting to get a reputation for Italian players after Luke McLean also went there. He was with the Brumbies for a few years on the outer squad but never cracked the big time. Was the 10 for UQ last year before moving over to Italy. Also played in the UK for one of the Uni's, can't recall which one off the top of my head.
I always thought this would be his best shot at playing test rugby.

At this stage the Italians just need a player who is of international standard at 10, they don't need to be a world beater but they have to be solid. Right now they've got two 32 years olds.

Now, Orquera was stupendous against Australia in November but he played the best I've ever seen him play by some margin.

Burton, who Qld folks like Jets might also have come into touch with, is clearly a player who's making the most of what he's got and there's nothing wrong with that, but at this stage (he may have been better in the past) I can't see Italy winning often from his hand.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

Italy had struggled for a decent 9 since Truncon retired 7ish years ago. Now they have 2 in Gori and Orquerra. Italy should look at playing them at 9 and 10, as France did in the RWC with 2 scrum halves. There is no clear 10 favourite and it would be a shame if either had to sit on the bench.

 

[JSRF10]

Italy had struggled for a decent 9 since Truncon retired 7ish years ago. Now they have 2 in Gori and Orquerra. Italy should look at playing them at 9 and 10, as France did in the RWC with 2 scrum halves. There is no clear 10 favourite and it would be a shame if either had to sit on the bench.

With Ocquerra at 10 Italy look like a half decent outfit, I think this year I'd fancy them to beat Scotland and maybe Wales or Ireland at home (depending on who loses tomorrow).

 

[en_force_er]

Italy had struggled for a decent 9 since Truncon retired 7ish years ago. Now they have 2 in Gori and Orquerra. Italy should look at playing them at 9 and 10, as France did in the RWC with 2 scrum halves. There is no clear 10 favourite and it would be a shame if either had to sit on the bench.

How does Orquera go at 9? I've seen him play Top 14, Pro 12, and International rugby but never at 9. It'd be interesting, don't think he's needed though.

With Ocquerra at 10 Italy look like a half decent outfit, I think this year I'd fancy them to beat Scotland and maybe Wales or Ireland at home (depending on who loses tomorrow).

Orquera has been in and out of the Italian 10 jersey for years, I'd love to see him find consistency and play the way he did in the Spring tour but I wouldn't bet the barn on it.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

just put scotland in as kicker for my multi.......if they win drinks are on me

 

[rugbysmartarse]

How does Orquera go at 9? I've seen him play Top 14, Pro 12, and International rugby but never at 9. It'd be interesting, don't think he's needed though.

He started out as a 9, but this is going back 4-5 years. He was quick and sharp, a bit of a poor mans Mike Phillips, although I always rated Gori ahead of him

 

[Manuel]

What they could have done is play the two 7s because then all 3 of their back rows would be 6'2 lineout jumpers (including Faletau). Now nobody would tell you this is ideal but with plenty of options and a bit of coaching creativity you can make a perfectly workable lineout.

For many years France had a top level lineout with no lock as lead jumper. Harinordoquy and Bonnaire + 1 lock at the front (Papé as of late) more than did the job, and you had the other lock (Nallet at the RWC) + Dusautoir as fourth and fifth.

Anyway, french team confirmed to face Italy. Main talking points have been Dusautoir's return (though not as captain), Parra's bench role, Bastareaud's return, Fofana playing wing despite being the best centre in Europe, and having a very light cover in the back three in case of injury. Forestier being picked over Thomas Domingo has been discussed too.
France:15 Yoann Huget, 14 Wesley Fofana, 13 Florian Fritz, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Benjamin Fall, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Maxime Machenaud, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 6 Thierry Dusautoir, 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Pascal Papé (c), 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 1 Yannick Forestier
Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Luc Ducalcon, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Damien Chouly, 21 Morgan Parra, 22 Francois Trinh-Duc, 23 Mathieu Bastareaud

 

[en_force_er]

Fofana playing wing despite being the best centre in Europe.

It's a touch strange isn't it, maybe coach values experience at 13? Fritz has been solid lately but not much more.

Speaking of which, I don't really rate Huget. France has so many great back 3 players, why play a bloke who has been that impressive out of the position he's been playing all year?

 

[Manuel]

Well, pretty much every back three player is injured. Palisson, Malzieu and Médard are coming back from injury and really out of form, Clerc and Dulin are injured, and Buttin and Poitrenaud seem not to be PSA's cup of tea ("yet" and "anymore" respectively). There are others like Andreu, Bonneval, Porical, Arias, Lapeyre could do the job, but the coaches preferred to have Fofana there, given that they really rate Mermoz and Fritz. Given the current limitations in the back three, it's pretty much a forced decision imho.

In the pair Mermoz-Fritz I think the coaches value the playmaking skills of the former and the defence and the kicking game of the latter. Personally I dream of a Fritz-Fofana pair, but I'm not sure that'll ever happen.

 

[Bardon]

Less than 3 hours to go until the start of this year's 6Ns and I'm as excited as a kid on Christmas Eve.

 

[JSRF10]

Less than 3 hours to go until the start of this year's 6Ns and I'm as excited as a kid on Christmas Eve.

have the same feeling myself! Really hope we see Ireland play to their potential, can't sit through another 80 minutes of Kidney-ball ie no aimless box kicks from Murray and for the love of god be aggressive in defence

 

[Lee Grant]

In the pair Mermoz-Fritz I think the coaches value the playmaking skills of the former and the defence and the kicking game of the latter. Personally I dream of a Fritz-Fofana pair, but I'm not sure that'll ever happen.

The selectors must have remembered Fofana's hot form playing for Clermont on the wing a couple of years ago and with Clerc injured it's a good solution.

I also disagree with the benching of Parra and Domingo though it could be my Clermont bias.
.

 

[Braveheart81]

It's good to see Greg Growden back.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

What a try by irl BOD all skill. 7-0 to irl14 mins in

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2

 

[JSRF10]

great skill by Zebo!! This is just the start we need. C'mon Ireland!!

 

[KevinO]

C'mon Ireland, Connor Murray claiming a lions jersey tonight.

 

[Bardon]

Amazing first half from Ireland. 2 moments of pure magic, BOD's pass for Zebo's try and Zebo's pick/heel up for Healy's try.


The defence for those 2-3 minutes just before half time was really good and may prove crucial. 23-3 looks comfortable at half time but Ireland need to stretch it early in the 2nd half, if we think it's won and let Wales in early in the 2nd 40th we're in for a war for the rest of the game.

The only negatives for me have been Best's throwing in at the lineout and the fact we've kicked ball back to Wales when they're open to a counter from Gilroy/Zebo/Kearney.