Rugby

[Welshie]

Your first and last predictions are from a practical point of view are smack on. Although i do have a feeling that Scotland and Italy do deserve a flukey win wether they will get one is another matter!
Wales v England is far too hard to call, if it was at Cardiff i would say Wales definately, however its not its at Twickenham. If Wales get about 80% of the ball that both Scotland and Italy secured against England, it will be Wales quite comfortably, but if England can stop us getting ball and stop us getting it to ground to release our backs, then it will be very close.
Farell is defensively better than Charlie so there will be less for Jamie Roberts to gain territorially. In theory this should be a Welsh victory, but i've been on the other side of this fixture too many times, and seen an England team, who were the best in the World fail to secure a Grand Slam against weaker opponents in 99, 00, 01, 02 ....maybe its our turn to lose out!
However FH as you have said, if Wales want to be a great team, they have to learn to live with the favourites tag, and this Saaturday it is time for us to front up and front up well. Will we do it?? It is about time that we did otherwise we will always be also rans on the World Stage, and i'm getting pi**ed off with that tag.
Pob Hwyl Cymru/All the best Wales
Cheers
Aled

ps Good luck Cardiff City against Liverpool on Sunday i would love to see you do it, there are going to be a lot of Welshmen in London over the weekend!

[firehazard]

Well, Twickenham isn't the fortress it was a few years ago. England have lost a fair number of games there over recent years...

Good luck to all the teams this weekend.

Good luck Cardiff City against Liverpool on Sunday i would love to see you do it, there are going to be a lot of Welshmen in London over the weekend!

And yes, good luck to Cardiff City too. Would love to see a win for them. Wonder how many Welsh supporters are going to both games?

[Welshie]

Friday 24th o Feb 16.17hrs:
I've finished work for the day but have not left the office yet, so to you all enjoy the rugby this weekend, i'm looking forward to 9pm tonight (children will be asleep) with rugby talk show on Welsh Language TV (Johnathon) and a large G&T to get me in the weekend mood.
Then a few beers with some mates at the pub on Saturday afternoon may the best team win but....: Dewch Mlan Cymru, Come on Wales
Looking forward to reading your comments on Mondays , win lose, or draw!!! :good:
Tight Lines
Aled

[Shaz]

Friday 24th o Feb 16.17hrs:
I've finished work for the day but have not left the office yet, so to you all enjoy the rugby this weekend, i'm looking forward to 9pm tonight (children will be asleep) with rugby talk show on Welsh Language TV (Johnathon) and a large G&T to get me in the weekend mood.
Then a few beers with some mates at the pub on Saturday afternoon may the best team win but....: Dewch Mlan Cymru, Come on Wales
Looking forward to reading your comments on Mondays , win lose, or draw!!! :good:
Tight Lines
Aled

That sounds like a damn good plan for tonight and the weekend, Aled!

And Firehazard, I suspect your predictions won't be too far off the mark. Although I may not look too surprised if England squeak a skin-of-their-teeth win!

Still TV-less and will be out most of tomorrow, so it'll be internet and radio for me ...

[firehazard]

Sounds like you should've had a great weekend, Aled!

First thoughts:

Ireland-Italy: Ireland took a while to find their form, perhaps as a result of not having played for a while (France were slow off the mark too). Italy, as so often, in contention for a long while but just fell away towards the end. Nice try by Parisse though, Italy are becoming a good team to watch.

England-Wales: A lot closer than I expected. England played better than they have so in this 6N, and it was really only the one spark of individual brilliance from Williams that decided the game in the end. Farrell looks the part at outside half, only occasionally let down by inexperience and understandable over-enthusiasm. Morgan has surely got the no. 8 shirt for a while now, and Dickson at 9 was sharp in attack though infuriatingly slow at times in defence. But the back division seems to have lost its cutting edge. Ashton looks lost and maybe needs a break. Not sure that Strettle has the power for an international wing these days. And Foden seems mostly to be going nowhere. The centres did their job, though. In contrast to the last match, the England replacements seemed to weaken the team. Youngs needs a break from test rugby, and should be sent back to Leicester for the rest of the season. Stevens should not be allowed anywhere near the England squad. And Lawes, although adding a spark, can be a liability. My guess is that the England management will be reasonably pleased with the performance. But "moral victories" count for nothing. Wales deserved the win, congratulations to them, and look a good bet for a grand slam.

Scotland-Wales: Good entertaining match, and again a lot closer than expected. Scotland started brilliantly, till they got disrupted by injury... they've been really unlucky with those in recent years. But France took their chances when they came. All set up for a final-day grand-slam showdown in Cardiff, I reckon. The boy Hogg looks a good shout for a Lions place. My French friend was at the match, and is now a star of TV as the cameras focused on him during the singing of the French anthem. In French rugby shirt and beret, of course...

[Welshie]

Thanks for your congratulations FH.
Well we won, but England really made it difficult for us something i expected, but it seems many English fans did not. One of things i remember at the England side of 2003, was how they could snatch vicitory from the jaws of defeat. I think Wales did that on Saturday. It was a brutal match, and i must say if i was Australian i would be worried about 2013....as things stand now!
Irealand got a performance together, but Italy really really need a goalkicker.
Have not seen Scotland v France game yet.
Time for break now!
Cheers
Aled

[firehazard]

... One of things i remember at the England side of 2003, was how they could snatch vicitory from the jaws of defeat. I think Wales did that on Saturday...

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Wales on Saturday was how they responded to Priestland's yellow card. The Welsh teams of the last couple of 6 Nations have tended to fold when a man down. But they didn't lose any points during those ten minutes, and came back stronger. The mark of a really good team.

[Welshie]

Your right FH, in the past we would of collapsed.....however much as i like the young man, he didnt have his best game in the Wales no 10 shirt on Saturday.
Cheers
Aled

[Tal]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG6YWOIm ... r_embedded

Not a rugby fan but saw this new ad with Billy Braggs song a as sound track. New England and drink.Lucozade Sport .

[firehazard]

...however much as i like the young man, he didnt have his best game in the Wales no 10 shirt on Saturday.

True, but everyone's entitled to the occasional off day. Wales have looked a far better team when they've had Priestland at 10 over the last few months.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG6YWOImHTA&feature=player_embedded

Not a rugby fan but saw this new ad with Billy Braggs song a as sound track...

Nice one, thanks for the link. You can never have too much of Mr Bragg. Might have rewritten slightly...
"I was 21 years when they set this scrum, I'm 22 now but I won't be for long..." (often seems like it with some referees these days )
I won't do the thing about not wanting to change the world, just looking for another try. Though after two charge-downs as the sole offering in three matches, it would be tempting...

And shame that one of the three England players featured in the vid (Tom Palmer) had been dropped by the time they got to Twickenham...

[Welshie]

Ireland v France this weekend in that rearranged fixture. Too close to call, but Eire if you want to do Wales a favoure we would appreciate it.
Cheers
Aled

[firehazard]

Ireland v France this weekend in that rearranged fixture. Too close to call, but Eire if you want to do Wales a favoure we would appreciate it.

Could be a cracker, this one. And sort of a bonus for tv-watching fans this weekend.

Could go either way, as you say, Aled. Be great to see an Irish win. But I'd tip France by 5-10.

[firehazard]

Entertaining but strange match yesterday. "It's a game of two halves, Brian..."

Ireland should be pleased not to have lost, yet frustrated that they didn't pull off the win. I'd guess the result suits Wales best of all. Jonathan Davies looked pretty pleased on the BBC. Grand slam....?

[Welshie]

Must say FH, you are right, this result does suit Wales, but i would not minded if Ireland had sneaked it. Full whack of fixtures this weekend to look forward to. I expect Wales to win, but other than that, take your pick, Scotland desreve a fluke, and England with new found confidence could do it.
Cheers
Aled

[Welshie]

Lewis "Mad Eye" (my nickname) Moody has retired, he was a very passionate rugby player.
Wales without Sam the man, and Luke back in the 22, looking forward to seein Tipuric start he did really well in Ireland.
Cheers
Aled