Rugby

**Thu Mar 08, 2012 12:43 pm**

Weekend nearly upon us, and i am looking forward to some Good rugby, France v England will be a good one, and i really think, maybbe Scotland deserve a win. But will they get one.
I expect Wales to win on Saturday, but its the 6 Nations and its gone Tits up before now for more than one team!!
Cheers
Aled

**Thu Mar 08, 2012 2:06 pm**

Yes, another 6N weekend approaches, should be fun...

Predictions tomorrow. Don't think the England team is announced till then.

And agree with the sentiments about Lewis Moody. A "heart-and-soul" player if ever there was one. Always popular with the fans. Shame in a way that he ended up as England captain for such a poor RWC campaign. But good luck to him in the future.

**Thu Mar 08, 2012 2:19 pm**

Fair enough FH, looking forward to seeing the England team tomorrow.
Cheers
Aled

**Thu Mar 08, 2012 2:34 pm**

Oh, I can't resist now. Off the top of my head, I'd say three home wins...

Wales to beat Italy by 20.
Ireland to beat Scotland by 10-12.
France to beat England by 8-10.

More tomorrow...

**Fri Mar 09, 2012 9:07 am**

Don't know why but it wouldnt surprise me if Scotland got one over Ireland, and if England beat France, England do seem to be France's bogey team.
We'll see,
Wales should beat Italy though.
Cheers
Aled

**Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:15 pm**

So to the weekend...

Wales-Italy: Bergamasco back for Italy, which should strengthen them and give better goalkicking options, but it's hard to see anything other than a substantial win for Wales. By 20 points or so. Are you going to this one, Aled?

Ireland-Scotland: Ireland haven't yet managed to put in an 80-minute performance yet. If they do, they should blow Scotland away. Even if they don't, I reckon they'll win by more than 10.

France-England: Interesting changes by Saint-Andre (who, as my French friend tells me every time we go to Twickenham, scored one of the greatest tries ever seen there) at half-back. Are the French reverting to tradition and chopping and changing for no good reason? Or will it sharpen them up? England stick with the same XV, who probably deserve another chance. But the England bench looks very thin, no potential game-changers there. Which is partly why I reckon it'll be a win for France by a couple of scores.

**Fri Mar 09, 2012 3:46 pm**

Not going to the Italy match although i did plan to go initially, then we planned to go to the France match next wee, however surprise surprise tickets are in short supply. So for the 2nd year running it looks unlikely i'll be seeing a 6 Nations match "in the flesh" so to speak. However i am definately going to Murrayfield next year no doubt.
Interesting comments about the French, seems there may be some interesting mixes. I still reckon it could be Englands day.
Cheers
Aled

**Mon Mar 12, 2012 9:43 am**

Congratulations England on a excellent win, quite enjoyed those three tries.
Well done Ireland, but i really feel for Scotland, i don't know where they go from here.
Wales won but the game was very lacklusture and Italy defended with pride.
France are wounded and will not roll over next week.
Anyway one more weekend then (hopefully) a large drink to celebrate a Grand Slam and then, a few weeks of sobriety!!!
Tight Lines
Aled

**Mon Mar 12, 2012 10:12 am**

Still a tad exhausted after the France-England match. Great game, but so close at the end.

Actually impressed by England, three excellent tries, and never really looked like letting France cross the try line till the end, and that French try was largely down to England having a hooker in the back row of the scrum, which is a place that a hooker should never be... Referee Allain Rolland was shocking (again). If France had sneaked a win there'd have been a lot of recriminations about his performance. Yellow card for poor young Sharples for a marginal "deliberate" knock-on? "You leave me no choice," said Rolland, despite the fact that he'd earlier ignored a similar yet far more blatant infringement by a French player. He shouldn't be allowed to referee a game involving France again.

Anyway, Lancaster surely deserves to get the job full-time now. And I love the way Jonathan Davies always calls Harinordoquy "Harry Donachie".

Good if predictable wins for Wales and Ireland. Italy desperately need to find an outside half if they're going to compete in the 6N. And the Scottish lad Richie Gray scored perhaps the try of the weekend, excellent skill for such a big bloke. Pencilled in for the Lions?

Looking forward to next weekend, and a St Patrick's Day trip to Twickenham. Should be interesting. Wales for the Grand Slam though, for sure.

**Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:25 am**

firehazard wrote:Still a tad exhausted after the France-England match. Great game, but so close at the end.

Actually impressed by England, three excellent tries, and never really looked like letting France cross the try line till the end, and that French try was largely down to England having a hooker in the back row of the scrum, which is a place that a hooker should never be... Referee Allain Rolland was shocking (again). If France had sneaked a win there'd have been a lot of recriminations about his performance. Yellow card for poor young Sharples for a marginal "deliberate" knock-on? "You leave me no choice," said Rolland, despite the fact that he'd earlier ignored a similar yet far more blatant infringement by a French player. He shouldn't be allowed to referee a game involving France again.

Anyway, Lancaster surely deserves to get the job full-time now. And I love the way Jonathan Davies always calls Harinordoquy "Harry Donachie".

Still no working TV, but flaky internet connection held up to let me watch the France v England match online. Rolland was absolutely appalling - this is what happens when you select a ref for his linguistic abilities! There's a chronic shortage of decent refs for the top-level games - with the exception of Nigel Owens, I wouldn't let most of them referee a parks match!

I'm impressed with Lancaster and the spirit in the England team. At last - building for the future!

LOL! First time Davies mentioned Harry Donachie, I wondered for a moment who the heck he was - some Scottish touch judge, maybe!

**Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:44 am**

Super Saturday fast approaching and i'm understandably getting excited. 3 games, all of which are too close to call.
Ireland throwing a few comments at the England camp, which should make things interesting!
Still roll on Saturday!
Cheers
Aled

**Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:28 pm**

Welshie wrote:Super Saturday fast approaching and i'm understandably getting excited. 3 games, all of which are too close to call.
Ireland throwing a few comments at the England camp, which should make things interesting!
Still roll on Saturday!

I'm out most of Saturday, and internet connection is still flaky, but I'm hoping to get to see at least the second half of the England v Ireland match. It's going to be a cracking finish to the championship, I hope!

**Fri Mar 16, 2012 9:23 am**

Shaz wrote:I'm out most of Saturday, and internet connection is still flaky, but I'm hoping to get to see at least the second half of the England v Ireland match...

Watch out for us, then, Shaz. Pitch level in the South Stand, down behind the try line at the right-hand end of the pitch from the main camera perspective.

Quick predictions:

Italy-Scotland: Close, but I just have the feeling that Scotland might nick this one. They don't really deserve to finish without a point.

Wales-France: France could well be in some disarray after last weekend, and playing four weekends in a row may take its toll. Though it's always hard to tell with France. Can't see them stopping Wales' grand slam, though. Wales to win a deserved grand slam by 10 points. Maybe more if France implode.

England-Ireland: Too close to call. England have a poor recent record against Ireland. And the English bench still looks weak. Ireland have something to prove, and at Twickenham on St Jimmy's Day I wouldn't bet against them. How long will it take us to get out of the car park this time? Could take bets on that...

The 6 Nations seems to go past quicker every year...

**Fri Mar 16, 2012 9:06 pm**

Yes FH it does seem to go quickly every year. Boy i love this tournament!!
Scotland v Italy yes i reckon your right, Scotland to win tomorrow.
Wales v France, Wales should win (please note i use the word should) but sometimes France can just shock us with a unique performance!
Engalnd v Ireland: Yes far too close to call should be a cracking game.
Looking forward to the debriefing on Monday.
Cheers
Aled

**Fri Mar 16, 2012 9:10 pm**

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/ma ... vyn-davies

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