6 Nations 2012

[Kyelo]

6 Nations start tomorrow, what do you lot think about the teams? Players? Outcomes? Winner? Wooden Spoon? etc

As a 'sweaty sock' 'll start with them - last couple of years been confident as we have a solid team but lack of flair in the last 3rd has depleted me. Unless we can create tries, same old. If we can I reckon we could spoil a few parties.

England - A new set up, so unpredictable...decent players though so in with a strong but maybe subdued shout.

Wales - Hurting after World Cup so will be up for it, as recent performances go they are the team to beat but not unbeatable.

Italy - bit like Scotland just now, lots of promise but it's just not happening. Hope they do better this year but I'd fear the usual close one will be against Scotland!

Ireland - seem past their best and a bit flat just now. Decent unit in the past and strong players so always difficult.

France - usual, unpredictable but always cause excitement. Poor form but still managed to get to RWC final! Never say never!

Table prediction at the end...

1st/2nd - Wales or France

3rd/4th/5th - England, Scotland, Ireland

6th - Italy

*on a side note I'd like to see a different rugby structure in Europe with promotion and demotion. A kind of pyramid tier system where there is Six Nations, Six Nations B1 & B2 and Six Nations C1, C2, C3 & C4.

The B groups would take the next 12 teams and split them with 3 top seeds and 3 lower seed. the winner of each group would have a play off to reach Six Nations with Wooden Spoon team being demoted. The C groups would work in the same way but with winners on C1 vs C2 & C3 vs C4 competing to get into B1 & B2 and the lowest of B1 & B2 being demoted.

Over the long term I think it would give a trickle effect which would be good for quality/attendance/competition/participation.

Can see Scotland and Italy being dead against it though haha

[beau1]

I'm thinking the same as you, Wales or France to win the cup. Both of us have advantages and disadvantages, Wales have some injury worries (but not too many..) and France have to try and pull themselves together.

After that, I don't think the England experiment is going to work, so they could end up 4th or even 5th depending on how the game against Scotland goes. If they lose that then they have a tough home game against Wales and then I'd expect them to lose against France and Ireland.

Scotland are interesting, they always seem like they could do well but then fall short of the mark when it comes to scoring tries. They should have beaten Argentina and England during the WC and I think its going to be Robinson's last 6NS' if they don't come higher than 5th. I can see them getting 3rd, but only if they beat England this weekend, if they don't think its going to be 5th or 6th.

Ireland - They are a team in re-build mode, could they do a surprise like Wales in 2008? I don't think so, but they have got some good experienced players but not a lot of young spirit (O'Gara still relied upon to win games etc.). I think, they could get 2nd and only lose one game but they could also end up about 4th.

Italy - Really are the dark-horse of the championship, fantastic victory against France last year and they really are improving. They still have some amazingly talented players such as Parise, Bergomasco brothers, Castro etc but the rest of them aren't of a great standard. They need consistant and dependable half-backs, which they don't have at the moment. They could sneak a 4th place but after a poor world cup and a new manager, I think 5th is once again the best they can manage.

Edited February 3, 2012 by beau1

[Alcatraz]

I'm thinking

France

Wales

England

Ireland

Scotland

Italy

But I could see Ireland pipping England

As an England fan, I'm already liking Lancaster's approach and I have a heightened optimism about them that I've not had for years, even when our chances in the 6 Nations were a lot better. Obviously fascinated to see how the likes of Farrell go, and I hope Lancaster sticks to his developmental approach in the competition

Edited February 3, 2012 by Alcatraz

[Kyelo]

Typical Jocks: should have, could have! As for England, I fear better teams will break them down far better than we could!

[dondo]

Indeed. Don't think I've been as frustrated with a Scotland performance in a long time. Maybe a cliche but England didn't win that match, Scotland lost it especially when you consider the man of the match went to a player on the losing side.

[The Nal]

As an Irishman, I don't really get how some people are writing us off so easily?! Provinces (even Ulster) have been playing great, and with a lot of Irish players involved, we have depth in the squad and experience where it counts.

Perfectly timed post for Wales to beat us later eh?

[TheGayTent]

As an Irishman, I don't really get how some people are writing us off so easily?! Provinces (even Ulster) have been playing great, and with a lot of Irish players involved, we have depth in the squad and experience where it counts.

Perfectly timed post for Wales to beat us later eh?

[The Nal]

Were you not playing France in Paris, I'd have made the Irish favourites.

[pink_triangle]

I feel the same as I have for a couple of years ago. Very little difference in ability between the sides, that's why I felt England set too high expectations in the last world cup setting semi final as minimum expectation, when they would have to beat a team of similar ability to get there.

I'm hoping for a Wales win but they could probably finish 4th just as likely. The tournament by its nature is.not a level due to the fact all sides don't play each other home away. I suspect luck in the fixture list and on the pitch will be significant.

[The Nal]

And there you have it!

[Paul ™]

That was a good game (from a non-rugby fan)

[grumpyhack]

23-21 A result that reflected the best game of the championship so far. Both Wales and Ireland have moments they can feel very pleased with but things to work on. Wales in particular have areas they need to work on that should be far more under their control like place kicking and line-outs. But as a man wearing red I'm a happy bunny.

[The Nal]

23-21 A result that reflected the best game of the championship so far. Both Wales and Ireland have moments they can feel very pleased with but things to work on. Wales in particular have areas they need to work on that should be far more under their control like place kicking and line-outs. But as a man wearing red I'm a happy bunny.

[beau1]

Should've been down to 14 men. Shocking tackle.

Edited February 5, 2012 by beau1

[pink_triangle]

The match was as close as I expected, I think many of the 6 nation results will be within a converted try difference, in terms of the score.

I thought we just about deserved the win and could have ended up scoring more. Unfortunately (or fortunately for us yesterday) I have enjoyed watching this irish team over recent years but they do have a tendancy for choking and underachieving.

[The Nal]

Wales were the better team and did the better work when down to 14 men .

[grumpyhack]

Surprised there were no comments after this weekend. A great atmosphere in Cardiff - it's tremendous to have a stadium right in the centre of a city. And a result that set up an interesting encounter with England if Wales can recover from injuries.

[pink_triangle]

Glad to see wales win, although we made it difficult for ourselves at times. Amazing that scotland actually looked like scoring tries when they had nothing to lose. Scotland are a funny team, everytime I watch them I leave thinking they could have won that game, yet they lose nearly every time.

[The Nal]

Still shocked about that mess in Paris on Saturday night.

[themuel]

If I was an Irish fan in that stadium on Saturday night I would have been pretty pissed off!

[The Nal]

If I was an Irish fan in that stadium on Saturday night I would have been pretty pissed off!

[Kyelo]

This weekend I see Welsh, Irish and French victories.

I'm going to the Scotland game but unless they start scoring tries they are going nowhere, hope they can pull off a victory but can't see it unfortunately!

[pink_triangle]

Great win for wales, although my heart was pounding when they went to the video ref at the end. It was a bit of a scrappy game that probably could have gone either way. Its funny in the 3 games we have played so far we have been pretty average and could easily have lost all 3. I suppose thats the mark of a pretty decent side! I was really impressed with how we played when a man down, to come out of that 10 minute period 3-3 was a big boost and we looked very composed.

[Kyelo]

Great win for wales, although my heart was pounding when they went to the video ref at the end. It was a bit of a scrappy game that probably could have gone either way. Its funny in the 3 games we have played so far we have been pretty average and could easily have lost all 3. I suppose thats the mark of a pretty decent side! I was really impressed with how we played when a man down, to come out of that 10 minute period 3-3 was a big boost and we looked very composed.

[grumpyhack]

Yes, yes, yes!

I suspect that winning a Triple Crown matters more in Wales than in England.

Just Wembley tomorrow for a double celebration.