Six Nations Thread

[Knock-on]

With just over a week now till the 2nd most popular International Rugby competition in the world :p : I thought I would start the thread off.

Italy kick it off next Saturday with a well deserved trouncing of the Garlic smelling snail eaters. (Ohh, ohh is that Racism? Naw, it's about the French)

Then it's to Fortress Twickenham for the ritual Sweet Chariots before getting a severe bloody nose from the sweaty jock straps. The way England are playing, anything could happen and what with Scotland's performance against France......

Then down to the Millenium where the Sheep fanciers will probably put up one of the games of the tournament trying to conquer a seeming invincible Irish stampede of talent.

I don't think it's going to be a classic year but it's going to hurt.

I cannot even predict the outcome or even get close to it.

Head on block I will put the results of the Championship as follows.

Ireland (Only because they have France at home)
England (OK, it's not logical but it's got to change around soon)
France (They could actually win it though)
Wales (It all depends on the WvE game in Wales)
Italy (Shock and Horror. Have you seen the way they are playing. France better ensure they keep alert for that crucial first game in Italy)
Scotland (I can't help it boys. Surprise me)

[pino]

Go Italy :p :

[Knock-on]

Go Italy :p :


Where?

:p :

Actually, Italy have my tip for the team of the competition.

[ArrowsFA1]

C'mon Wales http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/images/avatars/Wales.gif

[pino]

Where?

:p :

Actually, Italy have my tip for the team of the competition.

I'll be satisfied with a podium :p :

[ArrowsFA1]

I'll be satisfied with a podium :p :
Is Jarno playing fly-half, or providing the wine at lunchtime? :D

[Mark in Oshawa]

You guys confused me...I saw Six Nations and I thought about the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy!!!

Anyhow, I will root for Scotland or Ireland, but the damn English will win!!!!

[Knock-on]

You guys confused me...I saw Six Nations and I thought about the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy!!!

Anyhow, I will root for Scotland or Ireland, but the damn English will win!!!!


I wish. We're more likely to get slaughtered than at any time in my living memory.

The Irish are likely to win at the moment otherwise it will be the French IMHO.

[schmenke]

The French won last year did they not? But only by a points margin?

[stevie_gerrard]

Put your money on it now, Ireland to win the 6 Nations, and to reach the last 4 of the World Cup AT LEAST. I am going to be rooting for England, but realistically Ireland are a strong side, that beat the Australia side. And the french would have been favourites with me, if they havent struggled with the countless unfortunate injuries they are getting at the mo, i reckon they will save their team for the world cup as they are hosting it.

[Knock-on]

Put your money on it now, Ireland to win the 6 Nations, and to reach the last 4 of the World Cup AT LEAST. I am going to be rooting for England, but realistically Ireland are a strong side, that beat the Australia side. And the french would have been favourites with me, if they havent struggled with the countless unfortunate injuries they are getting at the mo, i reckon they will save their team for the world cup as they are hosting it.


I can't see there being any sandbagging for the World cup. There are 2 things teams need going into that competition; Success and experience.

The team with the 6 nations under it's belt will not fear any northern hemisphere competition as they know they can do it.

The RWC in France gives France a big boost. They are MIGHTY on home turf. The strongest away team in the NH I would say is Ireland. They travel very well.

[pino]

Where I can see the odds ? I wanted to know how much I will get by putting money on Italy :up: :p :

[Knock-on]

Where I can see the odds ? I wanted to know how much I will get by putting money on Italy :up: :p :

With or without JT in the team. It might lower the odds :p :

[pino]

JT is a great F1 driver and he play football...not rugby :p :

[Drew]

Where I can see the odds ? I wanted to know how much I will get by putting money on Italy :up: :p :

Odds for coming last? Pretty good I would say

:devil:

[quicksilver]

Where I can see the odds ? I wanted to know how much I will get by putting money on Italy :up: :p :

Italy 150/1 to win the competion outright in the local bookies here :eek: and 1/4 for the wooden spoon ;)

Hopefully Ireland can live up to expectations this year would be great to see them win especially now that they're playing in Croke Park but unfortunately I think its gonna be France's year!

[Funks]

Where I can see the odds ? I wanted to know how much I will get by putting money on Italy :up: :p :


Just send the money to me Pino. It'll hurt less than giving it away to a bookmaker.

Interesting that the English starting 15 to face Scotland was announced this afternoon. Who knows, maybe the petty behind the scenes boardroom unrest has come to an end and the new coaching staff will give the national team the boost that it so badly needed.

Hoping for an England recovery but failing that will be following the Welsh.

[Ian McC]

Alas I fear this maybe a thread of doom and gloom :D

[Knock-on]

Just send the money to me Pino. It'll hurt less than giving it away to a bookmaker.

Interesting that the English starting 15 to face Scotland was announced this afternoon. Who knows, maybe the petty behind the scenes boardroom unrest has come to an end and the new coaching staff will give the national team the boost that it so badly needed.

Hoping for an England recovery but failing that will be following the Welsh.


The Funkmeister

Sorry old fruit but we have put an elastoplast over the biggest gaping wound in Rugby history.

Brian is a good man but not THE man.

However, they have taken my advise ;) and brought into the team some solid standing. We need to stabilise before we excel.

We "could" win the 6 nations with the players we have but unless we galvanise a team, we are doomed.

Can we do it? I will always believe but in my heart, I realise we will be lucky to stop the rot.

[Knock-on]

I don't know if this smacks of desperation but Wilco is back in the squad.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6312329.stm

With only half a game's wort of practice since returning from a long illness, what are they thinking?

[oily oaf]

Dateline 30 January 2007. 14.22 GMT.

Jonny Wilkinson has sensationally withdrawn from the England squad to face Scotland in the forthcoming 6 nations clash this Saturday after picking up a severe hair strain due to his girlfriend going a bit too hard when she was rubbing in the conditioner.

He is expected to be sidelined for up to 27 years but hopes to be fit to feature in the 2034 Paralympic Walking With A bit Of A Limp team.

Reuters

[stevie_gerrard]

:laugh: classic once again from Mr Oaf.

But seriously i would expect Jonny to get injured in the first game, about half hour in id say :p :

So Gutted for Dan Ward-Smith, absolutely stunning he has been for Bristol, and he got injured and misses the whole tournament :(

[oily oaf]

What can I say about that display from the little fella :eek:
Who writes his scripts?
The World Champions are back :D

The forwards were immense and the "girls" in the back line were'nt too shabby either. Great try from Billy Whizz and an extremely debateable one from Jonny :(
But who gives a $hit England are a force in world rugby again.
I dedicate this post to my old mate Knockie who no doubt is lying in a gutter somewhere unconcious but ultimately deeply content :)

Be afraid 5 nations. Be very afraid :D Hic!

[oily oaf]

Sorry about the somewhat triumphalist nature of the post above folks.

I'm ashamed to say I was as pissed as a sack when I wrote it :D

(glugs 3rd pint of water of the morning and vomits into bucket)

[stevie_gerrard]

Nothing wrong with a bit of optimism Mr Oaf ;)

Was quite an impressive display by the english, this sporting weekends making me feel a bit prouder to be English again! :D

Saying that, it was only Scotland, there as bad as Italy :p :

[Ian McC]

Well it wasn't bad though I will not get too excited just after one game.

[J4MIE]

It's hard to have a decent game when you're against a 16 man england team ;)

Or is that two man?

[ArrowsFA1]

Superb atmosphere at the Arms Park (Millennium Stadium still doesn't sound right :p ) on Sunday :cool: and a fantastic game of rugby, despite the result. A weakened Wales certainly pushed the favourites hard :up:

[Daniel]

Knockie. I told you England was nothing without him. THis surely is proof ;)

[oily oaf]

Knockie. I told you England was nothing without him. THis surely is proof ;)

I fear that any repartee aimed at Knockie is doomed to fall on deaf ears Daniel.
He was cast into the cyber void last week following a rather interesting farewell post. :eek:

[jim mcglinchey]

I felt sorry for the Welshman Stephen Jones. He thought he had launched the ball half way up the field and he was still looking in the direction that it was meant to be flying, meanwhile it had been charged down and Rory Best was scoring a try behind him.

[stevie_gerrard]

i had to bring this thread back for pinos sake. Here was the score after 7 minutes of the Scotland-Italy Game, remember, the history is that Italy have never won an away game in the six nations:

Scotland 0-21 Italy :eek: :eek:

3 Errors by Scotland, 3 Trys for Italy. Scotland have scored a try since, but after 23 minutes, Scotland 7-24 Italy, is this really the moment where Italy FINALLY win an away game??

Oh Dear, Oh Dear, Where have Scotland gone? :p :

[jim mcglinchey]

..you're not singing, you're not singing, you're not singing anymore.....yourrrre not singinnngg annymorrrre.

[donKey jote]

43 :D :bananas: :bananas: :bananas:
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_3_166.gif

[Drew]

Oh crap, the Irish girl in my German class is going to love this.

At least we didn't lose to Italy, haha.

[stevie_gerrard]

Congrats to the Irish, fully deserved victory, hopefully we can beat the french, to give them a chance of the title, i said they would be strong, and they totally deserve it, considering they were so unlucky against the french themselves :up: