New Zealand likes Rugby, know wat im sayin?

6 Nations is here again!

Most open championship for years, I reckon. All very pre-RWC, too, so I expect to see a few unfamiliar faces. Look out for Fergus McFadden and Sean O'Brien on the Ireland team. Also, Heaslip, Sexton and O'Driscoll just signed new IRFU contracts.

We have England and France at home this year (same as the slam year of 08) so signs on. If Scotland do a number on France tonight, I'd be worried for next week, though.

Odd to be starting on a Friday night. I assume maffj is warming his seat already?

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Johnp
I assume maffj is warming his seat already?

You beat me to it! Here I am, beer in hand, watching the build up on Wales Today hoping the kids sleep through me shouting at the TV.

Tonight will set the tone for the whole championship for us - missing Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins from the front row, especially against a team who's pack traditionally causes us trouble doesn't bode well. But then it's England so if our boys aren't motivated enough they don't deserve to wear the shirt.

Scotland, Italy and France away and England & Ireland at home looks like a reasonable set of fixtures for a 3 away / 2 home set, but this being Wales, who can tell...

Here's to the next few weeks, and Johnp - if we don't win it here's hoping your lot or the Scots can dent England and France's World Cup aspirations.

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"You know it is, it really is."

So close, but England were no great shakes either. Draw might have been the fair result. Sad to see Andy Powell nursing a golfing injury so early...

Don't think there'll be a Slam this year, France will have one bad game. I'm predicting a three-way tie at the end.

Celts abú!

Oops. Phew.

I've kept away from this thread for a while, but I had to stop by and apologise to Johnp for yesterday's somewhat fortunate result. I'm pretty sure that linesman was Russian.

It's 9-9 in the England-Scotland game with 25 mins left so we're hoping the Scots pull off a shock and then it's all to play for at Stade de France next Saturday night...

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"You know it is, it really is."

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maffj
I've kept away from this thread for a while, but I had to stop by and apologise to Johnp for yesterday's somewhat fortunate result. I'm pretty sure that linesman was Russian.

Ah, no need, but neither team really deserved to win. Still, Saturday's win salved those wounds immensely. Everyone here "knew" the Irish had that performance in them, but it was nice to see the evidence. I've just re-watched the final 10 minutes, i.e. after O'Gara came on, and his kicking verges on the sublime, but it's hard to see any weak links.

Championship was only middling this year, imo.

Who among us didn't smile a bit at this?







Leinster fans everywhere owe a small debt to Tuilagi.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2011 06:50PM by Johnp.

ah man, i thought this was the random gumby thread!

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don't clap between movements



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2011 07:20PM by mike5998.

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Johnp
Rugby fans everywhere owe a huge debt to Tuilagi.

Fixed.

Look at him there looking all sorry for himself.

Bellend.

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"You know it is, it really is."

Wow!

Best 2nd half since Lamaison took apart NZ in 1999. From 6-22 down at half-time, to 33-22 victory. Words fail me.

Didn't get to watch, but kept up with it on the BBC website text commentary. Sounds like an unbelievable game.

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"You know it is, it really is."

It was. Proverbial game of two halves. Leinster were nowhere in the first and everywhere in the second. Loads of errors incl. BO'D missing tackles... Then 27 points in 30 minutes. All 6 tries scored at one end. Sexton played like a man possessed. It'll live long in the memory. Just watched the highlights and will watch the match a few more times yet.

That's the next 6 weeks sorted then...

Ireland vs. USA on 9/11.

Followed by Wales v SA. Just caught the second half of the Irish game and it looked like they were never in any great danger, although they may regret not getting that bonus point.

Saw most of the England game and they were just average beyond belief. Argentina should have wiped the floor with them, and if they'd had a bit better luck with injuries they might have done. Too many missed kicks all round though.

The other thing that stood out was how vocal the Argentine support was compared to the English. I think that half of my problem with English rugby is the supporters lack of real passion (the other half being Brian Moore's commentaries).

I'm about to try and settle down to cheer on our boy(o)s, but MrsJ's just come off a night shift so is off to bed & the JuniorJs are insisting on some Spongebob. I'll be the one watching in the kitchen on the laptop.

P.S. What's with this other-side-of-the-world stuff? I can't justify a beer at 9:30am...

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"You know it is, it really is."

Again, too many individual errors, but apparently the conditions were terrible. Forget the Aussies, Italy could be a real challenge at this rate.

Arg. really missed Contepomi especially. Game changing loss. Feel for the boyos - SA were there for the taking (at least in what I was allowed to watch).

Good tournament so far, hope it sustains interest.

Maybe Wales in the quarters now, maffj... Amazing performances today, 1 - 22.

...whereas we were more than a touch fortunate. Too many penalties given away in exactly the same areas as they WEREN'T given away in the SA game, some luck (Shane's try - why did Davies delay the pass to Halfpenny for SO long?; their disallowed try - love that Irish ref - one of the best), and seemingly a lack of the self-belief shown in the SA game, although Samoa are something of a RWC bogey team).

I'll look forward to Ireland in the quarters, if only because it'll mean a northern hemisphere team other than England in the semis.

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"You know it is, it really is."

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Johnp
Forget the Aussies, Italy could be a real challenge at this rate.

Hi Johnp - the prodigal Kayem returns after a great absence. Have been trying to log in for a while but I think my account lapsed or something so I've signed up again with another "m".

You are right - Horwill and the boys will be back in Sydney watching the Grand Final on the big screen at the Occidental. But Italy certainly aren't in the hunt - I watched the Australia v Italy game in Round One and there is no way that the Italians who turned up for the second 40 minutes of that game can roll the Irish on 2 October at Dunedin, which is what they would need to do to finish second in Pool C.

The TAB are still pretty convinced the Webb Ellis is staying in Auckland this year - they're paying $1.60 for NZ at this stage, with Australia next best out at $8. Italy on the other hand are paying $1001 - four times what they'll give you for Samoa.

Just watched the Blacks hand a lesson to the French. Hard to bet against them.

Even though I wrote the Italy comment before the Aus. game, they could still pose a real problem. If they kill us at scrum time, and they can, we'll be on the back foot all day. Add rain and you could see three teams tied for first, give or take BPs. That's the nightmare scenario.

Looking forward to Scotland/Argentina.

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Johnp
Just watched the Blacks hand a lesson to the French. Hard to bet against them.

Wasn't that a spanking! The ABs are clearly and consistently playing the best rugby of the competition - I was expecting the game against Les Bleus to be down to the wire.

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Johnp
I wrote the Italy comment before the Aus. game, they could still pose a real problem. If they kill us at scrum time, and they can, we'll be on the back foot all day.

You may be on the back foot depending on the weather and the Italians getting their shit in a pile at the set piece - but Ireland will triumph, of that I have no doubt.

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Johnp
Looking forward to Scotland/Argentina.

The Scots have been underwhelming in every game I've seen - they've scraped in against minnows. Argentina will do them over for sure. I'm looking forward to watching Argentina play in an expanded southern hemisphere Four Nations next year.

Porco Dio! Rough game today. Meatloaf going off swung it for us, or at least made the job easier.

maffj, that's next Saturday morning sorted then. Might be easier to just stay up on Friday night...

Looking forward to what should be a good close game on Saturday. If this weekend's anything to go by, the kids'll have me awake in time for kick-off anyway...

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"You know it is, it really is."

Go the All Blacks!!!! Know wat im sayin?