6 Nations **Spoilers**

A pretty dire weekend for rugby as far as I was concerned with little real attacking flair on show. The high point really came watching yesterdays game with 3 England fans and 3 French fans after the English predictions of winning the 6 Nations and stuffing France, all talk before the game and near silence afterwards. It wasn't a particularly good game though and it isn't worth taking satisfaction from a rivals failure.

Scotland were pretty poor although the defence again were outstanding, there needs to be some attacking going on though.

Italy were quite unlucky not to win but a draw in Cardiff isn't a bad result and it is nice for them to have something to show for all their improvement.
 
semi-pro waster said:
Italy were quite unlucky not to win but a draw in Cardiff isn't a bad result and it is nice for them to have something to show for all their improvement.
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Even if they scored a try that never was! Fair play to Italy though, they stuck to their task. Several heads will have to roll in the Welsh camp though. We need to drop about 3 forwards and one back (Hal 'Decoy' Luscombe!)
 
elroberto said:
Even if they scored a try that never was! Fair play to Italy though, they stuck to their task. Several heads will have to roll in the Welsh camp though. We need to drop about 3 forwards and one back (Hal 'Decoy' Luscombe!)
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Agreed, although on first watch I thought that he had got the ball down before the line(any normal person would have made damn sure of it because he had time) but on second viewing he appeared to hold on until he was almost completely over the line before touching down.
 
so no posts on the last weekend? tight game for scotland. hopefully the improvement will continue

1 France 5 4 0 1 148 85 8
2 Ireland 5 4 0 1 131 97 8
3 Scotland 5 3 0 2 78 81 6
4 England 5 2 0 3 120 106 4
5 Wales 5 1 1 3 80 135 3
6 Italy 5 0 1 4 72 125 1
 
Forgot to post.... Absolutely amazing day of Rugby - Scotland seem to have really reached a turning point this season and the Irish performance against England was breathtaking - O'Driscoll's take from the ball on the bounce to set up the final try was exquisite. :)
 
A pretty good weekend of sport all round as far as I was concerned particularly including football and Commonwealth games action :)

Scotland were a little bit fortunate that Italy didn't have more of a cutting edge but overall I think the win was deserved, Chris Paterson's kicking has been metronomically reliable throughout and his try was just reward for his performance.

Wales - France was entertaining but I never got the feeling that Wales could really threaten. A rather poor six nations for them, France being just about the best overall in a very open six nations.

England - Ireland was awesome, particularly for the atmosphere in the pub. A very close game but Ireland deservedly won out albeit two of their tries probably should have been ruled out but let's not split hairs :D
 
Well the Welsh performance improved but this championship showed our lack of strength in depth. Henson and Shanklin were the biggest losses as fully fit I think they're the best centre partnership in the Northern Hemisphere. Also, gethin jenjins fitness problems and the loss of Ryan Jones and Brent Cockbain really took some of the dynamism out of the forwards. With these back I'd think we'd be a force again.

An assessment of each position :-

1. It's not too bad here, Duncan Jones is an able player, but hopefully we'll see a fully fit Gethin Jenkins showing why he was No.1 for the the Lions last season.

2. I think this is a weak area, Mefin Davies is getting on a bit and I'm unconvinced by Rhys Thomas. New blood needed.

3. Adam Jones has dramatically improved this season (I'd even say he was probably our best and most consistent forward in the tournament.) and Gethin Jenkins can cover here, but I'd like to see someone new push them for a place.

4. Ian Gough did a fair job this season and was abrasive but still doesn't possess the nuisance factor and ball carrying ability of Brent Cockbain.

5. Robert Sidoli got better as the tournament went on but still needs to get a bit streetwise and tougher, we may see him lose his place if Owen gets pushed up to second row.

6. Charvis is past it now and should retire. Ryan Jones should come in when fit and you've got Dafydd Jones who could be effective there too. Maybe Gavin Quinnell could come in as a sub and scare the bejaysus out of the opposition.

7. This at the moment is our biggest problem. Martyn Williams has seriously gone off the boil and is playing on borrowed time, and I'm struggling to think of a replacement, possibly Gavin Thomas from Llanelli.

8. Michael Owen has had a poor tournament. It hasn't been helped by a lack of go forward ball by his fellow forwards but he shouldn't need excuses, if his form at 8 doesn't improve he'll either get moved to 2nd row or dropped. Dafydd Jones, Ryan Jones and Alex Popham can all play there.

9. Our strongest position. We've got three excellent scrum halves, Peel is in the top 3 in the world and Cooper (when fit) and Phillips will have a real battle for the sub slot. Phillips was awesome against the French, pity he didn't get any support Martyn Williams when he mad a break.

10. If Stephen Jones is fit, we're OK. The only new outside half of note that could challenge him is James Hook, but that's only if he can make the step up to test rugby.

11. Shane Williams. End of. The best broken field counter attacker in rugby and possesses probably the best sidestep ever. When utilised properly, the best attacking weapon we've got. Irreplaceable.

12. Matthew Watkins worked hard there this year but I feel he's better at 13 where his running would be more effective. Henson will reclaim this spot as when fit he's the best 12 in the 6 nations (maybe Traille pushes him close) with a siege cannon boot, excellent at opening a defence and is a big hitter in the tackle.

13. What is the point of Hal 'Decoy' Luscombe? That try on the weekend aside, he's been dire. I'd rather see Watkins there, or, if there is a god, Shanklin. Shanklin and Henson's partnership last season was the main contributing factor to us winning the lot.

14. Mark Jones impressed me when he played. He's the quickest winger in the 6 nations and even though he doesn't look that strong he'll put himself in where it hurts. Czejak (sp?) of Cardiff should make the step up next season to be an able sub.

15. I don't think Gareth Thomas will play for Wales again. Despite his two tries against the Scots, I don't think he was playing well and we certainly didn't miss him last year. I'd much prefer Kevin Morgan there, and Lee Byrne hasn't played badly in his place either.
 
IceBus said:
Forgot to post.... Absolutely amazing day of Rugby - Scotland seem to have really reached a turning point this season and the Irish performance against England was breathtaking - O'Driscoll's take from the ball on the bounce to set up the final try was exquisite. :)
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was good performance from ireland,but they seem to standoff at start of game and took 10 mins for them to get going,scrum wasnt great,but better game from them,as far as first try was or was not,any other them wouldn't have a problem taking it,first try from england was easy one as ireland was nervious,this new style of play ireland is trying is good,but trying it against auussies and new zeland wasn't good idea as ,they the teams to beat,they can build on it and will be good
 
They need to get the platform from the forwards, then they can play the expansive stuff. That was the mistake Wales made this season, thinking they could be the Harlem GlobeTrotters of rugby without getting the forwards to do the dirty work first. It's good to see Ireland come back a bit because they fell away awfully last year. And It's nice to see the Scots and Italians both improve too. Now if my country could stop shooting ourselves in the foot perhaps they could play enough good rugby to stand up to the great sides of the 70's.
 
elroberto said:
They need to get the platform from the forwards, then they can play the expansive stuff. That was the mistake Wales made this season, thinking they could be the Harlem GlobeTrotters of rugby without getting the forwards to do the dirty work first. It's good to see Ireland come back a bit because they fell away awfully last year. And It's nice to see the Scots and Italians both improve too. Now if my country could stop shooting ourselves in the foot perhaps they could play enough good rugby to stand up to the great sides of the 70's.
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every team goes through a trans spot,the surprise for me this year was the italians,they tough and never give up.they will be better next year,scots played very well this year
think england will change a lot next year and be back in form,seems like since they won the world cup ,they wheren't the same after getting beaten in few games,also woodward didn't help them,he was good at management and not at coaching
france where a funny team,you didnt know what team would turn up on day,they last few games ,they played there best,but not the best french team we have seen,they where times that teams showed cracks in defence
 
elroberto said:
Well, the only thing that cheers me up is that this Welsh team can't be as bad next year, the only way is up!
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All the injuries may turn out to be in your advantage by next year. Luscombe and Watkins were starting to look quite useful by the France game. Gough started to show up well and Popham and Delve in the back row look agressive and quick. Also Mike Phillips will be hard to leave out after his performances.

After England Wales bemoaned their lack of strength in depth. With Ryan Jones, Henson, Shanklin, Thomas, Peel and Cockbain to return it will be a stronger squad.

Looking at England Robinson has learned very little about his players. As a coach maybe he has learned that you can't put a square peg in a round hole, but he is no closer to finding a balanced back row, a world class scrum half or a midfield combination that can break international defences.
 
I think England could do with and injury crisis, or a change of coach as that seems the only way upcoming players are going to get a game. Hopefully Robinson will prove me wrong but I wouldn't count on it.
 
i think wales will be ok with the players coming back from injury, though if they still insist on playing michael owen they'll struggle, as in my opinion hes useless at number 8, if I were welsh i'd rather see ryan jones play, who was great for the lions.

england, just don't know where andy robinson is going to build a world cup side from. Hes learnt nothing apart from loads of players are out of form, bash boys at centres isn't the way forward in modern rugby, his defensive coach isn't doing a great job, and his backs coach even worse.
 
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