Six Nations 2016

I only saw the first half and Italy were looking competitive, went out for the second half so missed them falling to pieces. Bit of a shame in terms of making it an interesting game but from an English point of view five tries scored vs none against is a decent return.
 
At the risk of being controversial why is Maggie Alphonsi being used as a pundit on ITV? There are going to be many dozens of male players with more insight into playing at a high level in the men's game. Women's rugby is just not comparable with the male game at international level - not just because of physical differences but because hardly any women play it meaning it is at an even lower standard.

Alphonsi is a player who has only ever played at a comparatively low level talking about the sport's pinnacle, many other people are better qualified.
 
Women's rugby is significantly more skillful than the dreary league style boshing that the 6N men's teams are dishing up at present.

I wouldn't single out Alphonsi when talking about the physical side either, she's a monster on the pitch.
 
So you're suggesting she's a more qualified commentator, with more insight, than any of the many male players that have actually played at a high level? That doesn't really sound credible.

As for comparing women's rugby to men's rugby and implying it is superior or equivalent, that's the same kind of line I've heard trotted out about women's football - which many more women play than rugby. So let's take a random comparison, with football, which women should find it easier to excel at -

Swedish football ladies beaten by teen boys

Sweden's women's national football team suffered a crushing defeat during a friendly in Stockholm on Tuesday, with the country's top female players finding themselves shutout by an undermanned local boys team.

The new national team coach Pia Sundhage, who returned home last year after taking charge of the US team for several years, decided to let her players tackle the male youth team for Stockholm football club AIK.

Within 30 minutes, the boys had plucked one goal from the women, despite Sundhage asking the AIK under-17 team to take out one of its defenders and play with only 10 players on the field, reports the tabloid Aftonbladet.

"I wasn't told about that until after the game," national team defender Sara Thunebro told the newspaper.

"We had our hands full during the game."

Sundhage, who won coach of the year at the recent FIFA Ballon d'Or gala, often matched her American women against male players when she coached the US squad.

When she herself played, Sundhage's teams occasionally played against a male team, whose speed presents a challenge that is helpful in training.

"They were strong and aggressive," 15-year-old Ilija Jurkovic told Aftonbladet.

"Lina Nilsson was hot on my heels but I won out by being a bit faster."

http://www.thelocal.se/20130116/45646
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So the Swedish national women's football team beaten by a team of fifteen(?) year old boys - who had a defender removed to make it easier for them. Drawing equivalence, in either performance or experience, between male and female sports is not an honest position to take.

Anyway, though I have nothing against Alphonsi personally, she has less relevant experience, insight, and credibility than a former male international level player - so I can only assume this was ITV hiring with gender as a key selection criteria.
 
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England played ok today. The starting 15 made more sense today in so far as the more physical side wore the Italians down and allowed the subs to run riot. Care is a great impact sub and the introduction of Itoje and Launchbury paid dividends. Italy were unlucky they don't have the strength in depth to lose Zanni and Garcia and tired badly in the last 20 minutes.

Another ok weekend of rugby but I doubt I'll be reliving it in the rugby club bar in a months time let a lone 10 years time.

As to the other games, France had their moments again and more of them this week. Machenaud made a big difference when he came on. Irealand don't look the force they were and Sexton seems well below his best.

Scotland seemd to sabotage their own hopes of victory with some extremely loose play at key moments. They played so well for much of the game but coughed up two softish tries, well taken mind you, and threw away possession and momentum at key times.
Still they look more dangerous than they have in quite a while.
 
She's as qualified as any male ex-player to comment on the game, same as male ex-players are qualified to comment on the women's game. Better than the Geordan Murphies of this world boring everyone to tears.

The tournament in general has been awful this year so far....and the next round of fixtures is likely to be an absolute snoozefest. Eng v Ire likely to be another case of two immovable objects bashing into each other for 80 minutes until a defence makes a mistake.

Still, England at least have showed a little bit of attacking flair, points difference could be important.
 
It usually takes a few games to get the six nations going. Lots of new faces on the teams too so may take a bit longer to create more fluid games?

Iv think they've been quite fun so far but I guess I'm not hugely passionate about televised support in either case.
 
Well, the boring boshing until defence breaks is usually executed with a little more precision so we see more line breaks, but thus far defences have been winning (apart from Italy tiring and giving up).

It's a far cry from super Saturday last year! Hope it improves.
 
philip2009 said:
At the risk of being controversial why is Maggie Alphonsi being used as a pundit on ITV? There are going to be many dozens of male players with more insight into playing at a high level in the men's game. Women's rugby is just not comparable with the male game at international level - not just because of physical differences but because hardly any women play it meaning it is at an even lower standard.

Alphonsi is a player who has only ever played at a comparatively low level talking about the sport's pinnacle, many other people are better qualified.
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You already know the answer to the question, you're just fishing for a response.
 
mid_gen said:
Well, the boring boshing until defence breaks is usually executed with a little more precision so we see more line breaks, but thus far defences have been winning (apart from Italy tiring and giving up).

It's a far cry from super Saturday last year! Hope it improves.
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I guess they haven't got any weapons against one another that are effective at the moment?
 
Barnes is an absolute disgrace. Watched him last week at the falcons game and he was bad, here he's just pure crap.
 
Barnes giving advice in the scrum and slowing the game down awful,Biggar should have come off after North scored to give Wales a fresh approach with Priestland.
 
How good was Trinh Duc? It is a travesty he has barely played for France in the last 5 years.If Plisson starts next week it will be a clear sign the French are still their insane selves.
 
PlacidCasual said:
How good was Trinh Duc? It is a travesty he has barely played for France in the last 5 years.If Plisson starts next week it will be a clear sign the French are still their insane selves.
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Would agree. He's a brilliant player. Showed tonight when I came on
 
I find Wayne Barnes extremely tedious at the scrum, slows the game down no end. Pleased with the result but not a very good game.
 
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