6 Nations 2012 Thread
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mpickard2087
Patient Zero
- Jun 13, 2008
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Fantastic win. Three great tries and we gutsed it out when down to 14 men. Great stuff.
Welshiespursboyo
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- Feb 19, 2009
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Championship probably going to Wales woohoo!! Massive points difference.
Want the Grand Slam though!
Want the Grand Slam though!
Not much between the top 4 sides. I think if England had played Wales in the final weekend, thus giving them a couple more games to gel, it would be them taking the slam and not the boys from the valleys.
Been a pretty entertaining tournament.
You guys think Lancaster will get the job?
Been a pretty entertaining tournament.
You guys think Lancaster will get the job?
Welshiespursboyo
Banned
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Entitled to your opinion, however I disagree. If Wales play to their full capabilities, I don't think this England side can live with them at their best...yet.
Would be a scintillating game though.
And I do think Lancaster deserves the job
mpickard2087
Patient Zero
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Rolland has a history of questionable refereeing against England. Apparently at one point we complained to the IRB and after having a look at it agreed we had a point and he didnt ref our games, so dunno why he is suddenly back. He was terrible today, inconsistent and just plain wrong on many occasions.
nightgoat
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- Sep 12, 2005
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Yeah, the thing that specifically riled me was that after he'd yellow carded Sharples, Robshaw went to him to say that Fofana had committed the same offence a couple of minutes earlier to which Rolland curtly replied "No it wasn't" - despite the fact he'd penalised Fofana for it. Had he forgotten already?
Arnoldtoo
The thinking ape's ape
- May 18, 2006
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If Wales played their best they would put 20 clear points between them and England right now.
I think Ireland are pretty close, since they really shouldn't have lost the Welsh game - down simply to that daft spearing decision and resultant penalty - and they should have beaten France.
And France are just France!
At the moment Wales are clearly best, and I think they'll definitely get the Slam.
Next year, though ... :wink:
20 clear points? No chance mate! Wales are over rated, to a ridiculous level in some quarters.
Look back over the past 12-18 months and list the sides they have beaten by a clear twenty points. List the sides they have lost to as well.
They are a good side, with a pretty exciting back line ( again, over rated though ) but they are not the world beaters some are making out. They lost the 3 important, tight games in the world cup. lost to England before the world cup and should have lost again in the pre world cup warm ups. Ireland should have beat them this tuornament as mentioned above and England, 2 game old England with a host of new bods, some of which will be tossed aside at some point in the near future, ran them ever so close and could probably have beat them.
I have them as the best side in the NH right now, and they will be deserving champions this year but the difference between them and the other 3 NH sides is not huge by any means. Very little in it.
Look back over the past 12-18 months and list the sides they have beaten by a clear twenty points. List the sides they have lost to as well.
They are a good side, with a pretty exciting back line ( again, over rated though ) but they are not the world beaters some are making out. They lost the 3 important, tight games in the world cup. lost to England before the world cup and should have lost again in the pre world cup warm ups. Ireland should have beat them this tuornament as mentioned above and England, 2 game old England with a host of new bods, some of which will be tossed aside at some point in the near future, ran them ever so close and could probably have beat them.
I have them as the best side in the NH right now, and they will be deserving champions this year but the difference between them and the other 3 NH sides is not huge by any means. Very little in it.
werty
Well-Known Member
- Aug 8, 2005
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Although Ireland were ahead late on and gave up the lead waaay too easily, Wales were the better team on the day and deserved to win. I don't think Wales even had their best forwards out but still dominanted our pack.
I think Ireland and Wales, everything being equal, are a bit ahead of the rest, with Wales being better than us. Although France have arguably the more talented team, I'd put England ahead of them at the minute because France's head coach doesn't seem very good or know how to use his team and they've looked all over the place for a while. How they got the the WC Final I'll never know.
As for Rowland, he was very poor yesterday(although I don't think he was as bad as the guy commentating on BBC was making him out to be), but the standard of reffing in the whole tournament has been poor. In Ireland's matches alone there have been plenty of poor calls. Wales should have had a a guy sent off for spearing an Irish player and the ref in the Ireland - France game made about 10 incorrect decision and I only watched the first half! I think it's a bit of a myth than Rugby refs are great in comparison to other refs. They get plenty calls wrong, but are fortunate enough that they don't get many point scoring plays wrong because they can use replays.
I think Ireland and Wales, everything being equal, are a bit ahead of the rest, with Wales being better than us. Although France have arguably the more talented team, I'd put England ahead of them at the minute because France's head coach doesn't seem very good or know how to use his team and they've looked all over the place for a while. How they got the the WC Final I'll never know.
As for Rowland, he was very poor yesterday(although I don't think he was as bad as the guy commentating on BBC was making him out to be), but the standard of reffing in the whole tournament has been poor. In Ireland's matches alone there have been plenty of poor calls. Wales should have had a a guy sent off for spearing an Irish player and the ref in the Ireland - France game made about 10 incorrect decision and I only watched the first half! I think it's a bit of a myth than Rugby refs are great in comparison to other refs. They get plenty calls wrong, but are fortunate enough that they don't get many point scoring plays wrong because they can use replays.
mpickard2087
Patient Zero
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Im not sure thats true, I said a few weeks back in this thread that Wales rely heavily on the 'bosh' tactic and trying to make their size difference count and run through teams. England has the best defence in the Championship IMO and managed to nullify this tactic pretty much completely. Wales won because of seizing on a mistake and a half chance in broken play and took it brilliantly and got the win. I'd say the result was a pretty accurate reflection of where the two teams are in relation to each other. England need to keep developing the attacking game in order to progress, something that will take time but the signs are good.
Welshiespursboyo
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- Feb 19, 2009
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I'm sorry but I cannot agree with this. At their best, Wales are head and shoulders above England's best right now imo. Say what you like but there is a reason Wales are rated highly...
That said I think Lancaster is doing a very good job with this new England line up and they will be a force to be reckoned with soon.
Of course I am very biased
I think Wales play the best attacking rugby in the NH right now though!
Arnoldtoo
The thinking ape's ape
- May 18, 2006
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I'm with Welshie at the moment. I think Wales have the edge in the scrum - not least because of the vast experience they've got compared to England - and when the backs click they've got the beating of anyone behind the scrum. Maybe I'll concede to 15 points rather than 20, but they really are a very good team at the moment with no obvious weaknesses.
I think - I hope - that England will catch up quickly, and I do very much like the look of Farrell at #10 especially, but I would say next year's 6 nations should still have Wales as favourites, with England 2nd. After that, it's clearly England coming good and peaking for the next World Cup, which they will win.
I'm sure Welshie agrees with all that. :grin:
I think - I hope - that England will catch up quickly, and I do very much like the look of Farrell at #10 especially, but I would say next year's 6 nations should still have Wales as favourites, with England 2nd. After that, it's clearly England coming good and peaking for the next World Cup, which they will win.
I'm sure Welshie agrees with all that. :grin:
Welshiespursboyo
Banned
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Pfft. It'll be 15 points difference (at least!)
As for 2015 world cup....hmmmm...maybe. But if this welsh lot stay together then they'll be up for it too (it's still a fairly young welsh squad!), along with New Zealand, Australia, South Africa etc etc so I wouldn't get carried away just yet.
Be nice for England to get a bit stronger though, primarily so the English can stop rolling out excuses when the Welsh continue to crush them year after year :wink:
I was only jesting although England do have some tasty players coming through ( recent under 20 sides etc ) and I think the pack could well be eating up their northern hemisphere counterparts come 2015.
A year is a long time in rugby though let alone three!
A year is a long time in rugby though let alone three!
