6N 2013

[Guest]

Parra's kicking is shaky which is another reason they needed michalak on.

The guy was the motm in all three autumn matches.

He isn't as good a fly half as trin duch but tranny isn't a kicker and that's a real requisite for a no.10 these days.

Manu certainly dumped on Basteraud today too.

[Haydos]

He gets himself involved in a lot of very silly afters that a fly half really shouldn't be. Just needs to keep his handbag in check and get on with it.

Mike Phillips is another one. Sometimes it can be good, it can rile the opposition, but a lot of the time it just gets you ill discipline.

I'm not sure why but I take pleasure in Farrel being a little ****. He's young, very good and likes contact, it's nice to see a 10 giving it the big'un. Much prefer that to someone like O'Gara not getting involved with anything apart from putting a dirty boot in.

[Finnegan]

I'm not sure why but I take pleasure in Farrel being a little ****. He's young, very good and likes contact, it's nice to see a 10 giving it the big'un. Much prefer that to someone like O'Gara not getting involved with anything apart from putting a dirty boot in.

Don't get me wrong, as a Wales fan I always have a little smile on when Mike Phillips is getting in everyone's face, squaring up to forwards and generally hulking out.

But it is irresponsible.

Moreover, it is somewhat more the domain of the scrum half. He's got a little bit more licence to get involved. You really need your stand off to, well... stand off. There's a big difference between Johnny Wilkinson, who's an absolute hero in the tackle, never shies away from contact, puts his body on the line and Farrell who actively seeks out confrontation like a testosterone fueled pubescent.

When he starts getting himself consistently injured or sin binned I doubt you'll find it as entertaining.

Edit: Oh and Rodge is one on his own, he's a serial bottler and a complete coward. Always has been, you hit him once and he vanishes. That said, you look at each country's best five eighths over the last decade and all of Wilkinson, Jones, O'Gara, Carter, Larkham, etc, they're all pretty level headed guys who know - or knew - when to sit back and just run the game stoicly.

[Guest]

have to agree with Finnegan. I like a little bit of bravado in my players but Farrell was going over the line in the French game which could have been costly. Youngs is made to wind up the big boys.

Thought Cole had an extremely good game yesterday.

[Tielemans63]

Thought Cole had an extremely good game yesterday.

Agreed, he was everywhere - even tackled a French winger on the touch line did he not?

He looked a lot more comfortable when T. Youngs and Vunipola came on, think I'd start with those two next game if I were Lancaster.

[Guest]

I thought Youngs was inspired when he came on but I understand why he was dropped for this one and Hartley is a good hooker too. I wasn't so impressed with Vunipola who seems to be a fat man. Why can't he change that fat into muscle a la Manu.

That Manu run was heroic.

[Finnegan]

Hartley is ****ing terrible at international level.

There's a reason you've got the worst line out stats in the 6N.

[Guest]

Hartley is ****ing terrible at international level.

There's a reason you've got the worst line out stats in the 6N.

I don't really understand your linking in those statements.

Hartley wasn't the starting hooker in either of the first two games.

Since when did a hooker only get judged on one set of team stats?

Do you bring in the variables of wind speed and direction, snow and rain to your judgement as you do when making excuses for the Welsh?

England have won 3 out of 3 - that's the only stat that really matters in the six nations.

[Tielemans63]

I thought Youngs was inspired when he came on but I understand why he was dropped for this one and Hartley is a good hooker too. I wasn't so impressed with Vunipola who seems to be a fat man. Why can't he change that fat into muscle a la Manu.

That Manu run was heroic.

I thought Vunipola played really well! Beefed up the scrum and offered a lot in the loose - made se good carries too. Marler doesn't offer the same threat IMHO.

I know what you're saying though - he looks like a centre who can't be arsed to train or give up the doughnuts.

[The Doctor]

I really hope france get white-washed, would be ****ing hilarious. Still, with Ireland to play they'll at least have one win in the bag.

[Tielemans63]

I really hope france get white-washed, would be ****ing hilarious. Still, with Ireland to play they'll at least have one win in the bag.

Hey, hey. We're not that bad! We could still win it!

[The Doctor]

Hey, hey. We're not that bad! We could still win it!

Not after this afternoon when we Scotland tank you.

[Guest]

I really hope france get white-washed, would be ****ing hilarious. Still, with Ireland to play they'll at least have one win in the bag.

I would have thought the Irish will beat the French, it's down to the Scots.

St.Andre is a crap coach.

[Tielemans63]

Not after this afternoon when we Scotland tank you.

We'll see! Loved how excited the Scottish were after their win over the rugby superpower that is Italy. Ireland by 12 I reckon.

[Finnegan]

I don't really understand your linking in those statements.

Hartley wasn't the starting hooker in either of the first two games.

Since when did a hooker only get judged on one set of team stats?

Do you bring in the variables of wind speed and direction, snow and rain to your judgement as you do when making excuses for the Welsh?

England have won 3 out of 3 - that's the only stat that really matters in the six nations.

Why would I need to make excuses for Wales? We won. Away. By near twenty points.

I'm not claiming the game was fantastic and Wales were brilliant, it was frequently boring and we were very reserved. But you claimed they should be "embarrassed" of the first half performance which just clearly shows a lack of understanding of the challenges of playing in those conditions.

By contrast, England and France played a barnstorming game in superb conditions and Hartley had a shocker.

Nobody's judging England on "one set of stats" but if you're not interested in analyzing the finer points of rugby then don't get involved in a discussion about rugby?

[Guest]

Nobody's judging England on "one set of stats" but if you're not interested in analyzing the finer points of rugby then don't get involved in a discussion about rugby?

You were judging Hartley (not England) on one set of stats. Don't reply to my posts and then "WE" won't be involved in a discussion about Rugby. I find it funny how you think you have such a great understanding of Rugby (and certainly more so than me). Is that because you are Welsh?

[The Doctor]

We'll see! Loved how excited the Scottish were after their win over the rugby superpower that is Italy. Ireland by 12 I reckon.

I won't - I'm out all afternoon.

Well, look at it this way - Italy beat France by 23-18, Scotland beat Italy 34-10. 23/18 * 34/10 = 4.34, so Scotland are over 4 times better than France.

England beat Ireland by 12-6, and France by 23-13. 12/6 * 23/13 = 3.53, Ireland are 3.5 times better than France.

4.3 > 3.5, therefore Scotland are better than Ireland.

Don't argue with maths boyo.

[Tielemans63]

I'm not sure why but I take pleasure in Farrel being a little ****. He's young, very good and likes contact, it's nice to see a 10 giving it the big'un. Much prefer that to someone like O'Gara not getting involved with anything apart from putting a dirty boot in.

Glad Kidney has gone for Paddy Jackson at 10 ahead of ROG. IMHO O'Gara hasn't got it in him to get a back line moving anymore let alone boss an entire test match. Great servant to Irish rugby but an indictment of the choices at 10 that he's still in the squad.

[Guest]

I won't - I'm out all afternoon.

Well, look at it this way - Italy beat France by 23-18, Scotland beat Italy 34-10. 23/18 * 34/10 = 4.34, so Scotland are over 4 times better than France.

England beat Ireland by 12-6, and France by 23-13. 12/6 * 23/13 = 3.53, Ireland are 3.5 times better than France.

4.3 > 3.5, therefore Scotland are better than Ireland.

Don't argue with maths boyo.

You must be a new pseudo fr Al!

Ireland are a better team than Scotland. I'll be cheering the Irish on this afternoon.

[Guest]

Glad Kidney has gone for Paddy Jackson at 10 ahead of ROG. IMHO O'Gara hasn't got it in him to get a back line moving anymore let alone boss an entire test match. Great servant to Irish rugby but an indictment of the choices at 10 that he's still in the squad.

True;

His days are in the past. Defensively and Offensively. Could be brought on for a last second kick though.

[Finnegan]

You were judging Hartley (not England) on one set of stats. Don't reply to my posts and then "WE" won't be involved in a discussion about Rugby. I find it funny how you think you have such a great understanding of Rugby (and certainly more so than me). Is that because you are Welsh?

No, it's because I follow the sport?

And because you come out with some complete and total drivel. Half of which I'm guessing is really just because you think it may wind me up (it doesn't, by the way, I'm well and truly used to it) and the other half of which just because you seem to be the classic fair-weather rent-a-fan that rolls out for the Six Nations and the odd important Tigers match.

There are people on here that know their rugby, you just aren't one of them.

[The Doctor]

You must be a new pseudo fr Al!

Ireland are a better team than Scotland. I'll be cheering the Irish on this afternoon.

Nope, I'm the Doctor, the one, the only, and still the best.

I'm aware of that, I was deploying a variant of that special branch of maths known as man maths - used entirely for denial of basic facts.

[Finnegan]

Nope, I'm the Doctor, the one, the only, and still the best.

I'm aware of that, I was deploying a variant of that special branch of maths known as man maths - used entirely for denial of basic facts.

I love the way you point out France still have to play Ireland and completely overlook they've got Wooden Spoon favorites at home n'all.

[Guest]

No, it's because I follow the sport?

And because you come out with some complete and total drivel. Half of which I'm guessing is really just because you think it may wind me up (it doesn't, by the way, I'm well and truly used to it) and the other half of which just because you seem to be the classic fair-weather rent-a-fan that rolls out for the Six Nations and the odd important Tigers match.

There are people on here that know their rugby, you just aren't one of them.

a typical poster - I know more than you, you fair weather supporter.

You really shouldn't jump to such conclusions on an internet forum.

You'll never know the truth though so don't let it bother you.

Nope, I'm the Doctor, the one, the only, and still the best.

I'm aware of that, I was deploying a variant of that special branch of maths known as man maths - used entirely for denial of basic facts.

That was how I surmised that you must be Al.

[The Doctor]

I love the way you point out France still have to play Ireland and completely overlook they've got Wooden Spoon favorites at home n'all.

Of course, we beat Italy therefore we're the best team in the world. If the main forum on here has taught me anything, it's that 1 win against a shit team = guaranteed to win the tournament.

Being realistic France will dick us over unless they have an absolute nightmare, but I'd be hopeful of avoiding the wooden spoon at this stage - France away is a horrible tie, and tbf Ireland and Wales at home aren't ones I'm that confident about - home or not, both have far better squads than we could muster. Still - with Italy having to play England away and Ireland in the last two games, I don't see why we shouldn't hope to finish above them.