You’ll learn SB, I don’t believe myself half the time, normally when singing “we’re the finest football team...” I didn’t know about the three point rule, as Beth says Ireland will win and pos the Scots so its England’s title. Note to self: have you learnt nothing about gloating and supporting Rangers
The World Rugby League proposal, which is essentially an effort to neuter the power of rich English, French and Japanese clubs and fill the coffers of the IRF, is beginning to crumble. Senior players like Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell speaking out against it, and the Pacific Islands, which would be excluded from the league, threatening to boycott the World Cup. I quite liked the idea when I first heard about it, but as the details emerge it’s just another TV motivated cash generating scam.
I think it’s time to expand the rugby World Cup to 16 ( and more) and bring in those emerging nations, Spain Romania Canada Russia etc. I remember 60’s, 70’s football World Cup there would always be a wild card North Korea, Peru that would cause an upset. Cricket too, let’s get 16 teams in that, Ireland, Afghanistan Holland etc get more people interested. Doesn’t need more games.
6 nations make it 8 European nations in a league format, top four playoff bottom four relegation fight
The main objection is by the players union, they believe the intensity of the modern game is shortening the players careers and the virtually non-stop calendar throughout the year is having a detrimental effect on them. We'd all love to see the top nations battle it out more often but you also have to take into account just how brutal top-level rugby has become. The Premiership, European Cup on top of the internationals is taking it's toll. The greed of the various Unions is the driving force of this move but without the players agreement it'll be dead in the water...
No posts for yesterday’s games, illustrating their predictably. Good performance from a new look England team (though the opposition was woeful), great Welsh defence second half in Edinburgh. Ireland now seem warmed up nicely, and can still win the championship. Set up for a great game against the Welsh. Apparently England play after that game, great for TV revenue but a bit odd for drama, might be a dead rubber, might have everything hanging on it.
Two or three years ago there were three games one after another and it wound up with England having to beat France by a very big score at Twickenham (before bonus points) to win the championship. I think France scored late on to give it to Ireland, but it was brilliant drama. Speaking of a new look England, Cokanasiga is dynamite and must surely become a first choice.
I suspect Jones will prefer Nowell for his all round game. Cokanasiga was great yesterday, but looks more like a centre, or even a flanker, than a winger to me. Mind you, if Lomu was a winger..... It’s a good last weekend lined up.
Time for the Six Nations to introduce relegation. Italy were a seriously tough team when they were admitted, but they are coasting with no jeopardy now. It’s a real shame for Parisi, who is still world class at his age, but they haven’t won since 2015. Georgia rank higher than them, they deserve a chance, and the away games would be fun. Besides, with relegation we could dream of the Welsh getting the elbow.
maybe the bottom team could play off to a team like georgia to stay in the 6 nations or make it the seven nations
I think part of the problem is that the 5 Nations was so established that there was a huge gap for Italy to close, they have been helped by the inclusion of some of their club sides in the Guinness Pro 14 but have struggled to be competitive. Their best years are some time ago and they aren't improving enough to be anything other than the team that makes up the numbers. However, I don't see any real desire amongst the organisers to drop them out as sponsorship and the League structures in the remaining nations fits nicely with the current set-up. Whether the rumblings of a World league has any significance in the bigger picture we'll have to wait and see...
Seven Nations would go on forever, and just make the tension between club and country even worse. I don’t really understand how the economics of this game work.
Quite exciting today. Apparently the Irish have decided to have the roof left open in Cardiff, and strong winds and very heavy rain are expected. 30,000 people went direct from Cheltenham races to Cardiff probably most of them Irish. Come on Nutso, make sure your lads do us a favour. Twickenham will be incredibly flat if the Welsh have the slam in the bag when they kick off down there. For some reason I forget I was watching old footage of internationals from the 70s the other day. It really was laughably poor, slow and low scoring compared to today, although the players were physically pretty normal human beings. And it did feature nearly every tackle being neck high and plenty of clothes lining, seemingly unpunished.
I'm a bit torn today. I'd like England to win the Chamionship, but I'd also be quite happy to see Wales do the slam.
Wales were magnificent against England. I just feel a dissatisfied Ireland may have a sting in the tail for them
At least the non entity game between France and Italy will be out of the way early to concentrate on the main events...….. Apparently the Welsh wanted the roof closed and went direct to the competition organisers to get it closed, Ireland objected and asked for it to be left open......1-0 Ireland. Weather wise it's been chucking it down here since the early hours with gale force winds, now passed us and heading towards South Wales, whether the wind will be a factor is debatable given the steep sides of the stadium but the rain will definitely cause handling problems....
