Just seen this thread, hope England can win it today. I was at the stade de France last week...devastating match.
Looking good at the moment, we just need to keep our concentration. The Scots seem a bit disjointed, they're there for the taking...
If England keep it a forwards match they will win. I don't think I've ever seen an English team as inept out wide. If we can in any wAy compete upfront we have the better backs but my fear is that England will beat us up front
Well played England. A mucky Murrayfield is never an easy place for England to go but they've done the job. France now favourites after Wales' defeat today. England and Wales still in with a shout though. The games in two weeks should be very interesting.
Do you reckon the Gatland-O'Driscoll thing fired up the Irish? For the record I think he was right to drop him from the 15 and go with the Welsh centres, but not the 22, and it would have been great to see him in the Lions shirt for the last time when it was clear they were going to win. Iknow you don't usually agree with sentimentality in sport Swords, but sometimes these gestures are justifiable, your man has been an outstanding servant of the game. I was impressed with the English forwards today, though the line out wasn't great, some of them showed some really fast hands and kept the ball moving. The new lads are looking good, 20-0 flattered the Scots they didn't get out of their own 22 second half. But I might be wrong, a large amount of Guinness consumed this afternoon....
The Scots only spent 1% of the match in Englands 22. They have no invention in attack. I thought they defended well though but England were quite comfortable and in control of the match. I've yet to see the Irish game. ( New patio Italian stone shopping with Mrs Nines. ) Hopefully I can get to watch it at some point tomorrow.
Did it fire them up? Na. Not at all. There were only a few cranks in the media bigging that nonsense up. Rubbish. Gatland was spot on in everything he did. No room for sentimentality means exactly that. Besides, he already got his big send off last year and then announced he wasn't leaving after all! These guys get enough adoration without giving them even more, Stanley FFS! France are favourites now. Looking at it objectively they probably should win the Slam now.
I should have known better! I note you are playing down Ireland's chances - are you playing France away as well as us? That can be the only reason, the French can implode at any moment and were hardly dominant against England.....
I'm playing down no-one's chances mate. They're the bookies favourites now and rightfully so. Just looking at it in a neutral way, you'd have to fancy France. They play Ireland at home. Okay they must have to play Wales away but how could you not have them as favourites now? The Championship itself is still wide open with England a home win away from putting themselves right back in the mix. In fact, I'd be very surprised if the bookies don't have the Engerland as favourites for that match in a fortnights time. Ireland have a chance alright but they too could easily implode like they did last year. And don't be writing Wales off just yet either. They lost to Ireland last year too but still won the tournament. Its all to play for my son.
Nice summary. I'm enjoying the rugby as much and if not more than the football at the moment. Compelling stuff. I hope we have a few more twist's and turns before this six nations is concluded.
Sorry NUTSY, can't agree with you there. The evidence is there for all to see. He was in a losing test side, he was dropped and the team won handsomely in the next test. The guy that came in played very well that day. From BOD maybe but I'm not sure any of the other players would give a sh*t to be honest. I mean, would you care if someone else was left out of a team you played in? Surely all Best and Co (and all footballers) are worried about is their own team places? Best was pissed off with Gatland, not because of another player losing his place, it was because he himself felt shafted when he was left out of the initial touring squad and then used sparingly when brought in. This was a media-driven circus and nothing more.
Swords, I've no intention of going around in circles arguing with you tonight. Your answer above unfortunately highlights your lack of knowledge of the game of rugby. The "other guy" was Jonathan Davies. While a very very good player I think most neutrals would agree he's not nor never will be a world class player. The other alternatives in Tualigi or Twelvetrees don't exactly excite and are average players at best. How you can imply that the team won because BOD was dropped or because Davies was selected is bordering ridiculous. The Lions won because Gatland eventually picked the right pack which blew the Aussies away and gave the backs the ammunition needed to finish the game. When asked why Davies was selected, Gatland replied "he has a great left boot". BOD was a world class player. Was. He was nowhere near his best on that tour but IMO Davies was and is not fit to lace the mans boots. I think you also fail to realise just how much of an influence BOD is on that team. He is and has been the heartbeat of that Irish team for the last ten years. The players love him. Best did not have to say what he did. Are you calling him a liar? He said the whole team wanted to do that for BOD. It shows an incredible bond among the players.
I didn't mean to start another Irish Civil War lads......for what its worth i suspect there is a lot more team spirit/"one for all" ethos in rugby football than association football (see what I did Swords?), and quite a few of the Irish team have been playing in the same team for a very long time, I would expect them to stick up for each other. But it was an innocent question, not intended to antagonise.
I think you're doing what a lot of people do and are judging a player who was once great but now is not. Jonathan Davies need not be a world class player, he only needed to be in form. He was selected ahead of BOB who was out of form (no neutral would disagree with that regarding his performances in the first two tests) and played better than BOD had played in those two prior games. You must leave past glories and sentimentality aside and pick the best team for the job on the day and Gatland did that and was proved right with the whole team's performance. Your claim that I know nothing about the game is bad form mate. That's what people start coming out with when they've lost an argument. If I know nothing about the game then George Hook doesn't either who also said that BOD shouldn't have gone on that tour. The proof is in the pudding. He had a bad tour NUTS so people that said that were proved right in the end. I'm not that stupid mate, I do realise how much of an influence he's had but once again I say there's no room for talking about the past in sport. Its always about the now. Stan makes a fair point that Rugby footballers () are more genuine than Soccer players but I've already said that Best nearly collapsed in tears when he was told he wasn't in the squad. His angst toward Gatland is far more likely to be a result of that snub rather than worrying about another guy who got to play in 2 out of 3 Lions tests last Summer. If anything he might have thought to himself last year that BOD got too much attention and there wasn't enough given to him and others that didn't even get a single minute of a test match. Do you really think Best gave two fu*ks because BOD only got 2 test games instead of three when he got none a'tall? Mate you're NUTS!
Jonathan Davies was not exactly in world glass form and was also carrying an injury. Rugby is all about combinations and Gatland picked Davies as Roberts partner because they do work well as a midfield unit. I've already acknowledged that BOD was nowhere near his best but how on earth can you genuine claim he shouldn't have been selected for the tour. He was selected because even at 50% he's a better player than all of the other options and has unrivalled experience. BOD should have retired at the end of the tour and IMO he has gone on a year too long. But in saying that, the reason he is still playing is because even at his dwindling current form, he is still better than Marshall, McFadden or Wallace. His work rate and determination are still impressive. By the way I know I'm Nuts. That's something I'll never deny but if you listen and believe George Hook then you my friend are NUTS too. I'll see you in Drogheda and discuss this further over a pint me auld mucha
