2015 RBS Six Nations General Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

molloyjh

sydthebeat wrote: »

just for teh craic... since the 6 nations started, Irelands opening games

Italy 7 (4 away, 3 home)
wales 4 (2 away, 2 home)
France 2 (1 each)
Scotland (1 each)
England 1 away

Look at the 2016 and 2017 fixtures though. He says that this team with the easy run has one "the next two or three years". Forgetting for the moment that the fixtures have only been announced for the next 2 years here are the opening fixtures:

2016:
France v Italy
Scotland v England
Ireland v Wales

2017
Scotland v Ireland
England v France
Italy v Wales

The "lesser" teams are spread out fairly evenly there and there is literally nothing to complain about. England and France get them in 2016, Wales and Ireland in 2017.

Seriously this guy needs people to start calling him out on this crap in the press conferences themselves. It's pretty God awful nonsense.

matthew8

England

If anything it's better to play Italy last so you know what you need against them.

funtime93

matthew8 wrote: »

If anything it's better to play Italy last so you know what you need against them.

They're usually gassed by then aswell.

errlloyd

England

matthew8 wrote: »

If anything it's better to play Italy last so you know what you need against them.

I think this is a myth. We're lucky, Scotland have really suffered badly with backline injuries.

total former

England

Remember the last time we played Italy in round five? Ran up a cricket score IIRC.

phog

total former wrote: »

Remember the last time we played Italy in round five? Ran up a cricket score IIRC.

Don't think so, I think they beat us.

We played them in round 4 last season and gave them a hiding but played France in Rnd 5

total former

total former wrote: »

Remember the last time we played Italy in round five? Ran up a cricket score IIRC.

Are you thinking of 2007? The last time was 2013 and they won.

Peregrine

England

Yeah, Ireland played Italy in round 5 in 2013 and Italy won. That was the game where Peter O'Mahony ended up on the wing.

total former

England

Just a little joke there lads.

Peregrine

England

Went right over my head

matthew8

England

In fact in this situation I think it's huge for Wales to play Italy last. I'm terrified of what they might do to them, in great form and gung ho from the off.

Berticus

England

Lopez is out of the France England game...

Flipper22

.ak wrote: »

I loved the main pic and the caption below... He really doesn't come across as that bright...

You could almost compare his mental faculties to, say, a tub of flora....

vienne86

England

Berticus wrote: »

Lopez is out of the France England game...

So who will play 10 this time?

total former

England

vienne86 wrote: »

So who will play 10 this time?

Jules Plisson!

Debaty also starts with Ben Arous injured.


FRANCE TEAM TO PLAY ENGLAND:
Spedding ; Huget, Fickou, Mermoz, Nakaitaci ; Plisson, Tillous-Borde ; Goujon, Le Roux, Dusautoir; Maestri, Flanquart ; Mas, Guirado, Debaty.

Kayser, Slimani, Atonio, Taofifenua, Chouly, Kockott, Tales, Bastareaud.

sydthebeat

England

Thats actually a tasty enough backline, just worried they wouldnt have played much together


16th different half-back pairing Saint-Andre has picked in just over three years at the France helm.

ThisRegard

.ak wrote: »

So Ive heard some "opinions" that Barnes was paid to fix the game by the illuminati (tv companies) so it'd make the last set of game spike in viewers.

Thats some quality tin foil right there.

Jesus, some people are eejits. The TV companies paid Barnes off ? Anyone with a bit of sense knows it was the off licences and pizza delivery places. My local ones are rubbing their hands in glee in anticipation of many like me taking residency on the couch for the day with beer and pizza.

Swiwi.

total former wrote: »

Jules Plisson!

Debaty also starts with Ben Arous injured.


FRANCE TEAM TO PLAY ENGLAND:
Spedding ; Huget, Fickou, Mermoz, Nakaitaci ; Plisson, Tillous-Borde ; Goujon, Le Roux, Dusautoir; Maestri, Flanquart ; Mas, Guirado, Debaty.

Kayser, Slimani, Atonio, Taofifenua, Chouly, Kockott, Tales, Bastareaud.

Is Huget the only French back to have played all 5 matches?

I guess when PSA was spinning his Russian Roulette wheel, it just never ended up on Huget's name.

molloyjh

Scotland: Kockott, Lopez, Thomas, Fofana, Basta, Huget, Spedding
Ireland: Kockott, Lopez, Thomas, Fofana, Basta, Huget, Spedding
Wales: Parra, Lopez, Guitoune, Fofana, Lamerat, Huget, Dulin
Italy: Tillouse-Borde, Lopez, Nakaitaci, Mermoz, Fickou, Huget, Spedding
England: Tillouse-Borde, Pallison, Nakaitaci, Mermoz, Fickou, Huget, Spedding

He hasn't been that bad with the back line in general once you take into account injuries. Kockett was only ahead of Tillous-Borde through injury and Pallison has only gone to first choice 10 because of injury as well. So it seems that PSA knows his half-backs at least, i.e. Tillous-Borde and Lopez. There is a chance Parra is first choice scrum-half too I suppose but I'm not sure about that. His injury makes it hard to tell. Thomas was injured in the Ireland game too so that impacts the line-ups further. He's mucked around with the centres a bit and did give Dulin a start against Wales but Spedding has started the other games. So it's really just the centres he seems to be undecided on really.

total former

England

Parling starts, Easter on the bench, Attwood dropped completely.

sydthebeat

England

Probably as strong as possible that england could have been this year, with the exception of barrett for burrell

molloyjh

No Parisse and Haimona starts again. Wales will almost certainly run up a very big score against this side. Not good. Castro back as well.

15 Luke MCLEAN (Sale Sharks, 67 caps)
14 Leonardo SARTO (Zebre Rugby, 15 caps)
13 Luca MORISI (Benetton Treviso, 13 caps)
12 Andrea MASI (London Wasps, 90 caps)
11 Giovambattista VENDITTI (Zebre Rugby, 26 caps)
10 Kelly HAIMONA (Zebre Rugby, 6 caps)
9 Edoardo GORI (Benetton Treviso, 41 caps)

8 Samuela VUNISA (Zebre Rugby, 4 caps)
7 Mauro BERGAMASCO (Zebre Rugby, 101 caps)
6 Francesco MINTO (Benetton Treviso, 15 caps)
5 Joshua FURNO (Newcastle Falcons, 28 caps)
4 George BIAGI (Zebre Rugby, 7 caps)
3 Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (RT Toulon, 109 caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Leicester Tigers, 74 caps) - Captain
1 Michele RIZZO (Leicester Tigers, 15 caps)

16 Andrea MANICI (Zebre Rugby, 10 caps)
17 Alberto DE MARCHI (Sale Sharks, 27 caps)
18 Dario CHISTOLINI (Zebre Rugby, 9 caps)
19 Quintin GELDENHUYS (Zebre Rugby, 53 caps)
20 Robert BARBIERI (Leicester Tigers, 38 caps)
21 Guglielmo PALAZZANI (Zebre Rugby, 7 caps)
22 Luciano ORQUERA (Zebre Rugby, 47 caps)
23 Enrico BACCHIN (Benetton Treviso, 2 caps)

timaru89

England

Even if Italy do win some scrum penalties, Haimona's not going to kick the points. Really is a shocking out half.

Flipper22

Hopefully the scrum can keep Italy in the game as long as possible and sap Welsh momentum. But it's very difficult to stay in a game without a vaguely competent goal kicker.

molloyjh

timaru89 wrote: »

Even if Italy do win some scrum penalties, Haimona's not going to kick the points. Really is a shocking out half.

Yeah he brings pretty much nothing to the game. I know Orquera isn't any great shakes either, but I'd select him over Haimona personally.

dastardly00

Parisse not playing is a massive boost for Wales.
I can see them racking up a big score.

aimee1

dastardly00 wrote: »

Parisse not playing is a massive boost for Wales.
I can see them racking up a big score.

missing Parisse alone is probably worth 10 points to wales

Morf

Flipper22 wrote: »

Hopefully the scrum can keep Italy in the game as long as possible and sap Welsh momentum. But it's very difficult to stay in a game without a vaguely competent goal kicker.

Knock on deliberately first play to set a marker early? :pac:

wp_rathead

France

Me this morning:

Micky Dolenz

England

At the Italy v Wales.

Come on da fcuk Italia

Dave_The_Sheep

This O'Gara/Horgan double act isn't doing it for me. I thought Horgan was going to become a good pundit, but he seems to be almost going down the presenter role instead.

penybont exile

Scotland

Good luck all .......

Enjoy the ride.

Wang King

France

penybont exile wrote: »

Good luck all .......

Enjoy the ride.

My wife's gone to a wedding, I cried off as I want to watch the rugby..... There'll be no ride for me to enjoy tonight!!

wp_rathead

France

Sarto scored last minute Vs England last season aswell to dent their points difference, he may just become a patron saint!

RobbieRuns

France

Italian tackling ! Fair play to Wales though, they wore them down before cutting loose.

b.gud

England

Lads this day is not good for me nerves

England

Everytime they say wrap (reach) around I giggle.

I'm so so drunk right now.

WoollyRedHat

England

150 points scored in the last day of the tournament.

If Carlsberg did endings...

Teferi

Today is what rugby is all about. Thank god we won because it would have taken the shine off of a fantastic day.

Grid.

Fantastic!!!!!!!!!

Billy86

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

150 points scored in the last day of the tournament.

If Carlsberg did endings...

221, actually!

19543261

France

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

This O'Gara/Horgan double act isn't doing it for me. I thought Horgan was going to become a good pundit, but he seems to be almost going down the presenter role instead.

Agreed. I think after today we'll see Pope move to the sidelines and either Rog/Horgan at the studio.

Stheno

A superb day, not ashamed to say I cried at the end as did others around me.

I consider myself privileged to see such a day

lucky_luke

I agree an excellemt day of rugby. I'm glad the tournama,emt is as it is and not all three at teh same time. From a spectators perspective it made it all the more exciting.

Tin Foil Hat

England

According to Eurosport News Ireland won the six nations toady after putting 61 points on Italy, at home, while England could only manage 55 against France. Jesus wept:).

Neil3030

France

Tin Foil Hat wrote: »

According to Eurosport News Ireland won the six nations toady after putting 61 points on Italy, at home, while England could only manage 55 against France. Jesus wept:).

Jack D'Arcy moment!

Peregrine

England

Might buy one..

http://ie.sportsdirect.com/england-six-nations-winners-t-shirt-mens-384199?colcode=38419901

Tin Foil Hat

England

Nim wrote: »

Might buy one..

http://ie.sportsdirect.com/england-six-nations-winners-t-shirt-mens-384199?colcode=38419901

I wouldn't pay €12 for one. Maybe €1.49. And I'd expect a free Garth Brooks Dublin 2014 cowboy hat thrown in for free.

rrpc

England

Nim wrote: »

Might buy one..

http://ie.sportsdirect.com/england-six-nations-winners-t-shirt-mens-384199?colcode=38419901

efb

England

Tin Foil Hat wrote: »

I wouldn't pay €12 for one. Maybe €1.49. And I'd expect a free Garth Brooks Dublin 2014 cowboy hat thrown in for free.

And the Liverpool champions tee too