6N 2016 - build-up thread

turnikett1

Anyone else preferring the BBC coverage so far? Normally I'd always watch (and prefer) RTE, but yesterday I found myself constantly flicking over to BBC before settling on it come 20 mins into Scotland/England. I don't know, RTE seems a bit lacklustre or something this time around? The no ads with BBC is a huge plus too...

Bazzo

turnikett1 wrote: »

Anyone else preferring the BBC coverage so far? Normally I'd always watch (and prefer) RTE, but yesterday I found myself constantly flicking over to BBC before settling on it come 20 mins into Scotland/England. I don't know, RTE seems a bit lacklustre or something this time around? The no ads with BBC is a huge plus too...

BBC usually do a decent job. If I was home I'd normally go back and forth between them. I wouldn't watch Ireland v England on BBC because the bias would annoy me, even though I'm sure RTE are guilty of the same.

They won't have all the matches this year though, they're splitting the rights with ITV so the game today, for example, is on ITV, and their coverage is maybe ever so slightly better than TV3's coverage of the WC.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Bazzo wrote: »

BBC usually do a decent job. If I was home I'd normally go back and forth between them. I wouldn't watch Ireland v England on BBC because the bias would annoy me, even though I'm sure RTE are guilty of the same.

They won't have all the matches this year though, they're splitting the rights with ITV so the game today, for example, is on ITV, and their coverage is maybe ever so slightly better than TV3's coverage of the WC.

I found BBC's coverage of the France game good. Gabby Logan was running it with Matt Giteau, Castaignède and Keith Wood.
Didn't particularly like their coverage of the England game. Inverdale is beyond annoying and they always have 2 English pundits to the one Scottish guy and it's almost like they're school kids ganging up on him. Inverdale facilitates this and Guscott is usually happy to join in. I'd expect a bit of bias, all the stations do it, but it's something else when Inverdale is leading the charge.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Biggar in Wales team.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Scotland team.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Scotland team.

If Laidlaw sits on the ball as much as he did last week Scotland are going to get crucified.

sydthebeat

Taylor in for scott, bennett pushed out to 13....... scotland missing Dunbar badly

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Scotland have asked for the roof to be closed in Cardiff.

sydthebeat

wales team to face france

The front unchanged with Rob Evans, Scott Baldwin and Samson Lee packing down for a third consecutive match together.

Dan Lydiate returns to the starting side with Justin Tipuric moving to the bench and captain Sam Warburton moving back to openside.

"We have made a couple of changes, one injury enforced with Luke (Charteris) missing out with a knee injury, but Bradley (Davies) deserves a starting spot as well so it's a good opportunity for him," said Wales Head Coach Warren Gatland.

"We have made two other personnel changes with Alex (Cuthbert) and Dan (Lydiate) coming into the starting team. They have trained well and will suit the game France will potentially bring as well.

wp_rathead

??Cuthbert??
Wow he must be flying it in training

penybont exile

Happy enough with that selection .....

Would have preferred Amos on the bench over Anscombe though.

turnikett1

Wales lose to England
England lose to Ireland and France
France lose to Wales and Scotland

We still have a chance

former total

A few changes for France: Djibril Camara in on the wing, Maestri dropped to the bench and Yacouba Camara dropped entirely.

Trinh-Duc back on the bench too.

Maxime Medard; Virimi Vakatawa, Maxime Mermoz, Jonathan Danty, Djibril Camara; Jules Plisson, Maxime Machenaud; Jefferson Poirot, Guilhem Guirado (capt), Rabah Slimani, Alexandre Flanquart, Paul Jedrasiak, Antoine Burban, Damien Chouly, Wenceslas Lauret.

Replacements: Camille Chat, Uini Atonio, Vincent Pelo, Yoann Maestri, Loann Goujon, Sebastien Bezy, Francois Trinh Duc, Gael Fickou.

pickarooney

Hmm, France are well able to find a few camaras in different positions when it suits them...

sydthebeat

pickarooney wrote: »

Hmm, France are well able to find a few camaras in different positions when it suits them...

doff my hat to this post !

pickarooney

France Wales tonight. Anyone care?

calico77

pickarooney wrote: »

France Wales tonight. Anyone care?

roof open apparently

Stheno

pickarooney wrote: »

France Wales tonight. Anyone care?

Doesn't even seem to be a match thread.

Pink Fairy

Stheno wrote: »

Doesn't even seem to be a match thread.

You do one! G'wan, I dare ya mom!

calico77

The Principality Stadium roof will be open for tonight's Six Nations game between Wales and France because of a technical fault.

The Welsh Rugby Union announced the problem within three hours of kick-off.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Is Canna injured for Italy? Just as they were starting to look like they'd found a half decent 10 Kelly Haimona appears again.

If I were Scotland I'd concede a penalty anytime Italy look like scoring a try. They'll miss every one.

Bazzo

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Is Canna injured for Italy? Just as they were starting to look like they'd found a half decent 10 Kelly Haimona appears again.

If I were Scotland I'd concede a penalty anytime Italy look like scoring a try. They'll miss every one.

While normally I'd agree he actually had a great day from the tee against Connacht last weekend.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

https://twitter.com/SkySportsRugby/status/704263983293976576

Amazing how Eddie Jones has but a self imposed media ban on himself and all the media can talk about is Eddie Jones. He's playing a blinder with them.

I know why he does it and it's no bad thing keeping the spotlight off your players but I just can't get over how dumb the media are that they keep playing into it. You even see/hear them acknowledging what he's doing and why and yet they keep talking about him.

There are a few talking points regarding the English team that could fill the columns this week and yet they're still all about Jones.

calico77

Castro banned for two weeks

calico77

calico77 wrote: »

Castro banned for two weeks

For standing on the guys toe?

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

For standing on the guys toe?

Castro's ban is entirely fair, the intent was quite clear, it was a nasty thing to do.

calico77

Deleted User wrote: »

For standing on the guys toe?

Mike Brown must have photos of the citing commissioner in a very compromising position :rolleyes:

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Castro's ban is entirely fair, the intent was quite clear, it was a nasty thing to do.

Helen Lovejoy agrees, and finds it hard to believe that similar standards were not extended elsewhere.

I don't disagree that cynicism and foul play shouldn't result in punishment, but in the context of what went 'allowed' during the last weekend, it's inconsistent to say the least.

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

Helen Lovejoy agrees, and finds it hard to believe that similar standards were not extended elsewhere.

I don't disagree that cynicism and foul play shouldn't result in punishment, but in the context of what went 'allowed' during the last weekend, it's inconsistent to say the least.

I think if there was no question that Brown was attempting to injure Murray he would've been cited as well (if not sent off at the time) and received a much longer ban. Because he did what he did in the course of play I think it changes things a little, still absolutely should have been cited in my own opinion but a different kind of infringement.

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I think if there was no question that Brown was attempting to injure Murray he would've been cited as well (if not sent off at the time) and received a much longer ban. Because he did what he did in the course of play I think it changes things a little, still absolutely should have been cited in my own opinion but a different kind of infringement.

Intent is not to be considered a feature of the citing process and so really cannot mitigate the citing commisioner / 6N in this case.

Chris Ashton currently sitting out the 6N is a great example. Or our own Luke Marshall last year - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/31748216

Brown's intent isn't really relevant. Or else it is, and then Ashton is available. Or Marshall gets his ban rescinded. The contradiction is painful (6N/Citing commissioner, not yours!).

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

Intent is not to be considered a feature of the citing process and so really cannot mitigate the citing commisioner / 6N in this case.

Chris Ashton currently sitting out the 6N is a great example. Or our own Luke Marshall last year - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/31748216

Brown's intent isn't really relevant. Or else it is, and then Ashton is available. Or Marshall gets his ban rescinded. The contradiction is painful (6N/Citing commissioner, not yours!).

That's not the full extent of it at all. Aggravating factors ARE considered. If I walked up out of nowhere and punched someone it would be dealt with very differently than me punching someone while jumping in a lineout competing for the ball, whether or not there was intent. Similarly stamping on someone when play is dead just to attempt to hurt them is going to be dealt with differently than stamping on someone in the middle of a ruck when attempting to play the ball.

In the second of those two last examples, intent doesn't come into it at THAT stage (IE, was I attempting to play the ball or was I attempting to stamp on someone while looking like I was playing the ball? There's no way of knowing), but it is still always going to be dealt with differently than stamping on someone deliberately off the ball while play is stopped.

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

That's not the full extent of it at all. Aggravating factors ARE considered*. If I walked up out of nowhere and punched someone it would be dealt with very differently than me punching someone while jumping in a lineout competing for the ball, whether or not there was intent. Similarly stamping on someone when play is dead just to attempt to hurt them is going to be dealt with differently than stamping on someone in the middle of a ruck when attempting to play the ball.

In the second of those two last examples, intent doesn't come into it at THAT stage (IE, was I attempting to play the ball or was I attempting to stamp on someone while looking like I was playing the ball? There's no way of knowing), but it is still always going to be dealt with differently than stamping on someone deliberately off the ball while play is stopped.

You're reading me wrong.

The contradiction between Ashton/Marshall and Brown's incidents is what's painful.

Having Castro banned for stupid, cynical, aggressive but ultimately innocuous nonsense is of course correct.

At the same time, in the same tournament, an extremely poor decision is made to not cite Brown.

Castro's ban actually shines light on how bad the Brown decision is, because it's an example of how the citing system is supposed to work. The objectivity of it all.

*Also, aggravation nor intent are not taken into account by the citing commissioner. Foul play is their remit. Mitigating circumstances are not relevant at that stage of the process. Ultimately an investigation might deem a player has no case to answer if there does exist aggravation or mitigating circumstances, but importantly that's after the citing!

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

You're reading me wrong.

The contradiction between Ashton and Brown incidents is what's painful.

Having Castro banned for stupid, cynical, aggressive but ultimately innocuous is of course correct.

At the same time, in the same tournament, an extremely poor decision is made to not cite Brown.

Castro's ban actually shines light on how bad the Brown decision is, because it's an example of how the citing system is supposed to work. The objectivity of it all.

Yeah, the Ashton and Brown incidents are actually being dealt with by two different organisations.

Brown should have been cited, but in a competition where supposedly a disciplinary officer struggled to get access to footage to do his job I think there's probably a deeper underlying issue than just bad decision making.

calico77

Lawes out of 6n, injured in saints game yday

Webbs

Wales gone with unchanged team for England match - Only changes come on the bench with Webb and Charteris returning. Glad to see Webb back in the mix, as much as Davies is exciting at 9 his decision making has cost Wales several times in the red zone. Webb much more able to see whats around him.

Liam Williams; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Rob Evans, Scott Baldwin, Samson Lee, Bradley Davies, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (capt), Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Ken Owens, Paul James, Tomas Francis, Luke Charteris, Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb, Rhys Priestland, Gareth Anscombe.

Webbs

Webbs wrote: »

Wales gone with unchanged team for England match - Only changes come on the bench with Webb and Charteris returning. Glad to see Webb back in the mix, as much as Davies is exciting at 9 his decision making has cost Wales several times in the red zone. Webb much more able to see whats around him.

Liam Williams; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Rob Evans, Scott Baldwin, Samson Lee, Bradley Davies, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (capt), Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Ken Owens, Paul James, Tomas Francis, Luke Charteris, Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb, Rhys Priestland, Gareth Anscombe.

It's a very, very nice problem to have though!

neelia11

France: 15 Scott Spedding,14 Virimi Vakatawa, 13 Gaël Fickou, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Wesley Fofana, 10 François Trinh-Duc, 9 Maxime Machenaud, 8 Damien Chouly, 7 Yacouba Camara, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 5 Alexandre Flanquart, 4 Yoann Maestri, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado (c), 1 Jefferson Poirot
Replacements: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Vincent Pelo, 18 Uini Atonio, 19 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 20 Loann Goujon, 21 Sébastien Bézy, 22 Jules Plisson, Maxime Médard.


France team for scotland game. FTD at 10.

pickarooney

Fofana on the wing. That's never worked before, has it?

neelia11

Wales team for Italy game

Williams, Amos, davies, Roberts, north, biggar, webb, faletau, tipuric, lydiate, charteris, davies, lee, baldwin, evans

Warburton not risked after saturday so wont be seen again til June i would presume

Stheno

Is warburton a fierce delicate flower?

wp_rathead

Delighted for Amos, serious player for Dragons
Much better than Cuthbert or James imo

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Stheno wrote: »

Is warburton a fierce delicate flower?

He hardly ever features for Cardiff these days. It's weird, they mentioned it the other day before the Wales game that the Welsh players very rarely impress much for their clubs but put the Welsh shirt on them and they up their game considerably.

irishbucsfan

Stheno wrote: »

Is warburton a fierce delicate flower?

Nothing wrong with being careful about a head injury in the modern game

Yeah_Right

Am I the only one who thinks Warburton is over rated? Don't get me wrong, I think he is a very good player but I disagree with the pedestal he is put on by some pundits and media. I don't think he was in the top 10 open sides at the last RWC. I'd have him at 6 and have Tipiric starting.

irishbucsfan

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks Warburton is over rated? Don't get me wrong, I think he is a very good player but I disagree with the pedestal he is put on by some pundits and media. I don't think he was in the top 10 open sides at the last RWC. I'd have him at 6 and have Tipiric starting.

He's the best in the NH as far as I'm concerned, not many close to him south of the equator either, especially outside Oz. I can't stop watching him when he's playing for Wales.

Stheno

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Nothing wrong with being careful about a head injury in the modern game

No agreed, but he seems not to play a huge amount going by what people on here were saying. Is that due to repeated injuries?

irishbucsfan

Stheno wrote: »

No agreed, but he seems not to play a huge amount going by what people on here were saying. Is that due to repeated injuries?

I think it's just down to the WRU's opinion of the value of the Pro 12 really

Yeah_Right

irishbucsfan wrote: »

He's the best in the NH as far as I'm concerned, not many close to him south of the equator either, especially outside Oz. I can't stop watching him when he's playing for Wales.

I'd pick Tipiric, Hardie and SOB ahead of him. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. I really don't rate him that highly.

irishbucsfan

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I'd pick Tipiric, Hardie and SOB ahead of him. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. I really don't rate him that highly.

I found this today actually which is quite interesting, it's this site's ranking of different positions based on statistics

http://www.rugby.net/s/jar5vvv5Bwm

It's possible the weightings are ludicriously out of touch but I think it shows a fair bit that Warburton was number 1 until this week's game (and he's still number 2 despite the injury). His accuracy and workrate is just so consistently excellent, he's a machine.

errlloyd

Tom Francis got 8 weeks