Comrade 86 Posted January 18 Author Share Posted January 18 34 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said: Nobody talking about that Welsh lad binning rugby for the NFL? Bold move... Players are deserting English and Welsh rugby like rats off a sinking ship. Not really newsworthy these days. Tough for the Welsh losing LRZ and IFW in the same week though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade 86 Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 The 6 Nations opener in just over an hour and quite likely the game that decides the championship on the first night. Poor planning? In fairness, probably not, but it does provide a very welcome distraction from the other stuff right now, irrespective. France are missing the lethal halfback pairing of Ntamack and Dupont and that's not going to aid their cause. Irish talisman Sexton is now retired and the Irish themselves have one or two others missing they'd rather weren't. Ireland also still sit 2 spots above the French in the WR rankings, but for me, the French field the stronger 15 tonight and have home advantage to boot. I think they'll win well on their way to a Grand Slam. Best of luck to all your teams, unless of course they're not England 😋 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade 86 Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 1 hour ago, Comrade 86 said: The 6 Nations opener in just over an hour and quite likely the game that decides the championship on the first night. Poor planning? In fairness, probably not, but it does provide a very welcome distraction from the other stuff right now, irrespective. France are missing the lethal halfback pairing of Ntamack and Dupont and that's not going to aid their cause. Irish talisman Sexton is now retired and the Irish themselves have one or two others missing they'd rather weren't. Ireland also still sit 2 spots above the French in the WR rankings, but for me, the French field the stronger 15 tonight and have home advantage to boot. I think they'll win well on their way to a Grand Slam. Best of luck to all your teams, unless of course they're not England 😋 Errr, did I mention how good the Irish are? 🙊 Honestly though, WTF is up with the French here. Zero discipline or defensive shape. Worrying for their fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade 86 Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 1 minute ago, Comrade 86 said: Errr, did I mention how good the Irish are? 🙊 Honestly though, WTF is up with the French here. Zero discipline or defensive shape. Worrying for their fans. And right on cue, 5 mins after a stint in the sinbin he gets himself sent off. What a feckin spoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWC1983 Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 20 minutes ago, Comrade 86 said: Errr, did I mention how good the Irish are? 🙊 Honestly though, WTF is up with the French here. Zero discipline or defensive shape. Worrying for their fans. Some team Ireland, eh? Hardly ever make basic errors, always clear out the ruck on their own ball and are always competitive in the breakdown. I honestly can't remember the last time they had a player yellow or red carded. They just do the simple stuff brilliantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade 86 Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 Just now, CWC1983 said: Some team Ireland, eh? Hardly ever make basic errors, always clear out the ruck on their own ball and are always competitive in the breakdown. I honestly can't remember the last time they had a player yellow or red carded. They just do the simple stuff brilliantly. Agreed, but they've been helped somewhat by playing 14 men almost from the off. The French, meanwhile, are bloody infuriating. Game ruined inside 20 minutes because Willemse can't control his thuggishness. Such a brilliant team but boy do they find new and inventive ways to lose. CWC1983 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gee SCREAMER !! Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 This ref is b*******. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade 86 Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 22 minutes ago, Gee SCREAMER !! said: This ref is b*******. Worst performance I've seen at international level. Has no idea how to ref the breakdown and has gifted Ireland points where they should have been pinged. Fair play to them though as they've done their homework and the French clearly haven't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade 86 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 I think that went quite well... 🫢 Brilliant, in fairness, from the Italians, who do play a wonderfully adventurous form of rugby. England's power game is dragging them back into the match on the scoreboard, but in truth, we've been second best and comfortably so. No hint of luck, so far either. The positives; we are at least trying to play a higher tempo, our wingers are being given license to hunt the ball and Freeman has looked a threat and we've still got 15 on the park. Much more required this second half. With the French bombing out last night, credible threats to another Ireland slam seem to be Scotland and err... well Scotland. C'mon England. Prove me wrong. Please!! 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade 86 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 A stuttering performance and normally I'd be annoyed, but there are some positive signs. First though, Italy! Absolutely brilliant today, the best I've seen from them by a stretch. They matched this England side all over the park and are seeing some really handy young players starting to emerge. Yes, they lost again, but the home fans cheered them like champions and rightly so. The beers will be flowing in Rome tonight. England look a different side completely. I thought we were herculean in that SF with SA at RWC2024 where I had no expectations at all. In that same fashion, we again relied on our set piece to drag ourselves back into this game, but we did try to play some rugby today and I thought in the end it was a little more comfortable than it might have been. Very pleased to see some youth given a proper run out. With a lot of new faces and a change of style and tempo, we were always likely to see errors being made, but there were some really good performances from the young 'uns. Root, Cunningham-South and barely old enough to shave, Fin Smith, all looking to the manner born. It's a project, I concede, but thankfully we've now taken those first steps towards a more modern style of play. Long may it continue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadioactiveWaste Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Walse 0 - 20 Scotland and it's Scotland who have been on top throughout. It'll be nice to get a win in Cardiff but there's still a second half to play and I expect Wales by hook or by crook to get themselves back into the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade 86 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 10 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said: Walse 0 - 20 Scotland and it's Scotland who have been on top throughout. It'll be nice to get a win in Cardiff but there's still a second half to play and I expect Wales by hook or by crook to get themselves back into the game. Nah, your lads have got this. They've controlled the game to my eye and they've still got levels. It's sad to see Wales in a mess, but in a mess they are. Not helped by injuries to some key players, but that's every team really. RadioactiveWaste 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EtoileSportiveDeDerby Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 21 hours ago, Comrade 86 said: Errr, did I mention how good the Irish are? 🙊 Honestly though, WTF is up with the French here. Zero discipline or defensive shape. Worrying for their fans. Very worrying, Scotland next and they are making this look easy against Wales Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade 86 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 2 minutes ago, EtoileSportiveDeDerby said: Very worrying, Scotland next and they are making this look easy against Wales They've a golden generation right now and I do worry that they may have little to show for it if they keep slipping up in the big games. When they are on it they are unplayable, but too often they are not prepared to earn the right to play, too impatient, forcing things. Dupont and Ntamack are obviously huge losses, but teams have to manage injuries and absences and it doesn't feel like France have done that at all. I'd still much rather watch them play than any other side though! Only the Kiwis come close. EtoileSportiveDeDerby and RadioactiveWaste 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade 86 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 28 minutes ago, Comrade 86 said: Nah, your lads have got this. They've controlled the game to my eye and they've still got levels. It's sad to see Wales in a mess, but in a mess they are. Not helped by injuries to some key players, but that's every team really. I've jinxed them, haven't I? 🙈 RadioactiveWaste 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadioactiveWaste Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 23 minutes ago, Comrade 86 said: I've jinxed them, haven't I? 🙈 Not quite, but Wales in Cardiff rarely go down that easily, even when they've got a bad team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade 86 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 20 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said: Not quite, but Wales in Cardiff rarely go down that easily, even when they've got a bad team. Hmmm. I think that was more to do with some mass-induced panic 😂 Ah well, the points are in the bag and that's what matters and as for Wales, I'd fancy England to turn them over. Agree that it's not an easy place to play if they get their tails up and the crowd engaged, but that 2nd half was like England giving up 30 in the Calcutta Cup at Twickenham. Complete brain fade. Anyway, best team won and on we go. Not a bad opening weekend. RadioactiveWaste 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadioactiveWaste Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 11 minutes ago, Comrade 86 said: Hmmm. I think that was more to do with some mass-induced panic 😂 Ah well, the points are in the bag and that's what matters and as for Wales, I'd fancy England to turn them over. Agree that it's not an easy place to play if they get their tails up and the crowd engaged, but that 2nd half was like England giving up 30 in the Calcutta Cup at Twickenham. Complete brain fade. Anyway, best team won and on we go. Not a bad opening weekend. I had to pop out and missed most of the second half, got back in just as it finished. Got one update on the radio and I was worried... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade 86 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 6 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said: I had to pop out and missed most of the second half, got back in just as it finished. Got one update on the radio and I was worried... You'll probably live longer having missed it 🤣 RadioactiveWaste 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWC1983 Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Great day in Cardiff, but I will say I was bricking it during those last 20 mins. Fair play to the Welsh public. A 6 nations day fair brings the good and great into the city centre..... I arrived at 11am and there was a group of ladies dressed up for a Saturday night out coming out of the station. High heels, sparkly dresses and not a jacket in sight (even though it was peeing down 😅). Thoroughly recommend a day out when Wales are at home. RadioactiveWaste, Anag Ram and Comrade 86 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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