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6 Nations 2019 Build Up thread

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,641 ✭✭✭Dog Botherer


    Not altogether certain that Wales are any weaker with Liam Williams at 15 instead of Halfpenny.

    Anthony Watson is still out for England, though they’re stacked in the back three right now.


  • Registered Users Posts: 16,387 ✭✭✭✭Clegg


    Losing Underhill is a blow, but with Tom Curry fit I don't think England lose much at openside. Billy Vunipola is starting for Saracens at the weekend though. That's huge for them. A fit and in form Vunipola transforms that team. Plus if they can keep Tuilagi fit they'll be extremely hard to beat.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,963 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    Not altogether certain that Wales are any weaker with Liam Williams at 15 instead of Halfpenny.

    Stronger potentially, goal-kicking aside.


  • Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    Surely it’d be Halfpenny + Williams + North?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭The Rape of Lucretia


    As with the way the Munster-Leinster game was used, this time, the 6N is really just a short series of sophisticated training sessions, player development, and squad deepening exposure. Wal, Eng, and Fra would like to win it, as a positive and moral boosting development validation step in their WC preparations. But for Ireland, been there, done that. Its all about the world cup. I shall watch their 5 training matches with interest.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 732 ✭✭✭penybont exile


    .... love this time of the year. :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,920 ✭✭✭✭stephen_n


    Don’t see a grand slam for anyone this year, things are too tight. Could be Wales, England or Ireland for the championship and it’s too close to say anyone is a favorite.


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    I'll say a novena now for the mods


  • Subscribers Posts: 40,722 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    .... love this time of the year. :)

    Worried about gatland leaving??


  • Registered Users Posts: 732 ✭✭✭penybont exile


    sydthebeat wrote: »
    Worried about gatland leaving??
    Short answer .... Yes.

    But that's 12 months away so looking forward to the 6N first .... then start the WC build-up.

    We should be very competitive in both .... nice match order for the 6N & a very favourable WC draw especially if we can beat Australia .... what's not to look forward too.


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  • Subscribers Posts: 40,722 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Short answer .... Yes.

    But that's 12 months away so looking forward to the 6N first .... then start the WC build-up.

    We should be very competitive in both .... nice match order for the 6N & a very favourable WC draw especially if we can beat Australia .... what's not to look forward too.

    Things will be tasty if both of us go into the last round undefeated.... Which i can see happening. The scheduling is favourable to us too....scotland in round two could be hard to rise for after the opening game v England, but we are well aware at this stage of their threat at home.

    At that point a lot will depend on injuries/ suspensions, but my money would always be on you guys in the millennium.


  • Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    .... love this time of the year. :)

    March was much better last year :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 721 ✭✭✭Defaulter1831


    As with the way the Munster-Leinster game was used, this time, the 6N is really just a short series of sophisticated training sessions, player development, and squad deepening exposure. Wal, Eng, and Fra would like to win it, as a positive and moral boosting development validation step in their WC preparations. But for Ireland, been there, done that. Its all about the world cup. I shall watch their 5 training matches with interest.

    Right.. back to back 6N or Grand Slam wins and the confidence it would sustain would be less preferable than a mid table finish..

    Countries like Ireland who have never made a WC semi can't afford to be so arrogant. The best teams in most sports just win everything.


  • Registered Users Posts: 721 ✭✭✭Defaulter1831


    England 2002-03 is the NH template. Beat the best in the SH summer 2002, win your autumn internationals. Win the GS in 2003. Keep beating teams until they have a hangup about you.


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Cardiff is a trap game so I'm happy it's at the end of the tournament when Ireland are less likely to be caught out imo.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 87 ✭✭Scottish Jodi


    I am really looking forward to this year's tournament :).

    I am a Scot living in Ireland so Scotland are who I am supporting but my pick this year is Ireland who I tip to win the world cup.

    We had a good summer, apart from the USA loss and a good autumn where we ran South Africa very close. The Wales game was our only bad performance but I blame the clubs for not releasing our top players lol.

    I expect us to beat Italy and possibly France and am hopeful of regaining the Calcutta Cup by winning at Twickenham for the first time in a very long time. Wales and Ireland away will be tough but we are close to their level.

    I predict we will end 3rd,behind Ireland and Wales :).


  • Subscribers Posts: 40,722 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    You have Ireland at home this year


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,300 ✭✭✭✭razorblunt


    If I were Scottish (I live here so I have to listen to alot of their grumblings and man do they grumble), I'd be looking for a lot more consistency from them, they're playing very like Townsend himself, on their day, class, on others ... eh, not so much.

    They have a habit of believing their won hype too and I'm still adamant Laidlaw is weighing them down. If Horne can get the 9 jersey then that opens up a lot of doors.
    I'm still incredibly nervous about the opening game in Japan though I have to say.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,198 ✭✭✭troyzer


    Here's a weird question:

    Does anyone remember/know how the tournament organisers set it up when there are potential winners on the last week in different cities?

    The whole point is the winning team raises the trophy on the day but surely there's only one trophy? What if, for example, both Ireland and England were able to win the title this year on the final day?

    How do they decide where to have the trophy? Twickenham or Cardiff?

    This has definitely happened before but I can't remember what happened.


  • Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    troyzer wrote: »
    Here's a weird question:

    Does anyone remember/know how the tournament organisers set it up when there are potential winners on the last week in different cities?

    The whole point is the winning team raises the trophy on the day but surely there's only one trophy? What if, for example, both Ireland and England were able to win the title this year on the final day?

    How do they decide where to have the trophy? Twickenham or Cardiff?

    This has definitely happened before but I can't remember what happened.

    Dummy trophies


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,198 ✭✭✭troyzer


    Dummy trophies

    Really? I thought that might be the case.


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Poirot (Bordeaux-Begles)
    Priso (La Rochelle)

    Guirado (Toulon)
    Bourgarit (La Rochelle)

    Marchand (Toulouse)
    Atonio (La Rochelle)

    Bamba (Brive)
    Aldegheri (Toulouse)

    Lambey (Lyon)
    Vahaamahina (Clermont)
    Iturria (Clermont)
    Willemse (Monpellier)

    Leroux (Racing 92)
    Lauret (Racing 92)
    Y. Camara (Montpellier)
    Alldritt (La Rochelle)
    Picamoles (Montpellier)

    Parra (Clermont)
    Dupont (Toulouse)
    Serin (Bordeaux-Begles)
    Lopez (Clermont)
    Belleau (Toulon)

    Fofana (Clermont)
    Bastareaud (Toulon)
    Doumayrou (La Rochelle)
    Ntamack (Toulouse)
    Fickou (Paris)
    Huget (Toulouse)
    Penaud (Clermont)
    Mrd (Toulouse)
    Ramos (Toulouse)

    Willemse, Alldritt, Ntamack, Ramos and Aldegheri are the new caps if selected.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,597 ✭✭✭✭errlloyd


    troyzer wrote: »
    Here's a weird question:
    This has definitely happened before but I can't remember what happened.

    The best example is 2015, where any one of four teams could have won on the final day in either Rome, Edinburgh or Twickenham. It guess it almost certainly has to be dummy trophies.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,838 ✭✭✭leakyboots


    That was one of the maddest days in my years of watching rugby, brilliantly bonkers fun!


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,838 ✭✭✭leakyboots




    Just to add, one of my favourite bits was current bête-noir Rory Kockott booting the ball out of play and celebrating... after getting absolutely tanked by England by 20 points... but denying them the 6N :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,597 ✭✭✭✭errlloyd


    leakyboots wrote: »
    That was one of the maddest days in my years of watching rugby, brilliantly bonkers fun!

    Oh that day was special. May never have anything like it again, insanity.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,198 ✭✭✭troyzer


    errlloyd wrote: »
    leakyboots wrote: »
    That was one of the maddest days in my years of watching rugby, brilliantly bonkers fun!

    Oh that day was special. May never have anything like it again, insanity.

    Something similar happened in baseball in 2011. There were four teams on the final game of the season able to win one of two playoff spots. None of them were playing each other but each had to win and hope a result went for them. One of the games went into extra innings.

    And this was at the end of a 162 game season. Unbelievable.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,597 ✭✭✭✭errlloyd


    troyzer wrote: »
    Something similar happened in baseball in 2011. There were four teams on the final game of the season able to win one of two playoff spots. None of them were playing each other but each had to win and hope a result went for them. One of the games went into extra innings.

    And this was at the end of a 162 game season. Unbelievable.

    The champions cup group a few years ago where they all finished level was deadly.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,257 ✭✭✭SoupyNorman


    Love 6N so much, gives purpose to the bitterly cold early Spring and by the end of the tournament the clocks soon go forward heralding in the Summers beginnings.

    Seriously, began watching 6N around 2001ish when simply scoring a try was viewed as an achievement. Watching every year where we hoped for a triple crown and also hoped for no wooden spoon to the dizzying heights of 2009….will never forget that night. It’s been an amazing journey to watch the team and the game evolve over the years and now I have a little 5 year old mascot that loves to wave the Ireland flag when I jump out of my seat screaming…it’s a good system we have.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 721 ✭✭✭Defaulter1831


    leakyboots wrote: »


    Just to add, one of my favourite bits was current bête-noir Rory Kockott booting the ball out of play and celebrating... after getting absolutely tanked by England by 20 points... but denying them the 6N :)

    That day was so tense! I know it's sacrilegious to say but it goes to show that we had a bit of luck to win the championship in 2015, especially, and 2014. Joe got a bit of luck in 2015 that was cruelly absent under O'Sullivan in 2007. Denied the GS by a last minute French try in Croke Park. Denied the championship by a last minute French try against Scotland on Patrick's Day that year.

    Of course Joe is a more complete coach but sometimes a bit of luck comes into it.


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