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6 Nations 2019 Build Up thread

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12357…24

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    #122
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 40,981 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    6 nations thread lads .....


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    #123
    Marengo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭Marengo


    sydthebeat wrote: »
    6 nations thread lads .....

    Apologies.


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    #124
    Thrashssacre
    Registered Users Posts: 1,261 ✭✭✭Thrashssacre


    Anyone fancy Italy to pick up a win this year? They’ve improved lately but it’s looking like everyone has too bar maybe France who you never know until after kick off. I think they might beat France In Rome if France have nothing to play for at that point


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    #125
    razorblunt
    Registered Users Posts: 17,300 ✭✭✭✭razorblunt


    Thrashssacre wrote: »
    Anyone fancy Italy to pick up a win this year? They’ve improved lately but it’s looking like everyone has too bar maybe France who you never know until after kick off. I think they might beat France In Rome if France have nothing to play for at that point

    I never discount Scotland from switching off against them either!


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    #126
    Marengo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭Marengo


    Would be great to retain our confidence levels and head into the World Cup on the back of a 6N win, or even better a GS.

    Injuries, as ever, will be key. And we do have a target on our back that was on England's last year. And we all know how their 6N went.


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    #127
    Marengo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭Marengo


    Thrashssacre wrote: »
    Anyone fancy Italy to pick up a win this year? They’ve improved lately but it’s looking like everyone has too bar maybe France who you never know until after kick off. I think they might beat France In Rome if France have nothing to play for at that point

    Who else have they at home? Maybe Scotland, if at home. Hard to see Ire, Eng or Wales slip up. French most likely in the scenario you point out.


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    #128
    stephen_n
    Registered Users Posts: 12,920 ✭✭✭✭stephen_n


    Marengo wrote: »
    Who else have they at home? Maybe Scotland, if at home. Hard to see Ire, Eng or Wales slip up. French most likely in the scenario you point out.

    Us in week 3


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    #129
    Marengo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭Marengo


    stephen_n wrote: »
    Us in week 3

    That's where they could pick up a second win...

    2013 all over again with POM on the wing and lads dropping like flies:D

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Six_Nations_Championship#Table


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    #130
    troyzer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,199 ✭✭✭troyzer


    I didn't realise how decimated Scotland are with injuries at the moment.


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    #131
    Clegg
    Registered Users Posts: 16,669 ✭✭✭✭Clegg


    Jonathan Joseph has been added to England's Six Nations squad. He's been injured for a long time and barely played for Bath since returning to fitness. Doubt we'll see him in the match day squad for the opener. Good to see him back though.


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    #132
    Squidgy Black
    Registered Users Posts: 21,605 ✭✭✭✭Squidgy Black


    Clegg wrote: »
    Jonathan Joseph has been added to England's Six Nations squad. He's been injured for a long time and barely played for Bath since returning to fitness. Doubt we'll see him in the match day squad for the opener. Good to see him back though.

    I'd say he'll be delighted as it'll help his contract negotiations. Rumour has it he's looking for a big payout.


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    #133
    Buer
    Registered Users Posts: 24,176 ✭✭✭✭Buer


    I'd be delighted if he started. He has given us very little trouble in the past. I'd be more concerned if a fit Tuilagi is starting.


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    #134
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    Buer wrote: »
    I'd be delighted if he started. He has given us very little trouble in the past. I'd be more concerned if a fit Tuilagi is starting.

    I assume they will start Tuilagi?


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    #135
    Buer
    Registered Users Posts: 24,176 ✭✭✭✭Buer


    jr86 wrote: »
    I assume they will start Tuilagi?

    Hard to know. Slade and Te'o were the starting pairing in the autumn. Tuilagi was only coming back to fitness.

    If he's fit, I'd start him but you wouldn't know. I don't think they could start Te'o and Tuilagi together in the centre. They'd get some serious go forward ball but a well organised rush defence would surely shut them down quickly with little prospect of the ball going wide.


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    #136
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    England could be a handful this six nations or they could be as poor as their last 18 months have shown.

    They didn't really show up in Twickenham last year and looked like a group of players who were pretty fed up and wanted a new deal (coach).

    Having Vunipola back and bringing Tuilagi into the mix will give them more bite, but the deficiencies in their breakdown play will still see them struggle against organised forward units like Ireland, SA, NZ, Wales and maybe France.

    Looking at Tuilagi playing for Leicester this season I also can't help but think having him start at 13 will give teams room around the fringes, he's a hard tackling mid fielder but I don't think he's a particularly good glue to hold the defensive line together.

    The big thing in our arsenal is Andy Farrell, he knows a lot of these players inside out and we made England look very predictable the last time we played them.

    It's first game up so everyone will be brimming and I expect the match to be played at an utterly ferocious pace and intensity, but I reckon we'll dish out a hammering by full time.


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    #137
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    Deleted User wrote: »


    It's first game up so everyone will be brimming and I expect the match to be played at an utterly ferocious pace and intensity, but I reckon we'll dish out a hammering by full time.

    Depends on your definition of hammering I guess but I'd be very surprised if this was anything more than a one score game either way, and I think it could be quite low scoring overall

    I think its safe to assume England are going to be a far tougher proposition than last March. They were playing with zero confidence after an abysmal campaign and of course Vunipola is a massive addition. Even then a lot went right for us, the first try and scoring just before HT. On another day you may not get the bounces

    We shall wait and see anyway, but I'd be quite happy to take a scrappy low scoring win right now


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    #138
    ionadnapokot
    Registered Users Posts: 4,730 ✭✭✭ionadnapokot


    Buer wrote: »
    Hard to know. Slade and Te'o were the starting pairing in the autumn. Tuilagi was only coming back to fitness.

    If he's fit, I'd start him but you wouldn't know. I don't think they could start Te'o and Tuilagi together in the centre. They'd get some serious go forward ball but a well organised rush defence would surely shut them down quickly with little prospect of the ball going wide.

    Good point.
    I reckon England will definitely start Tuilagi. Basreraud v Sexton Mark 2
    Prob at 12 with Slade.
    EJ is going to pick a team to run over Ireland.


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    #139
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    jr86 wrote: »
    We shall wait and see anyway, but I'd be quite happy to take a scrappy low scoring win right now

    Well it's the six nations, as the France game last year showed you take any win you can get on the day and you move on from there.

    I don't think you can look beyond 2 - 3 years when considering the form of a team. Leinster in 2015 weren't good enough for last 8 in Europe and by 2018 they are being likened to the All Blacks.

    I think England on the basis of the last three years are a poor team and a bit like Ireland under Kidney. They can get up for a game and just launch themselves into it, but they can't do it consistently.

    Whilst they were excellent against the All Blacks - they couldn't break down Japan at all during the same November window. Ireland would have bonus pointed Japan in that opening 40 because our system, fitness and intensity levels deliver consistently.

    England didn't start to dominate that game until the second half when Japan ran out of steam physically and mentally. It highlighted for me how reliant they are on their best players and how the system breaks down without the physical ability of their first choice selection.

    This really highlights why they struggle so much when there are injuries, but it also demonstrates how it's the players rather than just the system that delivers. Under Schmidt the versatility of how we play is as important as the players - in England it's all down to the players and the head space they are in on any given day.

    Round 1 they should be all up for it - we are in for a right battle, but I think if we can frustrate them enough and the crowd gets on top of them then we'll find ourselves against the other England in the last 20 and will open them up from there.

    That's my two cents anyway.


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    #140
    troyzer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,199 ✭✭✭troyzer


    Deleted User wrote: »
    jr86 wrote: »
    We shall wait and see anyway, but I'd be quite happy to take a scrappy low scoring win right now

    Well it's the six nations, as the France game last year showed you take any win you can get on the day and you move on from there.

    I don't think you can look beyond 2 - 3 years when considering the form of a team. Leinster in 2015 weren't good enough for last 8 in Europe and by 2018 they are being likened to the All Blacks.

    I think England on the basis of the last three years are a poor team and a bit like Ireland under Kidney. They can get up for a game and just launch themselves into it, but they can't do it consistently.

    Whilst they were excellent against the All Blacks - they couldn't break down Japan at all during the same November window. Ireland would have bonus pointed Japan in that opening 40 because our system, fitness and intensity levels deliver consistently.

    England didn't start to dominate that game until the second half when Japan ran out of steam physically and mentally. It highlighted for me how reliant they are on their best players and how the system breaks down without the physical ability of their first choice selection.

    This really highlights why they struggle so much when there are injuries, but it also demonstrates how it's the players rather than just the system that delivers. Under Schmidt the versatility of how we play is as important as the players - in England it's all down to the players and the head space they are in on any given day.

    Round 1 they should be all up for it - we are in for a right battle, but I think if we can frustrate them enough and the crowd gets on top of them then we'll find ourselves against the other England in the last 20 and will open them up from there.

    That's my two cents anyway.

    I think the bottom line is that there are simply too many good players for them to never have a good chance at a victory.

    But their systems and over reliance on individuals like Farrell and Billy V mean they're going to really struggle to win tournaments.

    England may very well beat us but the race for the trophy is between us and Wales. England will find a way to **** it up against Italy or something.


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    #141
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    troyzer wrote: »
    I think the bottom line is that there are simply too many good players for them to never have a good chance at a victory.

    But their systems and over reliance on individuals like Farrell and Billy V mean they're going to really struggle to win tournaments.

    England may very well beat us but the race for the trophy is between us and Wales. England will find a way to **** it up against Italy or something.

    They won two of the last 3 tournaments they participated in, in fairness

    I'd be amazed if they lost any home game this year. Beating us would leave them needing to win in Cardiff for the slam imo


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    #142
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    troyzer wrote: »
    I think the bottom line is that there are simply too many good players for them to never have a good chance at a victory.

    But their systems and over reliance on individuals like Farrell and Billy V mean they're going to really struggle to win tournaments.

    England may very well beat us but the race for the trophy is between us and Wales. England will find a way to **** it up against Italy or something.

    If England beat us I think only Wales might deny them. I could easily see them winning the championship or slam if they come out on top in the aviva. They won't lose at home to Scotland or France.


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    #143
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    Deleted User wrote: »
    If England beat us I think only Wales might deny them. I could easily see them winning the championship or slam if they come out on top in the aviva. They won't lose at home to Scotland or France.

    England have won their last 5 6n matches v Wales I make it?

    They certainly wouldn't have any fear going to Cardiff anyway. FWIW - I think we will sneak past them though, but I think they'll win their last 4 matches


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    #144
    Dubinusa
    Registered Users Posts: 8,129 ✭✭✭Dubinusa


    I think if England beat us, they'll win the tournament.
    But. if Farrell misses the 1st match, I like our chances.
    Billy V makes them a different proposition and gives them go forward ball. Negating him, and we should win.

    We see that they can play when they want to. They should have beat NZ. But, they were poor otherwise during Nov. It should be a great match.


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    #145
    Dog Botherer
    Registered Users Posts: 1,641 ✭✭✭Dog Botherer


    Le Roux out for France, big loss for them, he’s been in great form.


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    #146
    Zzippy
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,166 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    Who's that poor lad in the Leinster academy who had to wear the red scrum cap last year and got the ****e tackled out of him all week? Put a Billy V mask on him and let VDF loose on him until Saturday week...


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    #147
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Zzippy wrote: »
    Who's that poor lad in the Leinster academy who had to wear the red scrum cap last year and got the ****e tackled out of him all week? Put a Billy V mask on him and let VDF loose on him until Saturday week...

    Or just do what Munster did and kick to him all day - worked for the first half at least!


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    #148
    Sangre
    Registered Users Posts: 12,152 ✭✭✭✭Sangre


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Or just do what Munster did and kick to him all day - worked for the first half at least!

    Ireland did it with Israel Folau as well. Not sure it quite worked 100% of the time though.


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    #149
    Squidgy Black
    Registered Users Posts: 21,605 ✭✭✭✭Squidgy Black


    Zzippy wrote: »
    Who's that poor lad in the Leinster academy who had to wear the red scrum cap last year and got the ****e tackled out of him all week? Put a Billy V mask on him and let VDF loose on him until Saturday week...

    Will Connors (porridge). Rumour has it he still has flash backs to that day of James Ryan smashing him in a ruck.


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    #150
    mfceiling
    Registered Users Posts: 12,774 ✭✭✭✭mfceiling


    Squidgy Black wrote: »
    Will Connors (porridge). Rumour has it he still has flash backs to that day of James Ryan smashing him in a ruck.

    James Lowe forgetting his name?


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    #151
    Marengo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,544 ✭✭✭Marengo


    Billy V

    Sounds like a rapper :)

    Hopefully he'll be chopped down all day long. The Welsh template v Ferris and SOB WC 2011.


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