Six Nations

[mucco]

What, where is the thread? Did I miss it? If I did, please point me the right way.

Wales-Ireland 22-30
England-Scotland 38-18
Italy-France 23-18

Discuss and predict.

I think: England for the win, Italy going for their first three wins in a single tournament and overall second or third place. They can do it if they play like today.

[Morph Bark]

Football? Yes? No? It seems quite vague.

Cricket?

[An Enemy Spy]

What is Six Nations? Is that some international sports tournament?

[Aedilred]

It looks like it's going to be a two-tier competition again this year, with England, Ireland and France fighting for the win and Scotland and Italy competing with Wales at the bottom.

It's a shame to have to include Wales (the defending grand slam champions, no less) in the lower tier, but, really, their form is dreadful, even if they are a much better team than their recent results reflect. Unless both France and England implode, I can't see them challenging for the title again. However, they do have a chance of spoiling England's party; Cardiff can be a bit of a banana skin.

Scotland looked alright against England but they always do: they never seem to get beyond the "green shoots" stage of development and I think they've probably already peaked. I can't see Italy beating any of the big boys again, either.

I'm not wholly convinced by any of England, Ireland or France right now, but while I think France are probably the best side right now (loss to Italy notwithstanding), England are the form team and are improving rapidly. My head says France for the win, my heart says England. England do have to play Ireland and Wales away, which means two tough fixtures, but I think if England can beat Ireland, they have a good chance. I don't think anyone will be picking up a grand slam this year, but I've been surprised before - last year, for one.

(EDIT: It's an international rugby union round-robin tournament, contested annually between the Home Nations, France and Italy).

[Maelstrom]

Oooh, tough call...lots of new faces on the national teams this year... England is looking very sharp, much better ball handling skills than I've seen in the past... Italy's gone to the very heavy, physical team that normally has limited stamina (though they looked great today, all the way to the end). France has great prospects, but they're lacking team cohesion. I missed the Ireland/Wales match yesterday, so have no real thoughts there...

I'm the opposite of Aedilred above, heart says France, but head says England...

[Mercenary Pen]

Football? Yes? No? It seems quite vague.

Cricket?


What is Six Nations? Is that some international sports tournament?

Ahem, try Rugby.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

I've been loving the action so far!

There've been some upsets (Italy beating France again - go underdogs!).
I'm mixed Scottish, Irish and English, and I was born in Wales - so the only teams I don't support through direct affiliation are the Italians and the French.

The Parisian pitch was a mess - but then, I'm old enough to remember matches played in the snow and fog, and a field of mud like WWI.

I predict England will win, to be honest. They certainly seem to be the team to beat for everyone.

----

Terminology note:
Using the unadulterated term "Six Nations" is a way for Rugby fans to begin getting back at all those sports fans who casually refer to their preferred sports' tournaments as "The Ashes", "The World Cup", "The Superbowl" or "The World Series" (especially this one, when only one nation's teams get to play) - and make like you're supposed to know what they're talking about.
So there! :smallbiggrin:

[Goosefeather]

France getting the wooden spoon would be hilarious. That Italian win cheered me right up after the Wales loss the day before.

Basically, everyone needs England to lose a match (except the English, obviously). I'm holding out for the Italians to win their next three matches and steal the title on points difference! Or, slightly more realistically (though perhaps not, given recent form), Wales to do the same.

[dehro]

aaand, as was to be predicted, Italy got stomped in the mud again..teaches us right for getting cocky as soon as we win a single match.
you wouldn't believe the hype their victory on France caused here..with people, even commentators, already sure that they wouldn't end up last as usual and they might even win 3-4 matches.. yeah..right.
It does become irksome, this Italian streak of wild optimism based on pretty much nothing beyond the glimmer of an indication that things aren't quite as bad as usual.
What is usual, is that wild optimism then breeds arrogance and the Italians aren't new to slapping the bull in the face just because they've successfully managed to milk the cow...heedless of the consequences and then highly perturbed because they didn't saw the trounching coming.

a bit like the English in the football world championship really :biggrin:



Terminology note:
Using the unadulterated term "Six Nations" is a way for Rugby fans to begin getting back at all those sports fans who casually refer to their preferred sports' tournaments as "The Ashes", "The World Cup", "The Superbowl" or "The World Series" (especially this one, when only one nation's teams get to play) - and make like you're supposed to know what they're talking about.
So there! :smallbiggrin:

this reminds me a lot of Andy Parson telling the world that only about 7 nations actually give a crap about rugby "and four of them are us".

[GnomeFighter]

Terminology note:
Using the unadulterated term "Six Nations" is a way for Rugby fans to begin getting back at all those sports fans who casually refer to their preferred sports' tournaments as "The Ashes", "The World Cup", "The Superbowl" or "The World Series" (especially this one, when only one nation's teams get to play) - and make like you're supposed to know what they're talking about.
So there! :smallbiggrin:

Wow wow wow! Lets not include cricket in this!

Anyway, good first weekend, shame about last weekend, although the weather didn't help. I don't think we're going to see anything earth shattering. I suspect the lions tour is going to be much more exciting. I think England will win, and we are going to see a clear split, but nothing thrilling.

[Aedilred]

a bit like the English in the football world championship really :biggrin:
You probably don't go into the Six Nations believing that you have a divine right to win it, though, and that you're actually the best rugby nation in the world; it's just that every other team cheats/the referees are biased/your players are injured/etc.

[GnomeFighter]

You probably don't go into the Six Nations believing that you have a divine right to win it, though, and that you're actually the best rugby nation in the world; it's just that every other team cheats/the referees are biased/your players are injured/etc.

Let be fair. Only half the England fans think that. The other half think England are the worst team in the world and are going to loose to everyone and that they could play better. If you balance the two out you have somewhere near the truth.