The 2006 Six Nations Thread

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So - England V Wales on Saturday. Can we beat England at HQ for the first time since...erm I can't remember, but it's ages. We did beat them at Wembley in 1999, but that was when Wales were playing 'home' games there. Wales are without Shanklin, Morgan, Henson, Cockbain, J.Thomas and Ryan Jones from the all grand-slam side. Major doubt about skipper Gareth Thomas too. Will Ruddock go for mobility or size in the back row? Who'll play centre?

Will Andy Robinson pick L.Dallaglio? Will Lewsey play centre or full-back?

What of France, Ireland and Scotland's chances?

― Dr.C (Dr.C), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 10:44 (twenty years ago)

Robinson'll play safe for the first match, probably look to experiment a bit more with the Scotland and Italy games. France should win the whole shebang at a canter, home advantage over England being crucial. Of course, it all depends on which France actually turns up. Scotland will give someone a nasty shock, I just hope it's not England (Wales look like candidates for an upset with the amount of crusial injuries they have). Ireland had a shocker in the autumn internationals but O'Driscoll's firing again and they've got some good young forwards so they should be contending strongly. Italy will get snotted. Again. Time to bring Romania into a Seven Nations so they've got someone to beat when Scotland aren't having an off year.

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 10:50 (twenty years ago)

That being said I think Wales currently have the edge over one-paced England, it'll be an interesting game.

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 10:53 (twenty years ago)

France should win it every year, but then do stuff like losing to Wales in Paris. Plus they don't travel well.

What do you reckon are Robinson's experimental options? Lewsey at centre (potentially terrifying, I just hope he stays at FB for Wales)? Simpson-Daniel? Varndell? Voyce? I can't see many options in the pack. I REALLY hope he plays Moody (penalty machine)/Corry/Worsley(useless), but I think he'll play Worsley/Corry/Dallaglio in the back row. That's still poor, as Worsley is too slow for an international number 7.

I can't see Ireland doing *that well* due to weakness at halfback. We'll see.

― Dr.C (Dr.C), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 11:07 (twenty years ago)

I would dearly love to see Lewsey at Centre but I really don't think it'll happen against Wales. Simpson-Daniel has performed well there for Gloucester but I still don't see it happening. Noon and Tindall it is. Sigh.

Robinson will be sticking with what he knows and hoping for the best, so England will try to drag Wales into a forwards battle. Mike Tindall will be running two yards forward in a straight line and the backs will hang around with their hands in their pockets glaring at him. Chris Jones should play, but won't, it's a bloody shame that Magnus Lund was relegated to the A team, as the pack is becoming horrifyingly one-paced.

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 11:23 (twenty years ago)

Ireland will probably do quite well this year. Sure we're a bit stuck having only 0'Gara as kicker and Stringer who, while keen, is no use as a tackler. Our pack should be mainly munster and O'Driscoll's back. I predict 2nd place, we'll let Wales win again :) They could do with the boost. Doing my best to get tix to Irl-Italy Saturday. Anyone able to help?

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 11:33 (twenty years ago)

What of France, Ireland and Scotland's chances?

I think you forgot someone :(

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 13:23 (twenty years ago)

Sorry, but wooden spoon time again for Italy. As usual a sniff of a chance vs Scotland, but will get humped by everyone else.

― Dr.C (Dr.C), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 13:28 (twenty years ago)

Doc, are Italy playing in Cardiff this year or vice versa? I keep meaning to go to that one (with my best mate, grandson and namesake of a Welsh captain of the 1920s) but it's only every two years so when I forget it can be a bit of a wait.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 14:16 (twenty years ago)

Yes, March 11th in Cardiff. 1.30 kick off.

Meanwhile :
England team to play Wales at Twickenham on Saturday:
J Lewsey (Wasps); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), J Noon (Newcastle), M Tindall (Gloucester), B Cohen (Northampton); C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), H Ellis (Leicester); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), S Thompson (Northampton), M Stevens (Bath); S Borthwick (Bath), D Grewcock (Bath); J Worsley (Wasps), L Moody (Leicester), M Corry (capt, Leicester).
Replacements: L Mears (Bath), J White (Leicester), S Shaw (Wasps), L Dallaglio (Wasps), M Dawson (Wasps), A Goode (Leicester), T Voyce (Wasps).

Positives for Wales :

a) Comedy flankers, with no pace.
b) Stevens at tight-head could be a weakness. Wales will field either Gethin Jenkins or more likely Duncan Jones, either of whom could ruin him.
c) Pedestrian centres.

Positives for England :

a) No Dawson. He's finished and lucky to make the bench.
b) Some good options on the bench - White, Dallaglio, Shaw, Mears wouldn't weaken the pack if they have to come on.

― Dr.C (Dr.C), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 15:09 (twenty years ago)

Wales team to face England at Twickenham on Saturday: G Thomas (capt, Toulouse); M Jones (Scarlets), H Luscombe (Dragons), M Watkins (Scarlets), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (ASM Clermont Auvergne), D Peel (Scarlets); D Jones (Ospreys), R Thomas (Blues), A Jones (Ospreys), I Gough (Dragons), R Sidoli (Blues), C Charvis (Newcastle), M Williams (Blues), M Owen (Dragons).
Replacements: M Davies (Gloucester), G Jenkins (Blues), G Delve (Bath), A Popham (Scarlets), G Cooper (Dragons), C Sweeney (Dragons), L Byrne (Scarlets).

So Duncan gets the nod over Gethin at loosehead, GT is fit to captain and Charvis at blindside. Only slight worry is whether Watkins will be OK at inside centre, since he normally plays 13 for Scarlets.

― Dr.C (Dr.C), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 10:52 (twenty years ago)

Scotland will give someone a nasty shock

That'll be France, then...

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 5 February 2006 16:20 (twenty years ago)

Hanging on a bit at the end but that first 60 minutes was as well as Scotland have played for years. The pack was superb throughout, pushing the French back seemingly at will.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Sunday, 5 February 2006 19:54 (twenty years ago)

I was jumping round my living room when France missed that conversion at the end - if they'd converted that, I'm confident they would have found the extra points from somewhere to beat us. However, they didn't, and we can finally start to hold our heads up again. Onimo OTM, best we've looked for years.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 5 February 2006 19:59 (twenty years ago)

The second try was one of the greatest I've ever seen. Odds of winning championship from 50-1 to as little as 8-1.

― Ally C (Ally C), Monday, 6 February 2006 00:23 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

Hey, Scotland won the Calcutta Cup! Rubbish old game, if you look at it objectively, but watching with loads of happy Scottish people through misty-eyed beer-goggles, it was the greatest thing ever. We might win the Six Nations! We aren't rubbish any more!

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 26 February 2006 06:53 (twenty years ago)

I don't know, I thought it was a good old-fashioned blood and thunder Calcutta Cup. None of this fancy dan scoring tries and playing attractively rubbish. An excellent (and entirely deserved) result for Scotland. England's handling areas and inability to keep hold of the ball were shocking.

On a side note, I really feel for Italy at the moment, they deserve to beat someone.

― Matt (Matt), Sunday, 26 February 2006 09:55 (twenty years ago)

I didn't mean to imply that it was England's fault they lost, btw. Scotland won it, well and truly. When did Hugo Southwell turn good?

― Matt (Matt), Sunday, 26 February 2006 09:56 (twenty years ago)

What I liked was after years of England kicking their way to victory over Scotland, we finally got good at it too and beat them at their own game. I'd have liked a couple of tries and some fancy-dan stuff too, but I'll settle for the victory, thank you very much.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 26 February 2006 10:04 (twenty years ago)

Ah, the old rope-a-dope. A classic.

― Ally C (Ally C), Sunday, 26 February 2006 18:33 (twenty years ago)

Unlike the Williams v Skelton fight last night, that was dope-a-dope.

― Onimo RLY (GerryNemo), Monday, 27 February 2006 00:19 (twenty years ago)

are Italy playing in Cardiff this year or vice versa? I keep meaning to go to that one (with my best mate, grandson and namesake of a Welsh captain of the 1920s) but it's only every two years so when I forget it can be a bit of a wait.
-- Markelby

Did you remember? Your team should be winning by now (just after half-time) if you were any good at kicking.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 11 March 2006 14:32 (twenty years ago)

Ended a draw. Come on, Scotland!

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 11 March 2006 15:32 (twenty years ago)

Andy Robison's been sacked.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 14:56 (twenty years ago)

Nah, I remembered, but didn't get an invitation (I know he has family stuff to attend to when he goes to Wales) so I missed the excitement. Appalling game, he said.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 14:58 (twenty years ago)

Scotland v Italy = entertaining! Wales v France = entertaining x 2. I kind of want Wales to win to give more meaning to the England v Ireland game, but, you know, I just don't care that much. I blame Charlotte Church.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 March 2006 16:39 (twenty years ago)

Also the commentator has just claimed that it hasn't been a vintage championship because we still don't know who's won yet. I hope I misheard him. One horse races = teh boringness. I've really enjoyed this season, and not just because Scotland haven't been completely shit.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 18 March 2006 16:44 (twenty years ago)

I am depressed watching the England - Ireland match already.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 18 March 2006 17:53 (twenty years ago)

Shane Horgan is a king among kings. Welcome home, Triple Crown!

― Penelope_111 (Penelope_111), Saturday, 18 March 2006 19:39 (twenty years ago)

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