2022- 6 Nations
Comments
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Good game in Cardiff last night with Wales offering stiff resistance and things could have been so different had Jonathan Davies kept his eye on the ball. I got the feeling that if the French had needed another gear, it was there in reserve. They are a class outfit.
What was sad, was the 10,000 or so unsold tickets. At a £100 a time and on a Friday night, it is hopefully the last time we'll see a Friday night fixture, under floodlights in an enclosed stadium. Rugby is an outdoor sport, traditionally played on a Saturday afternoon.
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Agree all round, Extugger, even Sunday afternoon is better than Friday night.
Was pleased to see some great tries in the Italy/Scots game, and the England/Ireland game was a tense one up to the last 15 mins, but England then ran out of steam, having to play the virtually the whole game with a man short. I think that Charlie Ewels was unfortunate to get sent off, as he had no control of James Ryan ducking down those few inches that resulted in the clash of heads, but rools is rools as they say and he had to go.
Looking forward to the final round of games next weekend.
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Yes Nellie - something of a spectacle dished up in Rome and a very enjoyable game it was too!
As for the debacle at Twickenham - I turned it off after 82 seconds following a minor bump of heads and England reduced to 14 men with no mitigating circumstances taken into account. I believe it was a French referee who ruined what should have been a really good contest? Hmmm
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Sorry, XT, you have missed one cracker of a game, honestly
R is R, as Nellie says, but England's 14 had totally outplayed t'other lot
until the weight of Irish numbers told on the 'Whites'. Unusually I cant find anything wrong in the Ref's view, he was much closer to the action than I and probably has a rather clearer view of the rules themselves too 1 -
My real point Brian is that I’m sick of the way my beloved game has been ruined by the introduction of TMO’s, Red Cards et al. Yes the game itself has turned professional and changed. However these new rules are not helping the enjoyment of the contest - how can it when it creates an imbalance?
I agree that tackling around the neck is dangerous (my son suffered a broken neck from such an incident ) but a sending off for an accidental clash of heads? Man up! This is a game for men, hard men, not fairies that masquerade as footballers! Just ask the woman😀
Ive now watched the game in its entirety and must applaud the English pack for battering the Irish throughout. The front 5 were simply magnificent but it was only a matter of time before their energy levels dropped
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Well, it's a bit different from my years with hard leather toecaps, leather studs held in place by three nails, shirts & shorts that could do satisfactory duty as sand / emery paper
and laces over, under & round the back of the boot { but never EVER knotted on top -- kick the old lacey properly and you learn why 
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In the end it just emphasised how boring a team England has become under Eddie Jones. Seems they play a bit like painting by numbers. Get Shaun Edwards in charge.even if his vocabulary upsets the old f.... in blazers he would bring back some passion to the game.
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Bit controversial but for me Italy were the stand out side. Everyone has said they die after 60 mins but this weekend they played their best in the last 20mins. Yes, England showed fortitude at 14 men but to be honest they should be showing that every time they walk out, they don’t, well certainly not under the present coach (Steady Eddie)!
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Can’t argue with any of that Micky, however if Jones continues to play the current captain in his rightful position of second row and not flanker, we may see a bit more grunt from the pack. Jack Nowell has hopefully secured his new position in the pack and most definitely has the pace to be a flanker. Whatever next? Sergio Parisse to appear next Saturday against Alun W Jones? About time Steady Eddie unleashed a few more youngsters methinks - there’s nothing to lose. If England beat the French they hand the championship to Ireland
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Jack, the back, in the pack was an interesting and effective addition to a depleted scrum in that moment and on the day but I’m sure the French would have a simple answer to that. Steady Eddie needs to think inside the box and pick players best suited for specific positions and then instil that passion for kith and country which so often wins those tough games me thinks.
As for Sergio he has said he would love one last swan-song but l’m not sure he has it left in him despite his very obvious, indisputable and much appreciated talent that we have witnessed in the past.
As long as we enjoy excellent and enthralling rugby this coming weekend I’m really not that bothered who lifts the championship this year!
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I wonder what today’s team announcement will bring. Players out of position? Backs in the forwards, who knows! May not actually be Saturdays team to take the pitch. Steady Eddie may just play mind games as he often does and keep the French guessing. As I said in the leap post, this may be the top test game🏉🤪
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Well here it is!
England team to play France:
15. George Furbank14. Freddie Steward
13. Joe Marchant
12. Henry Slade
11. Jack Nowell
10. Marcus Smith
9. Ben Youngs
1. Ellis Genge
2. Jamie George
3. Will Stuart
4. Maro Itoje
5. Nick Isiekwe
6. Courtney Lawes
7. Sam Underhill
8. Sam Simmonds
Finishers
16. Nic Dolly
17. Joe Marler
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. Ollie Chessum
20. Alex Dombrandt
21. Harry Randall
22. George Ford
23. Elliot Daly
Any thoughts?
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Travelled up just north of Wick yesterday and couldn’t believe what I was listening to! Later, having seen “the try of the Century” the cheering continued long into the night with Scots people of all ages. Needless to say I shall be eating pasta and pizza until next 6 Nations!! 😂😂 Absolutely brilliant how the tournament ended. Great game in Paris and as expected, Les Bleu worthy Grand Slam winners 👍
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This was the moment of the six nations for me.
https://www.givemesport.com/87986114-six-nations-wales-josh-adams-beautiful-moment-with-italys-ange-capuozzoThis epitomised everything about our game!
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Two things to ask
https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/sport/national/20007110.rfu-fully-supports-eddie-jones-despite-englands-underwhelming-six-nations/Is this true and would a player with the stature of Ange Capuozzo ever get even close to the Elite England Squad?
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Great sportsmanship from Josh Adams, doubt anything like that would happen in the round ball game at international level.
The result table is as I expected, but what a great finish to the Welsh game. Italy fighting to the end and getting just rewards. With their under19's beating both England and Wales the Italians should not be undervalued in the future.
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As expected, Nellie? I’d expect much better of England to be honest. So what’s going wrong? Two things in my opinion. Firstly, the coaching staff, the best English coaches are coaching those sides which are at the top of that results table. Get Eddie and co. out and them in! Was easy, not so now!
Secondly we heard this weekend how strong junior club rugby is currently in France and growing fast in non traditional areas. In Italy rugby generally is on the ascendancy in popularity in both the Senior and Junior Clubs. In England this area stalled after that initial growth following on from success in 2003 and is now going backwards fast.
Junior Clubs in Rugby are those grass roots clubs below the professional clubs, and they are ones the French and Italian Unions are particularly targeting for development, inclusion and growth.
Somethings must change!
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I’m sure it’s the same here, Fish but remember that old saying, “you can eat an elephant but only in small bites”. We even know that there is an elephant in the room and it’s name! Time for Eddie the Elephant to pack his trunk me thinks!
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I agree about the lack of development from grass roots, but it Is a long time since I was incomprehension not sure how they now go about recruiting talent into the game with so many other attractions about for young lads. I can't say the same for the lassies as they are going from strength to strength.
I think that EJ is now past it as far has new ideas are concerned. He is definitely yesterday's man as far as I am concerned.
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, at least they managed to avoid the drop !! but not as cheerful a sight as watching ITALEEE, ITALEEE, ITALEEE ! Only 36 -- 1 now, or so I am led to understand 