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Old 02-02-2013, 18:20
Marmite Baby
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Can't see anyone beating England if they play like they can. Quality outfit at the moment.
Far too premature for making statements like that. Very impressive performance all round but it's going to be very tough against Ireland away.
Pleased to see '36' do well. England haven't had that type of centre since Will Greenwood.
Wales, despite a much improved second half, are in a mess. There's been too much empathesis on physicality in the backs neglecting traditional flair making them predictable & ponderous. Ridiculous not to play their most in-form player Justin Tiparec from the start.
Highlight of the day was that remarkable piece of skill by Irish wing Zebo.
Stuart Barnes made to look a complete idiot saying O'Driscoll was over the hill years ago.
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Old 02-02-2013, 18:43
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Far too premature for making statements like that. Very impressive performance all round but it's going to be very tough against Ireland away.
Pleased to see '36' do well. England haven't had that type of centre since Will Greenwood.
Wales, despite a much improved second half, are in a mess. There's been too much empathesis on physicality in the backs neglecting traditional flair making them predictable & ponderous. Ridiculous not to play their most in-form player Justin Tiparec from the start.
Highlight of the day was that remarkable piece of skill by Irish wing Zebo.
Stuart Barnes made to look a complete idiot saying O'Driscoll was over the hill years ago.

It was premature I agree , but they do look good. I also agree about the reliance on physicality. Apart from Zebo ,that was just fantastic.

Grampa O'Driscoll you write off at your own peril.
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Old 02-02-2013, 19:31
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Significantly more comfortable win than anyone predicted.
England can only get better.
I thought the pre match pundits were very defensive - nothing in the recent form of the teams (or a player by player assessment) would have indicated an England win by just '5 to 9 points'.

Far too premature for making statements like that. Very impressive performance all round but it's going to be very tough against Ireland away.
Pleased to see '36' do well. England haven't had that type of centre since Will Greenwood.
Wales, despite a much improved second half, are in a mess. There's been too much empathesis on physicality in the backs neglecting traditional flair making them predictable & ponderous. Ridiculous not to play their most in-form player Justin Tiparec from the start.
Highlight of the day was that remarkable piece of skill by Irish wing Zebo.
Stuart Barnes made to look a complete idiot saying O'Driscoll was over the hill years ago.
Welsh 'traditional flair' has always been overstated.

Impressive, if not always quite in sync, performance by England.I thought they actually tried to play a little too much in the Scottish 22 instead off driving and sucking in defenders. The offloading game, and quick recycling if the ball went to ground, would have produced gaps. A poor kick chase gave up the first try but otherwise the defence was pretty solid.

Enjoyed 36's debut - thought he'd be good but ran some good lines and drifted outside his man really well a couple of times. It would be good if he becomes 'the new Greenwood' (a very underated player) and Billy has a far better kicking game. Still not sure about Barritt and reckon Manu could replace him with benefit to the team.

I wouldn't be stunned to see Marlar as a Lions prop next summer.

I like the fact the Farrell is finishing off his learning at the top level. He has improved a lot in the last year and each day he plays more and more like his dad used too (and, like his dad, he's quicker than he looks).

Only Laidlaw and Hogg of the Scottish backs looked like Lions possibles, might have one of two from their back row though. They better hope Gray stays fit - he does an enormous amount of stuff for them.
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Old 02-02-2013, 21:04
Arcana
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Re: the bonus point discussion on the forum...isn't the answer straightforward i.e. simply give a special bonus (of say 10 points) to any team that does the grand slam?
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Old 02-02-2013, 21:10
afx237vi
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Re: the bonus point discussion on the forum...isn't the answer straightforward i.e. simply give a special bonus (of say 10 points) to any team that does the grand slam?
Eh? What's the point of giving a points bonus to a team that's already won the tournament?
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Old 02-02-2013, 21:12
Arcana
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Eh? What's the point of giving a points bonus to a team that's already won the tournament?
As the pundits pointed out, the point is that if they introduced bonus points the team winning the grand slam might still lose the tournament.

This was offered as an argument against bonus points but it seems to me easy to address.
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Old 02-02-2013, 21:14
Psycho_Ned
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On the BBC forum after the England game they were discussing the possibility of having winning/losing bonus points in six nations games much like they do in club rugby an extra point for scoring x amount of tries.

Guscott wasn't keen on it as he said it would be mathematically possible for a team to get the grand slam yet lose the six nations if another team got 5 bonus points or something.

Think that is why Arcana is suggesting bonus points for winning the grand slam.
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Old 02-02-2013, 21:19
afx237vi
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As the pundits pointed out, the point is that if they introduced bonus points the team winning the grand slam might still lose the tournament.

This was offered as an argument against bonus points but it seems to me easy to address.
On the BBC forum after the England game they were discussing the possibility of having winning/losing bonus points in six nations games much like they do in club rugby an extra point for scoring x amount of tries.

Guscott wasn't keen on it as he said it would be mathematically possible for a team to get the grand slam yet lose the six nations if another team got 5 bonus points or something.

Think that is why Arcana is suggesting bonus points for winning the grand slam.
Ah, right, I get it now. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I don't like bonus points anyway... a win is a win, it shouldn't matter how much you get it by, only that you get it.
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Old 03-02-2013, 07:39
Kierenj
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I thought the pre match pundits were very defensive - nothing in the recent form of the teams (or a player by player assessment) would have indicated an England win by just '5 to 9 points'.



Welsh 'traditional flair' has always been overstated.

Impressive, if not always quite in sync, performance by England.I thought they actually tried to play a little too much in the Scottish 22 instead off driving and sucking in defenders. The offloading game, and quick recycling if the ball went to ground, would have produced gaps. A poor kick chase gave up the first try but otherwise the defence was pretty solid.

Enjoyed 36's debut - thought he'd be good but ran some good lines and drifted outside his man really well a couple of times. It would be good if he becomes 'the new Greenwood' (a very underated player) and Billy has a far better kicking game. Still not sure about Barritt and reckon Manu could replace him with benefit to the team.

I wouldn't be stunned to see Marlar as a Lions prop next summer.

I like the fact the Farrell is finishing off his learning at the top level. He has improved a lot in the last year and each day he plays more and more like his dad used too (and, like his dad, he's quicker than he looks).

Only Laidlaw and Hogg of the Scottish backs looked like Lions possibles, might have one of two from their back row though. They better hope Gray stays fit - he does an enormous amount of stuff for them.
I find Farrel quite remarkable.. he looks nice and steady for Saracens but really seems to turn it on for England... he has a good head on his shoulders and if he continues as he is he'll keep off the challenge of Burns I imagine.

I wasn't keen on a wholesale re-alignment of the centres with 20 minutes to go and thought we looked bad but I guess we were pretty clear so it was more of an experiment.

36 played well but Manu will be back in when he's fit again, Barrit had another good steady game.

On the Wales game... how good was Rory Best in the first half? Surely the Lions Hooker if he stays injury free.
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Old 03-02-2013, 16:37
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Italy leading France by 5 points with 10 minutes to go and playing superbly well......we could be in for a massive upset here
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Old 03-02-2013, 16:47
Arcana
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Nail-biting finish here.
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Old 03-02-2013, 16:50
Eurostar
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Nail-biting finish here.
It will be daylight robbery if France snatch a try....they've done nothing for most of this half.
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Old 03-02-2013, 16:51
Arcana
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Well played Italia!
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Old 03-02-2013, 16:52
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Italy win!!! Fully deserved too....they were superb
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Old 03-02-2013, 16:54
Lucidia2011
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Woooo!! Go Italia
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Old 03-02-2013, 16:54
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Great win for Italy , but so many passing and handling errors by France, truly awful stuff at times
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Old 03-02-2013, 16:56
Eurostar
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Great win for Italy , but so many passing and handling errors by France, truly awful stuff at times
The French were below par, but Italy played to their limits and with great passion.
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Old 03-02-2013, 16:58
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Interesting trophy!
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Old 03-02-2013, 16:59
apaul
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Well-done, Italy. The French were very poor, but will probably take it out on the Welsh next week.
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Old 03-02-2013, 17:00
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Magnificent Italian result, Ireland-England now next week is a massive game in terms of the whole tournament.
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Old 03-02-2013, 18:47
MeicY
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And suddenly, us Welsh fans can have a smidgin more optimism about next week's Paris trip than we had yesterday.
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Old 03-02-2013, 20:15
Mark F
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And suddenly, us Welsh fans can have a smidgin more optimism about next week's Paris trip than we had yesterday.
Depends which of your sides turn up.

Must be 2 of the most frustrating nations to support!
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Old 03-02-2013, 20:17
Frood
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Interesting trophy!
Bicycle inner tube or black pudding
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Old 03-02-2013, 20:45
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Best 6 nations opening weekend ever?
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Old 03-02-2013, 22:10
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Pick of the Week had a shot piece on what colour kit to wear. Claimed that red is the best colour to wear if you want to win.
Seems white is the best this weekend!
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