Article: The Original Rugby Championship - Six Nations 2016

Cookie

I admire your optimism Sparky, but this team has been on the receiving end of too many recent loses to the Oirish for me to be anything other than nervous about it. 
Completely agree that on the back of the French loss, now is probably the best time to play them, but I would never underestimate our ability to royally fuck it up.

Derm McCrum

Well by the time that match rolls around in a fortnight, the Sticking Plaster XV should be assembled. 
No more Dave Kearney for a few months after that "hard but completely fair" tackle from Guirardo. Trimble is being assessed. 
O'Brien's hammy probably won't be recovered. McCarthy will be on concussion protocols. And Sexton is carrying some kind of an upper chest injury. 
The front row looks a real problem and looks like neither Ross, Moore or Healy will be around - wait and see. England should have a field day up front. 
With the Championship now lost, any chance that Schmidt might throw caution to the winds and reinvent the back line somewhat. 
Put either Jackson or Madigan to start at 10. McCloskey in at 12, Henshaw move to outside and have Payne, Gilroy and Zebo in a pacy, back three. 
And put Ringrose on the bench. If any of these newbies are going to SA, they need test time. 
McGrath and Furlong to start up front. Toner and the newbie Connacht lock Ultan Dillane to get a shot. There's still enough experienced backrowers around to bring some experience/seniority to the team.

Zader

Ire v Fra was pretty disappointing overall. Ireland needed to put points on the board in the 1st half when they controlled the game but they were let down by errors and ultimately it cost them. O'Brien's loss hurt. Ireland got little change from driving mauls, up & unders and cross field kicks which they usually execute well but not so yesterday.
 
The Ireland scrum was under pressure the whole game and came unstuck with the subs. That tight 5 wasn't an imposing bunch. Really hope McCarthy is available for the next game as a second row of Toner & Ryan will see the scrum under real pressure.
 
I don't have a problem with Schmidt's conservative game plan, they're picking players from 3.5 teams and while he can put together a large panel of players, there aren't many really top drawer players for him to choose, so playing the percentage game is a good strategy. But it depends on execution and it wasn't there yesterday. Leinster & Munster are rebuilding and the Irish teams have not fared well in the European competition this year. Ireland likewise has a rebuilding job to do.
 
The fact is Ireland has overachieved over the past decade enabled by the underachieving England & France.

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crash" data-cid="558713" data-time="1455447772">
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France-Ireland sent me to sleep. Joe Schmidt's nearly men nearly did it again.
Honestly think that was the most boring game of rugby I've watched since....well since last week when France played Italy.
The honeymoon period is definitely over for Schmidt - already starting to fall out of favour with some fans, wonder how long it will be until IRFU start to lose patience as well.
France have carried on their poor WC form into the 6-Nations - how Blanco must despair! But they still managed to sneak a win over a woeful Ireland (whose attacking flair was even shown up by Scotland!) Weather was dire but not an excuse for either team.
 
Scotland-Wales was so much better. Would have given MOTM to Jamie Roberts last week as well. He and Charteris were immense. Defences were on top, but still a relatively exciting game to watch with plenty of ebb and flow. Thought Biggar was at times inspirational - an interesting contest developing between he and Priestland for the 10 shirt
Scotland came to play and Cotter's men weren't going down without a fight. Hardie did well, and replacement wing Tommy Seymour was fearless in the air, but they will be lamenting the loss of Stuart Hogg who made the early running in his brief stint on the field. All in all a good spectacle, with plenty of endeavour shown and tries scored. 
 
Looking forward to Unsteady Eddie's England today.
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Bloody inspirational seeing Sean Lamont running around at approximately 100 years old. I read an interview with him saying he's never going to retire, he will keep going until he is "retired" by the selectors.
 
.....he is also the only Scot with victories in double figures in the Six Nations. He debuted in 2004.
 
Yeah, its a hard road supporting Scotland.

mooshld

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MiketheSnow" data-cid="558549" data-time="1455376360">
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Shit weather, shit tactics, shit skill levels, shit decision making, shit kicking, shit TMOing.
 
SHIT HALF
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You know whats shit Mike?
 
That I dropped 40 euros and spent the afternoon sitting in the pissing rain. And that game was my reward. Only to have to listen to the Irish family blame their loss on the ref!
 
That was probably the worst game of rugby I have ever witnessed live. I don't say that lightly, I played social rugby in Scotland so believe me I know shit rugby!
 
I don't think there was a single line break, all the points came from idiotic discipline. Except the try which was when someone slipped over. The French media are crowing like they won the RWC pathetic. If I were the Argies I would have all 6 of these teams in my sights!

Catogrande

Finally managed to watch the Scotland v England game after being away and was mildly, pleasantly surprised as all I'd heard was that England were shite and Scotland were just a little bit shiter. I was frustrated by the England performance for most of the first half but the second half they seemed to put a bit more shape on their game - so progress of a sort. The pattern was similar v Italy although I never felt we were put under as much pressure by the Eyeties as we were by the Jocks. Eddie's use of the bench has been much more imaginative then the previous regime and that is a positive too. I was a little concerned though with the possession and territory stats, both of which favoured Italy considerably. I reckon that could cause us problems against teams with a sharper cutting edge - we're not NZ or Aus that can consistently thrive on less possession. Similar to the Gareth Davies try issue, there was one point when Italy got behind our defence and put some real pressure on due to a glaring error by the officials - the ball went down the line and was juggled by the Italy 14 (I think), the ball went forward but was re-gathered but and here's the thing, it was re-gathered by a different Italian (4 I think) - that is a knock-on. I would have been mightily pissed off if the Eyeties had scored from that. I agree with all the comments about the turgidity of the France v Ireland game - just dire. Wales v Scotland was exciting if not actually a good avert for skills. Wales worthy winners IMO but the Scots can take some positives too.

Bones

So something I'm pretty puzzled about...and I'll probably sounds rather Bart-like - but how on earth does a young professional athlete that is required to be pretty damn fit, manage to get in this kind of shape?
 
<img src="http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/484983614-jamie-george-of-england-looks-on-during-the-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=X7WJLa88Cweo9HktRLaNXmXASmdrv16hH4B9LNTZbj2pTdtEhEAwcdyGg8IMeS2SLQbk2JROSfcE2yrE0F4ECg%3D%3D" alt="484983614-jamie-george-of-england-looks-">

Catogrande

There's certainly room for improvement Bones! The thing is that he's got a pretty good engine and a decent turn of speed for such a larder. I sometimes wonder if for some guys it is enough to be the best in their club/province/test team rather than the best they can be? Woodward had a good comment (it can happen) prior to the Italy game in regard to Matt Dawson. Basically he showed Dawson a list of the England scrum-halves in order or preference with Dawson as No1. Dawson was naturally quite chuffed with this, then Woodward turn the list over and said "But if these guys (Marshall, Gregan, Joost etc) were English, you wouldn't even be in the training squad". Thankfully this was not lost on Dawson.

Wreck Diver

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bones" data-cid="558894" data-time="1455535804">
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So something I'm pretty puzzled about...and I'll probably sounds rather Bart-like - but how on earth does a young professional athlete that is required to be pretty damn fit, manage to get in this kind of shape?
 
<img src="http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/484983614-jamie-george-of-england-looks-on-during-the-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=X7WJLa88Cweo9HktRLaNXmXASmdrv16hH4B9LNTZbj2pTdtEhEAwcdyGg8IMeS2SLQbk2JROSfcE2yrE0F4ECg%3D%3D" alt="484983614-jamie-george-of-england-looks-">
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if you look at most of the props in the UK a very large percentage carry way to much body fat.

Bones

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="558897" data-time="1455536367">
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There's certainly room for improvement Bones! The thing is that he's got a pretty good engine and a decent turn of speed for such a larder. I sometimes wonder if for some guys it is enough to be the best in their club/province/test team rather than the best they can be? Woodward had a good comment (it can happen) prior to the Italy game in regard to Matt Dawson. Basically he showed Dawson a list of the England scrum-halves in order or preference with Dawson as No1. Dawson was naturally quite chuffed with this, then Woodward turn the list over and said "But if these guys (Marshall, Gregan, Joost etc) were English, you wouldn't even be in the training squad". Thankfully this was not lost on Dawson.
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Yeah he definitely appears to be pretty nifty whenever he shows up with the ball, I've been quite surprised by that. But still....imagine how good he could be if he added better mass to his frame....or how many more times he could make an impact around the field? I'm pretty sure he could be a LOT better....
 
Edit: And I must say, at elite international level, that's quite possibly the best set of tits I've seen in mens rugby....

Siam

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bones" data-cid="558894" data-time="1455535804">
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So something I'm pretty puzzled about...and I'll probably sounds rather Bart-like - but how on earth does a young professional athlete that is required to be pretty damn fit, manage to get in this kind of shape?
 
<img src="http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/484983614-jamie-george-of-england-looks-on-during-the-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=X7WJLa88Cweo9HktRLaNXmXASmdrv16hH4B9LNTZbj2pTdtEhEAwcdyGg8IMeS2SLQbk2JROSfcE2yrE0F4ECg%3D%3D" alt="484983614-jamie-george-of-england-looks-">
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Might be looking for a job as James Corden's stunt double :)

TeWaio

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="558897" data-time="1455536367">
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There's certainly room for improvement Bones! The thing is that he's got a pretty good engine and a decent turn of speed for such a larder. I sometimes wonder if for some guys it is enough to be the best in their club/province/test team rather than the best they can be? Woodward had a good comment (it can happen) prior to the Italy game in regard to Matt Dawson. Basically he showed Dawson a list of the England scrum-halves in order or preference with Dawson as No1. Dawson was naturally quite chuffed with this, then Woodward turn the list over and said "But if these guys (Marshall, Gregan, Joost etc) were English, you wouldn't even be in the training squad". Thankfully this was not lost on Dawson.
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Sir Clive often speaketh bollocks, but that perticular anecdote I thought was extremely good value from him. 
What you wrote above in bold basically sums up English rugby for me.

MN5

The English squad used to do laps around Andy Goode and he was a first five in a props body.

Catogrande

His real name is Andy Foode.

TeWaio

<img src="http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Exeter+Chiefs+v+London+Wasps+Aviva+Premiership+JzTgIjz_euul.jpg" alt="Exeter+Chiefs+v+London+Wasps+Aviva+Premi"> 
Athlete.

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="TeWaio" data-cid="559036" data-time="1455614129">
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<img src="http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Exeter+Chiefs+v+London+Wasps+Aviva+Premiership+JzTgIjz_euul.jpg" alt="Exeter+Chiefs+v+London+Wasps+Aviva+Premi"> 
Athlete.
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I can't believe he played internationals......as a back !!!

Catogrande

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="559037" data-time="1455614492">
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I can't believe he played internationals......as a back !!!
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It does beggar belief. He's actually got a good skill set but fuck me mate, take a look at yourself. How can I up my game? Well I could be fitter. No shit!
 
As regards him being an international, he was picked by Andy Robinson, so that doesn't count.

Cookie

When he made his comeback game recently, one of the commentators asked co-presenter David Flatman for highlights of the match. He pointed to the amazing fact Goode had made it through the first half without requiring serious medical attention.

MiketheSnow

Was made MOTM in a recent game.
 
Still got enough to sparkle in the Premiership.

Catogrande

Nasty dig there at our flagship competition Mike - even if true

The Silver Fern

Article: The Original Rugby Championship - Six Nations 2016