its called an opinion lol - they are allowed i thought

I agree with your stand on soccer vs rugby (for different reasons), but this is a thread for rugby fans to discuss the sport, not for people to come on bashing it. No? Create an "Who hates rugby?" thread or something.

I AGREE ....keep it topic related if it was a rugby v football thread it would be called as such......watch the irish rugby squad chris, they are rather good.

Yep well said

The Irish team is quality going by last weekend, will be interesting to see if they can keep it going today away in a very hostile Rome. Italy have a point to prove, hopefully another great match !

Some high tackles ought to be worthy of red cards, that was a shocker from the Italian full back!

Iffy start from Ireland...



Edited at 14:46 Sun 15/02/09 (GMT)

Iffy 15 minutes but they woke up just in time

Good win, liking the scoreline, but in truth an unconvincing performance. Hopefully just a minor blip. Bring on England.

Yep, I'll take that, solid if unspectacular win, a 29 point victory in Rome is not to be frowned upon, regardless of the performance.

yes ireland need to be more consistent if they are to match wales...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/7891719.stm

Although I hate the chap, and he hates us (Bath VS Leicester) I think he's spot on - I feel England were the only ones who could stop them! Have a feeling England will turn over Ireland, don't know why........

Ireland are the only team to be in the running to challenge Wales now. So long as Kaplin isn't ref it should be a great decider, so long as Ireland go through England - which a tiny, very tiny, part of me hopes to see, in the interest of great rugby (which we've seen a lot of) should be a good end!!!

France for the wooden spoon??
(So long as it's not us now, nbot after that)

I think France have just as good a chance as beating Wales as England do Ireland, if not a better one. Should be two cracking games next weekend, and a Friday evening game is just perfect before I go out!

As for the other game, that will be the decider of the wooden spoon

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/7906837.stm

Think that hits the nail on the head! It also makes me think it's a shame that the match wasn't properly officiated, would have been a bigger cracker me thinks!


Big weekend of rugby this week. I dare not say who's going to win. Ireland at Croker is never good for us - but hopefullt it might galvanise another performance out of us.

Wales moving up the gears, France looking rubbish at best - should be interesting. I think this is Wales best chance of beating France than any other year (since 2005 was it?) so it all amounts to some good stuff. On top of that you've got the wooden spooners fighting it out - they always get stuck in to each other so shhould be half decent to watch!!

Roll on Friday!

(Obviously I know Wales beat France last year, I meant actually in France, which is a hard place to win)

Edited at 18:14 Tue 24/02/09 (GMT)

It's surpising, but Wales have a better record against France in France, than they do in Wales

I'm really looking forward to it. France have looked very good in attack especially vs Ireland but their defence was awful. Against Scotland it was just boring and they just done enough in the end. So they aint looking bad atall, better than most teams, and the atmosphere on a Friday night in Paris will be immense, so I expect the game to be 110mph from start to finish!

I fear for England, I think they are taking wayyy to much out of the Welsh game and could be brought back down to earth with a massive bang.

Italy vs Scotland will be tense and physical, so should be good to watch. Not one of those fluent, sexy games, just big hits and lots of penalties. Should be exciting atleast.


Looking forward to it.

France didn't look that good in attack against Scotland. They looked flat and to be throwing the ball side ways or backwards! (Yes we know the rules)

I predict a comfortable Welsh victory, so long as they play strong forwards rugby, suck their weak defence in, Wales will be fine.

England VS Ireland is always a funny one to call. If you remeber there's been many dodgy calls over the years regarding these two, Ireland should win, they have strangth and good attacking ball. You never know though!

im suprisngly confident of an england win, ireland dont do the favourites tag very well, but has anyone heard about saracens cutting 15 players as a cost cutting measure, seemingly in order to bring in the south african youth team at the behest of their south african backers. could have a big impact on rugby in london/watford

I thought against Scotland France were in first gear and just done enough. (I said they mainly attacked well against Ireland, did show glimpses against the Scots. ) I think a comfortable Welsh win is a bit optimistic. If a team will win comfortably it will be France(They'll just turn it on), just hope we can edge a win.

True about England and Ireland, looking forward to it. If England can show the guts and determination they did against Wales, and Ireland play like they did against Italy, it could be a great day for the English !


As for the Saracens, it is just shocking ! The RFU need to do something, they might aswell be a new South African province and move to the Super 14. The South African national team must be happy , looks like they will have another province to choose from. I would be really peed off if I was a Saracen fan, it's just ripping everything away from you.

They are laying off some great servants to the club like Skirvington and players such as Chris Jack aswell. Crazy !

Very true about the Sarries, very sad day for the RFU. They can't surely let them do this, it's disgusting!!

I'm sure they'll be plenty of clubs willing to take on Chris Jack.......

:-O :-O :-O

Best game I've ever watched in the 6 Nations! EVER!

Better team won, but either team could of.

Won't go over it in fine detail. I'll just applaude a great game of rugby.

So what game was that then John?

Were you watching the women's rugby?

Wales' Grand Slam dreams over though with the 21-16 defeat to France, hopefully we can beat Ireland tomorrow somehow, win that and the Six Nations could still be ours

That was excellent !

No sour grapes form me, the better team won that game, but those two teams out there tonight could give anyone in the world a game (with a bit of work lol).

Bit dissapointed with what seemed a lack of leadership and structure from Wales in the second half, but overall, better team won, great showecase and 6N is wide open !