The 2012 RBS 6 Nations

[Egg Chaser]

It's almost that time again, rugby fans! There's less than 2 weeks to go now until the opening game on the 4th.

It'll be very interesting to see if England can regain some dignity from the debacle in the World Cup. It seems like Stuart Lancaster has got the right attitude to get the team back on track. However, based on the World Cup performances, I think Wales will be taking home the trophy this year.


Here are the team lists, taken from the 6 Nations Website:

England:
C. Ashton, B. Barritt, M. Botha, M. Brown, C. Clark, D. Cole, A. Corbisiero, T. Croft, L. Deacon, L. Dickson, P. Dowson, O. Farrell, T. Flood, B. Foden, D. Hartley, C. Hodgson, C. Lawes, J. Marler, L. Mears, B. Morgan, T. Palmer, C. Robshaw, C. Sharples, J. Simpson, M. Stevens, D. Strettle, M. Tuilagi, J. Turner-Hall, R. Webber, D. Wilson, T. Wood, B. Youngs

France:
F. Barcella, L. Beauxis, J. Bonnaire, V. Clerc, Y. David, V. Debaty, L. Ducalcon, T. Dusautoir, W. Fofana, I. Harinordoquy, Y. Maestri, J. Malzieu, N. Mas, M. Medard, M. Mermoz, R. Millo-Chluski, Y. Nyanga, F. Ouedraogo, A. Palisson, P. Pape, M. Parra, L. Picamoles, J. Pierre, C. Poitrenaud, J. Poux, A. Rougerie, W. Servat, D. Szarzewski, F. Trinh-Duc, D. Yachvili

Ireland:
R. Best, T. Bowe, A. Conway, T. Court, S. Cronin, L. Mullen, G. D'Arcy, K. Earls, S. Ferris, C. Healey, J. Heaslip, S. Jennings, R. Kearney, P. McAllister, F. McFadden, C. Murray, I. Nagle, S. O'Brien, D. O'Callaghan, P. O'Connell, R. O'Gara, T. O'Halloran, P. O'Mahony, E. Reddan, M. Ross, D. Ryan, J. Sexton, A. Trimble, P. Wallace, S. Zebo

Italy:
R. Barbieri, T. Bonvenuti, T. Bergamasco, M. Bortolami, K. Burton, G. Canale, M. Castrogiovanni, L. Cittadini, T. D'Appice, A. De Marchi, P. Derbyshire, A. Esposito, S. Favaro, Q. Geldenhuys, L. Ghiraldini, E. Gori, A. Lo Cicero, A. Masi, L. McLean, L. Morisi, L. Orquera, S. Parisse, A. Pavanello, R. Quartaroli, F. Semenzato, A. Sgarbi, G. Toniolatti, C. van Zyl, G. Venditti, A. Zanni

Scotland:
J. Ansbro, J. Barclay, M. Blair, K. Brown, G. Cross, C. Cusiter, D. Danielli, N. de Luca, D. Denton, A. Dickinson, M. Evans, R. Ford, P. Godman, R. Gray, D. Hall, J.Hamilton, R. Harley, S. Hogg, R. Jackson, A. Jacobsen, L. Jones, E. Kalman, A. Kellock, G. Laidlaw, R. Lamont, S. Lamont, R. Lawson, S. Lawson, M. Low, F. McKenzie, G. Morrison, E. Murray, D. Parks, R. Rennie, A. Strokosch, R. Vernon, Duncan Weir

Wales:
A. Beck, H. Bennett, R. Bevinton, L. Byrne, A. Cuthbert, B. Davies, J. Davies, I. Evans, T. Faletau, R. Gill, L.Halfpenny, G. Henson, J. Hook, P. James, G. Jenkins, A. Rhys Jones, R. Jones, R. Jones, D. Lydiate, C. Mitchell, G. North, K. Owens, M. Phillips, A. Powell, R. Priestland, L. Reed, M. Ress, J. Roberts, H. Robison, J. Tipuric, S. Warburton, R. Webb, L. Williams, L. Williams, S. Williams

Edited by Egg Chaser on Wednesday 25th January 02:19

[Melchett]

Egg Chaser said:

It'll be very interesting to see if England can regain some dignity from the debacle in the World Cup. It seems like Stuart Lancaster has got the right attitude to get the team back on track. However, based on the World Cup performances, I think Wales will be taking home the trophy this year.

I'm not sure England will do all that well this time round. Besides the injuries, there is too much inexperience. It was almost change for change's sake to help people forget the RWC. Its Wales or the Franch for me. But, how are France getting on with their new coach? That will be interesting.

[disco1]

I've got a feeling that this will be a very close 6N, there's 4 teams that have a very good chance of winning it. Wales, France and Ireland have good squads and England won't be as bad as they were in the WC. However, being totally biased I'm going for:

Wales - Grandslam
Ireland
France
England
Scotland
Italy

[a311]

disco1 said:

I've got a feeling that this will be a very close 6N, there's 4 teams that have a very good chance of winning it. Wales, France and Ireland have good squads and England won't be as bad as they were in the WC. However, being totally biased I'm going for:

Wales - Grandslam
Ireland
France
England
Scotland
Italy

Disco1 how was your ski trip?? (I've shortened my user name in the last week)

As for the 6N I’d agree it could be anyone of Wales, France, or Ireland for me with England as slight outsiders, I’ll put my neck out and say they’ll do very well or be total turd, if they beat Scotland I expect they’ll do well but going to Italy will be tricky with how their starting pack is looking.

Will Wales continue to build and ride the world cup euphoria? I think looking at how the Irish squad players have been doing in the HC they have the potential to do well.

France you never know but putting 2 or 3 performances together to beat Wales, Ireland and maybe England? They could do that and get beat by Italy. Scotland might have an upset or two in them but lack of tries will continue to hamper them, but wouldn’t be surprised if any of the big 3 or 4 go there and it’s a typical Scottish weather day and they grind out a win.

[DJRC]

France I think, that looks a settled squad and they have the confidence of knowing they have a strong squad bond and can fight through adversity.

England? Who knows. Interim team with an interim coach. Nobody is expecting anything from them, they might just fire. Much will depend on what kind of form Ashton is in for that back 3 attacking pattern and arguably more importantly...what the hell England do up front in the tight 3. Its the weakest front row squad Ive ever seen England field. The crims will probably start chanting "Are you Aussies in disguise?" !

[disco1]

a311 said:

disco1 said:

I've got a feeling that this will be a very close 6N, there's 4 teams that have a very good chance of winning it. Wales, France and Ireland have good squads and England won't be as bad as they were in the WC. However, being totally biased I'm going for:

Wales - Grandslam
Ireland
France
England
Scotland
Italy

Disco1 how was your ski trip?? (I've shortened my user name in the last week)

As for the 6N I’d agree it could be anyone of Wales, France, or Ireland for me with England as slight outsiders, I’ll put my neck out and say they’ll do very well or be total turd, if they beat Scotland I expect they’ll do well but going to Italy will be tricky with how their starting pack is looking.

Will Wales continue to build and ride the world cup euphoria? I think looking at how the Irish squad players have been doing in the HC they have the potential to do well.

France you never know but putting 2 or 3 performances together to beat Wales, Ireland and maybe England? They could do that and get beat by Italy. Scotland might have an upset or two in them but lack of tries will continue to hamper them, but wouldn’t be surprised if any of the big 3 or 4 go there and it’s a typical Scottish weather day and they grind out a win.

Fly out this Saturday, v excited! I trust the slopes are in good shape?

I'd love Wales to continue where they left off from the WC but fear a reality check somewhere in the 6N. We never do well after doing well, consitency isn't our forte!

Heart says grand slam Wales but head says Ireland

[PugwasHDJ80]

really really hoping for a good showing from Italy (not that i'm an Italy supporter)- but just because every yera they've got better and better, and they are at the point that their hardwork deserves a bit of reward now- they certainly have the talent!

It would be immensely valuable to both rugby within Italy and the 6N as a whole to see them starting to seriously compete.

As to who which actually win- well you've got to say Wales are playing well, but i have no idea about the rest- when playing well England can win- but 5 matches in a row at the moment- very unlikely. Realistically England to lose to Wales, France and go either way with Ireland.

Wales to win i think (and hope too actually- their my "second" team )

[Egg Chaser]

Melchett said:

I'm not sure England will do all that well this time round. Besides the injuries, there is too much inexperience.

I know, but a performance better than the one shown at the World Cup isn't too hard to achieve. I'm only expecting them to do average at best. For me, I'm expecting:

Wales
France
Ireland
England
Italy (they seem to be improving every year)
Scotland

[Derek Smith]

I think France has something to prove. Their performance in the RWC was pretty dire at times and even their one good match required a sending off. I think they could come out firing.

England more so. Interim coaches have this habit of either bringing a poorly performing team even lower or generating brilliant performances. It is difficult to believe that he'll do a worse job.

Wales are the big conundrum. We've seen promise of a great revival before. Their performance in the RWC was hyped but they could well build on it, something denied the English.

Ireland? I'm not so sure. I miss the great side of a few years ago. The remnants are running out of steam and there are not enough newcomers of sufficient quality to emulate them, at least not yet.

Scotland and Italy? At the moment it does look like the Italians could be the best of the rest.

[a311]

disco1 said:

Fly out this Saturday, v excited! I trust the slopes are in good shape?

I'd love Wales to continue where they left off from the WC but fear a reality check somewhere in the 6N. We never do well after doing well, consitency isn't our forte!

Heart says grand slam Wales but head says Ireland

For some reason I thought you were out the week after me?! There was actually too much snow to be fair, missed a full day due to white out closing the mountain then most of another day due to the power going down. Superb though, when it’s like that you can ski anything making a pretty much intermediate area into anything you want it to be. Tree skiing was brilliant, skiing pillows with 15 foot drops-epic……..

[Slaav]

Anybody up for this again?

http://espnscrum.fantasyleague.com/Index.aspx

I have a small league going for work...

Happy to set up so have just done so!

PIN is 3541

League name the imaginatively named 'PH 2012 6N'

Edited by Slaav on Thursday 26th January 10:05

[Famous Graham]

I just got that mail as well Beat me to it.

[Flook]

DJRC said:

...what the hell England do up front in the tight 3. Its the weakest front row squad Ive ever seen England field.

Funnily enough this is one area I'm not so worried about - although I think they would have been alot stronger replacing Marler with Doran-Jones as loose-head back up, and neither Mears nor Webber are adequate cover for Hartley.

My real concern about England is how lightweight their second row options look - both in terms of sheer phycial mass, and ability to either carry effectively or repeatedly hit rucks very hard - for all his shortcomings, this (hitting rucks, not carrying) was something Louis Deacon brought to the team. Dave Attwood seems to be only big beast near the EPS, but he's not exactly been tearing up stumps for Bath this season.

More worrying is its hard to see any obvious candidates the selectors have overlooked, so its not like I can even blame them. Which is a shame.

[FUBAR]

Slaav said:

Anybody up for this again?

http://espnscrum.fantasyleague.com/Index.aspx

I have a small league going for work...

Happy to set up so have just done so!

PIN is 3541

League name the imaginatively named 'PH 2012 6N'

Edited by Slaav on Thursday 26th January 10:05

I'll have a crack at it but Im always useless. Being a fat English prop I always try and stand by our front row, have an inkling about locks but have absolutely no idea what goes on from 6 backwards . All the pretty boys who harvest loads of points just pass me by (in fact, just like they do every Saturday afternoon throughout the winter )

Still, I'm game for a laugh

[anonymous-user]

Jenkins, Lydiate and Priestland are all doubts for the Ireland game Big losses, but I think Lydiate might make it.

[DJRC]

Flook said:

DJRC said:

...what the hell England do up front in the tight 3. Its the weakest front row squad Ive ever seen England field.

Funnily enough this is one area I'm not so worried about - although I think they would have been alot stronger replacing Marler with Doran-Jones as loose-head back up, and neither Mears nor Webber are adequate cover for Hartley.

My real concern about England is how lightweight their second row options look - both in terms of sheer phycial mass, and ability to either carry effectively or repeatedly hit rucks very hard - for all his shortcomings, this (hitting rucks, not carrying) was something Louis Deacon brought to the team. Dave Attwood seems to be only big beast near the EPS, but he's not exactly been tearing up stumps for Bath this season.

More worrying is its hard to see any obvious candidates the selectors have overlooked, so its not like I can even blame them. Which is a shame.

Er...I thought Dave Attwood had been getting rave reviews all season?

[Flook]

DJRC said:

Er...I thought Dave Attwood had been getting rave reviews all season?

Not knocking him, I think he could be just the kind of big, 'nasty' forward we're short of at the moment. But in the games I've watched this season he's not consistently looked much other than a middle of the road Premiership player - and has generally been the second best second row at Bath behind Ryan Caldwell, a player who (perhaps for reasons unrelated to his form on the pitch) has not even made the Irish Wolfhounds squad.

[DJRC]

Take your word for it, Ive seen no Bath games, but the reports never mention Caldwell and mention Attwood quite a bit.

As an aside, can someone tell me why JSD isnt in the England squad? Or have I been blind and missed him?

A back 3 of Cashton, Foden, Sharples with JSD coming on as an impact sub around 60mins would be a fairly mouth watering prospect wouldnt it? Especially with BB creating lump shaped holes in the midfield and Farrell using some guile to exploit those holes and runners around him. Not to mention Choker at 10 for bringing in his runners.

[gmh23]

England Rugby Team were in my uni's gym this morning ahead of the game vs Scotland this weekend, might go tamper with some equipment before they go in next.......

[Cheib]

Been very impressed with Lancaster so far......he comes across very,very well in my book. It will be fascinating to see how that translates to the pitch....there is hardly an English player assured of his place currently which creates an interesting dynamic. All to play for. I've not seen Attwood this season at all....I really liked the look of him when he got his two caps though.

Going to be a fascinating tournament....Wales and France are surely favourites but with a lot of Ireland's big name players at the wrong end of their careers they have all to play for.