2025 6N thread

[Slick]

What do we think of this 6N so far?

A bit crap IMO. Not much excitement apart from England's come back, following France's come back. But apart from that predictable and low on skills.

[Sandstorm]

What do we think of this 6N so far?

A bit crap IMO. Not much excitement apart from England's come back, following France's come back. But apart from that predictable and low on skills.

Terrible lineout for all 6 teams.
Scrums not too bad all round.

Refs and touchies seem to be getting a (slightly) better handle on rucks, but USELESS on offside rule.

WAAAYYY too much box-kicking, but the weather hasn't been good either.

[Yeeb]

What do we think of this 6N so far?

A bit crap IMO. Not much excitement apart from England's come back, following France's come back. But apart from that predictable and low on skills.

Yup, pretty shit, only saving grace is that so far no contentious card or decision has swung a game so can’t really blame a ref or Tmo

[Kawazaki]

Dreadful weather in round 2. I'd prefer the 6Ns starting a few weeks later.

[sockwithaticket]

Dreadful weather in round 2. I'd prefer the 6Ns starting a few weeks later.

Something we agree on.

The Six Nations is the jewel in the NH crown and it is our greatest point of outreach to casual fans. We should be giving the tournament the best possibility of prime conditions so that the sport can be showcased at its most appealing. Which is generally not scrum and kick dominated matches in the pissing rain. Afficianados will tolerate, possibly even enjoy, that, but it's not helping win anybody over.

[Yeeb]

Wet weather right was great when mauls occurred and you could compete for possession. A glaws tigers mud bath was great entertainment.

[Paddington Bear]

Part of the reason it gets large tv audiences is *because* the weather is crap. It’s a great time of year for an event in what are the shittiest months of the year. Compete with the football run in and watch the interest fade

[tabascoboy]

Can't imagine anyone significant wanting to take on the Wales role.

Rumour I heard was Gatland was on £700k/year. That's why it's taken so long to get rid of him, they couldn't sort out a payoff.

Well today it's reported that he's waived any payoff anyway...

Warren Gatland waived a potential six-figure settlement to leave his position as Wales' head coach on Tuesday.

The Telegraph report the New Zealander, who yesterday brought an end to his second spell coaching Wales, will not pick up a financial send-off from the WRU and has "waived a substantial pay-off despite having a deal in place through to the 2027 World Cup, and will only be paid up to the end of the current season".

[Uncle fester]

Can't imagine anyone significant wanting to take on the Wales role.

Rumour I heard was Gatland was on £700k/year. That's why it's taken so long to get rid of him, they couldn't sort out a payoff.

Well today it's reported that he's waived any payoff anyway...

Warren Gatland waived a potential six-figure settlement to leave his position as Wales' head coach on Tuesday.

The Telegraph report the New Zealander, who yesterday brought an end to his second spell coaching Wales, will not pick up a financial send-off from the WRU and has "waived a substantial pay-off despite having a deal in place through to the 2027 World Cup, and will only be paid up to the end of the current season".

End of current season is still a payoff and unless the WRU are totally incompetent (I know....), they should have been able to sack him outright for not meeting targets.

[SaintK]

Can't imagine anyone significant wanting to take on the Wales role.

Rumour I heard was Gatland was on £700k/year. That's why it's taken so long to get rid of him, they couldn't sort out a payoff.

Well today it's reported that he's waived any payoff anyway...

Warren Gatland waived a potential six-figure settlement to leave his position as Wales' head coach on Tuesday.

The Telegraph report the New Zealander, who yesterday brought an end to his second spell coaching Wales, will not pick up a financial send-off from the WRU and has "waived a substantial pay-off despite having a deal in place through to the 2027 World Cup, and will only be paid up to the end of the current season".

End of current season is still a payoff and unless the WRU are totally incompetent (I know....), they should have been able to sack him outright for not meeting targets.

Absolutely!!!!

[JM2K6]

Gatland's such an enigma. On the face of it, he's a highly competent coach with some excellent results in the 6N and with the Lions. But when he gets it wrong - like with the current Wales side and the 0-8 Chiefs in 2020 - he makes a proper job of it.

He hit the wall a long time ago. 2019 was his last hurrah.

[Torquemada 1420]

Dreadful weather in round 2. I'd prefer the 6Ns starting a few weeks later.

If the weather had been better, more likely France would not have frozen (ahem) and a different result?

And no, that's not an excuse. If you can't play Harlem Globetrotters rugby because the weather is filth, don't.

[SaintK]

Gatland gone from Wales

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... wrj451k95o

So they have 2 weeks to find someone to replace him.

Although his position was clearly untenable after 14 straight losses, I can't imagine there will be a massive queue of people to replace him. Given the talent available to the Welsh team and the structural problems in Wales, I can't help feeling that this is a position that no one will want and no one will succeed in.

Howley gone now.
Anscombe, Payne and Llewellyn all called up to join squad

[sturginho]

What do we think of this 6N so far?

A bit crap IMO. Not much excitement apart from England's come back, following France's come back. But apart from that predictable and low on skills.

That may be but Italy won a game which automatically makes it a vintage 6N

[Torquemada 1420]

English rugby for posh kids:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 6g31qjneeo

[Ovals]

English rugby for posh kids:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 6g31qjneeo

Same as in Cricket.

[Raggs]

English rugby for posh kids:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 6g31qjneeo

The article nicely points out that whilst a load of them were privately educated, many of those only went to a private school at 16 on a scholarship.

It's exactly what we were told by a bath academy coach, if they're good enough to be in the academy at u15/16, they'll likely end up moving to a private school on a scholarship. They also recognise that private school pupils will have had a significant advantage in coaching and playing opportunities, so try and identify talent taking that into account

[Torquemada 1420]

English rugby for posh kids:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 6g31qjneeo

The article nicely points out that whilst a load of them were privately educated, many of those only went to a private school at 16 on a scholarship.

It's exactly what we were told by a bath academy coach, if they're good enough to be in the academy at u15/16, they'll likely end up moving to a private school on a scholarship. They also recognise that private school pupils will have had a significant advantage in coaching and playing opportunities, so try and identify talent taking that into account

Sounds great but there are still questions:
1) If it's not being played at state schools to any significant degree (or at all), then the potential playing base is already massively narrower.
2) You'd have to be a pretty skilled talent scout to spot "good enough" from player pools of, at best, occasional participants and ones who have experienced little technical coaching at that.
3) And this assumes even if 1 and 2 are overcome, what's left actually want to play rugby and/or go to a private school which is a pretty daunting prospect when you are likely to fear being an outsider.

[Paddington Bear]

English rugby for posh kids:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 6g31qjneeo

Same as in Cricket.

https://clubdevelopment.org/clubs-big-survey-results/

You may well find this interesting (if you haven’t already seen it).

About half way down - the vast majority of cricket clubs are heavily reliant on the state educated. Cricket’s issue isn’t that the state educated don’t play the sport, it’s that as a technical sport the coaching, time and resources of private schools are close to impossible to replicate at clubs (and the amount of non-grammar state schools playing anything resembling proper cricket being negligible doesn’t help).

As mentioned before, my club is something of an outlier in having produced three first-class players over the last 15 years who were state educated, albeit all three come from objectively privileged backgrounds. Not sure how either sport gets past this (and in rugby terms picking from a small batch of private schools seems to work fine for the Irish anyway).

[Torquemada 1420]

English rugby for posh kids:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 6g31qjneeo

Same as in Cricket.

https://clubdevelopment.org/clubs-big-survey-results/

You may well find this interesting (if you haven’t already seen it).

About half way down - the vast majority of cricket clubs are heavily reliant on the state educated. Cricket’s issue isn’t that the state educated don’t play the sport, it’s that as a technical sport the coaching, time and resources of private schools are close to impossible to replicate at clubs (and the amount of non-grammar state schools playing anything resembling proper cricket being negligible doesn’t help).

As mentioned before, my club is something of an outlier in having produced three first-class players over the last 15 years who were state educated, albeit all three come from objectively privileged backgrounds. Not sure how either sport gets past this (and in rugby terms picking from a small batch of private schools seems to work fine for the Irish anyway).

Might be a slight difference in Ireland since many play hurling and gaelic football which have transferable skills?

[Paddington Bear]

Same as in Cricket.

https://clubdevelopment.org/clubs-big-survey-results/

You may well find this interesting (if you haven’t already seen it).

About half way down - the vast majority of cricket clubs are heavily reliant on the state educated. Cricket’s issue isn’t that the state educated don’t play the sport, it’s that as a technical sport the coaching, time and resources of private schools are close to impossible to replicate at clubs (and the amount of non-grammar state schools playing anything resembling proper cricket being negligible doesn’t help).

As mentioned before, my club is something of an outlier in having produced three first-class players over the last 15 years who were state educated, albeit all three come from objectively privileged backgrounds. Not sure how either sport gets past this (and in rugby terms picking from a small batch of private schools seems to work fine for the Irish anyway).

Might be a slight difference in Ireland since many play hurling and gaelic football which have transferable skills?

My understanding is that at least traditionally there has been limited GAA/rugby crossover.

Rugby in English private schools tends to play second fiddle to cricket in terms of resource allocation which I suppose is a big difference, and at least around London appealing to Indian origin parents is the growth market and it’s obviously clear which of the two they tend to prioritise

[Slick]

Just starting to get interested in rugby again after our dismal display in the last round.

England. I have to say that I'm not in the least bit convinced this is a good England team and if we were playing them at home with a full team I'd be reasonably confident of beating them.

But, it's not. And we have lost at least 2, possibly 3 if Finn isn't fit, or the 4 players we just couldn't afford to lose individually. I think we were also a bit average against Italy and dreadful against Ireland, so travelling down with little hope and no expectation.

[Yeeb]

https://clubdevelopment.org/clubs-big-survey-results/

You may well find this interesting (if you haven’t already seen it).

About half way down - the vast majority of cricket clubs are heavily reliant on the state educated. Cricket’s issue isn’t that the state educated don’t play the sport, it’s that as a technical sport the coaching, time and resources of private schools are close to impossible to replicate at clubs (and the amount of non-grammar state schools playing anything resembling proper cricket being negligible doesn’t help).

As mentioned before, my club is something of an outlier in having produced three first-class players over the last 15 years who were state educated, albeit all three come from objectively privileged backgrounds. Not sure how either sport gets past this (and in rugby terms picking from a small batch of private schools seems to work fine for the Irish anyway).

Might be a slight difference in Ireland since many play hurling and gaelic football which have transferable skills?

My understanding is that at least traditionally there has been limited GAA/rugby crossover.

Rugby in English private schools tends to play second fiddle to cricket in terms of resource allocation which I suppose is a big difference, and at least around London appealing to Indian origin parents is the growth market and it’s obviously clear which of the two they tend to prioritise

Not just private schools, grammar schools as well as they have changed demographic greatly in last few years toward people who like a bargain and free education & prefer cricket to rugby

[Jock42]

Just starting to get interested in rugby again after our dismal display in the last round.

England. I have to say that I'm not in the least bit convinced this is a good England team and if we were playing them at home with a full team I'd be reasonably confident of beating them.

But, it's not. And we have lost at least 2, possibly 3 if Finn isn't fit, or the 4 players we just couldn't afford to lose individually. I think we were also a bit average against Italy and dreadful against Ireland, so travelling down with little hope and no expectation.

Just a one score victory this time then? I can live with that.

[Biffer]

Just starting to get interested in rugby again after our dismal display in the last round.

England. I have to say that I'm not in the least bit convinced this is a good England team and if we were playing them at home with a full team I'd be reasonably confident of beating them.

But, it's not. And we have lost at least 2, possibly 3 if Finn isn't fit, or the 4 players we just couldn't afford to lose individually. I think we were also a bit average against Italy and dreadful against Ireland, so travelling down with little hope and no expectation.

2022 VdM scored one try
2023 VdM scored two tries
2024 VdM scored three tries

He'll score four this year. It's just maths.

[Uncle fester]

Just starting to get interested in rugby again after our dismal display in the last round.

England. I have to say that I'm not in the least bit convinced this is a good England team and if we were playing them at home with a full team I'd be reasonably confident of beating them.

But, it's not. And we have lost at least 2, possibly 3 if Finn isn't fit, or the 4 players we just couldn't afford to lose individually. I think we were also a bit average against Italy and dreadful against Ireland, so travelling down with little hope and no expectation.

2022 VdM scored one try
2023 VdM scored two tries
2024 VdM scored three tries

He'll score four this year. It's just maths.

I say well done to him for scoring a try against Ireland after I slagged him off earlier in the comp.

[Uncle fester]

IMG-20250220-WA0002.jpg (522.47 KiB) Viewed 2371 times

Hopefully Mack will behave himself between now and KO.

[Sandstorm]

IMG-20250220-WA0002.jpg

Hopefully Mack will behave himself between now and KO.

Looks porno

[Slick]

IMG-20250220-WA0002.jpg

Hopefully Mack will behave himself between now and KO.

What’s wrong with Keenan?

[Rhubarb & Custard]

It's just not as a amusing when it splits 4:3 in favour of an Irish backline

[Uncle fester]

IMG-20250220-WA0002.jpg

Hopefully Mack will behave himself between now and KO.

What’s wrong with Keenan?

No mention of injury so might be rotation. They've kept that to the minimum. Healy gone from 23 also. Away 6n fixtures can be tricky things and Wales have nothing to lose.

[Slick]

IMG-20250220-WA0002.jpg

Hopefully Mack will behave himself between now and KO.

What’s wrong with Keenan?

No mention of injury so might be rotation. They've kept that to the minimum. Healy gone from 23 also. Away 6n fixtures can be tricky things and Wales have nothing to lose.

Thanks

[sturginho]

Code: Select all

15 Tommaso ALLAN (Perpignan, 83 caps)
14 Ange CAPUOZZO (Stade Toulousain, 25 caps)
13 Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 43 caps)
12 Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 25 caps)
11 Simone GESI (Zebre Parma, 2 caps)
10 Paolo GARBISI (Toulon, 44 caps)
9 Martin PAGE-RELO (Lione, 15 caps)
8 Lorenzo CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 25 caps)
7 Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 45 caps) – capitano
6 Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 60 caps)
5 Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 61 caps)
4 Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 49 caps)
3 Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 61 caps)
2 Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Toulon, 30 caps)
1 Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Parma, 49 caps)

Squadra Bomba
16 Giacomo NICOTERA (Stade Francais, 30 caps)
17 Mirco SPAGNOLO (Benetton Rugby, 11 caps)
18 Giosuè ZILOCCHI (Benetton Rugby, 22 caps)
19 Riccardo FAVRETTO (Benetton Rugby, 4 caps)
20 Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 29 caps)
21 Ross VINTCENT (Exeter Chiefs, 11 caps)
22 Alessandro GARBISI (Benetton Rugby, 15 caps)
23 Jacopo TRULLA (Zebre Parma, 13 caps)

50th cap for Fischio and Cannone Sr

[Paddington Bear]

Looking forward to this weekend. England Scotland is a genuine toss up which ought to go to the wire, Wales will come out pumped up against a changed and almost unavoidably complacent Ireland and I think Italy turning over France is heavily heavily underpriced (should have won both of the last two 6N meetings).

[Kawazaki]

Looking forward to this weekend. England Scotland is a genuine toss up which ought to go to the wire, Wales will come out pumped up against a changed and almost unavoidably complacent Ireland and I think Italy turning over France is heavily heavily underpriced (should have won both of the last two 6N meetings).

I'm concerned that a flyhalf with the quality of Finn Russell will manipulate Smith at fullback like he's got him on a piece of string. They know he hasn't got very good range to return kicks either. Then we have the Duhan factor, England don't have anyone in the backs close to him physically, in fact the nearest is probably Ted Hill on the bench! England have to win, it's just inconceivable that Scotland win at Twickenham yet again. But am I confident? Nope.

[Torquemada 1420]

Looking forward to this weekend. England Scotland is a genuine toss up which ought to go to the wire, Wales will come out pumped up against a changed and almost unavoidably complacent Ireland and I think Italy turning over France is heavily heavily underpriced (should have won both of the last two 6N meetings).

After the kicking in the press they've received, French players have no choice but to go out and hammer Italy so zero chance of an upset now.

[fishfoodie]

Under-20 Six Nations

England U20 V Scotland U20, 19:15 ( BBC Red Button )
Wales U20 V Ireland U20, 19:45 (Virgin Media 3 & S4C)

[SaintK]

Looking forward to this weekend. England Scotland is a genuine toss up which ought to go to the wire, Wales will come out pumped up against a changed and almost unavoidably complacent Ireland and I think Italy turning over France is heavily heavily underpriced (should have won both of the last two 6N meetings).

After the kicking in the press they've received, French players have no choice but to go out and hammer Italy so zero chance of an upset now.

Penaud and Jalibert dropped and a 7/1 split on the bench!!!!!

[Marylandolorian]

Looking forward to this weekend. England Scotland is a genuine toss up which ought to go to the wire, Wales will come out pumped up against a changed and almost unavoidably complacent Ireland and I think Italy turning over France is heavily heavily underpriced (should have won both of the last two 6N meetings).

After the kicking in the press they've received, French players have no choice but to go out and hammer Italy so zero chance of an upset now.

Penaud and Jalibert dropped and a 7/1 split on the bench!!!!!

I’m tired of Galthie, 5 years with one of the best generation that France ever had and only 1 Grand slam but hundreds of excuses.

[sockwithaticket]

Inaccurate England, but we do look threatening and have a good scrum.