Terrible lineout for all 6 teams.Slick wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2025 9:16 am 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 TmoSlick wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2025 9:16 am 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.
Kawazaki wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2025 9:44 am Dreadful weather in round 2. I'd prefer the 6Ns starting a few weeks later.
Something we agree on.Well today it's reported that he's waived any payoff anyway...Biffer wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2025 12:31 pm 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.
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.tabascoboy wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2025 2:19 pmWell today it's reported that he's waived any payoff anyway...Biffer wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2025 12:31 pm 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.
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".
Absolutely!!!!Uncle fester wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2025 3:04 pmEnd 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.tabascoboy wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2025 2:19 pmWell today it's reported that he's waived any payoff anyway...Biffer wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2025 12:31 pm 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.
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".
He hit the wall a long time ago. 2019 was his last hurrah.Gumboot wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2025 3:39 am 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.
If the weather had been better, more likely France would not have frozen (ahem) and a different result?Kawazaki wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2025 9:44 am Dreadful weather in round 2. I'd prefer the 6Ns starting a few weeks later.
Howley gone now.Lobby wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2025 10:58 am 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.
That may be but Italy won a game which automatically makes it a vintage 6NSlick wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2025 9:16 am 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.
Same as in Cricket.Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2025 9:13 pm 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.Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2025 9:13 pm English rugby for posh kids:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 6g31qjneeo
Sounds great but there are still questions:Raggs wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2025 9:21 pmThe 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.Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2025 9:13 pm English rugby for posh kids:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 6g31qjneeo
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
https://clubdevelopment.org/clubs-big-survey-results/Ovals wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2025 9:19 pmSame as in Cricket.Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2025 9:13 pm English rugby for posh kids:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 6g31qjneeo
Might be a slight difference in Ireland since many play hurling and gaelic football which have transferable skills?Paddington Bear wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2025 9:36 amhttps://clubdevelopment.org/clubs-big-survey-results/Ovals wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2025 9:19 pmSame as in Cricket.Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2025 9:13 pm English rugby for posh kids:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 6g31qjneeo
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).
My understanding is that at least traditionally there has been limited GAA/rugby crossover.Torquemada 1420 wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2025 12:24 pmMight be a slight difference in Ireland since many play hurling and gaelic football which have transferable skills?Paddington Bear wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2025 9:36 amhttps://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).
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 rugbyPaddington Bear wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2025 3:55 pmMy understanding is that at least traditionally there has been limited GAA/rugby crossover.Torquemada 1420 wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2025 12:24 pmMight be a slight difference in Ireland since many play hurling and gaelic football which have transferable skills?Paddington Bear wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2025 9:36 am
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).
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
Just a one score victory this time then? I can live with that.Slick wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 10:58 am 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 trySlick wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 10:58 am 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.
I say well done to him for scoring a try against Ireland after I slagged him off earlier in the comp.Biffer wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 12:33 pm2022 VdM scored one trySlick wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 10:58 am 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.
2023 VdM scored two tries
2024 VdM scored three tries
He'll score four this year. It's just maths.
Looks pornoUncle fester wrote: Thu Feb 20, 2025 11:38 pm IMG-20250220-WA0002.jpg
Hopefully Mack will behave himself between now and KO.
What’s wrong with Keenan?Uncle fester wrote: Thu Feb 20, 2025 11:38 pm IMG-20250220-WA0002.jpg
Hopefully Mack will behave himself between now and KO.
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 wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2025 10:15 amWhat’s wrong with Keenan?Uncle fester wrote: Thu Feb 20, 2025 11:38 pm IMG-20250220-WA0002.jpg
Hopefully Mack will behave himself between now and KO.
ThanksUncle fester wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2025 1:02 pmNo 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 wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2025 10:15 amWhat’s wrong with Keenan?Uncle fester wrote: Thu Feb 20, 2025 11:38 pm IMG-20250220-WA0002.jpg
Hopefully Mack will behave himself between now and KO.
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)Paddington Bear wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2025 5:37 pm 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.Paddington Bear wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2025 5:37 pm 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).
Penaud and Jalibert dropped and a 7/1 split on the bench!!!!!Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2025 7:12 pmAfter 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.Paddington Bear wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2025 5:37 pm 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 tired of Galthie, 5 years with one of the best generation that France ever had and only 1 Grand slam but hundreds of excuses.SaintK wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2025 7:19 pmPenaud and Jalibert dropped and a 7/1 split on the bench!!!!!Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2025 7:12 pmAfter 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.Paddington Bear wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2025 5:37 pm 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).