NPR

Really is a fantastic thing to look forward to at the bleakest time of year. Could well be the last one on terrestrial so I say enjoy the hype whilst it lasts - getting blank looks off people when mentioning Ben Stokes and Joe Root is fairly depressing and that’s the future of international rugby in Britain at least if we go down this path.


An exceptionally hard comp to call. France I think are clearly the best team but hardly infallible, Ireland in transition and deeply unimpressive in the autumn. Scotland clearly have the makings of a serious team, I want to make a big deal of having lived through at least 15 ‘it’s Scotland’s year’ discussions now but that’s easier to do if we could actually beat them. Shit or get off the pot time for them. England? Plenty of reasons to be optimistic, plenty to be pessimistic. Only a GS or a wooden spoon would shock me, everything else seems plausible.

Italy should have won 3 and perhaps 4 games last year, them being competitive will still unforgivably shock pundits and some players. Wales are making up the numbers

Penaud out of the France/Wales match.
Furlong to miss the first two Ireland matches.

SaintK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 10:35 am Penaud out of the France/Wales match.
Furlong to miss the first two Ireland matches.

Penaud, Bielle-Barrey, Fickou, Jelonch, Tatafu, Flament & Ollivon so far!

Ollivon is gone for the season and, maybe, for good.
Fickou was finished as an attacking threat before the RWC and so time to move on.
Jelonch is overrated IMHO so not bothered.
Losing both wings is a pain in the *rse but should be irrelevant against Wales. Could play Atonio there and still beat them.
Tatafu leaves Fra light on stocks.
Flament needs to be back asap.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 12:05 pm

SaintK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 10:35 am Penaud out of the France/Wales match.
Furlong to miss the first two Ireland matches.

Penaud, Bielle-Barrey, Fickou, Jelonch, Tatafu, Flament & Ollivon so far!

Ollivon is gone for the season and, maybe, for good.
Fickou was finished as an attacking threat before the RWC and so time to move on.
Jelonch is overrated IMHO so not bothered.
Losing both wings is a pain in the *rse but should be irrelevant against Wales. Could play Atonio there and still beat them.
Tatafu leaves Fra light on stocks.
Flament needs to be back asap.

Lol it's only Wales ffs

The addition of the Springboks to this competition is much anticipated.

So from next season the 6N will disappear behind a pay wall.
Ruck.co.uk reporting that TNT have outbid BBC/ITV by £10m

Banned words for this 6N:

Springboks
Arrogant
Poach

Paddington Bear wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:30 pm Banned words for this 6N:

Springboks
Arrogant
Poach

C69 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 12:15 pm

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 12:05 pm

SaintK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 10:35 am Penaud out of the France/Wales match.
Furlong to miss the first two Ireland matches.

Penaud, Bielle-Barrey, Fickou, Jelonch, Tatafu, Flament & Ollivon so far!

Ollivon is gone for the season and, maybe, for good.
Fickou was finished as an attacking threat before the RWC and so time to move on.
Jelonch is overrated IMHO so not bothered.
Losing both wings is a pain in the *rse but should be irrelevant against Wales. Could play Atonio there and still beat them.
Tatafu leaves Fra light on stocks.
Flament needs to be back asap.

Lol it's only Wales ffs

Chilli2 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:09 pm The addition of the Springboks to this competition is much anticipated.

I made the mistake of going onto a 6N post on social media at the weekend, obviously promoting the 6N. It was about 75% Saffers being obnoxious.

So, no thanks. Again.

Paddington Bear wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:30 pm Banned words for this 6N:

Springboks
Arrogant
Poach

Can definitely get behind most of them.

SaintK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:30 pm So from next season the 6N will disappear behind a pay wall.
Ruck.co.uk reporting that TNT have outbid BBC/ITV by £10m

They wouldn't do that.

Would they?

Slick wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:23 pm

SaintK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:30 pm So from next season the 6N will disappear behind a pay wall.
Ruck.co.uk reporting that TNT have outbid BBC/ITV by £10m

They wouldn't do that.

Would they?

Of course they would. Money talks!

RugbyPass say that they have bid £100 million, which is £10 million more than the BBC and ITV paid to broadcast the competition from 2022-2025.
The Six Nations is not part of the UK’s ‘listed events’, which must be shown for free.
However, it is part of a second group which allows for the sport to be behind a paywall as long as highlights are shown on a free-to-air channel.
It is unclear as of yet whether the news will affect RTÉ and Virgin Media’s coverage in Ireland.

SaintK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:27 pm

Slick wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:23 pm

SaintK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:30 pm So from next season the 6N will disappear behind a pay wall.
Ruck.co.uk reporting that TNT have outbid BBC/ITV by £10m

They wouldn't do that.

Would they?

Of course they would. Money talks!

RugbyPass say that they have bid £100 million, which is £10 million more than the BBC and ITV paid to broadcast the competition from 2022-2025.
The Six Nations is not part of the UK’s ‘listed events’, which must be shown for free.
However, it is part of a second group which allows for the sport to be behind a paywall as long as highlights are shown on a free-to-air channel.
It is unclear as of yet whether the news will affect RTÉ and Virgin Media’s coverage in Ireland.

Does that mean it's a done deal or just TNT manoeuvring.

Slick wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:30 pm

SaintK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:27 pm

Slick wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:23 pm

They wouldn't do that.

Would they?

Of course they would. Money talks!

RugbyPass say that they have bid £100 million, which is £10 million more than the BBC and ITV paid to broadcast the competition from 2022-2025.
The Six Nations is not part of the UK’s ‘listed events’, which must be shown for free.
However, it is part of a second group which allows for the sport to be behind a paywall as long as highlights are shown on a free-to-air channel.
It is unclear as of yet whether the news will affect RTÉ and Virgin Media’s coverage in Ireland.

Does that mean it's a done deal or just TNT manoeuvring.

No one confirming it yet. But the BBC have said they can't spend anymore than the current deal. TNT appear to have unlimited budget as part of Warner Brothers/Discovery Channel

Slick wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:22 pm

Chilli2 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:09 pm The addition of the Springboks to this competition is much anticipated.

I made the mistake of going onto a 6N post on social media at the weekend, obviously promoting the 6N. It was about 75% Saffers being obnoxious.

So, no thanks. Again.

Yeah. It's quite incredible. There was a thread on Facebook about Mapimpi's alleged eye gouge and it's appalling.

A bewildering amalgam of self pity crossed with swaggering around saying how fkn hard they all are. Weirdos.

Are we doing the U20s in here or having a separate thread?

Bad news for Wales. B-B has recovered from his ear infection.

SaintK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:36 pm

Slick wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:30 pm

SaintK wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:27 pm
Of course they would. Money talks!

Does that mean it's a done deal or just TNT manoeuvring.

No one confirming it yet. But the BBC have said they can't spend anymore than the current deal. TNT appear to have unlimited budget as part of Warner Brothers/Discovery Channel

I think it's slightly worse than that - with the BBC suggesting they couldn't afford to renew at the same price as last time - so it's paywall or a significant drop in revenue !

Next year The Springboks will be full partners.

OomStruisbaai wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 12:47 am Next year The Springboks will be full partners.

I'm sure that all rugby supporters are looking forward to this.

It has taken some time, but even the sceptics on this forum seem to be warming to the idea.

So RugbyPass have pulled the story as it is, and put up a vague "rights are up" instead after TNT made a statement?

OomStruisbaai wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 12:47 am Next year The Springboks will be full partners.

Not in the 6 Nations old bean.

TheNatalShark wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:03 am So RugbyPass have pulled the story as it is, and put up a vague "rights are up" instead after TNT made a statement?

Hmm. I reckon it will still end up behind a paywall.

TheNatalShark wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:03 am So RugbyPass have pulled the story as it is, and put up a vague "rights are up" instead after TNT made a statement?

Given the general competence of rugby administrators, the 6N will probably reject TNT's offer, and then have to settle for a deal with Premier Sports for half of what TNT were offering, just like EPCR did with the European championship.

SaintK wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:46 am

TheNatalShark wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:03 am So RugbyPass have pulled the story as it is, and put up a vague "rights are up" instead after TNT made a statement?

Hmm. I reckon it will still end up behind a paywall.

I have a suspicion this has been leaked by someone who wants some outrage generated to help keep it on terrestrial

Paddington Bear wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 10:24 am

SaintK wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:46 am

TheNatalShark wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:03 am So RugbyPass have pulled the story as it is, and put up a vague "rights are up" instead after TNT made a statement?

Hmm. I reckon it will still end up behind a paywall.

I have a suspicion this has been leaked by someone who wants some outrage generated to help keep it on terrestrial

Hope so!!!!

Paddington Bear wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 10:24 am

SaintK wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:46 am

TheNatalShark wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:03 am So RugbyPass have pulled the story as it is, and put up a vague "rights are up" instead after TNT made a statement?

Hmm. I reckon it will still end up behind a paywall.

I have a suspicion this has been leaked by someone who wants some outrage generated to help keep it on terrestrial

It worked over here

Slick wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 11:02 am

Paddington Bear wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 10:24 am

SaintK wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:46 am
Hmm. I reckon it will still end up behind a paywall.

I have a suspicion this has been leaked by someone who wants some outrage generated to help keep it on terrestrial

It worked over here

TNT can go fuck themselves, the heartless bastards.


My Discovery + that I use to watch cycling is set to go from £7 p/m to £31 p/m thanks to the fucks. I get football, cricket, Gallagher Prem and tennis in return. I have zero interest in all of the above, but can no longer watch sporting events that I do like at a reasonable price.

Jim Lahey wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:27 pm TNT can go fuck themselves, the heartless bastards.


My Discovery + that I use to watch cycling is set to go from £7 p/m to £31 p/m thanks to the fucks. I get football, cricket, Gallagher Prem and tennis in return. I have zero interest in all of the above, but can no longer watch sporting events that I do like at a reasonable price.

I’ve friends that got IPTV and are very happy with it

SaintK wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:45 am

OomStruisbaai wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 12:47 am Next year The Springboks will be full partners.

Not in the 6 Nations old bean.

Not yet.
Our foot is in the door though

sockwithaticket wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 2:18 pm

Poms are always partial to a good Curry or two.

Chilli2 wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 5:42 pm

SaintK wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:45 am

OomStruisbaai wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 12:47 am Next year The Springboks will be full partners.

Not in the 6 Nations old bean.

Not yet.
Our foot is in the door though

Can we not pollute the tournament thread with these crap wind up attempts?

If you really must, just bump the existing thread.

viewtopic.php?t=481&start=320

Slick wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:22 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:30 pm Banned words for this 6N:

Springboks
Arrogant
Poach

Can definitely get behind most of them.

Well yeah, that reads like a Scotland team sheet

JM2K6 wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 11:41 pm

Slick wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:22 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:30 pm Banned words for this 6N:

Springboks
Arrogant
Poach

Can definitely get behind most of them.

Well yeah, that reads like a Scotland team sheet

<insert joke about England's Nigerian captain here>.

JM2K6 wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 11:41 pm

Slick wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:22 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 3:30 pm Banned words for this 6N:

Springboks
Arrogant
Poach

Can definitely get behind most of them.

Well yeah, that reads like a Scotland team sheet

clydecloggie wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2025 8:10 am

JM2K6 wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 11:41 pm

Slick wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:22 pm

Can definitely get behind most of them.

Well yeah, that reads like a Scotland team sheet

<insert joke about England's Nigerian captain here>.

Shows how well we're doing on that front if someone would have to resort to claiming a lad born in Camden and who's lived in England his whole life is in any way a poach.