Six Nations 2012

[cdbearsfan]

What do people reckon?

I know sod all about it but I reckon the French will win, not a Grand Slam though.

Any thought from people who actually understand rugby?

[Dave Cooper please]

Meh.

[PaulWinch again]

I think Wales are probably favourites, then the French. There's England who are complete unknown quantity(I hope we're free flowing and exciting!). Scotland will be tough, Ireland experienced and Italy who knows. I'm looking forward to it.

[nigel]

Great game.
Rules can be confusing for people who know, let alone those who don't 
England have a new head coach and has made some really possitive changes. 3 new caps and several others with only a few full caps, so it's quite an interesting line up. Young and hungry springs to mind.
Maybe Villa should try it?
In fairness Wales are the team to beat, they started a couple of years ago so their team has had time to gel.
France will be France, either brilliant or rubbish (Hope it's the later vrs England)
Scotland and Italy are always difficult games on their home turf.
Ireland seem to be getting on now (don't know if they've had big changes like England) but are capable of beating anyone on their day.

[paul_e]

I think this will be the closest 6N for a long time, wales and france are slightly ahead, then england and ireland are a bit unknown (ireland are experienced but aging, england are a very young and inexperienced squad) and then scotland and italy are a little weaker but all the teams are capable of beating each other this year.  England have the advantage of scotland and italy first 2 games to get used to playing together, one of the other first and I'd have written us off for the year.

In general the standard of northern hemisphere rugby is improving massively with the improved academy structures and better quality coaching the gap between north and south has closed massively, I think by the next world cup people will genuinely be looking at 1 from 7-8 to win it.

[N'Rexy]

Loving the scots so far.

[taylorsworkrate]

Predictably shit game so far.

[WarleyWonder]

Come on Ireland when you kick off tomorrow against the Welsh

[cdbearsfan]

Why does the referee keep stopping the game? I understand the knock-on rule but he seems to stop it everytime somebody runs into/past/near another player or doesn't run or thinks about running or whispers to a team-mate that he is considering running. Or standing still. Or having a bit of a lie on the floor. Don't think I'll ever understand this sport.

[WarleyWonder]

I will submit the rules of the beautiful game of Rugby later on for the people that aren't too sure of the rules ! It doesn't make much sense I must admit if you are not a rugby convert.

[TheSandman]

I like the look of this Denton guy. He's been ace.

[cdbearsfan]

Another random stoppage from Mr Pointyhands.

[PaulWinch again]

Happy enough with that, we weren't great but got the job done.

[Rich6by7]

New manager comes in and sorts the defence out.

Not a bad idea, that. Perhaps people in other sports could take note.

Nail-biter of a match, great result for England. I'm really looking forward to the Ireland v Wales match tomorrow, it's usually a belter and I don't care who wins.

EDIT- to be fair, a better side than Scotland would have beaten us, but it was good to not concede daft penalties for the entire match.

[PaulWinch again]

Our attacking needs work, but that'll come and the move that lead to the cross kick for Strettle was very good. The most impressive change was the lack of penalties we conceded, under the old regime we would have conceded about 15-20 the discipline was much better in this game.