6 Nations Rugby Tournament

Started by JudgeDredd, February 06, 2015, 02:11:37 PM

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JudgeDredd

Not quite as big as the Premier League or the NFL or AFL - but definitely full of superb rugby.

I've been watching this tournament since it was the 5 Nations (no Italy) back in the mid 90's.

These are the fixtures...all times GMT

06/02 20:05 Wales v England
07/02 14:30 Italy v Ireland
07/02 17:00 France v Scotland

14/02 14:30 England v Italy
14/02 17:00 Ireland v France
15/02 15:00 Scotland v Wales

28/02 14:30 Scotland v Italy
28/02 17:00 France v Wales
01/03 15:00 Ireland v England

14/03 14:30 Wales v Ireland
14/03 17:00 England v Scotland
15/03 15:00 Italy v France

21/03 12:30 Italy v Wales
21/03 14:30 Scotland v Ireland
21/03 17:00 England v France

It's a superb tournament, all broadcast live in terrestrial TV (BBC 1).

Order of the table at the end....I'm going for
Wales
Ireland
England
Scotland
France
Italy

France and Scotland may swap - my patriotism may be showing through there.

Good luck to all.
Alba gu' brath

undercovergeek


JudgeDredd

it's close.

I meant to urge or US friends to watch it. it's not far off American Football and is truly a superb tournament
Alba gu' brath

undercovergeek

Quote from: JudgeDredd on February 06, 2015, 03:56:48 PM
it's close.

I meant to urge or US friends to watch it. it's not far off American Football and is truly a superb tournament

I admire your noble cause

I fear there may not be enough body armour, helmets and eye makeup for the colonials

JudgeDredd

Alba gu' brath

bayonetbrant

Quote from: undercovergeek on February 06, 2015, 03:59:27 PMI fear there may not be enough body armour, helmets and eye makeup for the colonials

some of us are watching soccer instead :)
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

JudgeDredd

it might be apparent to our US pals that we don't switch TEAMS out...only players. so most players will play 80 minutes :-)
Alba gu' brath

undercovergeek

Quote from: bayonetbrant on February 06, 2015, 04:33:13 PM
Quote from: undercovergeek on February 06, 2015, 03:59:27 PMI fear there may not be enough body armour, helmets and eye makeup for the colonials

some of us are watching soccer instead :)

im right with you there - JD is the rugby man

JudgeDredd

Superb win by England. A tough place to play and it was even stevens at half time, but England came out to kick arse and they pegged the Welsh back.

Well done. Great game and superb first strike by England!
Alba gu' brath

JudgeDredd

Really? No rugby fans? It's a SUPERB game! AND - there's no animosity between supporters. Rugby fans will be mixed. No segregation. Football? Yeah - fight, scum, twats....not everyone, butit takes the shine off the game.

There was a time when soccer allowed fans to mix...but not now. They are too angry. Thankfully, rugby has avoided that to date.
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Silent Disapproval Robot

I love (well loved, knees won't take it any more) to play rugby but watching it is dull.  Especially since the dominant tactic these days seems to be endless kicking into touch for line outs and just hoping for a defensive breakdown.  If not, kick to touch again.  It's boring.

And shouldn't it be 4 nations rugby?  France, Italy, Ireland, and the U.K.? 

undercovergeek

england, ireland, scotland, wales

france

italy

and within there is the triple crown for the home nations, and the calcutta cup for england v scotland which is like wolves v sheep to be honest  ;D ^-^

JudgeDredd

Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 06, 2015, 06:29:46 PM
I love (well loved, knees won't take it any more) to play rugby but watching it is dull.  Especially since the dominant tactic these days seems to be endless kicking into touch for line outs and just hoping for a defensive breakdown.  If not, kick to touch again.  It's boring.

And shouldn't it be 4 nations rugby?  France, Italy, Ireland, and the U.K.?
I smell wind up (with the UK statement!)  ;D

I will give you rugby used to be about kicking but not so much now. As you played it you must understand it.

As rugby doesn't swap it's team in and out they are at it for 90 minutes. The kicking is about gaining territory to relieve the pressure on the forwards. Without the kicking, the forwards would be knackered in 15 minutes!

Kicking did take over for a while, but a tweak in the rules meant it's not so prominent now. Yeah, they still do but more often than not it's an "up and under"...and watching those guys jump up for it whilst running at 10mph knowing full well there's another guy going to challenge for it - and with no body armour...just jumping up and hoping they either get it or don't break their back.

Rugby has got a lot more open play in it now. The forwards batter their way up, protecting the ball when the backs get tackled in the hope of creating a hole for a back to run through.

It's incredibly tactical now. And I would think anything tactical would be right up this boards members street.

Last night was a case in point. England's forwards totally dominated the Welsh in scrum, breakdown, ruck and lineout drive...but it wasn't only that dominance that won the game - it was a combination of the lot. England were far superior last night in the second half in all aspects.
Alba gu' brath

Silent Disapproval Robot

I'm not talking about "up and under" punts or grubbers.  I'm talking about the constant little weenies in the back (I played tight-head prop) forever kicking the ball into touch.  The game's devolved into 10 minutes of actual running play, scrums, and mauls and 80 minutes of kicking into touch along the sidelines followed by a line out, a kick into the defender's territory, and another kick into touch.  It's boring!

(And you lost the vote so be quiet and go put on your white St. George jersey with the luverly flower on it and wave the Union jack around proudly you dirty porridge wog.  I can say that.  Many of my friends and ancestors are dirty porridge wogs.)

JudgeDredd

Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 07, 2015, 04:26:54 AM
I'm not talking about "up and under" punts or grubbers.  I'm talking about the constant little weenies in the back (I played tight-head prop) forever kicking the ball into touch.  The game's devolved into 10 minutes of actual running play, scrums, and mauls and 80 minutes of kicking into touch along the sidelines followed by a line out, a kick into the defender's territory, and another kick into touch.  It's boring!

(And you lost the vote so be quiet and go put on your white St. George jersey with the luverly flower on it and wave the Union jack around proudly you dirty porridge wog.  I can say that.  Many of my friends and ancestors are dirty porridge wogs.)
lol  O0

I have to disagree about the kicking. It's not nearly as prevalent as it was a few years ago. They do it definitely, but either through bad choice, lack of options or simply to break the battering their forwards are getting. It's a "reliever".

They used to be able to kick into touch wherever they were on the field - and kicking was ALOT of the game then. But now (and for quite a few years now), they can't kick out on the full...meaning if they are outside their 22, the kick to touch is often going to go to the opposition.

It's not used nearly as much as it was...and I do acknowledge it was. It was like tennis with a rugby ball at one point.

But as you were a forward, you must understand the importance of some of those kicks. Even the ones giving it to the opposition have a place from time to time...just to give you lot (forwards) a break.

Anyway - last nights game was a prime example of a superb example of great rugby.

Well done England  :knuppel2:
Alba gu' brath