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6N 2016 - build-up thread

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    #272
    Faugheen
    Site Banned Posts: 12,341 ✭✭✭✭Faugheen


    Sorry if this has been discussed already, but surely England appointing Dylan Hartley as captain has to be one of the worst decisions in the history of rugby?


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    #273
    turnikett1
    Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭turnikett1


    Faugheen wrote: »
    Sorry if this has been discussed already, but surely England appointing Dylan Hartley as captain has to be one of the worst decisions in the history of rugby?

    There was no way in hell Robshaw could stay, obviously, so a decision had to be made... But with regards to who, I haven't seen enough English club rugby to really determine who'd be a good captain. I do think Hartley is a knob though!

    If Ireland won a slam, I think it would make up for the WC disappointment. Or even just won haha! I've seen a lot of expert opinions (BBC) who for the most part rate Ireland as 3rd, though there was a few who put us at 4th and even 5th. I don't think it's going to get that bad - I'd say 3rd is a good bet - but is it just me or does anyone else find the BBC really underestimate Ireland at times?

    I even remember one time in an Ireland vs England preview, can't remember the exact pundits, for every British pundit that came up it would show "won X amount of times against Ireland", and when the Irish pundit came up it said "lost X amount of times against England"... the cheek!


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    #274
    CMOTDibbler
    Registered Users Posts: 7,415 ✭✭✭CMOTDibbler


    Faugheen wrote: »
    Sorry if this has been discussed already, but surely England appointing Dylan Hartley as captain has to be one of the worst decisions in the history of rugby?
    He's Northampton captain, so it's not completely out of the blue. The only real issue is how he'll manage with refs who, let's face it would have a certain view of Hartley.

    It will certainly stretch their professionalism to breaking point. :D


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    #275
    irishbucsfan
    Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    CMOTDibbler wrote: »
    He's Northampton captain

    He was Northampton captain, not any more


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    #276
    CMOTDibbler
    Registered Users Posts: 7,415 ✭✭✭CMOTDibbler


    irishbucsfan wrote: »
    He was Northampton captain, not any more
    I'll amend that to "He has previous" shall I? :D


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    #277
    The Rape of Lucretia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭The Rape of Lucretia


    CMOTDibbler wrote: »
    I'll amend that to "He has previous" shall I? :D

    He is a hot headed thug that has an weakness that makes him a potential liability to his team - the other end of the spectrum to what one looks for in a captain, spokesman, leader of his team, and cool head under the pressure of top level sport.


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    #278
    LorMal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,372 ✭✭✭LorMal


    The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »
    He is a hot headed thug that has an weakness that makes him a potential liability to his team - the other end of the spectrum to what one looks for in a captain, spokesman, leader of his team, and cool head under the pressure of top level sport.

    From what little I have read, th Northampton guys love him - he is their de facto leader and they would walk through walls for him.
    Remember England with Martin Johnson as captain?


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    #279
    Faugheen
    Site Banned Posts: 12,341 ✭✭✭✭Faugheen


    LorMal wrote: »
    From what little I have read, th Northampton guys love him - he is their de facto leader and they would walk through walls for him.
    Remember England with Martin Johnson as captain?

    Johnson had the trophies to back it all up though. Hartley has 1 Premiership title and 1 6 Nations in an 11 year career. He got sent off for calling Wayne Barnes a 'f*cking cheat' in another Premiership final and with all the mouthing off he was doing in the first half, you can be damn sure he was a central point of Johnny Sexton's half time speech at the Heineken Cup final in 2011.

    He's a great player when he's behaving himself, but he's missed 2 world cups and a Lions tour because of his ill-discipline which has included eye-gouging (twice), biting and calling refs cheats.

    Total liability as a captain. The fact England have hired 3 vice-captains shows Jones is expecting the inevitable


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    #280
    CMOTDibbler
    Registered Users Posts: 7,415 ✭✭✭CMOTDibbler


    LorMal wrote: »
    From what little I have read, th Northampton guys love him - he is their de facto leader and they would walk through walls for him.
    Remember England with Martin Johnson as captain?
    Yep, I've heard that said. Most people who know him say he's a completely different guy off the pitch.


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    #281
    The Rape of Lucretia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭The Rape of Lucretia


    CMOTDibbler wrote: »
    Yep, I've heard that said. Most people who know him say he's a completely different guy off the pitch.

    Unfortunately for him, most rugby matches are played on a pitch though.


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    #282
    CMOTDibbler
    Registered Users Posts: 7,415 ✭✭✭CMOTDibbler


    The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »
    Unfortunately for him, most rugby matches are played on a pitch though.
    :D

    Hopefully he won't have copped a ban before we get to play them so that he can get a yellow or two in our match. ;)


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    #283
    Pink Fairy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,666 ✭✭✭Pink Fairy


    Actually think Hartley will be a huge & positive influence on England this 6N starting with today's game


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    #284
    CMOTDibbler
    Registered Users Posts: 7,415 ✭✭✭CMOTDibbler


    Pink Fairy wrote: »
    Actually think Hartley will be a huge & positive influence on England this 6N starting with today's game
    And thusly the mocker god's wrath was invoked... :D


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    #285
    Buer
    Registered Users Posts: 24,183 ✭✭✭✭Buer


    If Hartley gets his discipline under control (which I don't think will ever happen long term with consistency), he's well placed to be the best hooker in the 6N.

    He's a complete liability on the field due to his mental issues, though. It's a shame as he is a class act when he's on form.


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    #286
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,926 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    I think the general opinion was Robshaw was too "nice" to be a captain and they were looking for someone with a bit more bite to them. Problem being, when you look at their squad, there really aren't that many options. Launchbury, maybe in the future.


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    #287
    CMOTDibbler
    Registered Users Posts: 7,415 ✭✭✭CMOTDibbler


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    I think the general opinion was Robshaw was too "nice" to be a captain and they were looking for someone with a bit more bite to them. Problem being, when you look at their squad, there really aren't that many options. Launchbury, maybe in the future.
    Well you can't get much more bite than Dylan Hartley. Ask Stephen Ferris ;)


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    #288
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,926 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Is there a match thread for France v Italy?


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    #289
    wp_rathead
    Registered Users Posts: 10,067 ✭✭✭✭wp_rathead


    "First shots to be fired in Paris"
    Jesus wept Daire!


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    #290
    aimee1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,290 ✭✭✭aimee1


    only 60000 at it, top tier empty on one side. is there a reason for this does anyone know


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    #291
    Pudsy33
    Registered Users Posts: 10,730 ✭✭✭✭Pudsy33


    I set up a match thread folks


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    #292
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,926 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    aimee1 wrote: »
    only 60000 at it, top tier empty on one side. is there a reason for this does anyone know

    Probably what happened in November.


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    #293
    The Rape of Lucretia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭The Rape of Lucretia


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    Probably what happened in November.

    I dont think so. FFR was trying to flog discounted tickets to the game last week. Just not enough interest to fill it maybe.


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    #294
    LorMal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,372 ✭✭✭LorMal


    CMOTDibbler wrote: »
    Yep, I've heard that said. Most people who know him say he's a completely different guy off the pitch.

    I think it's his level of self confidence / arrogance that England need. I don't like him, but that's not going to worry him.
    England tend to thrive on being the team everyone loves to hate.


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    #295
    Cheese Wagstaff
    Registered Users Posts: 677 ✭✭✭Cheese Wagstaff


    I think Scotland will arrive this season. Cotter is a top class coach, and they've been building nicely. I'm interested to see what they can do and would not be surprised if they won this evening.


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    #296
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,926 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Match thread for Scotland v England http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=98632346#post98632346


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    #297
    thomond2006
    Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Louis Picamoles has been ruled out of the Ireland match.


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    #298
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    France and Italy entertaining but disorganised and poor.

    Scotland good for 40 minutes but just don't have the pack and their handling skills really let them down.

    England look good, basically resemble 2012 / 2013 England. Powerful and direct and looked a little less glittery than they have this last year.

    Tomorrow I think decides potentially 1st and 3rd because England won't be lower than 2nd.


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    #299
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Pretty poor quality start to this year's 6 nations.

    The RTE coverage is pretty boring. I even miss George Hook a little bit.


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    #300
    English Lurker
    Registered Users Posts: 609 ✭✭✭English Lurker


    Buer wrote: »
    If Hartley gets his discipline under control (which I don't think will ever happen long term with consistency), he's well placed to be the best hooker in the 6N.

    He's a complete liability on the field due to his mental issues, though. It's a shame as he is a class act when he's on form.

    See, I disagree with this. Pretty strongly. Strongly enough that I always bite when it comes up. Not even the best hooker at his club. And that's my main issue with his captaining. Better players left out as a result.

    That he's a time bomb is a pretty major issue as well in fairness, a far bigger one than the likes of Johnson ever were, but it's not the only issue.


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    #301
    vienne86
    Registered Users Posts: 17,074 ✭✭✭✭vienne86


    CMOTDibbler wrote: »
    Yep, I've heard that said. Most people who know him say he's a completely different guy off the pitch.

    Someone on boards posted a lovely pic of him after the Leinster v Nothampton match in the Aviva, chatting to a young fella in a wheelchair. Apparently he spent ages chatting to kids at the Havelock Square end after that match - he gave his boots to the guy in the photo. Seemingly he does lots of work with kids. Fair play to him.

    On the pitch, I dislike the guy intensely.


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