6 Nations 2019 Build Up thread

thomond2006

Huw Jones has a knee ligament injury too. Poor Scotland. Injuries have ruined them.

irelandrover

Eod100 wrote: »

Guess it's fairly safe to say they will get 5 points vs Italy so yeah will finish on 14/15 after Wales match, then 19/20 before Scotland game.

Surely on course for a GS way they're playing too? Bar an upset from the Scots or Welsh.

Would Wales beating England really be an upset?

They are on a fanatstic run themselves and are at home. For me Wales would be favourites for the game.

troyzer

irelandrover wrote: »

Would Wales beating England really be an upset?

They are on a fanatstic run themselves and are at home. For me Wales would be favourites for the game.

Wales haven't really had a convincing win in a while.

razorblunt

thomond2006 wrote: »

Huw Jones has a knee ligament injury too. Poor Scotland. Injuries have ruined them.

Jones has been poor enough though. Might be a blessing in disguise.
Not sure who's next in line with Scott following HIA, Chris Dean perhaps?

sydthebeat

troyzer wrote: »

Wales haven't really had a convincing win in a while.

they beat australia and south africa less than 3 months ago.

troyzer

sydthebeat wrote: »

they beat australia and south africa less than 3 months ago.

They barely beat Australia who are ****e.

South Africa is probably the only team worth mentioning but they were missing their best player and several others were left out of the starting XV. They were rotating quite a bit.

Burkie1203

sydthebeat wrote: »

they beat australia and south africa less than 3 months ago.

They relied on France beating France to actually beat France.

England demolished France

England by 12

sydthebeat

troyzer wrote: »

They barely beat Australia who are ****e.

South Africa is probably the only team worth mentioning but they were missing their best player and several others were left out of the starting XV. They were rotating quite a bit.

dont know why your trying to make excuses.

Wales are ranked 4th in the world, less than half a point behind England and are on an 11 game unbeaten streak.

if they beat them it absolutely will not be an upset, which is the point being argued.

sydthebeat

Burkie1203 wrote: »

They relied on France beating France to actually beat France.

England demolished France

England by 12

ill take wales +12 then.....

want to make a charity bet on this?

Exclamation Marc

England have had two phenomenonally good games but if they were upended by a team ranked one place below them who are on an 11 game winning streak and playing at home, it would be far from an upset.

troyzer

sydthebeat wrote: »

dont know why your trying to make excuses.

Wales are ranked 4th in the world, less than half a point behind England and are on an 11 game unbeaten streak.

if they beat them it absolutely will not be an upset, which is the point being argued.

I'm not trying to make excuses. I said they haven't had a convincing win and I stand by that. South Africa weren't at full strength and it took a last minute Bigga penalty for Wales to beat a very, very, historically poor Australian team. At home.

In addition to these, the 11 game win streak has included the following:

Italy, France (by 1 point), an experimental South African team in America (and needed a 74th minute try to do so), Argentina, Scotland (missing their overseas players), the two games already mentioned, Tonga, France again (who beat themselves) and a hairy game against a poor Italy.

They haven't really been tested over those 11 tests by a top side like England, Ireland, New Zealand or a full strength South African team.

sydthebeat

"not trying to make excuses".... followed by a post full of excuses?

It wouldnt be an upset if wales beat England at the millenium.
Yes, of course england are deserved favourites on current form, but no better guy than gatland to find holes in their systems.
Coupled with England loosing players while wales are back gaining first teamers.

the bookies have only got 3 points between them currently... so if you fancy england that strongly youd get great odds.

troyzer

sydthebeat wrote: »

"not trying to make excuses".... followed by a post full of excuses?

It wouldnt be an upset if wales beat England at the millenium.
Yes, of course england are deserved favourites on current form, but no better guy than gatland to find holes in their systems.
Coupled with England loosing players while wales are back gaining first teamers.

the bookies have only got 3 points between them currently... so if you fancy england that strongly youd get great odds.

My statement was that I don't think they've had a convincing win. You called bull****.

I gave you my reasons for why I don't think any of their wins are convincing.

It would be an upset if Wales beat them but I don't think it's impossible. England are the deserved favourites and I don't think Wales recent track record shows how good or bad they are either way. They've had a LOT of soft games compared to the other top nations and still have a lot of question marks all over the pitch.

Yeah_Right

Anjobe wrote: »

Ever heard of magnanimity and sportsmanship?

To quote Richard Loe, "there's a place for sportsmanship in the game. When you're 40 points up and there's 5 minutes left".

sydthebeat

troyzer wrote: »

I gave you my reasons for why I don't think any of their wins are convincing.
.

to be honest ive no interest in arguing over subjective options as to what you think is convincing or not. im sure lots of wales fans were delighted with that horrible 9 -6 win over australia ... given their previous long run of games between them

the point i was picking up on was the poster who questioned if wales beating england would be an upset... and in my option theres not that much between them for it to be considered an upset.

aloooof

troyzer wrote: »

It would be an upset if Wales beat them but I don't think it's impossible. England are the deserved favourites and I don't think Wales recent track record shows how good or bad they are either way.

I think it just comes down to your definition of an upset. Personally, I don't see a narrow favourite beating a rival as an upset. To me, an upset is more akin to, say, if Italy beat England. Or even Scotland beating them in Twickenham, given the history.

Anjobe

Yeah_Right wrote: »

To quote Richard Loe, "there's a place for sportsmanship in the game. When you're 40 points up and there's 5 minutes left".

After you've actually won the game is an even stronger position isn't it?

jr86

If I'm not mistaken Wales's only home loss in the 6 nations this side of the last World Cup was against England in 2017 where they were much the better side and pretty much threw it away

Very hard one to call for me. Wales always raise their game in Cardiff. I could well see them sneaking this

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/SDM_Robertson/status/1096012562527895552?s=19

molloyjh

jr86 wrote: »

If I'm not mistaken Wales's only home loss in the 6 nations this side of the last World Cup was against England in 2017 where they were much the better side and pretty much threw it away

Very hard one to call for me. Wales always raise their game in Cardiff. I could well see them sneaking this

That was also the only time they’ve played England in Cardiff since the last RWC. England have won their last 2 games in Cardiff and have won the last 4 in a row against Wales.

Clegg

Ellis Genge was injured in England's training session today. With Vunipola already out for the rest of the Six Nations England are starting to look light at loose head

Eod100

irelandrover wrote: »

Would Wales beating England really be an upset?

They are on a fanatstic run themselves and are at home. For me Wales would be favourites for the game.

Maybe upset a strong word. But based on their current form, England would be heavily favourites

sydthebeat

Eod100 wrote: »

Maybe upset a strong word. But based on their current form, England would be heavily favourites

They're not really.... Only 3 points favourites

Burkie1203

Halfpenny left out by Scarlets after a setback apparently

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/btsportrugby/status/1096793445765648385?s=19

Buer

The likes of the IRFU and WRU will be bringing that footage to their player contract negotiations.

Eod100

Buer wrote: »

The likes of the IRFU and WRU will be bringing that footage to their player contract negotiations.

I guess the against England thing rubs it in too. Weren't going to release him either way but even less likely when it's vs England

Eod100

Buer wrote: »

The likes of the IRFU and WRU will be bringing that footage to their player contract negotiations.

SRU could be added to the list. On separate injury news, Ashton out for Wales game.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2019/0217/1031172-finn-russell-an-injury-doubt-for-scotland/

Burkie1203

Buer wrote: »

The likes of the IRFU and WRU will be bringing that footage to their player contract negotiations.

Finn Russell went off for HIA yesterday and didn't come back.

Anjobe

Biggar should be OK, but surely Anscombe will start?