6 nations 22

Dubinusa · 28-01-2022 4:53am #1

So! What's the predictions? Will France shake covid and be the team to beat?

Will EJ look genius like with his selected panel?

Are Wales the lucky side that jammed a grand slam?

Scotland, why are you so optimistic? Can ye shock us all?

Italy! Nawwww@

Ireland! Will we win this? Will AF and Catt continue the recent good work?

lawrencesummers · 28-01-2022 5:27am

France are the team most likely to be able to slam.

wales with home advantage are capable of beating anyone on their day.

Scotland are also capable of beating anyone on their day, but are most likely to beat themselves.

Ireland could beat everyone if they have sexton for every game, with depth up front and in midfield A result against wales sets up paris nicely and the fixtures are kind for us this year.

I cant see England being very competitive, to unsettled a squad, but eddie jones never puts out a bad team.

1.FR 2.IRL 3.WRU 4.ENG 5.SCO 6.ITA

ionadnapokot · 28-01-2022 8:57am

quietly optimistic for Ireland. I was very skeptical of Farrell and they way we were playing up until that English game in Lansdowne. & then the Autumn happened!

win v Wales (15+), ? v Fran (No Dupont), Ita, win v Eng, win v Scot

even when France were "rubbish" Ireland struggle in Paris

lawrencesummers · 28-01-2022 10:43am

France have a consistency about them that hasnt been apparent for a long time.

28-01-2022 12:17pm

France will hammer everyone but lose to Italy.

TRC10 · 28-01-2022 12:38pm

If France don't win it this year, they never will. It couldn't be set up better for them, with us and England at home and their toughest away game being against the weakest Wales team in years.

Eddie has picked a squad to win next year but it's still a really strong squad good enough to win their home games. But France will have too much for them in Paris.

We'll win our home games but England and France away is a bit of a nightmare. We need to be competitive in those two games and not be comprehensively beaten in both like we were in 2020. That would be progress.

Wales have tight 5 thats seriously lacking in quality and experience which will be their undoing. They still have a very good back row and backline.

As for Scotland, maybe this is their year. Sure hasn't it been for the last 15 years.

France
England
Ireland
Wales
Scotland

Dubinusa · 28-01-2022 3:20pm

The Engla d squad selection threw me for a loop! No clue about some of the players. EJ must be looking ahead to the world cup. The covid factor could destroy the French and their build up.

I can't see the Scots holding it together for 5 matches. If they were to win it, I would guess it's on point difference.

Clegg · 28-01-2022 3:42pm

I'm interested in how Wales do. For years now they've performed far better than the form of their regions would have suggested. But this season seems an especially bad one on on that front.

None of the regions have qualified for the Champions Cup knock out stages. Cardiff had a Covid enforced walkover victory and that's the only win a region has registered. They're 0 wins from 11 games played by Cardiff, Ospreys and Scarlets. The Welsh squad is injury hit up front too.

I think they perform far better for Wales than their regions, but even taking that into account they'll be hard pressed for a Championship win this season. Form and injuries are stacked against them.

pc7 · 28-01-2022 3:45pm

I think its going to be very tight this year and as ever a bit of luck, red card could decide things. But all things being equal it has to be France, beating NZ in the autumn has to stand to them. I'd hope we'll push them close but I'd be leaning to it being between ourselves and France for the top finish. Cannot freaking wait for it.

Dubinusa · 28-01-2022 3:49pm

I'm kind of thinking that EJ is willing to sacrifice this 6nations and build for next year. Not sure if that is a smart move. I think we will do well. I guess a grand slam could be a reach for us, but we can certainly win 3 and maybe 4. France in Paris will be tough.

sydthebeat · 28-01-2022 5:19pm

Ireland

France

England

Scotland

Wales

Italy

No slam

Dubinusa · 28-01-2022 6:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118546463#Comment_118546463

Jayzz! Optimistic! Maybe it will happen. I just hope that our style continues to evolve.

TRC10 · 29-01-2022 3:58am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118546014#Comment_118546014

He definitely is, he didn't come out and say it but he strongly hinted at it. He did it in 2018 as well.

I'm not sure if it's smart either. But say what you will about the guy, he knows how to get a team to perform in a world cup.

Dubinusa · 29-01-2022 3:39pm

I think

England

France

Ireland

Wales

Scotland

Italy

No slam. Scoring difference to be the decider.

cuttingtimber22 · 29-01-2022 3:41pm

Will be very difficult for the Ladies team. France and England are practically professional vs amateurs in the other Unions.

Pale Caucasian · 29-01-2022 4:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118550255#Comment_118550255

Well it’s futile blaming the blazers and performing some democracy like overture to protest at funding. Blazers are not to blame and this is why I have my suspicions about the whole episode- the boys are all getting hundreds of thousands each to play for Leinster. Maybe cast a sideways glance at Leo and his distribution of funds at contract time would go a lot further to getting to the bottom of where the blame lies

whats Cullen on 300k a year? And Lancaster probably double that to keep the results going and keep him in a job.

Dave_The_Sheep · 29-01-2022 4:58pm

Such a strange post.

Pale Caucasian · 29-01-2022 5:01pm

Why?

Pale Caucasian · 29-01-2022 5:04pm

.what I’m saying is that the boys are overpaid. Half the male salaries and you can fund the female game. Stop making a parade about the powers that be.It’s this poor us we’re only the working class players. Piss off

tommybrees · 29-01-2022 5:10pm

I'm gonna be bold and predict that Italy will win a game this year or at least draw. Probably in Lansdowne!!

France could be savage but they have found a way to lose the past 2 years

I'd fancy Ireland for a triple crown if they dont get key injuries

But really looking forward to it is going to be a belter of a tournament.

Greatest competition in the world in my opinion.

sydthebeat · 29-01-2022 5:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118550485#Comment_118550485

Wow

What a weird weird outburst.. And your point is no better.

Who pee`d in your cornflakes.

Pale Caucasian · 29-01-2022 5:21pm

Its the idea that the blazers are to blame. They’re just an easy target because they’re at the top. They are stewards and safe keepers of the game not some endless source of money. A bit of self awareness and ownership of responsibility jointly might make them look less like spoilt children.

Pale Caucasian · 29-01-2022 5:22pm

And a bit less oh poor us only the workers is laughable. Blame your male boyfriends who play professionally and are hogging all the funds. Joke.

hold my beer · 29-01-2022 6:38pm

Who exactly has blamed blazers? And why would you cut the mens wages to pay the ladies, when it's the men's game that generates all the Revenue. Imagine your boss telling you you're getting a pay cut, because we need to fund another team.

Burkie1203 · 29-01-2022 6:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118550485#Comment_118550485

Halve the male salaries and quite a few depart for France

Strength of the game here weaker as a result, weakening the revenue streams.

Dubinusa · 29-01-2022 6:49pm

Jesus! Just Jesus.

sydthebeat · 29-01-2022 6:54pm

Ireland does not have the participation levels in women's rugby yet to be able to sustain a full professional weekend squad.

We essentially have 4 good senior women's clubs, who invariably challenge for domestic honours each year.

There is no functioning rugby on a European level, therefore provincial rugby is a by product rather than a goal.

Would paying out full women's squad 50k+ Pro Contracts automatically make us level with France and England.

I'd argue no it wouldn't, we don't have the pool to pick from.

Would it make our women better players, of course it would, but not to the extent of winning six nations because we are so far off England right now.

We need to follow the lead of Wales and Scotland and offer some players financial incentives to focus more on rugby than careers, be that some full time contracts and some part time.

Lost Ormond · 30-01-2022 2:11am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118550891#Comment_118550891

Yeah. Unfortunately these top clubs, while excellent and do support womens rugby so well, they hoover up all the talent and if the talent was more spread out across more clubs would have far more competitive teams and therefore far more competitive rugby and better quality competition.

I totally agree paying a full womens squad pro contracts wouldnt get us near England or France. Ive seen a fair few club level games of womens rugby in England as ive family playing over there and quite a few levels of the leagues over there are a fair step up on what is being played here never mind the premier 15s level

penybont exile · 30-01-2022 1:45pm

Let's hope we see some of this next week .........

https://twitter.com/btsportrugby/status/1487522816006180867

penybont exile · 30-01-2022 1:58pm

No one knows what to expect from Wales this year.

If our pack can front up (per the Boks game in the autumn where we matched them) we might have a chance. Like all sport the trick is to stay in the fight & let the pressure build. Ireland are expected to win this game next week ..... comfortably. There is no pressure on Wales despite what EJ has been saying.

Next week is a free hit for us!

What I'll be looking for on top of the commitment required is a solid set piece & a game plan designed to keep us in the match. If we are within a couple of points at 60 mins I believe we'll win .... getting to that point the challenge.

IMO the players missing are not an issue. Most are coming to the end of their international careers in any case. Time to move on and this is as good a time as any ..... 18 months out from a WC.

Dubinusa · 30-01-2022 4:40pm

Here we go:

Scotland 17 20 England

Ireland 20. 13 Wales

Italy 5 30 France

6 nations 22

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