What No Rugby Forum!

[tigerfish]

o.k. so here goes. im a fan of the ancient art of egg chasing, as some would like to put it.

want to here your views and comments on up and coming games, 6 nations, heineken cup, guiness and magners leagues, players coaches, new rules and regulations, bars to watch all the games, etc.....

i will start off buy saying that i think it will be a good year for the french. 6 nation champions yes, not sure about the grand slam.

one of the french sides will win the heineken cup, but not one of the power houses like toulouse.

how long do you give martin johnson, not long in my opinion. great player, but needed to earn his stripes before taking on an international side.

being a wasps supporter, i think the selectors missed a trick in not getting warren gatland.

all blacks for the world cup, next time around or will they CHOKE again!

fancy the aussies may have something to say about that.

will be more convinced when ive seen another season of the super 12.

great place to watch the rugby, soi 8 pub. on sukumvit 8. run by a kiwi, good beer, good food and great atmosphere.

modern day greats, who in your opinion will go down in the halls of fame. being an englishman, i have to say johnny wilkinson. nice to see him getting in some good games in the french league, but how long can he stay fit. its a tough league! id love to see him back on the international seen, but will he pick up another injury though, or his he regarded as being to old now.

i think some of the welsh lads have what it takes, especially the likes of lee byrne.

what about the mass exodus of players to the french league?

so come on lets get the first 3 points on the board and see how we go from there.

p.s. anyone know how i can get this put up as a forum topic.

[473geo]

England as the surprise package in the 6 nations........

[StreetCowboy]

England as the surprise package in the 6 nations........

Scotland for the Calcutta Cup and Wooden Spoon.

Edinburgh Eagles for the Challenge Cup (3rd round...)

Warrington for the Superleague play-offs

SC

What's the best pub for rugby league? Anyone know what game will be showing (and where) - if any - Sunday evening 7th alongside the Scotland France game?

[Donnyboy]

As you can see, im a bit of a rugby fan as well. I watch mostly southern hemi stuff & a few Northern Internationals.

Dont really know whos in the running for the 6 Nations, Wales or France I would guess

as for the Super 14 (not 12, its been 14 since 2006) which kicks off Feb 12, i would say this year will be close again.

Take your pick between Bulls, Crusaders, Hurricanes, Warratahs, Chiefs,& Sharks

This years TriNations will be interesting to say the least as Australia need to get some wins to gain some confidence back, The Boks need to keep the winning momentum going and the All Blacks need to find a way to beat the Boks, although it will be about 15 months before the RWC, most of this years test teams will play hard out to secure their positions.

Will The ABs choke in 2011? who really knows, but the acid will be on them the most, so it will depend how they handle it.

But my guess will be another Southern Hemi Team taking it.

Wilkos was pretty big but I think Lomu was awesome for Rugby, esp his 4 tries vs England RWC 1995

[Donnyboy]

Dont forget Rugby 7s on Feb 5&6 Wellington NZ

[tigerfish]

do you think the the selectors will change the management and coaching staff if all does not sit well, with the all blacks performance in the tri nations. so close to the world cup?

[Donnyboy]

dont think it will happen, as the NZRFU re-appointed the same coach after the 2007 RWC. Henry & co did a good job last year, and think The ABs will do well this year, hopefully, we wont have the player rotation policy the Henry employed during the last RWC, it clearly didnt work imo. Having said that, we need to keep Carter and McCaw fresh for the latter stages of the comp if we make it

[tigerfish]

positive approach!

just seen the england line up for the match against the welsh. i think its a clever ploy. the pack should be able to hold its own, even if they are missing vickery and sheridan, not too sure how the line out will go though. if it reverts to a kicking game(which i hope it doesnt) johnnys the man. that is if he isnt taken out in the first 10-20 minutes, although im sure that the likes of payne and easter will be well instructed before hand to watch out for him. then theres the backs, yes its fighting fire with fire, especially against a player of such world class as jamie roberts, but at least it shows the intent to want to be offensive rather than defensive, and shoves the pressure back on the welsh. hopefully they will be to worried about about how and were the next wave of attack will be coming from, to be able to assert their own game plan and tacktics.

should be a good game, always is against the boys from wales.

[Donnyboy]

do our boys feature in the lineup?

ie Flutey & Hape, did i miss anyone.

Your side is starting to look like the UN side with a guy from Trinidad as well (Delon Armitage)

not to say yours is the only one, we have more than a few from the pacific islands

any predictions then?

England should be up for it in a toughie in Twickers, Eng by 3

Ireland vs Italy, Ireland by 12

Scotland vs France, France by 5

NZ to win 7s

[Trickcyclist]

Ireland for Grand Slam repeat but missing key players. A suspect front row could mitigate against that and Twickenham and Paris are a bit of an ask.

Twickenham could be the game of the century. England are itching to have a "go" after their narrow defeat last year at Croke Park, as are the French.

Sexton and O'Gara are both even-steven for the Ireland out half berth with Sexton's performance against South Africa giving him the selection edge. Kidney will have to decide match by match whether to use Sexton's running ability or O'Gara's experience, passing ability and tactical nous.They can both kick.

Ireland certainly have the best coach who seems to be always able to pick the right combination of players for the right games. Although he doesn't run a daft rotational policy all the players know that they are only as good as their last game and Kidney has made the players see that they are responsible for their own performances and not him. Moreover, he is always pushing the team to raise the bar. (no pun intended)

I suppose Ireland's backs are as good as anybody's: Kearney at full, Earls and Bowe wings and D'arcy and O'Driscoll probably the best centre pairing in the world. D'Arcy has finally come of age and could be the star of this Year's 6 nations.

The back row of Heislip, Wallace and Ferris is a dream. O'Callaghan and O'Sullivan, on their day one of the the best lock and line-out pairings in the world viz O'Connell's handling of SA's Victor Maitland.

The front row is a dilemma with Hayes almost reaching pensionable age, but playing on manfully for 80 minutes and providing great line-out input. Leamy is injured and Horan just back from injury.However, there are a few guys coming through who may have to be played a year or two early and could cut the mustard. Every year produces somebody from all the teams who can show that they can play with the best.

England have good players but the blend is wrong and can't understand either Johnson's selection, tactics, or, England's crazy infringements by players who should know better and England do lumber a bit. Wilkinson is still a good player but not what he used to be and nobody knows when his next injury will be a career ending one.

Wales are probably the best home country side in pure rugby playing terms, they really know their rugby, but don't have match winners like O'Driscoll. Gatland is almost as big an enigma as Henson. However, they could go all the way-they only lost by a point in Ireland's grand slam winning game.

Scotland and Robinson seem well met and are off the pace in terms of strength in depth. They seem good for the occasional win and a joker in the pack for teams trying to put a grand slam run, which they can't so themselves at the moment.

France are always an enigma. They lost their a few years ago and stopped running the ball in favour of a grunt and grind philosophy. However, in the last couple of seasons they have mixed - up their game better. If you let them lift the crowd in Paris with their tails-up running ability, then you are in trouble. However, if you frustrate them, the French crowd can get on their backs. Moreover, they are like some of their wines that don't travel well and the aroma of bacon and eggs in their away hotel in Cardiff, Edinburgh, London and Dublin is worth at least 6 points to any home team.

Overall, the northern countries are getting nearer and nearer to parity with the Southern hemisphere sides, but have a way to go yet, especially to reach NZ's all over competence, Australia's flair and SA's grunt and grind.

Here's to a great six nations. Let's keep it clean and play rugby.

Come on Ireland.

Munster for Heineken.

Biarritz v Ospreys, Quarter Final

Leinster v Clermont Auvergne, Quarter Final

Munster v Northampton, Quarter Final

Toulouse v Stade Francais, Quarter Final

Northampton have to go to Thomond Park again and Clermont Auvergne to Dublin.

What a feast! Now we have only to find some place to see it all!

[Trickcyclist]

Anybody got a good WEBTV link for 6 Nations and Heiniken???

[goldmine]

I have just checked in ibcbet that there is ongoing Rugby game.

[tigerfish]

england by 11-14 points, if they can keep the penalty count down!

[Donnyboy]

Wellington 7s has kicked off today

no upsets so far

interesting to see Kenya as a 7s major force now, beating Tonga 15-7

games im looking forward to

Eng vs Tonga @ 10:40 am (all thai time)

Fiji vs Papua NewGuinea @ 11:24 am

NZ vs Niue @ 12:08 pm

Eng vs Kenya @ 3:12 pm

Fiji vs Australia @ 3:34 pm

NZ vs South Africa @ 3:56 pm

[Mossfinn]

All Ireland final in the Heineken Cup

Six Nations

Ireland

France

England

Wales

Italy

Scotland

[Mossfinn]

Irish Team

Cullen in for the O'Callaghan and an interesting switch of Trimble for Earls on the Wing

Score Prediction 20-7

[tigerfish]

trickcyclist and mossfinn. i admire your faith in the irish, and i would love to see them do back to back grand slams or be 6 nations champions for the second year in a row. but! away to france, is a big ask. england away is most definately possible, although alot hinges on the outcome of the of the wales game at twickenham. again wales at croke park could be another potential banana skin, especially considering what might be at stake that far along the line in the competition.

cant help but feel the only side to benifit from all of this will be the french.

we will all just have to wait and see how it all pans out. all the best though, should be a good one this year!

Edited February 5, 2010 by tigerfish

[Donnyboy]

Fiji win Wellington 7s vs Samoa 19-14

Edited February 6, 2010 by Donnyboy

[tigerfish]

england 30 wales 17,

yes nice little earner with ladbrokes.com at 6/1 odds.

could have been alot closer, what were you thinking allan wyn jones, plus the 2 missed penalties by hook, in the first half.

now its wide open, saw the irish game against the italians. not totally convinced, will learn more from the scotland v france game tomorrow.

prediction maybe france by 15-21 points.

[473geo]

England as the surprise package in the 6 nations........

[Mossfinn]

England as the surprise package in the 6 nations........

England ran in 17 points during a stupid sin bin, after the bin Thomas ( I think ) dropped a good chance to make it within 3 points, England then sealed it with a break away try.

I fear now a confident England and a wounded Dragon, Ireland must improve but were playing within themselves, I think Italy will improve and turnover Scotland and perhaps one other, England/Wales possible.

It will all be settled in the next round, France v Ireland, lets see hoe the French perform tomorrow, not a great start to a great championship.

I have put my money on a consecutive Grand Slam, I still think this to be the case

[Mossfinn]

could have been alot closer, what were you thinking allan wyn jones, plus the 2 missed penalties by hook, in the first half.

now its wide open, saw the irish game against the italians. not totally convinced, will learn more from the scotland v france game tomorrow.

england 30 wales 17,

yes nice little earner with ladbrokes.com at 6/1 odds.

Good shot

prediction maybe france by 15-21 points.

OK, I think a French Win, but I suggest by 10-15, a cyber bet.

[473geo]

I think England are the equal of any team in the competition.....forward pressure to create penalties for Wilkinson and backs that can run in a try or two.......their down fall, although I state the obvious, will be themselves giving away silly penalties.....The Wales sin bin episode and missed penalties showed how this can change the course of a match today. The pure accuracy of Wilkinson and O'Gara raises the pressure on teams defending.

Not a 'win all' display by England but encouraging never the less, I was impressed with the forward play.

[tigerfish]

triple blow for the french, ahead of the game against ireland.

rougerie, dalacon and fall, all out with injuries.

its a hard ask, especially in paris.nows your chance though, for you boys that support the men in green.

me ill be eyeing the handicap, with the bookies!

Edited February 10, 2010 by tigerfish

[Donnyboy]

The 2010 Super 14 season kicks off this coming friday, if its anything like last year, it should be a cracker.

Competition should be tight between the usual suspects.

Round 1

Fri, Feb 12

Blues v Hurricanes, Auckland

Western Force v Brumbies, Perth

Cheetahs v Bulls, Bloemfontein,

Sat, Feb 13

Crusaders v Highlanders, Christchurch,

Reds v Waratahs, Brisbane,

Lions v Stormers, Johannesburg,

Sharks v Chiefs, Durban,

[irishrebel]

where would be the best place to watch the Ireland France game in bangkok....somewhere where i wont feel that im the only person who actually knows whats going on in the match and has a passion for rugby. Thanks hope to hear some good suggestions.

[tigerfish]

where would be the best place to watch the Ireland France game in bangkok....somewhere where i wont feel that im the only person who actually knows whats going on in the match and has a passion for rugby. Thanks hope to hear some good suggestions.

the soi 8 bar on sukumvit 8. run by a kiwi guy. good atmosphere, cheap beer, open after the 1a.m. curfew. loads of rugby mad kiwis, aussies, safas, english, irish, welsh, scots and french. best place i know to watch it.

[irishrebel]

Soi 8 cool proberly go there then...any other nice places...not sleazy!

[tigerfish]

Soi 8 cool proberly go there then...any other nice places...not sleazy!

across the road from soi 8 on soi 11, about 500 yards up on the left handside is an aussie bar that shows the rugby.

then theres up and around sukumvit 33 (phrom pon bts), you have the dubliner, the londoner and the robin hood on either sides of the road.

if youre looking for any irish styled theme pubs,

theres hanrahans on soi 4 nana and two in silom/pat pong area, (bts saleng deng) molly malones and, forgot the name now, but its up on convent road.

so come on then prediction for the france v ireland game.

ireland by 5-6 points if they really are x2grand slam contenders. but it will be tough.

[tigerfish]

The 2010 Super 14 season kicks off this coming friday, if its anything like last year, it should be a cracker.

Competition should be tight between the usual suspects.

Round 1

Fri, Feb 12

Blues v Hurricanes, Auckland

Western Force v Brumbies, Perth

Cheetahs v Bulls, Bloemfontein,

Sat, Feb 13

Crusaders v Highlanders, Christchurch,

Reds v Waratahs, Brisbane,

Lions v Stormers, Johannesburg,

Sharks v Chiefs, Durban,

come on then donnyboy! and anyone else out there.

predictions for the top four spots in the super 14

ill go, waratahs, bulls, hurricanes and hmm sharks.