Rugby Union six nations 2017 : Predictions on the top 3 ?

Perhaps it's only me but...
Every year, i grit my teeth through Chistmas and New Year,
all the while thinking that 'soon' it''ll be the annual rugby fest
I do count down the weekends until ... now !
____
This weekend England Vs France

And then 6 weeks of body busting,
late hand offs and sheer brutality
Love it love it love it !!!!!!!!

Who will win? Who will deceive ?
_______
Any rugby followers on ATS ?

Yay! Yes me And a few others.
I started last years 6 Nations thread

So I'm Welsh through and through....Let the tournament begin!

This year......we'll have you!



Rainbows
Jane

a reply to: Damiel

I think maybe the Irish will have a good year. They defeated the best sporting team in the world last year , although it took them 111 years to do it. Plus I love their national anthem.

At last some sane people, although I'm a saffa I enjoy the northern hemisphere competitions. With some disdain I'll have to go with England, they're a different stiff upper lip under Eddie Jones but Im hoping the Irish can take it home.

I'm not Welsh, and for some reason i've always regarded Wales as the 'spiritual' home of rugby (!) and always geed up when they get their moves together and start rolling up the field ... in the same way that when the French decide to turn up and play, they can be exciting, admittedly in spurts, but if they can forget last year and get it together... well, we'll see.

Ireland are my favorite underdogs and i always root for them too, it's unfortunate that Johnny S is out for this weekends Scotland match - Scotland have hugely improved over the last 2 years but are still missing 'something', can they retain the mentality that saw them win againt the Pumas ?

As for England, brutal, unbeaten England ....how will the missing Vunipolas, Robshaw and others disrupt their smash 'n' grab style ? Can we take bets now as to how long it'll take Hartley to be sent off ? :p

I'll let this weekends matches set the ton.

In the national anthem stakes, i'll go with 1st, Scotland, 2nd France, 3rd Wales

Well done Scotland!

Rainbows
Jane

originally posted by: angelchemuel
Well done Scotland!

Rainbows
Jane

Was a great game of rugga, well done Scotland

Hard luck France

Right.......Wales had best win tomorrow

Rainbows
Jane

originally posted by: angelchemuel
Hard luck France

Right.......Wales had best win tomorrow

Rainbows
Jane

Yeah was really rooting for France there, tough game but well done to England.
Wales should put the Azurri to the sword tomorrow definately.

A brilliant result for Scoland !
Ater so many "nearly,almost" matches over the last few years, despite the itchy bumness of the last 20 minutes, (or even for the whole of the 2nd half), they kept it together... great great stuff, excellent


Gutted for France
They should've won that one... they came, they played, but stlil miss something - a killer instinct, maybe ?
They could've/should've played to win a penalty in the last 10 mins

As for England, they looked tired and a bit leg heavy from the start (as with Ireland), the missing Vinipolas were clearly felt in the game plan, and sill need to work on discipline - surprised that only May was sinbinned, Hartley and Farrel are walking yellow cards.

Any bets on Italy at home against Wales tomorrow ?

....and we did it

Rainbows
Jane

A thouroughly good 2nd weekend, for my money !

Ireland went for a good old romp, Wales and England was a pretty brutal, thrilling that could have gone Wales' way (best match of the weekend) France - who turned up to play, by jolly ! - just about scraped it through,...

Scotland, who gaahhhh, once again, should've, couldv'e won that one, despite loosing Laidlaw, Laidlaw's replacement, then his one too ...they're showing a hell lot of promise, are gaining consistency and just need to find a wee bit more luck and rub of the green.

Felt pretty gutted for Wales and Scotland, to be honest.

Fave players from the weekend for me :

Hogg, Grey, Seymour (and his nifty litlle chip 'n' chase/recovery and pass to Swinson, brilliant)
Wyn Jones, Warburton (monster), Roberts
Guirado, Lopez (does he shave yet ?) Picamoles, even though he had an iffy 2nd half
Gilroy (the new BOD ?), Stander (massive), Ringrose (the one to watch over the next few years ?)
Mbanda (lots of promise there), Gori, Parisse (85 years old and all his teeth !)
And.. Mike Brown, the only player that i rate in the Crash-Bang-Wallop England team

2 weeks before the next ding-dong....

Ireland / France = Ireland should stitch up a talented but still callow French side
Italy / England i probably won't even watch
Scotland / wales = had the makings of a humdinger on paper, but with so many out through injuries, probably a try fest for wales

The only hope now, is that Ireland can reach the last weekend intact and put the mockers on England's hopes to win the tournament 2yrs on the trot, and more importantly, to deprive them of becoming record holders of the longest winning streak :p

Even more so when i hear that they (England) have already printed up '2017 winners' tea-shirts

Quelle arrogance

a reply to: Damiel

Pretty clear your dislike of England. ( Wales The Spiritual Home Of Rugby lol )

That will cheer me up when England win the Six Nations ( and gain the record for unbeaten run of games )

a reply to: alldaylong

We all have our favourites...just like England must be yours

The Wales v England match was the best of the tournament so far, and needles to say I was gutted...so yes, I really am hoping somebody can beat England....and why not? Makes for a more interesting tournament. Otherwise it woul become like Formula 1 when Schmecher kept winning every bloomin race

Rainbows
Jane

Yeah...England are the best in the NH, as much as it galls me to say it.

But i just can't warm to their playing style :
Give it out to the big bloke, monopolise 3 or 4 of the opposing team
recycle to another big bloke
Then do it again...

Pfft

Ok, it works, s'not 'sexy', doesn't 'thrill' me, but they win games.
Games that they ... ghhnnyyangngngng .. don't merit

I love them little jinks, step overs, off loads after tackles ... sleight of hand
I love seeing all of that, really, when Ireland, France Wales (even Italy !!!!) pull it off, it's truly brilliant

I dunno, i just see Hartley, Marler and Farrel as walking yellow cards waiting to happen
Or at least, that's what i keep praying for at every match (oi, ref that's a yeller, sendim' off !!)

Can't agree more about F1 dying a death, first with the dominance of Schumi, then Vettel, then Hamilton.
No interest whatsovever - stick 'em all in the same car, then see what happens