It's getting near that time again. The annual rugby fest when Europe's strongest nations go head to head.
A mouth watering start to the championship with England vs Scotland for the Calcutta Cup. The Red Rose won the group match in the World Cup but only just. The Scots will want revenge and I reckon Murrayfield will be a pretty hostile place for Englishmen (when isn't it..? lol).
France play Italy and Ireland host Wales in the other matches on the first weekend. Italy beat France in Rome last year which I'm sure the French won't have forgotten, and the annual match up between the Welsh and the Irish is always a very keenly fought contest.
All in all, this looks like being a great start to the tournament. My favourites to win it this year are Wales (and a good bet for a Grand Slam and Triple Crown). They had a fantastic World Cup and with the controversy of their semi final defeat by France still fresh in their memories, will want to show they were worth more than fourth place overall.
It's getting near that time again. The annual rugby fest when Europe's strongest nations go head to head.
A mouth watering start to the championship with England vs Scotland for the Calcutta Cup. The Red Rose won the group match in the World Cup but only just. The Scots will want revenge and I reckon Murrayfield will be a pretty hostile place for Englishmen (when isn't it..? lol).
France play Italy and Ireland host Wales in the other matches on the first weekend. Italy beat France in Rome last year which I'm sure the French won't have forgotten, and the annual match up between the Welsh and the Irish is always a very keenly fought contest.
All in all, this looks like being a great start to the tournament. My favourites to win it this year are Wales (and a good bet for a Grand Slam and Triple Crown). They had a fantastic World Cup and with the controversy of their semi final defeat by France still fresh in their memories, will want to show they were worth more than fourth place overall.
Bring it on.
.
Can't wait till it starts...However I think it is England's to loose
Can't wait till it starts...However I think it is England's to loose
I think England have to get away from the "win the next match" mentality.... at least for the time being. Always focusing on winning your next match is ok, but it is a narrow focus that doesn't lay any long term foundations.
Of course, sport is all about winning, but I prefer a long term strategy. For me, long term success is about building foundations, about building a culture, about putting a game plan into place that can be layered upon, and it's about building a group of players that we will be able to see move forward, having new ideas integrated into them as they progress as a unit.
I don't think anybody would disagree that getting a strong squad culture is the right way to go, but if Stuart Lancaster takes his team into the 6N with the mentality that they have to win each match at all costs.... and that may mean winning ugly..... then the opportunity to set out his stall of a "new dawn for English rugby" from the very start will have been missed.
Of course I want to see England win matches, but I'll be watching this championship with a view to seeing if the players are hungry... if they want it... if they are showing something different.... something that can be built upon for the future. If doing those things costs us matches early on, then so be it.
I still think Wales are going to win the 6N.... very possibly with a Grand Slam.
England have yesterday shown that they are going to take risks....if you look at the squad, this is a squad less injuries showing that we are building for the future. Even the Captain has only been capped once
I've decided I'm going to try and get into rugby, need someone to explain the rules in a way that's idiot friendly
Happy to help, Sis. I'll try to keep this as brief as possible (although the rules can be terribly complex)
Rugby Union is played between two teams of 15 players roughly divided into two groups, Forwards and Backs. The forwards are the big, burly, powerful players who mostly use physical force to gain possession, advance the ball downfield and drive the opposition backwards. The backs are usually more athletic, faster players who attempt to use speed to exploit space created by the forwards to score points.
Points are awarded as follows: Grounding the ball in the opposition's in goal area (a Try) is worth 5 points.
When a try is scored, a kick at goal is also awarded. This is called a "Conversion" and if the ball is successfully kicked between the posts and over the crossbar, it is worth 2 points.
If a "Full Penalty" is awarded, the attacking team may kick at goal. If successful, this is worth 3 points.
If a player, in open play, kicks the ball on the half-volley (not a punt) through the posts, a "Drop Goal", this is also worth 3 points.
Play, generally: The ball may be carried, thrown or kicked. It cannot be thrown or knocked forward. It may be kicked forward but can only be retrieved by a player who was behind the ball when it was kicked (the simple rule is that when you are in front of the ball, you are offside)
When a player is tackled to the ground, he must release the ball. The tackler must release the tackled player. Players on either side may then compete for the ball (a Ruck).
If a tackled player stays on his feet, he may continue to drive forward, using his strength to drive the tackler(s) backwards. His team mates may bind with him and also drive (a Maul). The Maul must keep moving or the ball released into open play again.
Play is continuous until either a score is made, an infringement occurs or the ball goes out of bounds.
Out of bounds: if the ball carried, kicked or thrown out of play over a sideline (touchline) it is thrown in by the opposing team (a Line Out). An equal number of players will line up, a metre apart, and the ball will be thrown in by the team's Hooker. The players in the line out will jump to catch the ball or deflect it to their own team. Physical contact is not permitted against any player off the ground in the line out
If the ball is grounded over the try line but a try is not scored, the game is restarted by either a five metre scrum to the attacking side, or the defending team will kick the ball out from their 22 metre line. It would take too long to explain the details of why. You'll pick it up, the more you watch.
Infringements: Stoppages for "Technical" offences, such as knocking or throwing the ball forward, unintentional offside (a player accidentally obstructing the defence) or a collision with a referee cause the game to be restarted with a "Scrummage" (more on that in a minute).
Full Penalty offences include: Deliberate obstruction (sometimes called "crossing" ), violent conduct (stamping, gouging, punching, head butting, etc), High tackles (tackling above shoulder height), offside and certain offences at the Scrummage, Ruck or Maul (sometimes known as "the dark arts... snigger...) are penalised by a full penalty.
A team awarded a Full Penalty has a number of options available. They can take a kick at goal, kick to touch and retain possession for the Line Out, Scrummage or simply "tap" penalty (kick the ball to themselves and run with it). The tactical advantages to each option will make themselves apparent as you watch the game.
The Scrummage: The Scrum is absolutely integral to the game. Some (usually Hookers and Props) say that without the Scrum, the game is nothing. It works like this: The Forwards will bind in three rows. The picture should help:
Players 1, 2 and 3 are the "Front Row", consisting of two Props (1 and 3) and a Hooker (2). The Second Row is made up of two Lock Forwards (4 and 5) and the Back Row (or "Loose Forwards) is made up of two Flank Forwards (6 and 7) and a Number 8. When bound together, this is called "The Pack".
Both packs will drive against each other and the ball is fed by the Scrum Half (9) into the tunnel between them. The Hooker on each side will attempt to heel (or "hook", hence "Hooker" ) the ball back onto his own team's side of the scrum and once possession is gained in this way, they will attempt to drive the opposition pack backwards and thus gain ground. It should work like this.....
LOL..... When you've been watching the game for a while, you'll learn about the dark arts in the scrum....
This is a pretty good example of how a scrum can work to clear the lines defensively...
Rugby is an incredibly complex game, but if you think of it as, basically, two lines of players with the ball between them then that simplifies matters.
A couple of simple general principles to remember:
If you're in front of the ball, then you are offside (exceptions exist, but generally, stay behind the ball and you're ok)
If you're off your feet, you're out of the game. Playing the ball when you're off your feet is a Full Penalty offence.
Forwards = Piano shifters
Backs = Piano players
Welcome to the greatest game in the world, Sis. I hope you enjoy and if you ever need any tips, just holler. Always happy to help.
Happy to help, Sis. I'll try to keep this as brief as possible (although the rules can be terribly complex)
Rugby Union is played between two teams of 15 players roughly divided into two groups, Forwards and Backs. The forwards are the big, burly, powerful players who mostly use physical force to gain possession, advance the ball downfield and drive the opposition backwards. The backs are usually more athletic, faster players who attempt to use speed to exploit space created by the forwards to score points.
Points are awarded as follows: Grounding the ball in the opposition's in goal area (a Try) is worth 5 points.
When a try is scored, a kick at goal is also awarded. This is called a "Conversion" and if the ball is successfully kicked between the posts and over the crossbar, it is worth 2 points.
If a "Full Penalty" is awarded, the attacking team may kick at goal. If successful, this is worth 3 points.
If a player, in open play, kicks the ball on the half-volley (not a punt) through the posts, a "Drop Goal", this is also worth 3 points.
Play, generally: The ball may be carried, thrown or kicked. It cannot be thrown or knocked forward. It may be kicked forward but can only be retrieved by a player who was behind the ball when it was kicked (the simple rule is that when you are in front of the ball, you are offside)
When a player is tackled to the ground, he must release the ball. The tackler must release the tackled player. Players on either side may then compete for the ball (a Ruck).
If a tackled player stays on his feet, he may continue to drive forward, using his strength to drive the tackler(s) backwards. His team mates may bind with him and also drive (a Maul). The Maul must keep moving or the ball released into open play again.
Play is continuous until either a score is made, an infringement occurs or the ball goes out of bounds.
Out of bounds: if the ball carried, kicked or thrown out of play over a sideline (touchline) it is thrown in by the opposing team (a Line Out). An equal number of players will line up, a metre apart, and the ball will be thrown in by the team's Hooker. The players in the line out will jump to catch the ball or deflect it to their own team. Physical contact is not permitted against any player off the ground in the line out
If the ball is grounded over the try line but a try is not scored, the game is restarted by either a five metre scrum to the attacking side, or the defending team will kick the ball out from their 22 metre line. It would take too long to explain the details of why. You'll pick it up, the more you watch.
Infringements: Stoppages for "Technical" offences, such as knocking or throwing the ball forward, unintentional offside (a player accidentally obstructing the defence) or a collision with a referee cause the game to be restarted with a "Scrummage" (more on that in a minute).
Full Penalty offences include: Deliberate obstruction (sometimes called "crossing" ), violent conduct (stamping, gouging, punching, head butting, etc), High tackles (tackling above shoulder height), offside and certain offences at the Scrummage, Ruck or Maul (sometimes known as "the dark arts... snigger...) are penalised by a full penalty.
A team awarded a Full Penalty has a number of options available. They can take a kick at goal, kick to touch and retain possession for the Line Out, Scrummage or simply "tap" penalty (kick the ball to themselves and run with it). The tactical advantages to each option will make themselves apparent as you watch the game.
The Scrummage: The Scrum is absolutely integral to the game. Some (usually Hookers and Props) say that without the Scrum, the game is nothing. It works like this: The Forwards will bind in three rows. The picture should help:
Players 1, 2 and 3 are the "Front Row", consisting of two Props (1 and 3) and a Hooker (2). The Second Row is made up of two Lock Forwards (4 and 5) and the Back Row (or "Loose Forwards) is made up of two Flank Forwards (6 and 7) and a Number 8. When bound together, this is called "The Pack".
Both packs will drive against each other and the ball is fed by the Scrum Half (9) into the tunnel between them. The Hooker on each side will attempt to heel (or "hook", hence "Hooker" ) the ball back onto his own team's side of the scrum and once possession is gained in this way, they will attempt to drive the opposition pack backwards and thus gain ground. It should work like this.....
LOL..... When you've been watching the game for a while, you'll learn about the dark arts in the scrum....
This is a pretty good example of how a scrum can work to clear the lines defensively...
Rugby is an incredibly complex game, but if you think of it as, basically, two lines of players with the ball between them then that simplifies matters.
A couple of simple general principles to remember:
If you're in front of the ball, then you are offside (exceptions exist, but generally, stay behind the ball and you're ok)
If you're off your feet, you're out of the game. Playing the ball when you're off your feet is a Full Penalty offence.
Forwards = Piano shifters
Backs = Piano players
Welcome to the greatest game in the world, Sis. I hope you enjoy and if you ever need any tips, just holler. Always happy to help.
You weren't lying when you said it was complex Thanks, I'll see if I can make sense of any of it in the next game
Another great weekend of rugby coming up. England travel to Rome, Wales take on France and Ireland play Scotland. Basically, it's last weeks' winning teams against last week's losing teams.
This game could be a banana skin for England. We've never lost to Italy, but the Italians will "front up" this week and compete very hard in the close encounters. England's forwards are going to have to put in a hard shift. If the Italians can starve England of quality, quick ball it could come down to a kicking contest and then we could be in trouble. This will be no walk in the park, and if anybody in the England team thinks it will be, they could get a rude awakening when messrs Castrogiovanni and Parissi get stuck in.
I think France vs Wales could be the tournament decider. Whoever wins this game will probably win the Championship. The French are clearly the better team in terms of skill, technique and teamwork, but the Welsh are determined. And big. Will Greenwood Tweeted this week that Wales would only be able to compete in terms of pace and aggression, and it helps that they're all 6 foot 11 and weigh 19 stones. And they're bloody quick, with it. French elan against Welsh muscle and desire. Too close to call, but whoever wins this one is on the way to the title, IMHO. My tip..? France, by a single score. But only just.
Ireland vs Scotland is another of those Celtic encounters that could confound the form book. On paper, Ireland should win by a bagful, but rugby isn't played on paper, and the Scots have worked so hard on their skills and teamwork that surely their luck must turn sometime. Sooner or later, somebody is going to get duffed up by Scotland.
Sorry to hear Dan Parks has retired from international rugby. I think the English have broken his heart in the last two games between the Auld Enemy. There is only so much disappointment a man can take and England have inflicted serious mental bruising to a guy who knows he could - and should - have been the difference between defeat and victory. DP has been a fine player who has given his best to his national team. He deserved better fortune. Scotland will have to work hard to find a replacement of his undoubted commitment.
But it's the weekend.... a Six Nations weekend... and I'm afraid my alcohol and curry consumption is about to go through the roof again. Falmouth and Penryn Rugby Club on 6N weekends will be the death of me.
To be honest, they were gifted that lead by two horrible minutes of English defensive lapses just before half time. Firstly, Foden failed to gather the ball as it bounced around and the Italian centre pounced and touched down, then Foden again, attempting to pass the ball in the tackle was intercepted for a run in try, over 50 metres of open prairie to the line.
England got their act together in the second half and started to move the ball much quicker after the rather hapless and too slow scrum half, Ben Youngs was replaced. With d***son moving the ball much quicker from behind the breakdown, England's backs at last got quick ball and stretched the Italian defence.
It beggars belief that we don't do that all the time. We have good, fast backs, capable of making gain-line breaks and creating spaces. It just seems that too often we're locked in this "9 man rugby" time warp where we seem scared to move the ball more than ten metres away from our pack.
I dread to think what the Welsh are going to do to us in the next game.
Just sitting down to watch England v Wales. Can't see England winning the six nations this year, it's a very new team. We've beaten the weakest two nations but I think that is all I'd have expected, think we'll do very well to just win one more game in this.
Just sitting down to watch England v Wales. Can't see England winning the six nations this year, it's a very new team. We've beaten the weakest two nations but I think that is all I'd have expected, think we'll do very well to just win one more game in this.
We put up a better-than-expected performance against Wales, and if the RFU take the step of appointing Stuart Lancaster as full time coach, then he could take this team a long way. He has the confidence of the players, he has an excellent captain in Chris Robshaw and with his coaching staff of Graham "Wiggy" Rowntree and Andy Farrell, they actually look as though they have a plan..!!
I think the Welsh were taken aback by England's resolution and organisation. They expected their backs to - as Jonathan Davies so dismissively put it - "smash England".
Things didn't quite go as planned, eh, Jonathan..? Like the silly little man he is, he'd done Stuart Lancaster's team talk for him. All SL had to do was cut that headline out of the newspaper and pin it to the dressing room door to create 15 highly motivated Englishmen, at a stroke.
It was disappointing that the last gasp try by Strettle wasn't given. There was as much a case for giving it as not, but hearing the TMO's comments to the referee, he said the evidence was "inconclusive", so fair enough. I think they should be sure before they give a try. We'd be annoyed if an opponent was given a score that appeared dodgy, wouldn't we..?
I don't think England will beat the French when we meet, although I'm confident we'll give them a heck of a fight. The Scots put up a terrific performance against France. They really took the game to the French and the young full back, Hogg, who scored on his debut looks to be another great find.
Sadly, this tournament could be the end of the line for Andy Robinson, who has worked so hard with the Scottish players and has suffered such ill luck on the pitch. I remember when he was head coach of England. Towards the end, a picture of him appeared in a newspaper, walking down the tunnel at Twickenham, and it carried the headline "Dead Man Walking". He did cut a forlorn figure that day and I see the same hunching of the shoulders and careworn expression now, that he had then. If Scotland lose to Italy and take the wooden spoon, then a dead man walking again he may well be.
Still.... due to the big freeze in Paris a fortnight ago, we have a 6N match to enjoy this weekend. France vs Ireland. It could be a classic and Ireland have been winning games so far, although I tip France to edge it.
England get this weekend off, and then jump on the Eurostar for Paris. What price France predicting they too will "smash England".
The big problem with France is you never know which team will show up, they will probably be either awful or brilliant, rarely anything inbetween.
Very true. The French at their best are mercurial, but all too often appear uninterested and ill disciplined. When the crowd start getting on their backs, they simply quit.
It's one of the great comparisons in the game that, even when England have an inferior team to the French (which, admittedly, is most of the time), Les Rosbifs just don't know how to give up. We'll just keep on hammering back at them. It can produce some enthralling matches at times.... champagne rugby eventually overwhelming dogged resilience, or the French resistance being too apathetic to prevent being crushed by the English steamroller.
Jan 19, 2012 @ 12:24:14
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