The RBS 6 Nations 2011 Review

Where the heck has the time gone! At the end of the Autumn Internationals I remember the BBC reporting now how it was only 3 months until the 6 Nations and now, it is over! So here is to my review, going through each team in the order that the have finished.

England

Well here is a team that I am starting to fear as a seriously strong one for the future. The young players have mixed well with the senior members of the squad and a settled look to the 1st XV team has helped this. But look more closely and you'll see that they are far from the finished article. Against Wales they took 20/25 minutes to get started and even then did not really look like they were going to go into the final weekend chasing a Grand Slam, then onto Italy and they let rip, opening up and bringing the back three into the game well. France caused more of a fight and if they had picked a stronger team they could have rocked the boat with a win at HQ. Scotland game down chasing the Calcutta Cup and England once again spluttered passed the finish line. Then to the GS decider, the big game in Dublin, did anyone tell England to turn up? I didn't see them, I just noticed 15 guys in white jersey's running round the field? Maybe they had there minds on other things, like an advert for when they win the Rugby World Cup in October? All in all this is looking like a good England team, they have a lot to learn but I believe that as a friend of mine keeps pointing out, this team is not for 2011 but for 2015, anything past the semi-finals in the RWC this year for England will be another shock (i.e. France 07).

France

Amazing, brilliant, world class, outstanding in a field of their own, World Cup winners or should that be pathetic, amateurish, lack of focus, lucky! Any of those descriptions could have been used at anytime during any game for France in this years Championship, I know everyone talks about which France will turn up but I have never seen it as bad as this! Against Scotland in their opening game I could not see anything else than back to back Grand Slam's for them, then came Ireland and if not for the Irish indiscipline the French would have been beaten and well beaten at that. Up next was England and the game to decide the GS (so the press would have you believe), and if not for the the Master Tinkler that is Marc Lievremont France could have had a much better chance to win the game. The it was a short hope across the boarder to share a glass or two of wine with the Italian neighbours and mainly enjoy the finer things in life. But nobody told the Italians that, they came and ruined the party and deserved every bit of it. And so the the final game against Wales and France after everything they had been through in the tournament  decided to turn up and play rugby. Pity it was the last game!

Ireland

Well I never thought that we would be in third come the first two weekends. It was a very hard championship to watch as an Irish fan as we all knew that each player on the field could easily lift his game another 100% and actually be in contention for the Grand Slam, Championship or at least teh Triple Crown come the final weekend but no. We scrapped a win against an Italian side that in my eyes deserved an historic win. We decided to out score the French 3 tires to one but let them win by giving away penalties in the "red zone" letting Parra keep them in-touch and eventually win. Then across the Irish sea to our Celtic neighbours in Scotland, once again we out score them 3 tires to none but of course it would not be neighbourly of us if we did not let them have a few penalties, thankfully this time we knew when to stop. And so Wales and Cardiff, our home away from home, a place where the Irish provinces and Ireland themselves love to visit. I am saying nothing more about this game other than the referee gave the try and his word is final. Dublin to end things and St Patrick's Day weekend, this is it, time to knock the English chariot over and steal their thunder. Only problem is, we were expecting a fight, we play some fantastic quick ball rugby with everyone on their game but we had nobody to play against. Ireland have to sit down and take a serious look at what happened over the past few weeks, we have a World Cup coming up in which we have to take on Australia, Italy, Russia and the USA, all of which over the last 6-12 months have played some very good rugby. We need to be 100% focused for New Zealand!

Wales

I really do not know what to think of the Welsh performance in this years 6 Nations, to me anyway other than a couple of good displays by Hook at 10 there has not really been much to talk about (queue a list of complaints from my Welsh followers!). In the opening game against England I thought for the firs t 20 minutes they were going to maybe take the win but no, they let there pressure slip without getting enough points on the board, then the rest of the tournament they just never really showed any real conviction. I do not want to sound disrespectful to the Welsh in anyway, it is just my opinion of your games. Scotland, Ireland and France all came and went with really only "that try" in the Ireland game to make any headlines. Wales are a very dangerous side when they are on form and they have some of the best players in world rugby available to them. In my case if I was a Welsh I would just want to forget this 6 Nations and go into the World Cup with a clean slate and hopes held high.

Scotland

Was this really the team that beat South Africa in the Autumn Internationals? OK so they showed glimpses of it against France but then again, it was France. Barley a show against Wales and then only keeping in touch with Ireland via penalties. All that was thrown out the window thou when Scotland travelled to Twickenham to taken on England for the Calcutta Cup. Unless there was a major issue then I could never see anything else than a hard fought game but unfortunately for Scotland it was England who ended up taking the glory over the Auld Enemy. Scotland then move onto the Wooden Spoon show down with Italy at Murryfield, surely Italy were going to win this, Scotland can only score penalties at home. Whoops! Scotland out score Italy two tries to one at home! There will be a lot of soul searching for the Scot's to do before the World Cup, they have a tough group and if they play like they did in the 6 Nations they could easily be going home after the group stages!

Italy

Nearly everyone's second team in the 6 Nations now am I not right? Is there really anyone out there who when they are watching Italy against any other team other than their own does not hope in their heart that they win? Italy started this tournament against Ireland with a narrow defeat, I know it is easy for me to say now but I honestly would not have been that upset if Italy had won, they just deserved it more. Going to Tickenham in good spirits they got smashed, no other way to put it to be honest. On to Wales and a another narrow defeat in Rome, a couple of quick Welsh ties the only thing to separate the two. With three games at home in the tournament Italy must have been aiming for at least one win but who would have thought it would have been against the French? I was watching the game and it sort of slip me by until about 20 minutes to go that Italy had a chance and they took it, with both hands! Well done Italy! The last game against Scotland and I honestly thought that they would beat them and taking the early lead in the game I thought that Scotland would just sit back and take the defeat. Unfortunately that did not happen and for the 9th time in their 12 year 6 Nations history Italy finished lasted. Looking towards the World Cup I am very worried having Italy in Ireland's group, they are not going to be an easy team to play against!

Well that is my attempt to review this years RBS 6 Nations.  I hope you enjoyed reading my blog over the last few weeks. I am going to try and keep it up over the next few months following Ulster and other hot topics in the rugby world. So keep your eyes peeled for more!

And now, the end is here, and so we face the final weekend!

As an Irish fan I am not sure what to make of this weekends final 6 Nations game against the English. A big part of me wants us to win of course, just to knock them off their perch and stop them from completing the Grand Slam (I did say to people after round one that I did not believe there would be a Triple Crown or Grand Slam winner this year) but there is also a part of me that wants them to win! This is not because I want to listen to all the comments from my England supporting mates about how poorly we played this year (and we have played poorly at times) and that it is 2003 all over again when they won the Grand Slam and went on to win the RWC in the Southern Hemisphere but to see if it stirs a reaction from Declan Kidney! Do not get me wrong I am not looking for a mental break down like we seen from Marc Lievremont but just something to show me that behind that very well maintained media front there is a coach who is as passionate as the players say he is! Anyway, mini rant over, back to looking at the games.

Italy travel to Murrayfield on the back of their greatest ever victory, not just in the 6 Nations but in their rugby history! We all know that France are, shall we say in-deferent this year but nothing should be taken away from what was a well earned victory, which could have seen a bigger winning margin if not for Mirco Bergamasco's missed kicks (no blame can be pinned on him, he is not a natural goal kicker!). This victory combined with a good performance at Twickenham for Scotland is helping lift this game from becoming what could have been a stale start to the Super Saturday to something resembling a rugby match. I remember a few years ago when Italy went to Murrayfield and had three tries in the first 21 minutes, nobody was expecting that, least of all the Scot's! Italy are sensing a victory here for sure, the Scotland team that beat South Africa in the Autumn's International's has slipped away into the history books, they will of course want to make sure they do not finish bottom and give their fans a good result and performance to end their shaky 6 Nations and lift their spirits going into the World Cup in New Zealand in September but I believe Italy have the momentum for this game. Scotland for the Wooden Spoon and a well deserved second win for the Italians; Italy by 3!

Now! The game of the day! England winning the Grand Slam in the brand spanking new home of Irish rugby. Breaking Irish hearts around the world on St Patrick's Day Weekend. At least that is what they want to happen. I am bag of nerves already about this game, Declan Kidney has gone back to Sexton at 10 and brought in Trimble on the wing and this to me points to only one thing. Preparing for a defensive game! It is no secret in world rugby that as class an act as Ronan John Ross O'Gara is at outside half, his defense has never been a strong point. With the likelihood of Matt Banahan being brought in to replace Lord Tindall of Gloucester, DK had to look at our 10 channel as a massive hole, one that the England back row and Banahan could exploit to their hearts content if ROG were there, running move after move down it, drawing in our defense and leaving space out wide for England's marauding back three to take advantage off (no doubt a swan dive from young Christopher Ashton sealing an English Grand Slam). With Sexton coming in we shore up that hole, he is not here because he played well in the last 20 minutes in Cardiff but only to make the tackles. The same goes for Trimble, as much as I love seeing him pull on the green of Ireland (being a good Ulsterman) I cannot see any reason for his inclusion other than his size. Do not get me wrong, I am not looking at this as the glass is half empty, we still have a great chance to win this game and one that I believe we will grab with both hands. Ireland have proved they can score tries this year but more to the point they have shown they do not conceded tries (dodgey touch judge decisions aside). The England camp are now allowed to talk about the Grand Slam and what it could bring with it. Their mixture of the young up and coming players with the more senior heads seems to have clicked, something that I know all England fans are more than glad to see after what can only be seen as a unstable last few years since 2003. This England team are showing the hunger and the unity that was on shown with that team and will not back down but Ireland have yet to click and the frustration of this is all over the players faces for everyone to see. Ireland are due to have a good game soon and there is no better/bigger occasion to do that than at home in the last game of the Six Nations to stop England winning the Grand Slam. Ireland want this, Ireland need this victory! England to win the championship but Ireland to win the day. Ireland by 7!

And so to the final game of the RBS 6 Nations 2011. The Welsh vs the French. Wales still have a chance to win the championship but I honestly cannot see that happening. Hook has been playing very well and 10 and with the French starting to fall apart as a team, squad and Union with their very on Mad Tinkler Marc Leivremont in charge I believe that it will be a Welsh win but the lose of Wing King Shane Williams will hit them hard. France of course will look to bounce straight back from their shock defeat to the Italians in Rome last weekend, they will be dangerous but Wales are no Italy and they have the players to convert their chances  and more to the point, they have a natural goal kicker who very rarely misses! It'll be no walkover for the Welsh but I think they'll win by 5.

Feel free to leave any comments, the more the better!

The Penultimate Weekend

So to the penultimate weekend of the RBS 6 Nations and it looks to be another cracking one with France travelling to Rome and Ireland to Cardiff on Saturday, then to round it all off the clash for the Calcutta Cup on Sunday between England and Scotland.

You would think that it would be quiet easy to call the results for these games after what has gone before and I will; France by 30, Ireland by 5 and England by 20. But then you have into account who is playing who and what for!

Let’s start with the Italy France game. Italy have played some good rugby in this tournament and if not for a late O'Gara drop goal in the opening round they could well have had a scalp over the Irish, next up for them was the English and although everyone barring Sergio Parisse did not turn up for the Italians it was not all doom and gloom with some nice little phases of play thrown in amongst the, well let’s say not so good. When it was the Welsh turn the visit Rome the Azzurri could sense victory over a stumbling Welsh opposition but unfortunately they dropped off towards the end leading to their third defeat in the tournament. Then to France, the team, or should that be squad, that do not know when they want to play rugby. Against Scotland in the first game there were times where I could see no reason why they would not go on to claim back to back Grand Slams but in conceding three tries they showed that they were vulnerable to a team that had any decent attacking edge to it and so when they went to Dublin I wasn't even quietly confident that the Irish would win it, I was shouting it from the roof tops. So the Irish gave away their penalties yes but the French should why you can never underestimate them with the boot of Morgan Parra securing the French a vital win in there march to another Grand Slam. And so to the Grand Slam decider (or at least the press and TV coverage would have you believe) England vs. France at Rugby HQ, the big one, the game that everyone has been waiting for since England trashed the Aussies. There can only be three words to describe it really; Massive Let Down!

To conclude the French should win this one easy but if they let the Italians get a sniff, well, they could just make life very hard for their French neighbours.

And so onto the Wales Ireland game. My home nation go toe to toe with their Celtic brothers, the might of Ireland against the skill of the Welsh; Byrne v Fitzgerald, Williams v Bowe, Roberts v O'Driscoll, Hook v O'Gara, there are alone are 8 of the Lions squad that toured South Africa in 09, it shows what talent that both teams have but yet this game for me will never be allowed to show it. I am not saying that it will be an easy win for either side, nor am I saying that there will be no enjoyable flowing rugby but here are the two teams that top the list for penalties given away (1st. Wales, 2nd. Ireland). I refuse to believe that any team or player for that matter goes out to deliberately give away penalties but the fact that these two teams are at the top of the penalty list means they are doing something wrong. Declan Kidney and Brian O'Driscoll have both come out and openly admitted that the Irish management and players are very disappointed with the penalty count and that even some players have been picked out as repeat offenders! I hope both teams can go out on Saturday and just play rugby as it should be and with the players at each coach’s disposal I think we could see the best match of the weekend. But the Welsh hearts will be weeping come the full time whistle as I can really only see one result and that is an Irish win, whether it be a hard fought battle, a stroll in the park or a scrappy penalty ridden game. This game is Ireland's.

And so to Sunday and the game that every English and Scottish fan will tell you is the biggest game of the tournament, the one with the most bragging rights. England have played some fantastic rugby over the past few weeks and with Johnson finally realising that to build a team you need some consistency then England are looking like the force they were in 2003 when the lifted the Webb Ellis Trophy for the first time. But let us not think that because of this England are going to run out on to the grass at the Cabbage Patch and run riot like they did against the Italians, this is a Scotland side who beat the current World Cup winners South Africa and a team who at times against the French showed that their attacking abilities would match that of any International team. Scotland are going to Twickenham not just for the Calcutta Cup, not just to fight the auld enemy on their patch but to restore pride into their jerseys, to show that the last couple of games have been a blip, that they are the team that on their day can stand toe to toe with the World Cup winners and win. This is going to be a hard battle for Scotland but one that I believe they are capable of winning, if they turn up, if not, the Calcutta Cup is England's once more.

Hopefully I have not put you to sleep by reading this; it is my first attempt at a preview to a rugby weekend. Feel free to leave any comments below.

Losing my Blogging Virginity!

Well hello all!

I have decided that I am going to give blogging a try, see how things turn out for me, whether or not people follow, or even read my blogs I am not worried I just want to see how it pans out.

I am going to give my opinion on up-coming rugby matches and events as well as reviews on ones past as rugby is my passion and therefore I love to chat (some would say argue) about it with other fans.

As well as my blog you can find me on Twitter (@RugbyGareth) feel free to follow me there, although I make no apologies for the use of strong language at times and the fact that not all my Tweets will be rugby related.

Anyway, I plan to do a review on the next set of RBS 6 Nations matches coming up on the weekend 12/13th March so stay tuned for my thoughts!

So now I have lost my blogging virginity, will there be any stopping me?!