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!
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!
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