The Six Nations

[Chelsea14Ian]

The Six Nations kicked off last night,a good result for Wales.Beating France in Paris. This afternoon England take on Ireland in Dublin.I hope we can overcome them,will be hard to do,but let's hope.

[NorfolkNog]

I'm not a rugby fan by any means but this is a real shot in the arm for pubs particularly after that dry January nonsense. 

I belive it's on terrestial TV too so all our Broads pubs could benefit not just the handful with Sky. 

[Chelsea14Ian]

I became a fan many years ago of Union. Think it's a great game.The other week ,I did the tour of Twickenham. This year it's also the World cup in Japan.I also agree.Yes indeed the six Nations is on BBC and ITV.Not sure who has the rights for the World cup. 

[VetChugger]

Kick and clap! No thanks! Proper game has just started with the mighty Cas winning last night!

[Paul]

Cas ..... would that be Castleford. They play that girly version of tag rugby don't they? I went to a Rugby League game once. I asked the person who took me why they had gone to uncontested scrums, she looked at me gone out?

[VetChugger]

As it happens, I totally agree about the scrums but I still much prefer to see athletes passing and running with the ball rather than the all pile on scrappage every 30 seconds that you applaud!

[Liberty]

Good first half this afternoon though...

90 seconds?  Oh how we missed Tuilagi.  

[Malanka]

Check out the blocking by the guys in green . Replays on big screen oops 

[Liberty]

I do suspect a different Ireland this 2nd half though - they always wake up in the 2nd.

[Chelsea14Ian]

What a great result from England,some great Rugby,out playing Ireland. Well done lads.

[Liberty]

Happily eat my words!

Good performance, well reffed. 

 

[Paul]

England played very well. They seemed to have got control of the stupid infringements, especially around the break down which have plagued them for the last couple of years, were better disciplined in defence and clinical in attack. The return of Tuilagi and the Vunipola's was huge. 

I'm not sure about the refereeing though. Ireland were persistantly a yard, sometimes two offside. I'm not sure you can blame that on the ref, there are so many laws in the modern game his attention is focused on the ruck. Touch judges, or as we should call them "assistant referees" have to take responsibility for stamping this out. We see it week in / week out in the premiership. 

[Liberty]

I thought the ref managed the game well.  He allowed the rugby to flow - something which some others do not.  As a player and a spectator, it can be so frustrating when every little thing is picked up on by an overly officious ref.   

Great match today.

 

[Paul]

I have to agree that the game did have a good flow to it, though I think that was more down to him missing a number of infringments (from both teams, before anyone accuses me of bias), then any plan of the referees. If he did turn a blind eye deliberatley then well done him. There are so many finicky rules around the tackle and the breakdown that have been introduced over the last decade or so to allow a more flowing game, but which have had the opposite effect as all they do is create more stoppages. Good rugby is a balance between competition for the ball, great running lines, good tackling and game management. It is what, in my eyes at least, makes Union so much more interesting then Rugby League. I appreciate of you are a fan of Rugby League you will think differently. That's fine, each to his own.

I dread seeing Wayne Barnes or JP Doyle assigned to our premiership matches, I know it's not going to be a good game before the whistle blows, and think of them as bad referees when in fact, the truth may be the opposite. They pick up the offences which many miss and you get a stop start game.

I stand by the offisde calls though. There's nothing new to the offside rule and if it is not enforced it closes down space in midfield and denies the opposition the chance to create running lines and that happened to England at least half a dozen times in the first half, and a couple in the second. England overcame it by great line speed and clever passing which is to their credit. 

[Liberty]

Agreed - he let some things slide for both teams, which requires guts.  

A great game from all three directions.

Roll on next Sunday...predictions?

[Chelsea14Ian]

I don't want to make a prediction, just hope we play the same as today.

[Chelsea14Ian]

Great result against France.Once again England played well.Took there foot off the gas in the second half.Next up Wales in two weeks time.Will I am sure be a hard game for both sides.

[Chelsea14Ian]

Well done to Wales,sadly for England we were not good enough today.

[Paul]

Well done Wales. It hurts me to say it but they wanted it more in that second half. 

To my untrained eye England are in desperate need of leadership. Owen Farrel is not a test captain. Problem is, looking at the current squad i don't see any stand out candidates. 

[Chelsea14Ian]

I think we have a good team,we gave it away in the second half.Should have pushed on more ,but didn't. True Wales wanted it more.

[Arthur]

Cymru am byth

Well done to Wales but sadly Scotland did not do so well against France 

 

[JennyMorgan]

Southwold today, not everyone is a rugby fan it seems! Fish and chips, plus a pint of Adnams or two, or rugby on telly? 

[Baitrunner]

4 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

Southwold today, not everyone is a rugby fan it seems! Fish and chips, plus a pint of Adnams or two, or rugby on telly? 

I bet the rugby club was rammed though? It was for the football last year. Pubs in southwold don't have such peasant things like TVs in them. 

[Chelsea14Ian]

Well done Wales on winning,how England can have 31 points on the board. Then almost losing to Scotland. England getting a draw in the last minute. Scotland played really well. One of the most amazing games I have seen. 

[CambridgeCabby]

What a match !!!!!!