Predictions

[MichaelBoard]

1) Wales
2) England
3) France
4) Ireland
5) Scotland
6) Italy

I think people are really underestimating Wales with predictions of Wales finishing 4th/5th which I honestly don't think will happen.
We'll beat England in the opening match but I think it will be a very close exciting game much like the game in 2005 and the game at Twickenham in 2008 but we will come out on top. The other 2 matches that I believe will be our hardest games are Scotland at Murrayfield and France. Scotland are playing really well and building a winning mentality under Andy Robinson and will be hard to beat but we will come out on top, just. As for the French game I think we'll lose that one out in France but will beat Ireland at home and beat Italy away quite comfortably.
My reason behind this is that although we didn't win any matches in the Autumn series and only managed to stumble to a draw against the Fijians I think we put in arguably the best performances of all the home nations and if we were a bit more clinical and ruthless with our chances then everybody would have been giving us the praise that our performances actually deserved, Fiji aside. We had the chances to finish off the Boks and All Blacks but just weren't ruthless enough to do it and I'm sure that will be something that Gatland and the management will be drilling into them and come Six Nations time we will be ready.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

1) Ireland
2) England
3) Wales/France
4) France/Wales
5) Scotland
6) Italy

Thats a tough verdict on some of the teams admittedly. I just think that too many people base predictions largely on the AI's. Otherwise, as people have been saying, theres at least 4 teams here all around the same mark, capable of beating each other.
I know Scotland have been improving but I do think that it will be another couple of years before they are the side they really want to be. I have seen the NZ game described as a 'banana-skin', but to be honest it was a nothing less than a disaster for Scotland really. I can see them losing at least one of the home games against Wales and Ireland. And I do think the away games against France and England will be a bridge too far.
As for England, I think the away games against Wales and Ireland will be tough, we can easily lose both. However, If we beat Wales, we'd be well on course. I'm uncomfortable with so many people predicting we'll win.

I'd be very surprised if we see a Grand-slam this year.

 

[Curls]

1) Ireland
2) France
3) England
4) Wales
5) Italy
6) Scotland

This year is hard to call really! Most RWC years are!

Year in year out we see teams judged on their autumn performances and often this tends to not bare out in the championship. For example Ireland were pants in 2008 AIs and won the GS! I'll break it down team by team...

Ireland - Kind of flattered to decieve in the AIs. If they had played the 80 mins v SA they may well have shaded it. Samoa was just one of those days you have against the south seas nations and if Mr Joker...i mean "Jonker" had have refereed the game against the ABs and not **** his pants every time he saw McCaw that game sould well have been different. Ireland have a strong squad and I would expect that Kidney will look to get his mind straight on who's who and where in this years championship. Certainly I think that Wallace and Ferris will be feeling Sean O'Brien's breath on their necks and one or the other could well lose out(My guess is Ferris...which means that suspiciously Trimble may appear on the wing....or Wallace at 12 if Best is injured). If Ireland play as their squad quality allows I think they'll win the 6N, maybe not a GS but who knows. Home games against England and France are a plus. I think they could well beat England as Ireland seem to have a voodoo curse on England of late. So I'll say a win there maybe...France..maybe not...but it will be close! Italy will get a stuffing as a sorta prelude to the RWC. Wales and Scotland..same old...60mins of up the jumper and Ireland trot over the line just about intact.

France - Always strong, always hard, hard to beat, but mind set can be a downer for them. If they cut loose and play like they can then they should be hard to beat...but it depends.

England - Well England are always going to win things....until they lose...and then a raft of excuses in brought out. Over-confidence is a problem. England are certainly better than they were a couple of years ago, but the Aussies were fairly average in truth. England are certainly a lot better than they were last year and the year before that but I think a win in Dublin or in Cardiff is a bridge MAYBE a bit far. I do expect them to be close in every game but I think they need to get players into the Top 14
becuase in my opinion the Aviva Prem' is falling behind the Magners and T14 and English players are being introuced to a higher level of rugby at the HEC. I think Wales will beat them 1st game out as they wont be set, but they will get stronger as the games go on. Lose to Ireland and Wales, win the rest!

Wales - Lapse between good and bad. Were fairly average against Fiji but cant judge on that. You never know with Wales until they get going in the 6N then you can tell what they are up to!

Scotland - Embarassed Ireland last year. Win was more down to Ireland than it was to Scotland but they seem to be growing in confidence. Murrayfield is not a play tou look forward to going but I cant see them higher than 3rd. Wales and Italy will struggle, Ireland, Scotland and France will struggle for 30-40mins and then pull away.

Italy - Eternal underdogs but not as "under" as they have been in the past. Manies the scare has been had in Rome and they have a pack that can do damage. They will be looking at pulling the rug from under the Aussies or Irish in NZ in September and expect they to try and springboard in this championship. Danger team!

 

[Tom943]

1) England
2)Scotland/Ireland
3)Scotland/Ireland
4)France
5)Wales
6)Italy

Italy the norm, will try but they lack the depth in the squad to really compete. They might give Wales a good game though
Wales have been poor recently but the return of Henson might change things
France are still hard to predict because you never know which french team is going to turn up. If they play like they they did against the aussies they will get beaten
Scotland have improved greatly under Robinson but their performances cant always depend on how well Parks plays. They need some go forward at fly-half so i think Jackson should start and parks should come on at the end to close out the game if the scots are ahead or nail some dg's to get them back in the game
Ireland have had a mixed run of results recently but i think they will play well and finish at least in the top half. If they get the ball out to the backs they are really dangerous
England i think have improved greatly since last year and their game against the aussies proved that however against SA they were quite poor so it depends on which team turns up. Also now that Lawes is out i think they will struggle. The game against Wales will tell us a lot.

I think this is the most open that the competition has been in a long time and think that any 5 teams could win (not Italy)

 

[grego15]

france
wales
england
scotland
ireland
italy

 

[Curls]

france
wales
england
scotland
ireland
italy

I take it you have a vendetta against Ireland. To finish 5th they'd have to lose both home games and most likely only win one away. The suggestion that they wont beat Italy and Scotland atleast is pure fantasy tbh! IMO opinion Scotland will be aiming at 5th and will be hoping to just avoid doing the baking at the end of the Championship

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I take it you have a vendetta against Ireland. To finish 5th they'd have to lose both home games and most likely only win one away. The suggestion that they wont beat Italy and Scotland atleast is pure fantasy tbh! IMO opinion Scotland will be aiming at 5th and will be hoping to just avoid doing the baking at the end of the Championship

Scotland aiming for 5th?
I'd say 4th/3rd isn't out of the question
Don't forget what happened at Croke Park...

 

[ssholl]

England
Wales
France
Ireland
Scotland
Italy

 

[Curls]

Scotland aiming for 5th?
I'd say 4th/3rd isn't out of the question
Don't forget what happened at Croke Park...

Well my personal opinion is that they are fairly middle of the road. Croke Park was an embarassment for Ireland because of that. However Ireland having last weekend mass brainfarts and playing badly and doing stupid things, examples are Twickenham 2008, Croke Park 2010.....last minute Cardiff 2009.....<_<
I just think that Scotland tend to be made look better than they are by their opposition.

I have a feeling in my waters that Home advantage will see Ireland through atleast one of the games at home(hopefully beat England for national pride reasons) and the away games should be ok. I think wins in Rome and Murrayfield..maybe Cardiff

 

[BigJoe78]

England
Wales
Ireland
France
Scotland
Italy

England should win it if they play to their potential i.e. how they played against Australia.
Wales have a good team but they need to keep pressure on for 80mins, they had flashes of brilliance in the autumn but lost it later in the games.
Ireland have the talent but need the consistency, same with France.
Scotland had a good run of results in the summer and did ok in the autumn so have a decent platform but cant see them maintaining it that momentum for the 6 nations
Italy - the eternal wooden spoon?

 

[eoinmc98]

2003 is LONG GONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:lol::lol::lol:

So how do you justify putting Ireland number one?

One win over Samoa plus a narrow defeat to South Africa (and a hammering by NZ). Don't get too ahead of yourselves

i have to admit ireland probaly wont come first but neither will england your commentators make all the english players sound like gods but all these new young so called talents are **** bar ben youngs and toby flood but you have no good clubs in england and no outstanding players that arent kept from the world cup 2003 ((((((let that world cup go it was 8 years ago now !!!!!!! )))))))))

 

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[Teh Mite]

:lol::lol::lol: i have to admit ireland probaly wont come first but neither will england your commentators make all the english players sound like gods but all these new young so called talents are **** bar ben youngs and toby flood but you have no good clubs in england and no outstanding players that arent kept from the world cup 2003 ((((((let that world cup go it was 8 years ago now !!!!!!! )))))))))

Lessons in how make friends and influence people with eoinmc98. Bravo

 

[Feicarsinn]

:lol::lol::lol: i have to admit ireland probaly wont come first but neither will england your commentators make all the english players sound like gods but all these new young so called talents are **** bar ben youngs and toby flood but you have no good clubs in england and no outstanding players that arent kept from the world cup 2003 ((((((let that world cup go it was 8 years ago now !!!!!!! )))))))))

Bed time soon?

 

[eoinmc98]

prove me wrong and win something for the first time in 8 years

 

[Teh Mite]

prove me wrong

 

[eoinmc98]

I play in blue for Leinster, they call me Jonny Ten
I'm lookin for a chance to beat those Munster boys again
I know it won't be easy, it won't come as a gift
The loikes of Isa, Drico, Luke & Shags will hafta shift
But they aint getting nowhere without lineout scrum & maul
The loikes of Leo, Jamie, Cian & Sean to win the ball
And when I get that pass from Reds, and see what's in my way
I'll drop my shoulder, chorge ahead and this is what I'll say
I'll say…

Fock your Strings & Warwick
I've got Dorce outsoide
Fock your Tuitupou
I've got Dorce outsoide
Fock your Earls & Mafi
I've got Dorce outsoide
When I'm lookin for a try
I've got the Dorce outsoide

He went to school in Clongowes, then at Lansdowne he was great
He stepped up to the interpros in 1998
Tackles like a demon, blessed with blinding pace
When he got that try at Croker I slagged Ronan to his face!
We've got world class backs, down the OarDeeEsh
And our droive for foive showed em all who's best!
So when we get to Thomond, and I'm facing Wian du Preez
I'll look that loose-head up and down and give 'im one of these

I'll say…

Fock your Bull & Quinny
I've got Dorce outsoide
Fock your Paul O'Connell
I've got Dorce outsoide
Fock your Fla & Leamy
I've got Dorce outsoide
When I'm lookin for a try
I've got the Dorce outsoide

C'mon Gordon D'Arcy, cross that loine
Let's play those fockers off the pork for yet another toime
And if you think my taunting makes me sound a cruel bloke
Don't worry; when we all wear green we'll laugh and have a joke
Cos if rugby had no banter, it wouldn't be the same
Its fans know how to keep control unlike some other games!
And if Munster thinks they own this tune, they don't and here is why -
I've just got these four words for them - "The Fields of ATHENRY"???!!!

EVERYBODY…
Fock your Strings & Warwick
I've got Dorce outsoide
Fock your Tuitupou
I've got Dorce outsoide
Fock your Earls & Mafi
I've got Dorce outsoide
When I'm lookin for a try
I've got the Dorce outsoide
He's gonna move inside...
He's gonna cross that line...
He's gonna beat yiz down in Thomond Pearrrrrk (Limerick accent)

Lyrics © JL Pagano 2011
tune by Rubberbandits
To the tune of "Horse Outside" by the Rubberbandits, narrated obviously by Johnny Sexton! Not sure who wrote the lyrics, but fair ****s to them.

Brilliant IMO!

 

[TRF_Cymro]

 

[eoinmc98]

ireland can't be stopped coz we got dorce outside

 

[Teh Mite]

ireland can't be stopped coz we got dorce outside

And the wonder-prop inside.

And this [strike]guy[/strike] twat: