Rugby Greats(and Stephen Jones) Predict Six Nations

[Jockstap]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rug...192&page=17

Good Article here with the Usual Suspects discussing the coming Six Nations. Some good praise for Keith Earls from Ian McGeechan.

"IM: Alex Grove is a good prospect in the centre for Scotland and the other one I would be very keen to watch now, after the Lions, is Keith Earls. This is his first championship.

SJ: Do you think he is the real thing?

IM: Yes. I do think he is the real thing. Where? He would have to play on the wing. I think this will be an interesting championship for him because he wasn’t first choice last year "

 

[Prestwick]

Despite Stephen Jone's attempt to be sensational, the rest of the pundits are quite okay with Italy's progress after a decade:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

LD: The saving grace for Italy this year could be the injury to Parisse. I know that sounds a bit odd because he is a brilliant player. But I think there are one or two players now that have to step forward and develop. Longer term, to be without Parisse could be quite a blessing.

SJ: It is almost getting a little bit embarrassing about Italy?

SB: No. It's early. Historically it's early.

LD: France were embarrassing for ten years.

IM: They have a good scrum, they are not going to get pushed around. They can’t score tries on a regular basis, a bit like Scotland. But in Rome if they get their act together, they can strangle sides. And in the Six Nations, you never know.[/b]

 

[An Tarbh]

It be nice to able to get an edited version without the comments of Guscott and Jones, only just glanced at the last page and immediately you see how retarded both are, Jones being a ******** over Italy and Guscott seemingly not knowing any young players, is this the best you can do BBC?

 

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 1 2010, 09:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

It be nice to able to get an edited version without the comments of Guscott and Jones, only just glanced at the last page and immediately you see how retarded both are, Jones being a ******** over Italy and Guscott seemingly not knowing any young players, is this the best you can do BBC?[/b]

The Times, not BBC.

Also, why does Stuart Barnes sound much more sensible here than he does on Sky? Can it be the massive Jones and Guscott-shaped ***s he's sitting with who make anyone look clever?

 

[Bullitt]

Listen to Stuart Barnes these days and he seems a lot more level headed then he would be of yesteryear. I have a suspicion a lot of that is because Sky no longer direct him to act like a WWF baddy commentator (the same thing they used to do with Andy Grey in the Football) and also he's had to raise his game since the arrival of Will Greenwood.

I for one have started to quite like him recently.

 

[feicarsinn]

A ell of alot of this artice seemed to be 'Um, yeah. I agree with Geechs'.

 

[Jockstap]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Feb 2 2010, 06:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

A ell of alot of this artice seemed to be 'Um, yeah. I agree with Geechs'.[/b]

Reminds me of a Simpsons when Flanders goes crazy
Senior psychologist: Oh my God do you know what this means?
Junior psychologist: Err, what do you think?
Senior psychologist : It means he's cured!
Junior psychologist : That's what I said.

I reckon Johnson should read the Article and just do whatever Geech says. This is his team.
Sir Ian McGeechan - B Foden; M Cueto, D Armitage, R Flutey, U Monye; J Wilkinson, D Care; T Payne, D Hartley, J White, S Shaw, S Borthwick, J Haskell, N Easter, L Moody

 

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jockstrap @ Feb 1 2010, 06:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Feb 2 2010, 06:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A ell of alot of this artice seemed to be 'Um, yeah. I agree with Geechs'.[/b]

Reminds me of a Simpsons when Flanders goes crazy
Senior psychologist: Oh my God do you know what this means?
Junior psychologist: Err, what do you think?
Senior psychologist : It means he's cured!
Junior psychologist : That's what I said.

I reckon Johnson should read the Article and just do whatever Geech says. This is his team.
Sir Ian McGeechan - B Foden; M Cueto, D Armitage, R Flutey, U Monye; J Wilkinson, D Care; T Payne, D Hartley, J White, S Shaw, S Borthwick, J Haskell, N Easter, L Moody
[/b][/quote]

Can someone tell me if switching Foden to 13 would be a terrible idea?

Anyhoo, no matter what Geech says, he's picked Tim Payne in his team, which just about undoes anything he's ever achieved as a coach.

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gingergenius @ Feb 1 2010, 07:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Can someone tell me if switching Foden to 13 would be a terrible idea?[/b]

Maybe like playing Hakell in the 2nd row. He's never played there before, he's never shown a particular hint of being suited for that position, but hey-ho... Sounds like a typical England shoe-horn (and considering England played him [Foden] on the Wing once when he's not a winger, that says enough...)

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gingergenius @ Feb 1 2010, 12:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 1 2010, 09:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It be nice to able to get an edited version without the comments of Guscott and Jones, only just glanced at the last page and immediately you see how retarded both are, Jones being a ******** over Italy and Guscott seemingly not knowing any young players, is this the best you can do BBC?[/b]

The Times, not BBC.

Also, why does Stuart Barnes sound much more sensible here than he does on Sky? Can it be the massive Jones and Guscott-shaped ***s he's sitting with who make anyone look clever?
[/b][/quote]

that applied to Guscott, so yeah BBC as well.

 

[Ozzay]

Agree with most things said about Wales.

 

[Meh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Wooden spoon winners?
JG - Italy
LD - Scotland
SJ - Italy
IM - Italy
SB - Italy[/b]

Bit 'arsh Lawrence.

Didn't really appreciate 5 pages about who the England team will be.

 

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Meh @ Feb 2 2010, 06:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE

Wooden spoon winners?
JG - Italy
LD - Scotland
SJ - Italy
IM - Italy
SB - Italy[/b]

Bit 'arsh Lawrence.

Didn't really appreciate 5 pages about who the England team will be.
[/b][/quote]

Thats what happens when 3 ex-England internationals are joined by an Englishman who masquerades as a Scot, writing for a paper who's majority readership is English.

 

[Olyy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Meh @ Feb 2 2010, 06:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE

Wooden spoon winners?
JG - Italy
LD - Scotland
SJ - Italy
IM - Italy
SB - Italy[/b]

Bit 'arsh Lawrence.

[/b][/quote]

To be fair, it's going to be Italy or Scotland, and Dallaglio is hardly a Scottish surname

 

[Bullitt]

Like the Don would ever dream of putting down his beloved Italy.

 

[bristol-iain]

I can find the thread fr it but did you guys see what John Beattie wrote? I swear the BBC just employ plonkers to write for them.

"Ireland have the experience of Brian O'Driscoll, the guile of Declan Kidney and enough gumption to beat anyone on their day - hardly a weak link - though they are starting to get a bit arrogant with their Grand Slam."

From where, while their fans may be (I guess they have a right to be) I struggle to think where Kidney, BOD et al have shown any sign of arrogance. Confidence maybe but not arrogant.

 

[feicarsinn]

I've made every effort to be defeatist about this season. No Sexton, Ferris, Fitzgerald or Leamy on the weekend. Two basically untested backrows in the 22, a fly half who can't hack it when the pressure is on, two hookers short on gametime, a scrum half who's short of form and a very poor scrum. Hardly championship winning stuff. I'd be worried if Italy weren't absolutely cack.

 

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Feb 2 2010, 11:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I've made every effort to be defeatist about this season. No Sexton, Ferris, Fitzgerald or Leamy on the weekend. Two basically untested backrows in the 22, a fly half who can't hack it when the pressure is on, two hookers short on gametime, a scrum half who's short of form and a very poor scrum. Hardly championship winning stuff. I'd be worried if Italy weren't absolutely cack.[/b]

The great strength Ireland have now is in how settled they are, which is what all world class teams have. Pretty much everyone could sit down and pick their dream Ireland XV, and barring 1 or 2 minor queries, they'd all pick the same players. Contrast that with England and everyone's got a different opinion.

When a side is settled, you miss good players less. It is very easy for O'Brien to come into the back row and look good playing amongst guys who 100% know what their job is and how to do it. Again, we can contrast this to England who are really unsettled - almost every young player we've brought through since 2004 has looked inexperienced and quickly been discarded.

Ireland have the benefit of sustained success over the past year, which means they should be able to keep improving even if some personnel are missing. This is why I was so frustrated with all the English injuries this autumn - the momentum we were looking like generating from the 6N all disappeared and we were back to 'England Manager Drops Youngsters And Recalls Oldies Syndrome'.