Rugby - Six NAtions Prediction League

Post by **pharvey** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 11:31 pm

For those interested........

Wales team to BEAT Scotland on Saturday, 13 February at the Millennium Stadium (kick-off: 1400 GMT):

Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), James Hook (Ospreys), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues), Shane Williams (Ospreys); Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Gareth Cooper (Cardiff Blues);

Paul James (Ospreys), Gareth Williams (Cardiff Blues), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys, captain).

Replacements: Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Bradley Davies (Cardiff Blues), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues), Richie Rees (Cardiff Blues), Andrew Bishop (Ospreys), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues).

NOT Happy with this..... Cooper should be relegated to the bench as should, Gareth Williams and Andy Powell. Gethin Jenkins on the bench must be related to a late fitness test IMHO.
Being welsh however I am eternally optimistic and therefore we shall beat our dear skirt wearing cousins by a mear 9 points.Scotland:

C Paterson (Edinburgh); T Evans (Glasgow), S Lamont (Scarlets), G Morrison (Glasgow), R Lamont (Toulon); D Parks (Glasgow), C Cusiter (Glasgow, capt);

A Dickinson (Gloucester), R Ford (Edinburgh), E Murray (Northampton), N Hines (Leinster), A Kellock (Glasgow), K Brown (Glasgow), J Barclay (Glasgow), J Beattie (Glasgow).

Replacements: S Lawson (Gloucester), A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), R Gray (Glasgow), A MacDonald (Edinburgh), M Blair (Edinburgh), P Godman (Edinburgh), M Evans (Glasgow).

Ireland:

R Kearney (Leinster), T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (capt), G D'Arcy (both Leinster), K Earls, R O'Gara, T O'Leary (all Munster);

C Healy (Leinster), J Flannery, J Hayes (both Munster), L Cullen (Leinster), P O'Connell (Munster), AN Other, D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements (from): R Best, T Court (both Ulster), D Ryan (Munster), S O'Brien, K McLaughlin, E Reddan, J Sexton (all Leinster), P Wallace, A Trimble (both Ulster).

France team:

Clement Poitrenaud (Toulouse); Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Mathieu Bastareaud (Stade Francais), Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse), Alexis Palisson (Brive); Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Morgan Parra (Clermont);

Thomas Domingo (Clermont), William Servat (Toulouse), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Lionel Nallet (Racing Metro), Pascal Pape (Stade Francais), Thierry Dusautoir (capt, Toulouse), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz).

Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Francais), Sylvain Marconnet (Stade Francais), Julien Pierre (Clermont), Julien Bonnaire (Clermont), Frederic Michalak (Toulouse), David Marty (Perpignan), Julien Malzieu (Clermont).

England team:

D Armitage (London Irish); Cueto (Sale), Tait (Sale), Flutey (Brive), Monye (Harlequins); Wilkinson (Toulon), Care (Harlequins);

Payne (Wasps), Hartley (Northampton), Cole (Leicester), Shaw (Wasps), Borthwick (Saracens, capt), Haskell (Stade Francais), Moody (Leicester), Easter (Harlequins).

Post by **Jaime** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 5:22 pm

pharvey wrote:NOT Happy with this..... Cooper should be relegated to the bench as should, Gareth Williams and Andy Powell. Gethin Jenkins on the bench must be related to a late fitness test IMHO.

Matthew Rees would be in at hooker if fit but he is not, which leaves us with Huw Bennet, Gareth Williams and maybe the lardy Hibbard. I was surprised that Williams kept his place but he has earned it on merit and I can understand why he will be given another chance. Clearly there was a lack of understanding at the lineout and Williams threw one ball in way to the left but is it the hooker's fault if the second rows are not being lifted and Steve Borthwick simply beats them to the ball at the front of the lineout!!?? Charteris is the tallest man in international rugby at the moment but that's no good if he can't jump! I remember Matthew Rees being dreadful at throwing in when he first came on the scene and Bevan still often gets it wrong. Williams is on his last chance but deserves it.

Who would you have in instead of Powell?

Personally I would have dropped AWJ - partly for his misdemeanour but partly because he isn't living up to the hype - and brought in Ian Gough & Deiniol Jones for some straightforward doggedness, which is sadly lacking from the underperforming AWJ.

I agree that Cooper should be on the bench – Wales had so much more pace when Rees came on.

Post by **pharvey** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 6:51 pm

I'm amazed that Cooper has been selected in the 15 - matchday 22 OK as cover, but 15???! He has not been performing, where Richie Rees has... and did in the final quarter on Saturday.

Good to see Halfpenny coming in to the starting lineup - adds the option of the long range penalties which quite honestly Wales have missed with the absence of Gavin "spray tan" Henson.

As for Powell, he just gives away far too many penalties in my book - he also had a pretty poor display by his standards last week with the amount of turnovers conceded. Use him as an impact player coming off the bench for the last 20 or 30 - or for that matter, how's Alix Popham playing?

As for Powell's replacement, I'd like to see Johnathan Thomas moving back from the 2nd row and have Gough come in to partner AJW - should also improve our lineout.

Yes, Jones was a complete and utter muppet for what he did, and as you say not really reached the heights this season. HOWEVER, after the cr@p that he has undoubtedly received (and deserved) during the last week, I believe he's going to come back and play out of his skin. He's a young guy with a (hopefully) great career ahead of him - yes he's stuffed up, but let's try and get past it.

Post by **Jaime** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:12 pm

pharvey wrote:As for Powell, he just gives away far too many penalties in my book - he also had a pretty poor display by his standards last week with the amount of turnovers conceded. Use him as an impact player coming off the bench for the last 20 or 30 - or for that matter, how's Alix Popham playing?

As for Powell's replacement, I'd like to see Johnathan Thomas moving back from the 2nd row and have Gough come in to partner AJW - should also improve our lineout.

The trouble with the above is that J Thomas has bulked up so much that he is now seen as a second row, where he starts for the Ospreys, and it is questionable whether he would have the desired impact at 6 over 80 minutes. Hence his 'impact' cameo at 6 for Wales against England and his selection against Scotland in the second row. If he is still able to hack it at 6 then he would be my choice too but I just don't think that is his position anymore.

Popham.... well, you mentioned giving away penalties and that is one BIG reason why he is not in gatland's squad! He is also playing in a poor Brive side and unless he comes back to Wales and shows some form in domestic leagues I don't see him getting near the Wales set up.

I think that with Powell, spectators expect him to be making the sort of barnstorming runs he was making last season in every game and when he doesn't assume that he is being innefective. But he gets through alot of graft, especially in defence. He is there based on his form in Europe, which has been excellent. I don't really see anyone other than Dafydd Jones when he is fit putting their hand up for his position.

Post by **pharvey** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:25 pm

Jaime wrote:
pharvey wrote: The trouble with the above is that J Thomas has bulked up so much that he is now seen as a second row, where he starts for the Ospreys, and it is questionable whether he would have the desired impact at 6 over 80 minutes. Hence his 'impact' cameo at 6 for Wales against England and his selection against Scotland in the second row. If he is still able to hack it at 6 then he would be my choice too but I just don't think that is his position anymore.
Popham.... well, you mentioned giving away penalties and that is one BIG reason why he is not in gatland's squad! .

As For J Thomas - Yes he has bulked up, but talking to a few others, there is confidence in his fitness to still be quick and fit enough for 6...... I'd like him there!

Popham - yes, admittedley exactly the same with regards to penalties, but what I'm saying is to bring on wichevever guy as an impact player. Lost touch with him totally this season, so couldn't comment on current form - thanks for the heads up!

Post by **Randy Cornhole** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 8:53 pm

Wales v Scotland. Here we go...

Post by **Randy Cornhole** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 9:11 pm

Wales 0 Scot 7

9 mins...

Post by **Randy Cornhole** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 9:24 pm

Wales 3 Scot 15

21 mins

Are Wales there?...

Post by **Randy Cornhole** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 9:52 pm

Wales 9 Scotland 18 - Half time.

Very surprised by this as Wales are at home and lost to England last week!!

Post by **Big Boy** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 10:12 pm

Takes the gloss off last week's England performance

Post by **Randy Cornhole** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 10:24 pm

Wales 14 Scotland 21 - 60 mins

Only 1 try and the conversion in it...

Post by **Randy Cornhole** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 10:49 pm

Bloody hell what a mistake by Scotland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well done Wales...

Post by **Big Boy** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 10:54 pm

Didn't see that coming

Post by **Randy Cornhole** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 11:11 pm

Ok here we go again. The weekend just gets better and better...

France v Ireland

The Irish haven't won in Paris for 10 years...

Post by **redzonerocker** » Sun Feb 14, 2010 3:59 am

Randy Cornhole wrote:
The Irish haven't won in Paris for 10 years...

ahemmmm!! 11 now