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  1. #1
    punk douche bag
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    The 6 nations 2014

    Can Wales become the first team to win 3 6 nations tournaments on the bounce or will they be usurped by the orks and bogtrodders?

    6 nations squads

    Orks

    Forwards:
    David Attwood (Bath Rugby), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby), Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), Joe Launchbury (London Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby), Matt Mullan (London Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers), Henry Thomas (Sale Sharks), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Rob Webber (Bath Rugby), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

    Backs
    Chris Ashton (Saracens), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Danny Care (Harlequins), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath Rugby), Alex Goode (Saracens), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby), Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
    Flood making way for Ford


    Les Bagueteers

    Forwards: Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Yannick Forestier (Castres), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Métro), Nicolas Mas (Montpellier), Rabah Slimani (Stade Français), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Français), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Papé (Stade Français), Sébastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), Bernard Le Roux (Racing-Métro), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse).

    Backs: Jean-Marc Doussain (Toulouse), Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Métro), Jules Plisson (Stade Français), Rémi Talès (Castres), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Gaël Fickou (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Sofiane Guitoune (Perpignan), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Maxime Médard (Toulouse), Geoffrey Palis (Castres), Hugo Bonneval (Stade Français), Brice Dulin (Castres).

    we'd be better off sticking to soccer

    Martin Castrogiovanni (Toulon/FRA), Lorenzo Cittadini (Trévise), Alberto De Marchi (Trévise), Michele Rizzo (Trévise), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Trévise), Davide Giazzon (Zèbres), Marco Bortolami (Zèbres), Marco Fuser (Trévise), Quintin Geldenhuys (Zèbres), Antonio Pavanello (Trévise), Robert Barbieri (Trévise), Mauro Bergamasco (Zèbres), Paul Derbyshire (Trévise), Joshua Furno (Biarritz/FRA), Sergio Parisse (Stade français/FRA), Alessandro Zanni (Trévise)

    Tobias Botes (Trévise), Edoardo Gori (Trévise), Tommaso Allan (USA Perpignan/FRA), Luciano Orquera (Zèbres), Tommaso Benvenuti (Perpignan/FRA), Michele Campagnaro (Trévise), Gonzalo Garcia (Zèbres), Alberto Sgarbi (Trévise), Mirco Bergamasco (Rovigo), Angelo Esposito (Trévise), Tommaso Iannone (Zèbres), Luke McLean (Trévise), Guglielmo Palazzani (Zèbres), Leonardo Sarto (Zèbres).

  2. #2
    Thailand Expat Bobcock's Avatar
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    I don't see wales doing it this year, I think we'll win 3 games at best.

  3. #3
    punk douche bag
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    Bogtrotters have named a 44 man squad

    Props: Rodney Ah You (Connacht), Stephen Archer (Munster), Cian Healy (Leinster), David Kilcoyne (Munster), Jack McGrath (Leinster), Martin Moore (Leinster), Mike Ross (Leinster)
    Hookers: Rory Best (Ulster), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Damian Varley (Munster)
    Locks: Iain Henderson (Ulster), Mike McCarthy (Leinster), Paul O'Connell (Munster), Devin Toner (Leinster), Dan Tuohy (Ulster)
    Back Row: Robin Copeland (Cardiff), Robbie Diack (Ulster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Jordi Murphy (Leinster), Tommy O'Donnell (Munster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Rhys Ruddock (Leinster)

    Scrum Half: Isaac Boss (Leinster), Kieran Marmion (Connacht), Conor Murray (Munster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster)
    Fly Half: Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Ian Keatley (Munster), Ian Madigan (Leinster), Johnny Sexton (Racing Metro)
    Centres: Darren Cave (Ulster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Connacht), Luke Marshall (Ulster), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster)
    Back 3: Keith Earls (Munster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster), Felix Jones (Munster), David Kearney (Leinster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster)

    Jocks

    Forwards: John Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Geoff Cross, David Denton, Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford (all Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Grant, Jonny Gray (both Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), Kieran Low (London Irish), Moray Low, Pat MacArthur (both Glasgow Warriors), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Tim Swinson and Ryan Wilson (both Glasgow Warriors).

    Backs: Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Max Evans (Castres), Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby), Stuart Hogg, Ruaridh Jackson, Sean Lamont (all Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby), Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby) and Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors).

  4. #4
    punk douche bag
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    reigning champions and world cup favourites

    Forwards: Paul James (Bath), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton Capt (Cardiff Blues), Toby Faletau (Dragons), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets)

    Backs: Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), James Hook (Perpignan), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

  5. #5
    punk douche bag
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bobcock
    I don't see wales doing it this year, I think we'll win 3 games at best.
    i've thought that for the last few years

    seems that most everybody is available
    much beter looking squad than the injury ravaged autumn internationals

    probably won't need jonathan davies for italy....hope he'll be fit for at least the last 3
    crucial player

  6. #6
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    With the money in the French game, their excellent club performances and the general resurgence in their game, I can see the Surrender Monkeys wining it. Ireland, could, as always, be dangerous, but they are not consistent... Wales are there or very close. England's pack is now strong, we'll be using this tournament to find a couple of exciting centres and 2 wingers (10 and 15 are fixed, imo), so I don't expect us to win the title - our forwards are good enough though - especially if our Italian/American prop is fully fit and plays.

    Maybe Wales front row is going through some rebuilding and might not be as strong as recent years? Maybe there second row needs rebuilding too? With the Welsh players now spread over Europe, maybe their timing all around the pitch may have dropped off a bit?
    Cycling should be banned!!!

  7. #7
    punk douche bag
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo
    Maybe Wales front row is going through some rebuilding and might not be as strong as recent years?
    gethin jenkins
    richard hibbard
    adam jones

    fitness permitting...jenkins has a long term calf problem

    doesn't get much stronger than that


    we are going to fukking romp it

    nice easy warmer against the eye ties

  8. #8
    punk douche bag
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo
    Maybe there second row needs rebuilding too?
    piffle boo

    wyn jones and ian evans

    why rebuild that?

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon
    reigning champions and world cup favourites
    But, they haven't come on since the WC. I think the last WC was one they had a real chance at - they were good enough to win it (because NZ would likely, and did..., try their hardest to choke in the final...). Apart from the England game at home, they haven't been spectacular for a while.

    This time last year, I thought England wouldn't even get out of the WC group stage; now I'm wondering if Wales are gonna get out of the group stage? You have problems with the Convicts, the England pack is building and the match between us is at Twickenham (as is your match against the Aussies; if this match had been in Wales then the Convicts would be going home early...). I think you might be fuked, mate. You are gonna have to beat the convicts in a high pressure game, and you haven't come through one of those in a long long time...

  10. #10
    punk douche bag
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo
    You have problems with the Convicts
    very slight ones

    fukkers keep pipping us but we have never been near full strength in the autumn jobbies


    it's the toughest of groups though....no way should 3 teams ranked in the top 5 or 6 be playing each other in the group

    wales' fault though...sending out weakened teams prior to last year's 6 nations and losing to all those little islands screwed with our ranking

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo
    Maybe Wales front row is going through some rebuilding and might not be as strong as recent years?
    gethin jenkins
    richard hibbard
    adam jones

    fitness permitting...jenkins has a long term calf problem

    doesn't get much stronger than that


    we are going to fukking romp it

    nice easy warmer against the eye ties
    I've been watching a lot of European rugby recently, and Adam Jones, a player I've liked a lot for many years, is not the player he was. Doesn't get in the starting line-up, and doesn't scrummage well under the new laws. Gethin Genkins is: 1) too old; 2) too injury prone. You are struggling in this department. Hibbard doesn't throw well under pressure. Your front row isn't looking good at this stage - I reckon you'll get slaughtered in that area by England and France...

    I've been watching both your second rowers in European rugby (the Scarlets are fuking awful by the way, got played with by Northamton (a lot of the England pack), and you were at home!), and Wyn Jones and Ian Evens are not the players they were; they are really struggling. The English young second rowers are on an upward curve, but the opposite is true of the Welsh. Your front 5 is a massive worry; I think the last Lions tour was the pinnacle, and pretty much the end of, their careers. They've been excellent, but they won't make it to the next WC; 4 of the 5 need replacing...

  12. #12
    punk douche bag
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo
    doesn't scrummage well under the new laws.
    agree with that but seems to me the scrum is almost a waste of space these days
    less necessity for a scrummaging tight head than in the past


    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo
    I reckon you'll get slaughtered in that area by England and France...
    lol


    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo
    the Scarlets are fuking awful by the way
    our domestic teams have been shit for years


    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo
    4 of the 5 need replacing
    you might be right

    rhodri jones impressed me enough during the autumn to think he'll be our long term tight head

  13. #13
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    ^that's what I don't know, how strong your replacements are. If you have players of quality coming through then great, but you'll be needing to blood them this six nations if you're serious about the WC.

    Did you enjoy watching George North take the Scarlets to pieces, CMN? I did... I've really enjoyed this domestic European rugby; some excellent performances by Welshmen, just not for Welsh teams... That doesn't bode well either. A couple of years ago, your national team was mostly built around a couple of really strong club teams - I think that's the way to go. England are getting there too, mostly built around the strong Northampton pack (was the Leicester pack for years) and maybe the Saracens backline (who are starting to actually play attacking rugby...).

    Just looked at the 6 nations fixtures:

    http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/wales/...es-results.php

    It's quite interesting this year; it's up for grabs. If England can beat France away in the first game (which I doubt) then we will be favourites because we have Wales and Ireland at home (these matches very much come down to the venue - if we play that at home we usually win, if we play them away we usually lose).

    The hardest game for France is away to Wales; they have quite an easy fixture list and must be favourites.

    Wales are away to Ireland and England, 2 games you will likely lose, imo. Pretty unlikely you'll win both... Your second game, away to Ireland, will see just where you are in the championship, win that then your next match is home to France - 2 tough games, but if you're good enough...

    Ireland are away to England and France, I can't see them winning either of those 2 games.

    I can see a lot of home wins in this tournament because the top 4 teams are very close.

    It's France's championship to lose. England second favourites. Welsh third favourites, imho...
    Last edited by Bettyboo; 16-01-2014 at 04:01 PM.

  14. #14
    punk douche bag
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo
    club teams
    i refuse to acknowledge these regional bastardisations as clubs

    as a pontypridd fan that were somehow swallowed up into the blues region (we fukking hate cardiff) i am delighted that the whole system is falling to pieces

    i will continue to support my national team but find myself supporting whoever is playing against the welsh regions

  15. #15
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    ^ fair enough. You'd think, for long term national success, you need strong club teams. I remember, ohhhhh going back 25-30 years, going on tours of Wales with Saracens minis, and your club teams were very strong. Always enjoyed playing Bridgend minis... not...

  16. #16
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Oh god is it time for the egg chasing again?

  17. #17
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    ^ 'Arry, I was brought up on rugby and football. Rugby is as it was, a great game. Football, the IPL, money, etc, has gone down the toilet (although this is the best IPL season for years...).

    I used to go to the football every or every other weeekend, finish work early to get to midweek matches home and away, go with friends to CL matches (saw the gooners lose at Vilencia about 15 years ago, they were unlucky, played well), went to every match bar one in our FA cup winning year, go to England matches (went to 3 in the Euros in Belgium), etc. But, it is very very rare that a football match comes close to a rugby match either live or on tv. Rugby union is a great game to watch.

  18. #18
    Thailand Expat Bobcock's Avatar
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    I'm all for regional rugby.

    Wales cannot sustain 10-12 professional clubs with the national talent diluted across them playing to piss poor crowds.

    Couldn't even support a fifth region.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bobcock View Post
    I'm all for regional rugby.

    Wales cannot sustain 10-12 professional clubs with the national talent diluted across them playing to piss poor crowds.

    Couldn't even support a fifth region.
    What has changed then, Bob? Years back, I thought the local clubs were the centre of many communities, the rugby social club was full, the matches well supported?

    In England, the premiership is well supported, but the local amateur clubs are too, if you pop to the likes of Hertford rugby club or something similar, you have plenty of folks around, youngsters coming through, their parents around...

  20. #20
    Thailand Expat Bobcock's Avatar
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    Some welsh clubs are still well supported, but there are not thew professional grade players in the game .

    Amateur was all so different.

    Rugby is not as big as it was, it is certainly second to football in Wales whether people like it or not.

    There could be all sorts of other reasons, I haven't lived in wales for 32 years.

    We struggle to find Welsh players to fill the 4 regions so why would we need 12 clubs?

    Three Grand Slams is certainly evidence that it works on the playing front, cos at the end of the day the National team is the be all....

    I know CMN will disagree, I'd be interested to hear what he says if he can get over the 'we hate Cardiff'nonsense.

    I support all Welsh teams. I watch 3 of them on a regular basis when I'm home. Still hate the Turks though..... :-)

  21. #21
    punk douche bag
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bobcock
    I'm all for regional rugby.
    i might have been too if they had tried in any way, shape or forms to make them new regional entities

    i don't barely missed a pontypridd game in over 25 years...home or away...

    i was willing to get behind the celtic warriors but no chance of ever supporting a so called inclusive region that play in blue at cardiff

    a new generation might be inspired but mine was left pretty much disillusioned and disenfranchised

    regional support is dire to boot


    good news is that the pontypridd rfc 'feeder club' is pissing the welsh premier league year on year

  22. #22
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo View Post
    Rugby union is a great game to watch.

  23. #23
    punk douche bag
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    i like football a lot...but you can't beat rugby

    if only they could sort out the scrummage laws

    i can see why it would frustrate a passive pooveball viewer

  24. #24
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon View Post
    i like football a lot...but you can't beat rugby

    if only they could sort out the scrummage laws

    i can see why it would frustrate a passive pooveball viewer
    When I've sat and watched it with diehard peanut huggers, and the whistle blows, most of the time they haven't got a clue what it's for either.


  25. #25
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    I played Union for more years than I wish to remember. The current game, in my opinion, is similar to American Football with blocking allowed. I'm more inclined to watch a game of League rugby than Union these days. Union doesn't do it for me anymore.

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