Who will win the 2012 Six Nations?

First topic message reminder :

Will Wales overcome the dissapointment and show some consistency?

Will France show they are the best in the NH?

Will England show some steel and retain the Championship?

Will the Irish Golden Generation bow out with some style?

Will Scotland learn to score tries and deliver on their promise?

Will Italy surprise us all?

Ooh I could crush a grape!

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:

luckless_pedestrian wrote:Radge, what sort of inside centre would you prefer to see: a hard-running Jamie Roberts type or a second playmaker?

Dunno Luckless, I reckon that is perhaps the sort of mould we would be looking for, someone to front up well defencively and break the gainline to put someone like Ansbro, Evans, NDL in space to make the most of their talents. Morrison should be able to do that but for reasons best known to himself he slows down when he takes the ball into contact and never really breaks the gain line.

However there is merrit to having a smaller play making centre rather than another crash ball merchant. Personally I would like to see how Jackson does at 12 with Weir at 10. To be honest I'm not entirely sure what kind of 12 would best suit Scotland. One thing I know for certain is that I hope we have seen the last of the Parks/Morrison combo.

RuggerRadge / Luckless

The problem was never 12 IMHO but 10......... Parks defensively wasn't up to it. Jackson will come good with a few run of games, he creates space and opportunity, I believe that the 12 Ansbro 13 Schlong combo with Rory at FB, Walker or Jones and Evans or Danielli on the wings could be lethal in the 6Ns. I hope AR uses Weir at 10 to push Jackson though, and NDL to push Rory at FB, also they should be looking at Mossy for a coaching role now he could mentor Jackson and Weir as both need consistency with their dead ball kicking. Alot of people are saying that Sean Lamont should come back to Glasgow, but to be honest playing under Nigel Davies who is a very "skill focused" coach, and alongside the likes of Priestland, Jon Davies, Scott Williams, Stoddart, North, his skill level is just going to improve immensely. Unfortunately Visser will not qualify to play until june 2012 as this would have been a cracking backline

15 R Lamont
14 Visser
13 S Lamont
12 J Ansbro
11 M Evans
10 Jackson
9 M Blair

I would be happy with that back-line to face off against any of the 6Ns sides

Any of Ireland, Wales, France and England could win it, Scotland could do well and Italy will probably beat someone, not sure who though.

Wales I think will win but no grand slam this year imo.

lol to the poll.

scotland have the same number of votes as france.

shouldnt this poll be titled- who do you support?. Or- where are you from?

I would be interested to know who didnt vote for their own nation.

I voted for France.

about the only one then by the sounds of things- i would have thought that the scottish and french votes were all from scots

I voted for Wales and I'm Irish.

mystiroakey wrote:lol to the poll.

scotland have the same number of votes as france.

shouldnt this poll be titled- who do you support?. Or- where are you from?

What are you trying to say?........ that France are so far ahead of Scotland

And who did you vote for King WUM?............ who you thought would win or your "fav" team?

flyhalffactory wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:lol to the poll.

scotland have the same number of votes as france.

shouldnt this poll be titled- who do you support?. Or- where are you from?

What are you trying to say?........ that France are so far ahead of Scotland

And who did you vote for King WUM?............ who you thought would win or your "fav" team?

err not sure who the wum is with that one- lol.

points simple france are the highest ranked nh nation- final of the world cup- yet have relatively no votes.

and yeah i openly admit it i voited for england- why because there is no clear favourite in my eyes its to hard to call, so i voted for my team as that is a team that could win the thing. The votes are obviously based on what i said over who will win- as lets be honest here france should be favourites, if i was really forced to name any team- that is the team id name- then wales - then england, then ireland, and then scotland.

do you honestly think that scotland are on a par with france?

One of the sides with 3 home games.

Standulstermen wrote:Yeah luckless

It is far too early to call. It will be very difficult for any team to do the Slam (as it always is).

i cant see a Slam personally but Wales in particular are a momentum team and if they can get some momentum they will be bloody difficult to stop

From an Irish point of view i would be happy if we blood a few new players and made the top half. I would be delighted with anything more than that but i do feel we need maybe 3/4 changes or new faces in the squad to begin rebuilding

Totally agree. In fact, I believe we should sacrifice this 6-N to that end. And again in the Summer. It's time to start replacing BOD, Darcy DOC and ROG. And time to give some of the rest of squad some real action.

We still need to compete for it, but with the future in mind.

I think the 6-Champs will be one of England, Wales or France. Some factors will change the balance. England(I expect) and France, will have new coaches. I think this gives Wales an edge. Young, very talented side, with a coach and a system already in situ.

So I go for Wales.

It's better to blood youngsters in a winning team without overfacing them. Kidney may say he's writing it off as harsecover, but I don't think he should.

mystiroakey wrote:

flyhalffactory wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:lol to the poll.

scotland have the same number of votes as france.

shouldnt this poll be titled- who do you support?. Or- where are you from?

What are you trying to say?........ that France are so far ahead of Scotland

And who did you vote for King WUM?............ who you thought would win or your "fav" team?

err not sure who the wum is with that one- lol.

points simple france are the highest ranked nh nation- final of the world cup- yet have relatively no votes.

and yeah i openly admit it i voited for england- why because there is no clear favourite in my eyes its to hard to call, so i voted for my team as that is a team that could win the thing. The votes are obviously based on what i said over who will win- as lets be honest here france should be favourites, if i was really forced to name any team- that is the team id name- then wales - then england, then ireland, and then scotland.

do you honestly think that scotland are on a par with france?

Apologies I'll take that one back it appeared that you were saying that Scotland were way behind France. We have lost to France for the last 3 yrs so I am looking to that game with a few reservations, however it is at home and of all the teams I would want England and France at home. I think we have to target our home wins and look at away victories at Italy and Wales............ so yes I think if Jackson is on form at 10 then we could win 4 out of 5

Scotland v England - Home Win
Wales v Scotland - Away Win
Scotland v France - Home Win
Ireland v Scotland - Loss
Italy v Scotland - Away Win

Its a hard call but do-able

ps I voted for England

I voted for Ireland but given France have England in Paris I would say they are favourites.

Re Ireland and the 6ns. I want Kidney to play his best team. If that includes BOD, Darcy, DOC and even ROG so be it. Before we all lose the run of ourselves the up and coming players need to be the no.1 in their position for their provinces in the hc.

DOD wrote:I voted for Ireland but given France have England in Paris I would say they are favourites.

Re Ireland and the 6ns. I want Kidney to play his best team. If that includes BOD, Darcy, DOC and even ROG so be it. Before we all lose the run of ourselves the up and coming players need to be the no.1 in their position for their provinces in the hc.

+ 1.....except for the D'arcy and ROG bit

I think England and Wales are in with a great chance too.

There are 4 contenders (sorry Italy and Scotland) and it just needs someone to have a bit of a run , but Ireland, England and france will make up the top 3 , while Wales should be above the 2 lightweights.

Wales may be in for a time of incredible heartache, because yet again they've gone and believed all the Hype about being the NH All-Blacks and think that all the other teams will be in awe of them. Well i say here and now, get some therapists on speed dial because it ain't gonna be pretty for you valley dwellers, no siree. But for England France and Ireland to the victor, the spoils, but we don't know who???

english warrior wrote:There are 4 contenders (sorry Italy and Scotland) and it just needs someone to have a bit of a run , but Ireland, England and france will make up the top 3 , while Wales should be above the 2 lightweights.

Wales may be in for a time of incredible heartache, because yet again they've gone and believed all the Hype about being the NH All-Blacks and think that all the other teams will be in awe of them. Well i say here and now, get some therapists on speed dial because it ain't gonna be pretty for you valley dwellers, no siree. But for England France and Ireland to the victor, the spoils, but we don't know who???

I for one will be pleased to send your message back to you come the 6Ns, we have you at home and I am quietly optimistic of us been unbeaten after than game after our away game against you in NZ

DOD, Kidney learned too late (for the RWC) that he needs to blood more youth. He has done this with Murray. He also intended to do it with Felix Jones. The man is learning on the job at this level. And for that, I'm glad.

I agree with you, in that they must play for their provinces in the HC. It stands to reason. Enter Mcfadden and Keatley. That is 4 major changes in personnel right there. All young. All very talented. All very capable. Wales took a chance on youth and they did well. Blew us out of the water with them.

We cant afford to hang on to aulfellas unnecessarily. Like we did with Horan and Hayes. He's learned that now. And the effects of bringing Healy and Ross in, were superb. We now have a scrum to take on the best.

Sexton needs to be challenged by someone his own age, or younger. I hope Keatley can do that. If not - it maybe Madigan, who is starting to show the signs. All these will get full PRO12 games and some HC experience. Kidney should look to get them involved ASAP.

I hope he does. It needs to start now.

Having said all that, I really hope he leaves in 2 years - or sooner. He is not the man to take us to the next level. He is tactically bereft at the highest level. But he could help set the next man up in 2 years. That would be the best legacy he could leave. IMHO.

Don't want to turn this into an Irish thread. Just feel strongly about Ireland's future. This 6-N is the perfect time to start. I don't care if we come 4th. As long as our team moves forward and evolves in the process.

Flyhalffactory- There you go thinking i'm having a dig at Wales and the Welsh, when all i'm trying to do is prepare yourselves for the cruel harsh reality of rugby life (In Wales that is) and what thanks do i get ? absolutely none.

But even now i hope you Welsh folk won't get too upset when the inevitable happens, and Wales are in steerage and carrying the bags (metaphorically of course) of the other teams. To think Wales are contenders is one step down the road to madness.


No, please, don't thank me, just take my advice on board!!

mystiroakey wrote:lol to the poll.

scotland have the same number of votes as france.

shouldnt this poll be titled- who do you support?. Or- where are you from?

I think you're right. Much as we may all deny it there is severe bias going on here...

Fair few Irish have gone for Wales. We know. But yeah, yer right. Should have had home country coupled with choice. That would be interesting.

i seriously don't know what will happen, it's too hard to guess.

Form in the RWC will have nothing to do with it as it's 6 months away. I'd love to say England, but well i just can't...

Just changed mine to France. I think after today.. we ALL should.

They did the 6-N and NH proud. Brilliant. No other team in the World could have lived with NZ. France outplayed them and still lost.

Well Wales Fr will certainly be interesting