6 Nations - it’s that time of year again.

by HERSH Tue 10 Jan 2012, 4:43 pm

First topic message reminder :

There's no mistake, I smell that smell
it’s that time of year again, I can taste the 6 nation’s anticipation in the air.

As a kid and like most kids Christmas was my favourite time of year but as the years have past I can’t wait to get Christmas and New Year out of the way as this means the best rugby competition in the world is only a stones throw away, OK it might not be the best rugby on show this season but the drama and passion is unrivalled in rugby, some say the HC is better, well maybe it is but unless you’ve won it most fans opinions are worthless anyway.

Once again the banter has started early and once again Wales have sold out of pink cowboy hats, unlike match day tickets in Scotland!
Ireland could have sold twice the amount of tickets for the tiny Aviva (that was well thought out!) and England have an injury list longer than their bar bill in NZ.

So who’s going to perform best out of the Home Nations (yes that includes both Ireland and Scotland, for now) No doubt Wales will be favourites in Wales and Scotland will be the fans tip for finishing bottom of the heap. But what about the reigning champions? That’s England by the way.

England is a bit of an unknown at the moment we have loads of talented youngsters but is that enough for 6 nation’s glory, hmm no IMO. To throw a young team together and expect them to take on the Scots and then the Italians in Rome is a big ask, as we all know everyone raises their game against us.

Ireland will be there or there a bout’s, one week they’ll look like they could take on anyone in the world only to play like an un-coached colt’s team the next.

Wales what can you say if only they could play for 80mins then surely they could beat anyone on their day, even the mighty All Blacks, but then again the lack of HC glory in Wales is damaging the game, the Regions have failed to connect to the fans for all sorts of reasons and with Football taking over who knows how long rugby has got left as the national sport in Wales?

Scotland lets just say I think Robinson has done a good job with the Jocks and I wouldn’t be surprised if they beat England in the 1st game only to throw it all away against Italy later on, so who knows where they will finish up?

As for the championship itself it has to be France, they should have won the world cup and if they had anyone else in charge apart from Marc Lievremont they would have done.

by bigballbag Wed 11 Jan 2012, 12:08 pm

Oh dear,

A poll by HERSH that has backfired. Sad

by HERSH Wed 11 Jan 2012, 12:13 pm

Why has it backfired?

If you have read what I said then there would be no confusion! Very Happy

by bedfordwelsh Wed 11 Jan 2012, 12:18 pm

Secretfly,

Of course Wrexham use to have a Football League side so that served North Wales but one major problem that has nothing to do with sport is that our North South transport links are still in the dark ages.

It is quicker and cheaper for people in North Wales to travel to watch the likes of Liverpool or manchester or Sale than it is to travel down to watch a Welsh team play.

by bigballbag Wed 11 Jan 2012, 12:23 pm

Poll result is your worst nightmare.

by HERSH Wed 11 Jan 2012, 12:25 pm

bigballbag wrote:Poll result is your worst nightmare.

Why?

by Effervescing Elephant Wed 11 Jan 2012, 12:30 pm

Secret, North Wales is a myth and doesn't actually exist. A bit like Atlantis or Cornwall.

by Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler Wed 11 Jan 2012, 12:32 pm

Carpe Diem wrote:Secret, North Wales is a myth and doesn't actually exist. A bit like Atlantis or Cornwall.

Im pretty sure I saw it on the wing in the world cup.

by geoff998rugby Wed 11 Jan 2012, 12:40 pm

HERSH wrote:Gwent Dragons average 5,697
Llanelli average 9,161
Ospreys average 7,317
Cardiff Blues average 7,186

Cardiff City average 22,091
Swansea City average 19822
Wrexham average 3,712

Hmmm

So on a typical weekend something like 22,000 people go to soccer matches and 14,000 watch rugby (AT THIS LEVEL). If you add in the number of people who go to games at levels below that then rugby wins comfortably.

by HERSH Wed 11 Jan 2012, 12:45 pm

Where did you get 14000 from? Laugh

by HERSH Wed 11 Jan 2012, 12:48 pm

by SecretFly Wed 11 Jan 2012, 1:11 pm

Maybe you should all follow that other increasingly dominant sport that has taken 606 by storm - The Attendance Figures League?

"We got 7,485 more people last week than you did, so we're looking good for the playoffs"

by **Galted** Wed 11 Jan 2012, 2:30 pm

Getting a bit catty on here, should change the title to "6 Nations - it's that time of the month again".

by SecretFly Wed 11 Jan 2012, 2:48 pm

Galted wrote:Getting a bit catty on here, should change the title to "6 Nations - it's that time of the month again".

I laughed.

by flankertye Wed 11 Jan 2012, 3:15 pm

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:
Carpe Diem wrote:Secret, North Wales is a myth and doesn't actually exist. A bit like Atlantis or Cornwall.

Im pretty sure I saw it on the wing in the world cup.

by Gatts Wed 11 Jan 2012, 4:14 pm

HERSH wrote:But a club/region without any fans is nothing, how are they going to get bums on seats when Football is growing and in many ways is now the more popular sport in Wales, at a club level.

The Regions are doomed, as a young kid would rather go and watch their football heros playing at the Liberty like Wayne Rooney, Bale etc.. than Dan Biggar

You still don't get it do you.....rugby in Wales is the most important cultural event. If you understood that you'd stop carping on about Wayne fecking Rooney.

by Guest Wed 11 Jan 2012, 4:19 pm

There are more kids with 'Rooney' and 'Gerrard' shirts in Wales than ones who wear rugby shirts.

That's the future I expect.

by HERSH Wed 11 Jan 2012, 4:22 pm

Gatts wrote:You still don't get it do you.....rugby in Wales is the most important cultural event. If you understood that you'd stop carping on about Wayne fecking Rooney.

That may be Gatts, but why do Welsh rugby fans only come out during the 6 nations, and not on a wet and windy Friday night in Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, April?

True fans would.

by Gatts Wed 11 Jan 2012, 4:25 pm

YAAAAAAAAAAWN

by HERSH Wed 11 Jan 2012, 4:26 pm

Owned!

by Gatts Wed 11 Jan 2012, 4:28 pm

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

by Feckless Rogue Wed 11 Jan 2012, 4:31 pm

I always got the impression that the Welsh LOVE their national rugby team. They're not that bothered about the regions. You can tell even from looking at this forum. The Irish will talk and argue about their provinces ad nauseum. They love them.

But you can tell it's the red jersey that really gets the Welsh peoples pulses racing.

By the way I think France will win a Grand Slam and Ireland will come second with four wins.

by HERSH Wed 11 Jan 2012, 4:33 pm

Is that all you've got Gatts, looks like my assesment was spot on then, for you just to roll over like that. Very Happy

by HERSH Wed 11 Jan 2012, 4:34 pm

Seeing as you've rolled over do you want me to tickle your belly gatts?

by Gatts Wed 11 Jan 2012, 4:35 pm

Feckless Rogue wrote:I always got the impression that the Welsh LOVE their national rugby team. They're not that bothered about the regions. You can tell even from looking at this forum. The Irish will talk and argue about their provinces ad nauseum. They love them.

But you can tell it's the red jersey that really gets the Welsh peoples pulses racing.

By the way I think France will win a Grand Slam and Ireland will come second with four wins.

Exactly....you have nailed it. It isn't rocket science but some chumps just don't understand it. The regions matter but not in the same way as Ireland for sure. The Red shirt is everything. I agree entirely, but not the bit about 4 wins or the French GS!

by HERSH Wed 11 Jan 2012, 4:38 pm

"The Red shirt is everything"

So you do like Rooney Very Happy

by Gatts Wed 11 Jan 2012, 4:41 pm

HERSH wrote:Seeing as you've rolled over do you want me to tickle your belly gatts?

Being you must be a nightmare man..you actually find yourself funny! Go away and haunt someone else. thumbsup

by bedfordwelsh Wed 11 Jan 2012, 5:21 pm

SafeAsMilk wrote:There are more kids with 'Rooney' and 'Gerrard' shirts in Wales than ones who wear rugby shirts.

That's the future I expect.

There has always been more Man U or Liverpool shirts or whoever on show even before Regionalism and there's nothing wrong with having both. I have never owned a footie shirt and quite frankly can't stand the game but when my boy was younger he had a Welsh rugby shirt and a Liverpool shirt and in fact a Cardiff City shirt.

As for real fans turning out to watch the Regions then there is a hard core of 5,000 plus that turn out to watch the Regions (not great I know) but there is also a hard core that trun out to watch they town in the Premiership and lower leagues and also still thousands that trun out every week to play the game.

by Shifty Wed 11 Jan 2012, 5:36 pm

I think Wales will implode, any time they are very successful they go into free fall, so according to tradition were probably going to lose 3 games this season.

Ireland have a very experienced squad so I'm guessing they will take advantage of the other teams youth and do well this season.

No idea what to expect off England, Johnson was just getting England back to that all powerful, drilled juggernaut pack they had for many years, but if their new coach tries to play fast, open rugby I think they may come a cropper!

Scotland, fighting it out with Italy for a white wash.

by Shifty Wed 11 Jan 2012, 5:38 pm

Edit, why are you lot talking about Welsh regions on a 6 Nations thread.

The Welsh love Wales not the clubs or regions, the public at large love the 6 Nations like christmas, it's a once a year event and once it's finished they forget all about rugby.

Week to week the Welsh people probably prefer the English premiership for sport, but as a nation we like Wales in the 6 nations.

by bedfordwelsh Wed 11 Jan 2012, 5:41 pm

Alyn,

I don't think we will implode as I am hoping we they learnt a lot from the WC and is predominently the same squad but I think expectation will be high so its how the players deal with that extra pressure.

Its been said a lot that we perform better as underdogs, well I don't think we will be doing into many games and vast underdogs this time and the ones we do it will be down just to which team is at home I think.

by SecretFly Wed 11 Jan 2012, 5:45 pm

AlynDavies wrote:Edit, why are you lot talking about Welsh regions on a 6 Nations thread.

The Welsh love Wales not the clubs or regions, the public at large love the 6 Nations like christmas, it's a once a year event and once it's finished they forget all about rugby.

Week to week the Welsh people probably prefer the English premiership for sport, but as a nation we like Wales in the 6 nations.

But the people who love Christmas and Wales don't play on the field, they leave it to the professionals, the guys who earn a living playing for Regions (or French clubs). But it IS kinda relevant to suggest the bedrock of International (the game you all love) will have to emerge from regions (the thing you all allegedly hate). There's the conundrum.

by Cymroglan Wed 11 Jan 2012, 6:07 pm

Why is it relevant ? it's as relevant as saying that a side who has won the HC will do best at international level.
When players play for a region or club they play with a different set of coaches who may or may not be getting the best out of their players.

by HERSH Wed 11 Jan 2012, 6:29 pm

Gatts wrote:
HERSH wrote:Seeing as you've rolled over do you want me to tickle your belly gatts?

Being you must be a nightmare man..you actually find yourself funny! Go away and haunt someone else.

2116 posts and counting, and I've yet to see 1 post say something positive about rugby. Very Happy

by Pete C (Kiwireddevil) Wed 11 Jan 2012, 6:38 pm

HERSH wrote:
Gatts wrote:
HERSH wrote:Seeing as you've rolled over do you want me to tickle your belly gatts?

Being you must be a nightmare man..you actually find yourself funny! Go away and haunt someone else.

2116 posts and counting, and I've yet to see 1 post say something positive about rugby.

Given the post of yours you've quoted there Hersh ...

Enough of the bickering already.

by Gatts Wed 11 Jan 2012, 8:53 pm

Kiwireddevil wrote:
HERSH wrote:
Gatts wrote:
HERSH wrote:Seeing as you've rolled over do you want me to tickle your belly gatts?

Being you must be a nightmare man..you actually find yourself funny! Go away and haunt someone else.

2116 posts and counting, and I've yet to see 1 post say something positive about rugby.
Given the post of yours you've quoted there Hersh ...

Enough of the bickering already.

Hersh...good to see you have read them all, you might learn something but i strongly suspect you won't.

I find you a terrible bore. You are like that annoying stupid dog that used to charge onto the pitch, grab the ball, think you were playing, find yourself very funny but really everyone wanted you to bugger off.

Do me a favour and add me to your ignore list; you are most assuredly on mine Very Happy

by Morgannwg Wed 11 Jan 2012, 9:02 pm

HERSH wrote:Gwent Dragons average 5,697
Llanelli average 9,161
Ospreys average 7,317
Cardiff Blues average 7,186

Cardiff City average 22,091
Swansea City average 19822
Wrexham average 3,712

Hmmm

HERSH you're pointing out something that us Welsh have known for years, that in Wales football is bigger than rugby. However when it comes to the national game, Rugby outnumbers Football for attendance figures as that is regarded as a big event in the country. It also happens to take place in a city that has the best nightlife in the UK Very Happy

. Plus our football team is bunk putting it lightly and nobody wants to pay to see that. For someone who claims to have played in Wales you really do not hold any understanding of the sporting culture, very ignorant.

BTW, seeing as this has always been the case I can't see rugby fans no longer turning out and the game failing because Cardiff and Swansea are on the up? Wales football fans have been travelling across the border for decades to watch football.

by Guest Wed 11 Jan 2012, 9:13 pm

Morgannwg wrote:It also happens to take place in a city that has the best nightlife in the UK .

I lived in Cardiff for ten years and while it's a great place to live and work I think you're overexaggerating the quality of the nightlife a tad there Smile

by Morgannwg Wed 11 Jan 2012, 9:16 pm

That was 10 years ago. This was a recent announcement (2 weeks ago I think). London got all bitter about it too which was hilarious. I think the top 3 were:
Cardiff
London
Bristol.

by Guest Wed 11 Jan 2012, 9:24 pm

It wasn't 10 years ago. It was for 10 years!

by HERSH Thu 12 Jan 2012, 10:28 am

Are you sure?

by HERSH Fri 13 Jan 2012, 11:25 am

I'm so excited I might explode; it’s nearly time to show the world what a proper rugby tournament should be like, not like that non event last year.

by Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler Fri 13 Jan 2012, 2:10 pm

Morgannwg wrote:
HERSH wrote:Gwent Dragons average 5,697
Llanelli average 9,161
Ospreys average 7,317
Cardiff Blues average 7,186

Cardiff City average 22,091
Swansea City average 19822
Wrexham average 3,712

Hmmm

HERSH you're pointing out something that us Welsh have known for years, that in Wales football is bigger than rugby. However when it comes to the national game, Rugby outnumbers Football for attendance figures as that is regarded as a big event in the country. It also happens to take place in a city that has the best nightlife in the UK . Plus our football team is bunk putting it lightly and nobody wants to pay to see that. For someone who claims to have played in Wales you really do not hold any understanding of the sporting culture, very ignorant.

BTW, seeing as this has always been the case I can't see rugby fans no longer turning out and the game failing because Cardiff and Swansea are on the up? Wales football fans have been travelling across the border for decades to watch football.

So what youre saying is that Welsh sports fans just go where the glory is and Hersh is correct in his assertion that the rugby culture thing is mostly a national myth as much as caber tossing, porridge eating and deep frying heroin in for the Scotts?

by Morgannwg Fri 13 Jan 2012, 7:18 pm

Seabiscuit, no. How did you come to that conclusion may I ask?

by kiakahaaotearoa Mon 16 Jan 2012, 2:48 pm

I think Scotland could be the dark horses of this 6N. Could this be a new dawn?

Italy have held the wooden spoon so often it should be renamed the silver spoon.

England will find the going easy.

Wales can beat anyone on their day.

Ireland only have to beat themselves and their demons to win.

France can lose to anyone on their day.

Thought that was more fitting for a HERSH thread. Whistle

But fair play to you HERSH. A good post and why this tournament is so special. England do have an alarming injury list and their new combinations Biltong will make it hard work for them. France and Wales have favourable draws this year but they are not teams you'd bet your house on so as always it's going to be interesting to see who can stay in the running for the final weekend.

by **NeilyBroon** Tue 17 Jan 2012, 1:42 pm

Personally I think it'll be the same as any year for us Scots, HOWEVER I do believe we can make third if we beat England at Murrayfield to start, although that is a rather big 'if'. We should be able to beat Italy away because we undoubtedly would have let a big game slip away and have to bounce back from it, France at home, well hopefully that'll keep the scoreline difference relatively low...

My prediction for this year is:
France
England
Wales
Ireland
Scotland
Italy

But hey! here's hoping Scotland can pull something out of their a** and win a Grandslam!

by BlueNote Tue 17 Jan 2012, 2:59 pm

My random thoughts:

England are really a completely unknown quantity going into this tournament, the only thing you can say is that they will almost inevitably have a strong pack and will therefore always be competitive barring the odd bizarre implosion.

Wales are so vulnerable to losing key players through injury. I would be surprised if we manage to perform sufficiently throughout the whole tournament to win it.

Ireland have that monster back row and a lot of flair behind, even without BOD. It would hit them hard if they lose the first one against Wales (which I don't think they will, however).

Scotland look as though they will be hard for anyone to beat, but I can't see them winning it.

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Who will finish highest out of the Home Nations?