Predictions for 2013

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6Ns

France will win but it'll be tight between them and England, if England do win it'll be on a Grandslam. Ireland will come a steady third, Wales fourth and Italy fifth after winning at Murrayfield.

Scotland, as much as it pains me to say it, will likely win the wooden spoon, unless Johnson pulls out something incredible (please do surprise me!) they should beat Italy, but they also 'should've' beaten Tonga.

Aviva Premiership

Can't see much past a Quins win again, although Leicester and Sarries will be second favourites, with Glaws the dark horses. Although if Wasps carry on the way we're going we may well have a place in the semi finals (which would be wonderful considering the appalling last couple of seasons).

Sale, I think, will be relegated. Although with the trouble at London Irish, I guess we'll have to wait and see!

Rabo

Difficult to see past an Ulster win, although Munster could be in for a shout. Glasgow and Scarlets are solid but not good enough to get the title, and nor are Ospreys.

Heineken cup

Bit more interesting, Toulon and Clermont are on blistering form, whilst Harlequins haven't really stepped wrong this season so far, and of course Ulster are consistent performers in this competition. Difficult to say but I think I'd go with Toulon on this one although England confidence may lead to a Harlequins victory.

Challenge cup

I think Wasps, although haven't been following this as closely.

LIONS (nearly forgot that one)

Lions will narrowly win the series and only Richie Gray will tour from Scotland. Mostly English and Welsh players.

4Ns

New Zealand will be annoyed about that England game, so they have my money, although it'll be tight with SA. I have a feeling Arg will get a good scalp this year.

thebluesmancometh wrote: and come the MS last up if England have anything to play for and Wales don't then it'll be one way.

Like when they went to Dublin in 2011 and Ireland had nothing to play for ?

PSW

This Wales team don't have the leaders or passion that Ireland team had!!

Wales will be tough cookies if in with a shout, but with little to play for will fall off the pace easily enough!

Thing is Ireland had those leaders last year and got a reverse humping. Lets face it trying to predict the 6 nations is pointless

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Thing is Ireland had those leaders last year and got a reverse humping. Lets face it trying to predict the 6 nations is pointless

If you're referencing the England game I recall POC and BOD were both sidelined?

Ye I thought they were both out too, and DOC and another front rower???

I do think that this years 6ns will be hard too call. I would like to see England kick on from the Ais and produce the type of game that they played against the All Blacks.

If this Ais have tought us any thing that is you cannot afford to be predictable in the way the team plays. So it would help for every team to play differently every time they play, so teams dont get use to the way you play, and have players waiting for the kick down field for example.

So in the 6ns England for me.

6n - England (no grand slam)
Rabo - Ulster (beating munster at home in the final)
Jeff - Harlequins
HC - Clermont


My hopes for wales.....

..seeing all of the injuries in the welsh front 5 back and playing regularly - the AI's showed we simply dont have the quality in depth behind our first choices, and even then our first choices have to be playing very well to give us that platform. We didnt get that platform, even against a beat up australian team, we couldnt control the game.

Can a welsh number 9 please stand up? No thanks Mike.

Ireland have France and England at home and play Wales away in the opening match.

If Ireland beat Wales and it is a big enough if given recent encounters then I fancy Ireland to go on a roll provided we have enough injury free core players. Big if.

Right now with respect to Wales there are three tiers.

1. France & England
2. Wales & Ireland
3. Scotland & Italy

Any team is capable of beating any team in the competition. For my money France have marginally the best squad with Wales, England and Ireland pretty much on par.

England are high on confidence and their squad and management have clicked so should come close.

Wales traditionally are a peak and trough team and are either sublime or abysmal. They seem to be hitting a slump. Beware though if they hit the ground running v Ireland in their opening match.

France have a pragmatic manager who looks set to sharpen their mindset and make them a real hard nosed outfit.

Ireland will need a lot of luck but can beat anyone on their day.

ThePantomimeVillain wrote:I predict trouble for South Africa. They are clearly in reluctant transition again to "new rugby" but as history has shown us twice already, if they don't win early and well then there will be reversion and this could lead to stagnation and disharmony, again. Can they cross the threshold this time? They will be an altogether more formidable force if they can.

NZ too are in flux, a strong year in 2012 almost disguised some issues that became glaring at twickenham. "Controlled mongrel" is missing in the pack. Kaino and thorn have left holes hard to fill, and with reports that kaino has shed 8kg to keep up with faster paced less physical Japanese club rugby a solution is not apparent in the short term.

I predict a big year for the NH. The lions should out muscle the struggling wallabies who without sharpe really lack a front five of genuine international
quality.

I also predict a close fought home series between France and NZ.

Both the lions nd France tour will add spice and relegate the 6N and 4N from their preeminent peaks.

I pick NZ for the 4N and I suspect Wales and France to play off for grandslam rights.

England for me are flattering themselves after their circumstantial win at twickenham and I can see a shock in store in the 6N for them and a rough landing. Wales to recover from last years low with returning players and a move away from their reliance in the power and size game with both Williams becoming world class talking points.

Ah the wisdom of the Grey Ghost.

Liam wrote:I think its a case of this year being a year where anyone can beat anyone. I honestly can't see a GS this year because every team is pretty well matches. Can't wait for it to start now.

Apart from Wales, who can't beat an egg.

NeilyBroon wrote:The only other real contenders are Ireland and they're all practically OAPs.

Really?

Ross, Best, O'Callaghan, O'Driscoll, Darcy, Court and O'Gara are all plus 30 if I recall correctly. Four of them are first team starters.

Healy, Cronin, Bent, Toner, Ryan, McLaughlin, Ferris, Fitzpatrick, O'Brien, Heaslip, Tuohy, Murray, Sexton, Gilroy, Earls, McFadden, Zebo, O'Mahony, McCarthy, Strauss, Henry, Kilcoyne, Henderson, Fitzgerald, Trimble, Kearney, Marshall, Cave.

What constitutes a rugby pensioner these days in your eyes?

Ireland has quite a young team. Its a common misconception that it is an aging team. Probably because two of our best players are old. Drico and POC. However, neither of these players have played much of late anyway.

Anyway all teams have old players:

England: Mouritz Botha and Tom Palmer. (Less than most after an SL clearout)
Wales: Ryan Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones etc.
France: Frederick Michelak, David Attoub, Vincent Clerc, Dusattoir and Pape
Scotland: Sean Lamont, Mike Blair, Ewan Murray, Dougie hall etc.

SA: Gurthrö Steenkamp, Jean de Villiers, Schalk Brits, Schalk Berger etc.
NZ: McCaw, Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Adam Thomson, Carter, Smith
Aus: Nathan Sharpe (possibly retired now?), Wycliff Palu, Radike Samo, Stephen Moore

Scotland will butcher chance after chance
Ross Ford will miss a throw on the attacking 5 m line
NDL will have a brain fart
I will get some confidence just before the 6 nations, only for it to be dashed on the rocks of dispair
I will watch too many rugby games and the dog will get a fright when we score a try
I will drink beer
I will drink ale
I will drink shots
I will drink all these watching Scotland
I will look forward to the lions
Scotland will not have more than 5 lions squad members
My girlfriend will laugh at how bad we are when Enlgand beat us
I will get drunk and pretend rugby does not exist
I will rant about the ref
I will rant about NZ, Wales, Ireland, England
I will write some guff on a blog

also

the 6 nations will happen