The 2018 NatWest 6 Nations - Rugby's Greatest Championship

First topic message reminder :

With less that two weeks to go I thought it time to get a one size fits all thread to allow banterous exchanges and neighbourly back slapping  

The 2018 fixture schedule for the NatWest 6 Nations begins on Saturday, 3rd February 2018 with Wales and Scotland getting the first match underway at Principality Stadium in Cardiff followed by France against Ireland in Paris at the Stade de France, then Italy v England on Sunday, 4th February 2018 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

The competition runs until 17th March 2018 when all three fixtures of Round 5 take place on the same day known as 'Super Saturday' which starts with Italy v Scotland in Rome, followed by England v Ireland at Twickenham Stadium and culminating in Wales v France back in Cardiff where things kicked off.

Schedule and kick off times (UK time)

ROUND ONE

Wales v Scotland: February 3, 2.15pm, Cardiff, BBC

France v Ireland: February 3, 4.45pm, Paris, BBC

Italy v England: February 4, 3pm, Rome, ITV.

ROUND TWO

Ireland v Italy: February 10, 2.15pm, Dublin, ITV

England v Wales: February 10, 4:45pm, London, ITV

Scotland v France: February 11, 3pm, Edinburgh, BBC

ROUND THREE

Frances v Italy: February 23, 8pm, Marseille, ITV

Ireland v Wales: February 24, 2.15pm, Dublin, BBC

Scotland v England: February 24, 4.45pm, Edinburgh, BBC

ROUND FOUR

Ireland v Scotland: March 10, 2.15pm, Dublin, ITV

France v England: March 10, 4:45pm, Paris, BBC

Wales v Italy: March 11, 3pm, Cardiff, BBC

ROUND FIVE

Italy v Scotland: March 17, 12:30pm, Rome, ITV

England v Ireland: March 17, 2:45pm, London, ITV

Wales v France: March 17, 5pm, Cardiff, BBC

Squads

A full breakdown of squads can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Six_Nations_Championship_squads

Odds (as of 22/01/18)

Italy have got an evil genius of their own, though. I don’t expect England to get an easy ride, especially first game out and away from home.

The objectives are to win the game, emerge with no major injuries and get the bonus point. In that order. Close ride until the last 10 minutes, and then Danny Care inspires a couple of late tries to make it comfortable.

Poorfour wrote:Italy have got an evil genius of their own, though. I don’t expect England to get an easy ride, especially first game out and away from home.

The objectives are to win the game, emerge with no major injuries and get the bonus point. In that order. Close ride until the last 10 minutes, and then Danny Care inspires a couple of late tries to make it comfortable.

Sounds about right.

mid_gen wrote:High scoring Wales vs Scotland, but Scotland's higher tempo and better finishing wins the day.

This is the crux of it for me. Wales are, or have been, so inefficient. Plenty of breaks, time in the opposition 22 et cetera, but still we tend to score in multiples of three.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

mid_gen wrote:High scoring Wales vs Scotland, but Scotland's higher tempo and better finishing wins the day.

This is the crux of it for me. Wales are, or have been, so inefficient. Plenty of breaks, time in the opposition 22 et cetera, but still we tend to score in multiples of three.

The 1014 on Facebook have done a fascinating review of last year's 6 Nation stats. One of the things that really stood out was that Wales scored almost nothing from phase play: if they didn't score in the first couple of phases, teams could just defend against repeated phases til they made a mistake.

This is it. We make poor use of the ball.

Poorfour wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

mid_gen wrote:High scoring Wales vs Scotland, but Scotland's higher tempo and better finishing wins the day.

This is the crux of it for me. Wales are, or have been, so inefficient. Plenty of breaks, time in the opposition 22 et cetera, but still we tend to score in multiples of three.

The 1014 on Facebook have done a fascinating review of last year's 6 Nation stats. One of the things that really stood out was that Wales scored almost nothing from phase play: if they didn't score in the first couple of phases, teams could just defend against repeated phases til they made a mistake.

Yeah, and we keep trying to explain to everyone that it was Howley re-running the 2010 version of Gatlandball, but we shouldn't be seeing any of that in the 2018 6N. The 2011 version of Gatlandball was far better and more successful.

Poorfour wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

mid_gen wrote:High scoring Wales vs Scotland, but Scotland's higher tempo and better finishing wins the day.

This is the crux of it for me. Wales are, or have been, so inefficient. Plenty of breaks, time in the opposition 22 et cetera, but still we tend to score in multiples of three.

The 1014 on Facebook have done a fascinating review of last year's 6 Nation stats. One of the things that really stood out was that Wales scored almost nothing from phase play: if they didn't score in the first couple of phases, teams could just defend against repeated phases til they made a mistake.

Yeahbutnobut etc.

Fair point, Mikey - the 2016 stats paint a better (and presumably more typical) picture of the Welsh system - many more tries scored, still mostly off first phase ball but with about 1/3 coming from phase play. I guess the question this year is whether you can execute Gatlandball with so many changes in personnel in the backline.

It's not going to BE Gatlandball!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't anybody listen no more?  It'll be the new Welsh way!  Back to the old Welsh style.... the one Scotland have been borrowing for a year or so...........

SecretFly wrote:It's not going to BE Gatlandball!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't anybody listen no more?  It'll be the new Welsh way!  Back to the old Welsh style.... the one Scotland have been borrowing for a year or so...........

Gee I hope so. Last year Scotland ball lost to England by about a zillion points.

doctor_grey wrote:

SecretFly wrote:It's not going to BE Gatlandball!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't anybody listen no more?  It'll be the new Welsh way!  Back to the old Welsh style.... the one Scotland have been borrowing for a year or so...........

Gee I hope so.  Last year Scotland ball lost to England by about a zillion points.

Last year we were playing Cotterball, this year we're playing Toonieball.

Toonnieball is mad, mad I tells ya! No one will understand the system. Not even the Scotland players!

Looking forward to seeing Finn Russell play. Serious operator.

I've got him at 40/1 for first try scorer (only a couple of quid). Those odds seem very long.