6N 2018
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Unbelievable finish!
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Yes. Sexton - what a player. Motm.
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Ireland were pretty ordinary but France missed a crucial PK and then Sexton kicked a gem of a winning DG.
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@billy-tell said in 6N 2018:
Ireland were pretty ordinary but France missed a crucial PK and then Sexton kicked a gem of a winning DG.
Drop dead gorgeous. Woohoo!
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@billy-tell said in 6N 2018:
Scotland 100% pure shìte today. Hopeless. If you’re a Scottish fan you’d be mighty deflated.
I think resigned to the inevitable is a much better description
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Well, well what an opening day.
You just can't beat the 6N, it shits all over the rugby championship - real drama, real passion, unbelievable atmosphere - and thats just the national anthems. Maybe a lot of the rugby over the years hasn't been up to scratch, but as an event, it really is only second to the RWC, if that, honestly.
Anyway, on to the games. What an opening match. The first 10 minutes were fantastic as both teams exploited gaps, threw the ball around, and played some proper beautiful to watch rugby. And then Scotland went to shit. The intercept was sort of unlucky, but the dropped balls, penalties, lack of accuracy certainly wasn't. Wales were having a huge on-day though and were well worth of their thumping scoreline. Hard to believe the games they played against NZ and Oz in autumn given the way it went today. Cracking game, cracking start to the tourney.
Game 2 ... a real game of 2 halves. Well, not halves really. The first 70 minutes was turgid, boring dogshit. Sorry, but as a neutral it was such a poor display of attacking. French defence was excellent, but the Irish attack was dire. We've seen them throw it around, we've seen them put things together but they didn't even seem to try. Conor Murray seemed to have zero threat and extremely risk mitigating option taking. Yes, it was raining, but that needn't limit everything. And then it all changed. Teddy Thomas try was a peach, a lock in for the IRB try of the year nominations for sure. France were then charging to win a dominant scrum penalty, after surely the largest joke for an HIA ever distracted things. Owens had his hands tied, but he knew it was bullshit. The distraction then rolled over to the French kicker, who missed an absolute sitter. And then, man oh man, what an ending. 39 phases of one of the ruck nothingness, one cross field kick and then Irish were stuffed, and chucked it to Sexton in a hope or hell moment to see if he could drop one from 45 out. And bugger me, he bloody did!!!! Full credit that guy!!!!
Cracking end to the match. All in all, great first day.
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@pot-hale said in 6N 2018:
..and one of the fuckwits in the commentary team referred to the EOYT tests as friendlies!
Don't start that soccer bullshit please.
Not the first time. Bit like the exhibition match tag on Chicago test.
Halfpenny in again. 27-0
What Chicago match?
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@pot-hale said in 6N 2018:
..and one of the fuckwits in the commentary team referred to the EOYT tests as friendlies!
Don't start that soccer bullshit please.
Not the first time. Bit like the exhibition match tag on Chicago test.
Halfpenny in again. 27-0
What Chicago match?
Some basketball or something.
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Recorded and watched both games today on FF.
Wasn't sure if Wales were really good or Scotland really bad. Scotland made a lot of unforced errors, different team/game to when they played the ABs in November.
Wales seem to have similar defensive linespeed to the Lions.
The Welsh 10 Rhys Patchell who I have just read was having his first cap for Wales looked very good to me, might be an improvement on what has gone before.
France v Ireland at the end I could only think that France were desperately unlucky not to win, yes they missed a fairly straightforward penalty kick that would have made the game safe, but Ireland's game plan was so limited, basically Connor Murray and Johnny Sexton launching bombs all day, I was cheering for the Frenchman to win it, some 41 phases from Ireland before the drop goal so I guess some merit in that, hell of a drop goal from Sexton too, photo finish!
I think Ireland had won 3 times in 60+ years in Paris, winners are grinners.
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Ireland v France matches seem to always end up in a low-scoring shit-fest in recent years with both sides dogging it out against the other. Results were 50/50 over last 10 matches up to yesterday including 2 draws. A lot of rain, freezing conditions, and a dodgy surface for both sets of players with a few lower limb injuries, twisted knees. A dour match for viewing by the neutral with only a few moments to enliven matters, including Teddy Thomas’ brilliantly taken try.
Looking back at it today, the last five minutes after Belleau missed the penalty was superb by Ireland. The team knew what they had to do. From the moment Sexton got the ball and took a quick drop-out and Henderson retrieved to keep the ball in Irish hands for the rest of the match. The kick-pass for Earls by Sexton when they seemed to be stuck on the halfway line was brilliantly risky - he caught it and made meters to the 10m line. Another catch and leap forward by Henderson on 39th phase bought the extra crucial few meters. And then Murray fired a beauty to Sexton. One step and the ball was on its way.
Magic.
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@pot-hale That last drive by your boys was quite something. I was shouting at the TV when Sexton did the kick pass thing but fortune favoured the brave. Never look flustered during the phases either, just dogged belief. As you say. Magic.
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@majorrage said in 6N 2018:
You just can't beat the 6N, it shits all over the rugby championship
My dick is still bigger than yours
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Cracking tries so far from both sides.
10-7 to England on 22 mins
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@billy-tell said in 6N 2018:
@majorrage said in 6N 2018:
You just can't beat the 6N, it shits all over the rugby championship
My dick is still bigger than yours
I've got to agree with @Billy-Tell. The rugby quality hasn't been close, but having travelling support locally just makes an amazing atmosphere. It also helps to have been at war with each other, or to have assimilated others to really put a bit of spice into it.
Not so easy with Australia/NZ, but I'm prepared to paddle a waka over and have a lash at them if anyone's with me.
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