Article: The Original Rugby Championship - Six Nations 2016
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="564368" data-time="1457856743"><p>Improved Rugby all round so far this weekend. The better weather is surely a factor here. My suggestion would be to re-jig the season so that the Six Nations starts at the beginning of March and is then played over 5 out of the next 6 weekends until mid-April.</p></blockquote>
Definitely, the 6 nations should be the culmination of the N/H season. Which in turn would make our summer tours straight off the back of the tournament (more or less).<br>
You're never going to get the clubs to agree even though you'd think it'd mean less disruption for them too.<br>
Far too sensible[emoji6] -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Pot Hale" data-cid="564338" data-time="1457829095">
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<p>One of the better ones from this 6N.<br><br>
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<p>T'was a great try alright. Some might qualify it it by saying "Well, Italy", but you still have to see the plays and make the passes stick. It was great to watch as a neutral. Best try of the championship so far and unlikely to be bested.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Disgusted of TW" data-cid="564367" data-time="1457856228"><p>He needs to refresh his coaching team, at least. Dump Howley and McBryde. Edwards probably has time left on the clock, but those missed tackle stats from the first half were poor.</p></blockquote>
Totally agree on Howley & McBryde. Things need freshening badly. We have talent coming through, the U20's stuffed England on Friday night & are on course for a grand slam. But you get the feeling these guys will get stifled at senior level. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pooler fan" data-cid="564372" data-time="1457858076">
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<p>Totally agree on Howley & McBryde. Things need freshening badly. We have talent coming through, the U20's stuffed England on Friday night & are on course for a grand slam. <strong>But you get the feeling these guys will get stifled at senior level.</strong></p>
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<p>Galling if that happens pooler. Luckily this has never occurred with England. Oh wait...</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pooler fan" data-cid="564361" data-time="1457853750"><p>The point I was trying to get was England should have been so far ahead the final 10 minute flurry wouldn't have mattered.</p></blockquote>
Its baffling that England only rack up 25 points in an uncontested training run for 70 minutes and even more baffling that they manage to concede 7 points on that same run. <br>
If Wales played like that against any of TRC teams, they would have been Down 40-0 at the time they showed up -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="564373" data-time="1457858505"><p>Galling if that happens pooler. Luckily this has never occurred with England. Oh wait...</p></blockquote>
England to a certain extent can afford to let talented youngsters slip through the net on times because of the sheer number of players.<br>
Wales (and the other Celtic nations) have a painfully shallow pool of players to choose from. <br>
We can't afford too many mistakes in player development unfortunately. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="saulityvi" data-cid="564388" data-time="1457868234"><p>Its baffling that England only rack up 25 points in an uncontested training run for 70 minutes and even more baffling that they manage to concede 7 points on that same run. <br>
If Wales played like that against any of TRC teams, they would have been Down 40-0 at the time they showed up</p></blockquote>
At the very least I'd say. If Wales play remotely near that standard on the NZ tour this summer we'll lose every test by well over 50 points. -
<p>I expect in a house in Wellington, MN5 is sitting there trying to wake himself up, thinking surely he's dreaming....</p>
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<p>looked like a couple of well worked tries too!</p> -
<p>Marler possibly facing a ban for calling a gypsy a gypsy.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/video-england-prop-joe-marler-apologises-to-wales-samson-lee-for-gypsy-boy-slur-34535794.html'>http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/video-england-prop-joe-marler-apologises-to-wales-samson-lee-for-gypsy-boy-slur-34535794.html</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="564408" data-time="1457898517">
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<p>Marler possibly facing a ban for calling a gypsy a gypsy.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/video-england-prop-joe-marler-apologises-to-wales-samson-lee-for-gypsy-boy-slur-34535794.html'>http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/video-england-prop-joe-marler-apologises-to-wales-samson-lee-for-gypsy-boy-slur-34535794.html</a></p>
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<p>He's also under the spotlight for chinning Lee on the floor - saw his opportunity and took it. Not a lot in it TBH but likely to get cited. Tomas Francis also odds on to get cited for making contact with the eyes of Dan Cole who'd just got binned. Not sure about the protocols there. Normally if there is a penalty offence and the penalty is reversed due to foul play, then thats it. But Cole got yellowed for the technical offence which then got reversed but he stayed off. Don't think i've seen that situation before - should he have been recalled or not? No idea.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="564407" data-time="1457898266">
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<p>I expect in a house in Wellington, MN5 is sitting there trying to wake himself up, thinking surely he's dreaming....</p>
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<p>looked like a couple of well worked tries too!</p>
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<p>Yep, was expecting a typically gutsy 26-12 type scoreline but to the bad guys. Rumour has it Vern Cotter even smiled.</p>
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<p>They'll come against Ireland thinking they can win ( sorry that line probably belongs in the cliché thread )</p>
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<p>How shit are Italy though, I've heard talk of promotion relegation type scenarios in the Six Nations, surely Romania would back themselves to beat the spaghetti eaters at the moment ?</p> -
<p>I doubt relegation will appear anytime soon. Who would vote for it? One tough season, a bad call from the ref, injuries etc and you're out of a competition that you've been in for over 100 years? So not going to happen.</p>
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@MN5. Italy were pure & utter shite. About the worst I've seen them play. They are actually ranked lower than Georgia these days.<br><br>
It was virtually impossible to judge Ireland because it amounted to a training run. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="564422" data-time="1457904136">
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<p>@MN5. Italy were pure & utter shite. About the worst I've seen them play. They are actually ranked lower than Georgia these days.<br><br>
It was virtually impossible to judge Ireland because it amounted to a training run.</p>
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<p>I don't think it is impossible to judge them, BT.</p>
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<p>Ireland still had to play and win the game. Clear decision by Schmidt as to how he wanted to run the game. Although the cynics might say, the players who exceeded the total team offload limit of 3 per match will be sanctioned tomorrow. :)</p>
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<p>Should be a good game next weekend with both teams going for it. </p>
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<p>The difference between 3rd and 4th place is approx €1m apparently. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="564416" data-time="1457903312">
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<p>He's also under the spotlight for chinning Lee on the floor - saw his opportunity and took it. Not a lot in it TBH but likely to get cited. Tomas Francis also odds on to get cited for making contact with the eyes of Dan Cole who'd just got binned. Not sure about the protocols there. Normally if there is a penalty offence and the penalty is reversed due to foul play, then thats it. But Cole got yellowed for the technical offence which then got reversed but he stayed off. Don't think i've seen that situation before - should he have been recalled or not? No idea.</p>
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<p>Think Thomas will cop a decent ban for the contact to the eye area (has been cited now). Was a bizarre conversation between Joubert and the TMO. Not sure what better angle they were expecting the citing commissioner to get hold of. If they can't reach the correct decision with the footage shown, they shouldn't be at this level.</p>
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<p>Marler was bloody stupid though with the Gypsy thing. Just can't come out with stuff like that these days. Think he may sit a few weeks out for that rather than the forearm on the ground.</p>
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<p>Championship is great, but it's all about next week now. Massive game given England's history of falling at the final hurdle from this position. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="564421" data-time="1457903997">
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<p>I doubt relegation will appear anytime soon. Who would vote for it? One tough season, a bad call from the ref, injuries etc and you're out of a competition that you've been in for over 100 years? So not going to happen.</p>
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<p>Well only 15 years in Italys case, I'm glad the Scots have already outdone themselves in the tournament already with a game in hand.</p>
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<p>I'm just sure I saw or read it somewhere.</p> -
<br><br><blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Margin_Walker" data-cid="564426" data-time="1457904693"><p>
Championship is great, but it's all about next week now. Massive game given England's history of falling at the final hurdle from this position.</p></blockquote>
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England will stuff France to take the Slam, can't see any way this French side can upset the odds. -
<p>Congrats to England on winning The Six Nations Rugby Championship Trophy for 2016.</p>
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<p>And the Triple Crown.</p>
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<p>And Millennium Trophy.</p>
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<p>And the Calcutta Cup.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Pot Hale" data-cid="564425" data-time="1457904576">
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<p>I don't think it is impossible to judge them, BT.</p>
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<p>Ireland still had to play and win the game. Clear decision by Schmidt as to how he wanted to run the game. Although the cynics might say, the players who exceeded the total team offload limit of 3 per match will be sanctioned tomorrow. :)</p>
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<p>Should be a good game next weekend with both teams going for it. </p>
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<p>The difference between 3rd and 4th place is approx €1m apparently. </p>
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<p>Look, I'm not downplaying it, it was a well-taken win. But the real test is Scotland next week. Just to remind you</p>
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<p>NZ 76 - Italy 14</p>
<p>NZ 108 - Portugal 13</p>
<p>NZ 85 - Romania 8</p>
<p>NZ 40 - Scotland B 0</p>
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<p>NZ 18 - France 20</p>
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<p>A pasting against a fairly hopeless Italian side is good for moral, and involved some well-taken tries. It does not yet signal an Irish recovery.</p>
