6N 2018
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@catogrande Haven't seen myself, but a mate who follows top14 closely said he wasn't surprised at all, apparently Picamoles has been playing very poorly.
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@sapetyvi I haven't seen that much of the T14 but I have seen him v Exeter in the European Cup. He was looking pretty good but only in fits and starts really. Mind you I think that mirrors the Montpellier game-plan itself. I'm not sure that he's made a good choice in going there. He remains a class player IMO.
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Ireland 6N squad for first two rounds announced by our Joe:
FORWARDS (20)
Hookers
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) c 106 caps; Sean Cronin (St Mary's College/Leinster) 56 caps; Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 3 capWide Lads
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 73 caps; Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster) 42 caps; Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 22 caps; Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 19 caps; Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 3 caps; John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 11 capsTall Lads
Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht) 11 caps; Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 34 caps; Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht) 3 caps; James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 4 caps; Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 53 capsBulky Lads
Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster) 4 caps; Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 5 caps; Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 18 caps; Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 42 caps; CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 18 caps; Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 9 capsBACKS (16)
Fancy Dans
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 78 caps; Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 6 caps; Jacob Stockdale (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 4 caps; Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 62 caps
Jordan Larmour (St Mary's College/Leinster)*; Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 32 capsThe Mids
Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 2 caps; Chris Farrell (Young Munster/Munster) 2 caps; Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 31 caps; Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 3 capsQueens & Prima Donnas
Johnny Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster) 68 caps; Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster) 7 caps; Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Leinster) 6 capsSmall but perfectly formed Loudmouths
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 18 caps; Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 6 caps; Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 59 caps -
@pot-hale Payne injured?
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@pot-hale Payne injured?
Has been since Lions tour. Headaches. Hasn't played since. He's 32, central contract up in June. Not looking good.
Heaslip also out since last 6N.
O'Brien had minor hip operation last week. Might feature later rounds.
Ringrose also injured but might feature in later rounds.
Niall Scannell also injured otherwise would have been ahead of Herring
Surprised Roux got in ahead of Treadwell.
Rory Scannell preferred ahead of McCloskey which is a good thing imho
Pity that John Cooney, Ulster 9, didn't get a chance to show his wares. Has been in fine form for Ulster and made fans forget about Pienaar.If the above can get all get through their European final pool games this weekend and emerge unscathed, then Schmidt & Co will be pretty happy with their lot.
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@catogrande said in 6N 2018:
England (extended) squad to play Italy named with quite a few rookies in there, due to injury and suspensions. Given the problems we have with back rowers injury and suspension I'm not sure just what Armand at Exeter Chiefs has to do to get a look in. (Possible bias alert).
Tom DunnEdit:Gary Graham, sorry wrong rookie, is an interesting pick. He is qualified to play for Scotland too but Eddie has jumped in. Cue much Scottish frothing at the mouth (possibly justified).England squad to face Italy
Backs
Mike Brown (Harlequins), Nathan Earle (Saracens), Harry Mallinder (Northampton), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Alex Lozowski (Saracens),Jack Nowell (Exeter), Henry Slade (Exeter), Ben Te'o (Worcester) Marcus Smith (Harlequins) **, Ben Youngs (Leicester)
Forwards
Gary Graham (Newcastle), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Launchbury (Wasps)Zach Mercer (Bath), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby), Lewis Boyce (Harlequins), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Tom Dunn (Bath), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs)
** - Apprentice player
Gary Grahams dad is George Graham who played for Scotland in the late 90s as a mobile ball playing prop who I assume based on this wasn't much of a scrummager.
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I'm actually looking forward to this. The 6N is now the world's pre-eminent annual rugby competition. I hope the rugby on display lives up to that billing.
Surely a two horse race?
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@mariner4life Should be four competitive teams this year? France will remain a joke. Hope they get beaten by Italy too.
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I expect the Scots to spoil, but fall short. I don't actually think much of Wales, but they do seem to lift for this comp so maybe?
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@mariner4life said in 6N 2018:
I expect the Scots to spoil, but fall short. I don't actually think much of Wales, but they do seem to lift for this comp so maybe?
Scots were talking themselves up on the fb group I was a member of. I say 'was' because I made an off colour joke that offended a bunch of them, refused to apologise and got banned. Scottish rugby fans are quite literally a bunch of PC butthurt snowflakes.
God Bless TSF and all you fluffybunnies on here who share my non PC offensive attitude.
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@mariner4life said in 6N 2018:
I expect the Scots to spoil, but fall short. I don't actually think much of Wales, but they do seem to lift for this comp so maybe?
Scots were talking themselves up on the fb group I was a member of. I say 'was' because I made an off colour joke that offended a bunch of them, refused to apologise and got banned. Scottish rugby fans are quite literally a bunch of PC butthurt snowflakes.
God Bless TSF and all you fluffybunnies on here who share my non PC offensive attitude.
Tell us the joke?
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@mariner4life said in 6N 2018:
I expect the Scots to spoil, but fall short. I don't actually think much of Wales, but they do seem to lift for this comp so maybe?
Scots were talking themselves up on the fb group I was a member of. I say 'was' because I made an off colour joke that offended a bunch of them, refused to apologise and got banned. Scottish rugby fans are quite literally a bunch of PC butthurt snowflakes.
God Bless TSF and all you fluffybunnies on here who share my non PC offensive attitude.
Tell us the joke?
Everyone was getting all up in arms about Basteraud being homophobic ( i think he has been suspended ? ) and I mentioned gay blokes are great at shopping, interior decorating etc.
An admin emailed me saying he'd had multiple complaints about my bigoted comments.
Definitely the kind of piston wristed gibbons who woulda been outraged at that restaurant in chch.
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@mariner4life said in 6N 2018:
I'm actually looking forward to this. The 6N is now the world's pre-eminent annual rugby competition. I hope the rugby on display lives up to that billing.
Surely a two horse race?
nothing says pre-eminent like Gareth Anscombe and Hadleigh Parkes
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@kiwimurph said in 6N 2018:
@mariner4life said in 6N 2018:
I'm actually looking forward to this. The 6N is now the world's pre-eminent annual rugby competition. I hope the rugby on display lives up to that billing.
Surely a two horse race?
nothing says pre-eminent like Gareth Anscombe and Hadleigh Parkes
Ouch. A tinge of the Angostura?
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