2024 Six Nations Rugby ...

[Clarets4me]

The Six Nations is upon us again, kicking off with a massive clash between France and Ireland this evening, in Marseilles ( 8.00pm ). All three of France's games this season are being played away from Paris, as the Stade de France is undergoing construction work for this year's Summer Olympics ..

England visit Rome to face Italy at 3.15pm on Saturday, at the Stadio Olympico, and the opening round concludes with Wales hosting Scotland in Cardiff ( 4.45pm ), with James Botham, Lord Botham's grandson set to win his 10th cap for Wales on the flank. The first two games are on ITV, with the Cardiff match being shown on BBC1.

With England in a rebuilding stage, and Andy Farrell taking a self-imposed sabbatical, it's hard to see past the winners of tonight's clash as favourites for the title. France by 7-12 points tonight, England by 10-15 tomorrow and Wales by 2-7 points ...

Enjoy ....

[Tribesmen]

Great to be back and a good write up from Claret4me .

Yep we are going to see the winners of the six nations tonight .

I will take my green glasses off and will go for the French as i think they will be too strong up front 24 -15 to the French .

England v Italy you always call the English on this one , but something is just nagging at me that this could be a big upset as Italy always go well in the first game up 22-21 to Italy with a missed drop goal at the death for England .

Wales v Scotland , hummm still think the Scots are improving so going for 32 - 24 to the Scots .

Roll on 8 pm

[dandeclaret]

Ireland have a chance..... there's no quarter final game to be played.

[Papabendi]

The Six Nations is upon us again, kicking off with a massive clash between France and Ireland this evening, in Marseilles ( 8.00pm ). All three of France's games this season are being played away from Paris, as the Stade de France is undergoing construction work for this year's Summer Olympics ..

England visit Rome to face Italy at 3.15pm on Saturday, at the Stadio Olympico, and the opening round concludes with Wales hosting Scotland in Cardiff ( 4.45pm ), with James Botham, Lord Botham's grandson set to win his 10th cap for Wales on the flank. The first two games are on ITV, with the Cardiff match being shown on BBC1.

With England in a rebuilding stage, and Andy Farrell taking a self-imposed sabbatical, it's hard to see past the winners of tonight's clash as favourites for the title. France by 7-12 points tonight, England by 10-15 tomorrow and Wales by 2-7 points ...

Enjoy ....

I assume you mean Owen.

[Tricky Trevor]

Post-World Cup after retirements and injuries it is wide open and there will be shocks.
I can’t make an argument against the other posters, we’ll see the winners tonight.
COYBIG

[Clarets4me]

I assume you mean Owen.

I did indeed, apologies !!

These slips happen when you're old enough to remember Andy Farrell as the new wonderkid of Rugby League, and what's more, old enough to have attended Grandpa Botham's 1st Test at Trent Bridge in 1977, and witness Peter West interviewing Harold Larwood & Bill Voce at lunch on the outfield ..

[Clarets4me]

Great to be back and a good write up from Claret4me .

Yep we are going to see the winners of the six nations tonight .

I will take my green glasses off and will go for the French as i think they will be too strong up front 24 -15 to the French .

England v Italy you always call the English on this one , but something is just nagging at me that this could be a big upset as Italy always go well in the first game up 22-21 to Italy with a missed drop goal at the death for England .

Wales v Scotland , hummm still think the Scots are improving so going for 32 - 24 to the Scots .

Roll on 8 pm

Remind me " Tribesmen ", where in the emerald isle do you call home ?

[Tribesmen]

County Galway

[Aclaret]

Great start from you Greens.

[timshorts]

Any chance that my lot had is presently with the international nfl training camp. After a pretty decent world cup, I imagine that we are back to finishing 5th, and hoping that the white shite finish in the bottom half and don't sack their coach.

The tournament will be all the poorer for having the best two teams play each other first up. Of course, this means that England have the best chance to stay in contention for the longest.

For the person who poo-pooed my suggestion that the fixtures are fixed to favour the English as the fixtures are listed in a rotation, here are the English first fixtures for this and the last few years:-

2024 italy
2023 Scotland (h)
2022 Scotland (a)
2021 Scotland (h)

Strict rotation. Right. Looks like they are worried that Scotland might be better than usual this year.

[Clarets4me]

Great start from you Greens.

... and France down to 14, with two yellows for the French 2nd Row !!

Stop Press: France try in 1st half injury time, which is converted, 10-17 at half time !

[criminalclaret]

Currently supping a pint of Guinness in O'Donoghues in Dublin. Great atmosphere as always.

Ireland been there usual rugged and clever best.
France turned up not knowing which arse they wipe out of of.

I expected better of France in a non Paris stadium with an equal enough squad on paper, but they have been atrocious.

Ireland to win by 20 I think after that first half, 6 Nations theirs to loose

[Boss Hogg]

Ireland looking excellent in this first match.

[Blyclaret]

Routine win for a brilliant Irish team performance

[derryclaret]

Excellent performance, even against 14 men, Joe McCarthy outstanding only 22 years old, he's going to be some player

[dandeclaret]

Currently supping a pint of Guinness in O'Donoghues in Dublin. Great atmosphere as always.

Ireland been there usual rugged and clever best.
France turned up not knowing which arse they wipe out of of.

I expected better of France in a non Paris stadium with an equal enough squad on paper, but they have been atrocious.

Ireland to win by 20 I think after that first half, 6 Nations theirs to loose

Oh God... you've turned into one of them. You'll be petitioning for the Gibson Park Park and whoever it was that was getting a roundabout named after them in the World Cup.....

Next time an Irish lad has a go at you if you support England football, just remind them that their Rugby fans are a million times worse in the "It's coming home stakes"...... and then not getting past even the first knockout game.

[Blyclaret]

Wow that’s some comment. Wtf

[LeadBelly]

Very good and efficient performance from Ireland. Helped the the French went down to 14 but Ireland were on top when France had 15 so no doubt about the value of the win.

I'll take England to beat Italy , a few new faces in the England team & I'm looking forward to seeing the two Northants backs who are playing very well at club level. England seem to have the mockers on Italy and I can't see that changing. England by 6-10 points (bookies have England with a 15 point advantage)

Scotland have a terrible record in Cardiff but I think they'll win this time. A lot of changes/inexperience in the Wales team and Scotland have been playing well this last few years. Scotland by 11-15 (bookies have Scotland by 4 points).

It'll be interesting to see if France can bounce back in Edinburgh nest Saturday- that'll be a tough 2nd game for them after tonight's setback.

[Tribesmen]

Well got the Irish result wrong , not sure what happened to the French , but Ireland wow what a start from them .

I see that England are behind in the first 20mins , hummmmm we will see .

[Clarets4me]

Well got the Irish result wrong , not sure what happened to the French , but Ireland wow what a start from them .
I see that England are behind in the first 20mins , hummmmm we will see .

Yep, we both misread France there although the sending off didn't help, Ireland were ominously good ! England have 10 changes and 1 positional from their last game against Argentina in October, and no Autumn Testa, so you'd expect them to be a little disjointed ..

My wife's family roots are from Kerry, Listowel .. lovely part of the world !!

[kentonclaret]

Wales v Scotland

0-20 at half-time now 26-27 with 10 minutes left.

[LeadBelly]

That Wales v Scotland game was the classic "game of two halves".
Wales were really poor first half and 20-0 didnt flatter Scotland. Then, when 3 minutes into the second half, Scotland went to 27-0 something energized the Welsh and they stormed back. Scotland had all on to hold it to 27-26.
Wainwright was immense for Wales (despite his dodgy 'tash) - scored a try and carried 97 yards in total - about twice as much as the average back rower in that round of games.
Great entertainment for this neutral- as was Friday's game.

[Tribesmen]

All 3 away teams won , hey roll on next week