2558 Six Nations

close game but if they are going to beat anyone, i'd say scotland or maybe
wales if they have home advantage....

Italy played really well and Ireland were awarded a try they should not have been could have been completely different if that had not happened. Ireland will need to pull their collective socks up if they are to do well. Italy if they build on this game stand a good chance of not getting the wooden spoon this year! Keep up the good work Italy.

Lets see what happens now between England and Wales......................

[LEFT][quote=giovanni]close game but if they are going to beat anyone, i'd say scotland or maybe
wales if they have home advantage....[/quote]

As a Scotsman, I'm offended! :mad:
However, you're probably right! ;) I'll be watching the France game with my eyes closed!

Italy should be very pleased with that performance. Good game. Ireland won't be happy at all.
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[QUOTE=derekL][LEFT]

As a Scotsman, I'm offended! :mad:
However, you're probably right! ;) I'll be watching the France game with my eyes closed!

Italy should be very pleased with that performance. Good game. Ireland won't be happy at all.
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i did say, if. but who knows, wales where the surprise team last year,so its
about time that the scots got it together...

[LEFT][quote=giovanni]about time that the scots got it together...[/quote]

We've been saying that for years! :rolleyes:
Same goes for the football team!
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[QUOTE=derekL][LEFT]

We've been saying that for years! :rolleyes:
Same goes for the football team!
[/LEFT][/QUOTE]

look on the brightside, next year you will be playing against the world champions,to qualify for euro 2008.... no it won't be the bloody french....:)

Well yesterday I enjoyed watching Jonathan Edwards (there's nothing like a bumused looking Welshman!) & today is just as good with Bernard Laporte looking stunned.

What a great game..........now DerekL, don't get too smug!

[QUOTE=derekL][LEFT]

I'll be watching the France game with my eyes closed!

[/LEFT][/QUOTE]

Hey! You missed a cracker, DerekL!

Fantastic performance and well-deserved victory.

Slightly over-bitten fingernails towards the end, however...

Mike

[LEFT][quote=tuscanhills]Well ......now DerekL, don't get too smug![/quote]

:D <---- Me looking smug!

Opened my eyes and couldn't believe what i was seeing!
Great game. You're right John, got a little tense towards the end.
Bring on the Welsh!
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Hi people
smug scotsman here looking forward to going out to Rome in a few weeks time for the rugger match! Never been to a rugby match in my life and no doubt will get a bollicking from the crowd for shouting "hand ball all the time". On a serious note, I intend going to the Roma match on the Sunday - I contacted this site last year about getting tickets and there was some good advice offered but I believe that there have been changes - can somebody please advise on the best way to get tickets.
Help much appreciated.

I'd recommend [url]www.ticketone.it[/url], they were soooo straight-forward when I boughtconcert tickets last year. Delivered syraight to my door in the UK.

....I'd also like to offer a few rugby watching tips:
[list]
[*]Shouting [i][b]Mister referee![/i][/b] is international; it works irrespective of the sport ;)
[*]There's no such thing as a knock on, forward pass or high tackle for your side (refer above)
[*]A good standard shout is [i][b]off side![/i][/b] and can be shouted as indiscriminately as in footie
[*]High tackle is not a medical condition (sorry, I'll to stop there!)[/list]

Enjoy the game....we al thought it was going to be a wooden spoon decider, but at this rate, it might be a biggie!

[QUOTE=tuscanhills]I'd recommend [url]www.ticketone.it[/url], they were soooo straight-forward when I boughtconcert tickets last year. Delivered syraight to my door in the UK.[/QUOTE]

thanks for this, and the rugby tips. I 've often found that the expletives commonly used alongside "referee" and "penalty" are universally known across language barriers so we should be ok!!

[quote=Arabally]thanks for this, and the rugby tips. I 've often found that the expletives commonly used alongside "referee" and "penalty" are universally known across language barriers so we should be ok!![/quote]

Rugby fans will politely ask the referee if a) he is going to be invited to his parents wedding, b) if he knows when is parents are going to get married, and c) does he know the way to the nearest optitian. I could go on all night.
In football you will find less intellectual shouts and expletives! Which would no doubt get edited out!

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Come on Italy!! :rolleyes:
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Derek

Hope u have one otherwise :D :D

Dave

Oh dear maybe Not ........

[quote=YNot]Derek

Hope u have one otherwise :D :D

Dave

Oh dear maybe Not ........[/quote]

Italy did certainly enjoy a good first half, Second half they are still playing well but.....

[LEFT]
Couldn't believe Ireland in the first half!
Couldn't believe France in the second!!
Great last 20 mins though.
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[LEFT]Any other predictions for the match on Saturday anyone? :D

PS Don't like them much but thought it was a brilliant performance from Arsenal last night. How on earth are Ronaldo, Carlos and Gravesson getting a game for Madrid?? :confused:

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[QUOTE=derekL][LEFT]Any other predictions for the match on Saturday anyone? :D .... [/LEFT][/QUOTE]

Hmmm wouldn't dare one... Don't wanna get my hopes up & have then squashed again!! :rolleyes:

Just keeping fingers crossed ... or praying in front of the telly ... or perhaps better do some serious 'commenting' that'll make the cats run & hide... :D

[LEFT][quote=Iona]Hmmm wouldn't dare one... Don't wanna get my hopes up & have then squashed again!! [/quote]

As an adopted Scot, you should be used to that by now! Go for it!
We probably won't thrash them but I'm going for an 18-12 glorious Scottish victory. :)

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[quote=derekL][LEFT]

As an adopted Scot, you should be used to that by now! Go for it!
We probably won't thrash them but I'm going for an 18-12 glorious Scottish victory. :)

[/quote]

England Rugger fans who posted to this thread earlier... Hellooo!! You are conspicuous by your absence!! Do I feel smug or what? A wonderful match and a perfect prediction!!
Bring on the Irish! :D

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...................DerekL, you have unlimited use of my bookshelf!

Scotland we're wonderful & won fair & square; England missed soooo many chances & Scotland took plenty!

(sorry, I'd have posted earlier, but have only just come round ;))

Well done to the Scots, well deserved win. Wish I could predict scorelines.

Dave

[LEFT]
Don't know what came over me. Just had to watch 'Braveheart' again last night! ;)

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[quote=derekL]England Rugger fans who posted to this thread earlier... Hellooo!! You are conspicuous by your absence!! Do I feel smug or what? A wonderful match and a perfect prediction!!
Bring on the Irish! :D

[/left][/quote]

[LEFT][COLOR=black]All I can say is that for some reason the English team did not seem to turn up! Or what did turn up seemed to not be bothered! Not to take anything away from [/COLOR][COLOR=black]Scotland[/COLOR][COLOR=black] who played well and deserved to win from the start! I would also like to apologise for Grewcock who was just plain silly![/COLOR]
[COLOR=black] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]The Italian team played out of their skins against [/COLOR][COLOR=black]France[/COLOR][COLOR=black] and deserved a batter result as [/COLOR][COLOR=black]France[/COLOR][COLOR=black] played the same game [/COLOR][COLOR=black]England[/COLOR][COLOR=black] did.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=black] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]Today’s match between [/COLOR][COLOR=black]Ireland[/COLOR][COLOR=black] and [/COLOR][COLOR=black]Wales[/COLOR][COLOR=black] should be interesting especially with the fighting in the Welsh camp at the moment![/COLOR]
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Derek - you were spot on!! Was dancing around the living room and kept staring at the screen in disbelief! :D

Can you predict the weather too???

Couldn't believe the change in the England team from last year ... yup, seems they couldn't be bothered at all... well, a wake up call seems necessary!

Couldn't finish watching the Italy-France match so missed half of it.... shame about the result, as France didn't come across as that great.

Ireland too seems in good shape today... just as well that my Welsh friends are on a weekend trip in Amsterdam!! :eek:

[LEFT][quote=Iona]Ireland too seems in good shape today... just as well that my Welsh friends are on a weekend trip in Amsterdam!! :eek:[/quote]

Ireland seem to be getting stronger as the competition goes on. The England/Ireland match at Twickenham could be the decider. Could be a great match.
Although Wales are in disarray at the moment, at least Henson's tan is holding up! :)

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....seemed to me, based on the weekend's performnce, that's all he's been working on during his ban!

Actaully, I have just realised that I live in a glass house, so should probably shut up!

Was it or wasn't it?

It should have been a simple try but did he actually ground it before crossing the dead ball line? My personal opinion is that he didn't but the video ref gave him the benefit of the doubt!! Lucky or what!!

[QUOTE=DaveJ]Was it or wasn't it?

It should have been a simple try but did he actually ground it before crossing the dead ball line? My personal opinion is that he didn't but the video ref gave him the benefit of the doubt!! Lucky or what!![/QUOTE]

so the ref gave it? good and i now hear they drew!
bring on the scots..............

[QUOTE=DaveJ]Was it or wasn't it?

It should have been a simple try but did he actually ground it before crossing the dead ball line? My personal opinion is that he didn't but the video ref gave him the benefit of the doubt!! Lucky or what!![/QUOTE]

NO! It was not a try! The video ref gave him a sympathy vote and he probably would have given it if he was in the front row of the stands when he put it down.

It was agaisnt Wales, so it was a try ;)

Had it been against England, then noooooooooooo try!

[QUOTE=tuscanhills]It was agaisnt Wales, so it was a try ;)

Had it been against England, then noooooooooooo try![/QUOTE]

Excellent argument..............TRY, GO ITALY!!!

Having rewatched the game on UK Gold (how sad is that!), I got the distinct impression that if the Italian kicking game was better, the Welsh would have been red faced.

[QUOTE=tuscanhills]Having rewatched the game on UK Gold (how sad is that!), I got the distinct impression that if the Italian kicking game was better, the Welsh would have been red faced.[/QUOTE]

Now you mention it, I can remember at least six points lost by Italy in the second half, so in theory yes. Personally, I thoguht the Italians were lucky to walk in at half time still in the game and surprisingly the Welsh walked in after the second half lucky not to lose.

I know it wasn't pretty and it wasn't the beautiful game and all of that, but it was a good look into the future for italian rugby.

When the six nations was formed, it was almosat the case that scotland gave them the wooden spoon with a sigh of relief.It was an absolute given that the points, when playing the italians were in the bag. I think that, whilst you are right about the kicking game, the only thing lacking to make them a first class team is fitness and regular game play at the highest level.

having seen saracens thump roma by about 80 points a few years ago, i could see a world of difference between the italian and english leagues. As more italians play in the english and french leagues, this will resolve itself. I think a bet on Italy winning the six nations in the next five years would be a bit ambitious, but could.........and i actually believe this.........could provide a considerable return when it happens.:eek: :eek:

Regards

Andy

And if they could stop playing rather sexy rugby in their own 22, they may actually have some energy left when they cross the game line!!!

[LEFT]
Came back from Italy yesterday to hear [disappointingly] that Ireland had beaten Scotland 15-9 in a scrappy match, in atrocious weather conditions, and all their points were from penalties. :(

Oh well, at least we beat England! :)

Anyone got tickets for the England v Ireland match? Should be a cracker!

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[QUOTE=derekL][LEFT]
Came back from Italy yesterday to hear [disappointingly] that Ireland had beaten Scotland 15-9 in a scrappy match, in atrocious weather conditions, and all their points were from penalties. :(

Oh well, at least we beat England! :)

Anyone got tickets for the England v Ireland match? Should be a cracker!

[/LEFT][/QUOTE]

Just to point out that if Wales and Italy win, it could now end up with England taking the wooden spoon (I think I worked it out properly)

On todays performance, lets hope they don't win!!

Andy

Didn't watch today's match but from what I've read England were pretty poor... and that 4 different teams could theoretically win next weekend...

... unless France get their act together...

Can't believe we lost yesterday!! What a scramble!! :rolleyes:

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Irish rugby fans here are saying that beating England is a cert and they'll be taking over Twickenham! It will be like playing at Lansdowne Road!
I'm not so sure. I'm going for an England win. France win overall.
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France to win, yup... most likely...

Ireland will have a struggle no doubt... though, who knows... it wouldn't be the first upset during this round... :p

I have to concede that France are likely to take the laurels, but who'll get the wooden spoon?
I can see Italy doing well, but will it avoid the wooden spoon?

[LEFT]
England fans, I apologise! I know you're fearing this competition as your team is in complete disarray, but anyone got any thoughts or predictions for this year? :)

I'll stick my neck out and predict an Ireland grand slam if they beat Wales in Cardiff on the first weekend; but only managing to scrape a win at Murrayfield.

I've got my ticket for Scotland's victory at Twickenham on the 3rd Feb, so I'm happy. :)
Offered a Scotland v Ireland corporate ticket last week for €500! Eh, no thanks.

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I'd go along with you with ireland to win grand slam but Scotland to beat England at Twickenham no way even with England in a mess
I'm getting quite a few offers of corporate hospitality tickets which I don't normally so seems to me that tickets aren't selling as they used to.

[LEFT][quote=Robert]I'd go along with you with ireland to win grand slam but Scotland to beat England at Twickenham... no way - even with England in a mess....[/quote]

We'll see! I think the Scots are quietly confident. :)
My only worry with Ireland is playing their home games at Croke Park. Fantastic stadium but it's not exactly playing at home. They'll need the crowd behind them in a big way!
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