Rugby Union Six Nations 2011

[David_Speedie]

Keeping it simple and trying to get a clean sweep, so going for France to overcome the 3 point handicap. I don't feel Ireland can improve enough from the last game to prevent France winning, even with home advantage.

[Swooperman]

The French are coming

& that kicker bloke doesnt look as though hes going to miss from here

[Swooperman]

Cant help feeling ireland threw that away

[traeth]

the ref was such a homer that Ireland nearly won that one , his decisions with the scrum was so poor I was expecting him to penalise the French with that final scrum , even Brian Moore suggested that the Irish should drop the scrum incase Pearson got it "wrong".

It was a much better match than the other two , I'm glad I got on France -2 on Friday.

I'll probably be away when the next round is played in a fortnight.

p.s. Inverdale is a twat , it was amazing how often he mentioned England's performance and they were covering the Ireland v France match !

[Pie-chucker]

Wales habitually struggle in Rome but may feel they now have a bit of metaphorical wind at their backs after winning in Scotland. They'll need to start fast and get points up early as they did a fortnight ago. From there I think they'll win this by 15-20 pts.

Camel coats have England favourites. Twickenham and the fact that the Frogs shipped 3 tries to Scotland (of all sides) in Paris and 3 more in squeaking a win in Dublin. France - we always say this - have a cracker of a game in them if 'that France' turn up. Very strong front 5. Good line-out. In the centres they're far better. I'm making a bit of a one-eyed case to get on France to win by 6.

Spread seems right at Murrayfield. That is, Ireland -6. Tempted to leave this alone on Sunday but if Wales roll over Italy I'll be having a tenner on the draw @ 20-1. This might be close.

[Swooperman]

Taken Wales 16-20 @ 6/1 Lads & France 6-10 @ 8/1 Lads

small singles & a double

[traeth]

I missed the last round due to holidays , this weekend's odds from bluesq

first the cap

Italy v France
Italy +17 1.91 Tie 17.00 France -17 1.91
12th of March 2011 2:30pm


Wales v Ireland
Wales -2 1.91 Tie 17.00 Ireland +2 1.91 BET
12th of March 2011 5:00pm


England v Scotland
England -15 1.91 Tie 17.00 Scotland +15 1.91
13th of March 2011 3:00pm

straight win
Italy v France
Italy 11.00
Draw 41.00
France 1.03


Wales v Ireland
Wales 1.73
Draw 17.00
Ireland 2.10

England v Scotland
England 1.08
Draw 26.00
Scotland 7.50


I'm hoping for a Welsh win but the Irish do well when they play in Wales , some bookies have a zero cap on this match

[traeth]

Wales v Ireland

the Welsh team
Wales: Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Leigh Halfpenny (Blues), Jamie Roberts (Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Shane Williams (Ospreys); James Hook (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Ospreys); Paul James (Ospreys), Matthew Rees (Scarlets, capt), Craig Mitchell (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Blues), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Dragons), Sam Warburton (Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys).
Replacements: Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), John Yapp (Blues) - two from: Rob McCusker (Scarlets), Andy Powell (London Wasps), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys) - Dwayne Peel (Sale Sharks), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Morgan Stoddart (Scarlets).

Changes made in the backs for this match with Hook at O.H. , Davies back at centre and Halfpenny on the wing. 1/2penny will be useful if we get long range penalties.

Ireland: Fitzgerald; Bowe, B O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Earls; O'Gara, Reddan; Healy, Best, Ross, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, O'Brien, D Wallace, Heaslip.

Replacements: Cronin, Court, Cullen, Leamy, Stringer, Sexton, Wallace

the lineup is unchanged

The ref is Kaplan from South Africa , who I like but can give some strange decisions when it come to infringements at the scrum.

I would like to see Wales keeping more ball in hand , hoping for quick ball with Phillips at scrumy is wishful thinking. I'd like to see Roberts running at the O'Gara/D'Arcy channel.

[Pie-chucker]

France have scored an average of 49.5 points in Rome in their last 4 visits.

I think they'll beat the spread, as will England. No idea in Cardiff.

Looking to get off to a cracking start in the first game, I'm on buy shirts @ 144 over the 3 games of the weekend. Full backs and subs scoring tries all over the place. SpIn running for cover.

[traeth]

the odds for the final weekend from paddies [ because the Irish underate the Welsh!]

straight win
19th Mar 2011
14:30 Scotland v Italy 1.28 21.00 3.50

17:00 Ireland v England 2.50 21.00 1.53

19:45 France v Wales 1.22 26.00 4.00

the cap
14:30 Scotland v Italy (-7.0) 1.90 (-7.0) 21.00 (+7.0) 1.90
17:00 Ireland v England (+4.0) 1.90 (4.0) 21.00 (-4.0) 1.90
19:45 France v Wales (-9.0) 1.90 (-9.0) 23.00 (+9.0) 1.90

any chance of three away wins?

[traeth]

this bad news from bbc

Shane Williams is ruled out of Wales' Six Nations clash against France in Paris on Saturday after suffering a knee injury

this was probably Shane's last game in the 6N , will North get a chance to score a debut try in the six nations?