6 Nations 2023

[big mervyn]

By the way, watched half an hour of an NFL match last night. What a waste of time, energy (theirs, not mine) and money.

Awful isn't it, at least rugby is worth the concussion!

Baseball is a better game

[Columbo]

There seems to be a growing media noise predicting a Welsh win. Can't see it meself.

The bookies have ireland 7 pt favourites, which is actually quite comfortable for an away match.. journalists need to write about something I guess, and rugby journalists aren’t renowned for knowing much, if anything, about rugby! Anything less than a good win for Ireland will be a shock and a terrible result for Ireland - given the 2 squad and recent form ireland are miles better.

I don’t give that much credence to a Gatland effect - hugely over-rated IMO, recently he was poor for the lions and let’s not forget pretty much the losingest coach in super rugby history!! What does give me some cause for concern is our scrum, which I think could leak points against Wales (and everyone else..) and the strangely off-colour performance against Aus, which just went to show that even when a side is ticking over nicely they can still slip up (very lucky to win that one imo). But I think Leinster have been so outstanding recently that will carry through hopefully.. here’s hoping for a big win to start with

[justinr73]

The three lads on the 42, Big Jim and Goodey all have Ireland winning the tournament.

[Neill_M]

Wales 23 v Ireland named today.

Halfpenny; Adams, North, Hawkins, Dyer; Biggar, T Williams; G Thomas, Owens (capt), Francis, Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Morgan, Tipuric, Faletau.

Baldwin, Carre, Lewis, Jenkins, Reffell, Webb, O Williams, Cuthbert.

[Dave]

So poor. If ireland don't hoke them 50 nil, it's a bad day.

[allezlesverres]

There seems to be a growing media noise predicting a Welsh win. Can't see it meself.

Bookies have ireland by 7pts which is closer than I'd have predicted. Home advantage is massive in the 6N but you'd have to say Ireland look by far the more dangerous team recently.

[Godots bedpan]

Wales 23 v Ireland named today.

Halfpenny; Adams, North, Hawkins, Dyer; Biggar, T Williams; G Thomas, Owens (capt), Francis, Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Morgan, Tipuric, Faletau.

Baldwin, Carre, Lewis, Jenkins, Reffell, Webb, O Williams, Cuthbert.

Lots of experience up front there, but the average age of the pack excluding Morgan is 32. Ireland need to move them around so they'll be blowing hard. Question is can Gatland get the belief levels back to the extent that the legs of those aging forwards last? Dunno about that. Good start to silence the crowd required. Give them no hope and nothing to hang on to. North yet to convince in defence at 13. Gatland without Edwards was not a success in NZ by any stretch.
Never could see the value in going public with a team so early in the week.

[StandUp]

Not a lot of talk about France in the meedja. They will be very dangerous this year. I would have them slight favourites.

[Dave]

Not a lot of talk about France in the meedja. They will be very dangerous this year. I would have them slight favourites.

The overwhelming favourites but the recency bias from Autumn bollix skews things for people.

[jean valjean]

D'Arcy pushing Osborne to jump straight into the starting team against Wales on OTB. Any wonder it takes another province's player about 3 years to get a look in if not part of the leinster halo.

[rumncoke]

Osborne quite good ball in hand his defence is suspect and yes he performs at Pro level --International could be a serious step to far at this time -- but with the Leinster backline inside him and outside him he's made.

It'll be Leinster v Wales with a couple culchies on the bench

[Jetstream]

D'Arcy pushing Osborne to jump straight into the starting team against Wales on OTB. Any wonder it takes another province's player about 3 years to get a look in if not part of the leinster halo.

I would ignore D'Arcy. If he had his way there would be 23 Leinster players. There is a clique of retired Leinster players( D'Arcy, O'Driscoll, Heaslip) who come across as insufferable aŕseholes.
Of course Sean O'brien is now re instated inside the Leinster setup. Seems it's okay to take your pecker out in a pub and sprinkle urine over the customers. But God forbid anyone uses the word spit.
McCloskey will start. Who else can they blame if Ireland lose especially if Hendy and POM are benched.

[allezlesverres]

Unless mccloskey gets injured or messes up at training he is bound to start. He is the only player of the 3 who can only play one position so he isn't a bench option. The easy solution is to start him and bench one of the others. (Aki cover 12 and 13, and Osborne 12,13 and 15 I think)

[CIMANFOREVER]

Wales 23 v Ireland named today.

Halfpenny; Adams, North, Hawkins, Dyer; Biggar, T Williams; G Thomas, Owens (capt), Francis, Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Morgan, Tipuric, Faletau.

Baldwin, Carre, Lewis, Jenkins, Reffell, Webb, O Williams, Cuthbert.

No Roberts?

[Dave]

It's about time Georgia got a look in.

Wales could take a year off and still have the same players.