Forum Topic

Rugby- 6 Nations tournament

This weekend starts the beginning of this much loved competition, at least amongst sports freaks.Last evening in Paris saw a brilliant French team outplaying a callow Wales by 43 points without reply.Not being one to sit on the f.ence my predictions for today's fayre:Scotland v Italy- Scotland win, but bonus point to ItalyIreland England-  Ireland win, bonus point to EnglandBoth games on terrestrial TV.Enjoy

Denis I. Fox ● 20d10 Comments

I suspect when that joke was first told it was for a 4 Nations game! :)If Welsh rugby is in terminal decline, it could undermine the foundations of the whole tournament. Hearing a bowel melting rendition of Cwm Rhondda when Wales are playing at home is one of the top experiences you can have at live sport. Welsh crowds exceed the passion of those at Murrayfield and Landsdowne Road and put to shame the pallid atmosphere at corporate dominated Twickenham, where hoorays whose knowledge of the sport is based around a few appearances for the third XV at school, make watching a game there an intensely annoying experience.

Francis Rowe ● 18d

Dai was watching a 6 Nations game in Cardiff. In the packed stadium there was one empty seat, right next to him."Whose is that seat?" asked a man in the row behind. "I got the ticket for my wife," said Dai. "But she died in an accident.""So you're keeping the seat vacant as a mark of respect?""No," said the fan, "I offered it to all of my friends.""So why didn't they take it?""They've all gone to the funeral" 

Denis I. Fox ● 18d

The language is still impenetrable to most but not as difficult as Czech (chose to learn some while working there). Still, I think that if you can say please, thank you, two beers and where is the toilet you can survive in any language 🤣

N V Brooks ● 18d

When I was a schoolboy in the 1960s it seemed that Wales had always been and always would be the dominant country in the British isles at least. I found them veru=y annoying back then, especially as my mother was born Welsh but always disliked the country for reasons I didn't really understand (perhaps to do withlanguage)

Guy Lambert ● 18d

An excellent summation.The WRU should hangits collectiveheadin shame, sadly they probably don't know what that is. Such is the passion for the game that the Principality will continue to sell out, but for how much longer?

N V Brooks ● 18d

I don't think Welsh rugby will ever get back to where it was while it is trying to run four professional teams. None of them were in this year's European Champions Cup and the advent of South African teams in the URC means this may become a regular thing. Their best players will move overseas or, as in the case of Louis Rees-Zammit, to a completely different sport. They won't be able to attract good quality non-Welsh born players because the clubs can't offer the financial stability available in other countries.Although Gregor Townsend deserves great credit, the early recognition that Scottish club rugby would only be competitive with two teams is the foundation of current success.The relative development of the Italian game means things are only going to get worse for the Welsh within the context of club competitions and the Six Nations and failure breeds failure. When Gatland goes the full extent of the decline will become increasingly apparent.

Francis Rowe ● 18d

A weak Wales doesn't sit well with the history of the global game, nor the 6 Nations, but with their heritage and inbred  love for the sport they will regain their previous standing- in time.Together with improving their administrative structure they could take a leaf out of what Gregor Townsend has done for Scotland:By picking out elite players not born in Scotland, but qualifying through residency and family lineage.Of the Scottish squad chosen for the current national team, under 50% were born outside of the country.

Denis I. Fox ● 19d

Not criticising individual performance as that would be inappropriate. The whole regional setup in Wales which the 'blazers' have allowed to perpetuate has lead to this. Warren Gatland did a remarkable job last time around in spite of, not because of their efforts. There are probably some who feel that he shouldn't have been appointed the first time let alone twice.  He now has to contend with a threefold problem: the old guard has, in the main, gone with little continuity to assist in the blooding of one of the youngest packs in ages. The regional setup simply doesn't lend itself to player development in terms of games against quality opposition week in and week out which means that too much has to be done within the window for international release. The final problem is the WRU grandees, seemingly happy to take the tickets, lunches and kudos but totally failing to get a grasp on the structural issues facing the game in Wales. Rant over.

N V Brooks ● 19d

Well done Denis, one out of two right and close on a full house.Criticism of the Welsh performance as 'lacklustre' is failing to grasp what is going on. Having seen what Toulouse did to a Leicester team which was a a lot better than the one Wales was able to put out, I thought a sixty point margin would be about par. In the event, a severely understrength Welsh scrum held its own against a massive and experienced French pack. Other teams in the competition won't fare as well.The blame for the size of the defeat should not rest with the players but the people running the game in Wales and their failure to create a structure that builds a pool of players that allows them to compete at the top level. The management of the English game hasn't been much better but the number of players allows them to paper over the cracks. It shouldn't be acceptable that Irish rugby has been allowed to dominate the home nations so much over the last decade.That said, I don't think the Irish showed enough to make a case that they could beat the French even at the Aviva so this year may prove to be very predictable.

Francis Rowe ● 19d

Yes, do enjoy them, they are probably on terrestrial TV this  season for the last time. As to Wales performance last night,  words fail me. I really don't know what to say it was lacklustre in all departments.

N V Brooks ● 20d