The Rugby Thread, 2nd Tackle

[SirFozzie]

England fall just short at the end against France, and Italy gives Wales trouble but Wales wins.

[SirFozzie]

Ireland takes Scotland to the woodshed after some nervous play in the first half.

 

So far, this is the Completely unofficial Fozzie Six Nations Power Rankings

 

1A) Ireland

1B) France

3) Wales

4) England

5) Italy

6) Scotland

[Lazlo Woodbine]

Man, Scotland were bad in that second half. They'll probably up their game next week before sinking back down. Prove me wrong Scotland!

[SirFozzie]

Week 2 games

 

(Home team listed first)

 

Saturday

Ireland v Wales -- Game of the Week

Scotland v England

 

Sunday

France v Italy

 

Expect the Ireland-Wales game to be a real slugfest, but I gots to go with Wales to take the win on the road. Scotland.. well hasn't been any good lately, and isn't very good, I'm expecting a comfortable win for England, and then the Sunday game, Italy CAN bring the upset, but I can't look past France to win it at home as they should

[SirFozzie]

So it's never a good thing when your national stadium's field "Has the consistency of Rice Pudding". Poor Poor Scotland.

 

www.espnscrum.com/scotland/rugby/story/213393.html

[Lazlo Woodbine]

All part of the master plan Foz.

 

Seriously though, this should have been dealt with by now.

[SirFozzie]

All part of the master plan Foz.

 

Seriously though, this should have been dealt with by now.

 

Apparently, they're going to relay the pitch next year with the hybrid real/artificial turf that Liverpool, and other footy/rugby teams use to keep their field from devolving.

[Lazlo Woodbine]

About time, Murrayfield usually ends up a mudbath during the 6 Nations anyway. It's winter, it's wet and those kinds of pitches are frowned upon these days. Much as I love to see players sliding around, players just aren't cut out for it anymore - they can barely keep a scrum up as it is.

[SirFozzie]

Ireland move into pole position to win the Six Nations with a 26-3 shitkicking of Wales. Raise your hand if you saw THAT coming. 

 

Oh, and England shuts down Scotland, Shuts off Scotland and Shuts OUT Scotland, 20-0.

[SirFozzie]

Geez. Wales are bouncing back hard with a 27-6 lead over France with about 20 to play. Going to be England Ireland for the title?

[SirFozzie]

So tommorrow's games are huge..

 

Italy-Scotland for the prospective Wooden Spoon, and England-Ireland.

 

If England wins, things will be crazy as there will be 4 teams at 2-1.

 

Ireland wins, and it's going to be hard to catch them, as they will have games left against Italy and France

[SirFozzie]

Scotland beat Italy 21-20.. really good game.

 

England come back to win 13-10 over Ireland.

\

So here's how the race for the title stands:

 

Ireland 2-1 (+42)

England 2-1 (+21)

Wales 2-1 (+6)

France 2-1 (+1)

 

Next Games are in 2 weeks. on saturday Ireland (at home versus Italy) and France (traveling to Scotland) each try to pad their point differential (the only tiebreaker), and in a title eliminator, Wales visit Twickenham to take on England.

 

If I had to put money down, I'd say Ireland are still the favorites, but England have a chance, Wales and France need a LOT of things to go right for them.

[SirFozzie]

So Ireland move into pole position with a shitkicking of Italy, France need a late penalty to get by Scotland (hell of a game for the Scots, a real heartbreaker), and England win the title eliminator with Wales 29-18, so things are fairly simple for the last round of games:

 

Ireland 3-1 (+81)

England 3-1 (+32)

France 3-1 (+3)

 

With their vastly superior point differential, it's Ireland's to lose. 

 

The final day comes down as follows (in order)

 

England at Italy: England needs a win to have any hope for the title (making up 49 points on Ireland is.. highly unlikely) .Ironically for their title hopes it may be better for them to squeak out a small win then a big one as France may know they're realistically out if England move too far ahead in point differential and relax.

 

Scotland at Wales: The good job, good effort game, Scotland tries to move up to fourth.

 

Ireland at France: France needs to win and either England to Lose, or to make up the respective point differential. This isn't an easy game per se for Ireland. but this is the type of game that Champions win.

 

 

Predictions: England smokes Italy. Wales bounces back and wears out Scotland with the pack, and Ireland leaves it late to beat France.

[DangerMark]

Watch out for a guy with a Red Dragon flag and an old-style Barbarians shirt at the Millenium. Somehow managed to get tickets.

 

[SirFozzie]

Well, the results:

 

Ireland win a squeaker against France to claim the title, England devours Italy by 40.. and Scotland.. Oof. Scotland was only down 10-3 when they had a man sent off for a late shoulder charge (ref originally gave a yellow, saw the replay on the big screen, and decided a red instead), and Wales said "Thanks. Your brush with greatness is now OVA!" and scored the last 40 points of the game to win 51-3.

 

That brings down the curtain on international rugby... for a whole week at least, next week USA takes on Uruguay in Montevideo for the first leg of their Rugby World Cup qualifying series.

[Lazlo Woodbine]

Brutal day for Scotland, and that poor bastard that got smashed with the shoulder.

[sabremike]

USA punches it's ticket to the 2015 World Cup with a 32-13 victory over Uruguay. Go Eagles!

[SirFozzie]

NRL Player breaks two vertebrae in his neck, was in a medical coma, 

 

www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-league/26833800

[SirFozzie]

The All Blacks of New Zealand to play a test match in the USA this year?

 

http://www.espnscrum.com/newzealand/rugby/story/219679.html

[DangerMark]

St. Helens squeak through to the 6th round of the Challenge Cup, 16-17, last minute drop goal after Danny Brough had three charged down, got his fourth attempt up in the air, went up, and the referee decided he'd missed it. Match also featured Brett Ferres getting sent off for what looked to me like a Karelin Lift on Johnny Lomax.

 

On the downside, the Crusaders got spanked by Fev. Boo-urns.

[SirFozzie]

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/apr/07/all-blacks-us-eagles-rugby-soldier-field-chicago?CMP=twt_gu

 

Confirmed. November 1 at Soldier Field.

[SirFozzie]

Rugby could be coming the US with a Super Rugby team either from Asia or America joining Super Rugby in 2018

 

http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2014/rugby/story/223617.html

[Dolfan in NYC]

Why rugby is awesome:

 

And he congratulated him on the punch later on twitter:

Tom Youngs        ✔ @TomYoungs87

@SalesiMaafu good shot mate, go well in the final. #rocky

 

 

[SirFozzie]

Japan join the US, Scotland, South Africa and Samoa in Pool B of the 2015 Rugby World Cup

 

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/27565028

[SirFozzie]

How bad is Scottish rugby?

 

They're going to give a player his first international cap... before he earns his first club start

 

Against New Zealand.

 

Pray for Scottish Rugby

 

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/28040432