"Football is a game for gentlemen played by thugs, Rugby is a game for thugs played by gentlemen"
Once more, Six Nations fever grips the European rugby community, and after only one round of matches things are looking very interesting. Wales still have the skill and passion that won them the Grand Slam last year, but Ireland have improved massively under Declan Kidney to become what appears to be their main competition, a battle that could go down to the wire as the two teams meet in Cardiff on the final weekend of the tournament.
England under Martin Johnson has been a mixed affair, seemingly arresting the regression under Robinson, though the form found by Brian Ashton seems to have evaporated. They beat Italy but looked scrappy and at times were lacking the basics. France lost their opener but the mercurial Gauls can be relied upon to test any side they face, and are nowhere near out of the title race.
Scotland seemed to have taken massive backwards steps since the autumn internationals and a team on the rise looked decidedly unconvincing against a probing Welsh attack. Italy, on the other hand, had a disastrous start to the campaign, mauled by an unconvincing England who many thought they might turn over. Their flirtation with madness playing a flanker at scrum half was corrected but too late to have any real impact on the result. Both need to improve but have showed their improvements in the last 18 months which point to a tighter competition than ever!
Are you a rugby fan? Hate the egg-chasers? Have no idea what I've been talking about in the last few paragraphs? Burning with fury that they still haven't released a rugby game for your system? Feel free to discuss the games, the teams, the coaches or even find out about one of the most brutal but brilliant team sports on the planet. Throw down fixture and final standings predictions, or have a punt on anything you fancy.
Here's some of mine:
FINAL STANDINGS:
1st.Ireland w/Grand Slam
2nd.Wales
3rd.France
4th.England
5th.Scotland
6th.Italy
Once more, Six Nations fever grips the European rugby community, and after only one round of matches things are looking very interesting. Wales still have the skill and passion that won them the Grand Slam last year, but Ireland have improved massively under Declan Kidney to become what appears to be their main competition, a battle that could go down to the wire as the two teams meet in Cardiff on the final weekend of the tournament.
England under Martin Johnson has been a mixed affair, seemingly arresting the regression under Robinson, though the form found by Brian Ashton seems to have evaporated. They beat Italy but looked scrappy and at times were lacking the basics. France lost their opener but the mercurial Gauls can be relied upon to test any side they face, and are nowhere near out of the title race.
Scotland seemed to have taken massive backwards steps since the autumn internationals and a team on the rise looked decidedly unconvincing against a probing Welsh attack. Italy, on the other hand, had a disastrous start to the campaign, mauled by an unconvincing England who many thought they might turn over. Their flirtation with madness playing a flanker at scrum half was corrected but too late to have any real impact on the result. Both need to improve but have showed their improvements in the last 18 months which point to a tighter competition than ever!
Are you a rugby fan? Hate the egg-chasers? Have no idea what I've been talking about in the last few paragraphs? Burning with fury that they still haven't released a rugby game for your system? Feel free to discuss the games, the teams, the coaches or even find out about one of the most brutal but brilliant team sports on the planet. Throw down fixture and final standings predictions, or have a punt on anything you fancy.
Here's some of mine:
FINAL STANDINGS:
1st.Ireland w/Grand Slam
2nd.Wales
3rd.France
4th.England
5th.Scotland
6th.Italy