6 Nations Fantasy Rugby

[Mick Mac]

Changes have been made and tomorrow will be "moving day" for me, to quote golfing terminology. Sackey, Heymans and Williams drafted into back line. Worslely into the front line.

[matthew123]

The Herne is too far for me - so going to the EDT once again, that's where Wales beat England so same again tonight (hopefully :)

[Mick Mac]

Manager Team Name Tries Assists Pts

1 David Carnell Idle XV 10 4 221

2 Declan Higgins Declan's Dwarfs 10 3 202

3 Michael McCotter Croker Slammers 7 5 188

4 Merengo Proctor Paragon 6 3 170

[Narnia]

How the hell has David got 5 MOM's. There's only been 9 matches. Trust me to drop BOD at the wrong time!

[david_carnell]

Sorry lads. My Idle XV are proving anything but.

Declan, you dropped O'Driscoll?!! Argh. Console yourself with another celtic victory over the auld enemy. And the fact that I dropped Armitage only for him to get England's only try.

I'm currently trying to work out how many England players I can get rid of ready for the next round. Even Italy players are looking attractive. At least they don't have a 1 in 7 chance of being sin-binned. Useless shites. I'm talking to you Danny Care and Phil Vickery!

[Mick Mac]

David - I think you are doing really well, 289th position overall. I have a friend in another league who is 179 overall.

[david_carnell]

Thanks Mick.

And without wishing to blow my own trumpet when you look at the amount of people playing I'm not many points away from the top 50. And only 4 points behind your mate who is 100 league places above me. It's very close.

[Mick Mac]

Yep, make your selections carefully for the next stage of matches - I think there is fair bit of skill involved but also its tries that matter and my mate seemed to have most of them covered this weekend.

[Narnia]

If you keep up your MOM selections you'll be very close David! I need a few just to catch you. Alas I think you are too far ahead with just two rounds left.

[david_carnell]

Bump.....for those that are playing. Or anyone who wants to discuss this weekend's massive fixtures!

I've only made one change so far. I don't think any of the three new boys England are bringing in will make much difference - the French are going to clobber us.

[Narnia]

Don't understand England changes. Bulk up the pack and get rid of Sackey. What did he do wrong?

[david_carnell]

I like Shaw but he's hardly a long term solution. Kennedy will feel mightily hard done by to be dropped. Borthwick is neither captain material or playing well enough but Johnson doesn't seem to have the balls to drop him.

Tbh, and as I've discussed with Bignumber5 (another big rugger fan), I don't think sackey is good enough for international rugby. If he's fit, I'd much prefer strettle and would like to see bath's matt banahan given a chance too. But we get monye. Meh. Malzieu will be too strong for him.

[citizenED]

But wasn't Strettle a revelation when he first came into the England set up? Before his poor body was crucified.

[david_carnell]

Yes, I thought so. But the lad breaks more metatarsals than...err...something that gets a lot of broken toes. Anyway, if he can stay fit I think he should be first choice on the wing. And at 6'8", Banahan gives you something a bit different from a winger.

Oh, and he likes a dust up.

.

[woofmarkthedog]

ZZZ

[Mick Mac]

Changes are made to the FR team. Today is moving day.

Enjoy the games. From an Irish perspective I'd settle for any victory against the Scots. I was at this fixture 2 years ago and Ireland were facing the scots after beating England 43-13. They were expected to win comfortably, but it needed a late penalty from Ronan O Gara (on one of his good days) to win by just a point if I remember correctly, it had looked like Ireland were going to win the game.

I think Ireland might have been overconfident that day and hopefully they will not be today. I think it means so much to them that they will win today. I think that they will have the right attitude, they know its so important for them to win something otherwise this team has little to show for the last 5 or 6 years, when they have I feel been the best Ireland team for a very long time, but they need a championship or grand slam to hang their hat on. Enjoy.

[Narnia]

Think it's got to be Grand Slam or nothing. Losing the last game but winning the championship just wouldn't feel right.

[Mick Mac]

Agreed Declan - but losing by 13 points or more - now that just wouldn't feel right! In fact I'd be downright p'd off.

I think if they can play for 80 mins the way that played in the second half today they can beat Wales. The forwards really raised their game in the second half having been second best in the first.

If they do the Big GS then I'd be mightily impressed with the "forsight" exhibited in naming my fantasy rugby team "Croker Slammers".

I bought an Irish rugby shirt at the start of the 2007 world cup and it seemed to be bad timing - they hardly won a game for 18 months, so its great to see them winning. This team, O'Driscoll, O'Gara, Wallace, Hayes, Oconnell and Stringer deserve to have a championship to their name, a GS would be ideal but a championship of any sort is a big achievement and not many would have predicted at the outset. I have to say one pundit who did back Ireland at the start was Jeremy Guscott so hats off to him. Looking forward to next saturday - Guinness hats all round.

[david_carnell]

Err... one large piece of humble pie please. The French, beat the English?! I think not.

Look at this.... fantastic!

[Mick Mac]

Not sure I have achieved much in the fantasy rugby this weekend but then not many tries scored by anyone other than England. Hope you fared better David.

Great performance by England, however unexpected, and perhaps Ireland's win over them, however narrow, now looks a better performance.

[Narnia]

Latest scores

David 287 (66)

Declan 272 (70)

Mick 245 (57)

Merengo219 (49)

[Mick Mac]

So Declan/David - whats your prediction for saturday? How will it turn out?

[david_carnell]

Well given how wrong I got England/France and slated borthwick who had a cracking match, I'm not sure how much attention you should pay to my ramblings.

However...for what it's worth, I'm afraid to say I think Ireland will lose on Saturday. But it'll be close and they will take the championship on points difference.

[Mick Mac]

Yes - most probably right I think David - I would be a little disappointed but this team really deserves a championship and I think the teams we have beaten so far is a great achievement. Looking forward to it. GS would be a bonus and who knows, this welsh team is possibly a little dejected after losing to France and struggling with Itlay, so who knows if Ireland get off to a good start.....

[Narnia]

Thought about this one lots. My head tells me Wales. Winning the championship but losing the final match would be more bitter than sweet. I'd perfer actually if the 6 nations had the bonus points possability as the Tri Nations does and the H Cup of course.It would be interesting to see where the standings were now if that were the case.

I don't buy into Wales being a great team and apart from a couple of matches most have been boring, though I still have to watch them. However, provide we protect O'Gara who can't really tackle and we don't give stupid pens away, we will have a chance. But boy would I like us to win with some style!

I'm rambling, so best leave it till I've a clearer head........which may never happen.