Rugby matters

[Alan Medic]

The average wisdom of the predictions are:

Scotland 19 Italy 21

France 30 Wales 21

Ireland 20 England 22

The only prediction to exactly match any of these is that of Gingerbeer for the Ireland v England match. That must mean something though I know not what.

[Gingerbeer]

It means it definitely wont happen that way!

[Alan Medic]

Well that's good news for me.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Knew it....

[Gingerbeer]

I started looking around for things to clean that was so ugly. My flat is pristine!

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Scotland were magnificent. Watched 1st half in Great Exhibition, 2nd in Bishop.

[Huguenot]

Scotland were excellent. Nobody expected that!

[Gingerbeer]

To be fair, youre right. I wanted Italy to win but Scotland played a great game.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Reckon France will bounce back here. Scotland could win this years championship I reckon. Believe!

[Michael Palaeologus]

Looking at France vs Wales, the Italy triumph seems less remarkable.

England should be this French side and should beat Italy.

Wales are not that great at the moment.

So, the winner of tomorrows game should take the championship.

[maxxi]

France woeful - Scotland must have got their dates mixed and thought they were playing England. Despite my prediction for an England win I think their indiscipline may cost them tomorrow... hope I'm wrong though.

[Mick Mac]

I hope you are right.....

Anyway I'm hoping we beat you on quality of play rather than penalty count. This Ireland team can score tries and I think it will be close. England slight favourites but most of their recent successes have been at home of rugby, this will be a big test. If they come through then Lancaster is likely a force to be reckoned with. But Martin Johnson came to Dublin two years ago intending to rubber stamp a grand slam and that England team got a bit of a wake up call, not sure we can do the same without O'Connell but will be a test for England none the less. Their win over Scotland looks good after their win over Italy yesterday though so I'm not particularly confident. We need strong start today.

[Mick Mac]

Lest we forget.....43-13.

[Mick Mac]

17 Mar 2012 England 30 - 9 Ireland

19 Mar 2011 Ireland 24 - 8 England

27 Feb 2010 England 16 - 20 Ireland

28 Feb 2009 Ireland 14 - 13 England

15 Mar 2008 England 33 - 10 Ireland

24 Feb 2007 Ireland 43 - 13 England

18 Mar 2006 England 24 - 28 Ireland

27 Feb 2005 Ireland 19 - 13 England

06 Mar 2004 England 13 - 19 Ireland

30 Mar 2003 Ireland 6 - 42 England

[Alan Medic]

Interesting stat shows starting teams pack weights only 5kgs in England's favour. However if/when they introduce their subs that could extend the difference to 64kgs. I don't like the sound of that as there are wet conditions and the pitch isn't great. Backs less likely to see the ball where I think Ireland has the advantage, whereas if it becomes a forward battle that extra weight could give England a big advantage in the last 20 minutes. That's my theory anyway but hoping to be wrong.

[Gingerbeer]

That was a great video, it makes me excited for the game this afternoon!

[????]

Never in doubt :)

[Mick Mac]

It looked good for England from start to finish. At 6-6 there might have been some doubt but it wasn't in doubt for long. The game overall was a very poor spectacle, which was a shame.

[????]

Weather not helpful to be fair

[Alan Medic]

It may be simplistic but given the conditions Ireland tried to win too much which led to too many mistakes. Well done England and particularly their management. They got it right.

[Alan Medic]

If anyone gets above zero they will be doing very well. MM, in case you wondered it's not the score of your last round of golf!

[Huguenot]

"That was a great video, it makes me excited for the game this afternoon!"

*sighs*

Not another American who thinks they're Irish??

[Gingerbeer]

Uh, no.

[El Pibe]

It certainly wasn't a spectacle, it'd be tough to produce pretty rugby in those conditions, but it was most certainly an exciting game.

Quite nice to get bragging rights in casa pibe, a rarity over the last ten years, especially as la piba was away last year and wouldn't answer the phone.

[red devil]

This thread is very civilised compared to the Footy thread, such magnanimity in defeat, well done.

*Sticks two fingers up to the PaddyBoys...*