VI Nations Tournament

[padisha emperor]

Nobody like Rugby, here ?

Actually in Europe, there is the VI Nations tournament : England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, and Italy - Italy since a few years - .

First day :

France / Scotland : 16 / 9 (saturday, the 02/05/05)
Wales / England : 11 / 9 (saturday, the 02/05/05)
Italy / Ireland : 17 / 28 (sunday, the 02/06/05)

The surprise was the victory of Wales against England, in the Millenium Stadium of Cardiff, Wales.
The France team made not a very good impression against Scotland, because France didn't really well play.
Ireland was strong, and won.

Second day :

Italy / Wales : 8 / 38 (saturday, the 02/12/05)
Scotland / Ireland : 13 / 40 ( saturday, the 02/12/05)

And today, sunday, the 02/13/05 :

England / France : 17 / 18.


Wales crushes Italy, Ireland dominated Scotland, and is considered this years as the favourite for the victory, with France.

England-France, finished since 1/2 hour, was at Twickenham, England.

17/6 for England at the pause, for the half-time.
And after, during the second period : France success 4 penalty : 12 points more :
Final score : 17-18, Victory of France.

This match, England-France (or France-England when it is in France) is the most important of the Tournament, every years, this is the bigger match, because : historical reasons, the old wars between France and England.
And because these are the best teams of Europe.
And England is World Champion 2003 (every 4-years), rance finished 4th, behin England, Australia, New Zeland.
And France is the Europe Champion, France won the VI Nations tournament in 2004 (the tournament is each year), with a grand chelem (all matches won)

So, the classement after 2 days :

1 - Ireland (4 points) (+38)
2 - Wales (4 points) (+32)
3 - France (4 points) (+8)
4 - England (0 points) (-3)
5 - Scotland (0 points) (-34)
6 - Italy (0 points) (-41)

 

[taff]

Very suprised at how poor the French team are playing this year, normaly an exciting team to watch. Lucky for you though you met Scotland and England first up and both these teams are going through a transitional period so are also not playing to their full potential.However next up Wales and if you have not improved by then or sacked your coach Bernarde Laporte then i can see a record scoreline against you.

 

[padisha emperor]

Course, France team didn't play as it usual level of Europe Champion, but you have to know that there is a lot of wounded players, who couldn't play during the tournament.
Sme of our best players, like Frédéric Michalak, didn't play, so it is not the "traditionnal" team, who won with a grand chelem in 2004, who defeat England, Australia ...
And today, 4 new players meet the English.

The match against Scotland was bad.
But the one of today against England was quite good. France didn't play it best game, not at all. 2 mistakes, and two tries from English, who exploited well these mistakes.
But during the second half time, the French were dominating the English, push them to the fault, and then Yachvili scores - he scores himslef the 18 french points - , while the English didn't score (their 17 points were scored during the 1st period)
But the french defense was heroic, specially at the end of the match, and they stop several times the english attacks, near the french try line, between it and the french 22 meters line.
Serge Betsen was reall good too, the English are frightened by him, and it prooved it, when he crushed down the english forewards.

So, don't forget that it is not a normal tournament : Wilkinson is wounded - for England - , several excellent french players are wounded too, so these teams are not at their best level.
I hope that for the world cup in 2007, in France, these team will have their best potential and players, so the show will promise to be great !

 

[taff]

I dont think it,s because of your players being injured why you are playing poorly.Wales has six of its first choice players injured also. Daffydd Jones, Ryan Jones, Robin McBride, Sonny Parker, Colin Charvis and Duncan Jones.
To have a good team these days you need to have strength in depth. I think France,s problems are in the team selection and their coaching.They dont seem to have a game plan.I think Toulose or Perpingnan would have played better today instead of the French national team. Yes you got the win,but it was a poor display by both teams. I cheered France on actualy.I love getting one over the English.Nightmare in work when the English win so it makes a nice change to take the piss out of them for a change.Plus we beat them last week so ive had quite a good fortnight seeing the olde enemy squirming.Just hope Ireland stuffs them in a fortnights time now as well. :teeth:

 

[padisha emperor]

Are you Welsh ?
congratulations for the match of the 02/05


The coaching is sometimes bad, but now, we won against England and Scotland. So, if we will lose against Wales, Ireland, and above all Italy, then the coach may change.
The problem is that France team 2005 is not like the other years : France scores usually a lot of tries, make lot of fault, lost a lot of point with the opponent's penalties, and have sometimes problem in defense.
Here, the defense against England was great, specially during the 2nd period. France didn't make a lot of faults....but was quite poor in attack...
It is sure, it is not the best France team that we seen.

For myself, I'm surprised of Wales this year.
If you're welsh, sorry, but traditionnaly, the great team are France and England, Ireland is not so so far, and Wales and Scotland are behind - and Italy behind them -
I remember a 55-0 from France against Wales...and I think that in my uncounscienceness, Wales was still a not really good team. But during the 2003 World cup, they did a great match against England (it was England, wasn't it ?), and I discovered a pretty, a nice team.
Agazinst England last week, wow !

I hope that France will win with a ghrand chelem, but I think that Wales has a big big wants to win, the wlesh players have a big moral. And Ireland seems to be the strongest team this year.

Just hope Ireland stuffs them in a fortnights time now as well

you mean, you hope Ireland will kick England ?





(When I spoke of the wounded players, I meant that someplayers make a big vaccuum when they're not here : Wilkinson against England, or imagine Ireland without O'gara. )

 

[taff]

Yes i am Welsh but dont worry, im not going to bet any of my testicles on the result of Wales against France like the Welshman mentioned in the European thread.
Also your right , France are normaly an exciting team to watch.However over the last year they have been very bad, especialy to the All Blacks last November.45-0 wasnt it.I was most suprised because your clubs have been on fire in the Heineken Cup,playing better rugby than any other country.This is why i think it is your national coach who is at fault.Because the players are there , they just dont seem to be performing at international level.

 

[padisha emperor]

I totally agree with you when you said that France didn't well play last year - excpet sometimes in the VI nations cup 2004 -

The match against the All Blacks was a dizaster, awful, a shame !
I didn't recognize the team who kick then in 1999 in the world cup semi final, and who kick them also in some friendly matches....it was a real shame...

Wales against France : at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis or at the Millenium Stadium ?

You know for the rugby french players, they're excellent in their Club - Stade Français, Toulouse....... - maybe it is the coaching, lke you think, for the national team.

But for the football team, same thing : in 2002, France had the best players of the world, with Zidane, Henry, Viera, Pirès.....these guys goal often in Madrid,Arsenal.....and we lost at the first round during the World Cup... Myabe the players are tired of the efforts with their clubs, and when the national matches come, they're out, too much tired.


I only hope that France will play with it normal level. And that Wales will play also good, like they did, and we'll have a good confrontation !

 

[taff]

Sorry we kicked your arse all over Paris again Padisha.Thats three times out of four attempts we,ve kicked your arse in Paris.Dal ati!, Daliwch ati!
Beware of the Celts, Padisha.

 

[taff]

Well done France for a convincing win over Ireland.If you played like that from the start of the tournament you would be champions allready. :clap1: