6 Nations Prediction Thread - 2015 Edition

[GrumpyGregry]

Nobody has EVER scrummaged legally.... It's just slightly more blatant nowadays.

If the referee is so minded he could give a penalty at every scrum. And every lineout. And 80% of rucks, and 60% of mauls. And at about 1/3rd of tackles. So be careful what you wish for.

But, and this is the killer, most players don't realise that 90% of their cheating at scrum, lineout, ruck and maul is utterly ineffective, as, for the most part, they are as bad at cheating as other skills! Therefore it is completely pointless, it changes not a thing and thus, totally immaterial. So the ref, wanting to give 30 blokes a game, and, at elite level, knowing the audience hasn't turned up or tuned in to hear him play tunes on his whistle, notes the cheating, ignores some of it with a rue smile and a weary head shake, "manages" most of it, and only pings the material offences and the most egregious cheating that he/she spots.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

No, Ireland absolutely bossed England and England only came back into it when Sexton and a couple of others went off. Wasn't an exciting game though.

^ This.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I do believe I saw a rare sight in the Ireland/England game - a hooker hooking the ball straight back to the #8. Ah, the good old days...

 

[Aperitif]

I do believe I saw a rare sight in the Ireland/England game - a hooker hooking the ball straight back to the #8. Ah, the good old days...

That was only because Rory Best was trying to get his foot out of the way so that Conor Murray could toss it onto O'Connell's loving inner thigh. It was a genuine mistake, and as Greg says, acknowledged and let pass by the ref. It was interesting to see the odd instance of sacrificial lying down to stop the trundle...clever stuff, as any fule kno that the cameras are on everything and there would be no 'cautionary' boot cleaning upon the miscreant's body.

 

[Crackle]

Are we still doing this @AndyRM ? Don't worry if we're not, I'll declare myself winner and Marmion last

Wales 21 Ireland 29
England 40 Scotland 12
Italy 21 France 19

 

[swee'pea99]

Wales 16 Ireland 25
England 34 Scotland 12
Italy 18 France 24

 

[AndyRM]

Are we still doing this @AndyRM ? Don't worry if we're not, I'll declare myself winner and Marmion last

Wales 21 Ireland 29
England 40 Scotland 12
Italy 21 France 19

We are. Though like last year I've completely lost interest in the whole affair, for which I can only apologise.

It's not just because Scotland have been gloriously frustrating (again) and gubbed by poor refereeing (again) either. The tournament is just too long now, and I lose enthusiasm in the middle.

Anyway, here are my predictions for the weekend:

Wales 10 - 25 Ireland
England 15 - 18 Scotland
Italy 20 - 23 France

I'll get all the scores from the last round up along with these on Sunday.

 

[Aperitif]

If you lose heart, Andy, you'll find it in Midlothian somewhere.
Here endeth the fitba results and now...predictionitis prevails.
What to say? Wales are going to turn down the green machine's burners with midfield power play, after Alan Wyn Jones and Paul O'Connell + hombres cancel each other out in a fitful game of penalties and yellow cards for atrocious scrummaging.
England, full of bull (not dog, the other word) will realise that talking angry and in terms of 'paybackery' for underperforming, will not make any difference to a committed Scotland side. Still think England will win, but a draw wouldn't surprise me either.
France v Italy. Great couple of anthems to entertain the crowd. The net weight of the team has dropped by hundreds of kilos as Bastareaud is on the bench, and Atonio (not 'St. Atonio' but 24st Atonio) has disappeared altogether. If it comes down to a bulldozer fest, with France lacking the - ok, I'll say it "flair" - so beloved of commentators (who remember when Serge Blanco fitted into his clothes, and Phillipe Sella looked like he played guitar in the Monkees etc...) then Italy seem to have the 80 minute mentality to press them hard. Equally, it only needs a few scores for 'floodgates' to open, but I'll anticipate a tight match.
Wales 22 Ireland 13
England 24 Scotland 18 (Scotland leading 17-18 until a decisive try from Cipriani in the last 10 mins.... )
Italy 17 France 16

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Wales 20 - Ireland 15
England 36 - Scotland 10
Italy 16 - France 12

 

[subaqua]

Wales 20 - Ireland 15
England 36 - Scotland 10
Italy 16 - France 12

I like this thoughts. But think my glorious Wales will get greened.

 

[Fubar]

Wales 18 Ireland 15
England 20 Scotland 15
Italy 10 France 21

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'm so over this seasons six nations I'm going for what I want to see not what I think will happen...

Wales 18 - 27 Ireland
England 50 - 9 Scotland
Italy 35 - 0 France (with an old school outbreak of handbags amongst the French players)

 

[GrumpyGregry]

When do you want Scotland to score their points? First I hope.

From Dylan Hartley penalties all conceded in the first 15 minutes.

 

[Aperitif]

From Dylan Hartley penalties all conceded in the first 15 minutes.

15 minutes? That long?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

15 minutes? That long?

I think he will have a slow start today, and Scotland may miss a few kicks on goal