6 Nations - How are we all feeling?

First topic message reminder :

Just thought a quick straw poll would be interesting. Just say who your team is, how you're feeling about the first game, and how many beers will it take to get you through the game!

England - Nervy but optimistic - a four pack should do it (and the wife won't let me have more)

Wales - I'm very nervous due to our injuries and Howley, for me, just doesn't look right as head coach. His body language and facial expressions do not inspire confidence in me. I hope the players respond better to him.

EE - you old dog! Congratulations!

Quietly confident for England along with a heap of nerves! The press have been dining out since the start of December which is infuriating, but i can't get past the fact that this England team is barely a year old after a top to bottom clean out. To 'demand' or 'expect' a GS that soon out the gate is a bit much to ask.

Of course i want to see an English win, but tbh i'd be happy with just seeing progress on last year. History of the 6N has shown the summer tours/rwc's/ai's mean exactley squat when it comes to this time of year, so there's everything to play for.

Thanks for the best wishes guys. That's what i love about this forum.

Posters can be at each others throats over something as simple as a stat one minute then supporting, consoling or congratulating the same poster the next. It's this sense of camaraderie from people who've potentially never even met that makes rugby and its supporters a breed apart.

Howley's picking the squad in the next few hours, we're on a run of defeats, we've lost our first 4 choice locks & 6, I've just seen the team the Western Mail 'leaked'....

.... but im welsh, so its safe to say theres a burning in my loins that tells me we will destroy the irish

Comfort wrote:Howley's picking the squad in the next few hours, we're on a run of defeats, we've lost our first 4 choice locks & 6, I've just seen the team the Western Mail 'leaked'....

.... but im welsh, so its safe to say theres a burning in my loins that tells me we will destroy the irish

Been too liberal with the Deep Heat again?

Deep heat / nurses. We mentioned that on the 'worst injuries' thread. Comfort, take that burning loin over to the injuries thread willya ?

PS: I have a bow of burning gold... so there.

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:

Comfort wrote:Howley's picking the squad in the next few hours, we're on a run of defeats, we've lost our first 4 choice locks & 6, I've just seen the team the Western Mail 'leaked'....

.... but im welsh, so its safe to say theres a burning in my loins that tells me we will destroy the irish

Been too liberal with the Deep Heat again?

Have you ever tried to counterract too much Deep Heat with Deep Freeze?............. IT DOESN'T WORK.

NURSES WITH DEEP HEAT?!

Dirty mind Comfort.

its clearly to massage my heart, my achy breaky howley-damaged heart.

I've heard if you dont get treatment for howley-damage, it can be nearly everlasting.

When is the Welsh squad annouced?

Report it to the the 'Worst Injuries' thread on Sunday

Blues, should be around midday today!

Comfort wrote:Blues, should be around midday today!

Cheers Comfort

Seen rumours of Coombs set to make his debut at lock?? Could be interesting!

bluestonevedder wrote:

Comfort wrote:Blues, should be around midday today!

Cheers Comfort

Seen rumours of Coombs set to make his debut at lock?? Could be interesting!

If he does he'll have the whole of Wales behind him no doubt but I consider it to be a very bad idea (dont get me wrong, I'd love him to make me eat these words).

As far as Im concerned, even with our injury issues we can still put out a very good front 5.

My pack would be

James/Hibbard/Jones
Kohn/Evans (if fit - if not, James King)
Warbs/Faletau/Tipuric

Warburton is captain, he'll play somewhere (and personally as a Blues fan I'm quietly confident in the way hes been playing of late, he's getting that extra 'bit' out of everything hes doing again), Tips is quite lightweight for a forward, we'll need a heavy front 5 to allow us to play a mobile back row.

throwing in youngsters from struggling regions isnt the way to stop the rot of 7 defeats, imo anyway.

Comfort wrote:

bluestonevedder wrote:

Comfort wrote:Blues, should be around midday today!

Cheers Comfort

Seen rumours of Coombs set to make his debut at lock?? Could be interesting!

If he does he'll have the whole of Wales behind him no doubt but I consider it to be a very bad idea (dont get me wrong, I'd love him to make me eat these words).

As far as Im concerned, even with our injury issues we can still put out a very good front 5.

My pack would be

James/Hibbard/Jones
Kohn/Evans (if fit - if not, James King)
Warbs/Faletau/Tipuric

Warburton is captain, he'll play somewhere (and personally as a Blues fan I'm quietly confident in the way hes been playing of late, he's getting that extra 'bit' out of everything hes doing again), Tips is quite lightweight for a forward, we'll need a heavy front 5 to allow us to play a mobile back row.

throwing in youngsters from struggling regions isnt the way to stop the rot of 7 defeats, imo anyway.

Some good points Comfort. He's definitely the sort of player that fans get behind- a real grafter, and uncompromising. But think you're right about throwing youngsters in.

The pack you've listed is pretty decent, and a hell of a second row combination- a lot of bulk there!

Still though, with Rowley in charge, it's set to be an exciting team annoucement...

Aye, I just think we'll need said bulk in light of missing Lydiate/AW Jones and with Evans only going to be half-fit at best (he hasnt played since November).

But yeah, I look forward to the team announcement with baited breathe, im semi-sure Henson will return and lead us to grandslam glory.

Comfort wrote:Aye, I just think we'll need said bulk in light of missing Lydiate/AW Jones and with Evans only going to be half-fit at best (he hasnt played since November).

But yeah, I look forward to the team announcement with baited breathe, im semi-sure Henson will return and lead us to grandslam glory.

God, yeh that would be a surprise! He's be completely absent from LW and the public eye so far...I reckon he's been in Spala for a few months preparing for the Six Nations!

Scarpia wrote:Wales - I'm very nervous due to our injuries and Howley, for me, just doesn't look right as head coach. His body language and facial expressions do not inspire confidence in me. I hope the players respond better to him.

Its not our injuries so much more the clown who is selecting the squad.

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Scarpia wrote:Wales - I'm very nervous due to our injuries and Howley, for me, just doesn't look right as head coach. His body language and facial expressions do not inspire confidence in me. I hope the players respond better to him.

Its not our injuries so much more the clown who is selecting the squad.

+1 to that. The worst welsh coach of all time, 100% losing record fair play to him.

I am really bouncing between the fact that a whitewash is a serious possibility to the fact that we should be targeting a minium of a triple crown and pushing france in france for the GS. But if I were a betting man I think the white wash is more likely.

It is like that with Wales sometimes, oscillating between the sublime and the ridiculous. With England it's like we oscillate between a ruthless hit squad or bunch of dull luddites. We seem to be more organised at the moment but there's a few new faces in there, it all could click for you.

Beat Ireland and you're on a roll

Very excited, irritable, irrational and insatiable going by the fact I can't get off this site

Absolutely truly devastated with that team selection and cant remember being being nervous and filled with dread ahead of Saturday for a long time and that includes the dark days of the 90s and visits to Twickenham.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Absolutely truly devastated with that team selection and cant remember being being nervous and filled with dread ahead of Saturday for a long time and that includes the dark days of the 90s and visits to Twickenham.

Really?! Not far off a full strength team. Tipuric for Warbs on form maybe and Kohn for the extra Newtons he brings but taking injuries into account that's not a bad team at all.

"that includes the dark days of the 90s"

The worst for me was the warm-up game in Cardiff before a world cup when we played England's 2nd string (was it 2003?), and I watched the teams warming up and thought - they're on a completely different level from us. Both teams were doing simialr passing drills, the England team at about twice the speed and with less mistakes. The France game at Wembley was as depressing, but I wasn't dreading it as much before kick-off.

I was at that game BlueNote - worst experience of my life

I was in an O'Neils with four Welshman in 1999, that was an experience not easily forgotten

Still, it makes the good times all the sweeter, Ruby!

Yes you can say that again - What a hot day that was it was a scorcher. Bought a 2003 RWC shirt from the store that day and wore it once. Gave it to a Cornish friend of mine a few months ago - I mean Staurt Abbott - who the feck were these

RubyGuby wrote:Yes you can say that again - What a hot day that was it was a scorcher. Bought a 2003 RWC shirt from the store that day and wore it once. Gave it to a Cornish friend of mine a few months ago - I mean Staurt Abbott - who the feck were these

You got no one else to blame there but yourself for that purchase!

Back in 2008, my mum and a friend went to Wales for a holiday, and knowing I like Rugby (but not into it themselves) they decided to buy me a Rugby themed mug as a holiday present.

I was quite .... delighted ... to un-wrap my present upon their return to be the proud owner of a '2008 WALES GRAND SLAM WINNER!' mug. They got a 'thanks' through slightly gritted teeth

Thought that counts I suppose!

Wow. trolled by your own Mum. that must've hurt!

Effervescing Elephant wrote:Wow. trolled by your own Mum. that must've hurt!

Yeah, family owned, that sucked.

i fear for the welsh there squad looks thin possibly have worst second rows in six nations lol

I am pretty happy considering the injury count. We have blooded young guys well and there is good competition throughout the squad.

Prominent players like Adam Jones are in good form.

I think we have rightfully been given little chance of holding on to our title this year. But i do think we have enough in our armoury to cause opposition problems and maybe get a narrow win here or there.

Not overly confident but as excited as ever.

remember it the front five who win games best front five england,france.

adambarney wrote:i fear for the welsh there squad looks thin possibly have worst second rows in six nations lol

Really ? Who's their dietary advisor ? Mrs Beckham ?

Effervescing Elephant - congratulations to you and the missus mate, great news!

As an England fan I'm equally optimistic and apprehensive. We look a more complete team that we have for a few seasons and have a very strong pack but creativity in the backs is still a big issue - though I'm very happy to see 36 given an opportunity.

Bottom line I see this as a make or break tournament for England. If things click and players continue their good form we will be looking a very good side. However if the backs continue as they have and Marler struggles in the scrum we will suddenly feel like a squad at big risk of injury to a few key players - Corbs/Cole/Tuilagi especially

Bottom line I see this as a make or break tournament for England. If things click and players continue their good form we will be looking a very good side. However if the backs continue as they have and Marler struggles in the scrum we will suddenly feel like a squad at big risk of injury to a few key players - Corbs/Cole/Tuilagi especially

Totaly agree with you there. England because of that win against the All Blacks, Must now prove to not only all the fans, But also too them selves that that win was not a (one off) they cannot afford to have a bad game if they lose this week end. then their credit rating will plummet to zero.

Sugarlump wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Absolutely truly devastated with that team selection and cant remember being being nervous and filled with dread ahead of Saturday for a long time and that includes the dark days of the 90s and visits to Twickenham.

Really?! Not far off a full strength team. Tipuric for Warbs on form maybe and Kohn for the extra Newtons he brings but taking injuries into account that's not a bad team at all.

Sugarlump,

Jenkins - Not first choice and limited gametime
Rees - See above Re Jenkins
Coombs - Good luck to him and glad he's there over Kohn but again not regular choice 2nd row for us at Dave, would have put King there
Phillips - Best of a bad bunch
North - Been off form of late would have put Halfpenny there and had Byrne at XV

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:

Comfort wrote:Howley's picking the squad in the next few hours, we're on a run of defeats, we've lost our first 4 choice locks & 6, I've just seen the team the Western Mail 'leaked'....

.... but im welsh, so its safe to say theres a burning in my loins that tells me we will destroy the irish

Been too liberal with the Deep Heat again?

That reminds me..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B000KKNQBK

Jimpy wrote:

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:

Comfort wrote:Howley's picking the squad in the next few hours, we're on a run of defeats, we've lost our first 4 choice locks & 6, I've just seen the team the Western Mail 'leaked'....

.... but im welsh, so its safe to say theres a burning in my loins that tells me we will destroy the irish

Been too liberal with the Deep Heat again?

That reminds me..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B000KKNQBK

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

Jimpy wrote:

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:

Comfort wrote:Howley's picking the squad in the next few hours, we're on a run of defeats, we've lost our first 4 choice locks & 6, I've just seen the team the Western Mail 'leaked'....

.... but im welsh, so its safe to say theres a burning in my loins that tells me we will destroy the irish

Been too liberal with the Deep Heat again?

That reminds me..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B000KKNQBK

It restored my faith in the collective wit of the nation

and how are we feeling now?
Shame their aren't more Italians on 606 as I imagine they are feeling tip-top!