What a days rugby. Congratulations to all 6 nations for making it a really "Super Saturday" right to the final minute.
Hard luck England and Wales, well done the men in green.
Worthy (but lucky) champions!
I'm with you Nick, being as my son was a soldier and lost friends in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. He was invalided out and if it wasn't for the support of Help the Heroes and SSAFA who knows. I feel proud and patriotic to see our service personnel at sporting events. I remember how well they did at the London Olympics, stepping in at short notice.
Well the game was broadcast all over the world so i'm assuming it was a publicity thing to show everyone just how good Britain is ? A bit like the Tour de France, great national publicity.
Well I too was lost in the atmosphere probably but when my french ladyfriend hovered around the tv with the remote control in hand I knew something was happening. When she told me what she was doing I didn't believe her, then she tutt tutted and mumbled something about 'typical french bordel' etc etc I realised she wasn't joking !!! It could only happen in France !
Great entertainment all the same, just how a tournament should end in my opinion.
Ah I diddn't hear them say that.... too much noise here!!! I had my fingers crossed for Ireland, the OH was rooting for England and our Scottish friends were sulking....:-)
In the 60s when I went most of all most certainly not. It seems to be fairly recent it has become a bit like the Royal Tournament with uniformed people all over the place. I have no problem with uniformed personnel at events but at international ones it does seem a bit showy, although for what reason I really do not understand.
Well Nick I played Rugby at many levels as a teenager and at university so I think I'm just as much entitled to express my opinion as anyone. I don't recall it being so stuffed with the military in the 1950's/60's but then we weren't engaged in widespread illegal military activity except for the Suez adventure.
Quite agree Eamon and i'm not particularly 'for' one team or another being half French/English, I just enjoy watching good open rugby tho' it's great when any european side beats the rest.
Ok, Ireland proved their consistency in 2014 & 2015 but they won last years title with only a ten point margin over the English and that's with England beating the Irish if you recall ? This year the margin was even smaller. England 'lost' last years title with a pathetic performance against the French after great performances in the other four games. This year the English chose to play badly against the Irish who were too clever for them. When Lancaster gets it wrong boy does he get it wrong ! So for me, Ireland slightly more consistent but England the best overall team.
Regarding Paddy Power, save your dosh with the paddies and put your shirt on an England v NZ final !
I think Ireland are definitely contenders for the WC Michael. We have a realistic chance against any side in the world at present, even the All Blacks. The style of game Ireland is playing makes the best use of talented backs and forwards and is well suited ot the modern game. It is also evolving and will change again between now and the WC. My advice: go to Paddypower.com and take today's price!
Peter, Ireland have won two back-to-back Six Nations championships, so surely that makes Ireland the strongest team in Europe, on their day! But I agree with you, England have a real chance in the WC, if they can continue to improve on current form.
Couldn't believe it Linda ! About two minutes before the end of the game the commentator announced the final 40 seconds coverage of the game would be finishing on France 2 and that we would need to change to France 3 to see the rest !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Apparently the adverts are sacrosanct !
Help the Heroes and other Service charities benefit greatly from exposure at major sporting events. Sporting stars give a great deal of their time, energy and money to support the Services; especially supporting those who have been injured or worse in their service. The Service men and women appear in their own time but are allowed to wear uniform . I don't think "ditch" and "fol de rol" are appropriate words to use in this context. I'm obviously biased but I also played rugby at many levels, whilst serving, and its a sport that is played by men and women who'd have no truck with the sort of view you've chosen to put on SFN.
We watched the match on France 2 ... riveting until the very last minute when....CUT TO ADVERT BREAK!!!! AAAAArgh! Then they went straight to the news... now I know France were losing but really....
It is part of Twickenham and should stay that way David.
Great!
England were outcoached by the Irish coach and fair play to them. On their day England are the strongest team in Europe and should have beaten Ireland just like they should have beaten the French in 2014. The English flatter to deceive at times but saying that, I believe the English have a real chance against the top RU nations but do they have enough guile to beat the best ? Top game at Twickers for the neutral tho' Lancaster and Saint André must be tearing their hair out, not that they have much at the defensive frailties on display in a game which yeilded 90 points !!!
The problem is Sheila we didn't score more points. Actually 38 less than England and 27 less than Wales over the whole tournament.
What we did better than any team in the championship was to stop the opposition scoring. That was great defending! But what we need is to score more tries. Today aginst Scotland we scored as many, 4, as in all the previous rounds of this years tournament. Only one team scored less over the five weekends.
We have a talented backline and a surfeit of wingers available but it seems the tactic is keep it tight and wait for the penalties. I am delighted that Ireland won but I think we are kidding ourselves in thinking that we are world cup contenders.
Hopefully on 31st October this year I'll be proved wrong.
Allez les verts!
What's the bit about "lucky", Michael? We won because we scored more points! :-)
And to the pundit who said, "The Six Nations is boring", well, I rest my case. Waiting for blood pressure to return to normal!
And by the way, fair play to whoever in Murrayfield was responsible for handling today - stadium kept open, big screens on, fireworks, etc. laid on.
Great games every one. I just wish Twickers could ditch all the military fol de rol.
Yeah! Ireland earned it. The England - France match was incredible. Oor wee anes, weLl aye!