Predicted 6N table 2019

[Vieux Talonneur]

I hope things change. World rugby needs a strong France.

This is what French rugby used to be like. I was there!

 

[bushytop]

I hope things change. World rugby needs a strong France.

This is what French rugby should be like. 1991 when Twickenham had some soul. I was there!

I hope things don't change until AFTER Wales play them Friday week...

 

[andysimcoe]

Ireland and bad luck, you boys hold all the lucky charms in the world currently.

Ireland to win

England, Wales, France and Scotland in any order.

Italy drowning away at the bottom.

I'd agree with this too. I think Ireland will win and Italy will lose all games, the others I think are all open for upsets. I don't think Ireland will have a big win at Murrayfield but they will win and Wales could potentially lose at Murrayfield. Scotland haven't lost many home games in the past couple years.
I think the home advantage for England will see them edge at least France and Scotland so top 3 Ireland, England and Wales.

I see Scotland getting pumped at Twickenham and historically they will lose in France but I think this could be the year they win at Stade de France so I'd be surprised if Scotland don't finish higher than France.

 

[FrenchFan]

I hope things change. World rugby needs a strong France.

I am not sure I get that argument. Others will take over. Natural selection. Darwin. Why prop up the FFR with a ridiculous point system instead of opening up the game to upcoming nations? the current system fosters mediocrity. One of the reasons the test game is in decline.

Argentina and Japan are strong candidates for the Top 8. Japan ran 5 tries past NZ that's one try more than the FFR circus managed to score in 3 games in June against same opposition.

To go back to the thread.

Looking at the forwards Brunel has picked, I smell more trouble for Moustache. He's picked the same group of forwards that failed him in June and again in November. He thinks picking the Toulouse and Clermont backs will get him tries. He's wrong. Not behind a pack of plodders with Atonio Guirado Willemse Sanconnie Picamoles etc. Toulouse and Clermont don't play the same rugby as Brunel.

He's built his side around two talentless washouts in Guirado and Bastareaud. Both are having a nightmare with Toulon. They're out of Europe and virtually out of the race in T14. Guirado is behind Camille Chat and Julien Marchand (Toulouse captain) in every Top 14 pecking order I've seen. La Rochelle's hooker Pierre Bourgarit (20) is a first starter and has been excellent. Bastareaud is behind Fofana Fickou Vakatawa Penaud. So Brunel's captain and vice-captain are 3rd and 5th choices in their position...
Vakatawa whose repositioning at centre has worked a treat for Racing has been left out. Virimi has scored 13 tries in 17 games. Yet Brunel favours a donkey like Doumeyrou who is 29 and has yet to score a try at test level! Hilarious.

hey who's delusional

 

[Thingimubob]

Any idea what the starting XV for France is going to look for the game next week?

Wales can win it of course, but they badly need two good wins and performances vs France and Italy first. Wales have a right to be quietly confident going into the France game after the recent run of results, but need to back it up in style if they want to mount a ***le challenge.

The England and Ireland home games are massive (especially in the context of a World Cup year) as we haven't beaten England in a few years, and Ireland are the far and away the form NH team.

Worried about Murrayfield away as well, especially if we lost one of the 3 games before it.

 

[bushytop]

Worried about Murrayfield away as well, especially if we lost one of the 3 games before it.

That's what's so great about this year's comp to be fair... apart from Italy, you really can't pin your hopes anywhere (ok mmaaaayyybbee if you're at home against the French too).

 

[General Melchett]

I'd agree with this too. I think Ireland will win and Italy will lose all games, the others I think are all open for upsets. I don't think Ireland will have a big win at Murrayfield but they will win and Wales could potentially lose at Murrayfield. Scotland haven't lost many home games in the past couple years.
I think the home advantage for England will see them edge at least France and Scotland so top 3 Ireland, England and Wales.

I see Scotland getting pumped at Twickenham and historically they will lose in France but I think this could be the year they win at Stade de France so I'd be surprised if Scotland don't finish higher than France.

I'd go along with your predictions. A surprise win in Paris will depend on which France turn up this campaign and how results have gone for them by the time Scotland arrive. Edinburgh should against the larger Montpellier and Toulon packs that it's possible and the best tactic seems to be to try and move them around the park as much as possible. Russell has to produce for this one.

Also think there will be a comfortable win for England (I think we could be missing 6-7 first choice players by the time the last game comes around) and it's absolutely key that we come flying out of the blocks against Wales and have a decent lead at half time, just like two years ago. We should then be able to see out the rest of the game with some astute game management. If Wales get off to a flier and score a couple of tries in the first 20 mins then we could be struggling.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

This is probably the strongest Italian squad in 5+ years, with Allan finally emerging as a reliable option at 10 and some reasonable options from 6-15.

Yet I doubt anyone is predicting they'll get a bonus point of any kind. And I doubt anyone will criticise the coach when that unfolds.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

If the anticipated wooden spoon whitewash happens, then I reckon Italy would only have won one of their last 30 6N matches stretching back to 2014.

Pretty stark when you look at it like that. Where would that leave them?

 

[bushytop]

If the anticipated wooden spoon whitewash happens, then I reckon Italy would only have won one of their last 30 6N matches stretching back to 2014.

Pretty stark when you look at it like that. Where would that leave them?

Think that their pretty convincing win over Georgia in the autumn should take the pressure off them a little... regardless of how this 6N pans out for them.

Still... as a rugby fan I would like to see them get a W... just not against Wales!

 

[Reiser99]

Think that their pretty convincing win over Georgia in the autumn should take the pressure off them a little... regardless of how this 6N pans out for them.

Still... as a rugby fan I would like to see them get a W... just not against Wales!

I can't see them winning away at all, so their only hope is at home and for me that would be against France if France have had an awful 6N's.

 

[bushytop]

I can't see them winning away at all, so their only hope is at home and for me that would be against France if France have had an awful 6N's.

Sorry if I was unclear... I can't see them getting a win either, though I would like them to get a win (as long as it isn't against Wales) for the good of the tournament.

 

[ThebigARena]

1. Ireland
2. France
3. England
4. Wales
5. Scotland
6. Italy .

 

[ncurd]

I'm being possibly utterly uninteresting, however went through fixtures and took in home advantage. I'd have had Ireland winning based on form but something said to me they'd lose to Wales on the last day in Cardiff whilst England romps home in London against Scotland. Ireland have to play Scotland in Murrayfield and may struggle for the bonus point....I was little surprised at coming to this outcome.

1) England 1,4,4,5,5 = 19pts
2) Ireland 4,4,5,4,1 = 18pts
3) France 4,0,4,1,5 = 14pts
4) Wales 1,5,1,1,4 = 12pts
5) Scotland 5,1,1,4,1 = 12pts
6) Italy 0,0,0,0,0 = 0pts

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I'm being possibly utterly uninteresting, however went through fixtures and took in home advantage. I'd have had Ireland winning based on form but something said to me they'd lose to Wales on the last day in Cardiff whilst England romps home in London against Scotland. Ireland have to play Scotland in Murrayfield and may struggle for the bonus point....I was little surprised at coming to this outcome.

1) England 1,4,4,5,5 = 19pts
2) Ireland 4,4,5,4,1 = 18pts
3) France 4,0,4,1,5 = 14pts
4) Wales 1,5,1,1,4 = 12pts
5) Scotland 5,1,1,4,1 = 12pts
6) Italy 0,0,0,0,0 = 0pts

Trying to do this is bloody tough! Going game by game and being influenced by the 23 Wales just named I predict another Irish slam. Taking the tournament as a whole and I don't. I do think it's slam or 2nd for Ireland though.

 

[Thingimubob]

Trying to do this is bloody tough! Going game by game and being influenced by the 23 Wales just named I predict another Irish slam. Taking the tournament as a whole and I don't. I do think it's slam or 2nd for Ireland though.

Is it that you believe the Welsh 23 is weaker than expected?

Few injuries knocking about the squad who (hopefully) should be fit for later rounds, but apart from that it's a tidy selection in my eyes!

 

[bushytop]

Going game by game and being influenced by the 23 Wales just named...

Who would you change... and for whom?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Is it that you believe the Welsh 23 is weaker than expected?

Few injuries knocking about the squad who (hopefully) should be fit for later rounds, but apart from that it's a tidy selection in my eyes!

Who would you change... and for whom?

I don't think it's a bad 23 but I had you guys more or less as equal favourites with Ireland, (still do) I think I was just buying into the 9 in a row hype too much and setting Wales up as big favourites in Cardiff but that's not a 23 that Ireland in their form from last Autumn should lose to in my opinion so that's why taking each game individually I'd predict an Irish slam.

I don't think we'll match our Autumn form though, we'll still be good enough to slam with a bit of luck but I don't think we'll win two away matches the week after both England and France.

 

[bushytop]

I don't think it's a bad 23 but I had you guys more or less as equal favourites with Ireland, (still do) I think I was just buying into the 9 in a row hype too much and setting Wales up as big favourites in Cardiff but that's not a 23 that Ireland in their form from last Autumn should lose to in my opinion so that's why taking each game individually I'd predict an Irish slam.

I don't think we'll match our Autumn form though, we'll still be good enough to slam with a bit of luck but I don't think we'll win two away matches the week after both England and France.

Given the players out... it's 'pretty much' the best we can muster, arguments could be made around the selections of Beard, Moriarty and Tomos Williams but no selection is ever going to please everyone.

As everyone around rugby knows, going into this championship Ireland are pretty much unanimous favourites... much like England were going into last years 6N. Not saying that will happen to Ireland but that's the great thing about the 6N is that more often than not it doesn't play out quite like everyone thinks it will.

 

[Dai Perk]

Pasted in from another thread, I have one very unpopular prediction...

"My new table says, first to last:

Ireland (ugh)
England (double ugh)
Scotland (damnit, 3rd means nothing)
France
Italy
Wales

I guess the only controversial pick is Italy over Wales. I can see Italy shocking everyone with 2 wins to Wales' 1 win, but I gather that's not the common wisdom I just think Wales have real issues right now, and a coupleupsets by a resurgent Italy may make the difference. "

I dunno why, but despite their great recent (9-0) run as a national side, the Welsh teams in the Pro14 look utterly snake-bitten, and my controversial (i.e. probably hugely ignorant) take is that they slip up early and end up with one win, even behind two win Italy.

All predictions 100% wrong or your money back!