2008 Six Nations Thread

[venter]

Dinny, Do you know if it possible to get 6 nations tickets online? I was thinking about the France England game on february 23rd.

Cheers.

[Dinny Breen]

Venter,

Think this link might help, my french is not the best I think they go on sale tomorrow.....

http://www.francebillet.com/place-spectacle/manifestation/Rugby-FRANCE---ANGLETERRE-FRAAN.htm?noeud=309391448262836676

[Kerry Mike]

Wasn't planning on going but pulled 2 tickets yesterday from different sources and as I missed the 2 big games last year will tag along for a look.

Expect an Irish win but their is a lingering doubt that the failures of the World cup are still there to be resolved.

[magickingdom]

Wales are starting 13 Ospreys players against England!  The Ospreys aren't exactly flying in the Magners league lying in 8th place.  Very strange...

couldnt believe that when i heard it. hope gatland has a plan b.. (and not like eddies plan b (run plan a again)  )

[venter]

Thanks for that Dinny, Im not sure if you have to have a french address to purchase from that site. ( it seems much cheaper than the english sites ( 120 sterling per ticket). I'll try and get some help on the french from some of my french colleagues at work.

[gawa316]

What's the verdict on Tony Buckley? Is he capable of turning us into a team that can actually scrummage?

[AZOffaly]

Tony Buckley is going to be great if he continues developing. He is a horse of a man, and has a great coach for some of the dark arts of lineout play in the Bull. His scrummaging seems to be good as well, but I don't think he is an Italian or Argentian prop either. Having said that, he definitely solidified the scrum in a few games I've seen for Munster where he came in off the bench. I think one of those was against Leinster in Cork, when the Munster scrum was in real trouble.

[An Lark]

Dinny, as our resident GAA board rugby expert, what do you make of Niall O'Donavan? Surely, as Forwards Coach, he should have been getting a lot of flack for the way our forwards performed at the World Cup. He seemed to have escaped media criticism completely.

Our lineouts were a shambles. Why don't Ireland contest opposition throw the same way Munster did to great effect against Wasps?

Lineouts will be crucial for our success especially with the great form that O'Gara is in.

[GaillimhIarthair]

Tony Buckley is going to be great if he continues developing. He is a horse of a man, and has a great coach for some of the dark arts of lineout play in the Bull. His scrummaging seems to be good as well, but I don't think he is an Italian or Argentian prop either. Having said that, he definitely solidified the scrum in a few games I've seen for Munster where he came in off the bench. I think one of those was against Leinster in Cork, when the Munster scrum was in real trouble.

Looks to be a great prospect alright AZ.  If he can replicate what the Bull does lifting wise in the lineout and also in tackling around the fringes he'll do for me.  Also looks to be alot more mobile that Hayes, seem to remember him making a break of 30 - 40 metres upfield against Clermont I think and some of the other forward struggling to stay with him for support !!  The exchanges will be very physical v the Italians tomorrow as usual so I hope to God he gets 20mins at the very least if O'Sullivan introduces him.................

[Dinny Breen]

Dinny, as our resident GAA board rugby expert, what do you make of Niall O'Donavan? Surely, as Forwards Coach, he should have been getting a lot of flack for the way our forwards performed at the World Cup. He seemed to have escaped media criticism completely.

I suppose one of the reasons he has escaped some flack is that his contract is up at the end of the Six Nations so he knows and the media knows that if the forwards don't perform he's gone. Also there seem to be a general malaise throughout the whole squad in the World Cup, it wasn't just the forwards that failed to front up it was the whole team.

A lot of the critiicism is generated purely because O'Sullivan got a 4 year contact before the World Cup and a lot of anger is in his direction and as head coach or CEO as he likes to think of himself he deserves that flack.

Niall O'Donovan would have fancied himself as successor to O'Sullivan and has a tremendous pedigree (4 titles with Shannon)but I think 7 years in the same role has caused him to become stale, rugby is an evloving game, O'Donovan has stood stiil and will be gone at the end of the Six Nations...

[thejuice]

Ive read about the success of the irish under-age teams over the last 5 years or so, are any of those starting to feature in the current senior squad. Apparently over the same period england have gave debut to more young players than Ireland. This may have already been brought up of course,

[Square Ball]

Ireland needed that 3 pointer, but he missed it!!!!

[The Real Laoislad]

Ireland needed that 3 pointer, but he missed it!!!!

tis awful poor game

[Square Ball]

another game of missed opportunities and misplaced passes

[The Real Laoislad]

Pure shite.

More like a dirty Guinness shite