The IRISH RUGBY thread

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Bonus points in the next 6 nations!!!!!!!!!!!
Grand slam team gets extra  bonus points to make sure there isnt the daft situation were you win the grand slam but not the championship

[AZOffaly]

Bonus points in the next 6 nations!!!!!!!!!!!
Grand slam team gets extra  bonus points to make sure there isnt the daft situation were you win the grand slam but not the championship

Which could happen. If you won your games say 15-10, and then wins with no bonus points after that, the team you beat first could win their remaining 4 games with bonus points and pip you 21- 20!

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Bonus points in the next 6 nations!!!!!!!!!!!
Grand slam team gets extra  bonus points to make sure there isnt the daft situation were you win the grand slam but not the championship

Which could happen. If you won your games say 15-10, and then wins with no bonus points after that, the team you beat first could win their remaining 4 games with bonus points and pip you 21- 20!

You could lose one game but get two losing bonus and also get a bonus after that, giving them a total of 22.

If you win all games but no bonus, you get 20 points but the "Grand Slam" bonus gives you 3 more points to get you to 23.

A lot of years there is no Grand Slam so this will make championship more interesting.  Once you lose a game, you want to be scoring tries.

A good idea realy.

/Jim.

[muppet]

There will be lots of kicks to the corner! And probably lots of penalty tries.

[Main Street]

That reminds me of a one arm bandit, you get the 5 bells in a line and you get a bonus but it's still a rigged encounter.

It's a distraction from the real issue that stinks in the closed shop of intl rugby where there is no relegation from, or promotion to the top league.

[dec]

Bonus points in the next 6 nations!!!!!!!!!!!
Grand slam team gets extra  bonus points to make sure there isnt the daft situation were you win the grand slam but not the championship

Which could happen. If you won your games say 15-10, and then wins with no bonus points after that, the team you beat first could win their remaining 4 games with bonus points and pip you 21- 20!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Six_Nations_Championship

England would have won the Six Nations Championship in 2002 under the standard bonus point system (ie. no 3 point bonus for Grand Slam) despite France doing the Grand Slam that year.

[screenexile]

That reminds me of a one arm bandit, you get the 5 bells in a line and you get a bonus but it's still a rigged encounter.

It's a distraction from the real issue that stinks in the closed shop of intl rugby where there is no relegation from, or promotion to the top league.

How far away are Georgia/Romania from entering the 6 nations?

Just looking at it there Georgia are actually ranked above Italy at present!

Would Canada and USA's next move be the 6 nations or would they go Rugby Championship?

[seafoid]

Rumours abound that Sexton may be out for a considerable amount of time!!

He is like the canary in the coalmine of concussion

I don't particularly like Jonny Sexton, or at least I didn't when he was younger, but I worry for him as a lad. I think he should give it up, because he's such a brave 10, and I think it's obvious his body is not able for the defensive style he plays, and then you add in the obvious targetting that he gets as IReland's main playmaker. I hope he's not a wreck when he's 45.

Me too, AZ.
He is often injured. Health is priceless.

[moysider]

That reminds me of a one arm bandit, you get the 5 bells in a line and you get a bonus but it's still a rigged encounter.

It's a distraction from the real issue that stinks in the closed shop of intl rugby where there is no relegation from, or promotion to the top league.

How far away are Georgia/Romania from entering the 6 nations?

Just looking at it there Georgia are actually ranked above Italy at present!

Would Canada and USA's next move be the 6 nations or would they go Rugby Championship?

Would the calendar be able to cope with an 8 nations every year? That would be nearly 2 months with a match every week. Clubs would go mental for a start? Maybe a 2 tier with promotion and relegation?

[Gmac]

Rumours abound that Sexton may be out for a considerable amount of time!!

He is like the canary in the coalmine of concussion

I don't particularly like Jonny Sexton, or at least I didn't when he was younger, but I worry for him as a lad. I think he should give it up, because he's such a brave 10, and I think it's obvious his body is not able for the defensive style he plays, and then you add in the obvious targetting that he gets as IReland's main playmaker. I hope he's not a wreck when he's 45.

Me too, AZ.
He is often injured. Health is priceless.

jamie heaslip has to be one of the more durable players anywhere in the modern game can't remember him missing any games for Ireland.

[muppet]

Rumours abound that Sexton may be out for a considerable amount of time!!

He is like the canary in the coalmine of concussion

I don't particularly like Jonny Sexton, or at least I didn't when he was younger, but I worry for him as a lad. I think he should give it up, because he's such a brave 10, and I think it's obvious his body is not able for the defensive style he plays, and then you add in the obvious targetting that he gets as IReland's main playmaker. I hope he's not a wreck when he's 45.

Me too, AZ.
He is often injured. Health is priceless.

jamie heaslip has to be one of the more durable players anywhere in the modern game can't remember him missing any games for Ireland.

Even when he good a cracked vertebrae from Papé (?) he was still back a game or two later.

As for Sexton I'm guessing his problem is concussion rather than the hamstring?

[Walter Cronc]

That reminds me of a one arm bandit, you get the 5 bells in a line and you get a bonus but it's still a rigged encounter.

It's a distraction from the real issue that stinks in the closed shop of intl rugby where there is no relegation from, or promotion to the top league.

How far away are Georgia/Romania from entering the 6 nations?

Just looking at it there Georgia are actually ranked above Italy at present!

Would Canada and USA's next move be the 6 nations or would they go Rugby Championship?

Would the calendar be able to cope with an 8 nations every year? That would be nearly 2 months with a match every week. Clubs would go mental for a start? Maybe a 2 tier with promotion and relegation?

I think you could see Georgia pushing hard for inclusion - given the fact they are ranked above Italy they can feel justified. However i think Italy may begin an upward trend under Conor O'Shea. Tblisi in March isnt exactly Rome however 

Canada and the US are miles off the rugby championship. The North American pro league has to develop first. Possibly a franchise could join the Super Rugby programme??

[AZOffaly]

I see Pat Lam is leaving Connacht at the end of the season. That's going to be a blow for them.

[Walter Cronc]

I see Pat Lam is leaving Connacht at the end of the season. That's going to be a blow for them.

Very disappointing!! Money talks and Bristol have it in spades. However they are sitting rock bottom.

I wonder how Aki and Dillane feel after signing new contracts out west when other suitors were in for them.

Honestly thought Lam would stay and replace Schmidt after 2019.

[AZOffaly]

Aki tweeted this morning. 'Feeling Pissed!'