I looked briefly and didn’t find another Six Nations thread, but apologies if there is.
Well, pretty crap starts for both Ireland and England. Italy look to be doing better every tournament, and Wales just pulled off a historic win at Twickenham.
Interesting tactics, though, from England. Put man-mountain on your left wing, a guy who needs four players to bring him down, and then pass to him twice in the game. :smack:
Rugby teams learned pretty quickly how to deal with players like that a long time ago, just after Jonah Lomu started playing 
I think the England squad just fell asleep at 60 minutes - but the Welsh deserved the win - they played with commitment and style, at least for the bit I saw. England just got lax, and paid for it.
Si
I was really impressed with Italy’s play. Really strong mauls going on there, with a well-deserved try from one of them. Ireland did not acquit themselves well. One new set-piece (surprise pass back at the touchline rather than forcing a ruck like normal - oooh!) but very little non-formulaic play. Meh. Very disappointed. Not a HOPE against France next weekend.
As for the England result… HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Yeah, they deal with it by commiting three or four players, leaving a gap in the defence. Which is exactly what happened when Vainokolo was given the ball.
BTW, who’s the idiot commentator on the BBC? Could they have picked a bigger partisan? The guy’s embarrassing - I remember he was as bad in the WC, as well.
Which one? the main commentator who was pro-welsh or the colour commentator who is rabidly (in all senses of the word) pro-english? You were probably referring to Brian Moore who is an ex england player.
I knew I should have stayed in my room playing on the computer. I sat down in front of the TV with the score at 19-6 and by the time I’d finished my beans on toast they were going to the video ref for the try that (with the conversion) made it 26-19 to Wales. Apparently England yet again created a bunch of scoring opportunities and didn’t cash in, and in a few minutes of panic managed to gift the other side 20 points. :smack:
jjimm, if you don’t like it in England I personally will be glad to escort you to the leaky slow boat of your choice out of here. 
Yeah, Brian Moore, I think. He won’t shut up.
Being a Welshman in England for the last few years, I placed my yearly bet on Wales to beat England on Friday - more as an article of faith than expectation. I was hopeful that Wales might surprise England - what with the return of Martin Williams, but thought I creditable narrow loss would be a good result.
After the anthems I said to my English friends -‘We’ve won already - it’s in the bag!’ At half time I said, ‘You can accept Wales losing but not like that’ We were awful.
At the end, well for me the win is tempered by the fact that Wales played better, got the basics right, and that was enough to scare England into capitulation. Really Wales did nothing out of the ordinary and won easily. Playing as they did in the second half again will not beat France, and probably not Ireland or Italy.
As for Brian Moore and Eddie Butler, bloody hell. They are each worse than the other. I’ve turned the radio commentary on in the past but the crowd noise is too quiet.
I have to say the BBC TV coverage was fucking awful as well - the camera was either too close or too far away; and the overhead cable-cam! Isnt the point to try to give an enhanced version of what it’s like at a game? I’ve never zipped about on a trapeze at 40 mph over the players heads at an international. (club game - yes)
All in all glad for the win, not anticipating a grand slam at all.
MiM
On form shown since the grand slam I wasn’t expecting any wins for Wales. Woo hoo.
So I guess that makes you … wrong?
My point was that to many welsh rugby fans, ‘1 win = grand slam’. I was trying to point out the absurdity of this attitude.
I appreciate your contribution to the debate though.
MiM
I am a Welsh rugby fan. My earliest memories are of being thrown up in the air when Wales scored a try. I am delighted by the win. That it’s at Twickenham makes it very sweet. But that it was (apparently - I’ve yet to see the game) creative and beautiful and irresistible in the second half is sweeter still.
I disagree that
IMHO to most Welsh rugby fans a win or even a grand slam is merely a benign side-effect of playing like a true Welsh side. To win like the English have in recent times is nothing. It’s sweaty basket-weaving. To win like the Welsh used to in the early 70s is like a spontaneous choral fugue. Winning is merely an affirmation of beauty. That the promise of the grand slam in 2005 seemed squandered was a shame. My “woo hoo” was for the fire not being out.
How DID Williams do against Vainikolo? Did he have to go one on one at all or was he helped every time?
There were signs of the possibilities of some style and flair - but no more than that really. Henson, Phillips and Hook made nice runs and Martin Williams’ reputation grows, but England’s second half was baffling. They were headless and after Vickery was substituted, seemed captainless. No-one appeared to stand up for the job.
As for Vainikolo, he didnt get the ball. I remember 3 red shirts on him at one point, but not 1 one-on-one, so Shane Williams had no worries.
It seems that Henson managed the first half while hurt - but told no-one as he didnt want to be subbed - injection at half time; - terrific 2nd half. That may be brave and ultimately right but may also be called selfish and might well have contributed to Wales kicking away so much ball in the first 40. We certainly got the luck with injuries on both sides (although Jonothan Thomas might argue that.)
MiM
Those great Welsh sides of the 70s would have thought it shame to be reduced to crowing over the English over winning at Twickenham once in twenty years.
And Wales have the Triple Crown. And - assuming that France beat bu don’t thrash Italy - will play France with a Slam but not the title on the line.