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In which I go out on a limb...
Feb. 7th, 2006 11:16 amTime to do some prognosticating on the next round of the Six Nations:
Cardiff
The most interesting game of the weekend and difficult to call. The Scots pack was surprisingly strong against France and the Welsh are weak up front. In fact the only notable thing about the Welsh forwards are their rather bizarre hair styles. That said, the Scots aren't as big and as physical as the English so we might not see the final quarter collapse through exhaustion that the Welsh suffered at Twickenham. The Scots backs though didn't seem to be able to do much with the possession they had in Edinburgh and the Welsh backs simply can't play worse than the French, especially the hapless Ludovic Balbon. If the Welsh backs do get decent ball they are probably capable of opening up the Scots. I think its going to be a close, low scoring game. The Cardiff crowd may just be enough to give Wales the edge.
Prediction; Wales 17 - Scotland 10.
Rome
Italy's strength is their big, strong pack but England's is bigger, stronger, faster, has more bench strength. Behind the packs there is no comparison. Even with the midfield only firing on three cylinders England have power and pace to burn. The Italians will do enough to slow England up a bit in the first half through spoiling tactics but exhaustion and yellow cards will get them long before the end.
Prediction: England 60 - Italy 3.
Paris
The French forwards of twenty years ago must have been astonished on Sunday not just by their successors capitulation but the manner of it. To see a French pack comprehensively out-muscled and not a punch thrown was strange indeed. I can't see the Irish out-muscling the French though. The recall of the likes of Betsen, Ibanez and Magne should see to that. I expect a much tougher game from the French forwards in Paris.
I also expect to see better things from the backs. On Sunday they played with an injured outside half and a serious selection mistake in the centres. OK, it's not easy when one's top four centres are injured but France can do a lot better than Balbon. The French only need their midfield to be competent enough to unleash their very fast and classy outside backs. IMO the Irish backs are seriously overrated. Their is some real flair there to be sure but there is a lack of pace across the board that will always be there undoing against class sides.
I think this is going to be a messy but exciting encounter with the French trying to prove that they are still the most potent attacking force in world rugby. They aren't and they will make a lot of mistakes but they will still do more than enough to beat the Irish.
Prediction: France 40 - Ireland 25
Cardiff
The most interesting game of the weekend and difficult to call. The Scots pack was surprisingly strong against France and the Welsh are weak up front. In fact the only notable thing about the Welsh forwards are their rather bizarre hair styles. That said, the Scots aren't as big and as physical as the English so we might not see the final quarter collapse through exhaustion that the Welsh suffered at Twickenham. The Scots backs though didn't seem to be able to do much with the possession they had in Edinburgh and the Welsh backs simply can't play worse than the French, especially the hapless Ludovic Balbon. If the Welsh backs do get decent ball they are probably capable of opening up the Scots. I think its going to be a close, low scoring game. The Cardiff crowd may just be enough to give Wales the edge.
Prediction; Wales 17 - Scotland 10.
Rome
Italy's strength is their big, strong pack but England's is bigger, stronger, faster, has more bench strength. Behind the packs there is no comparison. Even with the midfield only firing on three cylinders England have power and pace to burn. The Italians will do enough to slow England up a bit in the first half through spoiling tactics but exhaustion and yellow cards will get them long before the end.
Prediction: England 60 - Italy 3.
Paris
The French forwards of twenty years ago must have been astonished on Sunday not just by their successors capitulation but the manner of it. To see a French pack comprehensively out-muscled and not a punch thrown was strange indeed. I can't see the Irish out-muscling the French though. The recall of the likes of Betsen, Ibanez and Magne should see to that. I expect a much tougher game from the French forwards in Paris.
I also expect to see better things from the backs. On Sunday they played with an injured outside half and a serious selection mistake in the centres. OK, it's not easy when one's top four centres are injured but France can do a lot better than Balbon. The French only need their midfield to be competent enough to unleash their very fast and classy outside backs. IMO the Irish backs are seriously overrated. Their is some real flair there to be sure but there is a lack of pace across the board that will always be there undoing against class sides.
I think this is going to be a messy but exciting encounter with the French trying to prove that they are still the most potent attacking force in world rugby. They aren't and they will make a lot of mistakes but they will still do more than enough to beat the Irish.
Prediction: France 40 - Ireland 25
