6 Nations 2023

[Dr H Flashman MBE]

Resolved everyday of the week. The WRU will never not concede and lose points, pride and cash.

[TigerFeetSteve]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... e-26299019

Meeting supposedly has just started a few min ago.

[wigworth]

Apparently the meeting has now finished so we should start hearing things soon.

Nigel Walker left the room and told reporters that there was "no deal yet".

He will be returning from a scheduled WRU Board meeting to meet with Ken Owens and WRPA chief Gareth Lewis to decide if the game happens.

Sounds like it is going to the wire.

[wigworth]

The game is on!

[ay2oh]

Wow what a surprise.

[Scott1]

Italy v Ireland

Italy XV: A Capuozzo (Toulouse); E Padovani (Benetton), J Ignacio Brex (Benetton), T Menoncello (Benetton), P Bruno (Zebre); P Garbisi (Montpellier), S Varney (Gloucester); D Fischetti (London Irish), G Nicotera (Benetton), S Ferrari (Benetton), N Cannone (Benetton), F Ruzza (Benetton), S Negri (Benetton), M Lamaro (Benetton, capt), L Cannone (Benetton).

Replacements: L Bigi (Zebre), F Zani (Benetton), M Riccioni (Saracens), E Iachizzi (Vannes), G Pettinelli (Benetton), A Fusco (Zebre), L Morisi (London Irish), T Allan (Harlequins).

[Scott1]

Wales: Halfpenny; Adams, Grady, Hawkins, Rees-Zammit; O Williams, T Williams; G Thomas, Owens (capt), Francis, Beard, AW Jones, Tshiunza, Tipuric, Faletau.

Replacements: Roberts, Carre, Lewis, Jenkins, Reffell, Hardy, Biggar, Tompkins

[Scott1]

Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe; R Byrne, Casey; Porter, Kelleher, Bealham; Henderson, Ryan (capt); Doris, Van der Flier, Conan.

Replacements: D Sheehan, Kilcoyne, O'Toole, Baird, O'Mahony, Murray, Crowley, McCloskey.

[Jacko27]

Some surprising (for me) selections in Welsh team - particularly from the Leicester perspective - Owen Williams playing but Tommy Reffell on the bench

[DeadlyDunc]

I get the impression Gatland is trying to work out who might be good enough and how he gets 15 players to play a coherent style of rugby so it’s a bit suck it and see for the moment.

He certainly doesn’t have the quality of players he had at his disposal to play WarrenBall - no big crash ball centre and not that many big carriers in general.

The players he did have playing his style back 3-4 years ago have largely had old Father Time catch up with them so he’s a left scratching his head a bit

[Scott1]

I get the impression Gatland is trying to work out who might be good enough and how he gets 15 players to play a coherent style of rugby so it’s a bit suck it and see for the moment.

He certainly doesn’t have the quality of players he had at his disposal to play WarrenBall - no big crash ball centre and not that many big carriers in general.

The players he did have playing his style back 3-4 years ago have largely had old Father Time catch up with them so he’s a left scratching his head a bit

I’d still pick JD2 ,unless he retired himself from international rugby. Not sure

[mightymouse]

Well I think it’ll be a better team with Owen Williams than with Biggar, who must be just about the Most overrated fly half ever. This season however he has surpassed himself in how poor he has been, and his behaviour to younger players who one assumes look up to him was nothing short of disgraceful

[DeadlyDunc]

Well I think it’ll be a better team with Owen Williams than with Biggar, who must be just about the Most overrated fly half ever. This season however he has surpassed himself in how poor he has been, and his behaviour to younger players who one assumes look up to him was nothing short of disgraceful

I don’t like his ****housery but I do think Biggar is a good player - I’d rather have him than OW tbh

That said, Gatland needs options and there aren’t many to choose from at the moment

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

I get the impression Gatland is trying to work out who might be good enough and how he gets 15 players to play a coherent style of rugby so it’s a bit suck it and see for the moment.

He certainly doesn’t have the quality of players he had at his disposal to play WarrenBall - no big crash ball centre and not that many big carriers in general.

The players he did have playing his style back 3-4 years ago have largely had old Father Time catch up with them so he’s a left scratching his head a bit

I’d still pick JD2 ,unless he retired himself from international rugby. Not sure

Think he is injured at the moment, but he really is slow of leg these days...still wonderfully talented though.

[DeadlyDunc]

I get the impression Gatland is trying to work out who might be good enough and how he gets 15 players to play a coherent style of rugby so it’s a bit suck it and see for the moment.

He certainly doesn’t have the quality of players he had at his disposal to play WarrenBall - no big crash ball centre and not that many big carriers in general.

The players he did have playing his style back 3-4 years ago have largely had old Father Time catch up with them so he’s a left scratching his head a bit

I’d still pick JD2 ,unless he retired himself from international rugby. Not sure

He’s 34 so past his prime - not certain he’s retired but it would be a case of looking back not forward if he was brought back in IMO