No show i don't really care about the residency rule to be honest. Genuinely. Thus far ireland have only had Strausse join up with the international team on this rule and that was a couple of years ago. we haven't seen much of him. I don't blame any country picking the best players available to them to be honest. My point about all irish players was in response to the suggestion that because we have the bulk of the irish team in Munster and Leinster, that this was a bad thing. anyway. there is a very good reason why this happens in ireland. The provinces are limited to just 4 maximum foreign conscripts. So we generally buy established players Zane Kershner in leinster for example. Howlett last year in munster. but these guys can't qualify on the residency rule which is why we don't end up with much at international level. Thats just the way it works here.

On Visser mate. He's a scalpel that guy. Incredible finisher. Probably one of the best in europe are you sure you would drop him?

I also don't want to argue, it is pointless but I think you have clearly misunderstood what I have said.

Lads, below are the pool details for superbru
http://www.superbru.com/sixnations/pool.php?p=11160243 Pool name: ja606 Pool code: daftlids

Yes aristo. no hard feelings mate. it's not wrong to have opposing opinions

I'll add those prediction details to the thread shortly. Will sign up as well.

Ding

Visser is a very good player and way better than any other option we have for that position. But if you have principles, you have principles Mind you, principles are a vanishing concept in modern rugby.

You've got me thinking though, about the fact that a quarter of our squad play 'abroad'. I think in our case that's probably a good thing because it would be impossible to bring on enough young players with just two sides to play for. I think that balance is probably about right. The thing that does tee me off though is the Scottish clubs signing so many non-Scottish player. When the SRU basically own and run the clubs, that makes no sense at all. Currently Glasgow have 7 in the squad, Edinburgh have 18

No doubt part of that will be to do with having some semblance of a squad available for the Pro 12 games played during the 6N but the view from Level 10 says it makes no sense whatsoever.

In my first post on this thread I said I was full of gloom and despondency. As the thread has gone on, this has got worse. For God's sake, don't let me near anything sharp - except your wit of course.

Anthony Watson hopefully playing himself into the England team tonight, brilliant play for the opening try for Tom Biggs

Haven't seen the whole game but Ford and Eastmond the standout guys for me.

yep, id play all 3 of them in Paris

Cheer up Show. Visser at least was only qualified to play for the Netherlands or Scotland on residency. Not exactly a potential all black that you poached

Incidentally, Isa Nacewa refused to play for his international team Fiji after they had a falling out. He is actually from New Zealand but played for Fiji due to their ancestry rule. ANyway, he was brought on in one game as a sub, official capped albeit 20 odd mins and could never play for any other international team there after. He wanted to play for the AB's naturally and when he was flat out refused by the IRB he refused to play for Fiji from then on. Interesting story of a supremely talented player never reaching the pinnacle of the sport 2009 and 2010 he was the best fullback in the world. No one knows that because he was with leinster and and not in an all black jersey

Interesting story of a supremely talented player never reaching the pinnacle of the sport 2009 and 2010 he was the best fullback in the world. No one knows that because he was with leinster and and not in an all black jersey
===========================================

sounds a bit like the story of Caucau, now there was a rugby player, by a mile the most talented and devastating rugby player ive ever seen, if only he was more disciplined he could have been anything

Caucua incredible talent. But a total waster. Necewa refused to play for fiji on principle but had an incredible career all the same and retired with honors. Caucua on the other hand snorted his career up his nose. I honestly don't see the likeness other than nationality.

Ding

You were lucky with Nacewa, but that's the way the cookie crumbles when Samoa, Fiji and Tonga are basically the All Black 2nds, 3rds and 4ths. He made his bed, so had to lie in it.

Mind you, I can't understand why the IRB blocked him when you think back to Tuigamala, the Samoan who went from being an All Black to being Samoan again at different world cups. I suppose it's all right for AB cast off to move 'down', but not for Nacewa to move 'up'.

Hey, maybe Visser will end up playing for Holland when he can no longer cut the mustard at the dizzy heights of playing for Scotland.

Chris Robshaw named England captain for the tournament.

I think Luck had nothing to do with it. He was identified when playing in the super 15 as being special. Michael cheika and Leinster were determined to sign him as he could play FB wing and center equally well! In my honest opinion Necewa is the most naturally gifted rugby player i have ever seen. And that is considering i have a massive man crush on BO'D

Leinster are doing remarkably well this year considering the quality we have lost. Necewa, Sexton, Brad Thorn, Leo Cullen, is semi retired, O'Driscoll played less than half the games in the season due to an IRB mandate that he must be fit for the 6 nations. Mike ross is on a serious downward spiral. His knees are gone. But luckily a young fella has come from nowhere (Martin Moore) in leinster and is obliterating all before him so tight head looks to be covered for the foreseeable future. The HC game this weekend is the biggest test so far for the new tighthead. up against Ryan Bevington, Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones in the Ospreys front row.

Your a Saints fan Show, so i presume you will be looking for a bonus point victory this weekend to try and sneak in to the HC knock outs?

Ding

TBH, I've given up on the HC. Concentrate on the league and all that . Anyway, it's all wrapped up in the arrant nonsense that's going on behind closed doors, so has less relevance for me anyway.

I wouldn't worry about the Ospreys front row. Last weekend Bevington was totally beasted by Ma'afu and although he steadied the ship when he came on, Adam Jones is nowhere near the scrummager he was under the old rules. In fact I thought his twin, Duncan, had the better game against us.


On another point Ding, Ireland have done well to keep Irish players in Ireland by basically saying the same as England. If you're out of the country, you won't be selected. Do you think that letting Jonny S go to France might undermine that for the future?

On the question at the end. YES.

Ian Evans to miss the tournament for Wales? Just been sent off for his club Osprey's in the Heineken Cup. Be a blow if he does.

What's the average ban for a stamp? I know it can be a maximum of a year but usually bans are 2-9 weeks.

RKW did you see the stamp? He put a gash in the side of mcLoughlins face. it was not a stamp it was 3!!! followed up by a kick in the face. It was disgusting.

However. he will get a 12 week ban which is the maximum and it will be reduced because there are several angles on video and he will plead guilty.

Is he a loss to wales? Who the fuq would want a horrible parstard like that anyway?

If you haven't seen the footage i suggest you go look at it.

Ding - That bad? I've found this picture but not seen a video posted of the incident yet.

http://www.joe.ie/rugby/picture-leinsters-mike-mccarthy-was-absolutely-covered-in-blood-after-being-stamped-on/

Judging by that it looks nasty. And if it was more than one stamp then he deserves the maximum ban.

three stamps on the head and a kick in the face. youtube will have it soon enough. He will get a ban but not enough for this kind of nastiness. such is life.

Disgusting to hear that, kind of hope it isn't as bad as you are saying.

I've still not found a video yet, will a clip be on Sky Sports or do you reckon it won't be on there due to "unsuitable viewing"?

Haven't seen it, but if it's anything like as bad as people say then it should be a maximum ban - for each stamp.

Three plus a kick in the face makes the whole thing pre-meditated. If the maximum is 12, then I'd give him somewhere between 36 and 48 weeks.

If you have sky sports you can go to the sky events center on their website and watch all the previous HC games.

Show. It was during a maul. McCarthy ended up underneath and was getting treatment from the other players but nothing major. Evans was standing above. First stamp could have been a mistake, but then you see him looking down to see what he stood on and the second stamp is the vicious one then a third and he's still looking down, maul moves forward a little bit and out of reach of stamping so he draws back the foot and gives McCarthy a to poke in the face.