I have just got my hands on a couple of pitchside tickets for England v's Scotland this Saturday, so its a road trip for me and the eldest back to good ole blightey.

Anybody else going on Saturday, and what do think ? Are the English looking like they might win something this time ?

Lets hope its not like the last time I went to watch France & England and was sat behind the posts in Paris almost able to catch the drop kick that won the French the game 30 seconds before the whistle

IMO
Ireland will win the 6N,by far the strongest and at this point,fittest team.ie have all the best players available, as of now, before you all mail smutty remarks!
France...allways unpredicatble,if they turn up to play rugby they are 1 of the best teams on the planet,if they "dont turn up" switch the tv off as they are pants.

Scotland..good side,good back row,good amd i think will have a better than expected 6N

Italy...getting better all the time.Good set of forwards,2nd row some of the best IMo,back line is where they struggle

Wales..loads of injury problems but what do i care!I think they may struggle this time,shame.

England...oh dear.
Jonny is back for a bit at least,robinson is back,for a bit at least,vickery as captain,for a bit at least,farrel,played a bit of union,for a bit at least,
Corry still in the squad...why??Dayglo is fit and raring isn't he??Ellis at 9...dear oh dear..whats wrong with Richards/Perry,Chutert @2???????? Mears much better player IMO,far more mobile.2nd row looks good,back row dealt a blow today with Moody ruled out,whos going to catch from the kick off now?
All in all ..Ireland will be the team to beat,Italy may spring a suprise at home,French will be French,England..Jury is out.Scotland and Wales will struggle.
will have to read this again when it's over and see how right/wrong i was.

I can agree on a lot of points, and you are definitely more up on the ins and outs than I am.

my two penneth :

I love to watch the Irish play. plenty of bravado, give everything a try, and they have been getting better over the last couple of years as a team and as you say, getting fitter and harder all the time.

Wales is struggling (like England has been ) Scotland, plenty of heart, not quite enough guts.

France, dangerous, on a good day . An absolute disaster other days like you say.

England, some of my real favourites are back (jonny, Jason & Phil) I think they are fantastic players. This tournament, who knows. maybe trying to relive past glories ?

I still think England & Ireland could end up fighting it out in the end. Maybe its patriotism, or maybe I feel that they still have the goods, but just havent shown it over the last year ?

Whatever, I'll be there Saturday, an i'm gonna love it !!

I won't be ther,not lucky enough to have a ticket but i will be watching on a big screen,guinness in hand.
Your points are quite correct as well Sir!
The Irish are a good unit,my only concern is little Peter Stringer at 9,he's lucky he plays behind a fantastic pack who guard him and give him time,he's getting older now and a little slower ball out to o'Gara,still quality tho.

When I work out the cost of buying tickets on ebay, driving 4.5 hours to calais, euro tunnel, then almost 2 hours to mum & dads, drive to windsor on saturday, train to twickenham, train back, drive to folkestone on Sunday, eurotunnel , another 4.5 hours drive back to the hague, I must be bloody bonkers.

I can fly to Oz cheaper ! and almost as quick !!

But its gonna be worth it. My lad is 11, and he has never experienced anything like Twickenham. Before we ship out in July, I think he deserves a little treat. (me as well )

On a more serious note, I agree about Stringer. I have to be honest, I have never liked the guy as a player, I was always back row, and players like him used to really get on my tits. Always just stepping over the line, and getting away with it. They normally ended up getting sacked as hard as possible just about on the verge of being legal

those where the days.........

Ahh good,another forward! whats reckon on Vickery then??match fit??
Wilko/farrel/Robinson...very nervous about them i have to say...Ellis at 9......wrong.

The way English sport is going at themoment I'm frightened to look in case we get creamed by Italy

I think Vickery will be fit enough, I cant see him playing the full game anyway. Wilko & Farrel I dont know enough about them to comment really, but I love Robinson and if England can stand their ground, which is their strongest asset, i'm sure we will see the Jason Robinson we know and love.

Ellis always reminds me of Harry potter. A wuss placed in a position of power. Harry Potter always finishes the job in the end, Ellis.......

cmon, they aren't that bad...........

I hope.

Harry Potter...thats very good,i like that!!
Perry/richards at #9 imo
shame about dan ward smith @#8,him and perry at 8/9 would be good to see in England shirts,they play so well at club level together,real shame

Agreed,not that bad,although the Argy game last year was a low point.

Over here you are either a forward or a Lesbian.

At 6 2" and 17 stone, I never did look good in drag

I missed that one "unfortunately"

congratulations rugbymad, you have just hit the 1000 !!!

welcome to the BS club

If Wilko makes it through the game I'll be highly impressed... Would think the Scottish openside is looking forward to this game in particular...

I much much prefer Ashton and his team to that idiot Robinson... Wouldn't be surprised to see a completely different game than the last 10 or whatever under Robinson...