Rugby

The 6 Nations starts tomorrow so I thought it would be a good time to start a thread on rugby where we can discuss the 6 Nations, the Heinken Cup , the Lions Tour, Tri-Nations and the world cup in a few years. There should be a bit of interest in rugby from members from Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Italy, Australia and New zealand.

I think we should concentrate on 6 nations for awhile and then onto the Heineken Cup etc when the q/finals take place. Munster is my local team in that, was at the Heinken Cup semi final last year when we lost to London wasps eventual champions. wasps have however been knocked out in the group stage this year, Munster still there but not playing as well as last year. I think Toulouse will win this year.

For those of you who dont know the Heinken Cup is rugby's equivalent to the champions league while the 6 Nations is international and similar to the european championship.

the 6 nations matches at the weekend are Wales V England, France v Scotland and Italy v Ireland. I am very hopeful this will be Irelands year after coming second for a few years. Our backline of Murphy, Horgan, Darcy, O' Driscoll (surely the lions captain?) and Hickie is our best ever back line. england and France will also fancy their chances and rightly so.

Here is a preview:

RBS 6 NATIONS TOURNAMENT 2005
Intriguing and involving as ever, the 2005 RBS 6 Nations Championship will be the absorbing highlight of the rugby year.

Champions France will need to be at the top of their game against the toughest opposition possible: world champions England, 2004 Triple Crown winners Ireland, resurgent Wales, ever-improving Italy and a Scotland side determined to forget last year's wooden spoon. French coach Bernard Laporte enjoyed a 2004 Grand Slam, but the Autumn revealed chinks in Les Bleus' armour.

Tough away matches at Twickenham and Lansdowne Road will be true tests of their title credentials.

England lost their grip on the title after a world-beating 2003. But in 2004, the red rose nation lost their northern hemisphere dominance and a list of championship winning players - and, ultimately, inspirational coach Sir Clive Woodward.

Woodward's deputy Andy Robinson has stepped in, and masterminded victory over Tri-Nations champions South Africa ahead of his debut RBS 6 Nations campaign.

In 2004, Eddie O'Sullivan's Ireland pushed France all the way, only blotting their copy book with defeat in Paris. England and France must travel to Ireland's Lansdowne Road stronghold, where victory is a Herculean task.

Ireland enter 2005 full of confidence following a clean sweep of Autumn victories and this well-balanced team could be celebrating success come March.

There is a real belief that Wales, under Mike Ruddock, are on the brink of something special.

Eleven years after their last Five Nations' Championship and following such promise under Steve Hansen, Ruddock's men are desperate to finally nail the major scalp. And how sweet it would be if they opened with a home win over England. Ruddock succeeded Hansen in 2004 and is committed to playing attractive, attacking rugby, with plenty of talent at his disposal.

John Kirwan's goal when taking over as Italy coach three years ago was to ensure the Azzurri remained competitive. And he believes they are. The coach, though, feels they must aim higher than their best-placed finish of fifth in 2004.

Autumn wins over Canada and USA raised spirits, but they were counter-balanced by defeats to Romania and a youthful New Zealand. Matt Williams knows Scotland must improve on their 2004 RBS 6 Nations whitewash.

Coming into 2005, Williams has found success hard to come by. But a season finale at Twickenham against the Auld Enemy awaits, and what better way would there be to sign off?