6 Nations 2010 - Rugby Union

Wales must stop pressing self-destruct button
Feb 27 2010 by Paul Abbandonato, Western Mail
Comment (1)Recommend Wales 20-26 France

WARREN GATLAND bemoaned his Wales players for “pressing the self-destruct button” as our Six Nations title hopes went up in smoke at the Millennium Stadium.

France continued their march for the 2010 Grand Slam after being gifted two first-half interception tries and raced into a 20-0 lead by the interval.

Gatland’s men staged a remarkable second-half fightback, even threatening another Scotland-style comeback in front of an enthralled Millennium Stadium crowd.

But the French proved sturdier opposition than Scotland, weathered the storm and ran out 26-20 winners to lift their hopes of a clean sweep.

Wales have to beat Ireland at Croke Park in a fortnight’s time to ensure the top-three finish Gatland set as a pre-tournament target.

Gatland said: “I’m immensely proud of the way the players fought back in the second half and never gave up.”

But he conceded: “The soft tries we gave away in the first half cost us. We’ve got to stop pushing the self-destruct button.

“There are things we need to work on in training before the next game to ensure we don’t make so many errors again.

“France didn’t really threaten our try line in the whole game.

“I told the team at half-time to just go back out there and play. I’m proud of the way they responded and we almost pulled it off again.

“France never really threatened our line, they got two intercepts and kicked four penalties, but never really got into our 22.

“If we hadn’t conceded soft tries in the first half it was a game for us to win.

“But I think France will go on from here and win the Grand Slam. They are good enough.”

Shane Williams, who else, raced over for yet another Test try to celebrate his 33rd birthday with his 50th touchdown for Wales.

It was also a score which saw Williams pull clear of Western Mail columnist Gareth Edwards as Wales’ record try-scorer in the Championship with 19.

But Williams said: “I would have given my try up for a Wales win.

“I found the night very frustrating because sometimes you get punished for trying to play rugby. We started positively, but two intercepts made it very difficult for us. Sometimes we try to play too much and it was catch-up in the second half again.

“We put in a huge effort after the break and were hopeful again. “But it wasn’t to be. They started the game well and made things difficult for us.”

Alexis Palission and Francois Trinh-Duc scored the French interception tries, while Williams and Leigh Halfpenny responded in a better Welsh second-half performance.

Wales scrum-half great Edwards said: “I’m delighted a player as superb as Shane should break my Wales try record for the Championship. Once again, it was a truly brilliant individual effort. What a great player Shane is.

“It’s just such a shame we gave France too much of a start

Hi Bob.
I am still cring into my tea this morning. What a game, hope the 2 games today are just as good.
Its." Bread of heaven". Bob

Friday night action in Six Nations looks set to stay
Feb 27 2010 by Simon Thomas, Western Mail
Add a commentRecommend LIGHTS, camera, action! The Six Nations Friday night experience came to Cardiff yesterday on an historic occasion for British rugby.

This was the first time a championship match had been played in Wales – or any of the Home Nations for that matter – on a Friday evening, breaking yet more new ground for a tournament that has gone through plenty of changes over the past decade.

Ten years on from the expansion from the Five to the Six Nations, the competition is now bigger business than ever before.

It’s the richest annual rugby tournament in the world, generating millions of pounds each year and effectively keeping the sport afloat in the northern hemisphere.

And of course it’s cash that’s been the driving force behind the Friday experiment, with he who pays the piper calling the tune.

A huge slice of the competition revenue is generated by the broadcasting deal and the TV bosses were keen to see a repeat of last year’s successful innovation in Paris.

That first Friday night Six Nations match – between France and Wales – produced impressive viewing figures and was always likely to be replicated this year.

TV moguls liked the numbers watching the box, while the tournament organisers and sponsors would have loved the enhanced profile secured for the event.

So here we are again, with the Welsh Rugby Union having agreed to stage a repeat of last year’s late-night Parisian thriller.

WRU chairman David Pickering – who dubbed yesterday’s event “a special championship moment” in the match programme – is convinced it’s a development worth persevering with.

“We are delighted to be involved in the on-going experiment,” said the former Wales captain. “The match in Paris last year generated the biggest TV audience for a game in France at an average of 5.9 million and TV audiences throughout the UK, Ireland and Italy where the second largest of all the 15 tournament games, at 11 million.

“We had a sell-out Stade de France crowd, a tremendous atmosphere and produced one of the best matches of the tournament for the neutral.

“Our rugby clubs reported a genuine positive impact from the Friday night fixture with clubhouses around Wales full to the rafters and record takings being reported in their bars.

“The practice will be reviewed after the two-year period agreed by the Six Nations board and properly evaluated, but we have seen genuine reasons for saying the experiment is a successful one
Thats all from. "The land of song" To LOS

England Stats are one off the best in the 6 Nations.

Its not all doom & gloom?

Statistics
Overall Stats (all stats from 1992 onwards)
Team: EnglandAppearances: 85Champions: 6Wins: 60Draws: 0Losses: 25Overall Home Away Total Points For 2373
Total Points Against 1280
Total Tries For 247
Total Tries Against 99
Total Conversions For 180
Total Conversions Against 68
Total Penalty Goals For 218
Total Penalty Goals Against 180
Total Drop Goals For 25
Total Drop Goals Against 20
Biggest Win 80 - 23 (v Italy 2001)
Heaviest Defeat 13 - 43 (v Ireland 2007)
Most Consecutive Wins 9
Most Consecutive Defeats 4
Most Points In A Match 80 (v Italy 2001)
Most Tries In A Match 10 (v Italy 2001)
Most Conversions In A Match 9 (v Italy 2001)
Most Penalty Goals In A Match 7 (v Scotland 1995)
Most Drop Goals In A Match 2 (v France

Martin Johnson
Johnson laments sloppy England
28 February 2010, 7:14 amBy SportsbeatManager Martin Johnson admitted that his side should have not let their lead slip after Ireland ruined any chances of a first England Grand Slam since 2003 at Twickenham.Clinical finishing from two-try hero Tommy Bowe and some resilient defending were the cornerstones behind the victory but England did go ahead with less than ten minutes to go through a Jonny Wilkinson drop-goal.

Ireland ran out 20-16 victors and Johnson said: “We didn’t help ourselves - when you get ahead you need to stay there, the game turns on those things.

“It was good play from them and not good defence from us.”

After mounting criticism for the lacklustre nature of England’s style, Johnson surprisingly said that he felt they might have been a little too ambitious at times.

He said: “At times we tried to play too much and got turned over. Maybe we should have pegged them back and put them under pressure.

"It comes back to the same old things - if you take chances and score tries you’ll probably end up winning.”

The result leaves the Championship at the mercy of France who remain the only unbeaten

JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THE COURT CASE.

Andy Powell banned and fined for buggy ride
Mar 2 2010 By Tim Lewis, WalesOnline
Comments (10)Recommend (1) 12next
WALES star Andy Powell told police: “I am an idiot” when he was arrested for driving a golf buggy whilst unfit through drink.

The 28-year-old was today disqualified from driving for 15 months and fined £1,000 for driving a buggy down the hardshoulder of the M4 in the early hours of Valentines Day.

Powell pleaded guilty to a single charge of driving a mechanically propelled vehicle whilst unfit through drink at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court this morning.

Prosecuting solicitor Katy Pidgeon, said Powell had told police he decided to drive a golf buggy from the Vale Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort off Junction 34 of the M4 to a service station one-and-a-half miles down the motorway to get some “munchies”.

She said: “An officer found him sat in the buggy with a friend on the forecourt of the petrol station.

“Mr Powell told the officer, ‘This isn’t his fault, I was driving, I am an idiot’.”

The officer noticed he was slurring his words and asked him to take a breath test, which he failed.

She added: “He was then arrested and said to the officer, ‘Driving a golf buggy down the M4, I’m a professional rugby player, what have I done?’.”

A second breath test was taken at the police station and his lowest reading was 58 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Defending, his solicitor Conrad Gadd said Brecon-born Powell had been out celebrating Wales’ last-gasp win over Scotland at the Millennium Stadium, in which he had played 49 minutes.

He said Powell had returned to the Vale Resort and stopped drinking shortly after midnight following a night out in Cardiff city centre.

Mr Gadd said: “He woke about 5.30am and there was a discussion about going to get some food.

“It started off as a prank. At the time he did not realise the dangers of his actions, he does now.

“As soon as he was arrested he realised he had made a mistake and without a moment’s hesitation he accepted the blame for the matter.

“There was no-one to say he was the one who was driving, that came from his mouth, if he had declined to answer any questions he would not be here today.

“When I asked him why he had told police what had happened, he said he was not prepared to lie.”

Mr Gadd described Powell’s actions as “foolhardy” and “foolish” adding: “He is regretful that any young boy who may see him as a hero might think this behaviour is acceptable and he wants to make it plain that it isn’t.”

The magistrate, Dr Alan Hodgson, made no further comment after disqualifying Powell from driving for 15 months other than to say his ban will be reduced by four months if he completes a driving rehabilitation course.

As well as the £1,000 fine he will have to pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £15.

Following the case, Powell refused to speak to the waiting media but issued a statement through his agent Mike Burton.

In it, he said: “I fully accept the decision and sentence of the court today.

“In doing so I am mindful of those whom I have let down by my actions and I again offer a full public apology, especially to my fans who have been so supportive, my family, who have stood by me, and the senior officers, management and coaching staff of both the WRU and Cardiff Blues.

“I would also like to thank the police officers involved in the incident and the management of the Vale Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort for the sympathetic way that they dealt with the situation.

“I now intend to put this matter behind me and to get on with my Rugby career and the remainder of the Cardiff Blues season. I still have aspirations to play for my country which means so much to me.

“I realise that many young sportsmen and women look up to international rugby players and that some of them may be amused by my antics with a golf buggy. However, they should note my regret and be aware that I do not excuse or condone drink driving in any

Hi there Bob.
What a disappointing weekend for rugby fans[unless you are French] The only good thing that happend this weekend was the sun came out. So i recorded all the matches and got out into my garden in the nice spring weather
Then watched the matches in the night.

France are by far the best side in this competition this year by a mile. England had better watch out next satuday because France are going for the Grand Slam and they will want to rub Englands nose in it! This is the last match next Saturday and should be the best one to watch. But of coarse i will be supporting WALES and watching all 3 games.

Mallett delight at Italian Magners League boost
16 March 2010, 8:37 amBy SportsbeatAzzurri boss Nick Mallett believes the entry of two Italian teams into the Magners League is the single most important moment in the national's side recent history.From next season, Benetton Treviso and Aironi Rugby will compete home and away against the Celtic nations after a four-year agreement was signed last week.
That exposure to top-level rugby on a regular basis is the first step to making Italy a force in the world game according to Mallett but he warned it maybe some time before signs of progress are seen on the pitch.

He said: “It is a critical moment in the history of Italian rugby – I can’t think of an event that can match its long-term importance.

“I have pushed very hard for this for a long time. The quality of the rugby in the Italian Championship is no better than amateur club rugby in South Africa.

“It is impossible for players to prepare for the demands of international rugby when they are playing at such a poor level of rugby.

“My only frustration was that it did not happen five years ago because that could have changed the course of Italian rugby and we are five years behind where we could be.

“It will take time for the national side to feel the effects of these changes and I imagine there will be some poor results in the short term.

“But in the long-term this is crucial to allowing Italy to compete as an equal in the Six Nations.”

Mallett’s first priority is to persuade the likes of Italy captain Leonardo Ghiraldini and standout No.8 Alessandro Zanni that their futures remain in their homeland despite interest from a host of elite European clubs.

While the likes of Martin Castrogiovanni and Sergio Parrise are always going to be out of the Italian Rugby Union’s price range, Mallett is already making moves to bring former captain Marco Bortolami back from an unhappy spell at Gloucester.

The days of former Wallabies and All Blacks picking up big-figure pay checks in Italy are also at an end with Mallett imposing a five-foreigner rule and all would have to be eligible for Italian citizenship.

He added: “It would not just be a case of signing up a lot of former All Black half-backs – we want different players to offer their experience in a variety of positions who can help with development and be available one day to play international rugby.

“Not losing our best players is the first step in the right direction. That enables us to choose the number of games they play a year and stop them being at the beck and call of clubs who pay their wages.

“At the moment we are handicapped by not being able to manage our squad during the Six Nations but we believe we can offer players an attractive proposition in guaranteeing how many games they will play a year.

“It is not just about playing against a better quality of opposition, it is also about getting players used to playing in front of big crowds and with a much higher quality of referee which makes a huge

Just a bit of history about the 6 Nations to finnish off with! Hope you find this interesting?

History
HistoryIn 1871, England and Scotland played the first rugby union international. After 12 years of occasional friendly matches between the teams, the inaugural Home International Championship, comprising England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales was played in 1883. England won the first series, along with a Triple Crown. Up until 1893, England and Scotland were the only champions, with Wales winning their first title that season. Ireland won their first title the following season. The 1908 and 1909 championships won by Wales, although won during the Home Nations era, could be regarded as Grand Slams, as they also defeated France both seasons.
In 1910 the French, who had played in four of the tournaments up to that point, officially joined the competition and coined the phrase "Five Nations". England won the first championship of the new era, with the Welsh achieving the first Grand Slam the following year. The competition was suspended during World War I (1914-18). In 1931, France were ejected from the tournament, which reverted to being the "Home Nations" from 1932 through to 1939. The competition was suspended again during World War II (1939-1945). With France back in the competition, the Five Nations resumed in 1947, with a shared victory for England and Wales. France won their first shared title in 1954, and their first outright title in 1959.

By the 1970s the Five Nations Championship had become the pre-eminent series in Northern hemisphere rugby union with matches becoming all-ticket affairs, gaining huge popularity and a large television audience. The 1972 tournament was not finished after Scotland and Wales refused to play in Dublin. The season after was unique for a five-way tie, with every nation having won and lost two games. The 1970s marked the golden age for Welsh rugby; winning three Grand Slams and one Triple Crown during the decade. Until 1993, there was no tangible reward for winning the Five Nations championship. The Trophy was presented for the first time in 1993 to France.

France were the first winners of the new trophy, followed by Wales and then England. Scotland's first success came in season 1998-99 with Ireland being the latest winners in 2009. Scotland was the last nation to win the Five Nations Trophy as such because Italy joined the competition in 2000 and the tournament became known as the "Six Nations Championship". England were the first nation to win the trophy under the new format, winning the 2000 competition.

Played annually, the format of the Championship is simple: each team plays every other team once, with home field advantage alternating from one year to the next. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. Unlike most other rugby union competitions the bonus point system is not used.

Victory in every game results in a 'Grand Slam'. Back to back Grand Slams have been achieved on five occasions, by Wales in 1908/1909, by England in 1913/1914, 1923/1924 and 1991/1992 and by France in 1997/1998. England holds the record for the number of Grand Slams won with 12, followed by Wales with 10, France with 8, Scotland with 3 and Ireland with 2.

Victory by any Home Nation over the other three Home Nations is a 'Triple Crown'. The Triple Crown has twice been won on four consecutive occasions, once by Wales in 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979 and once by England in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998. England hold the record for the number of Triple Crowns won with 23, followed by Wales with 19, Scotland with 10 and Ireland with 10. Although this achievement has long been a feature of the tournament, it was not until 2006 that a physical trophy, commissioned by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was awarded.

The last-placed nation at the end of the tournament is said to have won the (purely figurative) Wooden Spoon.

Several individual competitions take place under the umbrella of the tournament. The oldest such regular competition is for the Calcutta Cup, contested annually between England and Scotland since 1879. Since 1988, the Millennium Trophy has been awarded to the winner of the game between England and Ireland. Since 2007, France and Italy also have their own trophy: the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy; it was created for the 200th anniversary of the Italian hero who helped unify Italy, Giuseppe Garibaldi, who was born in Nizza in 1807; the city became subsequently French with the current name of Nice in 1859.

Prior to 1994, teams equal on points shared the championship. After that date, ties were broken by considering the points difference of the teams. In 2005 Wales won the Grand Slam, becoming the first team ever to win a Grand Slam playing more games away than at home, a feat repeated by Ireland winning the last Grand Slam in 2009.

In 2006, France won the competition on points difference over Ireland. Ireland received the consolation prize of the Triple Crown Trophy, presented for the first time that year. Italy once more collected the Wooden Spoon, but showed considerable improvement over past years, earning a first-ever competition point away from home in a draw against Wales.

In 2007, France again won on points difference after four teams had at least a mathematical chance of topping the table going into the final week. The Italians achieved their first away win of the tournament beating Scotland in Edinburgh. It was also the first time they won two of their matches as they went on to beat Wales in Rome. Scotland won the wooden spoon and Ireland won the Triple Crown for the second straight year and third time in four years.

The following year, Wales repeated their Grand Slam heroics of 2005 and their triumph owed everything to a startling comeback in their opening match against England. New coach Warren Gatland saw his side trailing by a 13-point deficit only for England to press the self-destruct button as Mike Phillips’ 70th minute try sealed an incredible 26-19 victory. Wales never looked back after that, dispatching Scotland 30-15, Italy 47-8, Ireland 16-12, and finally France 29-12. Winger Shane Williams’ six tries earned him the RBS Player of the Championship award. England, who reached the final of the World Cup in 2007, were forced to play runners-up as they finished ahead of France with both teams winning three of their matches. Italy finished bottom but had the consolation of a 23-20 victory over Scotland in Rome.


2009 was the year Ireland finally broke their Grand Slam hoodoo dating back to 1948. And while the fireworks of the previous year took place in the opening match, all the drama of the 2009 Championship was concentrated into the final match between Wales and Ireland at the Millennium Stadium. The Triple Crown was on the line for both teams and a 13-point Welsh victory would have been enough for Warren Gatland to lift his second consecutive Championship. Ultimately Irish fly-half Ronan O’Gara’s drop goal was the kick that secured a 17-15 victory but there was so nearly one final twist in the tale.
With the final kick of the game Welsh stand-off Stephen Jones just missed with a 50m penalty that would have seen the 61 years of Irish agony continue. That defeat allowed England to take second place in Martin Johnson’s first RBS 6 Championship in the Twickenham hotseat while winless Italy took the Wooden Spoon for the second year running. The match between France and Wales in Paris was the first Championship game to be played on a Friday night