General Chat

Hiya Shaun ..My Right-Hand-Man!!!! :-)

Did you see my post of 17:02 about Adam Jones retiring? :-( :-( :-(

WALES NEWS:

There has been some GOOD News and some SAD news in the rugby world today!


THE GOOD NEWS:

Wales' first choice Tighthead Prop (3) SAMSON LEE is now FIT for selection for the Starting Line-out for Wales' opening game against England next Friday Evening.

Samson Lee had been suffering from a neck injury.
Wales Forwards Coach Robin McBryde has said that Lee's neck is now stronger than it's ever been :-)


THE SAD NEWS:

It was announced this evening that Former Wales Forward, and Cardiff Blues Captain ANDRIES PRETORIUS has been forced to retire from Rugby at the age of just 29!

Andries has been diagnosed with the AUTO-IMMUNE DISORDER- ISAAC'S SYNDROME (Neuromyotonia) :-(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuromyotonia

This rare condition prevents the muscles from recovering from exercise.


I know Wales Rugby Union fans will be very saddened to hear this news.
Like me, I know they would like to wish Andries well for the future :-) :-)

THIS TIME NEXT WEEK....


FRIDAY 6th FEBRUARY

WALES v ENGLAND :-) :-) :-)
at the Millennium Stadium Cardiff.

KICK-OFF 8-05pm


LIVE ON BBC 1 ~ BBC Radio Wales ~ BBC Radio Cymru ~ BBC Radio 5 Live ~
(please check your TV / Radio Guides for your area) .....

........and RADIO JEM ;-)



Join me here, on this thread to cheer on your team

I will be cheering <3 <3 W-A-L-E-S <3 <3

But you can cheer on England if you really want to ;-) ;-) ;-)
because EVERYONE IS WELCOME ..... ALL IN GOOD FUN :-D :-D :-D

SIX NATIONS INJURY NEWS

WALES:

Wales has had their 1st injury scare! :-(

JONATHAN DAVIES, Wales Centre, has been suffering from a "minor tight glute".
Hopefully, he will be fit to play in Wales' opening match v England, Friday Evening.

Good News-
Wales' Hooker (2) KEN OWENS has recovered from the neck injury that prevented his inclusion in the Wales Squad.He will now be available for call-up.



ENGLAND:

England is having huge injury problems. Five of their players have been ruled out of the entire Six Nations Tournament. A further seven players have been ruled out for the opening stages.

ENGLAND PLAYERS RULED OUT FOR WHOLE SEASON:

Ben Foden , Full Back (Knee)
Owen Farrell, Fly Half (Knee)
Ben Morgan, Eightman (Leg)
Joe Launchbury, Lock (Neck)
Ed Slater, Lock (Knee)

ENGLAND PLAYERS OUT FOR OPENING STAGES:

Manu Tuilagi, Centre (Groin)
Dan Cole, Prop (Ankle)
Courtney Lawes, Lock (Ankle)
Geoff Parling, Lock (Knee)
Kyle Eastmond, Centre (Shoulder)
Brad Barritt, Centre (Knee)
Tom Wood, Flanker (Ankle)


SIX NATIONS OPENING GAME:

WALES <3 v ENGLAND
Friday Evening, February 6th 2015
Kick-Off 8-05pm

Live on BBC 1, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, Radio 5 Live, and...
.....RADIO JEM ;-) ;-)


Join me on this thread to cheer on your team!

I will be shouting W-A-L-E-S <3
You can shout for England if you really want to;-) ;-)

Because EVERYONE is welcome whoever you support :-) :-) :-)

BUT ALL IN GOOD FUN AND SPORTSMANSHIP :-) :-) :-)

Thanks for the postings, can't wait for Friday, will have the cheese and biccies ready or the bread and pate along with the Prosecco. Hope for Wales to win. :-D

Hi ShelleyRose :-)

Welcome to the Rugby Thread! :-)

I see you are supporting Wales! <3 Are you Welsh?

Although predominantly a Welsh Rugby Thread, I try always to be fair, and I would like to hope that my GR friends from other countries, enjoy the thread too! :-)


Please join us if you are able to, on Friday night, to cheer on our team! :-)

DEAF RUGBY!!!!!

I've never heard of it before!

WALES DEAF 18 ~~ ENGLAND DEAF 5

Wales Deaf took on England Deaf at Cardiff Arms Park to secure an 18-5 win!

http://walesdeafrugby.co.uk/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sportacademy/hi/sa/rugby_union/features/newsid_2264000/2264486.stm

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

WALES' STARTING LINE-UP TO FACE ENGLAND IS ANNOUNCED!

48 Hours earlier than scheduled!:-0 :-D


HERE IS THE WALES <3 TEAM:


BACKS:
15- Leigh Halfpenny
14- Alex Cuthbert
13- Jonathan Davies
12- Jamie Roberts
11- George North
10- Dan Biggar
9- Rhys Webb

FORWARDS:
1- Gethin Jenkins
2- Richard Hibbard
3- Samson Lee
4- Jake Ball
5- Alun Wyn Jones
6- Dan Lydiate
7- Sam Warburton (CAPT)
8- Taulupe Faletau .

Replacements:
16- Scott Baldwin, 17- Paul James, 18- Aaron Jarvis, 19- Luke Charteris, 20- Justin Tipuric, 21- Mike Phillips, 22- Rhys Priestland, 23- Liam Williams.


Warren Gatland has picked a Tried and Trusted team to face England, with some great replacement options on the bench!


Thanks to my Colleague, TWM o PONT PANDY for his hopeful prediction-
Wales 30 - England 3;-) ;-)

Well, who knows? :-D :-D :-D

But what Twm ;-) really wants, more than anything else, is to see a wonderful game, with the best team winning!
.......Good Sportsmanship Twm :-)


ENGLAND'S STARTING LINE-UP WILL BE ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY....
.....So watch this space! :-)


WALES v ENGLAND
Friday Evening, 6th February
Kick-Off 8-05pm

Live on BBC1, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, Radio 5 Live, and Radio Jem ;-)

ALL WELCOME :-) :-) :-)

SAM WARBURTON ~ 50th WALES CAP

Wales’ Captain, Sam Warburton, will win his 50th cap for Wales, when he leads his team out to face England on Friday Evening.

The Cardiff Blues Flanker made his Wales debut against the USA in 2009.

Sam, who Captained Wales in the 2011 World Cup, was the youngest player ever to have done so.

Sam also seems set to overtake the Wales’ Captaincy record, set by the lovely Ryan Jones (33 times), during this Six Nations Tournament.

He has represented his country at all levels, including being Captain of Wales Under 18s, Under 19s and Under 20s.

Sam was a keen footballer while at Whitchurch High School. He played for the school’s Football team alongside Wales and Real Madrid footballer, Gareth Bale!

Sam is one of Identical Twin Brothers. His slightly older brother Ben is now a physiotherapist for the Newport Gwent Youth Academy.


PROFILE:

Name: SAM KENNEDY-WARBURTON
Born: October 5th 1988 at Cardiff, South Wales
Height: 6ft 2ins
Weight: 16st 10lbs
School: Whitchurch High School

RUGBY UNION CAREER:
Position: Flanker

CLUBS:

2006-2009 > Glamorgan Wanderers ..... 27 Caps
2009- present > Cardiff Blues ............... 79 Caps

NATIONAL TEAMS:

2007-2008 > Wales U20s ....................... 9 Caps
2009- present > Wales .......................... 49 Caps
2013 > British and Irish Lions .................. 2 Caps


CONGRATULATIONS SAM<3

And here's to a win on Friday ;-) ;-) ;-)

NEW ENGLAND INJURY NEWS!!!!

Once again, injury has hit the England squad!

Tighthead Prop (3) DAVID WILSON has now also been ruled out of England's opening game v Wales on Friday Evening.

David has sustained a neck injury.

The England Squad's casualty list still stands at 12 players ruled out, of either the earlier games of the tournament, or the whole season, however.

This is because, although still suffering from "Nerve Impingement Issues", Prop DAN COLE, earlier ruled out of the opening matches, has now been declared fit to play on Friday Evening.

Hello Radio Jem.

A few songs for you and who ever pops in .



MAX

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNFI659YwAI


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np8xufcOztM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-EKY7z_jeE



CERYS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKX4m_l1_Qk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Axw_i0WxMk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ICXrhPSxIM


Shaun

Thanks Shaun :-)

I will enjoy those songs very much!

And thanks for posting "Cousin" Cerys ;-) :-D



Cerys Matthews (Ex Catatonia Lead Singer)'s Great, Great Aunt married my Great, Great Uncle :-D :-D

WARREN GATLAND ANNOUNCED HIS WALES TEAM TODAY......
.........48 HOURS EARLY! :-0 :-0 :-0


Wales’ Head Coach, Warren Gatland, has shown his hand, in announcing his starting line-up to face England on Friday Evening, 2 days early!

Gatland’s reason.. “"We decided to name the team early, to give the players the best possible chance of preparation," said Gatland.


I’m not sure what I think of this decision. My first thought was that it will also give England more time to prepare themselves, being armed with this knowledge too!



SCRUM V SIX NATIONS SPECIAL:

The team selection was hotly debated on Scrum V Six Nations Special last night.
Little did they know then, that Wales' Team Selection Announcement would come today!


TV Rugby Analyst for BBC WALES SCRUM V, SEAN HOLLEY made a case for the inclusion of LIAM WILLIAMS and SCOTT WILLIAMS in the starting line-up in “Sean’s Spotlight”.

SEAN'S SPOTLIGHT....ON LIAM WILLIAMS

LIAM WILLIAMS said Sean, “Is a player capable of breaking down modern defences with his refreshing willingness to counterattack from deep, with a creative spark often lacking in this Welsh team.” He said that Liam is “Fearless in the air, but technically astute” and that he keeps his eyes firmly on the ball.

He went on to praise Liam Williams for his “Amazing Offload Skills".


THE PROBLEM WARREN GATLAND WOULD HAVE WITH THIS, IS WHO TO LEAVE OUT! :-S :-S :-S

Liam Williams is best at Full Back (15) which would mean either replacing ALEX CUTHBERT at 14 with LEIGH HALFPENNY, or leaving Leigh out altogether.
With Leigh being first choice kicker, this would be almost unthinkable! :-| :-| :-|

Although we do have the excellent DAN BIGGAR, also a world class kicker, as Fly Half.


SEAN HOLLEY NEXT MAKES THE CASE FOR SCOTT WILLIAMS

SCOTT WILLIAMS, said Holley, is an “All-Action Centre in the form of his life!”
“A super-strong ball carrier.... with confidence and real pace”.

Since Captaining The Scarlets, Holley said, "he has grown in Leadership and maturity”, also that he is “powerful, quickly turns defence into attack with a strong ripping game”.


The problem with including Scott in the starting line-up is that he would have to replace JAMIE ROBERTS at 12! :-0 :-0 :-0


SO WHAT DID THE SCRUM V PANEL THINK OF “SEAN’S SPOTLIGHT”??

Presenter Ross Harries talked to 3 former Rugby Union Internationals-

JONATHAN (Jiffy) DAVIES (Wales 1985 - 1997)
JEREMY GUSCOTT (England 1989 - 1999)
MARTIN WILLIAMS (Wales 1996 – 2012)


JONATHAN DAVIES declared that the two Williams boys may well be the “on form” players, but “IT WON’T HAPPEN” he said!
"Warren Gatland will go for with the tried and tested JAMIE ROBERTS, a key player for Wales" but Scott Williams will be great back up, he said.

Also Jonathan said that he believed that LEIGH HALFPENNY would be in the starting team.


JEREMY GUSCOTT also championed Jamie Roberts, saying that Jamie is the “Best Inside Centre in the world”.
Also, “When he’s on his best form, which he showed all last season- Wales flogged him, he played every single game of the Autumn Season, he’s superb”.


MARTIN WILLIAMS also agreed with Jerry Guscott.
Defensively, Jamie was “outstanding in the Autumn series... his physical presence and partnership with Jon Davies is crucial”.
He went on to praise Scott Williams however, saying that “Scott has been outstanding this year!”


Scrum V’s Presenter, ROSS HARRIES, added “Liam Williams relishes an unstructured game- Halfpenny, rightly or wrongly, seems a safer, and more reliable, pair of hands".


THE CONCLUSSION of the Scrum V Panel was that they thought Warren Gatland would go with the tried and tested Leigh Halfpenny and Jamie Roberts, with Liam Williams and Scott Williams providing back up!


Were they right? See for your selves.....

HERE AGAIN IS WALES’ STARTING LINE-OUT

15 Leigh Halfpenny; 14 Alex Cuthbert; 13 Jonathan Davies; 12 Jamie Roberts; 11 George North; 10 Dan Biggar; 9 Rhys Webb; 1 Gethin Jenkins; 2 Richard Hibbard; 3 Samson Lee; 4 Jake Ball; 5 Alun Wyn Jones; 6 Dan Lydiate; 7 Sam Warburton(CAPT); 8 Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin;17 Paul James; 18 Aaron Jarvis; 19 Luke Charteris; 20 Justin Tipuric; 21 Mike Phillips; 22 Rhys Priestland; 23 Liam Williams.

A TRIED AND TRUSTED TEAM! :-) :-) <3

ARE WE ALL GETTING EXCITED? :-D :-D :-D

Not long to go now!

THE OPENING OF THIS YEAR'S SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP....


WALES<3 v ENGLAND
This Friday Evening, February 6th ....Kick-Off 8-05pm


BBC1, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, Radio 5 Live .....
........and RADIO JEM ;-):-D :-D

*NB Please check your TV/ Radio Guides for your own areas.


PLEASE JOIN ME IF YOU ARE ABLE, ON THIS THREAD, TO CHEER ON YOUR TEAM...Whichever team you want to cheer on, that's ok!
But all in good sportsmanship! :-) :-) :-) :-)


Although predominantly a Welsh Rugby Thread, I shall be covering all the matches, and commenting with fairness :-) :-)

and please feel free to post your comments, items of interest, or your support for your country's team!


SEE YOU FRIDAY EVENING!!!! :-)

SIX NATIONS BRAND NEW TROPHY

The Six Nations Tournament Winners of 2015 will be presented with a brand new trophy!

Designed and crafted by world famous Silversmiths Thomas Lyte, it is made of 7kgs of Sterling Silver, with gold plated handles. On the lid is a Rugby Ball and a Crown.

The new trophy is only the second trophy since 1883 to be created, for what many consider Rugby’s Greatest Championship. The 1993 edition is being retired, as it reflected the tournament when it was the Five Nations Championship.

The new trophy has six sides, with each side representing one of the Six Nations competing in the championship, bearing that nations crest. The six countries being England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, and since the year 2000, Italy.

On the plinth, the names of the past winners will be transferred with space for future winners of the championship.


How proud will the winning captain be, on being presented with this stunning new trophy on behalf of his team! :-) :-) :-)

THE ENGLAND TEAM IS ANNOUNCED!

Stuart Lancaster has announced his starting line-up to face Wales in Cardiff on Friday Evening.

Here is the English Team:

BACKS:
15. Mike Brown
14. Anthony Watson
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Luther Burrell
11. Jonny May
10. George Ford
9. Ben Youngs

FORWARDS:
1. Joe Marler
2. Dylan Hartley
3. Dan Cole
4. David Attwood
5. George Kruis
6. James Haskell
7. Chris Robshaw (Captain)
8. Billy Vunipola

REPLACEMENTS:
16. Tom Youngs
17. Mako Vunipola
18. Kieran Brookes
19. Tom Croft
20. Nick Easter
21. Richard Wigglesworth
22. Danny Cipriani
23. Billy Twelvetrees



THE BIG GAME!

WALES <3 v ENGLAND
This Friday Evening, February 6th
KICK-OFF 8-05pm

BBC 1, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, Radio 5 Live
(please check your local listings for TV / Radio)

...... and Radio Jem ;-) :-D


No matter which team you support, please join me on this thread to cheer on your team! :-) :-) :-)

I'll try and pop in Jem. 'im indoors is getting very excited, even though he thinks Wales will probably win :-( :-D :-D :-D

Hiya Wend :-D <3

How brill to see you! :-)

I'd love it if you are able to join in on Friday night! :-)

Obviously I hope that Wales win, but I think it's anyone's game in this competition! Very open!

England is certainly a strong team, although you have been hampered by injuries this time!
You still have some great, experienced players- including your Mike Brown, who is an excellent Full Back! :-)

Your Granddaughter is absolutely beautiful btw <3

THE FRENCH TEAM TO FACE SCOTLAND IS ANNOUNCED

France's Head Coach Phillippe Saint-Andre has announced his starting line-up to face Scotland at Stade de France this Saturday.

Here is the French Team:

France team:

15-Scott Spedding, 14-Yoann Huget, 13-Mathieu Bastareaud, 12-Wesley Fofana, 11-Teddy Thomas, 10-Camille Lopez, 9-Rory Kockott, 8-Damien Chouly, 7-Bernard Le Roux, 6-Thierry Dusautoir, 5-Yoann Maestri, 4-Pascal Pape, 3-Rabah Slimani, 2-Guilhem Guirado, 1-Alexandre Menini

Replacements:

16-Benjamin Kayser, 17-Uini Atonio, 18-Eddy Ben Arous, 19-Romain Taofifenua, 20-Loann Goujon, 21-Morgan Parra, 22-Remi Tales, 23-Remi Lamerat



SOUTH AFRICAN RORY KOCKOTT HAS HIS FIRST START FOR FRANCE!

Rory Kockott has been named as the Scrum Half who will start for France, in their opening Six Nations game to face Scotland this Saturday!

He qualifies to represent France via residency, having completed the required three years in the northern hemisphere autumn of 2014.



FRANCE v SCOTLAND
Strade de France

Saturday, February 7th
KICK-OFF 5pm

BBC 1, BBC Radio Scotland and Radio Jem ;-) :-D

*NB ..Please check your TV /. Radio Listings for your area.

Come on Wales

Just to show how seriously we take our Rugby here in Wales, this is BBC Wales' promo trailer for the 6 Nations coverage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCV36jW3FVk