Reviewing January 2010

By Rugby World reader, Stephen Thomas

What were your highlights of January 2010? Post a comment below……

So the time has come to review January’s action. A lot has happened in the past month and it has been very tough to choose my recipients for my awards but here they are!
Team of the Month goes to Northampton Saints for putting in such an incredible performance against Munster. I thought Munster had the class to beat them comfortable but they didn’t and to be honest they should have won! Who knows they might in the quarter final!
They are quite a few winners in the player of the month award. One winner is Andrew Trimble for scoring an incredible try against Bath in the Heineken Cup. Another winner is Dwayne Peel for signing a new two year deal at Sale! I am so relieved. Another player of the month is James Gaskell. He is such an incredible talent and has impressed me over the past month!
Coach of the Month goes to Jim Mallinder for coaching Northampton to the quarter finals; the only English team to get there! An again there are quite a few moments of the month.
Leicester Tigers have to get a special mention for their demolition of London Wasps scrum in their recent Guinness Premiership match; it was great to watch.
Another moment of the month was the 70-week ban for David Attoub of Stade Francais. There is something I didn’t expect and a ban that I hope gets across the message eye gouging is not a part of rugby. They are my rewards to January.
Next month they will be more Six Nations based. Let’s hope for a great tournament like last year. Until next month!

Six Nations, Week One – Review

By Steve Heath

WALES COME TO THE PARTY BEARING GIFTS

My favourite time of year – Six Nations kick off. However due to a particularly stressful job, I slept through the Ireland v Italy match. According to general consensus I was quite lucky.

England v Wales. The game seemed to revolve around two trips, one by Alun Wyn Jones seen by everyone on the planet, one on Gareth Williams which opened the gap for Danny Care’s try. One quite rightly labelled as utter stupidity, one according to the commentary of Brian Moore labelled as “Good forward play”. On a day when tributes were quite rightly paid to the iconic Bill McLaren it is heartening to know standards in commentating have not slipped.

The reason I watch the sport is to see high skill levels, so will there be a better try this season than the one scored by James Hook? A player cruelly shuffled around who must wonder if he will replace Gethin Jenkins in the front row next week, provided the sublime moment of the game, drifting, sidestepping his way to the line reminiscent of a Barry John try against England in 1969. Superb.

Where do both teams go from here? England according to jingoistic reports will now challenge for the Grand Slam, I’m not convinced, is this truly the turning of a corner or did England take advantage of an off form Wales team? Time will tell.

Wales will point to injuries to key players, Dwayne Peel, Mike Phillips, Matthew Rees and most importantly Gethin Jenkins, but England can also point to the loss of Tom Croft, Riki Flutey, Phil Vickery and Andrew Sheridan. As players grow more powerful will there ever be a time again when we see a first choice team take the field?

Speaking of which, Mathieu Bastareaud will take some stopping as his display against Scotland proved. As with the rest his team, he did just enough to coast through the game, France looked like they could step up a gear at any time. It sets up a mouthwatering clash when the Irish visit Paris next weekend, although spare a thought for Brian O’Driscoll who this week must find a way to stop the man mountain. As the Irish say in BOD we trust – good luck.

But what do you think of the first weekend? Can England really challenge for the Grand Slam? Are France rightly favourites and what are Ireland’s chances of back-to-back clean sweeps?

Scotland v France – The Verdict

By Paul Morgan, editor of Rugby World

Scotland 9 France 18

FRANCE looked ominously good in this win against Scotland they were worth far more than the nine-point winning margin suggests.
Rustiness, Scotland’s stoic defence and lack of execution at the vital time kept the scoreline respectable but the French put in – far and away – the most complete performance of the first weekend, justifying their tag with the bookies of Six Nations favourites.
They will also get better and the other four sides must focus on stopping their possession at source. If scrum, lineout and restarts go this well in the next four games they will be celebrating a Grand Slam at the end of March.
They were in control of so many facets of the game Scotland were forced to rely on opportunist chances and long-range efforts, especially in the second half, when the French took complete control.
Scotland’s biggest worry will have been in the scrum as France won that battle going away. Euan Murray’s return will help this but the performance of the France front five will have made the rest of the Championship sit up and take notice. Great scrummaging, efficient lineout and impressive around the park.
France will definitely wonder how their vast domination in the scrum did not lead to more than 18 points.
But for Scotland they failed to capitalise on their opportunities to score and clinical way the French finished their two tries will worry the other four sides. They made it look too easy.

Nathan Hines was a big positive for Scotland but far and away the best performances came from the so-called Killer Bs, the back row of Kelly Brown, John Barclay and Johnnie Beattie. And with one of their true world-class players, Euan Murray, back at tighthead against Wales they will be a far better team.
Scotland’s lineout also went well so Warren Gatland would be mad to carry out his implied threat and leave out Alun Wyn Jones, as a disciplinary measure for his trip on Dylan Hartley against England. He will be crucial to Wales’s hopes of gaining parity in the lineout against Scotland.

Morgan Parra – The most complete scrum-half in Europe. Is there anything this guy can’t do – he even kicks goals!

François Trinh-Duc – Impressive with ball in hand but England’s back row will have been delighted to see his half-attempts at tackles during the game. Wilkinson he is not. The other teams may be boosted by France’s error count. They made 20 on the day, but the flip side of that is that they are unlikely to be so careless again.

Imanol Harinordoquy – Some members of the England 2003 World Cup winning team used to call him Harry Ordinary. He was far from that against Scotland and stood like a colossus over the game. He can be a bit greedy at the base of the scrum. A great battle with Heaslip in the making next Saturday.

Sean Lamont – He is clearly thriving in his time at the Scarlets and playing his club rugby mostly at outside centre is giving him a new string to his bow. If only Scotland had supported him and seen the opportunities his breaks brought it could have been different.

England v Wales – The Verdict

By Paul Morgan, Editor of Rugby World Magazine

Another Six Nations game which proved the fine margins that are present in top flight international rugby. So little separates the five teams in the Six Nations and the three in the Tri-Nations, which is just the way I like it!
England won 30-17 but at 20-17 up they were rescued by an interception pass and has Delon Armitage not gambled to snaffle Stephen Jones’ pass to Leigh Halfpenny I could only see one winner in those final ten minutes…and that was Wales, who were seriously in the ascendancy.
Those fine margins are never better summed up than in the play of Jonny Wilkinson. The guy is phenomenal and with a Test average of 15 points he guarantees England 15 points and a nervous defence on the other side – a huge advantage in the world of small margins.
His performance will scare the living daylights out of France, Ireland and Scotland. All the coaches will mention him in the build-up and stress their players shouldn’t give him any chances…that will make him more nervous.
The Wilkinson Factor shows why Andy Robinson had to recall Chris Paterson for the game against France. Paterson hasn’t missed a kick in the Six Nations for almost three years. You can’t afford to leave someone like that out of the team!
Does Wilkinson challenge the line enough? Does he make enough breaks? Martin Johnson doesn’t care, especially when England win as Wilkinson’s kicking was the difference. He also didn’t care in the World Cup Final, in 2002. If James Hook and Stephen Jones had delivered the same 100% record at Twickenham, Wales would have been ahead going into the last ten minutes, rather than 20-17 down and they would have won.
As John Wells once told me – the perfect team has a great tighthead, a great goalkicker and 13 other players. Well England have the goalkicker and he was the difference today, even though James Haskell scored two tries.
Was this the perfect performance from England? Of course not, but they won. Martin Johnson, the England team and their supporters don’t care.
England will beat Italy next week and turn up at Twickenham in a fortnight, unbeaten for a not-to-be-missed clash with the Grand Slam Champions, Ireland – enthralling stuff in store!
Hook and Jamie Roberts exposed England’s defence almost at will, but they will do that to any defence in the world. And the reality – as Roberts acknowledged after the game – is that Wales didn’t get enough ball to do real damage. These two have the potential to become Wales legends and the Ospreys coaches must be barmy or blind if they can’t find a place for Hook in their starting line-up. Play him in the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Biarritz and he may win if for you. The guy is a class act.
If they get enough ball Wales could end this Championship with four wins, especially if Alun Wyn Jones keeps his feet to himself.
And a word for Steve Borthwick. His critics can’t have it both ways. Criticise him when England lose big games they have to take their hat off to win when they win, don’t they? But they won’t. Ok, Borthwick is not Martin Johnson but who would be a better captain at the moment? Argument over.

What’s Hot and Not in January!

From Rugby World reader, Larissa Falls

Got any to add?

Hot:

Brian O’Driscoll… Voted player of the decade. Consensus so far is you’ll love the decision if you’re north of the equator, not so if you’re south- most of them preferring McCaw. For me, choice is spot on.

Lol’s ‘Rugby Tales’ Book… Hilarious and a must read! Some famous and infamous stories of the weird and witty- a great insight into the amateur day culture!

Rugby in 3D… Who wouldn’t want cauliflower ears up close and personal or 20 stone props charging at them!?

GAA… Fantastic gesture from the Gaelic Athletic Association for allowing the (potential) use of Croke Park for Heineken Cup games. It wasn’t so long ago rugby was unwelcome there!

French HC Qualifiers… Four teams in the quarter finals showing that ambitious/ positive rugby does win you matches.

Rugby Union Writers’ Club Awards… For presenting England captain Catherine Spencer with a Special Award. Excellent to see women’s rugby getting the recognition and plaudits it so richly deserves.

Not:

ARU… Prohibiting the Melbourne Rebel’s from signing any Super 14 player until after the competitions completion is anything but cool.

Cold snap… Any disruption to a fans rugby schedule isn’t warmly received!

Alex Goode’s Exclusion… How he was overlooked by the Saxons is bemusing. He’s one of brightest prospects and will be pivotal for England sooner rather than later.

NZRU… Cutting women’s provision games…in a world cup year… bad call. The Black Fern’s chances of success in September just went down and everyone else’s just went up.

RBS 6 Nations Predictions

From Rugby World reader, Kate Bamber

The Six Nations kicks off this weekend, and there is plenty more rugby in the LV= Cup. Here are my previews and predictions for this weekend.

The Six Nations

Ireland v Italy
2009 Grand Slam champions Ireland play wooden spoon winners Italy in the opening clash of the tournament. Italy have leaked an average of 29 points per game since this time last year, and with Ireland’s sizzling backline of stars I can’t see this changing on Saturday. Italy has a strong scrum containing Castrogiavanni, Del Fava, Bortelami and Bergamasco, although the loss of World class eight man Sergio Parisse is huge. Despite this Italy will look to target the perceived weakness in Ireland’s front row, and Cian Healy will have to scrummage for his life. Ronan O’Gara is back in the 10 jersey for Ireland due to an injury to Jonny Sexton, and Brian O’Driscoll’s centre partner from Leinster, Gordon D’Arcy, is also named in the starting XV. With Italy’s backline lacking in spark, Ireland will walk this game.

My prediction: Ireland by 23.

England v Wales
A new look England play Wales in a match that celebrates a centenary of matches between the countries at Twickenham. Riki Flutey and Mathew Tait return and form yet another centre combination, whilst Delon Armitage starts at full back. Nick Easter is back at 8, and Foden and uncapped prop Dan Cole appear on the bench. Compared with November’s team, on paper this version of England has a lot more flair. Wales have an experienced pack which includes the all Lions front row of Adam Jones, Matthew Rees and Gethin Jenkins. Shane Williams and Leigh Halfpenny, two more Lions men are out on the wings, whilst Jamie Roberts will look to punch holes in England’s defence. Mike Phillips and Dwayne Peel are side lined due to injury which is a big loss to Wales coach Warren Gatland. Both sides are under pressure after lacklustre performances in November,

My prediction: England to win by 6.

Scotland v France
Defence is the keyword for Scotland who will look to dampen the French attack as they did in their 9-8 victory over Australia in November. The boot of Chris Paterson and the dogged determination of the forwards are crucial if Scotland are to stand a chance of turning over France. Imanol Harinordoquy is a big danger man for the visitors, both at the line-out and in the loose. Sebastian Chabal, Fabien Barcella and Damien Traille are all injured and will miss the game, and scrum-half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde replaces the banned Julien Dupuy. Scotland will be hoping that the brothers Lamont will step up and score tries and get their tournament off to a flyer.

My prediction: France to win by 12.

Anglo-Welsh (LV Cup) Predictions

From Rugby World reader, Kate Bamber

LV= Cup

Ospreys v Leeds Carnegie
The Ospreys were crushed 40-19 by the Dragons last week on the back of their Heineken Cup win over Leicester. Leeds were also defeated last weekend at Headingley by Saracens, with Leeds’ woeful home form continuing after their torrid 18-9 Amlin Cup defeat by Bourgoin. Unlike the Ospreys Leeds aren’t affected by international call ups, but with their current form I can’t see Leeds taking anything from this game.

My prediction: Ospreys by 12.

Bath v Sale
Bath lost 27-11 to Leicester in the last round, and Sale lost 20-14 at home to Northampton. Both of these teams look unlikely to progress in this competition, both sitting third in their respective pools. Bath have ground out a few results with home advantage, whilst Sale’s performances away from home have been woeful this season.

My prediction: Bath to win by 7.

Northampton v Leicester
Pool 1 leaders Leicester travel to Franklins Gardens to play the only English team remaining in the Heineken Cup. Last week the Tigers dispatched Bath at Welford Road 27-11 with a strong second string side, whilst the Saints beat Sale 20-14 away from home. With Foden, Lawes and Hartley missing for Northampton and Moody, Flood, Deacon and Cole missing for the Tigers, the second string will battle it out again.

My prediction: Leicester to win by 9.

Scarlets v Cardiff Blues
Both teams are top of their respective pools, and both teams come into this game on the back of a win in the last round. The Blues demolished Newcastle by 45-24 and ran in six tries, whilst the Scarlets beat Wasps 18-13 away at Adams Park. Both sides will be stripped of their Welsh stars and step out a shadow of the sides that both bowed out of the Heineken Cup. Separated by one place in the Magners League it is a tough one to call, but I think the Scarlets will edge it.

My prediction: Scarlets to win by 5.

Worcester v London Irish
When these teams last met in the Guinness Premiership on 5 December at the Madejski Stadium, the result was a 16-16 draw. Both teams have won one game from three in this competition. Last week, Irish lost at 16-13 home to Harlequins whilst Worcester were defeated 17-5 by Gloucester at Kingsholm. The Exiles will miss the Armitage brothers whilst Worcester will be without Matt Mullen and Alex Grove.

My prediction: Another draw.

Harlequins v Gloucester
Harlequins have been the Kings of inconsistency this season. They failed to win a single pool game in the Heineken Cup but have shown flashes of brilliance in the Guinness Premiership. Sitting second behind Cardiff Blues in their LV= Cup pool, last week Harlequins beat London Irish away from home. Gloucester lie second in their pool after beating Worcester 17-5 last weekend. When they met in the Guinness Premiership on 28 November, Harlequins’ Danny Care and Nick Evans ran riot and led Quins to an impressive 35-29 victory. Care is on England duty, but I think Quins will win again.

My prediction: Harlequins by 8.

Newcastle v Wasps
When these side last met in the Guinness Premiership at Adams Park Newcastle pulled off a shock 12-6 victory. This was thanks to the Falcons dominance at the scrum, as Carl Hayman and John Golding demolished the Wasps’ pack. Last weekend Wasps suffered against the Scarlets, losing 18-13 at home. Newcastle also suffered a defeat away to the Cardiff Blues. With psychological advantage after their last meeting, I think Newcastle will win again.

My prediction: Newcastle to win by 6.

Saracens v Newport Gwent Dragons
Saracens won 28-5 against Leeds Carnegie in the last round, and are second in their pool on points difference. The Dragons beat the Ospreys 40-19 last weekend and also lie second in their pool. The Dragons’ form in the Magners League has been inconsistent as they have won five of their ten matches. Saracens are second in the Guinness Premiership, one point behind leaders Leicester with a game in hand. Based on consistency of performances, I’m tipping Saracens to win.

My prediction: Scarlets to win by 5.

A Six Nations verdict

From Rugby World reader, Larissa Falls

England:
Positive: Hardest games against Wales and Ireland are at home
Negative: Their game plan! They need one after a lack of ideas in November
Player to Watch: Flutey- if he and Wilkinson click, the backline can start to fire
Banana Skin: Scotland at Murrayfield. Their hoodoo ground
Would love to see: Tries!
Verdict: 3rd

Ireland:
Positive: Consistency in selection and an invaluable sense of self belief
Negative: Their scrum. Held its own but needs more against Wales and France
Player to Watch: Cian Healy- will be looking to cement his place in the team
Banana Skin: France in Paris. Looking more like a possible title decider
Would love to see: Whether the tired bodies from the Lions tour can hold up
Verdict: 1st

Scotland:
Positive: Defence. Play as they did against Oz and they may smother teams
Negative: Inability to run the ball. More defence than attacking driven
Player to Watch: Ruaridh Jackson- may be the complete fly-half they’re after
Banana Skin: Italy in Italy. Looking like it’ll settle the Wooden Spoon
Would love to see: Points on the point from tries
Verdict: 5th

Wales:
Positive: Lions front row will provide a great platform and ball for the backs
Negative: Scrum half. With no Peel and Phillips they lack a general in that role
Player to Watch: Sam Warburton- hopefully gets a chance to showcase his talent
Banana Skin: 1st game. Win and gain confidence, loose and heads will drop
Would love to see: More running and less kicking
Verdict: 4th

Italy:
Positive: Scotland at home may just let them notch up a victory
Negative: Parisse’s absence. Arguably the most influential player in any team
Player to Watch: McLean- goal kicking may well be their only way of scoring
Banana Skin: Lack of self belief without their (regular) captain
Would love to see: A win or two
Verdict: 6th

France:
Positive: Good fixture for them with Ireland and England at home
Negative: Half-back. Need to find a partnership that works
Player to Watch: Dusautoir- awesome to watch and so destructive
Banana Skin: Inconsistency. Amazing one week, awful the next!
Would love to see: The French flair
Verdict: 2nd

Wasps 13 Llanelli Scarlets 18

By Paul Morgan, editor of Rugby World Magazine

If you can get a bookmaker to give you odds on the 2011-12 Heineken Cup then stick a sneaky bet on the Llanelli Scarlets, as they have one of the best group of young players in Europe.
After seeing them blown away by Leinster earlier this season they have now produced three stunning results, beating London Irish, Brive and now a very strong London Wasps side away from home.
And this win was also built on some incredible defence. The Scarlets put in an impressive 143 tackles on the night, to just 51 from Wasps – that takes skill, guts and a lot of heart. The fact that they could rest David Lyons and still win says it all for me.
Obviously no one in West Wales is getting carried away with themselves, and they have to go to Toulon in the Amlin Challenge Cup, but these guys genuinely have the opportunity to create something special at Parc Y Scarlets.
I would liken it to the Leicester dynasty that is building at Welford Road and puts paid to the argument that you need to go and buy success. The Scarlets are building their side on local lads, with a sprinkling of big signings, which is exactly the right way and three cheers go to Nigel Davies for the way he has brought them on as this will be great news not just for Llanelli but Wales as well.
The Scarlets have had poor representation in the national side of late but that is about to change with guys like Rhys Priestland, Lou Reed, Damian Welch, Gareth Maule, Rob McCusker and Josh Turnbull about to breakthrough into the highest level.
Coach Davies is certainly marking himself out as a Wales coach in the making in my mind and the way he has turned around the region, after a couple of desperate years, should earn him the Freedom of Llanelli.
Scarlets’ fans would also have been delighted to see Regan King emerge in the second half and Matthew Rees confirm his place in the starting line-up against England next Saturday.
Wasps created two chances in this game and one of the best finishers in Europe, Tom Varndell, slipped over to score, one on each wing. Rather than describe these as ’soft tries’ as Priestland did at the end each player should watch the scores over and over and see how they can stop one of the best in the business next time they meet him. But apart from Varndell’s scores there was little from Wasps.
On the Wasps side only Martin Johnson can explain why Tom Varndell isn’t playing – at least – for the England Saxons at Bath against Ireland.
The guy scored his 13th and 14th tries of the season against the Scarlets and is one of the best finishers in the business. We all know he is as quick as anyone but I have also seen his kicking and defence improve his season. Why not focus on what he can do, which is a lot and not on what he can’t do!
Jack Wallace made an impressive debut at full-back, only being told on the day of the game that he was playing instead of Mark van Gisbergen. He is clearly a star of the future, while Bob Baker continued to make good progress in the front row.
Wasps should also break the bank to hold on to Joe Ward, their all-action hooker as his battle with Rees was worth turning up for. David Lemi is a big threat, but this was the Scarlet’s day.
The future is bright, the future is the colour of Scarlet!

Toulouse the team to beat in Heineken

By Paul Morgan, editor of Rugby World Magazine

Toulouse should be confirmed as the red-hot favourites for the Heineken Cup, after the quarter-finals were confirmed and semi-finals drawn.
The three-time champions have been handed the chance to make it four by the draw which ensures if they make the Paris final they won’t have to leave France to do it!
Leinster though have won in Toulouse before, in a famous quarter-final a few years so don’t write off their Rolls Royce of a backline!
The Heineken Cup quarter-finals are confirmed:
Munsterv Northampton
Biarritzv Ospreys
Toulouse v Stade Français
Leinster v Clermont
Matches to be played on April 9, 10 and 11
Semis: 1.Toulouse/Stade Francais v Leinster/Clermont Auvergne
2.Biarritz/Ospreys v Munster/Northampton Matches to be played May 1 and 2
Now who will win it?