OK Ding

Your boys will be coming to Murrayfield looking for a Grand Slam, where a rejuvenated Scotland will totally p!sh on your chips.

You heard it here first.

hahaha. Like last year I'm hesitant to and will not tip us for the win. Tho like last year i have a good feeling about it. In Ireland they are saying that by naming his side on Monday Gatland is playing mind games and it's a show of strength. Indeed, on paper it's a decent team.
In my humble opinion, England are going to rock up at the millennium stadium and beat the tar out of Wales. I reckon it will be the easiest game England play this tournament.
Gatland's perceived show of strength is a bluff. He's got nothing. And everyone knows how to beat that team. A tired team. With the same tactics as ever. ANd no plan B
Well, everyone except South Africa. But they came over here with a hell of a lot of naivety this past Autumn. Don't know what they were thinking to be honest.

Hmmm

A different assessment there Ding. I just think England have got too many players out to win enough of the key battlegrounds - line-out and midfield in particular

Certainly possible mate. I just have a gut feeling. Gatland has run out of Ideas... you know... after he that one idea a few years ago that worked for a while.
He always plays silly-buggers when he's weak. It's when he's not talking i worry about the Welsh.

Either way, the winner of that game is in Pole position for the championship. Well, of course if you guys give the French a beating this conversation could turn on it's head regarding who is in pole position.

Can't see us beating the French and I fully expect us to finish up in 5th spot again, although it will be a much stronger 5th than years past. Anything better will be a big bonus.

Following Scottish rugby in recent years has grown quite 'comfortable'. Defeat has been the norm, so anything it worth celebrating. Mind you, we're not too bad at 'celebrating', whatever happens.

Your're right about Cotter, though I can't for the life of me see why Barclay and Brown are not in the squad. Barclay has been great for the Scarlets and though I totally get the concentration on a successful Glasgow side, no-one will convince me that Harley is anywhere near the 6 that Brown is.

Why can't you beat the French? Saint Andre is at sixes and sevens at the moment. He's been telling anyone who will listen that he is looking forward to the world cup when he will get the players in cam for a reasonable amount of time because as it stands he can't even think about picking a team sheet as he has no control over the players. The clubs are using them within an inch of their lives and the same can be said for our lads playing in France.
Cotter is a clever hombre. This game is coach vs coach. If your lads go out there with a good gameplan (cotter guarantees that) and follow it to the letter they will win. Reference Argentina in November. Indeed reference what you guys did to Argentina off the back of them beating the French. Saint Andre won't have an answer. He's already beating himself psychologically in the press.
I have your boys odds on for this one.

RKW
I set up the Superbru game again. Details below.

http://www.superbru.com/sixnations/pool.php?p=11345173
Pool name: ja606
Pool code: toysalas

Also Superbru have implemented a new fantasy league game where you pick the team etc. I might look into it if anyone is interested. It certainly brings a lot more variables into the equation.

These are the rules of the fantasy game... Looks pretty complicated. I know i would be occupying the bottom spot in this for sure!

Introduction

Select a squad of 23 real Super Rugby players, then pick one starting XV lineup from your squad for each round. When players score on the field, you pick up points from their performance.
The basics

Select a squad of 23 players when you start the game
You'll be able to make limited transfers over the course of the season to tweak your squad
For each round, select your starting XV, captain and kicker from your squad of 23
The aim of the game

Your goal is to score points according to the scoring system. Your score feeds into your pools and to the global leaderboard. While challenging for a top spot in the global leaderboard is definitely part of the game, the most fun is had in the much smaller pools of friends, family and colleagues where the aim is simply to score the most points in your group.
Selecting players

You must select a squad of 23 players, comprising:
4 x outside backs
3 x centres
2 x flyhalves
2 x scrumhalves
4 x loose forwards
3 x locks
2 x hookers
3 x props
Up until the kick-off of the first game, you may transfer players in and out of your squad with no limitations. See Transfers and Team Limits for a breakdown of the limits that apply once the tournament is underway.

Unused transfers do not carry over to the next round and accumulate.

There is no financial market in this game.
Captain and kicker

When choosing your starting XV for a round, you must also select a captain and kicker for that round. Your captain earns double points, and your nominated kicker earns specific kicking points - see the scoring system for more details. Your captain and kicker cannot be the same player.
Auto substitutions

If a player in your starting line-up doesn't play in the round at all, but you have a player on the bench in the same positional group who did play, then that player will be subbed in for you. So, for example, an outside back can only be auto subbed in for an outside back etc. Players will only be subbed in if they scored positive points, so you'll never lose out.
Scoring points

When players from your starting XV perform on the field, you score points in the game. Points come from different categories including appearance, scoring plays, gameplay and penalties.
Points are only finalised for a round after the final game in the round has been processed and auto substitutions have been made for everyone.

Roof open for Wales vs. England tomorrow night, it will dilute the atmosphere as Lancaster says, but given England's injuries and lack of key players, I can't see anything other than a comfortable win for Wales (Welsh by the way). My game plan would be simple, do not let Mike Brown breathe, put him under pressure and keep England on the back foot (plenty of high ball).

Anyone else in Cardiff tomorrow night? I am

Ding

I'm in. Tried my hand at the fantasy thing as well. Not as complicated as you made it sound. Either that or it's all going to go horribly wrong for my First-rate Moles.



FYI, my starting 15 is

__________Hogg

North__Madigan__Fofana__Halfpenny (k)

__________Russell

_________________Laidlaw (c)

_____Mas___Hartley___Healy

________Bortolami___Pape

____Warburton__Parisse__Dussautoir


Go on then, rip that apart.

A wild Dingbat appears! Welcome back.

Pretty happy with the team that Lancaster has put out to be honest, I am a little worried by Burrell in defence though, misses far too many tackles for my liking and has been in poor form.

Will check thatfantasy game out too.

Demus

Behave yourself.

I always do

Aye, until the red rose tinted specs go on.

My fantasy squad

Hogg
Halfpenny
Fofana
Roberts
Huget
Lopez
Murray
Parisse
Dusautoir
O'Brien
A-W Jones
O'Connell
Jenkins
Hartley
Ross

Good to see you back Ding - you got a super bru comp running this year?

RKW
Ye mate already posted the details of the Prediction game.
For reference I'll post the links again. There are 2 games running in superbru now. see below.

The standard prediction game. Pick a winner and by how much
http://www.superbru.com/sixnations/pool.php?p=11345173
Pool name: ja606
Pool code: toysalas

The Fantasy game. Pick a 22 man squad points awarded for various things. You can check the site for the details. Link here
http://www.superbru.com/sixnationsfantasy/pool.php?p=11345281
Pool name: ja606
Pool code: zerolens


All 606 members welcome, tho i have made them private outside of this forum.
Aristo and Show have already signed up. Gonna confirm them now.

RKW

Check the thread bud. All done by the man.

Show... that fantasy game looks like it's good fun. And i like the fact you can only pick for from each country. Forces us to acknowledge the strengths of our opposition. But make sure you get you team setup just as you want now before the beginning of the competition. Because there is limited transfers during competition.

four* from each...

Ding

All good fun. i've gone for my team partly to stimulate debate. Honestly, it's an accident that I have more Italian than English starters.

Ah sorry, didn't see the links. I'll get my predictions and fantasy team in tomorrow just before the first game. Cheers

Aristo Cheers man. Bygones be bygones.
For the record i reckon you boys are going to wipe the floor with wales tomorrow. I went for Eng by 9... but i am playing it safe. Gut feeling on my part based on Gatland launching the mind games early.

Ding did I win the prediction comp last year?