6 Nations

[Rhyd6]

The best thing about the 6 Nations ------ Jeremy Guscott in the commentary box.

R6

[Rhyd6]

Yes, it's great to see the boyos winning again, but I think the stunned looks of the garcons when Ireland won was a great sight for Irish eyes.

R6

[h1ghway1]

for me it looks like a very good scrap between Ireland, Wales and England...and probaly the best 6N for a few years ... overall.. Italy were not that bad...

The Irish play the next 3 at at the Aviva .. then England away on Paddy's day...

[gryffron]

Just a couple of days ago the Jock coach was saying they were good enough to win the tournament. And then they get stuffed out of sight by Wales. Nice

Gryff

[didds]

Just a couple of days ago the Jock coach was saying they were good enough to win the tournament. And then they get stuffed out of sight by Wales. Nice

Gryff

Well I suspect the Italian coach probably said the same thing to somebody somewhere - it goes with the territory. And whilst not maybe saying Scotland would win it there are/were plenty of people saying they saw Scotland as the danger team. Scotland's main issue is the effects of injuries and their relative lack of depth that then gets exposed. I suspect even Wales were probably somewhat surprised at the "ease" of their victory.

didds

[DiamondEcho]

SCOvFRA @ Murrayfield - currently in the pre-game intro on BBC1.
I've been trying to convey the significance of this game to both teams, to my wife who is from a non-rugby playing country. And hence why it should be a damned exciting match. Bring it on!

[swill453]

SCOvFRA @ Murrayfield - currently in the pre-game intro on BBC1.
I've been trying to convey the significance of this game to both teams, to my wife who is from a non-rugby playing country. And hence why it should be a damned exciting match. Bring it on!

Rugby is truly a gentleman's game. Says the ref to a Scottish player after an altercation - "Get your hand off his neck please, thank you."

Scott.

[dionaeamuscipula]

SCOvFRA @ Murrayfield - currently in the pre-game intro on BBC1.
I've been trying to convey the significance of this game to both teams, to my wife who is from a non-rugby playing country. And hence why it should be a damned exciting match. Bring it on!

Might not be a *major* rugby playing country, but they will probably play rugby at some sort of level somewhere. DMJr's favourite piece of clothing is his Beijing Devils RFC jacket.

DM

[DiamondEcho]

Might not be a *major* rugby playing country, but they will probably play rugby at some sort of level somewhere. DMJr's favourite piece of clothing is his Beijing Devils RFC jacket. DM

I know the 'Intl Rugby-7s' tour played a few games in her country many years back but that's pitched mostly at the expats. Some schools there might play rugby but they'd be expat/Commonwealth schools and not native/local. The physical nature of rugby does not fit well with the SE Asian climate and the average build of the locals. My wife had never watched a rugby game until I'm one of the major intl. championships on TV some years ago - now she claims to be Italy's no.1 fan (probably to just wind me up )

-- FWIW I understand rugby is rapidly gaining a major following in Japan, but IME/O the Japanese are more closely aligned in outlook/temperament/interests with the UK than any other Asian country. That's mainly due to the common historic perspective of an outward looking island nation.

[Gaggsy]

-- FWIW I understand rugby is rapidly gaining a major following in Japan,

Really? Japan played Wales in 1973.
Max Boyce rose to fame on the back of his song about the game! https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... e-12195977

[DiamondEcho]

They are the highest ranked Asian national squad at 11th, followed by HK at 22nd, Korea 32nd, and Singapore at 57th. They are ranked higher than even Italy (14th).

World Rugby ranking: Current 11 (as of 13 June 2016)
Highest 9 (2016), Lowest 20 (2006)
First international Japan 9–8 Canada (31 January 1932)
Biggest win Japan 155–3 Chinese Taipei (1 July 2002)
Biggest defeat Japan 17–145 New Zealand (4 June 1995)
World Cup Appearances 8 (First in 1987)
Best result Pool stage, 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015

Wiki on (I can't link Wiki from out here, it's 'banned'): Japan national rugby union team

[didds]

I know the 'Intl Rugby-7s' tour played a few games in her country many years back but that's pitched mostly at the expats. Some schools there might play rugby but they'd be expat/Commonwealth schools and not native/local. The physical nature of rugby does not fit well with the SE Asian climate and the average build of the locals.

In 1988 I played in bangkok, for a expat club ... but against a full Thai side. I got the impression there weren't 15 ex-pat sides and one Thai etc

I suspect its more a case of if you're not on the side you don;t know it exists maybe?

didds

[didds]

-- FWIW I understand rugby is rapidly gaining a major following in Japan

Japan has played rugby for a very long time - the JRFU began in 1926 and japan's first international was against canada in 1932. There are reports it seems of matches played in japan in 1866, though I would stab a guess that it was between european ships sides or similar.

didds