Ireland vs England - Preview

Heading into the biggest game of the 6 Nations on Sunday, March 1st, we are going to take a look at how the Irish and English teams compare, where the game will be won and lost, and give you our prediction. Let's take a look at crucial match-ups, starting with the number 15 for each side.

Fullback: Rob Kearney vs Alex Goode

Alex Goode comes in for Mike Brown after a nasty injury against Italy has left him unavailable for selection and this has left many English fans concerned. Concerns over Goode's pace have been a large talking point from rugby fans, and the knowledge that Kearney is one of the best in his position has put more pressure on the fly-half/fullback. But could it be Goode's kicking game that saves England? It is one of Ireland's stronger points, Goode will be put under a lot of pressure, but he is experienced and should cope with this. Would Watson at fullback whilst retaining May to partner Nowell have been a wiser move from Lancaster. Not in my opinion. Whilst Watson is an accomplished fullback, he has little experience here internationally, and I think although Goode lacks Watson pace and ability in the air, the skilled footballer does have advantages over the Bath player. Having said that, Goode is not at the same level as Kearney, and Ireland have the edge in this area.



Fly-half: Jonny Sexton vs George Ford

Again, Ireland have possibly the best player in the world in his position, this time in another crucial role, number 10. The man that took a Basteraud to the face against the smallest man on the pitch, 51 caps against 8 caps, the master Jonny Sexton against the prodigy George Ford, it will be fascinating to watch. Ford will need to be as reliable as Sexton when going for goal in order for England to compete, and it is Sexton's ability from the tee that will worry an English side that have started slowly recently, and if they are ill-disciplined in the first-half once again then they could fall too far behind the Irish in order to mount a comeback. Sexton could be lethal to the English, but Ford is very dangerous as well, and should not be under-estimated by the Irish. Working with fellow bath players, Jonathan Joseph and Anthony Watson, we've seen the partnerships have their moments of magic, and Ford will be creating space for the men outside him to attack one of the weakest areas of the Irish team, the centres. If Ford can unleash JJ and others to attack this area, England will have a great chance, but they'll need to do it early on and not concede penalties or Sexton will crucify them.



The Breakdown: Sean O'Brien vs James Haskell

England have the advantage at set-pieces, they do against every team in the world, but this game will be won and loss at the breakdown. Both sides will have to be well disciplined and will need to force turnovers and steal the ball away from their opponents. That is why Haskell and O'Brien will be so important in this game. We know how significant they can be in this area of the pitch, and at club level both have been sensational, Haskell will have the advantage of playing alongside the tackling machine that is Chris Robshaw though, and may be able to focus his game on to his jackling and ability to turn that ball over.



Conclusion:

It's going to be a tough, close, nerve-racking game. England need to make sure they start strongly, no silly penalties or Sexton will hurt them. Ireland will make the most of their strong kicking game, and will chase hard, putting pressure on the inexperienced England backs. Before the 6 Nations started, I said Ireland would win this match, but it is just so close, it is going to be a real nail-biter. Both sides know they can win this, but Ireland haven't beaten England in a while, and the young, fearless England side may have the mental advantage over the Irish, in spite of the fantastic Irish form. We will find out on Sunday, but I am going for another 3 point victory for England, provided they start strongly. Otherwise, they could let Ireland ease in to a 10-15 point lead, and that will be almost impossible to come back from.

My ESPN Fantasy Rugby Team - Week 3

This week I have made just 2 changes after the 5 in the last round. Samson Lee returns from injury, so he takes the place of Dickinson. Alex Dunbar come sin for Luther Burrell, a disappointing last week compared to the other choice of English centre, Jonathan Joseph. I have been very impressed with Dunbar so far, mainly in defence but I think he can spring a surprise on the Italian backs and get a try or an assist. I am very confident in Alex and am almost certain he will guarantee points, a potential MOTM. 

The other Scottish players featuring are Hogg, J Gray and Cowan, all potential MOTMs as well, Hogg will look to add to the try he scored last round, and the two forwards will look to continue their good form against the weakest side in the tournament. The other player featuring in the first match of the weekend is the Italian captain, a fantastic player that scored against England, and if Italy are to spring a surprise on the Scots, he will be the man to lead them there.

Partnering my key man Dunbar, I've gone for Fofana again, although he has been incredibly disappointing this far. The match against Wales is very important for France, and he will have to shine in Paris for the French to win. Samson Lee, Guirado and Liam WIlliams are the other players featuring in that game, and Williams has looked dangerous so I'm very happy with this selection. He has a perfect chance to cement his space in the Welsh side, and I expect him to score or get another assist.

Then we have Haskell, B Youngs, Ford, POC, Best and R Kearney retaining their spots, I am not expecting fireworks from these guys, just more consistent points from Ford and a big performance from Kearney. The game could well hinge on the breakdown, and Haskell's ability here could win the game for England, and hopefully secure me a MOTM.

France vs Wales - Preview

A big game for both teams, each looking for their second win of the campaign. The return of Brice Dulin will delight the French and also the neutral, his exciting pace can liven up any game, and Lamerat comes in for Basteraud, the prop-turned-centre now on the bench. Romain Taofifenua is in for the banned Pascal Pape, Sofiane Guitone comes in on the wing and Morgan Parra replaces Kockott at scrum-half. I was confused by the selection of the half backs at the beginning of the 6 Nations, two sets of club mates not paired together didn't make sense, and now against Wales we will see the Clermont half-backs get their chance against the Welsh.

Welsh fans will be delighted to see that Cuthbert has been dropped, and it is the out-of-form, slightly concussed George North that returns to the fold for Gatland. Anything is an improvement on Cuthbert though, which is why Scarlets' captain Scott Williams is now the cover on the bench for the back three. With Samson Lee back as well the Welsh will look to the scrum to gain some ground against the French, although Gatland insists playing Jenkins ahead of James, when the latter is clearly a superior scrummager. Baldwin and Charteris look like positive improvements to the starting fifteen, and have a great chance to cement a starting spot here, so look for big performances from the hooker and the lock. 

Both teams have won one and lost one, beaten the Scots and lost to one of the best teams in the world, Ireland and England. I'd say that with home advantage the French will be the victors, neither have particularly impressed, but I'd say Wales have been the more underwhelming, a non-existent second half against the English and it was a miracle that they scraped past the Scots. The French backs will need to impress, Dulin, Fofana and Huget in particular, and if they hit their stride I think they'll deal with Warrenball and the Welsh physicality, and come away with a 5-9 point victory.

Scotland vs Italy - Preview

A huge game for both sides as they both see it as their most winnable fixture, but the Italians will be wary of the Scots at home, especially with how they have played recently. However, this talk of great Scottish form has not yielded the results the Scots were expecting. A close game against Wales showed many promising signs, but the inability to cross the line is an age-old problem that the men north of Hadrian's Wall have had for quite some time now. The frustrations will have grown, and now they have to capitalise on this home fixture in order to not get obliterated in the coming weeks by strong English and Irish sides. They will come up against a resilient Italian side though, who ran 3 tries past the English in their last game, and will need to focus on limiting Parisse's impact and nullify the new threat, Luca Morisi.

That leads me to what I believe will be one of the key battles, Alex Dunbar vs Luca Morisi:

Having scored twice at Twickenham, Morisi will be flying high, and the outside centre will be looking to attack as much as possible against the Scots. His strong running was evident against England, and it will take a good defensive performance from Scotland to keep this man quiet. However, in Alex Dunbar, I believe the Scottish have the answer. 7 tackles and 2 turnovers with no missed tackles against Wales, and 11 tackles with 2 turnovers against the French shows that this guy will be up to the challenge. He nullified Jonathan Davies in the match against Wales, and I'm sure will put in a performance of a similar magnitude at the weekend. Both players made my team of the week, and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in an enthralling battle in the middle of the pitch.

If the Italians match the intensity they showed against England, we could be in for a fantastic match. The battle of the packs will be a close one, players such as Harley, Cowan, Furno and Parisse will need to be on top form to secure the victory for their side. I think home advantage will give the Scots the victory they desperately need, but once again I can see themselves making it as difficult as possible for themselves, and the Azzurri will put up one hell of a fight. 

Prediction: Scotland by 5

Ireland and England Composite Side

Ahead of the game at the weekend we have taken inspiration from www.therugbyforum.com and decided to pick the best players from the (probable) Ireland and England teams to play each other on Sunday.

Front Row: Cian Healy, Dylan Hartley & Dan Cole

What beautiful men. Dan Cole has never looked better. But on to the rugby... a great front row, powerful scrummagers and Dylan Hartley gets the nod over Rory Best as he has impressed more over the course of this RBS 6 Nations. These formidable scrummagers can cause nightmares for any side, and with Marler's recent form he was unlucky not to make the cut but Healy is a sensational tight head and the battle between him and Cole will be very interesting to see.

Second Row: Dave Attwood & Paul O'Connell

As the two best second rows in the world are currently injured, that would be Launchbury and Lawes, we have plumped for these two, who are no slouches in their own right. POC is a legend of the game and has once again impressed in this tournament, but the most impressive second row so far has been Dave Attwood, who has been a machine once again in the line out and with his tackling. These two second rows could walk in to any side in the world, apart from a fully-fit England team.

Back Row: James Haskell, Chris Robshaw & Billy Vunipola

A controversial all-English back row. No room for O'Brien ahead of the machine Haskell. He has carried fantastically, and although O'Brien can clear out three men by himself, he hasn't impressed as much as the ever-present blue scrum cap that is Haskell. Robshaw is Robshaw, he has been stunning this 6 Nations, and has been one of the players of the tournament so far. Tackle after tackle have secured his place in the side. Vunipola is in after Heaslip's injury caused by Pape, and although he hasn't set the tournament alight, Vunipola has been solid so far and makes his way in to the side.

Half Backs: Ben Youngs & Jonny Sexton

Ben Youngs has made both of our team of the weeks so far, and whilst Conor Murray was the better player before the tournament began, Youngs's kicking, good running and clever sniping has helped him assert himself as the best scrum half of the tournament. George Ford has impressed recently, but Jonny Sexton is a class above, and he proved that on his first game back from injury against the French, with his smart kicking, strong defending and good carrying we saw that he deserves the accolade of one of the best 10s in the world.



Centres: Luther Burrell & Jonathan Joseph

Burrell and Henshaw are fairly equal in terms of ability, but Burrell is more proven at international level and at domestic level has impressed me, although I haven't seen much of Henshaw in this respect. JJ walks in to the side after his sensational 6 Nations, the boy is on fire and even when moved to the wing last game he secured two scintillating tries, and we are all excited to see how he will fare on Sunday.



Back 3: Anthony Watson, Tommy Bowe & Rob Kearney

These three pick themselves on current form, Watson has really impressed so far, Bowe is a great player, and it appears that Nowell will play on Sunday and the Irishman is certainly better than the Exeter winger, who may find his best position is at fullback. With Brown injured it appears that Alex Goode is Kearney's opposition for the number 15 shirt, and although the Englishman is solid, Kearney is better in almost every way.



Do you agree with us? Have we favoured England too much? Let us know your teams below.

Andy Murray Climbs Back To Third In World Rankings

Good news for all Andy Murray fans out there such as myself, he is back in the top 3 where he belongs. After a sublime run to the final of the Australian Open, a disappointing final left  him short of the top two, but his impressive run of form of late looks to continue as he heads into the Dubai Duty Free Championships seeded third. He'll have the old dog Roger Federer in his sights as he looks to climb the rankings further this year and win a major.

1 Djokovic, Novak (SRB)	13,045	0	18
2 Federer, Roger (SUI)	9,205	0	19
3 Murray, Andy (GBR)	5,460	1	21
4 Nadal, Rafael (ESP)	5,425	-1	19
5 Nishikori, Kei (JPN)	5,205	0	20
6 Raonic, Milos (CAN)	4,980	0	24
7 Wawrinka, Stan (SUI)	4,595	0	21
8 Berdych, Tomas (CZE)	4,460	0	24
9 Ferrer, David (ESP)	4,185	0	24
10 Dimitrov, Grigor (BUL)	3,465	1	21

The only other move in the top 10 is Dimitrov moving into it, replacing Cilic. At the Rio Open Nadal lost his first semi-final in 12 years to Fabio Fognini after coasting the first step, but the Spaniard lost his way and the Italian world number 22 capitalised, but went on to lose the final to Nadal's compatriot Ferrer. The build up to the Davis Cup is on, and we can't wait to see what will come of it. 

22/02/2015 - Football Predictions

After correctly predicting 2 scores yesterday and getting other results correct, we're going to try out hand at predicting two of the afternoon kick-offs today.

21/02/2015 - Football Predictions

2-1

With big Tim Sherwood at the helm now for Villa they will look to secure a winning start. In what will prove to be a close game, I think the Villains at home with their new manager will earn victory.

Do England Deserve To Be Ranked Higher Than Ireland?

World Rugby Rankings

Updated: 16 February, 2015

CHOOSE DATE

FULL RANKINGS

POSITION		TEAMS	POINTS
1	(1)	NEW ZEALAND	93.70
2	(2)	SOUTH AFRICA	88.23
3	(3)	ENGLAND	85.83
4	(4)	IRELAND	85.66
5	(5)	AUSTRALIA	82.95
6	(6)	WALES	81.71
7	(7)	FRANCE	80.09
8	(8)	ARGENTINA	78.23
9	(9)	SCOTLAND	77.11
10	(10)	SAMOA	75.39

There has been a large amount of controversy over the IRB rankings recently, placing England above Ireland after England's victories over Italy and Wales and Ireland's narrow victories over Italy and France, but do the new rankings accurately reflect the teams' position in world rugby?

Reigning 6 Nations champions Ireland are disappointed to see themselves below England, given the form of each team. A fantastic end to last year for Ireland saw them beat Australia and South Africa, whilst England lost 4 times to New Zealand last year and lost to the South Africans, so many Irish fans are upset to see them scored just below the English. However, England beat Ireland in the last 6 Nations, and the one before that, and the one before that and in the World Cup warm up before that. However, that was a long time ago now and the Irish with the sensational Jonny Sexton are a different team, as shown last year. So who deserves it?

To be honest, it doesn't really matter. People are getting worked up over nothing, but it is helping to fuel the hype before the game. Everything will be settled on March 1st, with the English looking to secure a vital victory away at the AVIVA and the Irish looking to assert themselves as the third, possibly second best team in the world. It will be a passionate contest and the more build-up we get to it the better it is as far as I'm concerned, flaring tempers and harsh banter will make this one of the biggest games of the year, even with the World Cup coming up.

My ESPN Fantasy Rugby Team - Week 2 Review

Back 3 - Rob Kearney (3), Stuart Hogg (8) & Liam Williams (6)

No complaints here, 3 very strong performances and the form they are showing suggests very strong performances to come. Liam Williams almost scored a try but I'll settle for an assist, and Hogg was unlucky not to get man of the match, but scored a fantastic try.

Centres - Luther Burrell (3) and Wesley Fofana (3)

Gutted here. I spoke about gambling on Burrell ahead of Joseph for his physicality, but Joseph went and scored two tries and picked up man of the match. A colossal mistake from me. Once again I was disappointed with Fofana, who needs to show more in his next performance

Half backs - George Ford (14) & Ben Youngs (7)

More fantastic performances from the England halfbacks, Youngs securing a try for my team and George Ford reliable with the boot and creating Joseph's try, exactly what I wanted from my 9 and 10.



Front Row - Alasdair Dickinson (3), Rory Best (1) & Guilhem Guirado (2)

Best picked up a yellow, but other than that I'm happy with my front row, Dickinson playing the whole game and putting in a very good shift for the Scots.



Second row - Jonny Gray (3) & Paul O'Connell (3)

Fantastic players, full appearances, no problems here.



Back row - James Haskell (2), Blair Cowan (3) & Sergio Parisse (8)

All 3 played very well, Haskell carrying well as usual, Cowan influential at the breakdown as usual, and Parisse leading his side brilliantly as usual, scoring a try as well.

POSITION 21126 SCORE 69