The very best moment of the year.

Kids of whatever age may prefer Christmas Morning, but as a non-believer, for me once a vestige of belief in Santa is gone then the thrill's gone and the cynicism starts.

The very best moment of the year for me is that moment when the first whistle blasts to start the first game. That's when even a middle-aged Italian can dream of something special this year.

All of us have hope intact and unsullied as the first wrapper is about to be ripped...

Have a great time - and I hope your side has a good 'un.

I used to feel like that. Now I feel like a child who has just learned that Santa doesn't exist. Rugby is not as much fun as it used to be. Even playing it has lost a bit of the romance and local clubs are finding it harder and harder to stay afloat.

Even playing for Market Harborough 3rds was far too serious for me and when I played for the 2nds it was like stepping on to a pro field.

I would love to see the modern players play a few games with the laws like they were just before the game went professional. see how the scrums get on etc. might be interesting at least.

greytiger wrote:Kids of whatever age may prefer Christmas Morning, but as a non-believer, for me once a vestige of belief in Santa is gone then the thrill's gone and the cynicism starts.

The very best moment of the year for me is that moment when the first whistle blasts to start the first game. That's when even a middle-aged Italian can dream of something special this year.

All of us have hope intact and unsullied as the first wrapper is about to be ripped...

Have a great time - and I hope your side has a good 'un.

Agree 100%, only because Scotland haven't played yet to leave my dreams in tatters.

Joking aside this is my favourite time of the Rugby calender. The banter, the fans, the spectacle, this history, the pub....... brings a smile to my face everytime. (insert chicken and Italian symbol)

The magical mornings before the 6N games kick off, getting everything done before 1 o'clock so you can settle down and prepare yourself for a day of rugby viewing. Cracking.

Oh I thought you were talking about the Super 15 starting

With superxv we get spoilt a bit- usually 6 -7 matches a weekend- never simultaneously mainly because of the time zones (but really for NH viewing) and that goes on until...ooooh... August/ September? Interrupted only by ...test matches...

Taylorman wrote:With superxv we get spoilt a bit- usually 6 -7 matches a weekend- never simultaneously mainly because of the time zones (but really for NH viewing) and that goes on until...ooooh... August/ September? Interrupted only by ...test matches...

Ah but you which Attenborough would make the most interesting TV drama/documentary Taylorman?

David would be in his element zapping the ozone layer exploring the Southern Heisphere comparing and contrasting the diversity of flora and fauna and bemoaning the climatic changes brought about by the artificiality of it all.

Richard would be concentrating on the compelling drama of age-old adversities and the internecine power struggles.

In a sense like comparing the chalk of the NH with the cheese of the SH. Its theatre v circus, Shakespeare v Barnum, Old World v New.

I have to agree with greytiger here. It is the kick off that gets my juices flowing.

The anticipation during the anthems being sung, looking at the pitch, the green grass, the players, seeing the crowds whislt all of that is actually a blur as you just wait for the kick off.

I'll never forget the final in 1995 RWC, I finished a dozen beers by halftime of that match.

For me though Biltong, because it has more historic resonance the RWC is not as good as the 6Ns because it doesn't have the drama.

I recently wrote an article which proposed a home/away NH 4Ns tournament to improve the theatrical drama and to stir the sub-plots.

Greytiger, I am not really picky mate.

It can be any test against any top team.

Biltong wrote:Greytiger, I am not really picky mate.

It can be any test against any top team.

Good games are much more in prospect in matches between sides of relatively equal stature imo.

NZ v Ukraine is far less likely to be an enticing match compared with say Scotland v Tonga, SA v Australia, Wales v Ireland or England v France.

The quality may vary as the skill levels increase, but the quality and intensity of pure sporting contest shouldn't.

I have to agree with greytiger here. A few posters (Kiwis if memory serves) have asked why England and Wales bicker when there is no glory in who is 6th/5th/4th best in the world (delete as appropriate at various stages over the last few years). And that's a fair comment I suppose when sitting on high. But, it doesn't mean that competing against 'lesser' teams than the top 3 should not bring about excitement and anticipation, and old scores to settle, even if the teams are only those ranked circa 4-10. We wouldn't tell African footballers that the African Cup of Nations is rubbish and that they shouldn't bother because it doesn't involve the top teams in the world!

Anyway, I guess it's hard to explain. Maybe if NZ, SA and OZ were ranked 8, 9, and 10 in the world in the future by some miraculous fall in standards, but had this history of playing each other for as long as the Tri Nations has been on, maybe then they would still look forward to it regardless of their 'level'. That's the only way I can explain it.

For me the start of the 6N is unbelievable. It's different somehow (at least in my part of Wales) from an AI match. Before each 6N game I have butterflies in my stomach starting on the Friday in work; I'm like a kid on match day; the wife says I am a pain in the backside because I'm overexcited, etc. It is also great because we tend to be coming out of the worst of winter, so it's like a changing of the seasons, a new dawn where everyone is a bit more optimistic and thinking of the summer. A bit of sunshine here and there, or like the 2005 final game: boiling hot in March! People are out in their red waiting for buses from 9am onwards so that they can get to Cardiff before the rush. Get a seat. Get a few 'sharpeners' in. Lots of people planning their day: bus? Taxi? Train? Line the stomach with breakfast or lunch somewhere first? Got tickets? No, OK where shall we watch it? Picking a new venue in Cardiff to see what it's like, or staying local back home in a far too packed pub with everyone crowded round an undersized TV with curry at half time, guess the score with a Jack Duckworth-esque pint glass full of pound coins. The emotions running high throughout the game, being carried along by the atmosphere of the venue. And then the end - anticlimax or elation; analysis, evaluation and dissection of tactics; all playing at coach for a minute; suggestions for future tactics and team selections; and the coming back down to earth from the adrenaline rush of the past few hours, completely knackered and ready for bed........ until the next week.

Absolutely love it, regardless of whether we're doing well or doing badly (to a certain extent). There's always next week, with a different team, a different away day maybe, from the cold of Scotland to the relative warmth of Italy.

Please don't change my 6 Nations!

Autumn internationals don't even come close, Griff. It's not even a tournament.

A Six Nations match day is like nothing else.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Autumn internationals don't even come close, Griff. It's not even a tournament.

A Six Nations match day is like nothing else.

Ahem to that. Can't wait! In the local for the first game this time. Plenty of the black stuff to numb the excitement/pain/euphoria/misery (to be deleted as appropriate in Saturday evening).

I was due to be going to Cardiff to watch the game, but it'll be my nephew's first Wales game, so we're having a family gathering at my dad's.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I was due to be going to Cardiff to watch the game, but it'll be my nephew's first Wales game, so we're having a family gathering at my dad's.

I'm leaving the country for the weekend

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I was due to be going to Cardiff to watch the game, but it'll be my nephew's first Wales game, so we're having a family gathering at my dad's.

As in playing for Wales? Or your nephew's first game watching it on TV, 'round your dad's?!

Sorry, his first game since he was born, he's just over a month old. He might play for Wales one day though, you never know - or for Ireland, seeing as his dad's mum is Irish.

6 Nations... All I can say really is....



yyyYES !!!!!

Excited... what do you think...

Griff wrote:I have to agree with greytiger here. A few posters (Kiwis if memory serves) have asked why England and Wales bicker when there is no glory in who is 6th/5th/4th best in the world (delete as appropriate at various stages over the last few years).

Firstly, beating Wales isn't the be all and end all for English fans. Beating New Zealand is better. Wales should try it!

But tournaments and tournaments and every one wants to win the one they're in, whether its Surrey Cup Under 16, Heineken Cup, or Six Nations. After the World Cup, the Six Nations is the biggest tournament in World Rugby. I know this year I'll give up good skiing days to watch England.

greytiger wrote:

Taylorman wrote:With superxv we get spoilt a bit- usually 6 -7 matches a weekend- never simultaneously mainly because of the time zones (but really for NH viewing) and that goes on until...ooooh... August/ September? Interrupted only by ...test matches...

Ah but you which Attenborough would make the most interesting TV drama/documentary Taylorman?

David would be in his element zapping the ozone layer exploring the Southern Heisphere comparing and contrasting the diversity of flora and fauna and bemoaning the climatic changes brought about by the artificiality of it all.

Richard would be concentrating on the compelling drama of age-old adversities and the internecine power struggles.

In a sense like comparing the chalk of the NH with the cheese of the SH. Its theatre v circus, Shakespeare v Barnum, Old World v New.

Well the OP didnt specuifically refer to the 6N and we have the first warm up matches for the sxv this weekend, and being an international section post it wasnt clear that this was limited to the 6N...ONLY...

and for the posts afterwards I dont see a lot of kiwis bickering about the 4,5,6th etc sides in the world being fickle...

but... since it was raised...

I'll be watching the Scottish match to see how Maitland goes- after all he's able to stroll on into this so called theatre quite easily after performing in the so called circus for some years without being considered talented enough to play in the real fauna at this side of the planet.

But then again...you lost me at Attenborough...


Go Scotland!!

Alex_Germany wrote:

Griff wrote:I have to agree with greytiger here. A few posters (Kiwis if memory serves) have asked why England and Wales bicker when there is no glory in who is 6th/5th/4th best in the world (delete as appropriate at various stages over the last few years).

Firstly, beating Wales isn't the be all and end all for English fans. Beating New Zealand is better. Wales should try it!

But tournaments and tournaments and every one wants to win the one they're in, whether its Surrey Cup Under 16, Heineken Cup, or Six Nations. After the World Cup, the Six Nations is the biggest tournament in World Rugby. I know this year I'll give up good skiing days to watch England.

That's not what I was saying, and I think you know that! The comments before have been 'why is team x bickering with team y when they're arguing who is the best of the teams ranked 5th or 6th in the world'. My argument is that it doesn't matter to those teams. With history and tradition behind it, tournaments are the be all and end all for those teams it, while they're in it. And no-one should knock that. Which is what you then go on to agree with I think.

Contrary to popular belief England have slipped down the desirable win list for most welsh fans too. Yes, it's still nice to beat you. But you're not the scalp that you once were. Sorry.

Alex_Germany wrote:

Griff wrote:I have to agree with greytiger here. A few posters (Kiwis if memory serves) have asked why England and Wales bicker when there is no glory in who is 6th/5th/4th best in the world (delete as appropriate at various stages over the last few years).

Firstly, beating Wales isn't the be all and end all for English fans. Beating New Zealand is better. Wales should try it!

But tournaments and tournaments and every one wants to win the one they're in, whether its Surrey Cup Under 16, Heineken Cup, or Six Nations. After the World Cup, the Six Nations is the biggest tournament in World Rugby. I know this year I'll give up good skiing days to watch England.

I agree with much of what you say but give up a skiing day - never!

Arghhhhh, this is without doubt the best time of the year! The weekend can't come soon enough. Wales - Ireland. always a classic. The Calcutta Cup and the continental clash!

The final 3/4 Ns result to see who is the REAL World champion. Not whoever wins a minor 4 year tournament then proceeds to lose to all an sundry because THAT team has usually disbanded[with the 2 obvious exceptions]
Because whoever is will almost certainly be IRB number one side until NZ regain it again.

What is it with this site that terms in common usage are automatically censored some people have dirty minds

GLove39 wrote:Arghhhhh, this is without doubt the best time of the year! The weekend can't come soon enough. Wales - Ireland. always a classic. The Calcutta Cup and the continental clash!

Best start warming your lego up GLove, you're in for a few long weekends!