2014 Six Nations - it's upon us!!

[thebish]

kinda crept up on me - it's this saturday!!

starting lineup:

Brown (Harlequins, 21 caps); Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped), Burrell (Northampton, uncapped), Twelvetrees (Gloucester, 8 caps), May (Gloucester, 1 cap); Farrell (Saracens, 19 caps), Care (Harlequins, 42 caps); Marler (Harlequins, 15 caps), Hartley (Northampton, 50 caps), Cole (Leicester, 43 caps), Launchbury (Wasps, 14 caps), Lawes (Northampton, 25 caps), Wood (Northampton, 23 caps), Robshaw (Harlequins, capt, 20 caps) B Vunipola (Saracens, 5 caps).

Replacements: T Youngs (Leicester, 12 caps), M Vunipola (Saracens, 10 caps), Thomas (Sale, 2 caps), Attwood (Bath, 5 caps), Morgan (Gloucester, 15 caps), Dickson (Northampton, 12 caps), Barritt (Saracens, 16 caps), Goode (Saracens, 13 caps).

quite an inexperienced back line there - will be interesting to see where the Lancaster revolution is taking us... am looking forward to it with equal measures of excitement and panic!

[Worthy4England]

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[jaffka]

Ashton should have been dropped about 5 tests ago.

A tough place to go Paris for your first cap. Should be a good battle between the forwards, I'm looking forward to it.

This year its between Wales and France.

[KeyserSoze]

France have added another fly-half to their carousel, I see.

[Worthy4England]

Last year, I reckoned it was Wales and France, but France were wooden spoonists.

I think whether England are in the mix will be dependent on the start against France. If we do ok, we might just be in the shake-up when Wales come calling.

Jocks away will probably be tougher than in recent years though.

[jaffka]

Last year, I reckoned it was Wales and France, but France were wooden spoonists.

I think whether England are in the mix will be dependent on the start against France. If we do ok, we might just be in the shake-up when Wales come calling.

Jocks away will probably be tougher than in recent years though.

and when we play at murrayfield you can guarantee that it will be p*ssing it down

[jaffka]

History after a lions tour is in favour of a French win.

Last year they were crap, this year who knows. Does anyone ever know how they will do?

[Zulus Thousand of em]

The Family Zulu have got tickets for the Scotland v England game at Murrayfield next weekend. We're off to stay with our friends in Edinburgh next Friday.Can't wait!

[Annoyed Grunt]

Decent game France v England.....

[jimbo]

France have just Wide to West'd it

[Annoyed Grunt]

France are gonna pinch this....

[TANGODANCER]

Can't believe we lost that after such a great fight back. Was that try refusal a dodgy decision? Fifteen to go and I was cock-a-hoop telling Bolton "that's how you fight back", then it all went sour. I'm no knowlegable rugby fan, but why do we persist in trying to drive everything throught the middle when France's tries always seem to come from the wide moves?

[jaffka]

A great game despite losing it at the end. Very nearly a fantastic comeback.

The team is still maturing and will hopefully learn from the few mistakes made. Decision making at key times is still found wanting. The team needs to find the killer instinct to win these big matches.

France are one of the big rugby nations and are capable of beating anyone, why they blow hot and cold so often is one of the great mysteries of the universe.

The triple crown can still be won!

[Bruce Rioja]

France's first two tries came from lucky bounces, and I also reckon that it was a forward pass out wide for the winner.

[jimbo]

France's first two tries came from lucky bounces, and I also reckon that it was a forward pass out wide for the winner.

I thought it was forward live, but the replay it looked alright. Perfect example of why the video refs aren't allowed to judge on forward passes

[Prufrock]

I think about 10 a game look forward normally! My eyes can't deal with that camera angle.

[Bruce Rioja]

France's first two tries came from lucky bounces, and I also reckon that it was a forward pass out wide for the winner.

I thought it was forward live, but the replay it looked alright. Perfect example of why the video refs aren't allowed to judge on forward passes

Didn't see a replay, Jim. I thought that French TV was extremely selective in what it replayed.

[Worthy4England]

France's first two tries came from lucky bounces, and I also reckon that it was a forward pass out wide for the winner.

I thought it was forward live, but the replay it looked alright. Perfect example of why the video refs aren't allowed to judge on forward passes

They are. They were asked to look at one for Italy in the Wales game - that looked forwards to everyone in the world, but was given "not forwards" on the technicality that the hands were pointing backwards when the pass was made, but the momentum took it forwards.

So it was forwards, but in some bizarre "allowed" sort of way.

[jimbo]

France's first two tries came from lucky bounces, and I also reckon that it was a forward pass out wide for the winner.

I thought it was forward live, but the replay it looked alright. Perfect example of why the video refs aren't allowed to judge on forward passes

They are. They were asked to look at one for Italy in the Wales game - that looked forwards to everyone in the world, but was given "not forwards" on the technicality that the hands were pointing backwards when the pass was made, but the momentum took it forwards.

So it was forwards, but in some bizarre "allowed" sort of way.

Didn't realise they were in union. In League it's in the rules that video refs can't rule out a try based on a forward pass because of how different camera angles can make it look. Theory is that the ref and TJs who are in-line with play have the best view.

This is often sloppily referred to as the 'momentum rule'. Basic principle is that if you were driving along at 70mph and threw a rugby ball backwards out of the window, it would still go forwards in relation to the ground. Rugby authorities accept this fact, so the ball must go backwards in relation to the player making the pass, if that makes sense.

[Worthy4England]

France's first two tries came from lucky bounces, and I also reckon that it was a forward pass out wide for the winner.

I thought it was forward live, but the replay it looked alright. Perfect example of why the video refs aren't allowed to judge on forward passes

They are. They were asked to look at one for Italy in the Wales game - that looked forwards to everyone in the world, but was given "not forwards" on the technicality that the hands were pointing backwards when the pass was made, but the momentum took it forwards.

So it was forwards, but in some bizarre "allowed" sort of way.

Didn't realise they were in union. In League it's in the rules that video refs can't rule out a try based on a forward pass because of how different camera angles can make it look. Theory is that the ref and TJs who are in-line with play have the best view.

This is often sloppily referred to as the 'momentum rule'. Basic principle is that if you were driving along at 70mph and threw a rugby ball backwards out of the window, it would still go forwards in relation to the ground. Rugby authorities accept this fact, so the ball must go backwards in relation to the player making the pass, if that makes sense.

I didn't know they could do it in Union either until yesterday.

Momentum rule sorta makes sense from a players perspective, but is clearly less clear cut than a pass that clearly goes backwards