honestly united

Was surprised by how bad Glasgow were yesterday, forwards off the pace defensively and I thought the team looked good as well. To me Pyrgos and Horne were especially off the pace

Grant has dropped down the pecking order ever since the fancy dress take away incident, but to be fair he has had a huge drop in form - has been packed of to Worcester as not getting any game time at Glasgow. Looking at the games over the last year, obviously Nel and Dickinson were first choice in the 6 nations and summer tour, but Sutherland and Low seemed to be the preferred back ups with Fagerson and Reid also being involved, however from the Autumn onwards Dell and Fagerson have been the first choice with Low and Allan being backups in the autumn. Bergman looked ok vs France, Low isn't getting much game time at Exeter and Sutherland's injured. My biggest concern injury wise for Wales is Dunbar - we have Taylor and Scott who can both play there, but I think Dunbar is a very different player from both of those, he is much stronger defensively, which we will need against the crash ball of Wales, but also adds something to the attack.

I think it shows how far this team has come that people are disappointed that we were drawing with France in Paris with 10 minutes to go, and lost as they kicked 2 late penalties. It hurts as the game was their for the taking, but this is the best French team in quite a few years, and only lost to England the week before due to a late try. Its 18 years since we won the last 5 nations, and in that time all we have had to celebrate is the 3 calcutta cup wins and avoiding the wooden spoon. I might be biased but i thought again this weekend the Scotland match was the best as at least both teams were trying to win the match rather than the England Wales trying to avoid losing. I dont think Peyper was any worse than the other refs we've had. I just dont think Scotland ever do a good job of playing to what the ref will let you get away with. We got hammered in the scrum and if we are not going to sort if we are going to struggle. I can see what he is doing with Dell and Fagerson as obviously the are talented young props and in a few years this experience is going to have benefited them and the team in general as they will be much better for it, but i think they would have been better rotating the props after last week. However Cotter has gone completely the other way with Price. If he had been given more than just 10 minutes against Georgia in the Autumn (dont think he got any game time in Japan either) he maybe wouldn't have given away that penalty and a bit more experience would have helped against France. I dont think it was just Laidlaw going off that was the issue, it was losing Barclay as well. Its a bit harder being 3rd choice captain trying to get in the ear of the ref. Also I dont know if Russell was maybe feeling the pressure a bit in the 2nd half, there is a lot of praise being thrown his way, and I wonder if he was feeling the onus was on him to create something

What gets me is all the commentators gushing over what a great game it was, both Wales and England looked devoid of ideas in attack and just look to batter up the middle. The kiwis will be delighted at the prospect. England look to have gone backwards since the series win in Australia last year and wales have gone back massively. A good win today should see us as favorites for the 6 nations as I've not been that impressed by anyone else yet

Very much the same as last week, if we can get the backs enough quick ball we are in with a shout. I think its the other way round though, as long as we are no more than 10-12 points down with 20 minutes to go we will win. The Scotland team will be much fitter than the French, and if we keep moving them about the park gaps will open up near the end.

Given 70% of the votes of World Rugby is held by the 6 nations and the Rugby Championship then any change is the responbility of the 6 nations and the RC, but they are only going to vote for self preservation. If they cant get games outside of the world cup, the tier 2 teams are nver going to progress, but maybe thats what the established teams want. Argentina have done more to help promote the game taking part in both the south american championship, the Americas 6 nations on top of the Jaguares and RC. They are letting Uruguay and Paraguay play in their regional cup. And I totally agree, NZ and Oz should be doing a lot more to help the PI teams. SA at least open up the vodacom and curry cup to the likes of Namibia and Zimbwawe.

I think whatever way it has to be over a 2 year cycle so you play everyone home and away so no one gets an advantage of home games. The best way to move forward, IMHO would be to incorporate the 6 nations B / REC into the current 6 nations so both competitions come under the same umbrella. Rugby Europe dont seem to be doing enough to promote the REC and I am sure the 6 Nations could help out to raise the standards / awareness of the competition. The amount of times you hear people (and this is rugby people) saying, why dont Georgia and Romania start their own competition..... 2ndly ensure each year the 6 nations A teams, have to play an away game against a 6 nations B team, either June or November. The only way these teams will improve is playing better teams, as they say you learn more from losing, than winning. Given 4 or 6 years then you can add in promotion and relegation as the standard of the B competition should have improved and also the finances so the drop isn't as big for anyone relegated More spaces for club teams in Europe for clubs outside the AP / Pro 12 / Top 14. At the moment there are only 2 spaces this year Enisei-STM again won a few games, Timosaora didn't win any but both have to play off against the top 2 teams from the 3rd tier tournament for place in 2nd tier cup. Clubs playing in the 3rd tier are losing money by playing, it needs more funding. At the moment its the best team from Belgium, Spain, Russia, Germany and the top 4 Italian club sides. Play off Mogliano vs Enisei-STMKrasny Yar vs Timishoara

Pretty much, although I wouldn't class any of the others as easy games. I dont think its as easy as us or Argentina, France, Wales and potentially Ireland could get dragged in if they have really bad 6 Nations I see also the BBC are running another piece about letting Georgia into the 6 Nations. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38907843 To be fair i think the issue is more abut who they are and where they are from than anything else. If this was Spain or Germany banging at the door to get in, they would have been let in a while ago so the blazers could get a jolly to Munich, Berlin or Madrid, somehow I dont think they are too keen on going tot Tblisi. I am all for in principal having a promotion / relegation play off, Im just not sure how you fit it into the international window. You can really hold it in the June window as teams have tests / tours planned in advance, France play right up to the window so not a chance before, after the June window in July is the only option but players then dont get a break before pre-season. Again November is full, and outside of that there is window where clubs have to release players to play. Unless the calendar is changed to allow a window for the game or games it cant happen.

We are already in 7th ahead of France. In terms of points we are as close to Ireland in 4th as Argentina in 9th. As it is a point exchange system, it is hard to predict how many you gain or lose apart from the next game. At this point all you can say is that losing to Italy could be catastrophic, there other games not so much. England are so far ahead that losing to them would probably not cost us any points, France and Wales would but as we would be expected to lose in terms of the ranking system it might not be to bad. Edit to add obviously a win on Sunday would open up even more of a gap on France in 8th which could be enough, as long as we beat Italy.

Being the 2nd seed only benefits in terms of the scheduling of the games. If we get the 2nd seed spot (we would need to lose 2 points over the next 4 games), the 3rd seed will be one of Italy, Argentina, Japan and Georgia. You are then praying you dont get Argentina. Fourth pot will be just as bad as it will more than likely contain Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Romania with pot 4 could be US, Canada, Russia and Namibia.

Sorry to see Favaro go, I know he didn;t play for Italy last year to concentrate on Glasgow, wonder if its a case of once he decided to play for Italy again it wasn't worth it? Have Strauss and Bennett been offered contracts (ie at not the best terms) but Glasgow are not pulling out the stops to keep them? I am assuming that Bennett is being offered a place at Edinburgh so that he is guaranteed game time? Hopefully Ashe gets himself fit as he will be a ready made replacement for Strauss if he does. I am assuming that Glasgow have spend all their budget keeping Hogg, Russell, Gray and Seymour which wont have been cheap and will certainly have had interest from the AP and Top14. The problem we have is the Pro teams are still not making enough money and are needing handouts from the SRU to keep players. Granted all the other countries are the same, but not to the same extent as Scotland (apart from Italy). Glasgow are hindered by Scotstoun not being big enough (lowest attendance this season in the Pro12 is only 185 off capacity) but the likes of Leinster and Ulster are more than double, Munster nearly double. Connaught and the welsh teams are on a par both Ireland and Wales have 4 teams to spread their internationals around.

Obviously taking part in Apocalypto has put them over so much that the couldnt be rejected for the HoF

I think both Seymour and Dunbar being in the line out was to make it look like they are going to have Strauss in the center run over henshaw

Hogg again brilliant

If we can hold our own in the scrum / ruck / maul we have a chance of winning any game with that back line. Only changes I would make would be replacing Ford on the bench (positive he isn't starting though) and maybe Weir. Due to the injuries there is only really Jackson to replace him with and he's mainly benching for Harlequins

I've got a feeling the semi has to have a minimum of 25k or 30k seats and be a neutral venue in the hosts country. I would guess that anywhere in Glasgow would be ruled out, last year Saracens played Wasps at the Madjeski when you would have thought a stadium in London (Twickenham, Wembley, etc) would have been preferably, and drawn a bigger crowd. The other semi Leicester played Racing (Glasgow beat both of the semi finalists home and away) at the City Ground in Nottingham when the King Power would better choice. I think we all know its going to be Murrayfield. Edit - Looking further back Sarries did play at Twickenham, although this is before the EPRC days so rules may have changed.

I think you have to have some sympathy for Timisoara, the ref has said the pitch was playable it looks playable but stade have said the won't play on it. I can't see how the Romanians are taking any never mind all the blame

It limits the bench though if you have to shuffle Hogg to 10, then maitland to 15 if Russell gets injured. It also puts a marker on Finn as the opposition will know you dont have a proper replacement for one of the most pivitol positions

Only surprise is Dickinson missing, is he still injured and going to miss the 6 nations? I would also have included another fly half, either Jackson or Horne as you know Weir isn't going to get on if he is on the bench.

Went last year and planning to go back in 2018. We stayed at a Disney hotel and had the dinning plan, which is well worth it. All the transport withing Disney is free on the shuttle buses which are never more than a 10 minute wait for (and when its $20 for the car park its a huge saving). We had the 1 quick service and 1 table service meal plan, which also includes 2 snacks. So you could get cereal or muffin / pastry for breakfast (all soft drinks & tea & coffee are free in your hotel) for a snack, a quick service lunch and table service dinner. you basically have over a hundred restaurants to choose from, including most of the ones at Disney Springs (although some aren't included but will give you a discount), and some of the dinner show are worthy booking as well. If you look around before you go some of the restaurants guarantee seats for the evening fireworks etc or will overlook then so worth a bit of planning. It all depends on what else you want to do but if you stay at disney you can get the 14 day pass which means you can go to any park at any time (ie multiple in one day if you wish), you get the 4 parks, plus the 2 water parks and also Disney quest. Maybe the best part is the disney wrist band which you use for all the fast passes, shopping, theme park entrance, paying for dinner etc. It also includes all the park photo's as well. So instead of ignoring all the official photographers as you know your not paying $10 a picture, you actually look them out as much as possible as they are all free, and means you can get the whole family in the picture without looking for someone else to take it for you

I just used a standard USB plug for mine which has worked fine, is there a notable difference using the PE+?

If true, could it pave the way for ICW becoming WWE UK and the WWE branching out to having a teritory system similar to the old days of the NWA?

Win at Leicester and were going to get one of Clermont, Saracens / Toulouse, Wasps / Connaught or Leinster (assuming we avoid Munster in the quarters). More likely to be Clermont, Leinster or Saracens if they win.

Its still a fairly strong Racing team - not their best but still a pretty decent team. Again the Glasgow team is strong without being the best we could put out. I think its good enough to ensure we beat Cardiff while still resting a few ahead of next weeks game.

Im hoping they can get enough teams to either set up a 2nd division or set up 2 conferences. Another Scottish team, Georgian, Romanian, US, Canada, then potentially a Spanish, German, Belgian, Dutch. Just a pity that the best Russian teams are Krasy Yar and Einsei as there is no way a Siberian team is feasbile