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SIX NATIONS
Yes its that time of the year again. Six nations rugby returns to our screens. This year France and England are favourites with home ties against Ireland there biggest rival. But the key game should be the night match of France v England. The game they hope will capture a record amount of tv audiences. But with France having home advantage I would back them to win by 3 to 10 points and with Jonnie Wilkinson not at peak fitness, I doubt he will be able to turn games around like last year. Then theirs France with Marsh back in Action and the French teams doing well in Europe everything is going there way. Ireland meanwhile has a long list of injurys, with Miller and Hickie defiantly out, and ODriscoll and Horan pushing it to be fit for the competition. Also Murphy is unlikely to be available until the last game. Wales could create an upset by beating England or France and turning the competition upside down but it is highly unlikely that they can beat France, England and then Ireland as well. But Im sure they will beat Italy this time around. Scotland though faces the risk of losing to an Italy that failed to show much in the World Cup. Paterson is there key player, but losing Logan and Redpath may show, but maybe Williams can turn them into a solid team. Italy will be trying to win one of the games against either Wales and Scotland, but I think this year will be not be there year and they will not win a match, but will run Scotland close, and may give Ireland a bit of a scare. So France will win, then England second and Ireland third, Wales fourth, Scotland fives, Italy sixth. The player of the tournament should be michlak he has lot to prove after his semi-final showing and will be working on his game. The other player to look out for is Marcus Horan and Josh Lewsey who has always performed but is underrated by the Media, apart from his kicking he is the complete Full-Back, Lewsey will be the top try scorer. The only upset that I can see happening is maybe Wales beating Ireland. So hope its a great tournament whoever wins. What I hope to see improve on last year is that referees will not tolerate all this crossing thats goes on when a team is attacking. Dont let any time away with it. Its unfair and is not what the game is about
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RUGBY MONTHLY
This month Im going to discuss IRBs lack of pity for the smaller nations in this Word Cup, while England can have its own chef, Georgia has only one scrumagging machine in the whole country. Rugby has not allowed the smaller countries a fair playing field, When voting on whether to give extra funds to countries such as Fiji. Those countries didnt even get a say as they have no vote what so ever. We need to help fund about 4 to 6 nations, and concentrate on improving them, countrys such as Samoa and Georgia, which have so much potential but need funds. Funds need to be raised and I think this is where a North versus South match would help, they would play in Australia in one of there wonderful stadiums and then two years later they should play in Cardiff. A 80,000 seater stadium would raise about 5million with current ticket prices. That 5million would be divided into 3million for the six countries under the spotlight. And the 1.75million would be given to all the countries knocked out in the group stage o the World Cup, with the amounts decided by there ranking, and the 250K left would be given to countries who didnt qualify and motivate them to qualify next time. The solution does not lie in reducing the number of teams competing, but questions must be asked about an African country getting straight qualification, It would be better if they played a South American or Asian team in a one leg match. The World Cup finalists should play the teams to back this sort of project and stop with their greed. If you want to help you can start by signing my petition
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Written by Ghislain Hofman
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