Rob Hodgetts (archive)
- Mark Orlovac - 91热爆 Sport journalist
- 20 Mar 07, 01:45 PM
London - So after five weekends of thrilling action, the dust has settled on another Six Nations campaign.
Before the tournament started, our team of 91热爆 Six Nations bloggers sat down to select a combined team of the tournament and we did the same three games in.
Now hostilities have come to an end, the votes have been painstakingly counted and we can exclusively reveal what we think is our definitive starting XV.
Triple crown winners Ireland provide six of the team, with champions France and Italy having four players apiece.
Youngster David Strettle is England's only selection while Wales and Wooden Spoonists Scotland miss out altogether.
Six players from the original team have kept their places, and interestingly five of them are in the pack.
Let us know what you think of our selections, what we've got right, what we've got wrong, and let us know how your Six Nations XV would look.
Continue reading "Team of the Tournament"
- Rob Hodgetts - 91热爆 Sport journalist
- 18 Mar 07, 10:31 AM
London - The 2007 Six Nations ended in controversial, joyous, heartbreaking or infuriating fashion depending on the colour of your shirt.
But there's no doubt it's been a cracker - maybe not for the actual quality of rugby but for the drama and suspense right up until the final match.
France, Ireland and England were all tied at the top of the table going into Saturday's finale, meaning every point scored, for or against, would be crucial in deciding the eventual winners.
Continue reading "Six Nations - the final verdict"
- Rob Hodgetts - 91热爆 Sport journalist
- 17 Mar 07, 04:25 PM
London - France beat Scotland in an exciting match which all but clinched the Six Nations title for Les Bleus.
The Scots were clinging on at 20-14 down at half-time but were blitzed by a barrage of second-half scores, including Elvis Vermeulen's all-important last-gasp try.
See if you agree with my ratings of the Scotland team.
Continue reading "Scotland player ratings"
- Rob Hodgetts - 91热爆 Sport journalist
- 17 Mar 07, 02:24 PM
London - Ireland ran riot at Stadio Flaminio with a victory over Italy to leave France needing to beat Scotland by 24 points to win the Six Nations title.
See if you agree with my ratings of the Ireland team.
Continue reading "Ireland player ratings"
- Rob Hodgetts - 91热爆 Sport journalist
- 12 Mar 07, 09:25 AM
London - Talk about a different kettle of ball games at Twickenham.
England's rousing was a world apart from the dank November defeat at the hands of Argentina, the last time I was at headquarters.
Then, us fans booed as we sank to our lowest ebb in eons. On Sunday, we smiled as the shoots of recovery burst forth in the early spring sunshine.
It wasn't flawless, but that blimming chariot was as low as it's been for a long while.
Continue reading "England face fly-half conundrum"
- Rob Hodgetts - 91热爆 Sport journalist
- 11 Mar 07, 01:24 PM
Twickenham - England put their Croke Park nightmare behind them with an impressive and rousing victory against Grand Slam-chasing France at Twickenham.
Tries from Toby Flood and Mike Tindall rounded off a powerful forward effort as Brian Ashton's side showed significant signs of improvement.
See if you agree with my assessment of the players on show on Sunday.
Continue reading "England v France player ratings"
- Rob Hodgetts - 91热爆 Sport journalist
- 9 Mar 07, 12:30 PM
London - Brace yourself then, England and France fans. Sunday is fast approaching and we all know what that means - "Le Crunch". Two teams in glorious form on collision course in a potential Six Nations decider.
Er, except that it's not, really. If at all, in fact. Technically, the title is still up for grabs but the only thing slightly crunchy about the fixture is whether England can convince us they are not actually as bad as they were in Dublin (that's not to denigrate Ireland by the way). And whether France can maintain their push for a fourth title and third Grand Slam in the last six seasons.
Continue reading "Le Crunch - but not as we know it"
- Rob Hodgetts - 91热爆 Sport journalist
- 15 Feb 07, 09:58 AM
London - I can't quite decide how I feel this morning. Not about life in general, though that's got me unusually stumped too, but about whether it's a good thing there's no this weekend.
By this time, we're normally upping the ante and starting to salivate over the weekend's clashes.
The teams have been named, the coaches and captains are in the process of delivering their final news conferences and we, the fans, are easing into our familiar pre-match routine of talking a load of old cobblers at each other until 30 seconds before kick-off.
Continue reading "Breaking the spell"
- Rob Hodgetts - 91热爆 Sport journalist
- 26 Jan 07, 08:46 AM
London - Ok, so who fancies a gentle Friday warm-up argument then? You know, just to get the banter fine-tuned for the weekend.
England coach Brian Ashton names his starting XV on Monday for the Scotland opener, and it seems highly likely that will be named to start at inside centre. Inadvertently, I've found myself quite excited about this.
But I don't want to turn this into a Farrell debate, more a general, philosophical head-scratch on the England backline.
Continue reading "Backs to basics for England"
- Rob Hodgetts - 91热爆 Sport journalist
- 24 Jan 07, 02:29 PM
Hurlingham Club, London - "It's time to let rugby do the talking. Let the games begin."
So said Jacques Laurans, chairman of the RBS Six Nations committee, at the official launch of the competition at the plush Hurlingham Club in snowy south west London on Wednesday.
They were all there, the great and the good of the European game, with captains and coaches from each side exposed to the media for a one-hit quotes-fest.
The general consensus among the press and the pundits is that Ireland are marginal favourites in one of the most open Six Nations for years. And forget old Calcutta Cup rivalries. The opener between is going to be a positive giggle.
Continue reading "Six Nations starts here..."
- Rob Hodgetts - 91热爆 Sport journalist
- 18 Jan 07, 05:51 PM
I'm what's known in rugby parlance as a utility back. Rugby and golf are my main positions - I blogged from Ireland during the Ryder Cup - but you'll see me pop up in all sorts of other areas, too.
My fondest rugby memories are Five Nations Saturdays in the OVT at Birmingham University, and sitting in the press box at Twickenham covering the 1999 World Cup semi-final between France and New Zealand.
All impartiality went out the window when France began their famous comeback, as the hardened hacks, and me, leapt to our feet to cheer on Les Bleus.
Work over, the party in the pub in Twickenham that night was legendary, with a cocktail of French, Kiwis and British all celebrating a sensational game together.
Now then, call me old-school, but I reckon all modern backs should be made to watch videos of the likes of and back in the days when sidesteps (as well as sideburns) were as important as big muscles. Those guys knew how to beat an opponent one-on-one. England backs take heed.
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