We could conceivably have the championship wrapped up before the game at Twickenham, if we can secure a bonus point win against Scotland and England don't match that against France. I like the bonus point system but that would make for a very flat end to the tournament.
For us yes. The game would lose a lot of tension and excitement if the only motivation for England and their fans was spoiling a grand slam bid though.Possibly, but the Grand Slam would still be there to win.
For us yes. The game would lose a lot of tension and excitement if the only motivation for England and their fans was spoiling a grand slam bid though.
For us yes. The game would lose a lot of tension and excitement if the only motivation for England and their fans was spoiling a grand slam bid though.
Ha! Bit of a different atmosphere to say, Cardiff in 2009 when both teams were going for the championship though! :)True - Ireland barely bothered to turn up last year when only an England grand slam was at stake... ;-)
Ha! Bit of a different atmosphere to say, Cardiff in 2009 when both teams were going for the championship though! :)
That's what I'm worried about losing with the bonus points system, will work in our favour more than likely this year and I'm fairly confident of the slam with our usual bogey teams beaten (Wales, France in Paris) but any team with 3 wins from 4 should be in contention on the last day. It doesn't seem right that say, ourselves and England could end up with 4 wins with England hammering us and ending with a better points differential yet Ireland taking the Championship. There's also the possible (albeit unlikely) scenario that a team could win the grand slam but lose the Championship to a team with 4 wins, 4 scoring bonus points and a losing bonus point - 21 points to 20. Think if we're going to use bonus points we should look at having 6 points for a win and 3 for a draw with the tournament being so short.Yeah, I know what you're saying, but being taken apart like that last year was a bit painful!
Though oddly enough I'd say the best day ever was the one a few years ago that Ireland ultimately won, where on the last day first Wales went silly to go to the top of the table, then Ireland went completely mental to make it extremely hard for England, then England and France played out (I was there) an insane game where England desperately tried to get the points difference to win the championship. They fell just short, but honestly, the standing ovation that went round the ground for the effort was huge. What a brilliant, brilliant climax to the tournament that was.
There's also the possible (albeit unlikely) scenario that a team could win the grand slam but lose the Championship to a team with 4 wins, 4 scoring bonus points and a losing bonus point - 21 points to 20. Think if we're going to use bonus points we should look at having 6 points for a win and 3 for a draw with the tournament being so short.