15 Leigh HALFPENNY, 14 Alex CUTHBERT, 13 Jonathan DAVIES,12 Jamie ROBERTS, 11 George NORTH, 10 Rhys PRIESTLAND, 9 Mike PHILLIPS

1 Rhys GILL, 2 Huw BENNETT, 3 Adam JONES, 4 Bradley DAVIES, 5 Ian EVANS, 6 Ryan JONES, 7 Sam WARBURTON ©, 8 Toby FALETAU

Reps: OWENS, JAMES, POWELL, TIPURIC, WILLIAMS, WILLIAMS

Whilst doing a bit of research for this post I came across a headline announcing Yachvilli as a doubt for the French. For me this turned a tight game into a nailed on win for Wales. However, the next headline I read tells me that Preistland is out for Wales and has been replaced by James Hook. For me this tips the balance in the other direction. Living in Wales, I know alot about James Hook, mercurial talent, blah de blah de blah de blah. Undoubtedly, he is a talent, but he is also in his late twenties, weak in defence and positionless. There, I said it. Now that’s out of the way, here are the teams:

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); George North (Scarlets), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues), Shane Williams (Ospreys); James Hook (Perpignan), Mike Phillips (Bayonne); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Dragons) Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), Toby Faletau (Dragons).

Replacements: Lloyd Burns (Dragons), Paul James (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Scott Williams (Scarlets).

France: Maxime Medard; Vincent Clerc, Aurelien Rougerie, Maxime Mermoz, Alexis Palisson; Morgan Parra, Dimitri Yachvili; Jean-Baptiste Poux, William Servat, Nicolas Mas, Pascal Pape, Lionel Nallet, Thierry Dusautoir (capt), Julien Bonnaire, Imanol Harinordoquy.

Replacements (from): Dimitri Szarzewski, Fabien Barcella, Julien Pierre, Louis Picamoles, Francois Trinh-Duc, David Marty, Cedric Heymans, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Jean-Marc Doussain.

Oh and the tip? Though I firmly believe that James Hook will go along way to losing this game for Wales, I still feel the rest of the side have enough to match the French.  The one thing I’m absolutely certain of is that Vincent Clerc will score. Which is a healthy 5/2 over here.

They didn’t though did they. So we have our mouth drowning contest for Saturday. For which Ireland have named their team, no great surprises, Rory Best faces a last fitness test and Kidney has gone for O’Gara and Murray as halfbacks. Team in full:

Ireland: R Kearney (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O’Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D’Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster); R O’Gara (Munster), C Murray (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster) or S Cronin (Leinster), M Ross (Leinster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Connell (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), S O’Brien (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster). Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster) or D Varley (Munster), T Court (Ulster), D Ryan (Munster), D Leamy (Munster), E Reddan (Leinster), J Sexton (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster).

The clocks are ticking, there will be some incredible match ups on the day, not least the Hadron Collider of a battle between back rows. Thankfully though, for those of us with an Irish persuasion, we have ROG on our side. Remember This:

Ultimately the result stands. equally we now have a full two days before any more rugby so this will give us all something to have a gentle row about!

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Powell has been sacked by Wasps for having a fight with football fans on his day off. Am I the only one thinking that’s exactly what your average mentally inarticulate back row forward is supposed to do on his day off? Henson picks a fight with his Captain and gets to stay, Powell gets pummeled by  a load of football fans and has to go. Its a disgrace. Actions such as these are bringing the game into disrepute.

Granted. He probably did deserve the sack, as did Henson. Should he have been driving a golf buggy along the M4? No. Should he have had the fight? No. Is the world a richer place that he did do at least one of these things? I think so. Long live Andy Powell, and all who serve him.

Fast forward to the present day and where exactly does he sit? What position is he in? The Toulon  Club President Mourad Boudjellal  has described him as  “difficult to manage” and has also described him as:

He’s a cut above and makes me think of Sonny Bill Williams.

In all honesty the only thing that makes me think of Sonny Bill and Henson is wondering what might have happened if Toulon had managed to sign Sonny Bill Williams, as they had hopedto do, also that he was present during Henson’s drama queen antics. A weeks ban may easily have been a weeks bed rest had that have been the case. Shame.

However, whether or not Henson is the kind of guy you want to go for a beer with or not is not what this is about(If you do, I suggest getting out more, joining a social society or some such). It is about the future of the game and whether or not he is it. I fear he might be.

Given his conduct over recent years it seems ironic to even use the moniker ‘professional’ to describe him, but that he is, a paid professional of the really beautiful game that many of us adore, adore it for those qualities that sets it apart from so many others. Qualities like camaraderie, sportsmanship, commitment, qualities that Henson has little of yet still occupies vast column and screen inches. How can one who displays so little of these qualities, still be playing at one of the highest standards and be looking at a recall to his International squad, a standard that Henson himself felt it would only take ‘one or two games’ after a two year self-enforced lay off to achieve.

The answer as far as I can deduce is cash. Cash money. Henson may not be a great addition to any squad but he must be a great addition to any franchise as a whole. He brings with him a media spotlight once reserved only for footballers which club owners, even taking into account the headaches caused to their coaches, must relish in. He is undoubtedly one of those who brings coverage from other areas, brings interest from those not interested in the sport, as a club owner he is exactly the kind of player you are looking for….

And he’s not the only one. A few weeks ago I found myself in front of a once loved sporting quiz, a picture of Ben Foden’s left eye appeared and a dancer friend of mine, without drawing breath, positively identified them. BTW I’m not for a moment saying dancers have no interest in Rugby, I am saying however that our only previous conversation on the sport was when she remarked it wasn’t fair, as there were to many players on the pitch and the ball had to go backwards, an aficionado She is not. She is clearly though, an expert on Ben Foden and has gained this expert knowledge through the Pulitzer winning Journalism of Hello/OK/et al. Yet she also knew who he played for and even his position, his owners are surely encouraging him to brawl with more taxi drivers in the hope of getting a few more Northampton ladies to the Heineken Cup final.

So its goodbye to the likes of Willie John, Brian Moore and Garin Jenkins. Hello Henson, Cipriani, Fogle*. Brilliant.

*I give it 18 months…

Replacements: Hibbard Yapp J Thomas Turnbull Knoyle S Jones Priestland.

So Gatland has dropped Stephen Jones, kept in Mike Phillips and given James Hook his first start at Fly Half this season. I wonder does he want to win the game at all?

In terms of the game I’d say that’s about all we have learnt, before and after the game though, we learnt an awful lot more from the ephemeral magic that is Twitter. I’m a big fan of Twitter, there is a remarkably active group of Rugby addicts filling my twitter feed with interesting, passionate, sometimes even side splitting gems of prose all neatly delivered in 140 characters. I’m a really big fan, as anyone with an unhealthy obsession for the game would be.  Yesterday though it was on the whole, a bit of a debacle.

First off, it wasn’t that much of a surprise to learn that Austin Healey is as much of a tit as you always thought he was, he opened the playgroup with this well considered comment:

Alain Rowland is a bad #ref for England.. look at history of euro games and Eng internationals he seems to have chip re; England

Like I said, no surprise he is an idiot, and don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a bit of banter, but from a former England International it’s a bit irresponsible. One of the things that makes rugby the game it is  is the respect for referees, to think that there might be some aspiring players out there to think its ok to have that as an excuse disgusts me. It’s the kind of comment that breeds a ‘we could have won, but that Ref is always against us’ attitude which just doesn’t belong in our game. That said, the game not only proved him wrong but proved he is an idiot and Twitter told him so. Social democracy on a Social Network, how it should be.

Brian Moore is also a fan and active participant of the Twitterati, based on last nights vitriol though, I can’t think why. I’m a big fan of Brian Moore, I admire his passion for the game as both player and pundit. The Butler/Moore double act is the finest way to enjoy a game ever since the passing of Mr. Mclaren .  At this stage I have to say I am no England fan, the biggest game of the weekend is less than an hour away, but I appreciate his insight/passion/humour all the same. Nor am I a big defender of those in the public eye getting criticised, you put yourself in the public eye, don’t complain when it doesn’t always flutter its eyelashes at you! Some of the following abuse fired at Moore after yesterdays game makes me not only ashamed to be human, but I honestly cannot believe I have something in common, i.e. Rugby, with these narrow minded neanderthols, see for yourself:

@brianmoorerugby ur f***ing biast wales is better thsn england you douchbag with no teeth

@Big_Gee you’re a very naughty boy. @brianmoorerugby is still a biased prick though #sackbrianmoore

@brianmoorerugby Jesus, you’re a twat.

@brianmoorerugby your just a c**t

@brianmoorerugby f**k off you bald biased c**t

Clearly this is  just not cricket.

Wales: 15-James Hook, 14-Morgan Stoddart, 13-Jamie Roberts, 12-Jonathan Davies, 11-Shane Williams, 10-Stephen Jones, 9-Michael Phillips; 1-Paul James, 2-Matthew Rees (captain), 3-Craig Mitchell, 4-Bradley Davies, 5-Alun-Wyn Jones, 6-Dan Lydiate, 7-Sam Warburton, 8-Andy Powell

Replacements: 16-Richard Hibbard, 17-John Yapp, 18-Ryan Jones, 19-Jonathan Thomas, 20-Dwayne Peel, 21-Rhys Priestland, 22-Lee Byrne

England: 15-Ben Foden, 14-Chris Ashton, 13-Mike Tindall (captain), 12-Shontayne Hape, 11-Mark Cueto, 10-Toby Flood, 9-Ben Youngs; 1-Andrew Sheridan, 2-Dylan Hartley, 3-Dan Cole, 4-Louis Deacon, 5-Tom Palmer, 6-Tom Wood, 7-James Haskell, 8-Nick Easter

Replacements: 16-Steve Thompson, 17-David Wilson, 18-Simon Shaw, 19-Joe Worsley, 20-Danny Care, 21-Jonny Wilkinson, 22-Matt Banahan

Italy: 15-Luke McLean, 14-Andrea Masi, 13-Gonzalo Canale, 12-Alberto Sgarbi, 11-Mirco Bergamasco, 10-Kristopher Burton, 9-Edoardo Gori; 1-Salvatore Perugini, 2-Leonardo Ghiraldini, 3-Martin Castrogiovanni, 4-Santiago Dellape, 5-Quintin Geldenhuys, 6-Josh Sole, 7-Alessandro Zanni, 8-Sergio Parisse (captain)

Replacements: 16-Fabio Ongaro, 17-Andrea Lo Cicero, 18-Carlo Antonio Del Fava, 19 Valerio Bernabo, 20-Pablo Canavosio, 21-Luciano Orquera, 22-Gonzalo Garcia

Ireland: 15-Luke Fitzgerald, 14-Fergus McFadden, 13-Brian O’Driscoll (captain), 12-Gordon D’Arcy, 11-Keith Earls, 10-Jonathan Sexton, 9-Tomas O’Leary; 1-Cian Healy, 2-Rory Best, 3-Mike Ross, 4-Donncha O’Callaghan, 5-Paul O’Connell, 6-Denis Leamy, 7-David Wallace, 8-Sean O’Brien

Replacements: 16-Sean Cronin, 17-Tom Court, 18-Leo Cullen, 19-Shane Jennings, 20-Eoin Reddan, 21-Ronan O’Gara, 22-Paddy Wallace.

Scotland team: Hugo Southwell (Stade Francais), Nikki Walker (Ospreys), Joe Ansbro (Northampton Saints), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh), Max Evans (Glasgow Warriors); Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues) Rory Lawson (Gloucester); Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Euan Murray (Northampton Saints), Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors, capt), Nathan Hines (Leinster), John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), Kelly Brown (Saracens).

Substitutes: Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors), Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh), Mike Blair (Edinburgh), Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors), Sean Lamont (Scarlets).

France team: Damien Traille (Biarritz); Yoann Huget (Bayonne), Aurelien Rougerie (Clermont Auvergne), Maxime Mermoz (Perpignan), Maxime Medard (Toulouse); Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Morgan Parra (Clermont Auvergne); Thomas Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), William Servat (Toulouse), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Julien Pierre (Clermont Auvergne), Lionel Nallet (Racing Metro), Thierry Dusautoir (captain, Toulouse), Julien Bonnaire (Clermont Auvergne), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz).
Replacements: Guilhem Guirado (Perpignan), Luc Ducalcon (Castres), Jerome Thion (Biarritz), Sebastien Chabal (Racing Metro), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz), David Skrela (Toulouse), Clement Poitrenaud (Toulouse).

First off I found the superbru game. It’s not strictly speaking a fantasy rugby game but based on predictions/tipping. Which means it’s quick to complete your selections and from there on in, easy to maintain, bonus. Unfortunately there are no prizes other than pride on offer, I’ve started a league over there but it’s lonely over there at the moment come and join me, click here Pool Name: Chasing The Egg, Pool Code: yankfire .

Next up was espnscrum’s little brainchild which is a bit more like a traditional fantasy game, the rules are a little hard to find, so briefly:

• Maximum of four players from each nation.
• 3 front rowers, 2 second rows, 3 back rows, 1 scrum half, 1 fly half, 2 centres and the back 3.

What is good about it is there is no imaginary value system in place, you can, if you want have O’Driscoll, Wilkinson and Williams in the same team. Which is I haven’t, but many might go for. Also what is good is points make prizes! The overall winner will get a years subscription to Sky Sports HD and a 32inch HD Colour TV, the round by round prizes are a little less exciting.

I’ve set a league up over there too so don’t be shy, the league is called Chasing The Egg, the PIN is 1807 .