FN6F30 – The Big Dogs are Back

Oh what a night.  A cold, rainy night in Paris, watching the slaughter of the innocents unfold before you is not for the faint hearted.  Whilst France’s half backs and midfield are undoubtedly one of the best collection of running backs we have seen for many years, how quickly Ireland’s midfield has fallen from grace to become a leaking bucket.  Italy awaits.

The final match of the 6 Nations will take place in the same venue (hopefully for all of us the rain will have stopped by then).  Borthwick’s England the opponent, who crushed Wales with their hard running and power pack.  A battle that we can all look forward to.

Italy gave us the surprise of the weekend, ruining Scotland’s hopes at the first outing, and one feels for the Scots travelling support, who swapped one set of rain for a Roman downpour.

 2026 Entry

Thanks to all who have entered, and contributed, to this the 30th F6NF.  It is heartwarming to see so many familiar names back again from around the world.  Especial thanks to Aengus D’Arcy and Zaneta van der Westerhuizen, who have been my first and last spreadsheet row for the last 20 years or so.

Between our regular sponsors and the other 288 of us, we have raised nearly €15,000 for LauraLynn and are confident of more funds flowing in.

Leaderboard

So how did you do?  The extent of Ireland’s defeat scuppered many hopes, but not all fell off the log.

Top of the table are Eoin Dennehy and Johnny Murphy with an outstanding 50 points, albeit demonstrating hard heads over soft hearts.

“You have to be realistic” said Dennehy from his penthouse office overlooking the 4 Courts.  “You may rather have Andy Farrell to dinner than Fabien Galthie, but on current form you obviously back the guy with the Joe 90 glasses”

Johnny Murphy was more sanguine. “I’m sure Ireland will come back fighting against Italy, but England and France are the two big dogs this year, everyone else will be after the scraps” 

Julian D’Arcy led the charge in the D’Arcy camp, with Brian de Luge making 4th place, some reward for the sacrifice he made travelling to the match on Thursday.  “Apart from Thursday night we had a great time” de Luge told the F6NF.

Also on 40 points plus are Eoin Kelly from the US, Gibbs father and daughter from Lancashire, and Johnnie Greene from Glasthule, demonstrating the international nature of this competition.

Team Entry

We have 11 teams entered this year, and first out of the traps are Tea Time, with a very credible average of 19 points per player.  Hot in pursuit are Grubber Knickers, with inevitably the massed ranks of JJ Bowles in third.

Plenty of scope for movement yet.

Week 1 Prizes

The RKD Form Before Function Award goes to either Dennehy or Murphy, to be decided next week by countback.

The Linesight Fiendishly Clever Award goes to Eoin Kelly, currently in hiding on the West Coast of America, for the best forecast of the combined EvW and ItvS games, which is really a fiendishly clever way of avoiding another tied award.

“Brilliant, delighted” said Kelly on a secure line from a Democratic state.  “Just don’t mention it online, ICE have their ways and means.”

Your secret’s safe with us Eoin.

Next Week

The combined wisdom of the F6NF forecasters would say that Ireland will beat Italy by 17 next Saturday.  England to win the Calcutta Cup in Murrayfield by 6, and France to win by 18 points on their visit to Cardiff.

Who will win the battle of the 10 shirt in each though?  Ireland (Prendergast, Crowley, Byrne), England (Marcus Smith, Finn Smith, Ford) and France (Jalibert and anyone else) all have choices to make, and apart from Jalibert its anyone’s guess as to who starts in the key position.

All will be revealed.