2017 Prediction thread

[cashead]

Make yer predictions here, fuckers.

6 Nations
Ireland wins, but won't get the triple crown - Scotland or Wales will ambush them
England doesn't get the tier 1 test match record (fuck you, Eddie!)
Wales comes 4th
The pre-tournament discussion will be dominated by Bonus Points and how they're the devil. It will turn out that Ireland would have won regardless of whether or not there were BPs anyway, but that won't get in the way of undignified bitching from the losers.

SUPE RUGBY
Hurricanes have a disappointing defence of their title, won't even make the play-offs.
Blues will make the play-offs in their place.
Crusaders will win

Mid-year tests
England without their best players, who are on Lions duty, will lose one of the two tests against Argentina
Australia will win all 3 of their tests, although Scotland will run them close (they also play Fiji and Italy)
Wales will get the shit knocked out of them by the Tongans and Samoans
Ireland will beat the USA comfortably, but will squeak past Japan in both tests
Scotland will beat Fiji
The Georgians will pull off an upset in Argentina
Romania will have a proper shit tour, and get duffed up by Japan and Canada
The Italians will match that, and will be on the wrong end of a hiding from the Aussies and Fijians
South Africa will win their series against France 2-1. One of these will be a blow-out. France will still win at Ellis Park (the 3rd test), going 5 from 5 at that venue.

Lions
All Blacks will win all three tests. They will beat the NZ Barbarians, although not by much, and the Maori All Blacks will beat them. At least 2, possibly 3 of the Super Rugby sides will also win their respective games.

Rugby Championship
The All Blacks will win, but lose a test match along the way. Possibly a resurgent South Africa in their home fixture.
South Africa will go 3 from 6 and finish runners up.
Argentina to get the spoon.

EOYT (Predict based on what has already been announced, if you dare.)
All Blacks will go undefeated
The Springboks, to lose one test, but win the others.
The Wallabies to lose the Bledisloe test, but otherwise go undefeated. Cheika will finally get one over Jones, but just.
During all the hoopla, Ireland are announced as hosts of the 2023 RWC. One of the quarterfinals will take place at the Millennium Stadium because reasons.

[rowan]

As per Southern Hemisphere forum post:

6 Nations
England wins, gets the tier 1 test match record, media brags incessantly, Eddie declared Coach of the Millenium.
Italy again winless, wonder how they ever beat the Boks. Scots & French scrap for 4th.

SUPE RUGBY
Hurricanes again make the play-offs, but return to customary choker's status as Kiwis against dominate and produce the winner.
Aussies will do better.
Jaguares make play-offs.
Sunwolves, Kings, Rebels and Force again struggle, leading to changes for 2018 with 2 or 3 less teams.

Mid-year tests
England, without their best players, who are on Lions duty, will lose one of the two tests against Argentina. Agreed.
Australia will win all 3 of their tests, although Scotland will run them close (they also play Fiji and Italy). Agreed.
Wales will beat understrength & inadequately prepared Tongans and Samoans in a canter.
Ireland will beat the USA and Japan, but one of the tests against Japan will be close.
Scotland will edge an understrength and ill-prepared Fiji.
The Georgians will give Argentina a solid work-out but lose by 10 or 15.
Romania will have a proper shit tour, and get duffed up by Japan and Canada Agreed.
The Italians will lose to the Aussies by 10 or 15 but edge the understrength and ill-prepared Fijians
South Africa will win their series against France 2-1. Agreed.

Lions
All Blacks will win 2-1 in a tight struggle. The Lions will inflict their first home-defeat of the decade, however.
Hurricanes will also beat the tourists. Lions will win the rest.

Rugby Championships
The All Blacks will win, but lose a test match along the way. Possibly a resurgent Australia in their home fixture.
Australia will go 3 from 6 and finish runners up.
Argentina will pull off the now customary upsett, probably at home against SA again. An agonising home-loss will see victory over the All Blacks elude them yet again.

EOYT
No way I can predict this before I see how the regular season unfolds.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

6N
England wins. Ireland win the tricky games narrowly but trip over Scotland. England pick up bonus point wins against all but Ireland.

Supe
Same old same old. Dominance by the kiwis. The Lions fall back into the back a bit. Aussies a bit better but not good enough to really disturb the kiwi dominance. The Blues continue to make strides and get in amongst the play off picture. Hurricanes winners again, this time in final with Crusaders.

Mid-year Tests
England in surprise double win against Argentina on tour despite missing a lot of players.
Aussies lose to Scotland who are not as depleted as they should be by the Lions, but win other games.
Ireland win games at a canter. At least one new star of Irish rugby revealed and gets a late injury call up to Lions
Wales beat Tonga but lose to Samoa as over-representation on the Lions takes its toll.
Scotland trounce Fiji.
Argentina thump Georgia
Romania not even slightly competitive.
Fiji beat Italy who get properly duffed up by the Wallabies.



Lions
Only manage a win against the Maori. Lose all other matches. Last Test close but not good enough.


4N
ABs with 4 from 6 win it.

[Sandydragon]

Six nations
England to win, but the last game in Dublin will be a cracker.
Wales will win at least two games, maybe three and the Welsh media will hail that as a success despite not really competing against the top two.

4N
All Blacks. I'd almost bet my mortgage on it.

Lions.
Our undercooked team is hammered from the off. Injuries mount up and by the second test it's all for pride. Expect usual inquest into viability of Lions and prep time.

[Sandydragon]

6N
England wins. Ireland win the tricky games narrowly but trip over Scotland. England pick up bonus point wins against all but Ireland.

Supe
Same old same old. Dominance by the kiwis. The Lions fall back into the back a bit. Aussies a bit better but not good enough to really disturb the kiwi dominance. The Blues continue to make strides and get in amongst the play off picture. Hurricanes winners again, this time in final with Crusaders.

Mid-year Tests
England in surprise double win against Argentina on tour despite missing a lot of players.
Aussies lose to Scotland who are not as depleted as they should be by the Lions, but win other games.
Ireland win games at a canter. At least one new star of Irish rugby revealed and gets a late injury call up to Lions
Wales beat Tonga but lose to Samoa as over-representation on the Lions takes its toll.
Scotland trounce Fiji.
Argentina thump Georgia
Romania not even slightly competitive.
Fiji beat Italy who get properly duffed up by the Wallabies.



Lions
Only manage a win against the Maori. Lose all other matches. Last Test close but not good enough.


4N
ABs with 4 from 6 win it.

Probably not. After inflicting a record win last time, it's an opportunity for other teams to contribute. The lions will be mostly Irish and English in the tests, injuries notwithstanding, but hopefully those nations with less players in the tour and tests will own less than last time out.

[rowan]

Interesting to take a look back at this now. Most of us got the 6 Nations right, which didn't require any great visionary powers, of course.

[rowan]

Me

6 Nations
England wins, gets the tier 1 test match record, media brags incessantly, Eddie declared Coach of the Millenium.
Italy again winless, wonder how they ever beat the Boks. Scots & French scrap for 4th.

Eugene

6N
England wins. Ireland win the tricky games narrowly but trip over Scotland. England pick up bonus point wins against all but Ireland.

Sandy

Six nations
England to win, but the last game in Dublin will be a cracker.
Wales will win at least two games, maybe three and the Welsh media will hail that as a success despite not really competing against the top two.


Cashead

6 Nations
Ireland wins, but won't get the triple crown - Scotland or Wales will ambush them
England doesn't get the tier 1 test match record (fuck you, Eddie!)
Wales comes 4th
The pre-tournament discussion will be dominated by Bonus Points and how they're the devil. It will turn out that Ireland would have won regardless of whether or not there were BPs anyway, but that won't get in the way of undignified bitching from the losers.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

I'll concede to Sandy i think - just.

[rowan]

I think I might be the only one still in the hunt for the correct Lions series prediction

Lions
All Blacks will win 2-1 in a tight struggle. The Lions will inflict their first home-defeat of the decade, however.
Hurricanes will also beat the tourists. Lions will win the rest.

But I must say Eugene Wrayburn did very well with the Summer tour predictions, Fiji's win over Scotland notwithstanding:

England in surprise double win against Argentina on tour despite missing a lot of players.
Aussies lose to Scotland who are not as depleted as they should be by the Lions, but win other games.
Ireland win games at a canter. At least one new star of Irish rugby revealed and gets a late injury call up to Lions
Wales beat Tonga but lose to Samoa as over-representation on the Lions takes its toll.
Scotland trounce Fiji.
Argentina thump Georgia
Romania not even slightly competitive.
Fiji beat Italy who get properly duffed up by the Wallabies..

[rowan]

I'm not reading too many predictions for a Lions win in the third test, unsurprisingly. General consensus seems to be they only managed to edge the second because of Silly Billy's dismissal. Is there a shock in store for the decider? You never know, but I'll go with the same prediction as I did last week - All Blacks by 15.

[rowan]

NZ v Lions: Played 40, NZ won 30, Lions won 7, drawn 3.

[rowan]

NZ v Lions: Played 40, NZ won 30, Lions won 7, drawn 3.

So from an historical perspective, the All Blacks have a 75% chance of winning, the Lions a 14.2% chance, and there's a 3.333 recurring chance of a draw

[rowan]

NZ v Lions: Played 40, NZ won 30, Lions won 7, drawn 3.

So from an historical perspective, the All Blacks have a 75% chance of winning, the Lions a 14.2% chance, and there's a 3.333 recurring chance of a draw

Incidentally, England's record against the ABs is almost identical, 40 played for 7 wins. But in this case the All Blacks have 32 wins and there has only been one draw.

[Lizard]

The Lions have never previously won consecutive tests against the All Blacks.

[rowan]

Wow The All Blacks completely dominate the Home Unions at all levels, don't they? That's why any talk of a 'closing gap' between the hemispheres is so ridiculous. Nobody's closed the gap on the All Blacks, except perhaps Ireland recently but generally the margins are just getting greater and greater.

[rowan]

Anyway, I'll go with a score of 35-20 to NZ.

[rowan]

The Lions have never previously won consecutive tests against the All Blacks.

That continues to hold true then. Meanwhile, I think my (original) prediction for the Lions was closest, though no one predicted a drawn series.

[rowan]

I think we all forgot to come back and predict the AIs, but I would've picked an ABs sweep and SA & and Aussie to drop 1 or 2 each. Honest!

Not a bad effort with the RC, if I do say so myself

Rugby Championships
The All Blacks will win, but lose a test match along the way. Possibly a resurgent Australia in their home fixture.
Australia will go 3 from 6 and finish runners up.
Argentina will pull off the now customary upsett, probably at home against SA again. An agonising home-loss will see victory over the All Blacks elude them yet again.