The East Terrace Predicts Round Three of the Six Nations
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Action from Rugby World Cup '95 on the Sega Megadrive |
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Rugby World Cup '95
Format: Sega Megadrive
Publisher: EA SPORTS
The East Terrace’s valiant attempts to predict the outcome of the 2006 Six Nations via old computer software analysis (old video games) has so far been an utter, but noble, failure. However, with the mentality of an Italian team in the European Cup, we keep coming back for more. This week we are using the first ever rugby game from EA SPORTS: Rugby World Cup 1995. It was released on the Sega Megadrive and for PC in 1994.
Potential Problems with the program
Again, like all our games so far, each player is identical in appearance, giving the game a somewhat bland look and making it hard for us to see who is doing what. Rugby World Cup also has some serious positional play problems for the fullbacks. Defensively they seem to hang about as far away from the ball as they can be, often near their own goal lines. Offensively, they are non-existent. It could be said they play with a nineteenth century attitude to the game: only there to clean up any mess their team are in. In this case, a name like Billy Bancroft’s Rugby 1885 may have been more appropriate as the title of the game.
It must also be noted that the program, despite our best efforts, cannot take into account the situation in Wales at present. If anyone knows where the menu option is for back-stabbing, self-destruct and farce mode is, we will happily rerun the tests.
On the plus side, unlike our last round, at least this game has the correct number of players on each team.
France v Italy
Compared to the last sequence of games on International Rugby Simulator, this fixture is an octane-fuelled action fest. The game starts with France chucking the ball about with typical digital Gallic flair. It all leads to nought though, and Italy, with some excellent defending, begins cluttering the game up. Soon the match is little more than a series of rucks and mauls and players stumbling everywhere when they get half tackled (there is a lot of stumbling in Rugby World Cup 1995). The game, like several in our prediction program, sees a 0-0 score at half time.
France change tack in the second period and begin to kick superbly to the corners, pinning the Italians back. They soon force a five-yard scrum and, after a huge shove brings them inches from the line, decide to throw it about, over complicate it and lose the ball.
France continue to dominate but, in a huge contrast to rounds one and two of our predictions, no player seems capable of making more than about ten yards with the ball. Even if a player breaks the defensive line he is either caught instantly by someone behind him, or the full back (positioned about eighty yards from the ball at any one time) comes in and makes the tackle. Finally, a defensive blunder from Italy allows French forward A. Paqueri to score an easy try under the posts. The conversion is added and France sneak home 7-0.
France: F.H Penisson, G.A. Guillemot, F. Petizon, J.M. Detoc, Y.D. Guillemot, D. Cor, H.F. Coron, P.D. Renaudin, R.D. Colantonio, C. Giraud, A. Corki, G.A. Guevel, K.F. Dognin, D. Goy, A Paqueri
Italy: T.F. Luppa, D.L Capirossi, A. Minotti, R.H. Maldini, M.H. Mannini, C.F. Fondri, A. Day, L. Marchegiani, M.D. Retona, G.A Pagliuca, S. Bontempi, F.D Baresi, A. Belzotta, A.G. Chiara, G. Bugno
Scotland v England
If digital players can be accused of being fiery, then the Scottish team were just that. For the opening exchanges it is all Scotland, with England clinging on to their digital shoelaces just to stay in the game.
Scotland fail to capitalise, though, and the first time England get decent field position Butterfield, playing at inside centre, hits a sweet drop goal.
After this score the sting seems to have been taken out of the Scots and England began to dominate all aspects of the game. The rest of the first-half is all England. The lack of possession is compounded by the Scottish fullback, Robertson, who has a habit of running away from play like a scared rabbit and then hoofing away the ball.
The English led 3-0 at the break.
Whatever the Scottish players had in their halftime processing and data analysis, it worked. The second half is all about the home side; England doing almost nothing but defend. Then, in the final minute, a huge forty-metre break by right winger C. McLaughlan, is thwarted by what looks like a sliding football tackle by the English fullback yards from the line.
The last few seconds have Scotland pounding the line and it is only a dropped ball by the Scottish pack - after they had crossed the line - that allows the visitors to take the spoils. As the game was saved by the nineteenth century positional play of the English fullback, it is fitting that the game finishes with a nineteenth century score line: 3-0.
Scotland: D.S Robertson, C. McLaughlan, C.R. Hendry, B. McMillan, S.D. McKimmie, B. Dewar, T. Boyd, B Leitch, B.W. Ferguson, B.T. Gunn, R.L. Dempsey, D.L. McPherson, M. Leslie, R.D. Leitch, I.S. Macanaulty
England: P.D. Murphy, G.S. Smith, T.F. Galea, A. Butterfield, C.L. Downie, P. Wardo, N.J . Cook, J. Easterbrook, N.K. Channon, T.F. Chalvers, P.D. Larsen, S.R. Peters, A.P. Camilleri, C.N, Thompson, R. Ashdown
Ireland v Wales
Those attending the Ireland - Wales fixture in Dublin this weekend should put their shorts and shades on. According to the game it is going to be a scorching hot day with a bone-dry field of play. Fittingly, both teams start by throwing the ball around and making huge breaks. One early attack by Wales almost leads to a score, but the Welsh winger decides to thump the ball out of the stadium when he sees the fullback about ten yards from him. Ireland reply with their own huge break as both teams look to entertain.
With the half drawing to a close, the left wing for Wales, D. J Phillips, scores the try of the championship with a waltzy long-range solo effort. The touchline conversion is no less than the splendid try deserves. Halftime has the visitors leading by a converted try.
The second half sees Wales dominate the game, controlling the ball and hogging all the field position. A late rally by the Irish is ineffective and Wales hold on to win 7-0. Wales almost add a late score but for the heroic nineteenth century positioning of Irish fullback M. Leane
Ireland: M. Leane, L. Meehan, W. Knox, J, Reardon, M. O’Hare, J. O’Sullivan, A.O Brien, J. Burke, T.C Clarke, K.D.P. Close, R. Gallagher, P. Jackson, D. Knox, S.Muldoon, P. Murphy
Wales: C.L. Dodson, B. Grimmond, J.D. Stafford, A. Wilson, D.J. Phillips, A. Jones, J. Williams, C. Behanna, N.J. Carter, T. Norman, P.J Riggs, K.F. Symons, S. Davies, S.M. Etchells, W.R Deane
Round Three Results
France 7 Italy 0
Scotland 0 England 3
Ireland 0 Wales 7
Potential problems with our computer system
Firstly, we have a confession to make. We got so bored during round two (watching International Rugby Simulator) we cut the playing time for this round. It probably contributed to the low scores. Well, it obviously did. But of the three programs we have used thus far, this seems the most like real rugby. But even still, maybe you shouldn’t bet your house on our results.
So what should you bet on for the Round Three of the Six Nations?
Once again, our results seem to be a little bit on the low side in terms of points. Therefore, we may bet on these as margins of victory, for example: France and Wales to win by seven and England by three.
Scoring wise, possibly a flutter on England scoring the first points from a drop goal and the left winger and number eight for Wales and France getting the first tries in their respective games.
How does our prediction table look?
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pt | |
| France | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 12 | 6 |
| England | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 53 | 10 | 4 |
| Wales/West Germany | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 50 | 4 |
| Ireland | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 14 | 2 |
| Italy/Russia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 28 | 2 |
| Scotland | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 23 | 0 |
Check back next week to see how The East Terrace fared with betting on some of the predictions we forecast.
If you have any experience with Rugby World Cup 95, or want to comment on our predictions, please email us at webmaster@theeastterrace.com