OvallyBalls can now reveal that our operatives have made secret recordings of discussions that took place some years ago. Names may have been changed to protect the not-that-innocent.
Wrigel Nay: Right, chaps, this salary cap is a bit awkward, eh what? If we are to DOMINATE the Premiership and the European Cup, we need you players. And obviously you won’t play as well if you’re not millionaires.
Basil ‘Bog’ Brush: Well, y’need the motivation. I coulda gone inta footba’, and got my money for nothing, and my chicks for free. In rugby, I have t’ make a lo’ o’ no-arms tackles, and tha’ stings a bi’ sometimes.
Maro Match (melodiously): Uhmm, I’ve got lots of arms; I’m like an octopus, mate. Uhmm, but every extra 100 grand grows another arm. Plus, it’s fodder for my political campaign chest.
The Puny Voles: We’ve got our private doctors and personal massage therapists to pay for. It’s not cheap being injured all the time. We are reduced to pretending to go on Z-list sleb programmes to survive. And it’s boring, so the finest Dom is in order.
Maro Match (melodiously): Uhmm, Classic Dom?
The Puny Voles: Nah, mate, Dom Pérignon.
Wrigel Nay: Don’t worry, chaps, I have a plan. You set up some limited companies, and we ‘invest’ in them in lieu of salary.
[Collective sound of gum-guard-sucking.]
Wrigel Nay: I’ll have my people contact your people to explain it all. [Drones on until everyone falls asleep.]
On the telly this week
Friday 8th November
| Connacht 11 – 42 Leinster | 19:35 | TG4 / Premier Sports 2 |
| Edinburgh 20 – 17 Dragons | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Sale 28 – 18 Wasps | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
Saturday 9th November
| France 10 – 20 England (women) | 13:10 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Gloucester 12 – 21 Saracens | 15:00 | BT Sport 2 |
| Zebre 7 – 31 Glasgow | 15:00 | Free Sports |
| Ospreys 14 – 16 Kings | 15:00 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Cardiff 30 – 17 Cheetahs | 17:15 | Premier Sports 1* / S4C |
| Munster 22 – 16 Ulster | 17:15 | Premier Sports 1* |
| Scarlets 20 – 11 Treviso | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
*Both of these cannot be right. But that’s what the site says.
Sunday 3rd November
| Exeter 17 – 22 Bristol | 15:00 | BT Sport 2 |
Ovally Balls 
surely that’s going to be over-ridden by key injuries plus any retirements?
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France have been poor for ages. It remains to be seen just how good they will be in the 6N and over the next few years (two very different things) but I think it’s fair to say they are definitely not bad any more.
England look great. Scotland could compete if they hold their nerve (and find a couple of ball carriers). Italy have improved/are improving, but slowly – and this is during a ten-year period where four of the five other Six Nations sides have been on a relative upward curve with the other (France) now emerging from a trough.
What happens to Ireland and Wales is a complete wild card. However, both nations produce enough good players that a dire Six Nations (entirely plausible for both) doesn’t necessarily imply years of relative hardship (but don’t rule it out).
England are massive favourites for the coming tournament but it’s going to be interesting, no matter what.
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Anyway, Big Cup is where it’s at right now. Ulster by 50.
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That’s more like it
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As for 6N, England in pole position really. Wales & Ireland could take a bit of a dip but wouldn’t stake anything meaningful on it, especially in Ireland’s case. France could be contenders subject a long list of caveats. Italy will struggle. Again. As for Scotland we could achieve sufficient mid-table mediocrity in a relatively weak year to convince Toonie he’s doing fine then we’ll carry on being a bit mince for the next few years.
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Slade – gats did mention that. It’s massive shoes for Pivac to fill. Gats is a legend in Wales. Any fuck up is going to be inflated as a result.
Might be a career defining (for better or worse) risk.
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Be nice if we could retain the Calcutta cup again though.
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England will have a hangover of 2004 levels. You just watch. It’s going to be Bannock Burn, Monte Cassino, the Battle of Yellow Ford, Joan of Arc and Tom Jones in the charts all over again.
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France
England
Scotland
Wales
Ireland
Italy
Six Nations predictions. Hot and fresh.
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I’m just killing time till I see some Big Cup teams.
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Pffft. Pffft. Pfft. Pffffffft
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I think this could be Scotland’s year.
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Going to run out of pffts at this rate.
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Scotland’s slam to lose.
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Maximum bonus points and a record points difference too.
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Such silliness is not worthy of a pfft.
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https://twitter.com/search?q=GLOvTOU
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mmmm try that again
Gloucester Rugby:
Jason Woodward; 14. Tom Marshall, 13. Chris Harris, 12. Mark Atkinson, 11. Ollie Thorley; 10. Danny Cipriani, 9. Joe Simpson; 1. Val Rapava Ruskin, 2. Franco Marais, 3. Jamal Ford-Robinson; 4. Freddie Clarke, 5. Gerbrandt Grobler; 6. Ruan Ackermann, 7. Lewis Ludlow, 8. Ben Morgan (capt)
Replacements:
Corné Fourie, 17. Josh Hohneck, 18. Fraser Balmain, 19. Alex Craig, 20. Jake Polledri, 21. Callum Braley, 22. Billy Twelvetrees, 23. Matt Banahan
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Cockers being, errr, experimental, but only one “who the heck is he?” Dan Nutton on the pine there
Speaking of the pine, Ally Miller has been very good for us but he is in the 7z squad now, hopefully we get dibs if we need him in the coming months
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Agen
15. Loris Tolot, 14. Timilai Rokoduru, 13. Jordan Puletua, 12. Alban Conduche, 11. Benito Masilevu, 10. Thomas Vincent, 9. Xavier Chauveau, 1. Morgan Phelipponneau, 2. Loris Zarantonello, 3. Corentin Chabeaudie, 4. Adrian Motoc, 5. Pierce Phillips, 6. Gauthier Maravat, 7. Jessy Jegerlhener, 8. Romain Briatte (c).
Replacements:
16. Fernandez Correa, 17. Malino Vanai, 18. Dave Ryan, 19. Andrés Zafra Tarazona, 20. Laurence Pearce, 21. Hugo Verdu, 22. Raphaël Lagarde, 23. Julien Jane,
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Aha!
This website is now accessible at work
Expect my participation to skyrocket
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Toulouse team doesn’t look ultra amazing but maybe I’m comparing it to the ludicrously talented sides of the past:
15. Thomas Ramos; 14. Yoann Huget, 13. Sofiane Guitoune; 12 Romain Ntamack; 11 Maxime Medard; 10. Zack Holmes, 9. Sebastien Bezy;
1. Cyril Baille, 2. Julien Marchand (c), 3. Charlie Faumuina; 4. Florian Verhaeghe, 5. Joe Tekori; 6. Francois Cros; 7. Rynhardt Elstadt, 8. Jerome Kaino.
Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, 17. Clement Castets, 18. Dorian Aldegheri, 19. Richie Gray, 20. Selevasio Tolofua, 21. Alban Placines, 22, Pierre Pages, 23. Lucas Tauzin.
It’s better than the Glaws team but the game’s at the Shed. Slightly doubting my Toulouse win prediction. But I’ll stick.
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Ulster by 60. You’ll never have seen anything like it.
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Mostert still on the piss I guess. Freddie’s a tryer but no second row. A youthful Scots tyro to cover on the bench. A fractured set piece, reversing scrum, and backs who are strangers to each other.
I predict a disastrous Friday night for the Glaws faithful, biffed up front and embarrassed in the loose. Toulouse by 44.
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@Craigsman I’ll be very disappointed if England don’t pick themselves up and dominate the 6N. Hmm. Perhaps I need to start managing my own expectations now.
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Only thing cheering me up is that Ulster will beat Barf by more than Glaws will lose by, based on Enzo
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one thing i think England are poor at is rising to the challenge of being favorites………………….sadly
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@ Ticht
Good to see more fringe players getting a run out, and young Shiel get a start. Happy for the pish cup to be used for squad rotation and development.
Never heard of Nutton. Not sure who Thomson is either.
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Not a clue if that Agen side is any good or not.
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The line is drawn under it
Statement from World Rugby
“World Rugby can confirm that the Scottish Rugby Union has expressed its regret and has confirmed it will not challenge World Rugby further on this matter.
The Scottish Rugby Union has agreed to pay a donation of £70,000 to World Rugby and the matter is now closed. There will be no further comment from either party.”
Expressing regret is not the prostrating oneself apology that the fuckwits demanded of the SRU, so that is one thing I suppose.
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Chimpie, Thompson came to us after two or three years playing second tier in Oz, he’s been a good big lump for us so far. Nutton is one of your lot, he’s in the Nails’ Super 6 squad apparently.
Agree on Shiel, I think he is going to be a big player for us and Scotland, he’ll give George Horne a good run for his money, I reckon he’s less than the three age years behind Horne in terms of his game.
I looked up the Agen team for the Embra forum, it’s easier to just C&P it over here
Agen finished 12/14 in the Top 14 last season, the bottom two were relegated. They currently lie 13th from the nine games played so far. They had no players in the French squad at the RWC.
I’ve gone through the Agen team on itsrugby to get an idea of who is playing
15. Loris Tolot, played 6 started 3 this season
14. Timilai Rokoduru, 1st game this season – big guy listed as wing, centre, flanker
13. Jordan Puletua, played 2 started 1
12. Alban Conduche, 1st game this season
11. Benito Masilevu, p5 s5
10. Thomas Vincent, p2 s0 age 20
9. Xavier Chauveau, p5 s0
1. Morgan Phelipponneau, p3 s0
2. Loris Zarantonello, p3 s0 age 18!
3. Corentin Chabeaudie, 1st game this season age 22
4. Adrian Motoc, p7 s2
5. Pierce Phillips, p3 s2 exWuss, but not a ist team regular
6. Gauthier Maravat, 1st game this season age 18
7. Jessy Jegerlhener, nothing on him on itsrugby age 22 listed as a lock
8. Romain Briatte (c). p6 s5
Replacements:
16. Fernandez Correa, 1st game, listed as a prop in true French hooker style
17. Malino Vanai, p8 s3
18. Dave Ryan, p9 s3 – starting tight head, played 22 league game for them last year
19. Andrés Zafra Tarazona, p9 s8 – starting lock
20. Laurence Pearce, p8 s 7 – ex Sale)
21. Hugo Verdu, p5 s 2
22. Raphaël Lagarde, p7 s5 – 8 tries so far this season, ex Racing
23. Julien Jane, 1st game this season
looks like they have a strong bench
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Guess who has F all to do today?
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That’s what happens when you fix the oven Ticht.
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I’d describe that Toulouse team as ‘tidy’
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Scotland will not win the 6N, you utter, utter loons. Have a word with yourselves.
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‘expressed its regret’
Ha ha.
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‘Nutton is one of your lot, he’s in the Nails’ Super 6 squad apparently.’
bound to be awesome then
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That’s fairly big climb down from WR. Obviously a lot of back room politicking been going on, doubt either party would have come out well from taking it further
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Mark Dodson has done a lot for Scottish rugby, but he sadly has the nuance, subtlety and public relations skills of a panzer division.
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“Mark Dodson has done a lot for Scottish rugby, but he sadly has the nuance, subtlety and public relations skills of a panzer division.”
I think that is true, Chek, but I also think he was in the right in this instance, WR didn’t want their shortcomings exposed in arbitration, the kangaroo court which acted as judge and jury on this case just being one of the many fuckups.
I also think Dodson is right in his standing up to certain clubs who want to run the entire game in Scotland for their own benefit, this is basically what the “Keith Russell Affair” is all about, imo
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@Ticht
Yeah, agree with all of that. Part of Dodson’s role was always going to be ruffling a few feathers in the Scottish game, but he seems to ruffle feathers where there’s no need to.
Is there going to be some sort of review into our RWC performance? It really wasn’t good enough, & there’s a good argument for shaking up the coaching structure. Let’s hope Dodson can concentrate on that.
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I’m hoping TomP will come up with the goods on Jessy Jegerlehner, coz he sounds South African to me
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“Is there going to be some sort of review into our RWC performance?”
I would guess so, there is usually a review at the end of a season or end of a tournament. I would hope Toonie stays on and is given better support in terms of his assistants.
Dave Rennie leaving Glasgow may have an impact on who goes where.
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Think Jegerlehner is genuinely French, Ticht. There are quite a few German-looking surnames in France, especially in Alsace.
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@Ticht
Think we need a new defence coach as a minimum. We concede way too many tries to be competitive at the highest level.
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“There are quite a few German-looking surnames in France, especially in Alsace.”
That’s true, I guess.
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The Pish Cup is just a development opportunity until the semis kick in, so the attention is obviously on the main event. I think the excitement at this stage is looking at who can pull off an away win, and looking through the fixtures there are quite a few of them.
Benetton will find it very tough in Dublin, everyone does. Quins at Clermont I can’t see being an away win, but apart from those two there are genuine chances of the home side being overturned in all of the other games
https://www.epcrugby.com/champions-cup/matches/
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I don’t think the England situation is like 2004. The only was was downhill for that aging RWC winning team, and the game itself was shifting away from them if you factor in how SCW’s Lionz were trounced by that trendsetting ABs team.
The current England team got mullered in the RWC final, and Eddie seems to saying they failed to sustain the standard they set themselves. But this is a team that should be motivated, dedicated and young enough pick themselves up and react to the disappointment of losing the final. My guess is they will be dying to get back in the England shirt for the 6N, and will dish out some beatings.
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MrIks – I hope you are right but I don’t think it fits with our psychology/mentality………………
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