Now that all that distractive World Cup nonsense is out of the way, we can all concentrate on rugby that really matters*: the Big Cup and the Pish Cup.
*Until your team falls out of it, then it’s the league, obviously.
EnzoM has summarised each Big Cup team’s chances nicely, except for one small error, later corrected to read ‘Ulster by 50’.
On the telly this week
Friday 15th November
| Gloucester 20 – 25 Toulouse | 19:45 | BT Sport 2 |
Saturday 16th November
| Bath 16 – 17 Ulster | 13:00 | Channel 4 / BT Sport 2 |
| Glasgow 13 – 7 Sale | 13:00 | BT Sport 3 |
| England 17 – 15 France (women) | 13:10 | Sky Sports Action |
| Barbarians 31 – 33 Fiji | 14:30 | BBC1 |
| Leinster 33 – 19 Treviso | 15:15 | BT Sport 3 |
| La Rochelle 12 – 31 Exeter | 15:15 | BT Sport 2 |
| Ospreys 13 – 32 Munster | 17:30 | BT Sport 3 |
| ASM 53 – 21 Harlequins | 17:30 | BT Sport 2 |
| Scarlets 20 – 16 London Irish | 19:45 | S4C |
| Bordeaux 40 – 30 Wasps | 20:00 | BT Sport 2 |
Sunday 17th November
| Northampton 25 – 14 Lyon | 13:00 | BT Sport 2 |
| Connacht 23 – 20 Montpellier | 13:00 | BT Sport 3 |
| Scotland 3 – 17 Wales (women) | 15:10 | BBC Alba |
| Racing 30 – 10 Saracens | 15:15 | BT Sport 2 |
Ovally Balls 
@Deebee:
Unfortunately not!
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Great stuff, Thaum!
Tom English comments on the SRU ‘fine’ in this article:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50416168
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Nice intro Thaum!
For the utterly, utterly ignorant, are the women’s matches friendlies or Women’s 6N? I can’t get them on SA TV so have idea of the context.
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I think they’re autumn internationals, Deebee.
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Ah! Ok. Thanks – would love to be able to watch them. Love watching women’s football at the highest level because it offers a very different type of game to the men’s one (much of that being not writhing around on the floor every time someone gets within two feet of you) which would be great to see.
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Fanx Thaum.
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Iks – we’re doomed for Andy Robinson levels of suckage.
When he was in charge of Scotland.
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*Considers being in the shite part of Milan*
Bastard Deebs.
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Deebee, have you eaten at that classic Italian place yet (Boeucc?)? Looks delicious. Italian is (probably, maybe, just about) my favourite. Details, please.
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@enzom
Deebee can’t get enough of Zizzi’s.
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Nothing beats my 30 second bruschetta
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Milanese food is all escalopes and polenta, no?
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How can someone (with a minimum of 5 kids) not know the words to The Wheels on the Bus?
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“Nothing beats my 30 second bruschetta”
Not even your 33rd?
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@tomp
People from that social strata outsource their child rearing to others.
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Once again, many thanks Thaum……………..
– enjoy Bastaraud at #8 vs. Saints
– and may Exeter find their groove (note hopeful)
Great w/end everyone.
Tomorrow i get bits of naughty skin sliced off my back but will reward myself with buying a new(ish) car………!
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Yeah, cheers for the atl and the work in keeping us afloat, Thaum, it’s much appreciated.
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Breast of Duck Slade, as Sag used to say.
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True, OT, but a man with his deep knowledge of buses must have encountered the song before.
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Enzo, I googled fancy restaurants in Milan. Have very little chance of going there. Unless we do a quick crowdfunding whip around on here in the interests of my reputation.
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Thanks Ticht – no matter how clean a life you lead, the genes/DNA you’re born with commands what happens in the long run!
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Much power to your ‘grin and bear it’ reserves Slade.
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Life’s good, despite the current plague of fuckwittery……………………..now where’s my tramadol?
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Good luck slade. Have you decided which tattoo to sacrifice?
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I think we’ve found the limits of Deebee’s expenses.
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Bonne chance, sladey.
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No doubt Chuka Umunna consulted the Labour Party well in advance before making his move to the TIGgers (ltd) and then the Lib Dems:
What a fucking hypocrite.
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And don’t get me started on Italian food. It’s sublime:,at least in Sicily. From the humble* arancini beloved of Montalbano, to the exquisite seafood dishes.
*Arancini were something like 2 or 3 euros each, but having looked at recipes, they appear to be a complete faff to make, much more than a lot of more up-market dishes. They were bloody delicious though.
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And Slade … good luck from me too! What kind of car?
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“What kind of car?”
I’m hoping it’s an old orange and off-white Citroen Dyane, reconditioned after a previous owner blew the arse out of it after overloading it with fence posts and wire
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Ticht – ha, that was a classic. Loved that pic.
My current vehicle – my favourite that I’ve ever owned – is a 2001 Mini Cooper, one of the very first BMW ones, but engineered locally here. It is a John Cooper Works powertrain conversion, and apparently the very first one, as the serial number on the motor is … 1.
Except unfortunately the power-assisted steering has gone awol this week. It’s done this occasionally before, but only for a very short time. This time I think it needs investment.
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NN from me….
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Am I the only person who finds Italian food at bit… Boring?
I like stuffed crust deep pan pizza with bbq dipping sauce as much as the next man but Asian and African food is far superior.
Each to their own I suppose.
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For fans of teams in the Pish Cup – apparently you can register with EPRC and watch live streams – dog I hope this works
https://www.epcrugby.com/challenge-cup/latest-video/epcrtv/
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Maybe I have to make a comment before I can like stuff.
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Yes.
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Horrible hour to be onna train.
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Onna train from Milan to Parma.
Slade – good luck my man! Sure it’ll be all good.
Thaum – Mrs Deebee had a Cooper S a few years back and it was a fabulous car to drive. Fun on four wheels! She loves speed and power so she’s now got a Land Rover Defender. Oh.
Craigs – had a simple pizza last night with red wine at a little spot near my hotel. Perfection. Crispy base, loads of mozzarella that oozed cheesy oil that went perfectly with the tomato base and enough spicy salami to lift it all.
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It’s only a bad time to be onna train if you haven’t got cans onna train.
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Too early for cans. I’m not craigs
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Had a shit pizza from a freezer for dinner last night
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Yeti 4×4
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I’m guessing that they were sold out of the bbq dipping sauce?
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That pizza does sound good. The rest of the cuisine doesn’t really excite me though.
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I’d never have shit on a pizza though. Even if it was frozen.
Probably beats the cheesey alternative though.
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That reminds me that I am half way through a pizza oven build. Production has slowed since the fire though.
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Lots of ‘though’ this morning.
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Alas, the BBQ dipping sauce was not in stock.
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Nothing, nothing reminds me more of Italy than a ham and pineapple pizza.
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