It all started off with such high expectations: in honour of Welsh Legends, a pre-match drinky at the Owain Glyndwr. Unfortunately the beer was being served by an amateur, and headless Brains was the result.
Not to worry! A text arrived from a colleague of the mister’s (a Tigers fan) announcing that he was at O’Neill’s, so we made our way there. The colleague was nowhere to be found, and the beer (and wine) was equally shit. The main point of interest was that the owner must be a County Antrim man, judging by the exquisite photographs on the walls.
Next on the agenda was to find somewhere to watch the Munster v Racing match. After considerable traipsing, eventually found a pub that was both showing it and had drinkable booze. Hooray!
As you’ll all know, that was quite an exciting match, ending in a draw.
On to Arms Park for the main event!
Arms Park is a civilised ground that serves Courvoisier doubles. Whoever designed the signage must have been overly-appreciative of said cognac, because the signs in no way resembled any of the seating information on our tickets.
With the help of a friendly usher, we eventually found our seats, in the middle of a garish sea of Leicester supporters. A particularly large-lunged one was sitting directly behind me, and was given to shouting YESTIGAHS every time Leicester touched the ball.
Noticing me flinching, he said, “Sorry, I’ll try to warn you before I shout. But I don’t always know when I’m going to do it.”
“Oh. A bit like Tourette’s, then?”
As for the rugby itself:
.
.
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(Yay, try Cardiff.)
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.
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Ah shit.
Further Reading
Weekend team selections start here.
ClydeMillarWynant’s views on known knowns and unknown unknowns.
On the telly this week
Friday 29th November
| Munster v Edinburgh | 19:35 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Ulster v Scarlets | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Bath v Saracens | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
Saturday 30th November
| Wales v Barbarians (women) | 11:45 | S4C |
| Wales v Barbarians (men) | 14:45 | Channel 4 |
| Northampton v Leicester | 15:00 | BT Sport 2 |
| Treviso v Cardiff | 15:00 | FreeSports / PS2 |
| Connacht v Southern Kings | 17:15 | TG4 / Premier Sports 1 |
| Dragons v Zebre | 17:15 | S4C / Premier Sports 2 |
| Glasgow v Leinster | 19:35 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Ospreys v Cheetahs | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
Sunday 1st December
| Harlequins v Gloucester | 15:00 | BT Sport 1 |
Ovally Balls 
That is why Jones struggles to get selected, bad missed tackle
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JDII killed Huw Jones. That was the beginning of the fall.
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Tam, did he turn Jones into a bad tackler in one game?
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This is a capitulation, Glasgow were well on top
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That was really good in attack from Jones
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Not sure. There was that article around the time that had Jones as the most successful tackling outside centre in the world. Foxy and North do him over and a year later he’s out of the world cup etc.
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We need a bloody kicker, at least one better than Horne.
Plus there’s a Leinster fan close by who is doing my nut in.
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It’s a bit of a leap to attribute Jones’ predicament to Davis and North
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Glasgow have shot themselves in the foot with those two tries, pity their accuracy in that is better than their accuracy on the field
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He’d been a certain pick until then and defence, from memory, had never been much of a talking point. Then he gots criticised by Townsend, some injuries and no spot on the plane. And Chris Harris, a better defensive centre but not a patch on Jones in attack, is ahead of him.
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I do really like Huw Jones, by the way.
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It’s still a leap to attribute his situation to one game/two players
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Wow, you never see that four man front row penalised
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Mike Adamson is the away team’s homer :-)
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If Glasgow lose this their league season could be over by Christmas, mins you Embra a pish so their could be a lifeline there
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Glasgow replacement tighthead is one to watch – Adam Nicol
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Fast Catz win 18-13 against the Ospreys.
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That is a bad loss for Glasgow in terms of the season
Leinster’s defence was outstanding, top top discipline
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Left early. In Chippie. Orders?
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Well, that was mince, and I don’t necessarily mean the mince pie supper I had. I suspect this will be the last season for a few of the ‘old stagers’, plus some either aren’t good enough or have lost form completely (looking at you, Peter Horne).
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Ooft. Glasgow struggling to make the big cup at this rate.
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We’ll be struggling to make the Pish Cup at this rate.
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Poutine, please.
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Sorry, poutine isn’t a staple of Renfrew chippies. Although looking at it, I’m sort of amazed it isn’t.
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Ah, well, thanks anyway, BB.
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That’s Springbok Number 10 Robert du Preez, Deebee.
Correct. Off the bench in that strange fixture against Wales in Washington. I think only five or six of that squad made it to Japan in the original squad selection. Agreed about Lombard and hopefully he gets good game time. After Pollard, there’s a big drop in class. Jantjies just isn’t in the same league and is also erratic, especially behind a pack that isn’t dominant. Would love to see Willemse given more time at 10 too.
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Good weekend for Ulster rugby. Let’s keep those coming.
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not many followers there, Enzo…………………
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Massive cheating, shit reffing:
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Mitrea did penalise Schoeman for that during the game, the penalty came just after it. He also got a warning that he’d be sent off if he did it again
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I read a match report that said it happened a couple of times during the build-up to the Munster try. Are you saying there were other occasions on which it happened?
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Already pumped for Ulster-Quins next week. Watching Quins now. They look average. Everything looking hopeful. Prime conditions for disappointment.
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“There’s no way you can mess this up – ’till you do.”
Commentator on London Irish winger attempts to field a Bristol grubber. (Knock-on.)
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What’s happening in that game, LADOAB?
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I imagine Bristol are dealing with them heartily.
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3-0 to the Bears.
It’s a decent game, quite a bit of kicking.
Defenses are tight.
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Irish’s Cowan is having a good game so far.
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3-0 at this stage? That is tight.
I have a morbid interest in the career of Paddy Jackson. How is he playing? If he’s at full back in a three-nil game he was probably fielded a lot of balls and booted them back from where they came.
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His carry just now helped set up the first try. Inside centre passes the ball left out of a tackle, the winger then pops it back into the centre for the scrum half to canter over.
3-7
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His hair is extreme. Good player, all told. A bit strange he’s played so much in the Championship, good to see him back in top-division rugby.
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Jackson has been playing well. Decent kicks, good positioning defending the kick.
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Bristol just missed a relatively easy penalty.
And then blow the kick reception.
London’s ball.
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Re Caerdydd meet-up, could possibly make one over xmas.
Still thinking Heidelberg sounds good for 6N Super Saturday.
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Tighthead slams his shoulder into Bristol’s #5.
Yellow or red is the question…
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Red it is.
Oli Hoskins is a very naughty boy.
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Red card for one of the LIR players (Hoskins), shoulder into the neck of Chris Vui at a ruck. LIR will play the second half with 14 men.
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43rd minute line out for Bristol.
Lovely run through the middle of the pitch by the blindside, to no avail as Bristol turn the ball over.
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Irish are awarded a kick, but decide it is time for some oranges, and tap the ball before kicking into touch.
3-7
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Nice break through the line by Thacker and he passes our the back of the hand to Hughes, who scored in the corner.
Sheedy hits the post for the second time. 8-7
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Nathan Hughes goes over in the left corner for a try.
Another kick goes off the post.
8-7
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