With Six Nations on the horizon, OvallyBalls operatives have been sharpening their pencils (and their rapier-like wits).
Enzo’s Ireland squad
I’ll make tough choices and keep it to a lean-ish 36/37. However, I will do honourable mentions. The players will be in order from best to rest, where applicable. I’ll explain otherwise.
LHP: Healy, Kilcoyne, McGrath – JMcG has found a bit of form although the first two are miles ahead. Nods to Buckley and Eric O’Sullivan.
HK: Kelleher, Herring, Scannell – fuck it, chuck the kid in, he looks fantastic. Failing that it has to be Herring over Scannell.
THP: Furlong, Porter, O’Toole – first two miles ahead, pick themselves. O’Toole is not the third best THP in Ireland, John Ryan and Marty Moore are both better and, if it comes to starting a big game, they should leapfrog TO’T. But he has huge potential and should be in the group.
SR: Ryan, Henderson, Beirne, Kleyn – first two a good bit ahead. Beirne’s form has dipped a bit. Big Dev and Dillane and Roux are all fine but none have form that’s compelling enough to get rid of Kleyn, who has been good and put in one awesome performance against Sarries, which is hard to ignore. Still shouldn’t necessarily play, however.
BR: van der Flier, Doris, Stander, Ruddock, Connors, Deegan, O’Donoghue – no POM, he’s been shit for a year, everyone talks about his leadership so it’s time to have a word with himself and find some form. No room for sentiment. He’s not even next man in, Sean Reidy is the unluckiest guy to not make Enzo’s definitive group. First three would be my starters. Doris has to play.
SH: Cooney, Murray, Blade – self explanatory.
OH: Sexton, Ross Byrne, Burns – JS is still our best ten by miles, until Harry Byrne takes the shirt off him. Carbery would be ahead of Burns (definitely) and Byrne (probably? maybe? maybe not, actually) if fit. I’m as surprised as anyone to be pencilling in Billy Burns and, if Carty wasn’t playing like shit and Hanrahan was a bit more fit, I’d probably not have him.
CT: Ringrose, McCloskey, Henshaw, Aki – Chris Farrell and Luke Marshall are the unluckiest, maybe Tom Farrell too (injuries took away any chance he had). Ringrose is our best centre and my issue with him is that someone needs to tell him the expectation is that he’ll be the best in the world, or thereabouts, for the next few years so time to start playing like it. Given his form since the WC, maybe that conversation took place. McCloskey has been awesome for Ulster and, given we lack a massive carrier in the pick, I think should take the shirt. Henshaw however has been playing well. Aki is Aki, nearly always fit (an underrated quality) and solid.
B3: Stockdale, Larmour, Conway, Lowe, Addison – no Earls is the big news but he’s 32 and even if he wasn’t I’d not have him ahead of these guys. They all play wing and at least four play full back but, IMO, it’s Larmour at 15 with Addison behind him, while Stockdale and Conway are on the wings, although Lowe has to get some time there too.
Chimpie’s Scotland squad
LH: Dell? Bhatti? Sutherland? Our options here are un-good, none of whom are really first picks anywhere. would include Reid but he’s languishing in super-6 land. Need Kebble to qualify pronto.
Hooker: Brown, McInally, Turner. In that order currently although Rambo & Brown are pretty much interchangeable.
TH: Z-Fags, Nel, Bergs. zander has been on good form of late. Wullie can still scrum but otherwise looks a little off the pace.
Lock: Gray (smaller), Cummins, Gilchrist & Toolis. Skinner may be back up to speed soon in which case I’d have him in, no real idea what larger Gray is up to. if on form I’d include him.
Back row: Bradbury, Ritchie, Watson, M-Fags, Thomson. I’m sure Toonie will add Wilson. I’d have Crosbie in there too.
SH: Price, Horne, errr….. Pyrgos? Not much else in the cupboard really. SHC is odd-jobbing in France. Shiel looks good but hasn’t had may pro starts. Glasgow appear to have unearthed a fetus of potentially great talent but bit early to tell.
FH: Finn, Hastings. Behind that the cupboard is somewhat bare. I’d give Weir a chance, but others seem to think Horne is a 10. Yes he can do a brief job there but he’s not an international 10.
Centre. Jones, Scott, Hutchinson, Taylor, Johnson, Bennett, Harris all in the mix, could be a contentious area. They’re all regular starters, difficult to know who to leave out. would personally cut to Jones, Scott, Hutch & Taylor but who knows. Horne will probably make it.
Back 3: Hogg, Graham, Maitland, Kinghorn, McGuigan
Yosoy’s Wales squad
LH: Wyn Jones, Carré, Evans – Smith sucks so doesn’t make the cut, Carré can’t get a game, Evans is miles off last year’s form and Wyn Jones is serviceable. Overall rating: weak
Hooker: Ken, Dee, Elias – fine. Overall rating: tidy
TH: Dillz, Brown, WillGriff John – Guess work here as WG John is getting talked up and I only remember him as a powder puff scrummager that was Scott Andrews-lite. Dillz has played once since the RWC, Fatty Francis is too fat to play (injured, truthfully) and Brown is an awful technician in the tight. Overall rating: piss weak
Locks: President Jones, Beard, Ball, BAILLCH (British and Irish Lions Legend Cory Hill) – fine, same bunch as last year. Overall rating: half-tidy
Back row: Taulupe, Wainwright, Tipuric, Navidi, Shingler, Moriarty, Griffiths – Pivac is picking Shingler whether Iksy likes it or not. The starters should be Taulupe, Wainwright + 1. If they’re going to pick an 8th ‘rower, then pick Basham who’s a proper hard twonk. Griffiths makes Warburton look durable but Pivac was talking him up so…. overall rating: better than 10 Superbowls. Better than 19 Superbowls if Ellis comes back okay next season
SH: Tomos, Davies, G & whoever. Don’t care. Pick Tomos and sit back. overall rating: tidy
The Tenz: Everyone loves Dan Biggar, Jarrod, Sam Davies – not great. Can’t really play Turkball with Biggar, can’t trust Jarrod. overall rating: worrying
Centrez: Parkesy and whoever else is standing. Probably Scott Williams, Watkin will make some of the 6N. Too early for Benny T. Tyler Morgan looks done, wouldn’t surprise me to see Adams play 13 v Italy. overall rating: let’s not talk about it
Wingz: Adams, North, Lane Train, McTurkle, Amos Exprezz – overall rating: choo choo
FB: Halfpenny, Liam might be fit? – overall rating: good to tidy
MisterIks begs to differ in some respects.
Further reading
Chimpie’s synopsis of the Pro-Woo standings
Yosoy on Alun Wyn Jones and the woeful state of the Ospreys
Tichtheid on the Scottish looseheid predicament
On the telly this week
Friday 10th January
| Bath 19 – 25 Harlequins | 19:45 | BT Sport 2 |
| La Rochelle 30 – 23 Sale | 19:45 | BT Sport 3 |
Saturday 11th January
| Bordeaux 32 – 17 Edinburgh | 12:45 | epcrugby.com |
| Ospreys 15 – 22 Saracens | 13:00 | Channel 4 / BT Sport 2 |
| Clermont 29 – 13 Ulster | 13:00 | BT Sport 3 |
| Calvisano 19 – 47 Pau | 13:30 | epcrugby.com |
| Castres 42 – 14 Dragons | 14:00 | epcrugby.com |
| Agen 24 – 52 Wasps | 14:00 | epcrugby.com |
| Stade Français-24 – 29 Zebre | 14:00 | epcrugby.com |
| Worcester 66 – 10 Enisei-STM | 15:00 | epcrugby.com |
| Bristol 52 – 3 Brive | 15:00 | epcrugby.com |
| Glasgow 31 – 31 Exeter | 15:15 | BT Sport 2 |
| Connacht 7 – 21 Toulouse | 15:15 | BT Sport 3 |
| Bayonne 27 – 10 London Irish | 16:00 | epcrugby.com |
| Gloucester 29 – 6 Montpellier | 17:30 | BT Sport 2 |
| Scarlets 15 – 27 Toulon | 20:00 | S4C / BT Sport 2 |
Sunday 12th January
| Northampton 33 – 20 Treviso | 13:00 | BT Sport 2 |
| Leinster 42 – 14 Lyon | 13:00 | BT Sport 3 |
| Racing 92 39 – 22 Munster | 15:15 | BT Sport 2 |
| Leicester 30 – 20 Cardiff | 15:15 | epcrugby.com |
Ovally Balls 
“The Afrikaans speakers vastly outnumber the Gaelic speakers at Edinburgh rugby”
Whereas Glasgow has more Gaelic speakers than anywhere else (just as Dublin has the most Irish speakers). Who would have thought there were so many jobs at BBC Scotland?
LikeLike
“Does a steal built entirely on old stories and restating the obvious still count?”
What a question to ask.
LikeLike
“I now have 7 job related irons in the fire so to speak. Just need to follow up today. I might also have something really temporary which should steady the Craigsship for a bit.”
You also saw the job for a Space Operative (6 months temporary) advertised on our works intranet today? Don’t think you’ll get it if Yos goes for it.
LikeLike
@LADOAB
Thanks for the background on Wexit…. I was aware of the general rumblings/discontent but interesting to get a viewpoint from someone you know ….
LikeLike
A space operative? Will this be part of space force?
LikeLike
Been trying to play Skyrim elder scrolls in VR. Can only manage 20 odd minutes before I feel like barfing
LikeLike
Tom English being cheery again – not quite as ‘cheery’ as Chimpie, though.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51109386
LikeLike
Wurrr dooooommmmed!
LikeLike
Can someone give me access to cmw’s intranet. My SpaceX connection can’t seem to log me in.
LikeLike
Great to see Pivac get off on the right foot by bringing through local talent.
LikeLike
@Trisk
That is just a quick off the top of my head ‘Wexit’ definition.
For a little more detail:
Central Canada has the largest percentage of the population; probably close to half of all Canadians live in Ontario or Québec.
With equalization payments, Alberta has for a long while been funding projects in Ontario and Québec, (as well as the Maritimes, Newfoundland and Labrador, etc.) yet the province has less voice in the political direction of the nation than the largest two.
Justin Trudeau’s father implemented some policies that pretty much has alienated the Albertan voters for a few decades now, so when JT mishandled the pipeline projects, (that is to say not to their/there/they’re liking,) coupled with the Conservative Party’s lack of success this past election have given some people (around 25% of the voters,) the idea that Alberta would be better off on their/there/they’re own…
LikeLike
Probably just network issues with them finally getting round to removing all the Windows 7 machines at the last minute.
Duties include relocation (well, duh) and scrapping so they must be expecting some trouble with the Martians.
LikeLike
Is space like Doncaster?
Yes, only bigger.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Craigsship is a pirate vessel sailing the open seas. All who see her unfurl her flag shiver with fear and her theme song causes jealous rage in some parts of Glasgow.
Arrrgh.
LikeLike
Some parts of Glasgow sounds ambitious.
I would’ve opted for a part of Glasgow, and build from there.
LikeLike
Which may explain why I am not independently wealthy…
LikeLike
And now we have Greggxit! Greggs has closed it’s only store in Cornwall, getting no pastries from the locals for their pies. The local fare gave Greggs a real Cornish pasting, with one local declaring “It was foolish for Greggs to move into Saltash. Maybe further down, like Newquay, they would have more success with tourists, but Cornish people like Cornish pasties.” Get Greggxit done!
LikeLike
No problem with the latter as I’d be well tooled up, but can’t I just commute in/up on the SpaceX rocket? I’ll ask at interview.
LikeLike
SRU: Increases paid to all directors from £1.13m to £2.246m. Profit before tax fell from £1.8M to £308,000.
Now, where did all those profits go I wonder…..
LikeLike
Would be a tad more justifiable if they hadn’t been cutting stuff elsewhere, and there had been more success on the pitch (*cough, world cup, cough*). Spread that between Embra & Glasgow it would make a difference. Or even the Super 6.
Overall since Dodson came on board the SRU is in a much better position but this is taking the piss.
LikeLike
Yosexit to Mars
LikeLike
Dovexit reversed
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hoggy is El Capitano for the 6N
LikeLike
Looking forward to Rees-Zammit being named as the new captain.
LikeLike
Boo. Should be Ritchie.
Can understand the choice though
LikeLike
Scortland
LikeLike
Well, a few surprises in there.
LikeLike
du Preez back from beyond the grave.
Any surprising omissions?
LikeLike
Sorted by position rather than stupid alphabetical list
Bhatti, Dell, Sutherland
Brown, McInally, Turner
Berghan, Fagerson, Nel
Craig, Cummings, Gilchrist, Gray, Toolis
Bradbury, Crosbie, DuPreez, Gordon, Haining, Ritchie, Watson
Horne, Price, Pyrgos
Hastings, Russell
Harris, Hutchinson, Johnson, Jones, Scott
Graham, Maitland, McGuigan, Steyn, Tagive
Hogg, Kinghorn
Surprised:
Craig – don’t know much about him. Shame Skinner isn’t back fit, hope he features at some point
CDP / no Thomson. Not seen much of either lately TBH
Well one of the centres had to go, shame for Bennett as he’s on decent form – reckon he has a higher talent ceiling than Harris. No Horne which is a first for Toonie.
What I’ve seen of Tagive doesn’t suggest he’s pulling up trees. Maybe along for the experience.
LikeLike
Yos, Mark Bennett and Matt Fagerson are the first two that stand out by their absence
LikeLike
@yos. As above. Thought CDP’s bridges had been well and truly burnt after the Cardiff horrorshow. A couple of centres were always going to miss out, also back rows. Depth is worrying in other areas.
LikeLike
In my humble – Hogg should not be captain – he has not yet mastered his own all-round game and is too far from core action on the pitch to be useful to the ref or his team
LikeLike
….i.e. his defensive positioning, tackling………………………………….but Baxter is working on him!
LikeLike
@Scottishrugbyfans
I know that Thompson wasn’t fit last week. whether it’s a medium/long term thing I don’t know.
LikeLike
What I wouldn’t give for Etzebeth/Snyman/ de Jager clones, our options aren’t exactly small, but they are meek in comparison with the best guys out there
LikeLike
Chimpie, I got cheeky/lazy and pinched your sorted list for the Embra forum, I couldn’t be arsed typing it out myself.
LikeLike
Wales’ 2020 Six Nations Squad:
Forwards (21)
Rhys Carre (Saracens) (6 Caps)
Rob Evans (Scarlets) (36 Caps)
Wyn Jones (Scarlets) (22 Caps)
Elliot Dee (Dragons) (29 Caps)
Ryan Elias (Scarlets) (9 Caps)
Ken Owens (Scarlets) (73 Caps)
Leon Brown (Dragons) (6 Caps)
WillGriff John (Sale) (*uncapped)
Dillon Lewis (Blues) (22 Caps)
Jake Ball (Scarlets) (42 Caps)
Adam Beard (Ospreys) (20 Caps)
Joe Davies (Dragons) (*uncapped)
Seb Davies (Blues) (7 Caps)
Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (134 Caps) (CAPTAIN)
Will Rowlands (Wasps) (*uncapped)
Cory Hill (Dragons) (24 Caps)
Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) (26 Caps)
Aaron Wainwright (Dragons) (18 Caps)
Taulupe Faletau (Bath) (72 Caps)
Ross Moriarty (Dragons) (41 Caps)
Josh Navidi (Blues) (23 Caps)
Justin Tipuric (Osprey) (72 Caps)
Backs (17)
Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (51 Caps)
Rhys Webb (Toulon) (31 Caps)
Tomos Williams (Blues) (16 Caps)
Dan Biggar (Northampton) (79 Caps)
Owen Williams (Gloucester) (3 Caps)
Jarrod Evans (Blues) (3 Caps)
Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets) (25 Caps)
Nick Tompkins (Saracens) (*uncapped)
Dai (Pentyrch) (*uncapped)
Owen Watkin (Ospreys) (22 Caps)
George North (Ospreys) (91 Caps)
Josh Adams (Blues) (21 Caps)
Owen Lane (Blues) (2 Caps)
Johnny McNicholl (Scarlets) (*uncapped)
Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester) (*uncapped)
Jonah Holmes (Leicester Tigers) (3 Caps)
Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets) (85 Caps)
Liam Williams (Saracens) (62 Caps)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rowlands the big surprise after Tompkins was leaked last night. We are desperate for locks.
LikeLike
Forgot about M-Fagz. Him left out for Gordon is a surprise
LikeLike
I’m pleased to see Owen Williams there above Sam Davies who is Dragonsesque. Webb is lucky, Holmes is meh. Tighthead makes me want to cry apart from Dillz.
LikeLike
Also Haining. Surprising.
LikeLike
You cheeky scamp Ticht. BTW got a train past the M-Field this morning. Mini-field construction is under way. Just a lot of earth movement currently.
LikeLike
Chimpie, I think Matt Fagerson has lost out to CDP and Haining, and it’s probably on size, Tom Gordon is an out and out 7, Fagerson should move over to that role, it’s his best bet of international rugby, but then he’d be competing with Crosbie, Watson and Ritchie, and I’d rather have those three, tbh.
LikeLike
Not enough Turks or Legends in that group, Yos. Embra have games against both during the 6N.
We have 12 forwards and 4 backs on duty
LikeLike
Yes M-fags is not an 8. Bit of a 6.5, good player though. Just realised Wilson isn’t there either.
LikeLike
Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (134 Caps) (CAPTAIN)
That’s a ridiculous number. Isn’t showing much of a slow down either.
LikeLike
Hmmm. Reckon Ryan’s had his day. Not too bad a squad, whether it will be able to do more than retain the Calcutta Cup (again) and beat Italy, I don’t know.
LikeLike
@ticht
We have an injury crisis in the backs so it’ll be the likes Tovey, Jason Harris and Dan Fish playing, plus our tight 5 is probably competition worst bad with the exception of the Kingz.
The Turks won’t miss the international players so much as they’ve barely seen them and have a better squad anyway.
LikeLike
No Taylor either. Jeez I’m slow this morning.
LikeLike
No Ollie Griffiths, Basham, Ellis, Cubby, Thomas Young, Shane Lewis-Hughes… who else have I missed?
LikeLike