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 
Slade: we were just discussing why we like Exeter (for an English side…): they’ve come from nowhere, and without buying in a lot of expensive players. And they play good rugby.
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Sladey,
https://buffstreams.tv/live-glasgow-warriors
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Connacht game is a bit harum scarum (live on French TV)
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Cheers Ladoab.
Hopefully have that interview I mentioned. I’ve also been put forward for another job and had the in house recruiter at another place contact me which is very promising.
I’ve also been asked if I want to be a consultant for a year so that’s pretty good. Although ‘the work hasn’t been won yet’.
Some stuff happening.
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Hastings has cost us points but redeems himself (slightly) with that break just before HT.
Plus Big Leone was in the clubhouse before the game!
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@Tomp
Thanks – it’s basically the same feed as mine and I ca’t break through the phishing/scams………………grrrrrrrrr
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Huw Jones not quite on the top of his game.
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There was a knock on in the build up to that Huw Jones open goal miss. Probably a better thing for him to knock the ball on as Exeter get a scrum 50 metres back up the field otherwise.
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While you’re all here, I’m looking for two Six Nations previews for ATL to put up on Thurs; any volunteers?
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Another card for Glasgow….
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It’s seldom difficult to distinguish between a ray of sunshine and a Glasgow player who feels he’s been unjustly carded.
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Ramos is 3/3 with his conversion of Toulouse’s third try.
7-21
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The third came off a charge-down on Connacht’s line.
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Exeter get the BP try after another warning for Glasgow.
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Hooker going to the back row due to replacements & card situation … weird!
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How refreshing to finally hear a ref ( Pierce) speak the language of both teams.
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Tackled player for Connacht looks to pass from the ground to a player that was all but committed to the ruck.
Sloppy knock-on is the result.
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Score Glasgow 24 – Racists 31.
Scott Hastings: You get the feeling Glasgow have to score next if they want to get on level terms.
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Glasgow maul over the line! Matawalu, apparently.
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They must have been listening to Hastings.
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And it’s 31 all!
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It took me a little while to realize that he was using French as his English accent is strong.
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Fantastic break from Connacht’s blindside.
Sadly for the Irish side the attempted grubber goes out of play.
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I’d rather listen to a strong english accent than to a smug Nige who prides homself in not speaking any foreign language.
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Toulouse’s replacement lock penalized before the broadcaster shows the substitution on screen…
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Flair – Nige does speak a foreign language: English.
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English is a foreign language for smug Nige, pompous flair.
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Glasgow score again!
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I like that he is addressing the French side in their language. Effective communication is important in a rugby match, I feel.
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Poite is more of a performance artist than a ref these days.
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I do agree that it shouldn’t be too difficult for international refs to learn a few words of French and Italian.
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Poîte is rhyming slang.
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Georgian, Russian, Spanish, Japanese etc etc
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Jacques Vermeulen should get a call from the Boks. Looked brilliant again today.
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Oh, Glasgow’s try was disallowed. Still 31 all.
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I seldom criticize refs but the YC dished to Huget is ridiculous.
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Toulouse yellow card for a tackle beyond the horizontal. Less than 10 minutes on the clock.
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TomP – I think it would be reasonable to limit it to the languages of the top-tier teams. Although Japan could be there soon! Japanese a bit trickier to learn, I think.
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Toulouse are losing their composure – possible high tackle.
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Come on, don’t be so parochial!
I know that Welsh is Nige’s mother tongue but do Welsh players really need to be spoken to in Welsh when they all speak English, unlike the French, Italians, and all?
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PossibleIs a high tackle, and a red card.
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Almost a third card…
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Well, that was thrilling to last second. Hoggy attempts a 60m penalty (for Exeter!), it bounces off the posts, and Glasgow get possession. But a player gets dragged into touch, and it remains 31 all at FT.
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A bit of a wild finish here. Connacht mishandle a ball, which is kicked down into their zone, where they steal the ball and run it back up with an overlap, but then give up another knock-on.
(I think I’ve run out of commas.)
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Commentator is suggesting that Toulouse need to be more ruthless and seek a bonus point.
Two men down.
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Toulouse through to the quarterfinal.
7-21
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Flair – not to belabour the point, but what you originally said was
when he is bilingual.
As I said, it wouldn’t hurt for him – and others – to learn a few words of French (eg), but I don’t see any evidence that he ‘prides’ himself in not speaking a third or fourth language.
Now, how about a preview of France’s chances in the 6N from you, please? :-)
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It did seem to be a bit unlucky, Flair, as he looked to be actively trying to put the Connacht player down in a controlled manner. Huget’s efforts were impeded by the arriving Connacht players, however he did lift the player beyond the horizontal, putting that player in danger.
I’d’ve understood if the ref merely gave a warning as well, as Huget did look to be concerned for the ballcarrier’s safety.
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Mr Chien, Toulouse don’t really need the bonus point, they’re already qualified with 22 pts. I think they play Montpellier next, so they’ll probably get another 4 pts.
Nevertheless, I think they’re still a bit green to go much further. A SF is probably their maximum.
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Emoji signs have crept into online rugby chat.
It took me a long time to realize that two toilet images stood for Toulouse.
It took even longer to recognize it’s not two toilets, but two loos.
I am not a smart man…
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