With two rounds down in the Six Nations, the shocking truth is that OvallyBalls underdoggers have been proven right – or perhaps have so disheartened their national sides that the players lost the will to play.
Here is the state of the nations:
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | For | Against | Pts Diff | Bonus | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Les Bleus du mal | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 39 | 20 | 1 | 9 |
| Smiling Green Machine | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 26 | 17 | 1 | 9 |
| Leeks | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 56 | 24 | 32 | 1 | 5 |
| Saracens | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Kiltie-wearers | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 32 | -14 | 2 | 2 |
| Pasta-scoffers | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 77 | -55 | 0 | 0 |
From this, we can observe several things. One is that the rankings should be based secondarily on the fewest points conceded, as it indicates a better defence. Any fool can score tries against a weaker defence. In the case of England, we can see that their attack and defence are equally great / rubbish [delete as appropriate]. And Scotland are the only side to have achieved two bonus points, although perhaps for the wrong reasons.
However, it’s still wide open for at least four teams. The remaining fixtures are as follows:
| 22/02 | Italy v Scotland | 14:15 |
| Wales v France | 16:45 | |
| 23/02 | England v Ireland | 15:00 |
| 07/03 | Ireland v Italy | 14:15 |
| England v Wales | 16:45 | |
| 08/03 | Scotland v France | 15:00 |
| 14/03 | Wales v Scotland | 14:15 |
| Italy v England | 16:45 | |
| France v Ireland | 20:00 |
The Super Saturday fixtures are, of course, being played in Heidelberg, so all true rugby fans should get their arses there.
My prediction is a narrow win for each of the home sides next weekend, which will bolster the excitement of the following rounds, except for Scottish fans, who will be gurning into their whiskey and cursing SuperSergio, homer refs and the professional era in general.
Meanwhile, this weekend we have Pro14 / English Premiership matches, if Dennis doesn’t menace all of them; Dragons v Treviso has already been cancelled.
Further Reading
TomPirracas has a better idea of how the Italy v Scotland match will go.
Chimpie is looking forward to this weekend’s ProWoo.
On the telly this week
Friday 14th February
| Blues 8 – 25 Crusaders | 06:05 | Sky Sports Action |
| Rebels 24 – 10 Waratahs | 08:15 | Sky Sports Action |
| Glasgow 56 – 24 Zebre | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Munster 68 – 3 Kings | 19:35 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Gloucester 15 – 26 Exeter | 19:45 | BT Sport 2 |
Saturday 15th February
| Sunwolves 17 – 43 Chiefs | 03:45 | Sky Sports Mix |
| Hurricanes 38 – 22 Sharks | 06:05 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Brumbies 22 – 23 Highlanders | 08:15 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Lions 30 – 33 Stormers | 13:05 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Leinster 35 – 12 Cheetahs | 14:30 | Free Sports |
| Leicester 18 – 9 Wasps | 15:00 | BT Sport 1 |
| Scarlets 9 – 14 Edinburgh | 15:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Ospreys 26 – 24 Ulster | 17:15 | S4C / Premier Sports 2 |
| Connacht 29 – 0 Cardiff | 19:35 | TG4 / Premier Sports 1 |
| Los Jaguares 43 – 27 Reds | 23:00 | Sky Sports Action |
Sunday 16th February
| Northampton v Bristol | 15:00 | BT Sport 1 |
Ovally Balls 
Brenda looks like Alan Brazil’s mum in that portrait. Wish I could post a pic to prove it.
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I mean I have a pic, but can’t post it.
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Well if you can’t post it I don’t believe it.
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“Quite an inspiring bunch the Davis/Davieses with their notable physical characteristics.”
*Ahem*
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Iksy, I firmly, strongly and whole-heartedly believe you have notable physical characteristics.
You don’t have to post any evidence, I will believe it.
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@Tomp – he’s got Phil Davies ears.
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But otherwise he looks like John Wark’s auntie, I’d post the picture etc.
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It was the inspiring part.
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But? But? But, butt? Ah, Ipswich player.
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Ah I don’t have a picture of Brazil’s mum. I have a picture of Alan looking like Her Maj’s offspring.
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I see. I was wondering if maybe you got sent a signed picture of Alan Brazil’s mother if you signed up for his racing tips.
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I’ve got nothing sensible to say this evening.
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Bloody hell, that old aod link. So many folks not here anymore.
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I wonder what I said.
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https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/feb/20/bono-andy-farrell-ireland-the-edge-england-six-nations
Someone is trolling Cat
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Spencer is close to agreeing a move to Bath
Speaks volumes for a nation when going to bath is a protracted negotiation.
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Even worse when we play South Africa we’re playing for the Prince William Cup.
That’s why we only like to beat you at World Cups.
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Greece can have Phil back. He’s almost as old as some of their other relics anyway.
Difference being the UK has retained its marbles.
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Utna, exactly. He loves U2 and will be gutted to learn their Irish.
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Is their Irish different to everyone else’s?
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I bet the headline writer in that Graun article is feeling pleased with themselves
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In tribute to Ellis Genge:
Lorne over Cotechino by 11
Boudin blanc de Rethel over Selsig Morgannwg by 2
Saveloy and Drisheen to share the spoils!
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“Is their Irish different to everyone else’s?”
No, they’re just as likely to talk about stealing a cow as they are going down the shops for a newspaper. Same as everybody else.
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Sing on the first U2 album – An Cat Dubh. The band loves him back.
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https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/the-brits-are-coming-meet-the-union-the-new-super-team-coming-in-empyre
If The Choir (fuck you, Marvel) doesn’t use ‘mun’ like it’s going out of fashion, then they’re wasting my time.
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The Welsh course teaches you about stealing a sheep, but doesn’t bother with the newspaper thing at all. You’ve all followed enough links to Wales Online articles to understand why that is.
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@Deebee. We hammered the Lions. The greatest 2 point smashing this year. The greatest 2 point smashing I didn’t see – as Sky lost signal in storm Dennis.
I do only sneak in occasionally. Seeing some comments about the past up ahead, 7 years ago I was cruising in well paid contracting job. Not doing much, lost of time to waffle about tangents. Now unfortunately I’m up to my eye-balls in a project, so my visits here normally coincide with a dull conference call.
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Ha! Glad we can spruce up your conference calls!
Really htought we had that one in the bag until the penalty on 80 minutes. The Stormers actually played their best rugby in that last 3 – 5 minutes to snatch the win. Thor thumped Spiderman with a King hit after the whistle.
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that was a trip down memory lane, that link to early AOD
There was a link / discussion to a Milne (S) article wibbling on about what we can learn from south america (i.e. Venezuela. Not quite his NK apologist classic but certainly looks a tad dated these days.
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That was the greatest running performance I have ever seen from a scrum half. Big Sexy was awesome that day and his trolling of Ibáñez was equally good.
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Whatever, here’s Matt Dawson trolling everybody (shit quality Soz) :
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Dawson was a great rugby player
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the scoreboard rather takes the gloss off that Perry effort.
Well, along with the fact that its him
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I don’t like this taking over of Mike Phillips day with Dawson talk. The Irish will be along in a minute and it’ll be all Rob Saunders this and Fergus Aherne that.
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Matt Dawson was a very good scrumhalf in an era of great scrumhalves (Gregan, Marshall, Galthie, Howley, Armstrong, Pichot, Troncon, Joost vdW)
Phillips was the best ever. Legend (and not just cos he played for the ‘Diff for a few years)
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I had forgotten about the Dundee Utd strip
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Utna, Phillips got himself buried at the bottom of a ruck far too often for my liking, I don’t think he was as good as Gareth Edwards, though it’s very difficult to compare across eras.
Someone told me Wales had two other scrum halfs at the same time as Edwards who would have walked into any other international side in the world, but I don’t now recall the names.
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‘Someone told me Wales had two other scrum halfs ‘
Chico Hopkins & Terry Holmes? I’m not Welsh, so guessing here.
@Deebee – yes, I’m on a call again.
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Chico Hopkins and Clive Shell. Holmes won his first cap just after Edwards retired (Holmes is rated as Cardiff’s greatest ever scrum half by most who watched both).
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Brynmor Williams was often Edwards’ understudy.
Cant remember if he was up to much. Awful pundit, though
Hopkins was a great player.
Terry Holmes was superb, not a classic SH, but tough as nails and great reader of the game
Edwards was peerless in every aspect. The greatest by any reasonable measure.
But there was some magic about BiMi that resonated with me, and continues to do so even bearing in mind that, in later years, he was often a hindrance to his team
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Terry Holmes made me want to be a scrum half, which I got to do a few times in PE classes.
I was lethal from 2m, against guys who hated rugby and had clean shorts
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@ticht
When I was playing RL the only time you’d see me at acting half back was from a similar range and for the same reason.
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Ended up playing scrum half in an actual game once. Can’t remember how on earth it actually happened but that was an experience. Made BiMi’s contact seeking and ruck burial look amateur levels. Ball never made it to the 10 if I had to pass to the right either.
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Tell you what though. Chico Hopkins has two caps. One Welsh cap in a win vs England at Twickenham (he game on while England was leading so can claim a turnaround) and one Lions cap in a win vs NZ. So for a man that was unluckily stuck behind Edwards, that a nice record to have.
Reminds me of Andrew Aitken (by the way, a Scottish 7s international & was sounded out twice by McGeechan to play for Scotland in 15s). Made his Bok debut as sub in 52-10 over France in France and only had two Bok starts. In a win over England at Twickenham and a win over NZ in NZ. Just 7 caps, all wins (and a Tri-Nations medal). Should have had much more but can’t complain about his stats.
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I have no idea how I came across this*, honestly, but I thought I’d leave it here, since we’ve been chatting about this stuff recently:
* OK, I lie – I heard someone talking about it on the radio.
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Dawson was a good SH but a terrible tit.
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Dawson was a good SH but a terrible tit.
As an ex nine, I can confirm the level of brilliance is directly correlated to the level of titishness. Despite my best efforts, I was lousy at both.
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