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 
@chimpie
He’s not a good SH anymore but he’s still…..
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Chimpie
Q.E.D.
except, sub excellent for good, for the sake of balance.
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Wot I fink will happen this weekend:
Italy by 48
Wales by 8
England by 7
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Scotland that good?
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You’re right. Italy by 55
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@ticht
IIRC – somewhere down south (prob Georgia)a couple of Senate cycles ago, the Dem was a decorated vet who’d lost an arm and leg on active service and still lost to the Republican – who had a service record about as good as Trump’s. Recall the people they dug out to denigrate Kerry’s Vietnam service – when Bush managed to wangle a slot in the Texas air branch of the National Guard.
As much as it might look hopeful – I’d be astonished if McConnell were defeated….
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I’d concur with those above that Chico Hopkins and Brynmor Williams are the two that’s generally understood
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pfft
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Gecko, more than claim a turnaround that 1970 win is called the Chico Hopkins game. There’s an old interview with him somewhere on Wales Online that gives the flavour of him. Gifted and sure of his gifts.
Anyway, Dai Bishop is the answer to best Welsh 9. Man was a rugby genius.
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Brynmor went on the 77 Lions tour when still reserve to Edwards for Wales. And for Cardiff too I think.
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Times have changed a bit. Now most countries have at least 3 top-class scrum halves who’d get in the England team.
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Anyway, Dai Bishop is the answer to best Welsh 9. Man was a rugby genius.
Can’t stand him (and not in a ‘that Peter Stringer annoys me’ way). A loathsome fucker.
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Dodnt Wales lose that game from the MP clip?
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David Bishop is not especially popular in Luke McAlister’s family
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15. Leigh Halfpenny (87 Caps)
14. George North (93 Caps)
13. Nick Tompkins (2 Caps)
12. Hadleigh Parkes (27 Caps)
11. Josh Adams (23 Caps)
10. Dan Biggar (81 Caps)
9. Gareth Davies (52 Caps)
1. Wyn Jones (24 Caps)
2. Ken Owens (75 Caps)
3. Dillon Lewis (24 Caps)
4. Jake Ball (44 Caps)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (C) (136 Caps)
6. Ross Moriarty (43 Caps)
7. Justin Tipuric (74 Caps)
8. Taulupe Faletau (74 Caps)
Replacements:
16. Ryan Elias (11 Caps)
17. Rob Evans (37 Caps)
18. Leon Brown (8 Caps)
19. Will Rowlands (*Uncapped)
20. Aaron Wainwright (20 Caps)
21. Tomos Williams (18 Caps)
22. Jarrod Evans (5 Caps)
23. Johnny McNicholl (2 Caps)
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I’ve only skim-read that. Too many Turks, no doubt.
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Utnap’s unvariably unaccurate un-understandable unwelcome predictions#
Scotland to best Italy by 16. Odd selections from Gregor (no Matt Scott? Insane!) but halves are growing into their roles and front row is looking good. Need the BR to create, as well as spoil, but they have the capacity to do so. Hogg due a big one
Italy are building, but not yet. Canna doesn’t work at 12 and they need to dump the kiwi FB. Front 5 looking good, as, to be fair are the BR. But that will be ruined by the swansong of the biggest ego in rugby. On the right paths, but a way to go
Wales to best France by 6. France live up to brillliant but inconsistent stereotypes this year, but 1st away game, and with Wales stung by playing sh*t in Dublin, the home side to edge it. Watkin to add some midfield defence, AWJ angry. Should be enough. If Dan isn’t fit, and the idiot coach picks Shingler, France by 30
England to scrape home vs Ireland by 1. Hard to pick. Both boast formidible front 5s. Ireland edge the Vunipola/Tuilagi less ball carrier battle. BR very even but England have breakdown operators in many positions. Irelands centres are better on attack but they dont have the influence that Englands can do.on their day. Ireland dont have the wide strike of May, and so much depends on Sexton. Murray/Cooney better than whatever journeymen England put out but Lamour far better than whatever “scored 3 tries in a 7z game” England put in at 15. Home advantage sees England edge it
#special pre-team announcement edition (nothing to do with a planned
benderbusiness trip in YokohamaLikeLiked by 1 person
Fck. Post my magnum opus, and in the meantime that kiwi/scarlet guy announces his team, invalidating my comment!
The Tompkinator and “played a few seasons for the crusaders” MacNicholl?
No Watkin? No LRZ? Wyn “they all cheat against me”
France by
20(sees BDB playing) 5LikeLike
Very harsh on Callum Brayley.
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Scotland too good for Italy by about 20 odd points.
Wales too strong at home against France
Not seen teams for the other match yet, but if injuries / absences are as expected Ireland will be more powerful with the better half backs which should be enough given the likely conditions.
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Actually that discussion of Wales 9s in the 70s, and my own thoughts about a few current players, brings another comment to mind
Chico Hopkins is a legend amongst guys my age (Welsh guys, and those like me who are not strictly speaking Welsh)
Played 2 games cos he was behind an immortal. Similarly Gats (as a player got zero caps) and Fitzpatrick or Dean Richards and Mike Teague, and no doubt many more. Most will get their opportunity eventually
Ok, game was different (no subs, for one) but if a player was second best in their position, no disgrace in being the understudy. Nowadays, the bench seems key, so the 2nd choice has a massive opportunity to change a game in the last 20 mins
Shoehorning Canna, Italy’s 2nd best 10, and a very good player, into 12 is poor and he struggles.
Even England should make a call on Farrell or Ford at 10 and pick an actual centre
(hesitant to open an England centre debate, but Farrell is a 10 at intl. Everything good he does at 12, is because he is a very very good 10. Must be an actual 12 in England who can run lines and commit defenders?). Farrell at 10 for me, and Ford on bench, but can understand the other way round. Just not both together.
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I still think Canna at 12 is a bad idea, but it won’t matter this week as Italy are winning:
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Gecko, Chico Hopkins also beat the All Blacks for Llanelli.
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We are very short of centres.
Faz is probably the best 10 and the best 12 in England (qualified to play for us that is).
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Wow, my predictions are especially poor this week
Thought the were bringing back Sergio “match winning drop goal” Roy of the Rovers” Parisse this time.
That BR should keep it respectable for Italy
Looking ahead a few rounds: Engalnd 63 Sergio 3
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@Dov
Did Ben T’eo die in vain?
Tuilagi and Slade (I know they are both injured) are 13s by preference, but both are better 12s than Farrell.
Get Farrell can do a job there in an injury crisis, but for me he is a 10 and a damn good one.
Must be an actual 12 in England somewhere?
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T’eo cant pass the ball more than 3m. Neither can Manu. I think you need some ability to pass the ball from 12 even if you’re against the general idea of 2 playmakers. . Slade could do a job there in theory I suppose.
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@utna
George Burgess is now at Wigan
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Edinburgh have one of those stoopid videos up for the team announcement, so
Edinburgh (v Connacht at BT Murrayfield, Friday 7.35pm):
D Hoyland, E Sau, M Bennett, M Scott, D van der Merwe; S Hickey, N Groom;
P Schoeman, M Willemse, S Berghan, S South, L Carmichael, N Haining, L Crosbie, V Mata.
Substitutes: C Fenton, M McCallum, D Winning, J Hodgson, J Barclay, C Shiel, J van der Walt, G Taylor.
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DCB.
Players who played 12 last week in the English top league:
Bath – Matavesi, Worcester – Venter
Quins – Lasike, Irish – Hepetema
Leicester – Eastmond, Wasps – Gopperth
Sarries – DCB, Sale – Janse van Rensburg
Glos – 36, Exeter – Sam Hill
Bristol – Bedlow, Northampton – Hutchinson
5 English qualified players (plus Gopperth? Who’s a kiwi anyway)
Three long over the hill. Bedlow and Sam Hill the others. There’s that big bloke at Gloucester as well – Atkinson – but he’s pushing 30.
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Thought Watkin might have started but there we are. Haven’t seen Rowlands play but we do seem to be groping in the dark regarding who plays alongside AWJ.
Do Canna and Allan swap positions? Just looking at them physically I would pick Canna at 10 and TA at 12.
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When you look at 10 vs 12 (and I mean a 2nd 5/8, traditional IC rather than a surrogate 8 battering ram) many of the skills are similar. Pass off both hands both long and short, kicking game, step off either foot, not necessarily fast per se, but acceleration, tackling big straight runners.
But, the timing is all different on attack and also on defence.
Moreover, the mentality is different. A 10 looks outwards, a 12 inwards.
Getting the ball, a 10 must look to go outside the forward rush. He goes off his inside foot and looks to beat the defenders on their outside shoulder and commit the 2nd men out defender to make space for the outside men (albeit the greatest of them all, BJ, beat most of the defenders on their inside shoulder, but that was a result of settimg them up for 60 mins)
The 12 starts outside but comes off his outside foot to run against the grain and look for “weak branches” in the outrushing defence. Takes more punishment, but makes more ground. (and is often a decoy)
Of course, good players can do both, but everyone has natural strengths.
Also, on passing, a 10 passes with consideration, a 12 with instinct
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And, just to contradict myself, the greatest singke performance I have ever seen at 10 was by one D Charvet (imho the greatest 12 ever, even better than GAV!) playing 10 for the Barbarians (when that meant something) against the Wallabies (World champs at that time)
How times have changed
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I see Andy Hancock died yesterday. Here’s his famous try:
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Btw, i love parenthesis ({[very very]}) very much
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George Burgess is now at Wigan
Hope there is a lancastrian version of Matty Johns and his crew who will make fun of Gurgess’ (reputedly) giant man-sausage so that the poor lad doesnt miss Sydney too badly
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However, i dont love html tags
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Whats the rules for a steal nowadays?
TMO “Is there any reason why I cannot award the steal?”
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Cant wait for Nige 2.0 – the video abiturĂ©
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Steal dedicated to Didier Camberabero.
The forgotten man in that great great backline
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In my memory I can only hear that name as said by Bill McLaren or Eddie Butler, and certainly not by Nigel Starmer-Smith
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Reward for a heavy-duty steal.
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Soz OT.
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That’s just out of this world
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That French try was just rude. But inna good way
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@Ticht
Weather forecast up here for tomorrow eve is pish. Literally. With wind.
It’ll be like the Scarlets game, hopefully with a similar result
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Penaud not back yet. Boo
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Un chat, un gros et un crétin comme finnisseurs. Merveilleux.
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