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 
Big Naka,
That is a horrible typo, please edit, Thaum
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New Weedgie Fae Fiji gets a try! Not Leone – Dolokoto.
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Floodgates now, 33-7
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wtf, 35-17
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@tomp – the colonial museum refusing to return ancestral items is in Exeter if no-one answered your question earlier in the week.
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Gareth Chilcott with the funny comments:
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Pen try, must be
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I think everyone knew, beadle.
Not good for Gloucester. LRZ not touching the ball again. Too many big slow lumps in the backs.
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Chris Harris always leaves me very unimpressed.
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LRZ does touch the ball. Gets tackled.
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Played against the Army U21s (six or seven Fijians in their 23) for my uni and it got tasty. One of their boys did some ear biting. We won late on (something like 22-12). Fuck those guys, their niggle just fuel for my prickyness.
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Tam, the coaches obviously see something that the fans don’t regarding Harris, he keeps getting selected at elite level.
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@tomp – good defender, generally solid at all the dull stuff. Maximally uninspiring relative to how good he is. Handsome lad, which doesn’t fit at all with the player he is. Should look like a cow’s arse, playing like that.
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Its the Ryan Wilson effect.
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He’s pretty good, is what I’m saying. But I’d not pick him for Scotland.
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Beadle – are you sure you’re not reeling in the years?
Ticht – typo fixed.
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Get the defence bit. Never anything much in attack, maybe the odd good crash ball. Not what I expect in a Scotland 13.
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Exeter pulling away now, 3-19 after a fine Steenson penalty.
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Hoggy makes sure that he holds on to the ball when he goes over the line!
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Larry, the handsomeness is a good point I’d not considered.
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Thanks, Thaum
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Super try by Hogg. Made it look very easy.
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Ach handsome is a given for the Scottish backline
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BB – I reckon that’s a mistake Hogg will never make a second time.
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Case in point there. Harris took a ball into contact, looked as if he might give an offload, didn’t, ball secured play on. Probably the right thing to do, especially as Glos have gifted a tonne of ball to Exeter from passes that shouldn’t have been made. Solid, ok decision making, just not sexy.
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The kid dobie got wheelz
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@thaum reeling, flailing it’s all the same for us. Desperately poor performance.
Tom Voyce will be turning in his grave.
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Beadle – youse wouldn’t even know a diamond if you held it in your hand.
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Pluses with harris:
Solid
Decent enough decisioning
Handsome chap
Plays the plan
Negatives:
Unexciting
Isn’t going to open a defence via skills
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Bruno, the zebre winged is quality. LRZ-like
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I do know that a carrot is as close as a diamond to a rabbit.
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nice team try by Glos…………….Don’t overlook simmond’s conytibution to Hogg’s try
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Dobie is one that got away from us, Chimpie, though since Charlie Shiel can’t buy a game at Embra, Dobie is better off along the other end of the M8
It’s so frustrating, I hate criticising players, but Nick Groom is not near the same league as Shiel, yet Cockers plays safe with him again and again
Dolokoto in for his second
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Three minutes of actually playing rugby has got my pulse racing.
I am aware of the disappointment that this will bring though.
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That’s the 50 for Glasgow
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Beadle – unfortunately, the ones that Mother give you don’t do anything at all.
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Hopefully with the breakthrough of Dobie, it means Frisbee can disappear. He makes Henry look quick.
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Oh good an attacking lineout
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They’ve shipped 56 points, but considering they are missing so many international players Zebre are not the chumps they were
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LlllllllllllllllRrrrrrrrrrrZzzzzzzzZZ
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BB, Henry puts a huge amount of pace on the game when he replaces Groom
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and aye, HP is slow
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And THAT bit of pill possession made Gloz larger!
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LRZ try.
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Somewhat controversially.
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Or not.
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Nearly blew it though, but did brilliantly to get it down.
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charity for LRZ
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Munster nearly up to 70. Eek.
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Or yes. Almost Hogged it.
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