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 
Legitimately terrible on every conceivable level. And that’s the Legends I’m talking about, not Amos trying to find some space by running into touch although that deserves a mention.
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Breakaway BP try….
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Blues haven’t been very good
Did think it was the connacht hooker that dislodged the ball with his feet from an offside position in the lead up to that score though
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Hilarious. Half the backs are ushered toward the maul by Tovey, it goes fucking nowhere and when the ball comes out Tovey looks to go left and panics that there are no backs there.
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Yos, the mister: Dunno why Tovey’s on this fucking team anyway, he was shit when he was at Newport.
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Hallam Amos: another shit fucking Newport player as well.
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He’s a bit grumpy the now.
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FT 29-0
… some shit fucking players on that team…. Why would you pay good money to go and watch that shower of shit?
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Only one story this weekend – Toulouse’s outside half tomorrow:
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Finn Russell is at 10 for Racing. He might be getting outdazzled tomorrow,
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It’s hard to even get angry at this load of shit as there’s little to care about in this team. If it’s not a dead club, then it’s certainly an undead one.
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Rumour has it that Claw will be offering blessings and anointments at the Meet next month.
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@Thaum – it’s those doubts creeping in that they won’t even get a full season of being better than the Ospreys.
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Lazza, I made the observation elsewhere that in the same week a while back I watched Happy as Lazzaro, The Atlantics, Furie and Marriage Story. It was the latter that felt most like a glimpse into a tribal culture that I couldn’t get my head around.
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I’m not planning on spending anything there any time soon.
Tovey and Amos were terrible but they weren’t alone. And the coach signed them (plus fucking Filo Paulo) and picked a dry weather team with a storm warning.
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At least Newport has the nous not to lash the cash on Cardiff cast-offs.
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@Iks – you say that, but there’s no guarantee that one or two of them won’t end up back at Newport before they’re done.
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Still I know it’s not funny when you can’t figure out what the coaches are thinking and the team / performance reflects that.
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Amos would be welcome. I’d much rather have Angus back from the Scarlets than the Tovenator though.
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I was never much of a fan of Amos and having now watched him on a week to week basis, I can safely say that he’s a prime example of someone who is a good enough athlete to hang at a professional level, but is VERY bad at rugby. Zero feel for the game.
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“My wife is watching some programme on tv, she has just told me that black bears are responsible for more break-ins in Colorado than humans.
Lock that back door, Avs”.
Interesting, but in a way not surprising. Most bears live in rural areas. Most people in rural areas don’t lock their houses, therefore, most bears don’t know to just try the back door, rather than breaking in.
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Ah. So basic html does work here.
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Nothing like a basic steal.
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“Nothing like a basic steal.”
Proof that Avs is in fact a black bear.
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I’ve gone down a particular music rabbit hole this evening, I got rugbied out by half time at Connacht.
This is a vocal masterclass, it’s very stylised and draws a lot, imo, from Sean-nós.
Poor Delores,
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I went down a spotify rabbit hole last night. I forget where it started, but it wound up with me compiling a massive Rolling Stones playlist.
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Delores has a wonderful voice
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I bloody love the Stones, avs, I’m going to have to have them played at my funeral, along with John Martyn and The Pogues’ Sally MacLennane, or maybe Boat Train.
First I drank some whisky
Then I drank some gin
Then I drank tequila
I think that’s what did me in
I love Shane McGowan.
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“Proof that Avs is in fact a black bear”
An All Black bear at that
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This is hard to explain but I liked Delores voice when she sang songs straight and naturally. That vocal yelp she used in e.g. the hit version of Zombie was really distracting / annoying for me.
I had the same problem with Liz Fraser when she sang in high octaves, and when Kate Bush squealed out the high notes on some of her songs.
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You always were a strange one Iks.
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Think any Stones playlist would have to be a massive one. Just so many brilliant songs.
At least, up until about 1980……
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If a person only got up on a stage once in their life and poured their heart and soul into a song, they couldn’t do finer than this, IMO:
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Careful Avs, I might start posting videos to try to make my point!
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Correct BB. I think Tattoo You was the latest album I selected from.
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Don’t watch avs’ vid, this is the real version
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AVS – I do like Steel Wheels though, which I think is 1989. They’d made an album (Dirty Work) just before which was awful, and Mick ‘n’ Keef sort of split. This was the first one when they got the ‘band back together’. Its obviously not a patch on their early 70s stuff, but has some decent choons…
(Although I suppose you could say they’re just going through the motions here)
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This is not usually the sort of thing that grabs my attention, but I have to admit, the Bonamassa solo is great and not epic, as is his want.
I first heard Christine McVie sing this with Chickenshack and I loved it, then I heard the original (I think) from Eta James. Of course I loved that, who in their right minds wouldn’t?
I think Beth Hart more than does justice to the song, I mean, that sentiment, I’d rather go blind than to see you walk away – what a line!
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Oh, I like a bit of Beth now and again….
In an entirely musical fashion, you understand.
Ahem.
Here’s the title song from her cracking new album.
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Speaking of rugby, I’ve got tickets for tomorrow’s game Racing vs Toulouse. I expected two teams depleted by the 6N but actually they’ll still be pretty good. Can’t wait to see Kolbe facing Finn. Should be a cracker.
Thaum, can one inbed photos here? If so, I’ll try to post some from that indoor stadium.
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the stones were of course part of the soundtrack when I was at school:
Aftermath/Between the Buttons/Sticky Fingers apexing at Exile on Main Street
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Amazingly, I also went down a spotify rabbit hole last night. Have compiled the definitive Chas & Dave / Courtney Love compilation .
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Hi Flair, you have to upload them to a photo-sharing site such as imgur (I think Ticht’s found a better one), then if you put the link in, they should embed. The link must end with one of the standard photo formats like .jpg – if there’s any nonsense after that, delete it before posting.
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This is about a mile away from me. The town centre and the park has been flooded.
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There are some nasty pictures here:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-51520986
Machen RFC:
Machen’s in Iksy’s hinterland for those not in the know – between Newport and Caerphilly.
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Skinner and Fagerson M. in the Scotsquad for Italy. No sign of Russell, F. Not going to see Finn at all in this 6N I suspect.
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What’s now the Principality Stadium used to flood fairly regularly – http://en.espn.co.uk/wales/rugby/image/130416.html . There’s a picture of the ground the day after the 1960 Wales-South Africa test that’s in JBG Thomas’s Springbok Glory. The game had been played in a gale with heavy rain. The next day the field looked like it does in the link.
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@yos
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My bin blew over last night. It was empty.
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