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 
It’s the speed that always used to get me. And the hits. One game I saw Kerevi play and he ran straight 3 times in 80 minutes and scored twice. Immense power.
At Loftus I used to sit higher up to get an overview but at pitchside you really do feel the intensity and fizzicality.
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Nice photos as well.
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Just going to sneak in some top mandolining while Thaum isn’t looking
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Mandolin rain and Banjo wind
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DKD7G3QdOJ5A&ved=2ahUKEwi56Pim1NrnAhVXhlwKHXArBCsQjjgwCnoECAQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2QF93U8GK4q6I1ulf_ZQm_
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too obvious and too late, but nice:
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Ray Jackson of Lindisfarne played mandolin for Rod Stewart on Mandolin Wind and Maggie May.
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only peolpe of our generation would know that!
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In a really great mood as I managed my first full rotations on a bike this morning!
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Slade – you’re about the same age as my Dad ;-)
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” – had a sort of ‘New Order Fronted By Phil Oakey’ vibe to it. Reminded me of some other tune, but I can’t place it at the moment.”
Nice description. It reminds me of some other song too, and also about a quarter of my record collection.
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Happy Slade tears OT’s mask off. Marvellous.
Meanwhile Yos drives me into Thauma’s arms. The video is better than the plucking.
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Ticht BB, the “highlights” of Scarlets v Embra really do stretch the meaning of the word. Two decent tries and Scarlets swinging a banjo at an unhittable cow’s arse for the other 78 minutes.
Sadly this is a very good summary . I couldn’t believe the DvdM try/assist (I do now), is he really unplayable or are the Scarlets just really shite at tackling? And if he is, why isn’t he in the Scotland/SA national team, ie not playing the Scarlets during the 6N window? It seems very unsporting of Embra to pick him at this difficult time for all of us.
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Japan would be good.
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Hallam Amos called into the Wales squad.
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Oh good, that’ll please the mister.
Mako V out of the Ireland match.
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……………Genge and Healy to fight it out…………………or back in for Marler
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HAving regretted not picking Slade for the WC Final, I hope Ej isn’t looking to bring him back too early. Slade has had nasty ankle injuries
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Typical Baxter re; Sam H-C:
“But, like with a lot of people we bring in here, we also see some areas where we can continue to develop him, which is quite important. He’s not an old player by any means, he’s young and ambitious, and he wants to achieve things in the game. We feel we can create that environment for him and we can create a launchpad for him to further his career……………………”
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No blog steals when on injury list
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Whenever I’ve seen him – seems to very difficult to put down ..but watching the highlights …it’s not great tackling either. I’m guessing he’s one of those lads you need to go low on (“he’s going nowhere without his legs”) – high and he’ll fend you off or run through you
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BRB, I think a couple of the Scarlets lads will have blushes when they see the van der Merwe try, but he is leading the clean breaks and defenders beaten tallies in the Pro 14 at the moment. He’s six four, sixteen and a half stones and is very quick. He’s just as happy running over the top of players as he is going around the outside of them.
He’s still developing, he left South Africa at age 20ish after a missing pretty much a season with injuries and he did likewise in France. He’s had a decent run with Edinburgh fitness-wise and is improving all the time. He qualifies for Scotland just before our tour to South Africa, as fate would have it.
Only time will tell if he can make the step up to that level, but he’s the sort of player we don’t have coming along very often, a guy with the strength and build of Sean Lamont and the pace of Thom Evans, he is what Utna described as a natural winger last week.
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I would like to see Genge start vs Ireland.
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I would like to see LRZ start v France.
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I’d like to see colostomy Ron start against England
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I’d like to see a million pounds in my bank account
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Yes!
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More pertinently I’d like to see a solid win vs Italy
Lose that and I’ll probably be all toonie oot after a Massive Sulk
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‘Wales make five changes to face France in Six Nations as two newcomers start’
Shingler, Amos etc in
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Hope Graham is back, otherwise minimal changes except at lock I’d expect. Gilchrist in the 23
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I’d like to see a million pounds in Chimpie’s bank account.
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Sorry, no. I decided weeks ago that Italy are overdue win.
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Cheeky, yos.
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Well I’d take your Italy win if you could organise the £1M in my bank account
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Quid pro quo, like
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Didn’t fool me this time Yos. No sirree.
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My impression is that Italy have more rugby wherewithal about them this campaign.
If anyone knows what I’m talking about that’d be grand.
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I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. ‘Cept that I’m tone deaf and a crap singer. Will swap for Chimpie’s million squid. For world peace, you understand.
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‘Will swap for unlimited lunches’
Fixed for deebee
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Deebee already has unlimited lunches, unlimited.
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PS du Toit we know about. His younger brother Jannie’s been playing alongside him in the Stormers this year. Even younger brother Anton’s tearing it up in the Varsity Cup for Stellenbosch University.
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*uses mwnci’s paw to wish 3 changes to the Welsh team*
Pivac picks Shingler. Starts Webb with Jarrod. Holmes comes in for North.
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Terry Holmes, I hope.
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Ladz expecting Terry Holmes in his pomp, but what is that shuffling, moaning noise outside the changing room door?
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Doesn’t deebee have to work (or at least ‘work’) for his lunches?
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Opinion on the matter is divided. Deebee says “yes”.
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He has to get out of bed, get dressed, and travel to the lunch venue all by himself. It’s a tough old world out there.
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It’s my understanding he has a valet to help with the getting out of bed, and dressing. And of course the chauffeur.
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Well work is defined as force x distance so lunch will undoubtedly involve work. Food won’t meet face without travel via fork or other implement
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