Pro-14 semi-final playoffs: can anyone stop the Blue Meanies? Can our heroes defeat plucky underdugs Edinburgh?
Then there’s North Island v South Island where, as Iks says, How does one pick ‘my’ team in that N – S clash? Darkness or more Darkness? Sauron vs King Ghidorah? Who are the underdogs?
And some English Premiership matches with some rather gruelling-looking midweek fixtures as well as the weekend ones.
And …
Happy 60th to TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA!
On the telly
Friday 4th September
| Worcester v Bristol | 18:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Leinster v Munster | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Northampton v Exeter | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
Saturday 5th September
| North Island v South Island | 05:00 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Rebels v Western Force | 06:00 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Reds v Brumbies | 10:15 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Saracens v Wasps | 12:30 | BT Sport Extra |
| Harlequins v Bath | 14:00 | Channel 5 / BT Sport 1 |
| Leicester v Sale | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Gloucester v London Irish | 16:30 | BT Sport 1 |
| Edinburgh v Ulster | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
Tuesday 8th September
| Bristol v Northampton | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
Wednesday 9th September
| Exeter v Gloucester | 17:30 | BT Sport Extra |
| Wasps v Leicester | 17:30 | BT Sport 1 |
| Sale v Saracens | 18:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| London Irish v Harlequins | 19:45 | BT Sport Extra |
| Bath v Worcester | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
Ovally Balls 
Happy Birthday, Trisko.
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Happy Birthday Trisk!
Blows party squeaker thing…….
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Happy Birthday Trisk! You don’t type a day over 40! Hope you have a grand celebration, muted ,lengthy or otherwise! Now party 🥳 like it’s 1999!
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Some parts of the US economy are booming:
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‘Evening all!
Been a beautiful day here today and hot – the TdF must have been cruel for the strugglers / exhilerating for the leaders.
“Your” Exeter team to face Saints tonight:
15 Josh Hodge, 14 Tom O’Flaherty, 13 Phil Dollman, 12 Tom Hendrickson, 11 Corey Baldwin
10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Jack Yeandle (capt), 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Dave Dennis, 5 Sam Skinner, 6 Jannes Kirsten
7 Sean Lonsdale, 8 Don Armand
16 Jack Innard, 17 Billy Keast, 18 Alfie Petch, 19 Tom Price, 20 Richard Capstick, 21 Joe Snow, 22 Harvey Skinner
, 23 Tom Wyatt
15 changes from win over Worcester and a first start for Corey Baldwin.
Josh Hodge (ex Newcastle) needs to improve significantly over his last effort.
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oh……………………….great, great news, Tomp!
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Plumber turned up today, as agreed – which is a first!
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Ooh! Battlestar Galactica is back! The gritty new version that is, not the cheesy 70s version.
And the reason I like it has absolutely NOTHING to do with the fact Tricia Helfer wanders around in a skimpy red dress most of the time. Nope, nothing like that at all…..
Ahem.
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/sep/04/battlestar-galactica-all-hail-a-cult-classic-of-21st-century-tv
Now just need someone to return Babylon 5 to its rightful place on our TV schedules.
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Thanks for the good wishes…..!
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Happy bday Tisk, congrats and many happy returns.
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Also tonight music fans (and handily timed to start after the rugby) is a new series on the development of Soul Music. Should be good. 9.30, BBC4.
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Happy Birthday to the fear of the number 13, if I’ve remembered that correctly.
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Apparently if Leinster win they will host the final in Dublin, if Munster win and Edinburgh win, the Turnips travel to the Athens of the North, if Munster win and Ulster win, Munster host the final, presumably at the Aviva. Only Ulster can’t be the home team in the next round.
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I remember once asking Trisk, on AoD, if he was afraid of Brian O’Driscoll. He didn’t answer.
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Happy birthday Trisk.
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So far, so good. Sexton misses the chance to equalise Munster’s penalty.
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Sexton’s not got his happy face on. As per.
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Does Sexton have a happy face? Are cats happy?
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The image of Sexton purring is very disturbing….
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Nice try for Exeter.
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Another try Exeter. Too easy for them. Sam H-C playing well. And this is their ‘B’ team!
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I hope Sam H-C can really click and make himself first choice at Exeter, that he has most of the tools of a good scrum half is not in question, but he does need to work on his passing accuracy
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I hope he does too. (For purely selfish reasons.)
Leinster is in Munster’s 22, which is dangerous.
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I can see justification for given that and for not giving it, but the score stands
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TMO is very generous and awards Leinster a try after a triple movement.
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His passing has seemed quite sharp tonight, Ticht.
Saints had about 25 phases in the Exeter 22 and still didn’t score.
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Glad to hear it, BB. The problem was usually his pass would be either behind the receiver or way above his heid
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And he gets a turnover!
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Roosting the pill from 35m is pretty negative rugby
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Try Saints! Eventually. They’ve had loads of possession but hadn’t done much with it.
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Is Rory Hutchinson playing BB?
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Nobody can play BB like BB.
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He is Ticht. As usual, looked quite smooth with ball in hand.
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Another try Saints! Nice break in midfield and finished by the 9. Could be level at half time. But Dancin’ Dan misses!
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And in other news, Scotland are leading on the fitba’!
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There is an inevitability about this now.
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Whit, who are we playing, BB?
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Israel, in the Nations League. Just before we play Israel in the Euro play-offs. Which is before we play Israel in the return Nations League game.
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We also play TomP’s lot on Monday in Prague (I assume).
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Saints get a try at the start of the second half! Nice break from Hutchinson to start it off (told you he was smooth with the ball).
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Iks – the SI team is probably just evil Canterbury in disguise, stuffed full of born and bred North Islanders lured South for better opportunities to eat baby lambs and shoot ducks.
Feel free to support whoever you like, though.
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In the beautiful city of Olomouc, BB.
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Just been looking at pictures of Olomouc and it does indeed look fantastic! Shame the Tartan Army won’t get to see it. Although it might not be a shame for Olomouc not to have the Tartan Army invade….
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They were welcome when they played here in 4-6-0 game a decade ago, Men in kilts sleeping off their drinking all over the streets of the city for days after.
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I thought the Tartan Army were good visitors, it’s just the Hun that are awful
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Big Dev is still one heck of a lineout operator
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I see that the Czechs are 2-0 up against their local rivals Slovakia as well.
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Beirne getting into the game. Good news for Munster.
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That is a hell of a shank for the kick at goal from Hanrahan
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A bunch of people famous for drinking going to a place famous for drink. No surprise that the Tartan Army would enjoy it.
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