This weekend sees the start of the new Pro-14 season, and the finish of the English Premiership. The only guarantee is that Saracens will be dead last, which will have rugby fans all over Europe crying disconsolately into their beer.
On the telly
Friday 2nd October
| Zebre v Cardiff | 18:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Ulster v Treviso | 20:15 | Premier Sports1 |
| Leinster v Dragons | 20:15 | S4C / Premier Sports 2 |
Saturday 3rd October
| Scarlets v Munster | 15:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Green v Gold | 16:00 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Connacht v Glasgow | 17:15 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Edinburgh v Ospreys | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
Sunday 4th October
| Gloucester v Northampton | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Leicester v Harlequins | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| London Irish v Bristol | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Sale v Worcester | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Saracens v Bath | 15:00 | BT Sport 1 |
| Wasps v Exeter | 15:00 | BT Sport 3 |
Ovally Balls 
Piss. Go to 57.35 on the stream.
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“Piss. Go to 57.35 on the stream.”
57.35 is a bit beyond my record I’m afraid.
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I’m guessing it’s something between the two props?
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…or the drink exchange in match time?
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I was thinking the foot up in the scrum reset. Is that still a free kick ?
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Apparently, he doesn’t have to work during World Cups.
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SuperRugby Unlocked starts in SA this weekend. The Bulls are taking on Griquas. Looking forward to seeing on how the very exciting Dan Kassende goes on the wing for the Kimberlyites. He’s a good story. Born in DRC, schooled at Queens High in Eastern Joburg, played university rugby at Wits and now picked up by a pro team. He’s super quick and can sidestep like a taller Kolbe.
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Tomp – Apparently, he doesn’t have to work during World Cups.
Pretty sure that’s just a continuation of a trend.
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Raiders team to face Roosters tomorrow, if anyone is interested.
1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
2. Semi Valemei
3. Jarrod Croker (C)
4. Jordan Rapana
5. Nick Cotric
6. Jack Wighton
7. George Williams
8. Josh Papalii
9. Tom Starling
10. Sia Soliola
11. John Bateman
12. Elliott Whitehead
13. Joe Tapine
14. Siliva Havili
15. Dunamis Lui
16. Hudson Young
17. Corey Harawira-Naera
18. Sam Williams
19. Matt Timoko
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@sbt
Just the 3 English lads then.
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Who are these Raiders and Roosters?
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Oakland Raiders vs Rooster Cogburn*. So a bit one sided. Poor Raiders.
*John Wayne version.
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See the Oakland Raiders are now the Las Vegas Raiders. Landlocked city, eh? Handy for pirates that is.
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In another life, my first holiday overseas was an 18-30 knees up in Morocco.
My ex who had done the trip before got pleasantly hammered one night, and on the way back to the tent thingy spotted a fellow guest who was quite short and had a wispy white beard and thinning hair.
She created a song for him on the spot:
🎵There’s a little garden gnome
Sitting there all on his own
With his little fishing rod
And his little gre – e – een frog🎵
Naturally she was hungover and dead embarrassed the next day but we were leaving anyway. But 2 years later we were holidaying in similar fashion in Thassos, Greece, and guess who turned up…
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A Czech-Vietnamese gnome salesman?
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BB – so not from the Japanese league then?
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18-30
Got my eye on you iks you rascal.
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Fergus Burke. You heard it here first. Canterbury’s 21 year old flyhalf is playing a blinder against Manawatu – slicing through defences at will and with a very good boot on him too.
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I’m not saying he’s in the Iks onna 18-30 cruise sashay supremo league, but pretty handy nonetheless.
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*updates the Iks file*
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All Blacks to spank the Wobblies on Sunday:
All Blacks: Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Jack Goodhue, George Bridge, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizell, Sam Whitelock, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tuungafasi, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Reserves: Dane Coles, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Nepo Laulala, Tupou Vaa’i, Hoskins Sotutu, TJ Perenara, Anton Lienert-Brown, Caleb Clarke.
Looks weak. Except in the backs and loose trio and bench. Damian McKenzie couldn’t make the 23!
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Wasn’t there a TV show in the 90s called The Iks Files?
I’ll get my coat.
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@Craigs – Well, er, yes, but it’s a bit literal. Iks also marks the spot, has the iks factor usw.
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attempted jokes like that should be iksterminated.
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CMW – does chimpie have a map with Iks on it though? He has an Iks File. I wonder what it contains.
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Full of perversions no doubt.
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I’d be more worried about what’s in your file if I were you, craigs.
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Wasn’t there a TV show in the 90s called The Craigs Files?
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@Craigs – I should imagine it contains the details of Iks’ teenage lovelife that have so far been revealed, quite a bit of information regarding civil offences in Germany relating to wildfowl, an index of westerns and horror films, Rhys Priestland’s teddy bear, the original manuscripts of the Deeply Hurt saga, a photo that may or may not be of a beaver and various pictures of Tyler Morgan and JDII.
There’ll be other stuff too, chiefly a load of music that’s unlikely to interest someone from the borders of Generation Ypsilon like yourself, but that should cover most of it.
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“does chimpie have a map with Iks on it though?”
He will have once I’ve sold him the one I’ve got the childmindees working on today.
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Win for the Raiders against the odds, now for Bristol and Bath, hopefully.
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Wallabies team to be spanked by ABs on Sunday.
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WALLABIES TEAM FOR FIRST BLEDISLOE CUP TEST
1. James Slipper
2. Folau Fainga’a
3. Taniela Tupou
4. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
5. Matt Philip
6. Harry Wilson
7. Michael Hooper (c)
8. Pete Samu
9. Nic White
10. James O’Connor
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11. Marika Koroibete
12. Matt To’omua
13. Hunter Paisami
14. Filipo Daugunu
15. Tom Banks
Replacements: 16. Jordan Uelese, 17. Scott Sio, 18. Allan Alaalatoa, 19. Rob Simmons, 20. Rob Valetini, 21. Jake Gordon, 22. Noah Lolesio, 23. Reece H
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Not sure many of those Wallabies would be in an NZ second team.
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You’ve all be waiting for it. Embra to no doubt lose to Munster. Can’t be as bad as last week shirley?
15. Damien Hoyland (76)
14. Darcy Graham (34)
13. Mark Bennett (39)
12. George Taylor (24)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (60)
10. Jaco van der Walt (59)
9. Nic Groom (13)
1. Rory Sutherland (85)
2. Stuart McInally (147) CO-CAPTAIN
3. WP Nel (143)
4. Ben Toolis (122)
5. Grant Gilchrist (152) CO-CAPTAIN
6. Jamie Ritchie (70)
7. Hamish Watson (112)
8. Nick Haining (15)
Replacements: 16. Mike Willemse (22) 17. Pierre Schoeman (45) 18 Simon Berghan (83) 19. Andrew Davidson (4) 20. Mesulame Kunavula (3) 21. Dan Nutton (2) 22. Nathan Chamberlain (3) 23. James Johnstone (51)
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bit of a new look wallabies. will probably be spanked.
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Munster: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Alex McHenry, Rory Scannell, Matt Gallagher; Ben Healy, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Rhys Marshall, John Ryan; Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne; Jack O’Donoghue, Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander (C).
Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, James Cronin, Roman Salanoa, Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Dan Goggin.
Is this a B team?
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@SBT – Surely when a team is playing the ABs more than once then the fun is in guessing which order the standard set of results will come in. Should be a surprisingly close/respectable one to go with the thrashings and it can be first time out.
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“Can’t be as bad as last week shirley?”
What would have to happen from your point of view for it to be as bad as last week?
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A lackluster, effortless and dreary semi-humping.
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Probably what 80% of what we hope the team will look like in 18 months – with Hodnett replacing O’Donnell.
Gallagher is son of ex-AB John snaffled from Saracen.
McHenry – I don’t recognise
Crowley is the other 10 – played for Ireland U20s in last 6N – scored a spectacular solo effort vs Scotland.
Coombes- like Wycherley/Hodnett – is part of this crop of younger players from west Cork – the 2 cities (Cork and Limerick) have traditionally provided most “local” players
I suppose Farrell and DDA at 12/13 would be stronger.
It doesn’t look a team to stuff it up the jumper – certainly Casey is not expected to box kick 9 times out of 10 or dick around at rucks adjusting the ball so it aligns with the planets….
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And the opposition:
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Here you are, you lucky people; Exeter’s team to face Bath. Only lacking Jack Nowell to be at 100%.
The SA forwards return after isolation.
15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Tom O’Flaherty
10 Joe Simmonds (capt), 9 Jack Maunder
1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Harry Williams, 4 Jonny Gray, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Dave Ewers, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 8 Sam Simmonds
16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Sam Skinner,, 20 Jannes Kirsten, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Ian Whitten
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So Horse and Dollman are away on Wales duty then!
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“Coombes- like Wycherley/Hodnett – is part of this crop of younger players from west Cork”
Sounds more like a place in the Cotswolds or somewhere.
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Didn’t realise I was such an open book to you lot. Un-marvellous.
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‘Un-marvellous’
Don’t be such a pessimist, it’s all ikscellent.
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Always knew you were TrIksY.
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