I considered writing a proper Six Nations preview for this weekend’s match, but as it’s Ireland v Italy, decided not to bother. This means that I have probably jinxed Ireland. Italy by 5.
You can have the teams for the internationals, though.
Scotland v Georgia
Scotland: 15. Blair Kinghorn, 14. Darcy Graham, 13. Chris Harris, 12. James Lang, 11. Duhan van der Merwe, 10. Adam Hastings, 9. Ali Price, 1. Rory Sutherland, 2. Fraser Brown (capt), 3. Zander Fagerson, 4. Ben Toolis, 5. Scott Cummings, 6. Jamie Ritchie, 7. Hamish Watson, 8. Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: 16. Stuart McInally, 17. Oli Kebble, 18. Simon Berghan, 19. Rob Harley, 20. Nick Haining, 21. Cornell du Preez, 22. George Horne, 23. Finn Russell.
Georgia: 15. Soso Matiashvili, 14. Akaki Tabutsadze, 13. Deme Tapladze, 12. Merab Sharikadze (capt), 11. Sandro Todua, 10. Tedo Abzhandadze, 9. Vasil Lobzhanidze, 1. Mikheil Nariashvili, 2. Jaba Bregvadze, 3. Lexo Kaulashvili, 4. Nodar Cheishvili, 5. Grigol Kerdikoshvili, 6. Otar Giorgadze, 7. Beka Saghinadze, 8. Beka Gorgadze.
Replacements: 16. Shalva Mamukashvili, 17. Guram Gogichashvili, 18. Giorgi Melikidze, 19. Giorgi Javakhia, 20. Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 21. Gela APrasidze, 22. Giorgi Kveseladze, 23. Tamaz Mchedlidze.
That’s a very Giorgi-heavy bench.
Ireland v Italy
Ireland: 15. Jacob Stockdale, 14. Andrew Conway, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Bundee Aki, 11. Hugo Keenan, 10. Jonathan Sexton (C), 9. Conor Murray; 1. Cian Healy, 2. Rob Herring, 3. Andrew Porter, 4. Tadhg Beirne, 5. James Ryan, 6. Caelan Doris, 7. Will Connors, 8. CJ Stander
Replacements: 16. Dave Heffernan, 17. Ed Byrne, 18. Finlay Bealham, 19. Ultan Dillane, 20. Peter O’Mahony, 21. Jamison Gibson-Park, 22. Ross Byrne, 23. Robbie Henshaw
Italy: 15. Jayden Hayward, 14. Edoardo Padovani, 13. Luca Morisi, 12. Carlo Canna, 11. Mattia Bellini, 10. Paolo Garbisi, 9. Marcello Violi; 1. Danilo Fischetti, 2. Luca Bigi (C), 3. Giosuè Zilocchi, 4. Marco Lazzaroni, 5. Niccolò Cannone, 6. Sebastian Negri, 7. Braam Steyn, 8. Jake Polledri
Replacements: 16. Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17. Simone Ferrari, 18. Pietro Ceccarelli, 19. David Sisi, 20. Johan Meyer, 21. Maxime Mbanda, 22. Callum Braley, 23. Federico Mori
France v Wales
France: Anthony Bouthier; Teddy Thomas, Vrimi Vakatawa, Gael Fickou, Vincent Rattez; Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont; Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand, Mohamed Haouas; Bernard Le Roux, Damien Willemse; François Cros, Charles Ollivon (capt), Gregory Aldritt.
Reps: Camille Chat, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Demba Bamba, Romain Taofifenua, Dylan Cretin, Baptiste Serin, Arthur Vincent, Thomas Ramos.
Wales: Leigh Halfpenny; George North, Jonathan Davies, Nick Tompkins, Josh Adams; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Rhys Carre, Ryan Elias, Samson Lee, Cory Hill, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Aaron Wainwright, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau.
Reps: Sam Parry, Nicky Smith, Dillon Lewis, Seb Davies, James Davies, Gareth Davies, Rhys Patchell, Louis Rees-Zammit.
On the telly
Friday 23rd October
| Pumas v Stormers | 17:55 | Sky Sports Mix |
| Scotland v Georgia | 19:30 | ITV4 |
| Leinster v Zebre | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Treviso v Scarlets | 20:15 | S4C / Premier Sports 2 |
Saturday 24th October
| Lions v Cheetahs | 15:25 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Ireland v Italy | 15:30 | ITV / STV |
| Ospreys v Glasgow | 17:30 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Bulls v Sharks | 17:55 | Sky Sport Arena |
| Exeter v Wasps | 18:00 | BT Sport 1 |
| Ireland v Italy (women) | 18:30 | iPlayer |
| France v Wales | 20:00 | S4C / ITV4 |
Sunday 25th October
| Scotland v France (women) | 14:20 | BBC Sport website / BBC Alba |
| Ulster v Dragons | 15:00 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Edinburgh v Connacht | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
Monday 26th October
| Munster v Cardiff | 20:15 | Premier Sports 1 |
Ovally Balls 
Lovely cartoon in the Graun.
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Otago 11-3 up at Canterbury early in the 2nd stanza as the boys gallop round the paddock slinging the pill across the park.
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Evil Canterbury strike straight back! 10-11. But have Otago scored a sensational tiptoe down the touch line try??? Out the back of the hand by the Otago 8, touched back by the defender and gathered by the Otago wing in millimetres of space, nudges it forward, gathers and over. Great stuff!
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10-16, Otago have missed both conversions.
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Crusaders reserve back nails a speculative drop kick from miles out! Who said Kiwi players can’t score that way! 13-16 as the sides indulge in a little aerial ping pong. Saders win that battle but overthrow the lineout. Saved by accidental obstruction in midfield.
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Crap call actually. Crusaders move over the 10 and go through a few phases, until they knock it on. Sort of. Otago attack until they spill the pill 💊 not that one, that’s mine.
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Saders winning the kicking duel since I opted for rugby over report writing. Lovely break by the FB but he’s isolated and Otago get the penalty!
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Hoof to the roof on halfway. Mauling it up but the Saders get the scrum as a heap of fatties collapse to the turf.
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More ping pong. Tiptoe try scorer can’t repeat his heroics and after a couple more kicks the Saders have an offside penalty 😳 in midfield. Samsung suggested the face, not me.
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16-all with 12 to go! Anyone’s game!
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Some outstanding handling down the left touch line again and the Saders are forced to concede the penalty. 5m lineout. Maul goes backwards and sideways so they shovel it wide for a couple 💑 (seriously, not my suggestion) of phases for the flanker McDowell to crash over in the corner! Coversion is good and Otago are 7 clear!
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Crusaders 9 milks the penalty off a lazy runner as only a gobby 9 would. Crusaders lineout woes continue, giving Otago a precious defensive scrum inside their five and the last five. Predictably it drops for a reset. Otago 9 relieves the pressure from the base.
Gobby 9 goes from the lineout, but again no support (quelle surprise) and Otago get the penalty! And lose the ball in contact trying to run it out of the 22! Turnover! No! Penalty Saders in the last minute. 5m lineout. Maul. Flung wide into touch but another penalty! Lineout. Otago take it, hoof it and win for the 1st time in 15 against the Saders!
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Bobby Ball update:
There’s a debate on Twitter between a bloke and Clint Boon’s mum about which chippy in Royton he used to chat to Bobby Ball in.
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Great stuff Deebs!
It’s all about priorities……………………………..
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1 month lockdown starts today.
ok for us in our circumstances but tough for many others.
Still, it’s a beautiful morning and the snow is glinting on the mountains.
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Thanks Slade! Just hoping that the Lions get to play tonight after the cancellation last week. Naturally we’re complete underdogs, given our lack of game time and the ravishes or Covid. Griquas are a bruising, steely bunch and we have the look of a journeyman side, bar one or two bright spots.
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Who says children’s fiction doesn’t match real life….
From one of the books in the library.
“Steven’s mad for Rugby League. His dad even reckons he’ll go pro one day. Then his mum drops a bombshell. They’re moving down south with her new boyfriend. To the land of Rugby Union.
When the Union team wants Steven and the League scouts come calling, he faces the hardest choice of his life…”
With foreword by ‘rugby star’ Kenny Logan, which shows you when it was written.
Still, a tough choice for the lad.
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@BB – It seems to be called “Scrum!” so I guess that gives the game away as far as the choice is concerned.
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Though my hopes for the sequel being “Lineout” have been dashed. He has written one called “Interchange” – as a follow up to “Scrum!” I’d have gone for “Play the Ball” myself, but there we are.
As it turns out he’s a Leeds RL fan so his books won’t be allowed in this house anyway.
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Clyde. He has also written a series on Union plus others on football. Think I met him once when he was doing a talk in Glasgow that Mrs BB hosted. We gave him a lift to the airport but he wanted a picture of Ibrox on the way. Went down in my estimation after that.
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Leeds and Rangers. Wow.
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Probably taught Ashton the Splashton too.
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Owen Farrell had a similar story, except you need to replace “Mum” with “Dad” and “boyfriend” with “Saracens”.
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“Riding the Magic Carpet: Children and Leader Cult in the Stalin Era”
https://www.jstor.org/stable/20058260?seq=1
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Clown Shoes had retired from refereeing.
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His first Union game was Saints vs Wasps. At least it wasn’t Sarries vs Leicester…
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Should clarify that it was the character in the book I was talking about, not Clancy.
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Playing or watching?
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New post soon….
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