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 
Part of the England Rugby statement:
“As part of its ongoing investigation into a breach of the COVID code of conduct that took place on 21 October, the RFU has today discovered there was an earlier undisclosed breach that took place on 20 October when a number of Barbarians players left the hotel bubble without permission and without informing organisers about their whereabouts.”
So there were 2 breaches and the Baa Baas didn’t know about the first. Pretty damning. Whilst Throbba et al were eedjits the whole thing seems poorly managed.
Almost amateur some might say.
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Words Thaum.
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From the last blog, (TomP)
Who’d have imagined a bloke covered in Nazi tattoos, would also turn out to be a liar??
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A very few words, Craigs!
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Refit – eeewww!
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Cheers Thaum.
Georgia, Georgia, the whole day through
Just a little song keeps Georgia on my mind, Georgia on my mind
Georgia, Georgia, just a song of you
Comes as sweet and clear as moonlight through the pines
I’m told this is pretty much a Georgia B side.
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Not the craic I’m looking for to be honest:
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Refit, Dawn Porter’s write up of the whole thing is a mix of entertaining and shocking:
https://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2020/october/who-s-watching
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“Man who loses bag with €40,000 of cocaine rings gardaí to report it missing”
I expect they referred him to Mr Healy Rae for help.
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@Ticht – Here’s the A side:
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Squidge:
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These boys were in the side, but broke the Covid protocols and have had to be dropped:
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They’ll definitely be missed.
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Nice to see that Scotland’s independent television station has gone for showing Scotland’s national team playing Georgia.
Oh, hang on.
They’re preferring to show Emmerdale, Corrie (twice!), something called the Million Pound Cube and Best Walks with Julia Bradbury. Although at least that last one is on the shores of Loch Lomond.
Still, they were quite happy to show England’s last footie friendly though.
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It’s live on South African, BB. So the lads’ families can watch them.
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ITV4, BB.
Oh flower of Scotland….
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But how are the other 20 lads’ families going to see it?
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Pretty sure we can watch it here. Or I would be able to if the Little One hadn’t just shat in the bath.
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I know Thaum. That was partly the point.
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Better the bath than the bed.
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Darcy! Good start.
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Ireland v Italy is on STV ;-)
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Don’t like the font on the Scotland shirt. Hamish’s 7 looks like a 1.
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Series of Scottish furcups there.
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Can’t even get a link on a stream here in Europe.
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Just a wee bit loose at the moment. Might take a wee bit of time to get all the lines and calls sorted out.
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Child showered, poo showered away. Going to leave the washing of the bathtime frogs and their lilypads for later and watch the rugby.
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@BB – you fooled me too. Bit disappointed that you’re able to watch as I had hoped you might be available to wash some poo-water off the bathtime frogs for me…
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“Just a wee bit loose at the moment. Might take a wee bit of time to get all the lines and calls sorted out.”
This pretty much sums up the Little One’s problem too.
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So nearly from Harris there!
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Not sure what the hell the Georgian tichtheid was thinking of there.
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A great maul and we’re over for number two! (No comment on CMW’s Little One there). We were running over the line!
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Haaaamishhhh!
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‘Mish in for number 3! Good patience shown there.
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Adam’s kicking (from tee) not quite right tonight. Will need to tighten that up against better teams (and Wales).
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Nicely finished with the pass from the prop. Thought the commentator might have noted that the space was there in part because one of the defenders was down injured, but there we are.
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Even though it’s not Squeaky commentating, it’s still mandatory to have a drink when they say ‘isolated’.
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Commentator speaking about Hamish (I think): He’s a real tyro in the back row.
Erm, no?
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Dog only knows who scored that – if it was a try. I suspect it was held up.
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They’ve positioned Big Jim closer to the camera than the other two and it’s really accentuating the size difference.
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The others are just far away. Covid distancing.
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I saw a photo of Rishi Sunak with some other people a week or so ago, and it looked like he’d been photoshopped in from another pic where he was really far away.
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Different species.
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Big Jim that is.
Anyway apparently what we need is the blood pumping from the crowd.
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It wasn’t this one, but it gives the same effect. So sad that being a gazillionaire doesn’t buy you height.
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Yay! Georgia score.
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Try Georgia! All came from a Hastings mistake. What is it about Scotland and 3rd quarters?
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Speaking of the unspeakable….
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Tricky call that. Looked like the Scotland did touch it though it might have been forward in the first place. Good finish and good for the game anyway.
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Props (NPI) to the Georgian defence there.
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