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 and brave pass.
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Murray in the bin already.
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Wow! Surely lucky not to concede a penalty try there?
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Fun fact: Ringrose played scrum half until he was 16.
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That’s more like it!
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Try topped and tailed in the Western Cap – Herring won the put in at the initial scrum, Stander drives over for 5.
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Ireland with ambition! And over! O’Stander is O’utstanding!
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Good tactic sending the chasers from a long way back at kick-off. One of them ended up about 3 metres in front of the outside half taking the kick.
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My feed seems to be slower than the Italian defence, so I’ll shut up and just watch.
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Cardey is a crap ref. Never high.
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What was Aki supposed to do when the player fell on top of him?
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England to put 70 on Italy next week.
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Smiling Irish assassin.
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And again!
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Two tries on your first cap must feel pretty good.
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Oh FFS. That’s bollocks.
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Stupid from Ryan, didn’t have to do that. Even if he’d just stood there but not moved the arm it would have been a try.
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Or not.
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Ringrose has failed his HIA,
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Well, Keenan gets his second anyway!
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There’s his second.
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Try topped and tailed by the Blackrock College 2014 Senior Cup team – Caelan Doris steals, Hugo Keenan finishes.
Also in that team Joey Carberry and Nick Timoney.
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Coulda been a 1st half hattrick on debut. Ireland really on another level. Back to 5N with Italy relegated to the B comp?
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Why on earth would a South African be suggesting that Italy get binned from the tournament? I can’t fathom it.
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‘Twas a moral hat-trick.
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Italy are almost painful to watch.
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Good interception. Bastard.
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That’s the way to do it.
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Money for nothing & your chicks for free.
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And there’s the BP try! Whew!
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Rolling maul. Just like watching Scotland.
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Was always going to be a rolling maul, but I was surprised they went for a longer line-out. Nearly shat meself, so I did.
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Now for more points! Oh, there we go.
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Could get 50 yet.
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TomP, should have added that Georgia are too shite to replace them. However, adding the World Champions to the 6N would give the tired old comp a breath of fresh air. I like your inadvertent recommendation!
Have missed most of the 2nd half prepping dinner, but seems to have been fairly similar to the 1st half?
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48; conversion to come.
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50!!
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I knew that was going to be a mistake…! Nice one, Italy. Hope it doesn’t fuck our chances.
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I’m feeling too old, when your sporting heroes reveal their feet of clay. Oh Throbbers how could you have been so stupid ( and not just v Wales in 2015!)
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Well the heavens have opened at HQ, the final part of the Chiefs master plan for rugby domination I suppose
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I’d forgotten we were playing!
‘Mon ra Weedge!
3-12 up after 1st Quarter.
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I’m in a pretty bleak place with watching rugby at the moment. I think it stems from watching the turgid repetition of the same old same old. The Italian 10’s try at the death there was rather lovely though, like a flower poking its head through the soil.
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Craig Maxwell-Keyes is 30? Still looks about 20 at most.
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Was a weird decision – Aki sets himself to tackle waist high and the ball carrier falls into him…. and its the ball that hits Aki’s shoulder. Difficult to see what Aki might have done except get out of the way entirely.
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Nice kick by Gopperth to make it Chiefs 0 Wasps 3 , but then Wasps can’t handle the restart
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Lovely try from Slade! Just eased through the defence.
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Indidual brilliance by Henry Slade cutting through the Wasps defence that had been doing so well. Chiefs 7 3 Wasps
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Overall decent enough performance – debutants played well. Not entirely convinced by Stockdale at fullback.
Probably need more heavy carriers in second row…. Beirne and Dillane are fairly mobile rather than a big lumps….
Anyway, top with a game left…. who’d have turned that down at start of competition….
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The penalty, with the Aki incident, wasn’t for a high tackle, I thought? It was for a ruck infringement and then the TMO referred it for a possible high tackle.
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Mornay Stain looking saucy tonight. Sticks one over to level it up 3-3 against the Sharks.
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