The Nations Cup. My goodness, savour that. The Nations Cup. Mmm. The very name is redolent of a crackling log fire on an autumn afternoon. But wait, there’s more! Amazon Prime. That tingling feeling? That’s the realisation that a major re-structuring of European rugby broadcasting is upon us. Who says 2020’s been a miserable year?
Amazon Prime – not sure how much tax they pay – have put together a crack team of broadcasters and ex-player pundits who have only ever appeared on the BBC or ITV or Channel 4 or Channel 5 or BTSport or Sky before. As industry insider Phelam Hill put it, “[Amazon] will want to do something that is wholly different, not a vanilla broadcast”. More pertinently, they’ll be getting some good advertising bucks in the run-up to Christmas, and they’ll synergistically allow customers to make an impulse purchase of a replica England shirt (size XXXL) with “George 2“ on the back when the Saracens hooker (size XXXL) flops over the line after a drive from a five-metre line-out. Win-win for Bezos’s boys and girls.
To the games, then.
Ireland v Wales (an empty Aviva stadium)
It’s only been a few months since Ireland sent Wales packing with a comfortable win in front of 50,000 fans. It seems likely that Friday night’s game will see a similar result. Yet there are crumbs of comfort for Wales. Jacob Stockdale has gone from free-scoring winger to defensively awkward full-back this Autumn and this could be something Wales will look to exploit with an effective kicking game.
First task: find an effective kicking game.
Second, increasingly tetchy short-distance kicker Jonny Sexton has been underwhelming since the great re-start, and his replacement is Ulster’s own (import from Gloucester) Mr Billy Burns. Can two men lose a game on their own?
Nah. Ireland should have too much for Wales, and if their line-out functions, expect a couple of tries from short drives followed by a series of pick-and-goes. Plus, they have Leinster’s Jimmy Lowe on debut and he’ll pick up at least one score. Wales’ll get a consolation or two.
Italy v Scotland (an empty Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence)
It’s only a few months since these two met in a match that has been ruled an instrument of torture by a recent European Court of Human Rights ruling. Scotland had the boy Adam Hastings standing in at 10 that day, as stand-out stand-off Finn Russell had been stood down after standing a couple too many beers. Finn returned, but both he and Hastings got crocked against Wales, so the call came for the Worcester Wizard, Wee Duncan Weir, to step up in the key position.
And … Wee Duncy has grown his hair! People often ask me, “What’s NOT vanilla broadcasting?“ and I always say, “Talking about Duncan Weir’s hair and making rather unfunny jokes about it“. Trust me, there’ll be no vanilla broadcasting on Amazon Prime.
Italy are not good. They have some okay players: Polledri is a fine runner/smasher and the young outside half Paolo Garbisi has something about him, but they’re not going to be doing much against what’s turning into a pretty effective Scottish side.
England v Georgia (an empty Twickenham stadium)
There’re certain things that one’s duty bound to mention when you talk about Georgia:
- props;
- scrummaging;
- the ancient game of Lelos;
- their nickname, the Lelos, which comes from the ancient game of Lelos;
- scrummaging;
- Gorgadze;
- scrummaging;
- some platitude from some coach of some other team about how good their scrummaging is;
- props;
- and, scrummaging.
What you won’t hear much about are their backs. Which means I’m rather lost, though I like the young half-backs. Sadly, after a very so-so performance v Scotland, full-back Soso Matiashvili misses out.
Anyway, Georgia have got a great record in the 6 Nations B competition: two losses in ten years, and this is the shop window for them, scrummaging etc.
England will crush them.
France v Fiji (an empty Stade de la Rabine, Vannes)
This is the one to get the old mouth watering. Is it a coincidence that the two sides that play with the most flair both have a name that also begins with F? It is, really, but coincidences are vanilla. Expect fireworks (also begins with F) and some frantic, frenzied play from both sides.
But what those two sides look like is not exactly what you’d hope for. Semi Radrada has tested positive for the Rona so misses out, and Peceli Yato dropped out of the Fiji squad earlier. On top of that, a good number of the squad tested positive for the Rona a couple of weeks ago and a scheduled warm-up game v Portugal got canned as a result.
Still, they’ve got the marvellous Tuisova on the wing, and he’s turning out alongside eight other players who earn a baguette in France.
The hosts, meanwhile, look set to name a fairly strong side, surprising to me as there’s a reported agreement between the FFR and the clubs limiting how many games players can appear in this autumn. You’ve got to trust Foxy Fabien Galthie, a coach who, it seems, has worked out a plan for the great under-achievers of the 2010s. What will double definitely happen: The commentators will spend a lot of time talking about how great Antoine Dupoint is.
As foretold by TomPirracas
Onna telly this week
Friday 13th November
| Griquas v Sharks | 16:55 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Ireland v Wales | 19:00 | Channel 4 / S4C |
Saturday 14th November
| New Zealand v Argentina | 06:10 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Italy v Scotland | 12:45 | Amazon Prime |
| France v England (women) | 13:15 | BBC Two |
| Lions v Pumas | 14:25 | Sky Sports Arena |
| England v Georgia | 15:00 | Amazon Prime |
| Stormers v Cheetahs | 16:55 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Connacht v Scarlets | 19:35 | Premier Sports 2 |
Sunday 15th November
| Munster v Ospreys | 14:45 | S4C / FreeSports |
| Glasgow v Dragons | 18:30 | Premier Sports 2 |
Monday 16th November
| Zebre v Ulster | 18:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Leinster v Edinburgh | 20:15 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Cardiff v Treviso | 20:15 | Premier Sports 1 |
Ovally Balls 
Does Biggar know that North has come on? That cross kick was a waste of time.
LikeLike
Burns off and Murray on. Assuming he’ll play 10?
LikeLike
Dee and Wyn Jones have introduced some level of competence. So had Lloyd up till then.
LikeLike
Lost it again now, penalties galore.
LikeLike
Good lad, Lowe!
LikeLike
And Wales contrive to make sure Lowe gets his try in the end.
LikeLike
Nice interchange between AWJ and POM there. Wonder what they were saying to each other.
LikeLike
Well done Ireland. Never really in doubt was it?
LikeLike
It’s feeling very much like 1980-1993, 1995-2004.
LikeLike
Is that O’Lowe?
Sounds grim for Wales for the near future, at least……………
LikeLike
Good news Flair – Castres losing at home – just
LikeLike
Reckon we should a few Superspreaders into the camp before the England game.
LikeLike
In golf news – DeChambeau falling part at Augusta – bit like Trump, really
LikeLike
@TomP – Not sure we’ve got as much flair behind the uncompetitive pack as the better (less worse) 90s teams.
LikeLike
Congrats to Ireland!
LikeLike
See you tomorrow.
LikeLike
Great prog on Ella Fitzgerald on BBC4.
LikeLike
Yeah Thaum, if it’s the one I think it is, it was excellent.
Tonight’s big question – Ella or Aretha?
LikeLike
Funny, watching the bit I’ve just seen, which covers her relationship with her son, I thought of Aretha, whose son Teddy (Richards) I knew a little. Lovely bloke who never traded on his mother’s fame, and she popped out to see him in the local clubs once in a while.
But for me, the question you were asking is Ella or Billie.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The other thing I was reminded of was a Bowie docu, where some musician (possibly Mike Garson or Herbie Flowers?) was explaining, on the piano, how Bowie was unconventional: Now any other musician, after that chord progression, would have gone to *this*, but no, David did *THIS*, which blew my mind.
Ella was like that with the notes she sang. Unexpectedly wonderful.
LikeLike
I think the song in question was Life on Mars?. Am imagining an Ella Fitzgerald cover. That would be great.
LikeLike
That would be great.
That would be fuckin mind-blowing.
LikeLike
CMW,
WRT the scrum just before HT, it could be my mistake but I thought that a knock on by the attacking team in the dead ball area warranted a 22 restart, not a scrum.
Ultimately, that was turgid. What’s wrong with passing the ball and scoring tries? Should’ve watched Castres, at least they lost.
LikeLike
@Flair – if that’s the case then they definitely got it wrong one way or another. They checked the grounding only because they’d decided it was the Wales player who knocked it back from the lineout with no Irish knock on at that point.
Agree that the game was shit even though I realise I’m being a bit graceless towards our Irish posters who I’m sure will have found a good deal more to enjoy in it than I did.
LikeLike
Argentina need to get their hands on the ball a bit more. 3-3 after 15 minutes but Kiwis looking good ball in hand.
LikeLike
Argentina in under the posts! Kept the ball through some phases, grabber through, off the Argie shin which creates confusion in the defence and over! 3-10. A couple of mistakes now from the Kiwis and Argentina have their tails up. Then cock it up and cough the penalty. Then – you’ll be shocked – Dane Coles niggle gets it reversed. Great player, complete wanker.
LikeLike
Fades to the right, but they get another crack almost immediately as Barrett junior gets pinged for a late charge. 3-13 after 28 minutes.
LikeLike
Argentina should have had another but the wing didn’t back himself for the corner. They paste the Kiwi scrum from 5m and get another penalty. Sánchez drills it through the uprights and its 3-16 seven before the break
LikeLike
Kiwis have now eschewed two kickable penalties. This time the penalty goes dead in goal and Argentina get the scrum in midfield. They lead 16-3 at half time with the Kiwis all over the shop for large parts. But kudos to Los Pumas, they’ve bossed the contact area and looked more composed.
LikeLike
Kiwis finally get the driving maul right from the lineout and crash over. Richie slots the extras and they’re back in it at 10-19. Argentina scored a 3 pointer whilst I wasn’t watching.
LikeLike
Penalty Argentina right in front! Try scorer and skipper Sam Cane looks in pain. Sanchez slots it! 10-22 with just over a quarter to go!
LikeLike
Kiwi penalty deep in Argentina’s 22 and they botch the lineout! Pumas clear but Kiwis coming back hard. Getting pretty scrappy to be honest.
LikeLike
You know all those no-look passes, clever kicks and back of hand offloads that make the Kiwis so feared? They’re just not working so far tonight.
LikeLike
Great defence Pumas! 12 Kiwi phases and not even a Robshaw to show for it. They come again and get a breakdown penalty. Lineout in the 22. Offside penalty and they’re going for the scrum! Lost the signal. Argentina somehow scrambled it away. Kiwis back on attack and another penalty. Tap and go! Isolated! Turnover penalty! Cleared to halfway.
LikeLike
Whitlock pinged at the lineout maul! Into the last 5 and Argentina go for posts! Eating up time. Over and they’re 15 clear! It is! 10-25! 3 to play! Kiwi penalty, tap and go, but going nowhere. Oh Brad! It’s a jump to the left and he spills it! Another Kiwi penalty but too late!
LikeLike
🥝 go for the lineout and a few phases later, under advantage Caleb Clarke crashes over in the corner. Argentine fans are going ballistic and for good reason! They’ve beaten the All Blacks for the first time in 30 attempts and were magnificent value for their 10 point margin! Pandemonium in the Pumas coaching box!
LikeLike
The All Black players looked stunned, but truth be told they were 2nd best all night in the basics and didn’t seem to have a plan B when Argentina’s defence refused to buckle. Sanchez did it all tonight – a try, a conversion and six penalties! Pablo Matera was magnificent and outshine his opposite number and opposing skipper Sam Cane all night.
LikeLike
Fantastic – so pleased
LikeLike
What a fantastic result, well done Pumas
LikeLike
Nice game that Deebee’s imagined there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amazing! Congratulations to Argentina (and any lurkers out there if they exist).
LikeLike
Congratulations to Ireland BTW and commiserations to Wales.
LikeLike
Words tomp
LikeLike
With apologies to Welsh fans, their team never looked like winning that game last night. They need to bring more to the table than roosting the pill and a rush defence.
Ireland had some slick moves in the backs, Sexton was playing top dollar rugby until he got crocked, as good as I’ve ever seen him. They had so me good young and/or new layers on show.
LikeLike
“Layers”
LikeLike
With apologies to
WelshKiwi fans, their team never looked like winning that game last night. They need to bring more to the table than roosting the pill and a rush defence.LikeLike
Aw crap. Woke up at stupid O’clock and thought ” Shall I get up and watch the Poomas ? No, they’ll get stuffed”, read for a bit and went back to sleep.
LikeLike
Just finished watching the ABs/ Argentina game. I must say there was a bit of moisture in my eyes at the end.
What a wonderful result for supposedly rusty Argies ! What passion, what commitment, what great organisation! Once they learn how to counter attack better, they could become unstoppable.
LikeLike
SBT, I felt like you. But I taped the game just in case, and watched it at a reasonable hour without knowing the result.
Fantastic result for Argentina but also for rugby in general.
LikeLiked by 2 people
LikeLiked by 2 people