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 
Thanks SBT.
What a brilliant result.
LikeLike
Quite jealous Flair. Well done for watching it before you knew the result. I think thats the biggest shot in the arm for world rugby at least since Japan beat South Africa. Just the pride and passion the Poomas show in that short clip is amazing. I love Matera telling the ref that kicking his player in the face was disrespecting his country.
Well done Poomas, more of the same please. Will watch a full match replay as soon as I can find one.
LikeLike
Nice to see Amazon are following the John Inverdale School of rugby punditry. Its been on for half an hour and 25 of thos minutes have been about England vs Georgia, not the game that starts in 15 minutes.
LikeLike
Ha! Even the Graun thinks the same…
“This Amazon programme for Italy vs Scotland has been on for 33 minutes and roughly 26 minutes of it has been chat about England vs Georgia.”
LikeLike
Amazon. Looks like they have got the tech back up to block VIP. Anyone got a streaming link ?
LikeLike
Phew, VIP got it unblocked.
LikeLike
Lots of kicks so far.
LikeLike
Penalty for hands in the ruck and Italy score first.
LikeLike
Italians generally on top, apart from one loose pass. Worryingly Richie might be off for an HIA.
LikeLike
Any link?
None of todays games shown here today.
LikeLike
Scotland scrum minced there.
LikeLike
Sutherland now off injured. Losing players at a rate of knots here.
LikeLike
Link: http://cricfree.live/watchfeeds/demand/183
LikeLike
Italy well on top and have another penalty. 6-0.
LikeLike
Duhan! In for his try! Good patience on penalty advantage. Bit scrappy but we scored.
LikeLike
Richie not coming back on.
Think the Guardian’s MBM is a few seconds quicker than my Prime feed.
LikeLike
Probably the best 20 minutes of rugby I have seen Italy play. Brave by Scotland to kick for corner, and rewarded.
LikeLike
Lovely try from Italy!
LikeLike
Lots of lovely hands by the Italian backs
LikeLike
Brilliant from Italy
LikeLike
Italians loving this.
LikeLike
Much like the first half against England.
LikeLike
Italy deserve to be in front at half time. It’s funny how the breaks, the bounce of the ball the 50/50s go your way when you put the effort in.
LikeLike
The Amazon prime feed is quite reasonable Commentary a bit excessive particularly with the amount of referee instructions available if only the commentators kept quiet
LikeLike
Bryan Habana sounds sensible commenting on the Saffer (oops Scottish) team.
LikeLiked by 1 person
SCotland v georgia playoff, anyone?
LikeLike
Duncy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LikeLike
Oh no, forward pass?
LikeLike
Bugger.
LikeLike
Possibly another try for Zander? Look totally surprised as he gets the offload from Mish then wanders through a big hole!
LikeLike
That was odd, but a good try!
LikeLike
We’ve upped the pace a bit and the like of Mish are getting on the ball now.
LikeLike
Scott Cummings in for the try!
LikeLike
Polledri broken ?
LikeLike
Hell, Polledri looks like he’s off. He’s been brilliant today.
LikeLike
Good try by Cummings there for Scotland. 17-21
LikeLike
Exeter’s own Sam H-C on now.
LikeLike
That was a hard game
LikeLike
Well, I thought there might be an upset on the cards there, but well done, Scotland!
LikeLike
Italy improved
LikeLike
I’m sure there will be those who’ll say that WAS an upset.
Based on the performances last night and today, I’d say Wales would be really worried about facing Italy.
LikeLike
Well done Scotland for your second half performance. Enjoyable game for a neutral to watch. Bad luck Italy but a lot of promise in the first half
LikeLike
Italy were much improved, we used to lose these, and probably will again.
Decent match, all in all.
LikeLike
Good competitive game . Thought Scotland showed cool heads to work their way back into the game. Allen and Polledri both look out for a while, shame. I may well have picked Polledri as MoM if he had stayed on.
Garbisi looks to be maturing fast, cool head today, not risking charge downs either.
LikeLike
VIP stream says England Georgia , showing motogp2 . Dang.
LikeLike
Very impressive beards on display from Georgia
LikeLike
Georgia wins the beardoff hands down
LikeLike
With Georgian commentary on Cricfree.
LikeLike
Great stuff, England come to kick.
LikeLike
Maybe not.
LikeLike