Your week-end programme, unfortunately mostly brought to you by internet providers and subscription television.
Italy/ Fiji : Saturday 1pm. Cancelled
England/Ireland: Saturday at 3pm
Wales / Georgia: Saturday at 5.15 pm
Scotland/France: Sunday at 4pm
But before that, right after breakfast, you’ll watch the most important game of the week-end, and it has nothing to do with the season.
No, it’s not Ireland at Twickenham, nor France at Murrayfield.
It’s much earlier in the day, and it’s Argentina vs Australia.
Can the Argentineans replicate last Saturday’s fantastic game when they stunned the All Blacks and won 25-15? Can they keep the same intensity and dismantle Australia as well? In the absence of South Africa, could they nick the Tri nations for the first time?
Most neutrals would hope so, but I’m not neutral. I desperately want a win for the South Americans.
Let’s see:
Mario Ledesma has stuck with the same players. Australia have beefed up their pack and recalled a couple of old horses. I doubt it will be enough. When Australia dispatched the ABs B team with not much to spare, Argentina crushed their A team. It suggests a gap in power and organization that Australia should not be able to fill, even in front of their fans. Both teams have great attacking power (often underestimated in Argentina’s case), but Australia’s pack might be on the back foot for long periods, particularly if Nic White is as slow as usual: he’ll be eaten alive by the ferocious Argentina back row.
Open the Malbec, it’s about time.
Argentina: 15 Santiago Carreras, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Rodrigo Bruni, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera (c), 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 2 Julian Montoya, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chapparo
Replacements: 16 Santiago Socino, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Santiago Grondona, 20 Facundo Isa, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Emiliano Boffelli, 23 Santiago Cordero
Australia: 15 Tom Banks, 14 Tom Wright, 13 Jordan Petaia, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Reece Hodge, 9 Nic White, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Matt Philip, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Scott Sio
Replacements: 16 Folau Fainga’a, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Rob Valetini, 20 Liam Wright, 21 Jake Gordon, 22 Noah Lolesio, 23 Filipo Daugunu
Date: Saturday, November 21
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Kick-off: 19:45 local (08:45 GMT)
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Angus Gardner (Australia)
TMO: Nic Berry (Australia)
England v Ireland
A bit after lunch, we’ll sit down on the couch (not too comfortably; we don’t want to fall asleep), and we’ll go to England. It’s basically Group A’s final as neither Wales nor Georgia threaten to top the group after their poor results last week.
England did not particularly set the world on fire vs Italy or Georgia, but they’re solid, experienced and well-rehearsed. They stubbornly follow their game plan to the point that they seem bewildered when it does not work. But it’s mightily efficient against most teams. Will it be enough vs Ireland? A better question would be: can Ireland win in Twickenham without Henderson, Furlong, Carbery, Larmour, Ringrose, Henshaw, Sexton? Irish coaches, like most, are conservative and have not really blooded new players.
For all the deserved praise and success that Ireland enjoy at club level, numbers simply dictate that they don’t have enough players to step in when the starters are injured. Not only will Ireland start with three inexperienced players in key positions (FB, FH, SH), but also with predictable centres and a pack that won’t impress England. And then the bench should make a big difference. There was an interesting analysis of the coming game by Irish legend, Shane Byrne, in Planet Rugby; he knows his stuff better than I do, but unlike him, I can’t see anything but a win for England.
Whose round is it now?
England: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Jonathan Joseph, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Henry Slade, 11 Jonny May, 10 Owen Farrell (c), 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Tom Curry, 5 Joe Launchbury, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Jonny Hill, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Dan Robson, 22 George Ford, 23 Max Malins
Ireland: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Keith Earls, 13 Chris Farrell, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris, 7 Peter O’Mahony, 6 CJ Stander, 5 James Ryan (c), 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Andrew Porter, 2 Ronan Kelleher, 1 Cian Healy
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Ed Byrne, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Will Connors, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Billy Burns, 23 Jacob Stockdale
Date: Saturday, November 21
Venue: Twickenham
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (FFR)
Assistant Referees: Mathieu Raynal (FFR), Alex Ruiz (FFR)
TMO: Nigel Owens (WRU)
Wales v Georgia
Now, wake up please, if only for going to the bathroom. In a few minutes, Wales will take on Georgia.
It may look like a dead rubber to many, but it certainly is not. Both teams desperately need to stop the rot. Georgia’s lame defeats to Scotland and England highlight the gap between tier one and tier two nations: the Georgians will want to prove that they belong to a higher level, but it’s going to be hard. Several of their players play in France, but mostly in the bottom half of the Top 14 or in the ProD2. Expect a lot of naivety in defense and a serious lack of skills in attack.
Wales? According to Boris during PMQs, Wales want to avoid going from the Capitol to the Tarpeian rock, but how? Between Scylla and Charybdis, go with the proven and tested, or with the unknown? Oh Boris, shut up, please! Pivac’s rung the changes: no fewer than thirteen new players, some of them quite exciting. As a game it may not be a classic – such is the difference between the two teams – but at least it should bring back some smiles in Wales.
Time for the kebab.
Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Louis Rees-Zammit, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Justin Tipuric (c), 6 James Botham, 5 Seb Davies, 4 Jake Ball, 3 Samson Lee, 2 Elliot Dee, 1 Wyn Jones
Replacements: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Leon Brown, 19 Cory Hill, 20 James Davies, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Ioan Lloyd, 23 Jonah Holmes
Georgia: 15 Lasha Khmaladze, 14 Akaki Tabutsadze, 13 Giorgi Kveseladze, 12 Merab Sharikadze (c), 11 Sandro Todua, 10 Tedo Abzhandadze, 9 Vasil Lobzhanidze, 8 Beka Gorgadze, 7 Beka Saginadze, 6 Otar Giorgadze, 5 Kote Mikautadze, 4 Grigor Kerdikoshvili, 3 Beka Gigashvili, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 Mikheil Nariashvili
Replacements: 16 Giorgi Chkoidze, 17 Guram Gogichashvili, 18 Lexo Kaulashvili, 19 Lasha Jaiani, 20 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 21 Gela Aprasidze, 22 Demur Tapladze, 23 Tamaz Mchedlidze
Date: Saturday, November 21
Venue: Parc y Scarlets
Kick-off: 17:15 GMT
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant referees: Andrew Brace, Frank Murphy
Television match official: Joy Neville
Scotland v France
Sunday in Scotland. Coronavember. In the old days pubs would’ve been closed. Just like now.
Thank dog for the rugby.
This is going to be an intriguing game, and since Fiji’s games were cancelled, it is in fact the final of the group B. Whoever wins gets to go to Twickenham. Unless, of course, Ireland have prevailed the day before, and Wales wake up from their torpor next week (as it is vs England, they may very well). So strike that, it’s just another game.
Shaun Galthié has named a strong team and with the exception of Ntamack, Bouthier and Cros, it’s the team that dispatched Ireland and Wales rather easily. Shaun Servat and Shaun Ibanez will be happy with their pack, as is Shaun Ghezal with his work at the line out. Shaun Shaun Edwards is not so happy with his pupils as they keep leaking tries, but the other Shauns don’t mind, as they score more tries than their opponents. Speaking of which, Scotland seem a bit weakened with the absence of Finn and his deputy Hastings. But they’ve got a great pack, an outstanding back row (Richie would be the first on my list), and in Hogg the best counter-attacker in Europe (bar Cheslin Kolbe, of course).
I wish I could elaborate but teams have not been announced, so I’ll just predict a wonderful game with plenty of tries.
Shaun Shaun may sulk. I don’t mind.
Oops, here is France. As predicted a couple of days ago.
France : 15. Ramos; 14. Thomas, 13. Vakatawa, 12. Fickou, 11. Rattez ; 10. Jalibert, 9. Dupo,t ; 7.Ollivon (cap.), 8. Alldritt, 6. Cretin ; 5. Taofifenua, 4. Le Roux ; 3. Bamba, 2. Chat, 1. Gros.Bench : 16. Marchand, 17. Baille, 18. Haouas, 19. Willemse, 20. Woki, 21. Couilloud, 22. Carbonel 23. Vincent.
As prognosticated by Flair99
Onna telly this week
Friday 20th November
| Harlequins v Exeter | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
| Sale v Northampton | 20:00 | BT Sport Extra |
Saturday 21st November
| Argentina v Australia | 08:45 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Bulls v Pumas | 11:55 | Sky Sports Arena |
| England v France (women) | 12:00 | BBC Two |
| Bath v Newcastle | 12:30 | BT Sport Extra |
| Cheetahs v Griquas | 14:25 | Sky Sports Arena |
| England v Ireland | 15:00 | Channel 4 / Amazon Prime |
| Leicester v Gloucester | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Worcester v London Irish | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Wales v Georgia | 17:15 | S4C / Amazon Prime |
Sunday 22nd November
| Wasps v Bristol | 13:00 | BT Sport 1 |
| Zebre v Connacht | 14:30 | FreeSports |
| Scotland v France | 15:00 | Amazon Prime |
| Ospreys v Treviso | 15:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Leinster v Cardiff | 17:15 | S4C / Premier Sports 1 |
| Ulster v Scarlets | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
Monday 23rd November
| Dragons v Edinburgh | 18:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Glasgow v Munster | 20:15 | Premier Sports 2 |
Ovally Balls 
Deebs – do it!! I read Jupiter’s Travels as a teenager and haven’t stopped thinking about it. It’s about a guy who motorcycles round the world in the 1970s on a triumph. He goes from Tunis to Joburg from memory.
I’ve done a bit of motorcycle day tripping in Asia. Mainly on a scooter but the hire places were generally surprised by my mileage. I broke down a few times and someone always helped.
I also had to bribe a teenage policeman on my honeymoon in Indonesia. He placed his revolver on the table and said I’d be taken away ‘to justice’. I pulled out $5 and said it was all I had unless he wanted to take me to my ‘resort’. I think that ruined his day but eventually he removed the gun and let us leave.
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Craigs,
A good friend of mine and his missus did Prague to Cape Town a decade ago, using public transport/hitching most of the way. This is their blog: http://bigafricantrip.blogspot.com/2009/08/
I was giving it big once about how we were about to go to Colombia on holiday. He quietly said to me that if I needed any times he’d been there in 2005. The best thing he ever told me was to raise money for a long trip they’d worked in a frozen pizza factory in Iceland for a few months.
There’s a very interesting South African writer called Jonny Steinberg, who I’d really recommend. The most recent of his books that I’ve got is about a Somali guy who ends up in America via Cape Town. It’s a fascinating story. Steinberg’s also done books on HIV in the Eastern Cape, policing in South Africa and the Numbers gangs in SA prisons – they’re all good. The last one is really really interesting.
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The white refugee story is interesting, and largely accurate. One of my closest friends’ family is Greek-Egyptian, who fled Nasser, whilst at Uni in the 80s I knew quite a few Belgian kids whose parents had fled Congo. Also had Italian kids at school and uni, some of whose families settled in SA after the Second World War, having been in POW camps during the war. Lots of Portuguese from Angola and Mozambique, obviously white Zambians and Zimbabweans, as well as a smattering of Kenyans, Ugandans and Malawians from the Empire. Used to be a large Jewish community (much reduced these days), many escaping Germany but more specifically Eastern Europe in the 20s and 30s. Not really sure of the origins of the German community in SA (as opposed to German migrants in the 19th C, largely absorbed into the Afrikaner community), whether it’s from German South West Africa (Namibia) or from the decades of German industrial investment in SA, or both.
My father’s family arrived here during the Great Depression along with a lot of other British families, whilst there was another wave of economic migrants from the UK into South Africa from the late 60s to early 80s, many working on the mines, coal-fired power plants and the like.
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Jewish immigration to SA was really big before World War I as well. That slightly weird book by Charles van Onselen about Joseph Silver is really good on the trans-Europe/ Atlantic connections among Jewish communities. Also, do you know Ray Simons, wife of Jack? She was born in Russian Empire Latvia in 1913 and emigrated in the early 1930s. One of the reasons her family left Latvia for SA was two of her aunts had met and married British Jewish guys from Leeds. Those fellas enlisted in the British Army for the South African War and at the end of the war were given land in Upington where they became orange farmers.
There was some Czechoslovak emigration to SA after 1968. We know most of them because of my missus’s work, One chap told us that he had escaped to Vienna and was then offered a place in either Canada or South Africa. His claim was that because they played ice hockey in Canada he knew it’d be cold and he didn’t fancy that so he opted for SA. I think it’s more cos he was a massive racist.
Joel Stransky’s family came over from the Czechlands I think. And I remember watching a schools game between Bishops and someone and the Bishops lock had the same very Czech surname as my missus. We were both very surprised.
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Anyway, here’s some good news from ‘proland:
https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2020/11/no-nationwide-ban-on-blowing-up-milk-churns-at-new-year-minister-agrees/
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And here’s why:
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Tomp – that’s a great blog and really nice photos!!
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I had an small adventure on a scooter one day in Morocco but people have told me it’s not the ‘real’ Africa. Can anyone explain this? I’ve consulted numerous maps…
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Bringing through the bairns:
https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/van-der-walt-set-scotland-call-1/
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TomP – quite a few Yugoslavs (predominantly Croats, from what I can see) also arrived in SA between the Wars and after the Second one. Fascinating story about the Simons – didn’t know that. There was also some minor Russian migration to SA during the Anglo-Boer War, with the Russians supplying the Boers with weapons and money.
Have you read up much on the history of Coloured and Indian communities in South Africa. Equally fascinating and interwoven with Empire politics, both here and in Asia (Malaysia and India to a large degree) but also Sri Lanka and other places. A Coloured friend of mine in Cape Town related how dark-skinned Coloureds in the Western Cape are called ‘Kersies’ not because they look like cherries, but the other meaning – candles, presumably burnt ones! They’re largely of Madagascan origin, brought in as slaves in the early Dutch colonial days, purchased from the Arab slave traders who plied the East African coast until well into the 20th Century.
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This is a fun read.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11140803-american-nations
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Malaysia and India and Indonesia, of course. That’s a whole fascinating part of Southern African and Indian Ocean history. Am out now but should sit down for a longish post this evening.
First book written in Afrikaans was either The Koran or a Muslim prayer book. That’s for starters.
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‘Real’ Africa means places that are wild, with little infrastructure and largely unregulated. So most of rural Africa counts, but especially Congo, parts of Nigeria and the Sahel, Pretoria, East Africa, Angola, etc.
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Tomp:
At about 1:05in the video, wasn’t that Owen Farrell holding the exploding churn in an illegal choke?
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Pretoria
Nice.
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@thaum
ATL on it’s way – I decided I did have something to say…..
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Woohoo! Thanks, Trisk.
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Craigs, couldn’t resist!
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Quite a good (if dour) assessment of England’s performance at the weekend with some DNA watch thrown in (around 4:20 mark):
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Adiós Diego.
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Fascinating read back. Didn’t expect my innocent question about an oped would trigger such interesting posts. Just like the old AoD days. Thanks Deebee and Tomp.
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Really interesting reading today. Agree with Flair – just like the AoD days.
So sad news about Maradona. Watched the documentary about him a wee while ago. The talent he had was unbelievable (yet there are still posters on the Graun complaining about his first goal against England in ’86 – because it’s ALWAYS about England). At one point in the doc he was doing keepy-uppy – with his heel, just messing about.
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More England/Ireland analysis:
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Good lad, Diego. A belting player. Made Napoli great.
As my brother always says, what a player you’d’ve been if you’d had a right foot.
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Andy Ritchie could kick the ball with both feet.
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…in .which directions?
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Slade – ha, good point. I can technically kick a ball with both feet too, but if I use my left foot, it won’t go far, and its direction would be entirely unpredictable. I’d probably also manage to kick my right ankle.
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Shilton was rubbish at jumping.
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For the avoidance of doubt- in Gaelic football you can score a goal by punching a ball “in flight” (ie that someone else has kicked or hand passed) into the net.
In a game of (gaelic) football it would have been a great score… (and ….well…. its not a great jump by Shilton)
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“the avoidance of doubt- in Gaelic football”
I had doubt in Gaelic football, but in the current circumstances I’m prepared to belive it’s a much better game than this Rugby Union nonsense.
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I’ve definitely found OT
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Hello all! Looks like African borders exhausted everyone! Here are teh teams for the All Black-Pumas match on Saturday – a must win for both sides! 10 changes for Argentina from last week, 3 for the Kiwis from their last outing. All three sides on 6 points, but Argentina have only played 2 matches, so theoretically have a good chance of lifting the trophy. Not sure playing four matches in four weekends gives them much chance though. BP win for the ABs and they probably take it, despite losing two matches. Australia can only look on and hope neither side gets a BP if they’re to win it – or they’ll need 5 points and large points difference next week. Or maybe not.
New Zealand: 15-Beauden Barrett, 14-Jordie Barrett, 13-Anton Lienert-Brown, 12-Jack Goodhue, 11-Caleb Clarke, 10-Richie Mo’unga, 9-Aaron Smith, 8-Ardie Savea, 7-Sam Cane (captain), 6-Akira Ioane, 5-Sam Whitelock, 4-Scott Barrett, 3-Nepo Laulala, 2-Dane Coles, 1-Joe Moody. Replacements: 16-Codie Taylor, 17-Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18-Tyrel Lomax, 19-Patrick Tuipulotu, 20-Hoskins Sotutu, 21-TJ Perenara, 22-Rieko Ioane, 23-Will Jordan.
Argentina: 15-Emiliano Boffelli, 14-Ramiro Moyano, 13-Juan Cruz Mallia, 12-Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11-Santiago Cordero, 10-Nicolas Sanchez, 9-Felipe Excurra, 8-Facundo Isa, 7-Marcos Kremer, 6-Pablo Matera (captain), 5-Lucas Paulos, 4-Guido Petti, 3-Santiago Medrano, 2-Julian Montoya, 1-Mayco Vivas. Replacements: 16-Santiago Socino, 17-Nahuel Tetaz Chapparo, 18-Lucio Sordoni, 19-Matias Alemanno, 20-Santiago Grondona, 21-Gonzalo Bertranou, 22-Santiago Carreras, 23-Lucas Mensa.
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Looks weak
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My missus loves Boy George.
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OT – conveniently
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Ah! – Slade back to #13.
Looks a very strong 23 for game against Wales.
Wales by 8!
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George O’Towd? I think you’ve got it spot on, Craigs!
O’T you’ve been rumbled!
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It’s karma. Always thought you were a bit of a chameleon.
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Weak as fuck
England: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Jonathan Joseph, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Tom Curry, 5 Joe Launchbury, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Jonny Hill, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Jack Willis, 22 Dan Robson, 23 Anthony Watson
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Looks amazing
Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 James Botham, 6 Shane Lewis-Hughes, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c), 4 Jake Ball, 3 Samson Lee, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Wyn Jones
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Will Rowlands, 20 Aaron Wainwright, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Callum Sheedy, 23 Owen Watkin
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I really hope I’m not eating a shit sandwich after the match but I’m feeling quite confident tbh.
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Good to see Elias back in, I enjoyed his last performance.
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Looks like Itoje will have to rescue England again. Marshmallow front row, Itoje +AN Other in the 2nd row, promising by green flanks, over the hill 8 and 9, flaky 10, liability at 12, retreaded 15 at 13, decent wings (if they ever get the ball, but let’s face it May is no Ashton in the try-scoring stakes) and ‘Billy’ Eliot at 15, pirouetting on the spot as the Welsh run through him. England by 15.
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Can’t believe it’s come to this, but on the recent evidence Lloyd Williams is the right pick.
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Claims of Welsh back row strength in depth a year or two ago felt a bit exaggerated at the time. And here we are…
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I prefer least bad, CMW.
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Come on now TomP, he reached the heights of vaguely OK for at least ten minjtes the other week.
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Looks like AWJ will have to rescue Wales again. Nondescript front row, AWJ and deflated beach ball in the 2nd row, raw, unpromising flanks, tackle bag 8, clutching at straws recall at 9, fragile 10, club standard centres, second-fiddle wings and a 15 who kicks and not much else these days. Bench that couldn’t press fresh flowers. England by 18.
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To be honest Wales might just as well have picked on the basis of who most deserves to suffer.
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