The briefest of all possible previews.
Georgia v Fiji
Fiji are a very good side, but have not played a test match due to their Covid problems. Georgia were much improved last week. Georgia by 5.
Ireland v Scotland
Both sides looking rather pedestrian at the moment. With the inexplicable void where Hamish McFuckface should be, as well as the return of Sexton and Ireland’s home advantage (and despite the dropping of McCloskey), Ireland by 10.
Wales v Italy
Wales by 25. You know why.
England v France
With France putting out a C side, there is not much doubt: England by 15. Although I suspect France will throw some surprises England’s way.
Onna telly this week
Friday 4th December
| Bristol 18 – 17 Saints | ||
| Connacht 31 – 14 Treviso |
Saturday 5th December
| Australia v Argentina | 08:45 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Georgia v Fiji | 12:00 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Ireland v Scotland | 14:15 | Amazon Prime |
| Bulls v Cheetahs | 14:30 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Leicester v Exeter | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Wasps v Newcastle | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Worcester v Bath | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Wales v Italy | 16:45 | S4C / Amazon Prime |
| Golden Lions v Western Province | 17:00 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Glasgow v Dragons | 19:15 | Premier Sports 1 |
Sunday 6th December
| England v France | 14:00 | Amazon Prime |
| London Irish v Sale | 14:30 | BT Sport Extra |
| Gloucester v Harlequins | 16:15 | BT Sport 1 |
Ovally Balls 
We all know the fish don’t make much difference to us, and yes the sabre rattling on the UK side is pathetic, but that doesn’t make what the EU are doing right.
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Didn’t even realise the European Cups were starting this week. It’s been another week from hell.
Toulouse, gulp. At least it’s at Ravenhill.
I’ll put my predictions for tonight’s matches up tomorrow. :-)
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Maybe not, but that shouldn’t mean that Johnson and his crowd of no-wits get away with this. They’ve had 4 years to sort this deal out – ‘easiest deal in history’ I think Fox said? ‘Oven ready’ said Johnson at one point. I think the EU have basically had enough of being lied to.
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And yes, I know Ticht mentioned it yesterday … it just didn’t quite sink in!
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As someone put it elsewhere today, Johnson went on a charm offensive to Brussels yesterday, and only got it half right.
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Especially if this is to be believed:
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That wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest, Thaum. The man is a grade one scumbag.
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I heard a rumour that the dastardly Europeans didn’t even let him hide in a fridge.
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Kind of enjoyed Alexei Sayle, thanks. Interesting about Margaret Hodge, must be something about the name, cos Margaret Beckett is seen as poisoner-in-chief by all accounts.
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It does have the ring of plausibility about it, doesn’t it?
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Thaum – did you read Marina’s article? Particularly liked her description of the ‘cabinet’.
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Yes, that was brill. I also joined the Hyde/Crace ‘talk’ last night. I now have a woman-crush on Marina.
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Apologies to all the lovely Margarets out there.
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Hm, don’t forget Thatcher….
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Saints are making error after error.
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Watching Northampton vs Bordeaux.
Considering the poor handling skills on display, it’s little wonder England are so reluctant to run with the ball.
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Got 2 neighbours called Margaret. One is lovely the other is a curtain twitching spying nut job.
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Dab, out of curiosity what is the EU goalpost shifting you’re alluding to?
Biggar teaching the ref a few tricks there.
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Jalibert goes for a penalty, it bounces off the post, and the Bordeaux winger scores a try. Fab.
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And another careless Saints error results in what looks like a try almost immediately, but I think he was in touch.
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No try.
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Saints doing a fantastic job of throwing away a lead here. This will be 11 losses in a row.
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Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see Johnson, Gove, Farage, Cummings and all properly punished for their lies and corruption. But their being hideous doesn’t automatically make the EU right and just.
The whole thing feels like watching Australia vs France (kidding, Flair)!
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The EU have been perfectly consistent from the start, no? Echo Flair’s question.
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In 2017 Barnier said it was a Canada style FTA or nothing. When the UK suggested that earlier this year they rejected it.
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Well, that because of May’s ridiculous red lines, and then the further UK idiocy over arbitration and the sudden fondness for fish we don’t eat (and sell to Europe). Not to mention the IMB and the attempt to renege on the Withdrawal Agreement, which doesn’t exactly inspire trust.
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Deebee said it back in 2016. The EU, as is their right, are utter bastards in negotiation.
The Greeks and Spanish know it as well.
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That doesn’t explain why a Canada-style agreement was acceptable in 2017 and not in 2020.
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PS what TomP said.
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Well, for obvious reasons, Canada has never fished in European waters & vice versa. A Canada-style deal doesn’t mean exactly the same thing. And when you announce your intention to break international law, it tends to up the enforcement parts.
And yes, the EU are good negotiators. We don’t have any proper negotiators.
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Why is controlling access to your own fishing waters ok for Norway and not the UK?
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“Easiest deal in history” is looking very like the foolishness we remoaners said it was.
I did a very intricate job today, I re-haired a violin bow.
Totally ruined it, not really repairable now, or not worth the cost and effort
Pissed off now.
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Isn’t it the case that British fishermen sold their rights to the ‘Europeans’ donkeys’ years ago?
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Fishing is a red herring, no apologies for that statement, but it is.
I’m going to concentrate on this game for now
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Me too. Why are Ulster in red and Toulouse in white?
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That was part of joining the EEC. The EU introduced Article 50 to allow countries to leave legally if they wanted. At the point of leaving that nation has control over its own fishing waters, no arguments.
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Settling to watch Europe’s best half back v Antoine Dupont.
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OT – I thought it was because they couldn’t be arsed to make the investment to upgrade their fleets.
I’ll stop on this now!
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That kick is what you’d call either sponny or brilliant
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Bennetton absolutely smashed Stade Francais earlier, 44-20. Well done to theTrevisoni,
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Best outside back in a scrum cap in Europe v Cheslin Kolbe.
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Try Ulster!
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Great technique in that maul
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Ulster maul over the line – hooray!
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Shocking by Tekori. Card him.
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Nice.
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That was even better!
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That was a beauty
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WOW! I did not expect this.
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Don’t watch the Pro-Woo, but Cooney looks right back to his best tonight. If he’s been playing like this, why isn’t he with Ireland?
BUT!
Kolbe!!!!!!!!!
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