One week to go. One week to go, and nothing’s been cancelled yet. Is that wise? Possibly not, but we can all agree that Six Nations is more important than life or death itself – unless personally affected.
Meanwhile, there are a couple of matches to keep us entertained until then.
I intend to shamelessly nick your comments for this week’s ATL, so come on – what does everyone think of their team’s chances, supposing the tournament actually goes ahead?
I”t didn’t matter as the game was lost already, but his defending towards the end, especially along with Angus when he came on was absolutely hopeless.”
Thaum
England vs Scotland
Full strength Scotland at Twikkers confident of catching England cold, anticipating many England players off the pace.
As it turns out, Scotland, as usual, force the game and surrender numerous knock-ons in promising attacking positions.
Ford, Farrell, Slade, Daly kick, kick and kick. May secures two kick-chase TDs (Hogg missing his tackles) and Farrell doesn’t miss a kick – conversion or penalty. Slade intercepts a long, telegraphed Russell flat pass for England’s 3rd try. LC-D barrels over late in the game for the fourth.
Final score 40 – 10 as Ritchie gets the consolation and Genge gives up 3 points and a yellow card for lamping Watson.
Mrs.Iks’ maiden name is Groß (‘Large’ in German) and she is quite the Gegenteil to the classic Brunhilda. In fact, I recall that Irish Tinkerbell Thauma towering over her at the last blog meet.
Thaum, I think that anything but finishing 1st will be considered a failure in France. I doubt there’ll be a GS, given that France will travel to both England and Ireland, albeit in empty stadiums (stadia?). Both England and Ireland seem rather stale at the moment, with little threat in attack but they can defend. It wil be tight.
Wales look mediocre, Italy pffft…
England will probably bully every team but France, so should finish 1st or 2nd.
Wooden spoon beckons for Italy while Ireland and Wales should fight within the soft belly of the tournament.
My dark horse, as often, are Scotland, specially as they start with England. With a bit of wind in their sails, they could go pretty far. But then, that’s what we say every year.
So basically, I have no clue.
As usual.
Match report sounds like we wuz very lucky, but luck is about the best you can hope for when your in the slumpy doldrums. Hopefully a corner has been turned, and we can play for Jimenez rather than fretting about him.
Look forward to seeing Moutinho’s belter, but I much preferred it when Jota was tucking them away in a smart rather than spectacular fashion.
Meanwhile Naarch seem to have stumbled to another 0-0 draw, their second in a few days, this time away at Millwall. Looks like my hopes for them to set a record points tally while not beating anyone by more than two goals are going to fall by the wayside.
Wales’ matches will in all probability be tedious affairs with depressing results. Or depressing affairs with tedious results. With it being the last hurrah for the Six Nations on proper telly and the unlikely occurrence of Test cricket on Channel 4 I expect to spend February watching an inordinate amount of sport from which I will glean no satisfaction whatsoever.
I wouldn’t have said you were lucky Iks. Arsenal probably a bit on top in the first half, maybe Daft Dave’s sending off was a bit unfortunate, but he does have previous for that type of tackle. Second half was all Wolves, especially after the goalie’s stupidity.
what does everyone think of their team’s chances, supposing the tournament actually goes ahead?
Don’t think we’ve got a hope in hell, really. Haven’t played a Test since lifting the Webb Ellis trophy, half of our players are being denuded of their skills and enthusiasm by playing in England, we’ve got a long injury list and our domestic competitions have been pretty poor fare.
Jean-Pierre Bastiat, a legend of French rugby just died.
He was part of the famed team that won the GS in 1977, with the same 15 players and without conceding a single try .[ Alain Paco, the full back, was suffering from appendicitis before the last game in Ireland and nevertheless played, at the insistance of his teammates].
Bastiat was a giant, 2m and 110kg, and yet jumped at the l
Chimpie
I really, really wish England players and management wouldn’t speak like that – I find it childishly offensive and only encourages mature opposition…………..
Thauma, we’ve having a very European summer in Joburg at the moment: overcast and raining every day with temperatures struggling to get to the mid-twenties. On the plus side, the booze ban has been revoked! Yay! The beach ban too! I’m 600km from the nearest one.
On the rugby, this would be a perfect year for the B&I Lions to ambush the Boks, given that we haven’t played a Test in 14 months now, 18 by the time the tour is supposed to take place.
Not that I’m suggesting the Lions need an advantage like that to beat the Boks, they could well have done so anyway, but we’re ripe for the picking right now.
Bastiat was one of those French forwards that were looked on with a measure of awe and trepidation in Wales, as I recall. Douga was another name that springs to mind, and Paparemborde too.
Not sure if they played in the same teams, but they were some of the great names threaded through my rugby memories from those days.
I got my Covid-19 jab on the day Sir Tom Moore died
I was euphoric in the morning but in the afternoon I cried
I cried for a man I’d never met but I did not weep alone
The nation wept for this wonderful man, a hero, one of our own
Tomorrow WILL be a better day as the pain in my arm attests
And as I think about the Captain I feel a tightening in my chest
As Sir Tom and AstraZeneca fill my British heart with pride
I got my Covid-19 jab on the day Sir Tom Moore died
Onna read back, I think Genge is hopefully too streetwise to punch someone. He might wind up a Scottish player (but I think they are probably too streetwise too) but I can’t see him punching.
⚫️ C’était en 1977 à Dublin. Jean-Pierre Bastiat permettait au #XVdeFrance de remporter le 2e Grand Chelem de son histoire. Nous pensons fort à ses proches et à sa famille 😢 pic.twitter.com/Iov6GBqRTG
Ovally Balls 
that’s quite an injury list for France. At least they’ve got a decent pool of back ups.
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“Luckily France start with Italy”
How likely are they to play anyone else?
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I intend to shamelessly nick your comments for this week’s ATL, so come on – what does everyone think of their team’s chances, supposing the tournament actually goes ahead?
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I”t didn’t matter as the game was lost already, but his defending towards the end, especially along with Angus when he came on was absolutely hopeless.”
And a toe up yer road an’ all!
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Was wondering about that, Thauma. Trouble is I’ve drifted away from rugby so much these months I barely know where to start.
Still, no harm in wild guessing and opinionating though. One might say it is the AOD way.
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Thaum
England vs Scotland
Full strength Scotland at Twikkers confident of catching England cold, anticipating many England players off the pace.
As it turns out, Scotland, as usual, force the game and surrender numerous knock-ons in promising attacking positions.
Ford, Farrell, Slade, Daly kick, kick and kick. May secures two kick-chase TDs (Hogg missing his tackles) and Farrell doesn’t miss a kick – conversion or penalty. Slade intercepts a long, telegraphed Russell flat pass for England’s 3rd try. LC-D barrels over late in the game for the fourth.
Final score 40 – 10 as Ritchie gets the consolation and Genge gives up 3 points and a yellow card for lamping Watson.
Dream on…………………………………………………….
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Lamping Watson an automatic red, Slade.
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Mrs.Iks’ maiden name is Groß (‘Large’ in German) and she is quite the Gegenteil to the classic Brunhilda. In fact, I recall that Irish Tinkerbell Thauma towering over her at the last blog meet.
4 sleeps till the 6N…
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Thaum, I think that anything but finishing 1st will be considered a failure in France. I doubt there’ll be a GS, given that France will travel to both England and Ireland, albeit in empty stadiums (stadia?). Both England and Ireland seem rather stale at the moment, with little threat in attack but they can defend. It wil be tight.
Wales look mediocre, Italy pffft…
England will probably bully every team but France, so should finish 1st or 2nd.
Wooden spoon beckons for Italy while Ireland and Wales should fight within the soft belly of the tournament.
My dark horse, as often, are Scotland, specially as they start with England. With a bit of wind in their sails, they could go pretty far. But then, that’s what we say every year.
So basically, I have no clue.
As usual.
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SBT
………….red card and MBE
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CMW,
The French government just gave its green light to the 6N, allowing travel without quarantine etc…
So ATM, we can all still hope.
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Most covid headlines make me roll my eyes and say “absolute bollox”. But this one is so preposterous it actually made me laugh
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I trust it’s Happy Feet Two.
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nah! – Contagion
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Iks’ Mighty Wolves Bravely Beat 9-Men Ticht’s Arse!
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Whit! Rushes to match report!
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If you can Iks, watch Moutinho’s goal wot won it. An absolute belter!
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Match report sounds like we wuz very lucky, but luck is about the best you can hope for when your in the slumpy doldrums. Hopefully a corner has been turned, and we can play for Jimenez rather than fretting about him.
Look forward to seeing Moutinho’s belter, but I much preferred it when Jota was tucking them away in a smart rather than spectacular fashion.
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Meanwhile Naarch seem to have stumbled to another 0-0 draw, their second in a few days, this time away at Millwall. Looks like my hopes for them to set a record points tally while not beating anyone by more than two goals are going to fall by the wayside.
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Wales’ matches will in all probability be tedious affairs with depressing results. Or depressing affairs with tedious results. With it being the last hurrah for the Six Nations on proper telly and the unlikely occurrence of Test cricket on Channel 4 I expect to spend February watching an inordinate amount of sport from which I will glean no satisfaction whatsoever.
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They’ll probably score the odd nice try either before hopelessly capitulating or more likely after the game is done as a contest.
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@Flair – France coming out to play is at least a positive on the rugby front, I’ll look forward to their games (except one of them).
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I wouldn’t have said you were lucky Iks. Arsenal probably a bit on top in the first half, maybe Daft Dave’s sending off was a bit unfortunate, but he does have previous for that type of tackle. Second half was all Wolves, especially after the goalie’s stupidity.
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what does everyone think of their team’s chances, supposing the tournament actually goes ahead?
Don’t think we’ve got a hope in hell, really. Haven’t played a Test since lifting the Webb Ellis trophy, half of our players are being denuded of their skills and enthusiasm by playing in England, we’ve got a long injury list and our domestic competitions have been pretty poor fare.
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Deebs – I suppose it helps when you’re in the competition in question.
I dreamt I was in South Africa last night. This must be your fault, as I’ve never been there.
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Got to keep your eye on deebee, thaum
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‘England want to ‘take teams apart’, says Jamie George’
Typical English etc. etc.
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Jean-Pierre Bastiat, a legend of French rugby just died.
He was part of the famed team that won the GS in 1977, with the same 15 players and without conceding a single try .[ Alain Paco, the full back, was suffering from appendicitis before the last game in Ireland and nevertheless played, at the insistance of his teammates].
Bastiat was a giant, 2m and 110kg, and yet jumped at the l
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Wales want to put teams back together.
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.oups…
at the line out and was quite fast. He was also a wonderful story teller. Salut l’artiste.
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We could have played blankety-blank with that for ages if Flair had let us.
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Chimpie
I really, really wish England players and management wouldn’t speak like that – I find it childishly offensive and only encourages mature opposition…………..
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…………there is precedent for England to ‘fly’ in the first game and then tail-off………………………………didn’t want to worry you Scots or anything.
ps Ireland are my pick to win but no GS
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Thauma, we’ve having a very European summer in Joburg at the moment: overcast and raining every day with temperatures struggling to get to the mid-twenties. On the plus side, the booze ban has been revoked! Yay! The beach ban too! I’m 600km from the nearest one.
On the rugby, this would be a perfect year for the B&I Lions to ambush the Boks, given that we haven’t played a Test in 14 months now, 18 by the time the tour is supposed to take place.
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Slade, I’m going with France to pip Ireland and England this year, with Scotland and Wales to provide the banana peels. Italy to reprise Southampton.
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Not that I’m suggesting the Lions need an advantage like that to beat the Boks, they could well have done so anyway, but we’re ripe for the picking right now.
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@slade
Scotland tend to start the 6N like they forgot it was starting that week & were aiming for the 3rd game or something.
England tend to start strongly.
Don’t think you’ve got too much to worry about. Much as I’d like you to.
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chimpie………………………oh you Scotch…………………
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doh!…………………scotches
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Bastiat was one of those French forwards that were looked on with a measure of awe and trepidation in Wales, as I recall. Douga was another name that springs to mind, and Paparemborde too.
Not sure if they played in the same teams, but they were some of the great names threaded through my rugby memories from those days.
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Papremborde is one of those names I can only hear via Bill’s voice. He would probably have been gallivanting around the paddock or something similar.
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The internet was made for this:
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Dauga stopped playing for France around 1970 I think, a bit before Bastiat.
Paparemborde did play with Bastiat, he won that GS in 1977.
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Can’t wait for the weekend. It’s going to be a belter.
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Onna read back, I think Genge is hopefully too streetwise to punch someone. He might wind up a Scottish player (but I think they are probably too streetwise too) but I can’t see him punching.
I’ll probably be proven wrong now.
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Deebs/everyone – I’ve seen suggestions to push the lions back to 2022. I think this is probably the most practical thing to do. Thoughts?
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Seems nuts trying to do it this year TBH
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That Twitter thing shows Bastiat’s try in Dublin, finishing a pretty good move.
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“no it’s RAISING the tone”
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