What a first round that was: grit, determination, superb skills and complete brainfarts. Think the competition is wide open, and unsure where to make your Superbru picks? Don’t worry, our OvallyBalls experts on crack are here to progrocknIksate what will happen this weekend.
Deebee7 was quick off the mark with his predictions:
England, chastised and sobered by the realisation that they couldn’t simply kick ‘n bosh their way past feisty Scotland pick the biggest side in rugby history so they can KICK ‘N BOSH their way over, through and not around Italy, who, having realised that their first-up tackling was well below par and know what’s coming their way, pick 15 Saffas to BOSH BACK against England. Problem is, they’re playing for Italy because they can’t make it into better sides. England by 47 despite themselves.
Scotland, fresh from the Trashing of Twickers™ are primed, ready, purring and full of confidence for the visit of an abject Welsh side that had to rely on red mist and a brain fart to see off Ireland. The mercenary English Army and Tartan Boks who were apparently the only reason Edward’s Army tripped at Twickers have a solid tight five, fury in the loose forwards, flying outside backs and the Best 10 in the World™ ready to unleash hell on the journeymen from the Valleys. Thing is, it’s not their Game of the Season™ and with all their raison d’etre exhausted last week, Wales will give them the fright of their lives! But not enough to actually win it. Scotland by a couple in a low-scoring affair.
Ireland, stunned by stupidity and seething with intent, await the thoroughbreds of France, fresh from their opening training run against Italy. Expect a titanic struggle up front with neither pack giving an inch (easy on the Karl button, Iks). Ireland should be without Sexton which gives France a HUGE advantage behind the pie-munchers, and with the greyhounds and whippets willing to give it a lash, it could be a long afternoon at the Palindrome. But if the Irish are one thing, it’s bloody minded, determined and fucking difficult to boss around on their home patch (thank dog no World Cups hosted there yet). Too close to call!
Chimpie is more or less in agreement:
Scotland > Wales by 4
This goes against my deep-seated pessimism but got to back form at some point. General cohesion will keep Wales pinned back but usual inability to get points on the board will keep the boyos in it. Wales have some quality players in there and they’ll get over the line a couple of times.
England > Italy by 30
Hope Italy put up more of fight than last week. They’ve got a few bright sparks – like the look of Garbisi – but this is a very young and inexperienced team, too early for them to start pulling out results. England will grind and kick Italy down and run up a respectable score with the Best Fly-Half in the World playing. Eddie will then drop Ford for the next game.
Ireland > France by 2
Yes, I’m going out on a limb here for Ireland without human missile POM to put a shock one over on France. Would it be that much of a shock though? France ran up 35 points against Ireland last time out but there was only an 8 point difference at full time. Ireland at home hurting after last week’s effort vs. Wales, I’m going with a home victory here.
ClydeMillarWynant is ever the misfit:
Wales > Scotland by 1
Entire game takes place in Wales half giving Scotland an impressive 6-0 lead only for LRZ to go the length of the field at the death. Biggar converts from the touchline and bounces around on his space-hoppers to general disgust.
France > Ireland by 6
Ireland are just the sort of miserable bastards to spoil everything by grinding down France and stopping the beautiful game at source. But there’s been positive beaver news today.
England > Italy by 40
Italy are crap.
BorderBoy couldn’t resist bringing Prog into it:
Nazareth > Budgie (by 10)
Genesis > PFM (by 25)
U2 < Lazuli (by 12)
SladeIs#42 is sucking up to the mister:
Wales> Scotland by 4 – winners have enough ‘dog’ to resist Scots missing last week’s adrenalin rush
Ireland > France by 3 – game of the week-end – Ireland a team full of grit and experience
England > Italy by 25 – in reality, score could be anything dependant on tactics adopted: an inaccurate kicking game could make it closer, as could a good performance by Italy up to the 60 minute mark causing confusion in England’s headless ranks. If Italy collapse England could get 70. Whatever, it’s unlikely to be a credit to the Competition. As stated above, Ford will be back to the bench afterwards and George restored.
Craigsman is getting all political on our arses:
Sturgeon > Drakeford by 5LePen Macron > Adams by 10
Bojo > Berlusconi by 15
I was just going to include far right politicians / arseholes. I managed a few arseholes but couldn’t be bothered to Welsh political arseholery.
Sunbeamtim goes for the philosophical approach:
Looks like Big Faz realises that France are going to hammer Ireland whichever way, so has thrown in a 9 and 10 as sacrificial lambs to protect young payers. End of JGP and BB’s International careers ?
Very enthusiastic about all the talk of how disgraceful Italy are, and how they should be thrown out of the comp, and how its a non game for a proper side. I see Italy as being fitter and more coherent than they have ever been, and one step off defensively is all it takes to be hammered by a Tier one side. Setting someone up for a big fall somewhere this season.
Scotland and Wales both hammered by injuries, too close to call, game of the weekend.
Flair99‘s been watching my nightmares:
England by 29
Scotland by 7
France by 11.
Don’t harrumph me, I was wrong twice last week.
Not sure the omission of Sexton and Murray is a good thing for France but it is certainly a good thing for them. Enough of these concussed players blaming the doctors. I hope they recover soon.
Onna telly this week
Friday 12th February
| Gloucester v Bristol | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
| Sale v Bath | 20:00 | BT Sport Extra |
Saturday 13th February
| England v Italy | 14:15 | ITV |
| Harlequins v Leicester | 16:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Exeter v London Irish | 16:15 | BT Sport Extra |
| Scotland v Wales | 16:45 | BBC1 / S4C |
Sunday 14th February
| Worcester v Wasps | 13:00 | BT Sport 1 |
| Ireland v France | 15:00 | ITV |
Ovally Balls 
Ticht, I know it’d be mostly the English clubs that’d be impacted and there is no reason they should suffer from it. Hence me being sanguine about a forfeit, although I wish the game could go ahead one way or the other as it promised to be a cracker.
Eurosport still use the conditional, so no decision taken yet.
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The cricket’s looking … sort of, um …
Well done, Joe Root 5-8 means he might get in the OB XI.
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9 wickets already today, the 2nd day. That gets a points deduction on the county circuit.
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England starting XV: E Daly (Saracens), A Watson (Bath), H Slade (Exeter), O Farrell (Saracens), J May (Gloucester), G Ford (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester); M Vunipola (Saracens), J George (Saracens), K Sinckler (Bristol), M Itoje (Saracens), J Hill (Exeter), M Wilson (Newcastle), T Curry (Sale), B Vunipola (Saracens)
Replacements: L Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), E Genge (Leicester), W Stuart (Bath), C Edwards (Bath), G Martin (Leicester), B Earl (Bristol), D Robson (Wasps), M Malins (Bristol)
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Dab, I was joking about the innings victory just now too. Then checked back to see England were two down and now three and still double figures in arrears.
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We have a lead!! Stokesie tonking them all around the shop :-D
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OT – sanguine. But what happened to that Lewis Ludlam chap?
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Rory Burns looks like the happiest England batsman out there today. Carrying drinks definitely doing his reputation no harm.
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Oh and Malins should start.
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France Scotland officially postponed. New date probably March or during the Summer.
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Wales:
Wales team to face England: Liam Williams; Louis Rees-Zammit, George North, Jonathan Davies, Josh Adams; Dan Biggar, Kieran Hardy; Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Tomas Francis, Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Josh Navidi, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Rhodri Jones, Leon Brown, Cory Hill, James Botham, Gareth Davies, Callum Sheedy, Uilisi Halaholo.
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Leigh Halfpenny stuck on 99 caps.
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Can see that being a close game.
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What is the point of a 5 day test being engineered to survive barely 2?
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1. Who is C. Edwards (Bath)?
2. George Martin is age 20
Has EJ gone mad?
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Plus, a Saracens re-boot……………………………..grrr!
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Beware the force that is Tomas Francis
Wales by 12
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The Test in India is a bit pathetic. The batting on both sides has been ordinary at best, but 30 wickets in 5 sessions? I wonder if India will be subjected to an ICC sanction for it?
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@deebee
It’s a mess. Wonder if we can have 27 wickets today as well……
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Some of the lads could do with a match to keep their hand in, we could do with a dozen guys back at Edinburgh for the Scarlets game this weekend
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Slade,
It’s Charlie Ewels, no? A fellow Old Bournemouthian.
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@tomp
Someone at the Torygraph obviously can’t spell, or perhaps used to work at the Grauniad.
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“Joe Root 5-8 means he might get in the OB XI”
He should have taken himself off after he got four wickets and given Dom Bess a bowl.
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“I wonder if India will be subjected to an ICC sanction for it?”
India’s brand new biggest ground in the world just opened by and named after the Prime Minister? It’s a certainty.
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Someone at the Graun got this badly wrong. The best Michelle Pfeiffer film is OF COURSE, the Fabulous Baker Boys. Although even my daughters laugh at my obsession with the Michelle Singing On Top Of A Piano In A Red Dress scene….
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/feb/25/the-20-best-michelle-pfeiffer-films-ranked
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“Rory Burns looks like the happiest England batsman out there today.”
He might actually have been good enough to get 30. He would definitely given it away as soon as he did, but a 30 or two would have been handy this time.
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“Can see that being a close game.”
England will stick about 40 on us.
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I had wild hopes that Pivac would go all out and bench Biggar and Davies. More realistically I’m surprised he’s gone as far as he has. think it’s probably the right call really.
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Pfft.
Faz shoulder barges Wyn Jones in the visage, red card after 35 minutes. Wales by 5.
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I always expect England to stuff us and probably always will. Conditioning from the 90s and early 2000s. The one that sealed it was 2006 when we followed up the Grand Slam with a what ended up being a hiding when what had been a close game ended up with various slightly past it absolute tools scoring in the last five minutes. It was probably a bit much even for die-hard England fans like TheDabWeUsedToKnow.
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To be honest pretty much anything could happen this time apart from a convincing Wales win.
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The New York Times has cooked up a controversy in Italy after tinkering with the recipe for the classic Roman dish pasta carbonara.
Called “Smoky Tomato Carbonara”, the recipe, by Kay Chun, was published by NYT Cooking. To be fair to Chun, she did premise her version of the recipe by saying that “tomatoes are not traditional in carbonara, but they lend a bright tang to the dish”
If only Sag was here. He’d enjoy that.
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CMW – it’ll be 2013 all over again.
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Pickled onions are not traditional in carbonara, but they lend a bright tang to the dish.
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No tomatoes.
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Nothing says A Taste of Italy like cheddar cheese.
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Tomp – it’s OK; redemption comes in the form of Sodium Triphosphate.
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A friend writes;
Them, “Whose skull is that”
Me, raising it to my lips to take a drink, “A guy named Phillip’s”
Them, “What’s in it?”
Me, “Vodka and orange juice, it’s a Phillip’s head screwdriver”
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Ticht – Mike Phillips?
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So no Fr/Sco, a dead rubber (AKA a drubbing?) in Dublin. That only leaves Wales vs England. Can’t call this one. I don’t expect much running and passing, and yet both teams have the players to do it. Wales have not been convincing and are a bit fortunate to stand where they are but they certainly took their chances well. They can do it again.
England on the other hand… how long can they stutter ineffectively? They brilliantly dismantled the ABs but they’ve gone downhill ever since. England fans harp on about having won the 6N and the Autumn cup, forgetting they lost to France and only won on points difference. Their performance in the AC wasn’t convincing either, they were one knock-on unreviewed by the TMO from losing the final to a B string France. Scotland just put them to the sword with something to spare. So is it just rust or the final stage of a predictable style? At the beginning of the tournament, I thought they’d cruise to an easy win over Wales. Now? As we say here: Je donne ma langue au chat.
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Thaum – you have mail.
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@Ticht – Looks like it might really be a posidriv to me, but it’ll do.
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“a dead rubber (AKA a drubbing?) in Dublin”
A drubber or a dribbling.
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Craigs said:
I didn’t know Steve Walsh had come out of retirement.
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Seeing as Brookter asked for it:
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Wales have picked a team to stimulate some lip-licking relish in the England and Ringland* camps.
It reeks of ‘yes, we are afraid of England’ so all the experienced old stagers are fallen back upon, even if they are on their last legs.
JDII is my hero, and I don’t want to see him going out like a boxer past his prime but still stepping into the ring hoping for a last one-punch miracle. Botham instead of Wainwright in bollocks, and Cory Hill slipping in there is also a bit puzzling as he has almost played less rugby than JDII.
*Dab represents Ringland.
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Would definitely have started Halaholo. Not sure who else is fit, but it doesn’t look like a centre pairing that will work. Wainwright hasn’t really looked on it for Wales recently. More worryingly as he’s in the team neither did Navidi (very unusual for him) when he came on the other week.
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It’s such a good try that, I could watch it over and over again.
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Botham’s ok against England as you need a bit of tackling in close. I prefer Wainwright as a player but he’s not the brute force, tackling type like Dan Lyds or Botham.
Like you, not sure about Foxy playing at 12.
As long as we can keep them to under a record win, I’d see it as a moral victory.
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That try is great. Also features the last time Owen Farrell used his arms in a tackle.
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