Only two games this weekend, with Ireland treating Italy like a Welsh prop’s face and England facing their sort of nemesis in Cardiff. France and Scotland have had their game postponed as a result of an outbreak of lurgies in the French camp which was due to Galthié being a messiah very naughty boy. Craigsman, of course, would never do this.
Italy vs Ireland – Rome
Gonna be a spanking. I was going to leave it there but to be honest I should explain why. Ireland will be hurting after a disappointing run against Wales and France and will be keen to get back on track by putting a lot of points on Italy (who last won against them in 2013). Ireland also have an almost full strength squad too. They are just missing Cooney who, for some reason isn’t included. No one apart from Big Faz knows why this is and it really needs to be a talking point on the notablog. Has anyone mentioned that? Someone should mention that.
Italy will score one or two tries but are always a few years behind the curve and they don’t have the players. I can see them holding out for the first quarter before the floodgates open and we can all talk about whether they should make way for Georgia.
13 – 45 to Ireland
Wales vs England – Cardiff
I’m not sure about this one. Have Wales been spawny this year or have they been tenacious when behind and fought back valiantly to win? I think it’s both. You have to be good enough to capitalise on your luck and some of the tries have been great. They have fielded a team with a mix of old and new heads and seem to be finally getting to grips with Pivac’s style of play. If they can get it right and build an early score, then it will be tough night for the Saes.
England seem to be wobbling a bit. With Eddie emphasizing defence and several players out of form they haven’t set the world on fire recently. That said, they should be tough to beat and I’m hoping that they will have a bit more confidence about them this week. Expect a lot of kicking and muscle which hopefully will see them home in a tight game. Some might complain about this, but not me.
30 – 22 to Wales or 20 – 15 to England
France vs Scotland – Paris(ish)
So this has been postponed. What a bunch of les muppets, eh (who I hope will fully recover)? I can’t even ask ‘which France will turn up’ just to sound like a knob. Ah well, let’s pretend that it’s going ahead and look into my crystal ball…
I reckon France at a canter. They are looking very good at the moment and will likely stuff the Scots up their holes. There will be some nice stuff from the visitors but ultimately France are becoming more and more evil every year. It started with some strange glasses, then came a blunt talking defence coach and a change of culture a few thought would be unpalatable and then selection of form players and a sensible game plan going forwards. Who’d have thunk it? Witchcraft, I tell you.
I could be wrong. No good ever comes from a postponed game. None at all.
35 – 15 to France
As foretold by Britney Spears
Onna telly this week
Friday 26th February
| Treviso v Connacht | 17:30 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Sale v Exeter | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
| Cardiff v Munster | 20:00 | S4C / Premier Sports 2 |
| Ulster v Ospreys | 20:00 | Premier Sports 1 |
Saturday 27th February
| Edinburgh v Scarlets | 12:00 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Bristol v Leicester | 13:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Italy v Ireland | 14:15 | ITV |
| Newcastle v Harlequins | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Wasps v London Irish | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Gloucester v Worcester | 15:15 | BT Sport Extra |
| Wales v England | 16:45 | BBC1 / S4C |
| Zebre v Dragons | 17:15 | Premier Sports 1 |
Sunday 28th February
| Northampton v Bath | 13:00 | BT Sport 2 |
| Leinster v Glasgow | 17:30 | Premier Sports 1 |
Ovally Balls 
Oh the jammy git.
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Maybe there’s a case it hits the other hand as goes back from there but whatever.
England should get a man sent off immediately as we struggle to win against 14.
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Well, assuming those two tries are decisive, Wales are on for the most shithouse grand slam of all time!
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Daly into the sun please.
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Gloucester scrape a win, over Worcester, at last. Anything else going on ?
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Might aswell walk off.
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Nah, nuffink at all, SBT.
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SBT – The Millennium stadium was hit by a meteor. No-one was hurt, but the game’s been scrapped. Shame really.
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Daft penalty that one.
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Side entry by Biggar, after he tackled Faz.
England try, woooo.
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Watson did well there
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Good try. Hope it gets chalked off.
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They tried enough replays to try and find a reason to.
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Williams literally came in at 90 degrees to the ruck then. But no, great play.
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Good tackle by Ford.
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It would have been given had they dotted it down.
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Hell of a tackle by Zammo.
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Ffs Daly. May was in. Useless, useless prat. Why is he in the team????
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*pops head above battlements*
Good match for the neutral.
*ducks down again*
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Elliot, you should have shipped it on straight away, me old chum.
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Absolute joke.
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Ok, that replay makes the try even more bullshit.
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That’s absolutely appalling from the referee. Really poor.
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Can’t see Gauzerre getting another international for a while.
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Now is the time for all English supporters to take their medicine with stoic fortitude…………………………….
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Ah, we’ve all got frustrated with refs in the heat of the moment and cooled down and realised we weren’t good enough anyway.
I imagine this will end up the same but it wouldn’t change the fact that’s the most one sidedly poor reffing performance (unintentionally I’m sure) I’ve seen for a very long time.
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Dova – since 2011, in fact, as TomP pointed out.
Nice segment with Nige & Jiffy there.
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Think we might have had our luck and wasted it, but you never know.
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After the Irish try suprisingly not awarded, am bewildered yet again by refs decision. I highly rate both Gauzère and Ruiz (TMO, I think) but how they did not call a knock on by LRZ is quite surprising as it seems so obvious. Is there something I missed? The refs are quite hard to hear on French TV. In Ireland’s game it did not matter but this game will be close.
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I generally like Gauzerre. He’s no Steve Walsh but who is?
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Ha!!! Very true tomp.
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Flair – it went forwards off his right hand, onto his left hand, then dropped on his leg so it was a kick – or something like that.
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As for the ref, I thought he was pretty good apart from the try decision. The 7 penalties conceded by England were not of his making.
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Is that Cardiff lad Andrew Brace running the line?
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Faz has now made two very good – and entirely legal – tackles.
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Quick thinking
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Smart work by Hardy.
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Wales 10 – England 14
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TomP – yep, it’s Brace.
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Should have been looking there, Elliot, me old china.
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Great work from the 9. Nothing wrong with that.
Only the ruck entry is something Wales did about 5 times n the first half.
That knock on decision (our way) says it all really.
Its a lottery
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@SBT – you’ll need to be more specific, that describes most of Daly’s play.
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I think I dislike Daly more than Gauzerre!
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Even when Daly does pass the ball, he does it badly.
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At least he doesn’t look like a leprechaun.
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Ben Youngs in not being a slow moron shocker.
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Good finish. England playing with good pace.
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Now THAT was better from Youngs.
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Everyone being a bit mean about test lion daly
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1000 points for Faz and all square in the match. 24 – 24
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