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 
Sheedy in particular looks very good, CMW, plus the dreamy pace guy of course
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I think it’s now time for us to stop talking about the serious parts of yesterday’s games and move on to laughing at Jonny May’s swing and miss at the ball on his own line.
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@Dab – You still have to let us kick the penalties instead of the first two tries so I’m afraid that’s 25-24.
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If it’s feeling like an awful lot you have to claw back then I’m afraid I can only refer you to The Middle One’s analysis.
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Was there a penalty coming ahead of the second try? I’ll give you the first one, so that’s 22-24.
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@ourterry
It is very funny but it’s only worth 0.6 on the PRPTTBAF* Scale.
* Professional Rugby Player Trying To Be A Flanker
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@CMW,
Err… You can have the penalty for the first try if you’re sure Biggar wouldn’t have missed, but since when has the penalty for a team knocking on been that the team knocking on gets a penalty? The counterfactual score remains at 22-24.
I’m afraid you’ll have to go back and apologise to The Middle One for cruelly dashing her hopes.
[PS: it’s cheating to go back and check the video to see if Gauzère was playing advantage.]
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The amazing thing about England for me that typifies the negative side to their character is that not only only were they caught napping for that first try (whether stiffed or not) but they then proceed to get done for it again with Hardy’s try.
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Several points to be made here in defence of the ref :-
Firstly, if Farrell wasn’t being such a dick about questioning the ref, the first try would not have happened. Am I the only one who cringes when he approaches the ref to talk to him ? His petulant whining ( as I see It) is no way for a captain to act, and will not get any ref onside, ever. If he was more respectful, maybe the ref might have walked over and said “Owen, have you finished your chitty chatty ? Lets go “. He walked over to see what was going on, and Faz kept talking and had his back to him. Blame the ref if you want, but I am surprised noone has carded him yet. If you keep him in the team, find a better captain.
The whole team dynamic feels off. Is this because guys see people who obviously aren’t performing at all still being picked ? Elliot, Billy, Mako? May was back on his wing and bouncing about, that everyone else was wondering around like they were at the vicars garden party isn’t the refs fault. Elliot was still looking for the pop and sausage rolls for Hardys try too.
England actually looked occasionally slick yesterday, running on to the ball from deep at pace, old fashioned style backs lined up at 45 degrees. Looked even better with Robsons fast accurate passing. That this was possible at all was down to the fast, clean ball from the breakdown. That we were getting that for the first time in a couple of years wasn’t due to someone actually paying attention and realising that having Youngs spend ten minutes a game digging the ball out of the ruck is slowing things down, but due to the ref penalising players at the breakdown. Watching the odd bit of French rugby, thats how the refs tend to ref. If I can see that, dunno why Eddie and his coaching staff can’t. ( It may also be fair to point out that when England backs play like this, Farrell actually looks like an International 12)
Zammo knock on try – dunno, but lots of slo-mo etc, its hard to disagree that it could conceivably be interpreted as no knock on.
Maybe just me, and haven’t watched the game again, but even Englands slick looking attack never actually looked like creating panic in the Welsh defence, whereas the other way round……..
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@Brookter – The Middle One is an England fan. People on the Guardian say the second try was scored when Wales held penalty advantage. I can’t be bothered to check because, well, 40 points is loads and all that.
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I made the mistake of watching the second half of the Glaws game last night and it was a painful reminder of the gulf between (admittedly low level) Premiership rugby and the international standard. Knocking on, wayward kicks, poor organisation and line out functioning. That helps me to reflect on performances of referees whose every move is subject to the most intense scrutiny. It’s interesting as I think people have said that this should be the last international that Gauzere should ref for a while but in reality the same expectation on players isn’t there to the same extent if they are experienced and we ‘know’ their class/level. As fans our confirmation bias will always revert to the truism that the ref will stiff ‘us’ but never ‘them’. Positive reflection for me as I am constantly in that frame of mind and I think it leaks out for me too into neutral games.
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@SBT
“England actually looked occasionally slick yesterday, running on to the ball from deep at pace, old fashioned style backs lined up at 45 degrees. Looked even better with Robsons fast accurate passing. That this was possible at all was down to the fast, clean ball from the breakdown. ”
Perish the thought that they know jolly well how to play but EJis holding them back so that they make him look good by WC time…………..
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I’ve said it before many times (sorry!) but England, generally, play without wit and sparkle, little heads up, an apparent sense of superiority/entitlement and little personal responsibility/initiative. A bit too much like the worst of Saracens for my taste.
EJ and the squad must get a shake-up, otherwise what have non-squad players to aim for.
Pick two new 10s in Smith (adrenalin rush) and Simmonds (cool) and start from there.
Only a few of the current squad should be tomorrow’s players.
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On our way to Dublin. Now in Amsterdam. Airports are interesting places when no one’s in them.
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DCI, Here’s the best video I’ve seen. Not even close to a coat-hangar tackle. No yellow card but still s ry:
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In a Grauniad article, EJ is quoted as saying;
” I was pleased with the effort of the team……………….”
In my view, physically, maybe, mentally, not……..and that is the root of the problem.
I said before the game (in predicting a Wales win) that Rugby is in the Welsh players veins and that can translate so positively.
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The Priest now up to 30 successful kicks in a row in the Premiership, a new record.
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Priestland just surpassed premiership record of Johnny W and mark van Gisburgen for successful kicks in a row, up to 30 now. Furbank shows how to tackle on the line.
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Cracking game this, Bath now take the lead 23-22 with ten to go.
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rare win for Bath against a form team
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and Bath win.
Beadle, funny you commented on the Glaws game. been keeping an eye on them all season for you, and they have consistently looked better than their results and table position, while losing by small margins. Yesterday, they looked absolutely rubbish, and won. Go figure.
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Cheers SBT. I guess a win is a win, can’t complain about that, From what I’ve seen of Twelvetrees he now seems to a 50-50 player in that he’ll do good things for half the time and then brain farts for the rest. They’ve seemed as a team to me to be workmanlike at best when I’ve seen them and inflicted with same malaise as the national team. Hope the younguns push through, good to see George Barton getting game time and looking good.
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Johnny Briggs aka Mike Baldwin RIP
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Anyone watching the new BBC drama Bloodlands?
Ravenhill and Ulster made a brief cameo appearance tonight, they showed a try being scored against the Cheetahs
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Ticht – yep, saw that! Baloucoune try, I think.
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I almost said that Thaum, but I struggle with the spelling
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See mini-Hastings managed to get himself red carded yesterday. Marvellous
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glad there wasn’t any other rugby-related controversy over the weekend.
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So key things to remember about the weekend’s rugby:
1. There was an absence of tosspottery from Wales fans on here about the England match, unlike other parts of the internet
2. There was also an absence of tosspottery from fans of other countries on here who might enjoy sticking it into the English, unlike other parts of the internet
3. England fans on here took the result in good grace, didn’t overly blame the ref and put the onus for the result firmly on the shoulders of the England team, unlike other parts of the internet
4. Eddie Jones didn’t whinge publicly about the ref
5. Owen Farrell didn’t whinge publicly about the ref.
So everyone should pat themselves on the back for a job well done.
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Would have been nice to have had the other game on on Sunday though for basking purposes…
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I’ll just pat meself on the back then. I’m sure I deserve it.
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Nice to get a pat on the back while basking.
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“Give yourself a patty-patty on the backy-backy” as the patronising former headteacher of the girlies’ primary school used to say to general derision from small children. She didn’t last long as she disappeared under investigation for some sort of corrupt misuse of funds in her previous job and has never returned. Most of the kids believe she’s in prison though in reality she probably got paid off.
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@Chimpie – any detail on the red? BBC just says “the Scotland international’s high foot connecting with Kelleher’s face.”
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Nope. Match highlights i saw didn’t even have a replay.
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And I’m far too lazy to do any kind of detailed looky- looky. No patty-patty on the backy-backy for me.
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Sounds more like something that would happen if you lay on your front under a cow.
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UK the likely destination for Springboks-Lions series, 4th Test also considered – reports
https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/britishandirishlions2021/uk-the-likely-destination-for-springboks-lions-series-4th-test-also-considered-reports-20210301
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Er, OT. I definitely didn’t take it in good grace!
Seem to remember suggesting they walk off the pitch.
No pat on the back for me, I was a very naughty boy.
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Be good for the lions to go ahead. Be a shame I isn’t a tour though, makes it half the fun.
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@Dova – We don’t want you feeling bad about that. I suggest you go and find a basking Welshman you can pat to make you feel better.
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Always makes it somehow funnier when the ref makes some kind of apology after the event.
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One for Mr. Thaum:
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Just seen this – basically somewhere on the internet at 5pm someone will be showing an old Jiffy documentary, if you’re interested.
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Perhaps if England behaved better on the pitch (Farrell, Itoje in their playing/captain roles + verbals from others)
refs wouldn’t get flustered of fed up and be more able to referee correctly?
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@Slade – Meh, I would hope that an international referee would be above getting so flustered they mistakenly allow seven or fourteen points to be awarded to one team.
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Yeah well, said it before, will say it again, Faz isn’t the right guy to be talking to referees.
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@SBT – I don’t disagree.
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