The top two sides in each Pro14 conference face off this weekend: Ulster at home (yay!) to the Blue Meanies (boo!), and Munster hosting Connacht tonight.
In the Premiership, Bath v Exeter looks like the most exciting match.
Onna telly this week
Friday 5th March
Munster v Connacht
19:35
Premier Sports 1
Leicester v London Irish
19:45
BT Sport 1
Sale v Newcastle
20:00
BT Sport Extra
Saturday 6th March
Zebre v Glasgow
14:00
Premier Sports 2
Bath v Exeter
15:00
BT Sport 2
Wasps v Gloucester
15:00
BT Sport Extra
Worcester v Bristol
17:15
BT Sport Extra
Ulster v Leinster
19:35
Premier Sports 1
Ospreys v Dragons
19:35
S4C / Premier Sports 1
Sunday 7th March
Harlequins v Northampton
15:00
BT Sport 1
Edinburgh v Treviso
15:15
Premier Sports 1
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465 thoughts on “A Brief Interlude for Pro-woo and Premiership”
Hewitt races through to clinch it. The pass is blatantly forward, but after dozens of replays the ref decides to give it. ‘Hands went backwards’ apparently. strange then that the passer was virtually stationary and the ball went forwards. Terrible decision, not that this game matters at all.
Another yellow for Ulster…. and the young lad from Tullamore leaves early…..and Dan Sheahan rumbles over from another tap… (as I remarked to my wife – Dan Sheahan sounds more like a GAA player from the 1950s….)
We didn’t see much from the Leinster backs…. if anything Ulster looked more dynamic… but Leinster have huge power.
Only saw the second half. It’s a pity the Drags are in covid limbo (as well as the Newport v Valleys naming conundrum) as the team is bursting with potential cult heroes for a local crowd to get behind. Hibbardy-Hib, Doc, Wainwright, Ollie, Moriarty, Dee, Hewitt, Baker etc.
Agree that the pass was slightly (not miles forward) for Hewitt’s second try, but what a splendid little move and break. Besides, if the try had been disallowed then we would have spent ages looking at the close to chin-high-no-arms hit on Rhodri when he whispered that pass to Hewitt. So a rare moral victory for the Drags.
I thought Wainwright was excellent. A full on 100% performance for the team in-between his duties for Wales.
Thought the ref was very good also. But the cut of his jib did set me thinking that Bryan Habana might have lingered an extra night longer while on a Welsh tour.
@Iks – I reckon Drags would have won without the last try and on what I saw they were worthy winners. I hate the ‘hands went backwards’ thing though when it’s obvious bollocks as it was in this case. If there’s virtually no forward momentum from the passer then the ‘PHYSICS!!!’ brigade should fuck off.
Of course I enjoyed Holmes and Davies’ contributions! Still think I was right when questioning their abilities to play for Wales when they were called up by Gats. Davies is particularly frustrating because he has a lot of creative ability and can tackle well enough, but it seems to me he struggles to focus his mind sometimes and get the basics right.
Baker was knacked by serious leg injuries for nigh on 2 seasons, and went off to a lower-league French team to play some rugby. Drags have him on a short term contract to see how he goes till the end of the season. I’ve got everything crossed that he doesn’t break down again and gets a proper contract at the Drags.
Watching Drags v Os on s4c and Gwyn Jones mentioned that the Drags had more and better carriers than the Os so were able to apply more pressure. I can’t ever remember that happening before so perhaps things are changing for them. Also Dean Ryan seems to manage them very well. For balance, the O’s have been much better this season under Toby Booth.
I can see the hands-went-backward point though; IF Rhodri hadn’t been stopped dead in his tracks the moment after he passed the ball then it would not have looked forward because he would have run ahead of the pass anyway.
You’re not doing too well as he’d pretty much stopped before he passed the ball and it would still have been caught noticeably in front of where he let it go.
I agree with you about Holmes, I thought Davies was worth a shot at the time because he was in great form and the Wales attack had become very stagnant. Anyway I was only tickling you.
I’ll mention the surprise Baker sighting when I zoom for the next Wales game with the Ystradgynlais lot as he’s one of theirs.
@BRB – The O’s would still be favourites if both teams were at full strength I think. The gaps between the regions seem to have shrunk for the time being, but unfortunately it’s pretty much a case of Cardiff remaining about the same and the rest approximating to that.
Managed to watch a fair bit of the Ulster match and whatever else you want to say, Leinster are relentless. A machine. Not sure the Saffer sides will stop them when they join the competition either. Bulls will be up there, Sharks possibly, Stormers frustratingly mid-table and the Lions scrapping it out in the nether regions.
early days I know, but there is a certain ‘pleasure’ to be had in reporting that Saracens have gone from bottom of the Premiership to bottom of the Championship.
Even if Saracens hadn’t been relegated for extreme wickedness and therefore deserving of all they get, it would still be immensely heartwarming to see that they were beaten by Cornish Pirates. Who doesn’t love an Underdog?
I like this sentence from the mothership’s Robert Kitson:
Saracensā tight-head, Vincent Koch, has a World Cup winnerās medal in his collection; suddenly he was being shoved backwards by a front row sponsored partly by a local sweet shop.
And Exeter back on form too after their thrashing unaccountable loss to Sale last week. Good day for the SW.
DCI
Nice to see Jonny Gray with a smile on his face again.
Vermeulen makes a huge difference to Exeter. Once they get into their high tempo rhythm they are very difficult to beat.
Sale a very good at disrupting them.
I only saw the second half of the Exeter match and by that time they were dominant and looked to be back to their old winning ways. Good fun to watch if you’re not Bathy.
Sale were much better on Friday āĀ they’d cut out a lot of the silly errors which had made previous games so frustrating to watch. Faff faffed fabulously, but Yarde was also in very good form. He seems to have had a bit of a revival recently. Whether it’s because the diamond has gone, I don’t know, but when he’s playing like this, he’s very good to watch.
@Ticht – Craigs and I had had the same conversion (off-blog) about a 6N SS Zoom meeting. I’ve not previously used Zoom, only Teams, but Craigs thinks that the free version has a 40-minute time limit or summat?
Midol just posted the French squad for England. Basically the same as before.
With the exceptions of Ntamack, Chat and Vakatawa, back from injuries. On the other hand, VilliĆØre (injured yesterday) , Vincent and Atonio (still suffering from Covid) are missing. It is a much stronger team than the one that lost in extra time to England in the autumn cup but England should be smarting from their two defeats.
We’ve used the free zoom a few times and it is supposed to have a 40 minutes limit. Last time Mrs BB set up a meeting with a couple of friends and we were on for over 2 hours and there was nothing to say we’d passed the limit.
Cmw
Yes the Dragons are usually better in the international windows relative to the other Welsh regions. Toby Booth is doing a good job at the O’s but have been disappointed to see less of Matt Protheroe zooming about recently . Jac Morgan will be a great signing for them.
Ovally Balls 
Unbelievable efforts by Ulster. Allegedly held up this time.
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Leinster yellow for multiple infringements.
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TRY AT LAST!
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Finally
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Oh, and Lowry for Ulster 10.
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Hewitt races through to clinch it. The pass is blatantly forward, but after dozens of replays the ref decides to give it. ‘Hands went backwards’ apparently. strange then that the passer was virtually stationary and the ball went forwards. Terrible decision, not that this game matters at all.
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Blue Meanies get another try to seal our fate.
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*Sigh* 19-40 at FT.
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Oh hang on, it’s not over yet for some reason.
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It is now.
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Blue meanies being mean again
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Another yellow for Ulster…. and the young lad from Tullamore leaves early…..and Dan Sheahan rumbles over from another tap… (as I remarked to my wife – Dan Sheahan sounds more like a GAA player from the 1950s….)
We didn’t see much from the Leinster backs…. if anything Ulster looked more dynamic… but Leinster have huge power.
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Was going to spend a relaxing afternoon watching embra tomorrow. Stupid covid.
Then remembered that watching embra grinding away is far from relaxing
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Watching the terror. Just for a bit of light relief.
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DRAG
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ONS
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Only saw the second half. It’s a pity the Drags are in covid limbo (as well as the Newport v Valleys naming conundrum) as the team is bursting with potential cult heroes for a local crowd to get behind. Hibbardy-Hib, Doc, Wainwright, Ollie, Moriarty, Dee, Hewitt, Baker etc.
Agree that the pass was slightly (not miles forward) for Hewitt’s second try, but what a splendid little move and break. Besides, if the try had been disallowed then we would have spent ages looking at the close to chin-high-no-arms hit on Rhodri when he whispered that pass to Hewitt. So a rare moral victory for the Drags.
I thought Wainwright was excellent. A full on 100% performance for the team in-between his duties for Wales.
Thought the ref was very good also. But the cut of his jib did set me thinking that Bryan Habana might have lingered an extra night longer while on a Welsh tour.
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@Iks – They played some nice stuff. I’m sure you’ll have particularly enjoyed Jonah Holmes’ and Sam Davies’ contributions.
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I hadn’t realised Dan Baker was at the Dragons. Thought he’d given up.
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The Terror was pretty good I think. Not a bad effort to transfer book to screen. C
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(C)old and bleak though.
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@Iks – I reckon Drags would have won without the last try and on what I saw they were worthy winners. I hate the ‘hands went backwards’ thing though when it’s obvious bollocks as it was in this case. If there’s virtually no forward momentum from the passer then the ‘PHYSICS!!!’ brigade should fuck off.
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Very cold and very bleak.
Been a long time since I read the book but captures the sense of doom well. Sir John just got his.
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Of course I enjoyed Holmes and Davies’ contributions! Still think I was right when questioning their abilities to play for Wales when they were called up by Gats. Davies is particularly frustrating because he has a lot of creative ability and can tackle well enough, but it seems to me he struggles to focus his mind sometimes and get the basics right.
Baker was knacked by serious leg injuries for nigh on 2 seasons, and went off to a lower-league French team to play some rugby. Drags have him on a short term contract to see how he goes till the end of the season. I’ve got everything crossed that he doesn’t break down again and gets a proper contract at the Drags.
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Watching Drags v Os on s4c and Gwyn Jones mentioned that the Drags had more and better carriers than the Os so were able to apply more pressure. I can’t ever remember that happening before so perhaps things are changing for them. Also Dean Ryan seems to manage them very well. For balance, the O’s have been much better this season under Toby Booth.
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I would have given a forward pass.
I can see the hands-went-backward point though; IF Rhodri hadn’t been stopped dead in his tracks the moment after he passed the ball then it would not have looked forward because he would have run ahead of the pass anyway.
How am I doing?
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You’re not doing too well as he’d pretty much stopped before he passed the ball and it would still have been caught noticeably in front of where he let it go.
I agree with you about Holmes, I thought Davies was worth a shot at the time because he was in great form and the Wales attack had become very stagnant. Anyway I was only tickling you.
I’ll mention the surprise Baker sighting when I zoom for the next Wales game with the Ystradgynlais lot as he’s one of theirs.
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@BRB – The O’s would still be favourites if both teams were at full strength I think. The gaps between the regions seem to have shrunk for the time being, but unfortunately it’s pretty much a case of Cardiff remaining about the same and the rest approximating to that.
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Managed to watch a fair bit of the Ulster match and whatever else you want to say, Leinster are relentless. A machine. Not sure the Saffer sides will stop them when they join the competition either. Bulls will be up there, Sharks possibly, Stormers frustratingly mid-table and the Lions scrapping it out in the nether regions.
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early days I know, but there is a certain ‘pleasure’ to be had in reporting that Saracens have gone from bottom of the Premiership to bottom of the Championship.
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Morning,
Even if Saracens hadn’t been relegated for extreme wickedness and therefore deserving of all they get, it would still be immensely heartwarming to see that they were beaten by Cornish Pirates. Who doesn’t love an Underdog?
I like this sentence from the mothership’s Robert Kitson:
And Exeter back on form too after their
thrashingunaccountable loss to Sale last week. Good day for the SW.LikeLiked by 5 people
You know how there is usually a blog meet on the last Saturday of the 6N?
This is just a ādipping a toe in the waterā type post, what would be the feelings towards having a blog zoom call on the last day?
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Is there relegation from the Championship this year?
I think the loss of Alex Sanderson has hit them hard.
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DCI
Nice to see Jonny Gray with a smile on his face again.
Vermeulen makes a huge difference to Exeter. Once they get into their high tempo rhythm they are very difficult to beat.
Sale a very good at disrupting them.
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Slade,
I only saw the second half of the Exeter match and by that time they were dominant and looked to be back to their old winning ways. Good fun to watch if you’re not Bathy.
Sale were much better on Friday āĀ they’d cut out a lot of the silly errors which had made previous games so frustrating to watch. Faff faffed fabulously, but Yarde was also in very good form. He seems to have had a bit of a revival recently. Whether it’s because the diamond has gone, I don’t know, but when he’s playing like this, he’s very good to watch.
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Thought Jonny played really well yesterday. He seems to be better around the field now and he’s added try scoring to his many skills!
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Ticht will be delighted to know that Innard played with real guts the whole game.
Was given MoM but that was Vermeulen for me.
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@Ticht – Craigs and I had had the same conversion (off-blog) about a 6N SS Zoom meeting. I’ve not previously used Zoom, only Teams, but Craigs thinks that the free version has a 40-minute time limit or summat?
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Midol just posted the French squad for England. Basically the same as before.
With the exceptions of Ntamack, Chat and Vakatawa, back from injuries. On the other hand, VilliĆØre (injured yesterday) , Vincent and Atonio (still suffering from Covid) are missing. It is a much stronger team than the one that lost in extra time to England in the autumn cup but England should be smarting from their two defeats.
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We’ve used the free zoom a few times and it is supposed to have a 40 minutes limit. Last time Mrs BB set up a meeting with a couple of friends and we were on for over 2 hours and there was nothing to say we’d passed the limit.
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Quins v Saints is living up to the billing, a try each in eight minutes
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Almost three tries in ten, he lost it over the line
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Oh no, he got it
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Or not
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After all that, it’s a try right enough
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hmm ….17-12 after 14 minutes
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Just the four tries now, two each and theyāve all been good ones
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There’s also Google Meet and an app called HouseParty, although I think HP isn’t set up for big groups.
And although Zoom has a 40 min limit- nothing seems to stop everyone logging back in again after the time expires….
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the Brown/Care/Marler triad look re-born for some reason
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Cmw
Yes the Dragons are usually better in the international windows relative to the other Welsh regions. Toby Booth is doing a good job at the O’s but have been disappointed to see less of Matt Protheroe zooming about recently . Jac Morgan will be a great signing for them.
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