I’ll try to keep this as short as possible.
Three games this week-end; that is, if France once again do not shrug their way out of the most porous bubble (called a sieve here, see below) ever seen since John Boyd Dunlop invented the flat tire.
The teams:
England: At the moment they look like a good example of someone’s definition of madness: do the same thing over and over and expect a different result.
Wales: Don’t call them fortunate; they hate it. Napoléon would have a word with Pivac though. A disastrous autumn followed by a welcome revival. Tedious at times, lethal sometimes. Will finish first unless France get a GS.
France: Will achieve a GS (see Wales).
Ireland: Stale but still mid-table. Reaching their tipping point on the declankidney-o-meter. That green jersey looks more and more like a corset, including to the meanies usually in blue.
Scotland: The perennial underachiever. Couldn’t even beat covided France by forfeit. Lovely to watch though. Definitely the colour of a dark horse.
Italy: they prove that the old adage “it’s easier to organise defence than attack” is plain rubbish. They produced lovely moves but they could not catch a slug on a Zimmer frame.
The games:
Italy vs Wales: makes me sad that a 6 Nations game is a foregone conclusion. Italy have unearthed some exciting new players but they lost what was their main strength, a solid if unimaginative pack. Their scrum is so wobbly they could hire Australians to improve them, the line-out is a mess and their defensive line look from above like a child’s drawing of a bolt of lightning. The only uncertainty is whether Wales will get the bonus point before or after the oranges. As for Wales, it’s a bit strange not to experiment a bit more, most of the team being a known quantity. Pivac probably wants battle hardened warriors for next week’s game, but it looks like a missed opportunity to blood new players. I’ll watch it, if only for AWJ and of course for Liam Williams: he may look like a horse rider but he’s a superb full back.
England vs France: both teams pick themselves but for different reasons. Eddie is so conservative he’d make Maggie look like a socialist. Apart from the obvious, he seems quite reluctant to change a formula that has shown its limitations. Scotland, who play a similar game to France, cruelly exposed them. And so did Wales in a different style. In both games England seemed incapable of changing gear and controlling their discipline. Of course, they’ll be more fit and the inclusion of Malins will bring more threat but Daly is still on the bench. Funny how a vibrant club game does not translate into a more fluid national squad.
France easily beat England in Paris last year and came close to winning the AI cup with a B team. It certainly helps in terms of confidence, but this is different. They might be as rusty as England, after the covid bubble burst. They also have the same problem as England in terms of discipline and the team that will remain on Andrew Brace’s side will take a big step ahead. But France have been rebuilding seriously for the past two years, they have a young but settled team, they know what to do and they’ll trust their ability to do it. A curiosity: France’s bench will be 6/2 whereas England’s will be 5/3.
I can see only one outcome. If the packs cancel one another, which I expect, then France have more threat in the backs. France by one score. With a bonus point, like Wales? Nah. A win would be good enough.
Scotland/Ireland: this should be a cracking game and it’s a hard one to call. Both teams lost to Wales, with one man down, but in different fashion. Both could’ve won (fine margins etc.) but I thought Scotland were the most enterprising of the three.
Ireland play a well-rehearsed game, easy to read, hard to stop. Sexton is a fading force but the way they play, he can still do the job for a couple of years. What’s that I hear? Deep sighs from the notablog showrunner? And where is Cooney, anyway?
I expect a lot of box-kicking, some good chases, some not so good and then beware Hogg and friends.
Just like France, Scotland might be a bit rusty for missing a game but I heard they played within their clubs. They should play a looser game than Ireland, with more unpredictability. Finn had a mediocre game last week with Racing. Was he keeping his powder dry? It does not really matter because Scotland have proven last year they can play without Finn, and well.
My money would be on a Scotland win but not by much.
I hope you all enjoy the week-end of rugby and I hope the refs will not be at centre stage like two weeks ago.
Oh, and before I go, a little recipe. No need for a sieve, but keep one handy, just in case you need to escape from Marcatraz (that’s what the French players nicknamed their rugby camp in Marcoussis, south of Paris).
The most famous omelette in France is served by La Mère Poulard restaurant (overrated and overpriced) in the Mont Saint Michel. It may not be the best omelette but it’s quite striking.
You’ll need 10 eggs.
2 table spoons of crème fraîche
40 g of butter
Salt, pepper
It will serve 4 people or a prop.
Save two eggs for the end.
Separate the yolks from the white. Whip the yolks lightly, but the whites ferociously with the salt. If by hand, at least several minutes, so they become almost solid.
Melt butter in a hot pan, add the yolks. When they begin to stick to the pan, add crème fraîche and the whipped whites. Do not stir. Make sure it does not stick too hard on the bottom. When ready, fold the omelet in two, so it looks like this:
Spray freshly ground pepper on top and serve immediately. Some in an upside down universe recommend Latour ‘82 with it, but it’s bollocks. I have yet to find a wine that goes well with eggs. Cider will be fine.
While you enjoy your first fluffed omelette, take the remaining eggs and throw them at my face when – if, he says tentatively? – my predictions, as usual, do not come true. As I said, I tried to keep this as short as possible.
As foretold by Flair99
Onna telly this week
Friday 12th March
| Zebre v Leinster | 17:45 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Bristol v Wasps | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
| Munster v Scarlets | 20:00 | S4C / Premier Sports 2 |
| Glasgow v Ospreys | 20:00 | Premier Sports 1 |
Saturday 13th March
| Newcastle v Bath | 12:30 | BT Sport Extra |
| Exeter v Harlequins | 12:30 | BT Sport Extra |
| Italy v Wales | 14:15 | ITV / S4C |
| Northampton v Sale | 14:45 | BT Sport Extra |
| Gloucester v Leicester | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| England v France | 16:45 | ITV |
| Dragons v Ulster | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Connacht v Edinburgh | 19:35 | Premier Sports 2 |
Sunday 14th March
| Treviso v Cardiff Not-Blues | 13:00 | Premier Sports 1 |
| London Irish v Worcester | 13:00 | BT Sport 1 |
| Scotland v Ireland | 15:00 | BBC1 |
Ovally Balls 
Get the feeling some of the folk who designed these covers have definitely NOT read any of these books…
https://teaandinksociety.com/terrible-book-covers/
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That wasn’t much of a Bok side – Coetzee was out of his depth at that level, Jantjies and Hougaard couldn’t play the systems Toetie wanted (kick, kick, kick), the defensive organisation was lousy (obviously), JL du Preez and Cassiem weren’t Bok standard (JLDP still isn’t, no matter how hard he and his siblings think they are and that that’s the be all and end all of rugby). Also the ABs were magnificent. That was probably peak ABs for that era, they definitely weren’t the same side in 2019. Hell, we were shit then!
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@BB – This is the version I have, strictly speaking my father’s set. I haven’t managed to keep them in as good nick as the ones in the photo though. My dad was reading them to me and my brother, but didn’t manage to get to the end, my mum finished reading them to us after he died. If only one thing could be rescued if the house was burning down then they’re it.
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=30830183698&searchurl=kn%3Dset%26pn%3Dunwin%26sortby%3D20%26tn%3Dlord%2Bof%2Bthe%2Brings&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title13
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BB – the one that made me laugh the most was the kitten pic for A Pair of Blue Eyes.
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CMW – the first version of LOTR that I remember reading had the ‘ring and eye’ cover – similar to the ones you linked to, but I think it took up the whole cover.
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This is the Hobbit we had read to us. I think my brother might still have it though it had near enough fallen to bits by the time I wanted to read it myself about 38 years ago so my mum had to buy me a new one.
https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/j-r-r-tolkien/hobbit/9780048231260?gclid=Cj0KCQjw0caCBhCIARIsAGAfuMzVyxA54zMkfB_2zxWv49CHY5v8vbfpTlyjyVZZxPYTcktQeRhz1h0aAuATEALw_wcB
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Tried reading The Hobbit to the girls a while back. Not the easiest thing to read aloud, really rather clunky.
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CMW – that’s the same one I had, and still have.
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Did the hobbit with the eldest on the slightly dog-eared copy I had when I was a wean. As CMW said felt a bit clunky.
With him it’s all Cressida Cowell & Phillip Pullman.
Youngest discovered the Tintin & Asterix books I’d kept in a box. That’s kept him occupied for weeks.
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Love Asterix. Some dubiously drawn characters though. Never had much time for Tintin.
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Tintin has it’s good moments. Some of the earlier ones certainly had issues with ‘dubiously drawn characters’.
Think the kids mainly enjoy the humorously drawn violence in Asterix.
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I think it was very unkind of some posters on here to bring up the Scott Gibbs 1999 try. Very unkind indeed.
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@Dab – It just fell into place.
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I’m assuming CMW is watching ‘Beavers Behaving Badly’ on BBC2?
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Just watching this. Early he spots Dupont running a line behind the defensive line anticipating where the ball will end up. Very much like Chris Ashton who learned it from Kris Radlinski who learned it from Shaun Edwards. Squidge didn’t spot that.
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Hey everyone, so I have use of a zoom account so we can have our usual ‘blog meet’ on Saturday. Can I have a show of hands for who plans to attend please? I’ll set up the meeting from 2pm till 10pm and you can drop in and out as necessary.
Ta.
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OT,
Have mentioned this before but have a look where John Jeffrey positions himself after the ruck that follows a tackle on Calder in this clip:
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@tomp
JJ obviously used to study Ellery Hanley videos.
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Never had much time for Tintin.
Tintin in the Congo is widely banned/kept off bookshelves for its racist portrayal of Africans. Quite rightly. The only place I’ve ever seen it being sold is in hotel shops in the Congo. There seems to be a perverse pride in some Congolese that they ‘made it’ into the Tintin sagas. A little more creepy was the ‘hotel’ I stayed in when I was in Lubumbashi in the early 2000’s where the Belgian owner had statuettes of Tintin all over the place.
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Everyone off watching Richmond vs Carlton in the AFL?
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@craigs – count me in for bits anyway
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and it’s my abiding memory of the late 80s and 90s vs Scotland – “it’s a try for Tukalo” – seemed score 2 or 3 every damn match….
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I’ll drop in for bits of the call, Craigs.
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oh, if it means sending an invitation, Thaum, I’m not sure if you have the right email address for me.
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It is impossible for me to remember Ivan Tukalo’s name in anything than Bill McLaren’s voice. Same goes for Didier Camberabero.
“Sellaaa!” is Eddie Butler
Can’t remember too many for Nigel Starmer-Smith, perhaps “Rob Andrew” or “Underwood” but not as distinctice.
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I’ll be happy to drop by on occasion. Although you might not see me for most of the Scotland/Italy match as I’ll probably be watching/suffering behind a chair somewhere…
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@Craigs – I’ll join in when I can. Think the Eldest’s dancing lesson on zoom will complicate matters during the first game (though not quite all of it) and I’ll have another call with the York Welsh contingent later on, but should be fine for most of what’s in the middle. It will probably mean you meeting The Middle One as well though as she’ll want to see the England game. Be warned she’ll be in a foul mood if they’re losing and won’t take defeat well.
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@Craigs,
I’ll try and pop in, but have in-laws up from the Eastern Cape for the weekend, so it won’t be easy to sneak off!
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Cheers guys. Like I said feel free to join when you can. I’m moving in on Saturday anyway so you’ll see me drop in and out for the non England games. My friend has given zoom details which he uses for fitness sessions and Kent Squash uses for meetings etc so I’m not fully comfortable sticking on the net. But if Thaum sends out an email that would be great.
I’ll see if I can convince Larry and CJ to join as well.
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And if anyone is still in contact with the old guard it would be great to see them too.
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Deebs – if you have the in laws visiting from the Eastern Cape it is your moral duty to dial in for as long as possible.
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CMW – It will probably mean you meeting The Middle One as well though as she’ll want to see the England game.
Haha that’s fine. I’ll have to watch my language if England lose.
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@Craigs – You don’t have to worry too much, she has met my real-life friends after all.
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Ugo Monye bringing the sense.
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I might be able to join in the zoom on Saturday.
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If not, will be hoping that the language from the English supporters turns the air blue.
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In fact, if I do make it, I hope the language from the England fans is saltier than the Dead Sea.
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Went for a walk earlier in a local park and noticed Mathieu Raynal, the French ref, there. He seemed to be practising his English. I heard phrases like, “No, no, White 4”, “Advantage Green”, and “I gave you your final warning. Now to the bin, you English scoundrel”.
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Hahaha, so looking forward to meeting the Middle One. And I don’t say that often about children.
BB – you just stick a smiley face on your chair. We’ll obviously recognise you from that.
Ticht – I have *an* email for you. I’ll send you one to see if it’s the right one. If not, have you still got mine?
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I’m potty mouthed if my team wins or loses so it doesn’t make a difference anyway.
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Highly unlikely I’ll be able to join in zooming at the weekend. Unfortunately.
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Actually I have 2 emails for you, Ticht – sent to both.
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Chimpie – wimp.
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Ach, tomp, you could at least be magnanimous as Wales head for the Jam Slam.
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@Thaum
Possibly.
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There’s photos of TomP out and about post quarantine in Dublin
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Thaum – I sent you a mail but looks like you are on the case innit.
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Chimpie – just lock yourself inna toilet with a laptop. As usual.
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I thought Chimpie had built his erection for just this sort of situation?
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