Preamble
Following the lead of the esteemed French rugby philosopher and Chef de Cuisine Flair99, I will try to keep this short, at least by my standards.
In keeping with the odd times we live in, the 6N Super Saturday ingredients are not all there for a grand finale, and we’ll have to pop France vs Scotland back in the popty-ping microwave at some point to truly finish the feast.
Scotland vs Italy
Move over France, because it is time to ask the question ‘which Scotland will turn up?’ Having got off to the best possible start to the tournament, the Scots have coughed and spluttered their way through the following games and were unfortunate to find their progress further stymied when the French overdid the ‘Liberté’ bit and burst out of their corona-bubble to do some coughing and spluttering of their own.
With Finn finally HIA-d after playing in a slightly detached dream-state for most of the tournament, we are going to be treated to Hoggy at 10. Could go well, but it might not as he has enough on his shoulders captaining a pretty unfamiliar lineup while playing out of position. Then as I ignorantly ponder on, are the two new second rows going to ease themselves into the set piece, especially in a line-out which had a torrid time against Ireland?
Hark! The voices of doubt grow louder. An exciting backline, but are the omens pointing towards chaos and a replay of that infamous match against Italy when Scotland opted to only pass to Italians for the first quarter of the match?
This Italian team must have one good rather than just brave performance in them. Brex and Mori at centre are likely to do better at defending and crossing the gainline. Garbisi is a dangerous playmaker at 10, and Stephen Varney just might orchestrate things as well as his uncle Manto did. Throw in a decent backrow led by the all-action Negri and what are we left with?
Italy by a score.
Ireland vs England
England played well against France last week, but it is worth remembering that France entered the game looking like they expected to give England a thrashing – similar in fact to how England started their RWC Final – and went a bit run-it-from-anywhere bananas especially after scoring such an early try. England maintained their structure, but also looked sharp when attacking through Slade and Watson particularly.
Ireland are entering the match in good form, playing to their strengths of playing controlled, driving rugby, going through the phases, loads of bosh up the middle and at the breakdown, and Murray re-joining Sexton for some box-kicking and pill-roosting to bring joy to the purists, and to remind Malins that he is not playing away to Worcester any more. Ireland will miss Ryan though, and I fear that Beirne’s influence will diminish at lock, and the lineout will suffer accordingly.
I see a close game, but the England camp sniffs off to me. Even after good performance and what should have been a cathartic win, it still sounds like it’s all a bit of an ordeal for Eddie and his boys. Choosing a solution which involves having your captain – who sounds like an over-tired 7-year-old at bedtime – stop talking to the referee altogether might well backfire. I’m not sure how this will work if Ireland’s phase play starts drawing a string of penalties out of England at the breakdown, and Faz’s frustration builds up in front of his dad.
Ireland by about 9, and a shoulder-to-the-head tackle by Farrell on Henderson, followed by the patented Faz-flop n’ roll on the grass. Yes, the game might depend on the rat-poisoned mindset of the English players, and a French referee.
France vs Wales
Is the Jam-Slam on? Possibly, he said with authority.
Wales have annoyed and frustrated France over many games in recent years, up to and including the last RWC, when Vahaamahina elbowed his way to the front of the early retirement queue. But lately the pendulum has swung back in France’s favour – a relatively easy win last 6N, and a thrashing dished out last October. Ominously, France have sensed they can score tries at will against Wales if they quickly move the ball into the outside channels, and the marvellous try they scored direct from a lineout against England last week doesn’t bode well for the Welsh defence.
An injury-free Gaël Fickou has been a delight to watch, seeming to almost effortlessly create time and space for himself and others. Both sets of forwards have a settled look about them, but unlike the rest of Wales I do have concerns about Navidi’s defending against a team adept at offloading and running into space rather than contact. Botham offers much the same off the pine, so I think the omission of Wainwright could prove to be a selection mistake.
On the other hand, I expect JD2 to have his best game of the series so far (a low bar) and hopefully his Foxy wiles will compensate for the injury problems he still seems to carry in his legs. I even dreamt he scored the winning try last night, in identical fashion to the one Hendo flopped on for Ireland in Scotland’s in-goal area last week.
France by 13, I just feel they will score more tries. Our best chance is an over-confident France being put on the back foot by a Welsh team determined to win, and one that keeps the scoreboard ticking over much to French annoyance.
As dreamt by MisterIks
Super Saturday Zoom Piss-up
We can’t let a Super Saturday go by without having a blog piss-up. This year’s will be via Zoom. Let us know BTL if you’d like to join, and I will email you at the address you sign in with to give you the details, or if that address doesn’t work, email Craigs at craigsman@outlook.com.
Expect the details on Saturday morning.
Onna telly this week
Friday 19th March
| Munster v Treviso | 18:00 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Newcastle v Wasps | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
| Ulster v Zebre | 20:15 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Leinster v Ospreys | 20:15 | Premier Sports 2 |
Saturday 20th March
| Harlequins v Gloucester | 14:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Bath v Worcester | 14:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Scotland v Italy | 14:15 | BBC1 |
| Exeter v Leicester | 14:30 | BT Sport Extra |
| Ireland v England | 16:45 | ITV |
| France v Wales | 20:00 | BBC1 |
Sunday 21st March
| Sale v London Irish | 15:00 | BT Sport Extra |
| Northampton v Bristol | 15:00 | BT Sport 1 |
| Dragons v Glasgow | 15:00 | Premier Sports 1 |
Monday 22nd March
| Scarlets v Connacht | 20:00 | S4C / Premier Sports 2 |
| Cardiff v Edinburgh | 20:00 | Premier Sports 1 |
Ovally Balls 
Dab – saw your late entry to the previous post; you are On The List!
LikeLike
Words Iks.
LikeLike
Yes, Iks certainly wrote a lot of words. Shame that some of them aren’t necessarily in the right order.
LikeLiked by 1 person
BB – I thought one bit there might be controversial.
LikeLike
Yeah, predicting an Ireland win was definitely controversial…
LikeLike
A little nugget of information from Disco, the Glasgow stats guy, in his preview of the ScItaly match
– This will be the first time since 2003 that Italy have travelled to Murrayfield for a Six Nations’ match without Sergio Parisse in the back row. The Scottish number 8 for the game in 2003 was Simon Taylor. When that game was played current Scotland number 8, Matt Fagerson, was just 4 years old…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Nice Iks, and applause for the Mantovani gag.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d be more worried if Polledri was playing – really rate him.
LikeLike
Also think Matt Fagerson’s done really well at 8 this year. Not the biggest but very mobile.
LikeLike
Splendid, Iksy. I admire the skills on display. I have every confidence in your picks.
LikeLike
Ospreys to within a score of Leinster with 7 minutes left. Good finish by the boy Owen Watkin.
LikeLike
And Leinster are down to 14 players.
LikeLike
TomP
I have every confidence in your picks.
I read that as every confidence in your pricks.
Lights bizarrely go out at Ravenhill just as Zebre look likely to score. But it’s 42-3, so not likely to matter.
LikeLike
Harry Byrne has a clearance kick charged down and the Ospreys go under the posts and into the lead. 5 points up with 3 1/2 left.
LikeLike
Oops, and Ulster’s replacement hooker scores instead, with a run that will surely be 50m when retold.
LikeLike
Said hooker has the most horrendous mullet and moustache. Looks like a member of Toto.
LikeLike
Just for the torture value:
LikeLike
Ospreys win.
LikeLike
Ye dogs, truly the world is ending! Leinster LOSE!?!?!?!?
LikeLike
Just ‘cos I’m bored (and had slightly too much wine…. )
Guitarist with the Zombies born today. This still sounds brilliant today…
LikeLike
Watching the highlights now, thaum. Dumb as anything red card for Manfredi, the Zebre hooker.
LikeLike
Come on now TomP, if we’re going to be making up fantasy rugby matches we need to be focussing on tomorrow.
LikeLike
And Ricky Wilson of the B52s.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Plus Terry Hall of the Specials.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Christ, Paul Kossoff was only 25 when he died.
LikeLike
Sadly, never managed to get to see Free when they were in their pomp (well, I was only about 7 or 8 when they broke up), but I did see Simon Kirk drumming for Frankie Miller (with guitarist Brian Robertson) in Glasgow in the mid 80s. Now THERE’ S a band you widnae mess with…
LikeLike
Randy Rhoads (also 25) died on this day in 1982. In a slightly different fashion to Paul Kossoff.
LikeLike
Zombies one should of course read that the guitarist was born ON THIS DAY in 1946. Would be a bit weird if he was born today but playing in a band in the early 60s. Unless his name was Benjamin Button.
LikeLike
Nicely done, Mr Iks!
I wish you joy tomorrow….
LikeLike
Morning all. Dreadful hangover. Well, it’s a perfect hangover if you’re ticking boxes in terms of what a hangover is. Feeling sorry for myself having overdone the tequila last night. Was a brilliant idea at the time.
LikeLike
Good luck to all the sides today and may the beat teams win! Especially if they enhance my Bru standings! That’s all I can type.
LikeLike
MORNING DEEBS! HOW’S THE HEID?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good stuff Iks, very entertaining.
I’m trying to think which of these will be the most entertaining to watch, Eng v Ire obviously the most likely to be a turgid mess. An experimental Scotland against a struggling Italy could become a trystravanganza or more likely an ecstacy of fumbling. The pressure on the outcome of France v Wales game could have an effect on the fluency too but for me this will hopefully be the match of the day.
Starter – bruschetta, deep-fried
Main – Meat n potatoes, covered in snow
Afters – Profiteroles, in the shape of a dragon
Hoping to join the Zoom meetup too so could I be On The List, please?
LikeLike
“…an ecstacy of fumbling.”
My ears are aflame!
LikeLiked by 1 person
To be very contradictory, I won’t be joining the Zoom, but can I be on the list just in case I have a change of heart?
LikeLike
Right, I have emailed everyone On The List. Anyone else, let me know! (Refit?)
LikeLiked by 1 person
You were On The List whether you liked it or not, Iks. You can always lurk with the camera off.
LikeLike
He just doesn’t want us to see all the prog posters he has on his wall.
LikeLiked by 4 people
He doesn’t want us to know he’s really a cat.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posh Irish rugby in the past:
LikeLike
Now there’s an idea!
LikeLike
Thanks, but I’ll pass on the Zoom.
LikeLike
I’ve started the zoom call BTW
LikeLiked by 1 person
Could someone please tell Gustcott that Zander’s surname is FAGerson, not FERguson!?!?! Mind you, I’m surprised he knows the name of any Scottish player.
LikeLike
He can’t pronounce WP Nel or Jaco van der Walt or Duhan van der Merwe either.
LikeLike
Italy have decided to turn up this week.
LikeLike
And that’s a Cherry on top* (of the ball, over the line), for Scotland.
*Sorry.
LikeLike
BB’s looking a bit happier now.
LikeLike
Italy may have turned up but they forgot how to tackle.
Who is the Italian Shaun Edwards?
LikeLike
I’ll be even happier when Iks brings the prog later…
LikeLike