Three years ago, we were in Bilbao for the Challenge Cup final. What a difference a pandemic makes. Also, the sun was shining, at least in Spain.
Regarding the Little Cup, Flair99 says: “To find Montpellier there is quite stunning, they’re fighting to avoid relegation, and they’re certainly not pleasant to watch. How about Leicester?”
Same, Flair, same.
La Rochelle v Toulouse will undoubtedly be a more interesting match. I’m calling it for La Rochelle, because I would like them to win.
Onna telly this week
Friday 21st May
| Leicester v Montpellier | 20:00 | BT Sport 1 |
Saturday 22nd May
| Sharks v Stormers | 12:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Lions v Bulls | 14:30 | Premier Sports 2 |
| La Rochelle v Toulouse | 16:45 | BT Sport 2 |
Sunday 23rd May
| Nada |
Ovally Balls 
I could have been an adult entertainment star but my spelling was too good. Apparently.
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New Zealand 338/9, having reached 288/3 at one stage (specifically, the ball before they lost their 4th wicket). The big question now is whether or not debutant Conway will run out of partners before getting to 200. On debut, at Lords. Alternatively, has anyone ever carried his bat in a Test at Lord’s on debut?
And Jo’burg’s finest gets his double ton with a majestic six! Hugged and wished ‘veels geluk’ by Pretoria’s finest at the other end, Neil Wagner. Durban’s finest, BJ Watling, only made 1.
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I got my phone to spell it for me.
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hmm Exeter have signed centre Sean O’Brien from Connacht
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Wobbly start to England’s reply but Burns and Root have steadied the ship. Tomorrow should be key as to whether England turn the screws or or miss the nail and crunch their thumb.
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Crusaders v Force in 45 minutes! Should be another scintillating, pulsating, display, skills scattered far and wide, big hits, silky running, intelligent offloading: a demonstration of the best that rugby has to offer. I’ll offer my thoughts on the Force a bit later.
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Crusaders played the first half with one hand tied behind their backs and their shoes tied together, to lead 24-14 at the break.* They must have scored in the last couple of minutes having huffed, puffed and hopped to a 17-14 lead with three to go.
* I may not have seen much of it.
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Finishes 29-21, much closer than I thought it would be, but then, what do I know?
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Deebs – so, an Aussie side won a half of rugby?
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Reds, playing in more maroon tops up against the Blues in largely white tops. 0-3 so far after 18 minutes. Haven’t seen much of it, as the demon work is interfering with my Friday. Lunch? What’s that?
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‘what do I know?’
How to lunch, definitely.
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Craigs they did! Now the Reds are leading 7-3 after Harry Wilson thundered through the Blues defence to score under the posts. The pop pass looked hopelessly forward, but the camera angles didn’t show it conclusively. 7-3 to the Reds.
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Chimpie, I sit here at my desk looking forlornly out the window at the grey, cold and disinterested Joburg sky, wondering why, oh why, are corporate lunches now pie in the sky? On a brighter note, the UK government is taking me to lunch next week, so thanks to you all for that! Thrifty, I shall not be!
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And in the time it took to type two tidbits, the Reds have got a yellow and the Blues are 17-7 up, leaving the Queenslanders marooned in mediocrity.
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Good to see my tax going to good use.
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Embra to face the norngibbons
15. Harry Paterson (0)
14. Eroni Sau (25)
13. James Johnstone (64)
12. George Taylor (36)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (66)
10. Blair Kinghorn (100)
9. Charlie Shiel (35)
1. Boan Venter (6)
2. Patrick Harrison (2)
3. WP Nel (155)
4. Marshall Sykes (6)
5. Ben Toolis (126)
6. Jamie Ritchie CAPTAIN (75)
7. Hamish Watson (119)
8. Ben Muncaster (1)
Substitutes:
16. Mike Willemse (38)
17. Pierre Schoeman (63)
18. Simon Berghan (89)
19. Mesu Kunavula (11)
20. Harri Morris (0)
21. Henry Pyrgos (51)
22. Nathan Chamberlain (9)
23. Cammy Hutchison (0)
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a mix of lionz and toddlers without a pro start. I imagine we’ll lose.
Lots and lots of players out due to covid among other reasons. Toolis back though which is nice.
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Ulster/NornGibbons team to play Edinburgh Rugby, Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup Round 5, Saturday 5 June at BT Murayfield (kick-off 5.15pm, live on Premier Sports):
(15-9) Rob Lyttle, Matt Faddes, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy, Ian Madigan, David Shanahan;
(1-8) Kyle McCall, Adam McBurney, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (Capt.), Matty Rea, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Greg Jones, Alby Mathewson, Billy Burns, Michael Lowry.
Ah well, it’s all about the taking part, isn’t it?
Interesting that McBurney is playing hooker, I think he’s the guy that is to join Embra next season, he’s up against an 18 year old, who looked pretty good last time out, to be fair.
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Now here’s a music selection to reckon with………………………
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/jun/04/10-best-songs-music-small-axe-steve-mcqueen#comment-149738497
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‘your’ Exeter team to face Northampton:
15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Facundo Cordero, 13 Henry Slade,12 Ian Whitten, 11 Tom O’Flaherty
10 Joe Simmonds (capt), 9 Jack Maunder
1 Ben Moon, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Harry Williams
4 Jonny Gray, 5 Jonny Hill
6 Sam Skinner, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 8 Sam Simmonds
16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Marcus Street, 19 Sean Lonsdale, 20 Richard Capstick
21 Stu Townsend, 22 Harvey Skinner, 23 Ollie Devoto
Nowell (badly?), Vermeulen and Ewers (both slightly) injured; Devoto rested. Hill/Gray partnership returns to action.
Should be a good game.
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Sadly, Quins putting out a weak team against Sale tonight as there is nothing in it for them.
Sale want a win, so………………….
I would like to have seen how Smith went against Sale……………………
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1, 3, 11, 16, 17 – that’s what my taxes paid for. You’re getting off lightly with a wee lunch.
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Morne Steyn with some superb early reads of the game. Form 10 in world rugby? Lions must be terrified.
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Both sides with some great dummy running. Or obstruction in old school parlance. Stormers knock over the first penalty to lead 0-3 in Pretoria.
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Great counter-rucking by the Stormers after some sloppy play by the Bulls and Willemse scores next to the posts. 0-10. Stormers scoring a point a minute against TomP/Jake White’s (anyone seen them etc etc) Bulls dinosaurs.
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Willemse then gets a yellow card for a deliberate knock down. Bulls bash brutally. Get another penalty. Go to the 5m lineout.
Marcel Coetzee gathers from the lineout and barges through unopposed. Can you imagine an Ulster lad making that kind of impact!
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Another Stormers back goes to the bin for being both offsides and deliberate knock on. Bulls have upped the ante.
Pretty happy so far with the speed of the game; handling not Kiwi level, but never has been.
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Morne Steyn eschews the 3 and kicks to the corner. It was a slam dunk 3 points. Marcel looking really good! Playing well too. Stormers get out of jail with a dodgy lineout and an even dodgier high tackle call.
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Stormers scrum blitzes the Bulls who scramble it away. Cornal Hendriks is doing some lovely stuff for the Bulls at 12. Really is the rapier to De Allende’s broad sword in midfield.
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Connacht get the BP try on the 30th minute, but Ospreys also have a couple. Only just switched it on, so can’t tell you how it’s happened.
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Ospreys have just botched a try.
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Hendriks really is running beautiful lines. Do the Boks want the 12 who bashes it up or carves open the defence? For me the latter. But not sure a twinkle-toed 12 is what the Boks will go for against the Lions. Maybe an impact sub, able to play centre or wing?
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Duane Vermeulen off injured. Praying it’s precautionary.
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Great Stormers try with some excellent stepping and passing! Great rugby! Boys are coming to the boil at the right time.
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Ospreys do score after getting the Connacht tichtheid sent off for 10 mins.
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Bulls dominated possession and territory by large margins in the 1st half but turn 7-17 down. Great defence thus far by the Stormers, can they keep it up in the 2nd half?
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Peyper says, “you can only refer whistle decisions, not ruck infringements”
What does that mean?
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Scoreless second half!
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Ticht – there was a weird one like that a few weeks ago too, where the commentators were pretty sure that the ref was wrong.
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Thaum, that does seem particularly weird, and wrong.
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Wonder if Brookter is at Sale – he’ll be enjoying this performance (so far). Sale South Africans mixing their game up well tonight.
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In the More In Hope Than Expectation Department….
Mon ra Weedge!
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This competition is upside-downsies. I expect Glasgow to win.
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Glad someone does.
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Gee….watching an old “Rugbaí Gold” game on TG4…. Toulouse vs Connacht…. Dan Parks playing alongside Kieran Marmion and Robbie Henshaw….
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Had forgotten about Parks playing for Connacht! Really?
There you go, BB – Glasgow with the first score.
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Oh, but….
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Leinster’s kit reminding me of this:
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