Turn off the phones, lock the kids in the soundproof basement, prepare your food and drink and turn on the telly, ‘cos it’s time for the European cups again.
Prognostication is not my forté, but I’ll give it a bash for the Big Cup matches.
Northampton v Racing 92
I was surprised to discover that Racing 92 are only in 8th position in the Top 14, whereas the Saints are sitting pretty in third place in the English Premiership. However, Racing know how to bring their best game to an important match, so I’m going for les Parisiens by 7.
Cardiff v Toulouse
Can’t see anything other than a Toulousain trouncing of the hosts by about 15 points.
Leinster v Bath
With Bath languishing at the bottom of the Premiership, this can only go one way. Blue Meanies by 40.
Bordeaux v Leicester
The two top teams in their respective leagues, again to my surprise. I’ll raise a glass of Haut-Médoc to the home side by 3.
Clermont Auvergne v Ulster
Having attended this fixture in a previous competition, ordinarily I’d say a safe win for the home side. However, TomPirracas’ sleuthing informs us that Clermont is a Covid-ravaged camp, so that and downright foolish optimism leads me to predict Ulster by a point.
Exeter v Montpellier
Another tough one to predict, so home advantage to provide a narrow win.
Ospreys v Sale
Ospreys must be exhausted after last week, but Sale are not doing very well this year. Ospreys by 7.
Connacht v Stade Français
Connacht are on good form, and have been unlucky to narrowly lose a couple of their matches so far. I have no similar insights on SF, but they are towards the bottom of the table. Connacht by 4.
La Rochelle v Glasgow
Two fifth-place sides competing. Hmm. Chez nous by 3.
Wasps v Munster
Given Munster’s very depleted squad, Wasps by 15. At least.
Onna telly this week
Friday 10th December
| Northampton v Racing 92 | 20:00 | BT Sport 2 |
| Lyon v Gloucester | 20:00 | BT Sport 3 |
Saturday 11th December
| Cardiff v Toulouse | 13:00 | Channel 4 / BT Sport 2 |
| Leinster v Bath | 15:15 | BT Sport 2 |
| Bordeaux v Leicester | 15:15 | BT Sport 3 |
| Clermont v Ulster | 17:30 | BT Sport 2 |
| USAP v Dragons | 17:30 | S4C |
| Exeter v Montpellier | 20:00 | BT Sport 2 |
Sunday 12th December
| Ospreys v Sale | 13:00 | BT Sport 2 | ||
| Connacht v Stade Français | 13:00 | BT Sport 3 | ||
| La Rochelle v Glasgow | 15:15 | BT Sport 3 | ||
| Wasps v Munster | 15:15 | BT Sport 2 |
Ovally Balls 
Could be my phone browser but I can’t see who done this. Words to whoever done this.
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Thaum I think. Clue might be in the Ulster prediction….
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Ooh! – I do so like a good ‘whodonnit’!
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Thanks to whoever – Munster might well beat Wasps – who have a catalogue of players laid up
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Inspector BB has it on the nose!
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‘Your’ Exeter team to face Montpellier:
Hogg, Nowell, Slade, Whitten, O’Flaherty
Simmonds, Maunder
Hepburn, LC-D, I-Scott
Gray, Hill
Ewers, Skinner, Simmonds
Yeandle, Kenny, Nixon, Armand, Kirsten, Maunder, Skinner, Hendrickson
Nearly a full-house of ‘heavies’ for the French!
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Munster were lucky in some ways because they didn’t send all their internationals to South Africa, but they have 22 under-21s on their squad now.
Seems Leinster are missing a few players to Covid too, but … y’know, it’s Leinster.
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Ulster:
15. Mike Lowry14. Robert Baloucoune 13. James Hume 12. Stuart McCloskey 11. Ethan McIlroy 10. Billy Burns 9. John Cooney
1. Andrew Warwick 2. Rob Herring 3. Tom O’Toole 4. Alan O’Connor (captain) 5. Kieran Treadwell 6. Marcus Rea 7. Nick Timoney 8. Duane Vermeulen
Replacements:
16. John Andrew 17. Jack McGrath 18. Ross Kane 19. Sam Carter 20. Greg Jones 21. Sean Reidy 22. Nathan Doak 23. Stewart Moore
Munster:
15. Patrick Campbell 14. Andrew Conway 13. Chris Farrell 12. Damian de Allende 11. Keith Earls 10. Joey Carbery 9. Conor Murray
1. Dave Kilcoyne 2. Scott Buckley 3. James French 4. Eoin O’Connor 5. Tadhg Beirne 6. Peter O’Mahony (captain) 7. John Hodnett 8. Daniel Okeke
Replacements: 16. Declan Moore 17. Mark Donnelly 18. Roman Salanoa 19. John Forde 20. Conor Moloney 21. Ethan Coughlan 22. Tony Butler 23. Jonathan Wren
12 debutants in the XXIII for Munster.
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Thanks for new page Thaum. I have to take you to task on the first game tho. While this looks like a fairly backline :- Racing 92: Beale; Thomas, Vakatawa, Fickou (c), Imhoff; Russell, Machenaud; Gogichashvili, Baubigny, Oz; Jones, Le Roux; Diallo, Lauret, Tanga.
and Saints look a little underpowered :- Saints: Furbank; Freeman, Proctor, Dingwall, Skosan; Biggar, Mitchell; Auterac, Matavesi, Painter; Ribbans, Ratuniyarawa; Wilkins, Ludlam (c), Augustus.
I think we firmly established a couple of weeks back by scientific deduction and application of statistics that Finn is flakey as fuck, and has probably been on the lash last night, so I expect a resounding Saints victory.
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Also, the BBC promised Ashes highlights available after 5pm on I player the same day, so where are they ?
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SBT – we shall see who’s right shortly. If it’s me, I want a croque m’sieur pronto, being very hungry. If you’re right, I’ll send you a haggis with a halo.
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Another one gone from my younger days…
(Even though he didn’t write this, still a cracking song)
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Ah, that’s a shame. I really like his solo stuff – and love The Monkees.
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Thanks Thaum.
Apparently Wasps have 18 players out due to injury so they will be fielding a different side themselves.
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I used to love the Monkees tv show when I was a kid
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Ticht – oof! Maybe I should have done more research. ;-)
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Anton Bressler’s career has gone to shit since leaving Embra, starting for Racing in the European Cup is a bit of a humiliation after playing for Auld Reekie
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I may have underestimated this one. Should have gone with the first thought instead of, y’know, looking at the placings.
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A little bit of Finn magic and Racing are in, it’s going to be 13 nil after nine minutes
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Lovely stuff Thauma!
Saints all over the shop in the first 15 minutes.
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Biggar’s been hit a few times and looks crocked already.
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Cheers, Deebs!
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A few minutes of good pressure in the R92 22 and the blow it and in a flash they’ve conceded a penalty at the othervens. 0-16 after 20 minutes. Saints have a lot to do here.
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What’s happened to Teddy Thomas? No hair and twice the size?!
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This is a rout. Racing over again.
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Racing are playing against boys here
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I wanted to use ‘Racing certainty’ in the ATL, but wasn’t that sure about it….
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I said a couple of weeks ago that Russell was a bit overrated. He’s playing beautifully tonight, timing his passes to perfection, picking the right runners and doing everything at a pace that’s wrong footing Saints all the time. Great to watch!
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What’s happened to Teddy Thomas? No hair and twice the size?!
Same thing happened to me. It’s called hitting 40.
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Saints on the scoreboard – comeback is on!
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Deebee – don’t think Thomas is 40 yet though but.
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I’ve got more hair than I’ve ever had.
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Joburg’s finest, Skosan gets Saints on the board!
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Oops Finn.
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CMW – aye, but is it on the top of yer heid?
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That was a cracking long pass.
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That was a beautifully executed try
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@Thaum – mostly, yes.
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Well! 7-28 at HT.
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Lauret was magnificent in that half
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CMW – ah, the joys of non-employment. I’m with you.
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Mind you, it’s his time of year, what with being called Wenceslas and all
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That was pretty chastening for Saints. They had their moments but handling let them down too often. Racing looking lethal every time they get good ball.
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Childhood memory:
Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
A snowball came and hit him in the snout
And knocked it all uneven.
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Yeah, Finn’s overrated….
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Great BP try.
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Fucksakes Finn is something else
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BB – he has his brain farts here and there, but he’s brilliantly unpredictable and has quite a few moments of pure genius.
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Sublime by Finn.
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Biggar going off at last.
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