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 
Keep the updates coming please! No access to tele here
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As is the way of English commentators, in the pre-match discussion, they talked up Quins and made snide comments about the inexperienced Cardiff side. Actually apologised at half-time.
Cardiff have gone over the line again, but not managed to touch it down.
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With Cardiff dominating possession and territory in the second half, Quins make a visit to the Cardiff 22 and score.
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Oops, Quins over again. Looking a bit hopeless now.
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Quins go in again. Cardiff utterly doomed.
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Sounds quintessentially Cardiff.
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And one or two more … 43-17 at the end.
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Great effort by Cardiff. Second half was one-sided on the scoreboard but a good game.
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Settled in at a very misty Scotstoun. Can see across the pitch OK and both ends so match should be on. Could get dodgy if it gets any thicker though.
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Mon The Weedge, BB
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Just saw Hoggy trying to put Wee Dunky off as he was practising kicks. Although they did have a we chat after.
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how could you tell it was them, BB?
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I’m going to get eye strain watching this
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It’s looking pretty foggy, Hoggy, onna telly!
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Cotter: And there’s MacKay, he says with no great certainty….
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Lots of distant figures in the mist. Exeter haven’t got going.
But neither have we.
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How the hell did Exeter get that ball at the end?
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Possibly the Hound of the Baskervilles was involved.
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Probably a different ball
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Are those floodlights set on main beam?
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Darge and Turner have been good
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Someone just shouted “Get in the hole” as Thompson kicked that goal.
The fog must be really bad, Turnberry is a fair distance from Scotstoun
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Exeter being given a lesson by Glasgow…………………….
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Well deserved by Glasgow.
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Cooface seals it.
Great performance from Glasgow, Exeter barely got a shot off.
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Best Glasgow performance I didn’t see.
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Jack Dempsey could be a fair dinkum Scottish cap this time next year.
He is one of the best 8s in the European game at the moment.
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Am pissed off that Racing got the 28-0 + BP, as that puts them top of our table, instead of Ulster who have actually played two.
Anyway, c’mon Munster!
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Also, fair play to the Exeter fans (well, the ones I could see near me, anyway). No headdresses and chants. No idea what was happening on other stands, mind you.
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Glad to hear that BB
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Watching the match on repeat and it definitely seems worse on camera than it did at the ground. Although the Scotstoun floodlights always seem quite dark on TV.
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That is a hell of a finish from the Munster 8
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Well, I can only think that the TMOs have access to better-quality video than we can see.
Both the Munster ‘tries’ have looked pretty much the same. One awarded, one not.
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I missed the first one, Thaum, but on the second there was no clear space between the hand and the ball, from what I could see
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I’m listening through studio quality headphones and there is some guy in the crowd who sounds like a cross between Effing Eddie and that “You bottle-less get” guy :-)
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This is by far the most tedious match of the tournament so far ( possibly the year). The Match We Couldn’t See was infinitely more engaging.
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Ticht – there wasn’t anything clear in the first one, either, but in both cases you suspected they may have lost contact. Both cases on-field decision was no try.
First one was silly, though, because de Allende had two free players to his left and didn’t need to go into contact.
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Another weird ending to a match!
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:-)
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That was, frankly, shit.
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Aye, Thaum, a couple of hours we won’t get back.
Apparently the final of Strictly was good.
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*The Munster/Castres match, not Ticht’s post. :-)
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Apparently the final of Strictly was good.
I’d rather watch shit rugby all day long.
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Thaum, I’ll say it again but never, EVER, watch Castres. Regardless of the opponent , they’ll make any game tedious.
WRT this week-end games outcome, let it be known that the French clubs through the LNR asked for all games to be cancelled/ postponed, including games such as Castres’ or Racing’s, as the covid risk is not any lower in Ireland than in the UK. It was, according to LNR, a decision backed by the English and the Celts.
Doubt the competition will go through anyway.
What I could see in Glasgow was quite good, and impressive from the ” Warriors”. And good the Chiefs didn’t bark their “song”.
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Flair – I will certainly bear that advice in mind for the future.
It is probably madness to let any games go on as things are going.
Also, David Frost has resigned. Quelle dommage!
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I don’t think we’ll be seeing many more European clashes until the Spring/printemps.
I expect the UK to go into a de facto lockdown for at least a month
I don’t mean to be all Eeyore, I’m happy enough for it to happen if the treasury open their purse strings to help out businesses, I just think that is what lies ahead.
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Last couple of things on tonight…
I really like Ben Kay as a co-commentator. Always seems to be even handed and doesn’t just talk up the English side (are you listening Dallaglio?).
Also – I’m not sure if it is the Warriors, or Scotstoun, but COULD YOU PLEASE STOP PLAYING BLOODY MUSIC AT EVER SINGLE FECKIN’ STOP IN PLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It didn’t come over much on the TV, but there was a bloody speaker right in front of my section of stand.
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“Also, David Frost has resigned. Quelle dommage!”
Another Brexiteer rat deserting the sinking ship
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BB, did you notice Kay talking about Watson and Darge?
I missed the start of what he was saying but I thought he was saying Watson played for Glasgow
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I think he was just saying that the playing styles of both were very similar and it could mean that Scotland could replace like for like. Don’t think I heard him saying he thought ‘Mish played for Glasgow. Although that could have been the fog…
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