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 
Fan-dabbo-tastic kick from well within our half from Cooney to put us beyond a converted try! 6 mins to go….
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what. a. kick!
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Vincent Candelon, excellent pundit, same size as Lowry, just said that Lowry must have many ways to fold.
Plusieurs sens de pliage.
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Well, I am very pleased with that result, even if a mis-placed flag may have given Clermont the LBP!
And … breathe.
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ASM rescues a LBP.
Excellent win (and well deserved IMO) for Ulster. Some stupid bad blood at the end when an Ulster player threw the ball away preventing a quick move by ASM. Allegations of gouging followed. Hope they’re false, but then a RC for the liar should follow.
Anyway, excellent game.
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Pennaud is really a special player. Fearsome.
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Cooney got MotM. Well, he’s very good, but I think Lowry really deserved this one – won’t argue though!
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‘Someone’ needs to have a word with Henry Slade about his atrocious haircut.
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Fancy that! Get home just in time to see Exeter and Montpellier onna telly!
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It’s like a Monkees mullet.
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Deebs – you’ve missed some cracking matches.
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Mainly Edinburgh beating Saracens.
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Only half an eye on this but it’s a Montpellier 2nd string, isn’t it?
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BB – didn’t see that, but it warmed the auld cockles.
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Fab by Hoggy.
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Hoggy sent 4 Montpellier players out to the shops there. Lovely movement.
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WTF? I’ve just noticed that Exeter have a sort of Native American logo on their kit. Are they taking the piss?
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It’s not just the small chieftan badge over the heart, but two large chieftans facing each other on the front of the jersey. Thought they had recently seen the light on this issue? Apparently not.
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They are going to change the logo at some point – possibly later this month.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/exeter-chiefs-logo-change-drop-25557863
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Shirts were advertised as available at the beginning of the season. – now they’ve got stock to shift.
Hard times in the south west, y’know
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While we’re (well, I’m) at branding, I’d be very happy if Ulster dumped Kingspan, who apparently supplied the dodgy cladding to Grenfell Towers.
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Slade – hard times
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thaum, it’s worse than just supplying the materials: https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/kingspan-manager-said-professionals-raising-fire-concerns-could-go-fck-themselves-grenfell-inquiry-hears-68801
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Three and a half rugby matches enough for me for one day. Switching to Scandi Noir. :-)
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Kingspan had a sponsorship contract cancelled in some motorsport the other day as well. I’ll find it.
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https://www.rte.ie/sport/motorsport/2021/1208/1265533-mercedes-ends-partnership-with-kingspan-after-backlash/
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Jonny Gray try machine!
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TomP – jeebus! Those arseholes should be tossed into a pit with the survivors and the victims’ relatives.
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Yes, I saw the article about the sponsorship cancellation; that’s what alerted me to the connection.
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*an article – not that one!
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The one I saw – probably in the Graun – said that Ulster Rugby had declined to comment until something-or-other (enquiry?) had happened. Not good enough imo.
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To be fair, if they were approached for comment on the same day the news broke about their major sponsor, I suppose a few days to work out what to do is allowed. Just hope they make the right decision.
And we get Ravenhill back.
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Jonny Gray try machine x2!
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I’d hope there’ve been representations to them before now as that seems to be what did it for Mercedes.
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Well, yes, but Mercedes’ involvement with them was very recent.
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Probably lawyers are trawling through the agreements searching for clauses about maintaining a good name.
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Exeter fans singing their 2nd hand Tomahawk Chop song.
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/o\
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Ravenhill has been sponsored by Kingspan since 2014. Grenfell was 2017. Not sure when it became known that Kingspan cladding was involved.
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What’re the odds that those singing that song a) voted for Brexit and b) are against any Covid restrictions?
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BB – as far as I’m aware, it’s only become known in the past couple of days. At least, I’ve not seen any info before.
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Jonny Gray hat-trick hero!
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BB, that’s right. And the relationship goes back to 1999.
This is from the Irish Times earlier this week:
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thaum, last year was when the emails were released at the inquiry.
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Ah. Well, fuck the suits, then.
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I shall be writing a strongly-worded email….
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I reckon if you said a Scottish international would score a hat trick for Exeter, the first name you thought of wouldn’t have been Jonny’s. Good to see him back though, and hope he has a rest next week when they play us!
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Non-Scot scores for Exeter shock!
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Convincing win for Exeter in the end. Took a wee bit of time to get going, but once they did there was only one winner.
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Not quite Johnny Grey but a two-try return for me in the parents v kids touch game. Still got the skill to draw and pass and to pick a running line.
Was absolutely bushed after playing for 30 minutes so enjoyed a very very welcome cigarette on the walk home.
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