Pack your suitcases and prepare for Round Two of the European Cup.
Cardiff v Harlequins
Home advantage and Ellis Jenkins won’t do enough for Cardiff against in-form Quins. Quins by 10.
Castres v Munster
No-one will ever know the result of this match as anyone who attempts to watch it will die the most horrible of deaths from boredom, judging by the reverse fixture.
Wasps v Toulouse
Ooh. Toulouse by at least 35.
Ospreys v Racing 92
Surprisingly, Racing 92 are languishing even further down the Top 14 table than Ospreys are in the URC. I still think they’ll win, though – by about 12.
Connacht v Leicester
This could be the surprise of the weekend, possibly depending on the weather. Connacht by 3.
La Rochelle v Bath
Bath to take a Bath. La Rochelle by 20.
Exeter v Glasgow Warriors
Glasgow have been looking the business in their last couple of matches, and Exeter are not what they were last year. Weegies by 6.
Bristol v Stade Français
Neither side setting the world on fire this season, so home players by 4.
Leinster v Montpellier
Despite being toppled off the top of the URC, Leinster remain a team to be very scared of, and are at home. Blue Meanies by 17.
Bordeaux v Scarlets
Ooh là là, les Médocs par approximately neufty.
Northampton v Ulster
Will the return of Baloucoune and Hume mean an Ulster away win? Probably not, but I’m going for Ulster by 7 anyway. (This is why I never win the leagues.)
Clermont v Sale
Oh dear, Yellow Army by 30.
Onna telly this week
Friday 14th January
| Castres v Munster | 20:00 | BT Sport 3 |
| Cardiff v Harlequins | 20:00 | S4C / BT Sport 2 |
Saturday 15th January
| Wasps v Toulouse | 13:00 | Channel 4 / BT Sport 2 |
| Treviso v Dragons | 15:15 | S4C |
| Ospreys v Racing 92 | 15:15 | BT Sport 3 |
| Connacht v Leicester | 15:15 | BT Sport 2 |
| La Rochelle v Bath | 17:30 | BT Sport 3 |
| Exeter v Glasgow | 17:30 | BT Sport 2 |
| Bristol v Stade Français | 20:00 | BT Sport 2 |
Sunday 16th January
| Leinster v Montpellier | 13:00 | BT Sport 2 | ||
| Bordeaux v Scarlets | 15:15 | BT Sport 3 | ||
| Northampton v Ulster | 15:15 | BT Sport 2 | ||
| Clermont v Sale | 17:30 | BT Sport 2 |
Ovally Balls 
@OT – I assumed that was really the case. Think you’re probably right – doing it on a second device is clearly only going to work if you aren’t so dim that you don’t get it at all on the first one.
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I bet the celebrities get their PA to do it first and give them the answer.
By ‘celebrities’ you mean Boris?
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cotland Six Nations Squad
Forwards
Ewan Ashman – Sale Sharks – 2 caps
Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby – 2 caps
Jamie Bhatti – Glasgow Warriors – 22 caps
Magnus Bradbury – Edinburgh Rugby – 14 caps
Andy Christie – Saracens – uncapped
Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors – 21 caps
Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors – uncapped
Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 17 caps
Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 42 caps
Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby – 48 caps
Jonny Gray – Exeter Chiefs – 64 caps
Nick Haining – Edinburgh Rugby – 10 caps
Jamie Hodgson – Edinburgh Rugby – 3 caps
Stuart McInally – Edinburgh Rugby – 43 caps
WP Nel – Edinburgh Rugby – 43 caps
Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby – 31 caps
Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby – 4 caps
Javan Sebastian – Scarlets – 1 cap
Sam Skinner – Exeter Chiefs – 15 caps
Rory Sutherland – Worcester Warriors – 16 caps
George Turner – Glasgow Warriors – 20 caps
Hamish Watson – Edinburgh Rugby – 45 caps
Backs
Mark Bennett – Edinburgh Rugby – 22 caps
Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby – 22 caps
Chris Harris – Gloucester Rugby – 31 caps
Stuart Hogg – Exeter Chiefs – 88 caps – Captain
Rory Hutchinson – Northampton Saints – 5 caps
Sam Johnson – Glasgow Warriors – 21 caps
Blair Kinghorn – Edinburgh Rugby – 28 caps
Rufus McLean – Glasgow Warriors – 2 caps
Ali Price – Glasgow Warriors – 46 caps
Cameron Redpath – Bath Rugby – 1 cap
Kyle Rowe – London Irish – uncapped
Finn Russell – Racing 92 – 58 caps
Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors – 3 caps
Sione Tuipulotu- Glasgow Warriors – 1 cap
Duhan van der Merwe – Worcester Warriors – 13 caps
Ben Vellacott – Edinburgh Rugby – uncapped
Ben White – London Irish – uncapped
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Scotland, rather
No idea who White & Christie are.
Some interesting calls – no Hastings. KInghorn as our 10 back up? Eeek. No treacle toes (but imagine he’ll be back if there’s an injury). Recall for Hutchinson. Glad to see Redpath is back & playing. Hope he doesn’t break again.
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White’s the ex-Leicester scrum half. He’ll have learned a lot from Phipps at Irish. He’s ok, nothing too special but quite young.
Christie’s a second-stringer at Sarries. England Under 20s player. Quite young.
I wonder if Dylan Richardson’s injured.
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Richardson is injured
Still no idea why Hastings isn’t there.
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I don’t watch Glasgow often but what’s happened with the halfback Horne?
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Evolution of the Glaswegian male has involved losing the centre horn and the half back horn becoming less prominent over time.
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Horne The Elder has retired and gone into coaching. He wasn’t great as a 10 anyway. Horne The Younger is probably behind Price and Dobie in the 9 line.
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Hastings has been given, “work ons” for his game apparently. Toonie is ruthless with this, Matt Scott was in the wilderness for years due to workons. He then of course made the one mistake he’d been prone to, jumping out the defensive line, against South Africa and he’s toast.
Horne Jnr’s form has stumbled off a cliff and is lying there, bleeding from head wounds and losing consciousness in the mid day sun.
As things stand Kinghorn is the back up fly half, and his goal kicking is a concern, Boffelli has taken over that role for Edinburgh.
I would be mightily miffed if I was Luke Crosbie, he has been tearing up trees but a Saracens also ran gets picked ahead of him.
Tighthead remains a real problem position
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Christie played for Scotland U16 before opting for England U20s
White was apparently really quite good against Edinburgh last week, I didn’t see the game
Vellacott has played a big part in Edinburgh’s rise to the top of the log this season, albeit with the caveat that we are yet to play the big beasts of Ireland
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Actually, now that I look him up, Christie has played 10 games for Sarries this season, starting in 7, he might not be such a second rate player for them after all
I haven’t knowingly seen him play, but good luck to him.
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Potentially really tasty back line there, a hatful of really classy centre combinations , if any of the pickees play anywhere near their best, not to mention a back three of Graham, Hogg +1. Then there’s Price, who has improved tenfold in the last couple of years, Along with Finn, who is a delight to watch even when he’s having a shit day. And then opposite there’s an undercooked Faz at 12, slowing up England’s backline, and guaranteed to resemble a turnstile a couple of times a game in defence. ( and possibly a turnstile with head high shoulders and elbows too)
Hmmmmm. Fear.
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SBT, Duhan vdMerwe is pretty much nailed-on for the other wing starter spot.
The only questions over the starting XV for the England game, imo, are at inside centre where Redpath is only just back, but he had a terrific debut v England last year. Sam Johnson is playing well, though.
At 8, Bradbury is the form guy with Fagerson Jnr the man in possession of the shirt.
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Ireland squad:
Backs: Bundee Aki (Connacht), Robert Baloucoune (Ulster), Joey Carbery (Munster), Jack Carty (Buccaneers), Craig Casey (Munster), Andrew Conway (Munster), Keith Earls (Munster), Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), James Hume (Ulster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), Jordan Larmour (Leinster), Michael Lowry (Ulster), Conor Murray (Munster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Johnny Sexton (Leinster, capt)
Forwards: Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Gavin Coombes (Munster), Caelan Doris (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Dave Kilcoyne (Munster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Tom O’Toole (Ulster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Kieran Treadwell (Ulster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster)
Development Player: Cian Prendergast (Connacht)
No McCloskey or Cooney, but they are both injured at the mo.
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Jack Carty (Buccaneers)
Eh? Not Connacht?
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Neither of the Byrne brothers making the squad is a bit of a surprise, Thaum
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Yes, good point, Ticht. Looks like Carty is in instead.
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Mind you, given the injury rates of both Sexton and Carbery, it might be wise to include another 10.
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Although of course Lowry is an option there, but not much time playing the position lately.
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Carbery’s injured at the moment as it is but should be fit enough for a good half hour in the 6 Nations.
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Hendo’s also injured. O’Mahoney wasn’t looking great last time I saw him.
Perhaps a fitter squad could have been picked.
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@Ticht, Crosbie is injured. Would have thought he’d be in otherwise as he’s been really good of late.
Toonie and his ‘work ons’ eh. Maybe Hastings has gotten a bit complacent or summat & needs a boot up the posterior. He’s got the talent.
Other talking points are Kebble who TBH I’ve not seen much of recently but presumably his form has gone all Horne-y. Tighthead is the main area of concern currently. If either Z-fags or Nel break (or heaven forbid both) we’r e barrel scraping. As for Huw Jones he’s barely getting game time for quins so not a surprise he’s not in. Centre is a very competitive position at the mo.
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Sweardle, this might come in handy for the 6N
Sweardle day 13 2/4
⬛⬛🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩
https://sweardle.com/
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Chimpie, I didn’t realise Crosbie’s injury was anything more than a niggle, that’s disappointing
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Jones plays quite often for Quins – 15 appearances this season – but mostly off the bench. But then the centres ahead of him at Quins are Northmore and Marchant and both are in the England squad.
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O’Mahony is an unlikely starter – starting BR is likely to be Doris, vd Flier and Conan. Ryan and Henderson in SR – with Beirne covering SR and BR
Harry Byrne not played much since October – Ross isn’t really in Farrell’s thoughts I assume. So, options at 10 then were Carty or Burns. Instructive that Carty gets the nod.
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Ach, Ticht – now and I went and played the Sweardle thing. Took me four goes to be congratulated on being a potty mouth. Fucking bullshit in my opinion.
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True for Leinster as well. Only 4 games in the last 12 weeks. One or both Byrnes has a fair chance of being in the squad by the end of the tournament.
I think Frawley’s the coming man. He’s a very good player.
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Back to FHs also a slight surprise Thompson not considered. At least a couple of decent back up options in case of injury but surely would have made sense to have training with the squad.
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Frawley….? He’s not played much at 10 (though notionaly that was his position when he joined Leinster) – Sexton, Byrne, Byrne, and Hawkshaw have determined that.
But he does offer that 5/8th option of a second playmaker. Aki does it a bit and there have been attempts (or so it appears) to add that to Ringrose’s game but generally, it’s not something that Ireland use as a tactical approach .
(I do recall Sexton at 12 with O’Gara – and further back Campbell at 12 with Ward – but that was usually trying to shoehorn 2 good players into the starting XV rather than a considered strategy)
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Casting an eye over the squads and there is a singular impression that one gets: look weak.
Scotland – one pie dropped onna toe away from having a liquid front row again and a flakily brilliant or brilliantly flaky 10 asked to command games behind that lot. Need more fat Saffers.
Ireland – the combination of ‘youth and experience’ that coaches blather on about is lovely, except that the experienced mob are over the hill. Michael Lowry may be the saviour. Should learn to smile a bit, just not when putting 50 past Italy. Need more Kiwis.
England – November’s fluke win over the Boks doesn’t cover up the fact that Jones will select whoever pisses off the public most, a bit like a Tory leadership contest, just without the talent. Need more of everyone.
Wales – haven’t seen their squad, but doubtless a bunch of honest triers who’ll use anti-English sentiment to win that one, but get gubbed by everyone else, except Italy. Can’t afford imports.
France – don’t think they’ve released their squad yet, but because the entire NH press contingent has them as WC favourites next year, they’ll be piss poor, implode acrimoniously and send the pitchforks out for the coaching staff. Disguise Saffers with ‘Le’ in their names as their own.
Italy – should be replaced by Georgia etc etc. Take whichever foreigners can’t crack it elsewhere.
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trisk, Frawley a bit down the line I think but they do seem to like him more at 12 as he hasn’t started at outside half in a couple of years. I like Hawkshaw but he’s yet to start a game for Leinster. It’s tough for those lads to break in to the 1st XV there.
Sexton and O’Gara would only have been a substitution thing.
New Zealand with Carter at 12 and Spencer at 10 – or before that Mauger at 12 – is a good example of it. Australia probably did it a fair bit with Giteau I imagine. France with Lamaison and Castaignede as well. Ntamack’s played a bit of centre for the national side recently and was there at under 20s.
Wales 1988 is the gold standard – 4 players who were starting outside half at their club played v England at Twickenham.
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Sweardle day 13 2/4
🟨⬛⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩
https://sweardle.com/
Wordle 215 4/6
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
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France named their massive squad a couple of days ago, Deebee:
https://www.the42.ie/france-six-nations-squad-4-5658136-Jan2022/
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Looks incendiary.
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I can’t quite recall if it happened all at once, but Scotland played a few number 8s in the second row in the late 80s, Derek White and Eric Paxton played there, giving them five number 8s behind the front row – White, Paxton, John Beattie, John Jeffrey and Finlay Calder (a “proper 7” who had played at 8 for his club many times iirc)
Finn has moved out to 12 to accommodate Adam Hastings in recent years, but it was never going to be a full time thing.
On Huw Jones, Quins fans tell me he has not exactly been at the races this season. He couldn’t nail down the outside centre jersey at Glasgow either.
At bis best he will rip teams apart, but he’s just not doing it at the moment, Harris looks like he is the first name on Toonies team sheet, and to be fair he has made a big difference to our overall shape
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Still no Camille Chat for France. There is some star quality there, Ntamak looks half the player without Dupont for Toulouse (who wouldn’t?) but they reckon he’ll be fit. Fickou and Aldritt look to be in terrific form from what I’ve seen
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Here you go, ticht:
http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/21936.html
I remembered Iain Paxton but not Eric. ESPN tells me Eric played a couple of tests. Were they brothers?
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With the exception of Ollivon and Vincent unavailable until spring I think, (and possibly a nagging knee injury for Dupont), Galthié has the luxury of getting all the players he wanted. There could’ve been a few tweeks here and there, as he has so many options available but overall quite a promising selection.
It could still be disrupted by the damn virus though. Toulouse just said they have over 10 new cases, and there are already speculations whether their Hcup game will go ahead this Saturday.
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@tomp
I looked at the 1998 England team vs Wales and expected it to be absolutely rubbish. Then I saw the forward pack and realised they were actually pretty good:
1 Paul Rendall,
2 Brian Moore,
3 Jeff Probyn,
4 John Orwin,
5 Wade Dooley,
6 Mickey Skinner,
7 Peter Winterbottom,
8 Dean Richards,
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Iain Paxton was who I meant, for some reason that’s not the first time I’ve said Eric instead.
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“1 Paul Rendall”
Is he the one who looked about 55?
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OT, Moore and Skinner were very new caps from what I remember. The backs were a weird mix – Carling young and inexperienced next to Old Man Cusworth, Melville was good but always injured, Harrison on the wing was the captain and got the sack straight after. Sadly, they sorted themselves out a bit after.
Anyway, we murdered them.
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CMW, The Judge.
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@cmw
Yes he was. I remember his main skill was his scrummaging, ended up being replaced by a the young whipper snapper Jason Leonard.
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Got to be pleased some of that lot were there for that game even if they did mostly get their own back in spades.
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@cmw
Also don’t forget this was just as the exodus to RL from Wales was about to happen as well. From that team JDI, Hadley, Young and Moriarty all moved over between 1988 and 1990. Plus there were loads more.
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@OT – I think some had already gone, but yes it was when it was quickening up. I guess that’s more to do with RL becoming more fully professional than it had been rather than anything much to do with Wales.
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