Could anything be more exciting than last week’s matches?
Read on to find out.
Wales vs Scotland
Scotland, all day, easy peasy, we lost to the eventual winners innit.
Ahem. Ok, victory for Scotland for the first time in Cardiff for a while (but they did win in Llanelli) against a team who has had their number for a while now. Wales have too many injuries and lost 90% of their caps in Alun Wyn-Jones. They also don’t have Josh Navidi, Taulupe Faletau or Justin Tipuric so I can’t see them win the battle up front. Scotland on the other hand have only lost Jamie Ritchie (big loss, mind) and will feel confident after their recent win against … err … can’t remember. In fact, looking at the line-ups, it’s only n° 6 where Wales have a significantly better player.
Wales won by a single point last year and have regressed since. Their defence has become pretty bollocks after Shaun left and they lack the experience at international level (this does not mean they are like England. Repeat, they are NOT like England). Further, they didn’t really set the world alight in the autumn (win against Australia aside). Whereas Scotland have won 6 of their last (arbitrary point in time warning) 7 matches and will be confident going in.
30 – 20 to Scotland.
France vs Ireland
Some people might point out that Ireland don’t have Cateyes and therefore are not going to be as competitive as they could be against France. I, on the other hand, think that this is more than counterbalanced by the number of Ulster players in the team which shows strategic and forward thinking on Faz’s part.
This is probably the game of the weekend. Both sides are in great form having won their opening games and recently beaten the All Blacks (but who hasn’t nowadays? Scotland and Wales actually, but we’ve already discussed that) in convincing style. Ireland play a brand of ‘Pro-pleasing precision rugby and now have a pack which won’t get munched by the opposition whereas France have actually made a team worth the sum of its parts. Both teams are very strong in defence whereas France are a bit better in open play and will score some tries against the run of play. I think Ireland will win the breakdown so these are evenly-matched foes.
I think the key battle will be the set piece with these two teams. If either one can get an edge in the scrum and/or lineout then I expect them to win; probably Ireland. It won’t be by much but it will be down to the old heads such O’Mahoney at the end to see Ireland through.
28 – 22 to Ireland
Italy vs England
England v Italy is always a tough one to preview. Either it induces 50 Shades of meh as England eventually beat them or there’s a surprise around the ruck laws or there is a comedy rage moment where Brian Moore reveals how many toys his ma bought him for his birthday. Recently, England rarely seem to come out of these encounters with glowing match day reports. Either they won well, but didn’t lay down a marker, or they won and it was a poor performance. Or it wasn’t rugby maate.
Apparently Eddie is going with the same team as last week. I think it’s good to have a settled team to build confidence but I’d prefer it if we had some more bosh and experience. Courtney buggering his beautiful noggin is a big loss for us and after last weekend England need Faz’s direction. So I’m thinking that next Monday we’ll have a column from Matt Dawson saying how he would have done something different in hindsight. That’s because he is well clever and if you look at his articles, he doesn’t write many paragraphs, just widely spaced single sentences listing the random thoughts he is having at that moment.
Eddie normally talks about how England will ‘smash’ Italy, but he’s been quiet on that front so far. Which is actually quite nice. I’m expecting a disjointed first half, and then a comfortable gap to open up in the last 20 minutes. I am hoping that we show a bit more attacking shape than last week, and that Marcus Smith finds his feet (watch Squidge’s video about the Calcutta Cup for what I mean by that).
I think Italy will score a couple of nice tries but also shoot themselves in the foot more often than not. They have a young and exciting fly half and Benetton won that cup thing which I think was good, but not sure how seriously the other teams were taking it. Like that development cup in the Prem.
25 – 17 to England.
UPDATE!!!!
Randall starts!!!! And Marchant is in the centre and we have proper wingers and, and, and FFS Eddie, why can’t you do this when we play Scotland?!!!
Hand-wringing by Craigsman
Onna telly this week
Friday 11th February
| Leinster v Edinburgh | 18:00 | RTÉ2 / Premier Sports 1 |
| Italy U20 v England U20 | 19:00 | BBC iPlayer |
| Leicester v Northampton | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
| Wales U20 v Scotland U20 | 20:00 | BBC iPlayer / S4C |
| Toulouse v Stade Français | 20:00 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Glasgow v Munster | 20:15 | TG4 / Premier Sports 1 |
Saturday 12th February
| Lions v Stormers | 13:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Wales v Scotland | 14:15 | BBC1 / S4C |
| Bulls v Sharks | 15:05 | Premier Sports 2 |
| France v Ireland | 16:45 | ITV |
Sunday 13th February
| Saracens v Harlequins | 13:00 | BT Sport 1 | ||
| Italy v England | 15:00 | ITV |
Ovally Balls 
@ticht
Most of the social media I follow (I’m not much of a contributor) were more animated about the ruck where the ball was slapped out of Casey’s hands.
From the stands – I try not to watch screens too much – can be hard to draw any conclusion on how scrum is reffed.
And as you say, when you win it’s all good.
There is a general consensus that Munster lack “grunt” in the front 5. Both in tight and loose. Kleyn is the only heavyweight there.
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Sag pleasing game in Newcastle, great defensive effort by 14 man Falcons. Thoroughly enjoyed that. Shame they couldn’t quite hang on to the 2 pint lead in the last 5 ins. Superb support for the Argentinian players on both sides by a touring side, the club Santiago Grondona learnt his rugby at originally. Nice.
http://www.clubchampagnat.com/
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Exeter played their get out of jail card at the end of a poor performance.
Still, they were only missing:
Hogg, Slade, Nowell, LC-D, Williams, Gray, Hill, Ewers, Vermeulen, Simmonds plus various injured
Newcastle were really impressive
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2 pint lead? How many did they have?
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@refit
I remember that first time around…..triple vodka, another triple vodka, ooh brown ale…. (delivered in mock-Sid Waddell accent)
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Grassroots update ….
We took our full U14 squad over the road to Tralee on Saturday for a friendly as both teams has a free weekend. Tralee managed to scrape up 15. We played 3×20 (or some variation) – ultimately our greater numbers told – it was tight up to 40 (thanks to our own usual wastefulness and some – well – “erratic”* referreeing). We ran away with it in the last third – as the lads worked out that if they moved the ball they couldn’t get pinged at the tackle and the advantage of 10 or 11 subs started to tell.
U16s took on a local rivals Killorglin on Sunday in brutal weather – for a quarter final playoff (we weren’t particularly sure why…. we’d been 3rd in our group with 12pts and they had been 3rd with 10). We went down 9-7 (converted try to 2 pens and a DG). I thought we were better team – but Killorglin played the conditions better – they kicked – their 10 was a handy player – and either pinned us back or made us throw in to the line out in howling gale (so, no prizes for guessing we’d throw to #2). The drop goal (at 3-0) was a neat touch. We got ahead 7-6 with 10 mins left but left a kickable (even in the teeth of Storm Franklin) penalty . We had chances but handling (it was cold, wet, and windy) and decision making weren’t good enough.
* I spoke with a ref in our club and he said “ah, poor Anthony…. he hasn’t a clue what to be looking for…”
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So he’ll be reffing in the URC next season?
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Think I’ve just about got over my sulk at once again being done over by Wales (Grr)
Had a lovely week in the highlands including ton of snow and power cuts.
See our pack is falling to bits with injuries mounting up. Gray, Sutherland, Ritchie, Bhatti, Cummings, Ritchie out, Fagerson junior possibly out too. Just what we need with France coming to visit. Not like we need forwards.
Doooomed!!!
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Ritchie obviously so injured I mentioned him twice.
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Embra turning to poop too. Marvellous.
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At least Glasgow won to keep you cheerful Chimpie.
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*does little happy dance*
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Toonie’s brought six in. Poor Redpath out again, and Jonny missing for the rest of the 6N (and Exeter’s games) with an ankle injury. Not sure we have quite the strength in depth Toonie thinks we have.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/60463846
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Redpath out again after his annual outing? That sucks
Was hoping we’d see him start vs. France. Hey-ho. Tempted to give Tui another spin at IC
Really don’t think the swapping around the props thing worked. Nel Works better as an impact sub and turner is better than Rambo currently. Imagine it will be Schoey to start & Kebble on the bench.
Bennett went off injured on Friday but he’s still in the squad.
Gilcho & Skinner will be the lock pairing. Very green back up in Hodgson.
Thought the tactics were all to pot last week TBH. Back row were out-breakdowned especially after Fagerson went off. ’twas a mis-use of skinner IMO. Wales made sure we barely got any clean ball. Much better tactically.
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Smith looked decent for Glasgow on Friday BB. A couple of handling errors but he can certainly run.
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Well that’s my naval gazing complete for the day.
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‘skier in ‘unbearable pain’ after penis ‘froze’ during olympic event’
Ouch.
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@chimpie
It’s the second time it’s happened to him, apparently
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I think after the first time I’d be going for heated underwear
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He wants to check his flies are done up.
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The fallout from a huge leak of Credit Suisse banking data threatened to damage Switzerland’s entire financial sector on Monday after the European parliament’s main political grouping raised the prospect of adding the country to a money-laundering blacklist.
Shocked!! Absolutely shocked!!!
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Watched Racing vs Bordeaux last night. Finn had another mediocre game, so I expect him to play a blinder vs France, he’s too good to play poorly three times in a row .
France will be missing Villière (it’s a big loss and I never thought I’d say that, as I didn’t know him two years ago) and we wonder how Galthié will replace him: move Fickou to the wing and mess with his defence or bring a new face, Tao, Moefana or Lebel.
As a foot note, for all the praise Sean Edwards receives in the British press ( and let’s be fair, in the French press as well) France are leaking tries like an old motocycle leaks oil. 2 vs Italy, 3 vs Ireland. Nothing to brag about.
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2/10 for underdogging there, Flair. Don’t wash. You are going to steamroller their pack and I cannot believe that France cannot pull a decent spare wing out of their box of tricks. Whats Teddy Thomas up to ?
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Wales steamrollered our pack. So did England. I dread to think what France will do to it.
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Pfft. France have plenty of wingers
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flair, I think that’s a misunderstanding of what Edwards is bringing to the defence. They’re very fast up off the line and go really hard at the ruck. The first half against Ireland they were outstanding just denying Ireland the ultraquick ball they like – and le Roux was doing something similar in 2020. At the beginning of the second half Ireland suddenly looked better. Perhaps that was because France relaxed. The Gibson-Park try when he did Willimse, who shouldn’t have been defending at the side of the ruck on his own and didn’t do it very well. Anyway, they kind of tightened it up a bit and won the game. Maul defence needs a bit of work I think.
Ireland are good as well. No disgrace holding them to three tries as New Zealand are the only other team in the last 7 games who’ve done the same. England held them to 2 in the 2021 Six Nations but at the expense of a tonne of penalties as Ireland cuffed them very handily.
Also, 1 try v Italy.
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Oops, only 1 try vs Italy, you’re right.
No underdogging from me. I expect France to win in Scotland, there I said it.
I was only underlying the sudden emergence of a completely unknown winger, not particularly big nor fast, who not only scores tries but also plays as an extra back rower. Wasn’t it three turn overs he won vs Ireland?
Teddy Thomas for all his brillance can only dream of it. He’s injured anyway. And so is Vincent. As Vakatawa’s not back to his best yet, hence the dilema on the wing.
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Today’s date is both a palindrome and an ambigram. Of course you have to write it specifically to qualify for this – 22022022 rather than the month first. I would suggest doing this on your mobile device as trying it on your desktop may be challenging.
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Eben Etzebeth leaving Toulon for the Sharks. Bakkies Botha had a go at Etzebeth for not living up to his billing at Toulon, to which Etzebeth replied “you’ve got my number.”
PS du Toit not renewing his Japanese contract when it expires, to return to SA, presumably to get in the frame for the World Cup, but not revealing which side he’ll join – probably one of the Sharks or Stormers.
Kenya, Georgia and Zimbabwe are set to join the Currie Cup First Division (so second tier, after the ‘Premier’ Division) this season to play against the might of the Leopards, Griffons, South Western Districts, Boland, Eastern Province, Border and the Valke.
The Tshituka brothers left behind for the Lions trip to Leinster because their travel documents are not in order, as if we needed any further weakening before a 50-point drubbin’ in Dublin and there you have South African rugby in a nutshell for the week.
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‘I expect France to win in Scotland’
Unfortunately so do I. Pack seems to have regressed to it’s formerly meek self.
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Chimpie, you how that thing about players getting better when they are not there is usually meant as fans over rating them? I really do think it applies to Jamie Ritchie in that you can really see how much we missed him in the Cardiff game. I think Scott Cummings falls into that category too, Ritchie for being a POM-type pain in the arse for the opposition – the “unseen work if you will, and Cummings for carrying the ball with some venom, Gilchrist is ok but nothing special and Johnny Gray is the nano carrier to whoever it was that used to do the micro carries.
Of course I’m going to pick Scotland in the Bru, but it’s really only patriotic bloody-mindedness rather than any reflection of the way the teams are playing.
I expect to see Skinner moving in to the second row which means either Bradbury, Haining, Bayliss or Darge at 6.
Bayliss scored a bit of a scorcher at the weekend, it’s worth a look
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@ticht
Absolutely RE Ritchie. We really missed him last weekend. Cummings is a loss.
I hope Fagerson Junior is OK as he’s been good too.
That was a nice try by Bayliss. would be tempted to run with him at 6. Bradbury continues to frustrate a bit, he’s got the fizzicality but not high enough work rate & breakdown prowess. We really lost out in that area with him & Skinner in the back row.
Big fan of Darge, would like to see him in the 23.
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Also a shame Crosbie is injured. He’s a good line-out option, carrier and has suitable pain-in-the-arseness and hard edge to replace Ritchie.
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Aye, Crosbie is the closest like for like to Ritchie.
Incidentally, imo, one of the few plusses to come out of the last couple of games for Edinburgh is that Boyle is starting to show why he was rated ahead of Darge for the 20s.
I suppose players develop at different rates, Bradbury looked more suited to pro rugby earlier than Ritchie due to their comparative sizes.
I read today that the U20s tournaments are to return next year, I hope the Trophy will be in Spain like was supposed to be in 2020, I was looking forward to spending a couple of weeks in the Autumn sun.
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What’s interesting is how effectively this is at youth level (certainly U14, U16 a bit) – if you can get them to do it. We work on “ready, ready, up….” for rucks and tap pens – but it still tends to be three or 4 off the line and the rest waiting for the opposition to run towards them.
However, if you can get them to do it – amazing how often you’ll get the opposition to knock on, throw a wild pass, or aimlessly shovel the ball wide until they’re 20 metres behind where they started and over by the touchline …at this age most of them can’t focus on 2 things at once (well, they can… xbox, marvel films… just can’t focus on 2 rugby-related things at once)
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Oh no, there’s another one
nerdlegame 34 4/6
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https://nerdlegame.com #nerdle
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@OT – my eldest pointed out nerdle to me a few days ago……
nerdlegame 34 4/6
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https://nerdlegame.com #nerdle
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Everyone knows this but worth repeating: SBT’s a good lad.
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trisk, my lad doesn’t really fancy tackling bigger lads who’ve had a run up so I was impressing on him the importance of defending high up, which he appreciates. He said that he was playing full back and covering if someone broke the line but as he didn’t like tackling that kid then full back wasn’t a good position for him. He now throws himself into the tackling of kids big and small.
They’ve been introduced to the idea of going up in a line in defence – Sumo line it’s called by the coach – and getting one kid to shout Sumo when the ball’s lifted. Thankfully, they’ve got a long time, a lot of years, to practice it as the results of their efforts have so far been mixed but always funny.
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Am back on Great Britain for the first time in 3 years. Lots changed. Saddest thing I’ve seen is a long queue outside a church for free food donated to those in need. Not what would seem to be a poor area of Bournemouth, which isn’t a particularly poor town.
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@tomp
It’s all fine and dandy in Upminster. But that’s probably because the local economy is fueled by people commuting into the City. The City is doing fine, everyone else is paying the price of what happened ~15 years ago.
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If you feel your day isn’t going as planned, or just a bit down in the dumps, spare a thought for footballer Meikayla Moore.
She scored a hatrick in the international between New Zealand and USA on Sunday.
Unfortunately it was a three own goals.
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@ticht – two of which were in first 5 mins….
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Aahh… Gary Brooker of Procol Harum RIP
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Just had an email asking me if I want to take part in a Covid study trial (I tested positive yesterday – very, very mild symptoms – in fact I’ve probably had worse colds than this in the past and been at work). It is called the Getafix study….
If it means I turn into a druid and make magic potions then I might be interested.
Wonder if they know..
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Getafix sounds more like you’d get a needle and a spoon.
May your symptoms remain mild.
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You not know about Getafix?
https://www.asterix.com/en/portfolio/getafix/
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BB – ahh! When I was Asterix-aged, I was living in France, so knew him (if I knew him) as Panoramix.
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Thinking of this weekend: both CMW and Flair have promised a 6N ATL ‘later on in the tournament’. Would either of you….
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