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 
Today I have discovered the massively addictive Quordle. It’s like Wordle, only you have to solve 4 puzzles at once in 9 guesses.
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Yep, for all the enthusiasm and hysteria…. this is the key point – articles of association (or whatever) of 6 Nations Ltd (or plc or SA or GmbH) show Italy as 1/6 shareholder (maybe 1/7 now with CVC).
Very hard to kick them out of a tournament they co-own, unless you’re prepared to “dole out the moolah”.
Now I’m sure you could create a “New 6 Nations Ltd” w/o Italy and with SA, but again probably giving the big law firms a big payday as it’s hawked through every court possible – but if that happened to Italy…who’d be next?
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Anyone one else found Globle – appeals to me with my Geog degree…… you got to find the country – basically you start with a country and they tell you if you’re getting warmer or colder…..
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My lad does Globle – it’s really good for remembering your countries.
I also learned of Quordle today:
Daily Quordle #25
5️⃣7️⃣
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quordle.com
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Ha! I got today’s Globle on the first guess – it had come up in OB stats….
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This one is fun, too: https://qntm.org/files/absurdle/absurdle.html
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TomP, I’d like to see Tests played around thr country as currently the case. We have such strong rugby communities and Test traditions in all the major rugby centres it would be a shame to see only one venue used. Actually, it’d be a travesty.
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Also, please stay safe everyone, the media coverage of the storms looks grim.
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Thankfully, we up here in the Frozen North seem to have missed the worst of it. A bit of snow this morning on the way to work, it was mainly gone by lunchtime.
Far more worrying for Our Friends in The South.
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Mostly sunny here today, and a bit breezy. Some trees down, apparently.
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My favourite kind of local newspaper headline from today’s Bournemouth Echo:
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Eagle-eyed readers with longer memories may recognise the suburb of Bournemouth called Tuckton. Yes, it was the home of popular tourist attraction Tucktonia. And, yes, Tucktonia’s famous model of London. And, yes, that’s the same model of London that was used extensively throughout the 1976 film Queen Kong. Yes, the one in which Ray Fay, played by Robin Askwith, was chased through London by an amorous giant lady gorilla.
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It seems I can’t watch Edinburgh play in Ireland, I thought things were getting better, more professional but seemingly not.
The refereeing is still a joke.
The last penalty to Munster was the only legitimate one but the stall is set.
I say it was the only legit one, but if their first was ok, then the actions of Connor Boyle were even more clearly ok, but a penalty it was, and three points too.
I’ll switch to the Prem game
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Good gas by VdM, to score in the corner. Git.
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Bristol playing like a team that only met before the game started.
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Hope Deebs is ready for the next big exodus from SA as Steve Diamond said before the game he needed some ‘hard cases’ and the best place to get them was SA.
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And suddenly Bristol are right back in it, two tries in 5 mins. 14-14 30mins
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Vailanu, the Wuss 8, is a bit of a beast.
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Injury break in the Wuss/Brizzle game and there are 12 (!) medics/water’persons’ on the pitch. Obviously need the medics (about 3/4 of them) but not all the rest.
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Good win for Wuss in the end. Although Bristol ended up with a fullback at scrum half due to injuries.
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last week, just to the east of Dunbar
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Ticht – that’s a giant…. lighthouse
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Italy are a ‘shareholder’ but don’t discount the lawyers and accountants behind this. 2025 is the due date. The rest is due diligence and arse covering.
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Had a power cut for most of today. We played scrabble. I was cruising till Mrs Craigs got 56 points off ‘Motown’. Ffs.
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Motown is a proper noun and not allowed. :-D
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Mrs Craigs would’ve come up with a winner anyway. Isn’t Scrabble a bit yesteryear with the wonders of Wordle about?
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@thauma
*coughs*
https://octordle.com/
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Thaum – I had no way of checking.
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OT :-)
Daily Octordle #26
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octordle.com
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🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
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Bloody hell, it’s snowing in Hull.
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Business as usual in Dublin. 13-0, conversion to come and Ospreys in tatters.
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Daily Quordle #26
5️⃣9️⃣
3️⃣7️⃣
quordle.com
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Just been sent a photo of a pie on a WhatsApp chat from a guy called Terry.
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@ticht
My only comment is that the ref was Ben Whitehouse – who’s Welsh (afaik). If he’s a homer….he’s not “our” homer….
Scrappy old game – it was bitterly cold. Seemed like everytime Munster strung any kind of continuity together they scored.
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Trisk, in a way I’d been waiting for your reply.
It’s always easier from the wining side to dismiss these things.
I asked about a particular couple of penalties on another forum and I got a reply from two Irish pundits, one of whom is a referee. They both said Edinburgh had been given the short end of the stick. Momentum is a big thing in rugby and it is turned by penalties.
Overall the outcome was down to Edinburgh – both in our lack of ability to convert from bashing away from 5m out (second weekend in a row, we did the same against Leinster), and secondly some really shocking defence that let in a couple of soft tries.
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‘MON ULSTER!
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The wind is something else … this is going to be a difficult game!
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Baloucoune’s lost a contact in the wind….
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… but he’s caught a high ball anyway!
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Lovely try by Ulster in the bonkers conditions, mostly created by Hume.
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So, 0-5 at HT. Ulster playing with the wind behind them in the 2nd half.
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Classic Ulster maul-over-the-line.
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And Doak makes the conversion from the touchline! Mad!
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According to Real Eddie, Freddie Burns has just been tackled. There’s a surprise substitution.
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Bright start by Newcastle. They weather some pressure by Exeter, then Haydon-Wood runs a good 40+m to score the opening try.
Unfortunately, they are now down to 14, after Chick shoulders Hodge (Exe.15) square in the face, chasing a box kick.
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Clock’s gone red and Ulster have a penalty. They decide to go for a 50m goal.
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It bounces off the posts and is caught by the Dragons! Who decide that’s fucking enough and kick it off the field.
0-12 to Ulster.
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Looks like rugby league can’t even get the ball delivery right…..
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@bb
I saw that. My missus had a go at me I was laughing so much.
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