Getting to the business end now, so things are hotting up or cooling down, depending on your perspective. Three teams still in it, and away fixtures for the two favourites, so could be a good round of games. Could be.
As the times demand a number of contradictory but yet plausible expert views, the blog’s favourite possibly evil nine-year-old is on board this week to provide the comfort of a second equally valid set of predictions. She also gives her assessment of each team’s most important player. And that would be the one who scores all the points. Won’t win if you don’t score points.
Wales v France
While Friday night Six Nations games shouldn’t be condoned, it does provide a good opportunity for the TV-watching audience to enjoy a match without ruining dinner/missing dinner/having to make alternative arrangements to get children to ballet classes. Some might think Wales will have gained confidence from their showing in the second half at Twickenham, but only being able to score tries when playing desperate catch-up has been a bit of a thing at times under Wayne Pivac, and the first-half wet fart, along with the Dublin débâcle, don’t give much cause for hope. On the flip side, Wales have been dogged as anything in recent home games against the Boks and the Scots, so could just about conceivably grind something out. On the selection front, Pivac has gone full Gats, chucking in Navidi when he’s probably not fully fit, presumably on the basis that it worked with Faletau the other week. Wales also field three out of four players who suffered head injuries at Twickenham. Whilst I’m sure they have all passed the various tests, it does make you wonder if Wales deserve anything this time out at all.
France were absolutely ruthless when it came to taking their chances at Murrayfield, and anything like that will surely mean a big win for them. Dupont has been passed fit, Penaud misses out due to Covid with Villiere returning, and otherwise they’re as you were bar one further bench change. Hopefully Geraint Pillock’s cousin Dylan Cretin will make it on to the field at some point. If we do see them in full flow with the glorious short passing and brute force of the forwards and some sparkling back play, then there will be nothing to begrudge. So can Wales drag them down? France have had off spells in some of their recent games and come roaring back, but could they be due a real off day? Clutching at straws maybe, but anyway:
CMW’s prediction: Can’t be going for three away wins and don’t know which one of the two big games to go for as the upset.
Wales 26-23 France
Middle One’s prediction: Dan Biggar doesn’t always make good decisions – shouldn’t have gone for that drop goal when they could have scored a try against Scotland. He’s always shouting at people so might not be a very nice man. Don’t know who kicks the goals for France, but it’s probably some really super person who never misses.
Wales 21-28 France
Italy v Scotland
The phrase ‘nothing to see here’ could perhaps be used for a lot of Italy’s Six Nations games, but their last outing may well have trumped all previous efforts on that front. Will being on the wrong end of an unfair and pretty arcane part of an unfair and pretty arcane rule that is only necessary because rugby is full of cheating bastards inspire them to great heights? Or will their challenge fade to nothing at the first sign of Scotland being anywhere near on their game? I know which I expect. The Scots will be missing Duhan van der Merwe after a slightly unfortunate sending off playing for Worcester, but with plenty of other exciting runners and their pack likely to dominate this should be a comfortable win.
CMW’s prediction: Italy 13 Scotland 37
Middle One’s prediction: Finn Russell needs to take things more seriously if Scotland are going to win anything, he’s always smiling and laughing even when he’s done something bad. I don’t smile when I’m playing netball and he shouldn’t either. Who kicks goals for Italy? Who knows and who cares?
Italy 17 Scotland 43
England v Ireland
England took advantage of some sloppy Welsh forward play to get their lead last time out with soft penalties and an even softer try, and then didn’t do a lot after that. That said, they had looked good in parts up to the point of not scoring tries during the first fifty minutes or so, and at Murrayfield they also had a lot of the game without capitalising on it. Is there something fundamentally wrong or is it just all waiting to click and if so could this be the day? Considered opinion on Ovally Balls has been that playing two proper flankers wouldn’t go amiss. I had been hoping to see Lewis Ludlow, previously unknown to me though reading around the subject I see that this was probably because he was known as Dinham for a very long time. Sadly Eddie has cast him aside, leaving Curry as the only flanker left in the squad. He’s an injury doubt so we may yet see two number eights and a second row starting in the back row. I had heard that George Ford would be missing out with the apparently not very good George Furbank as the outside half cover on the bench, but see that that was just some training squad shenanigans and Ford is back in, though it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see Smith play the whole game anyway.
Passing over the Italian hooker-based non-event, Ireland’s last game was the defeat in Paris. I felt they might have got a proper hiding if it hadn’t been for Hansen’s skilful but freakish try. However, the comeback in the second half was impressive to the point that they could have gone on to win, so it’s hard to know what to make of that performance. It’s good to see significant Ulster presence in the wider squad; I’m sure they’ll all be there on match day. [Ed: harrumph!] There’s a lot more pace in Ireland’s passing this season, some of the play between the forwards is great to watch, and they look a really good team when they get going. England, though, always have a chance to win at home no matter whom they’re playing.
CMW’s prediction: Can’t be going for three away wins etc.
England 26-19 Ireland
Middle One’s prediction: Marcus Smith is the annoying-looking one who’s always really pleased with himself and has weird hair. Don’t like him though he does score a lot of points sometimes. A boy in my class wants to be Johnny Sexton and seems to support him even though he should be supporting England. Like Johnny Sexton, he plays rugby when he isn’t injured though he broke his collar-bone scoring a try the first time they were allowed to tackle each other properly, so can only play on his own at the moment.
England 27-35 Ireland
Bowwow Woofwoof Grrrr as David Bowie would say.
Plausible Expert Views by ClydeMillarWynant and The Middle One.
Onna telly this week
Friday 11th March
| Sharks v Scarlets | 17:10 | TG4 / BBC2 Wales / Premier Sports 1 |
| Italy v Scotland (U20s) | 19:00 | BBC iPlayer / website |
| Wales v France | 20:00 | BBC1 / S4C |
Saturday 12th March
| Bulls v Munster | 14:05 | TG4 / Premier Sports 1 |
| Italy v Scotland | 14:15 | ITV |
| England v Ireland | 17:15 | ITV |
| England v Ireland (U20s) | 19:15 | BBC iPlayer / website |
| Ulster v Leinster | 19:35 | TG4 / Premier Sports 1 |
| Montpellier v Toulon | 20:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
Sunday 13th March
| Lions v Cardiff | 14:00 | S4C / Premier Sports 2 | ||
| Northampton v Wasps | 15:00 | ITV / BT Sport 1 | ||
| Stormers v Zebre | 16:05 | FreeSports | ||
| Clermont v Bordeaux | 20:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
Ovally Balls 
Now Biden is doing it
LikeLike
The Middle One says
Wales by a lot
Ireland by quite a lot
France by a bit
Beyond that she won’t be drawn.
LikeLike
Biden’s another one who’s got his words in the wrong order.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sbt – I was yes eddying Eddie. It’s the most Eddie thing ever
LikeLike
Tbh I think Bono has lost his literary touch. Arnie was better.
LikeLike
I might revise my prediction to a draw. Though only because I should have gone for England by 2 in the first place to leave some wriggle room. Think you’ll play surprisingly well. For no real reason at all. Or that France might just blow it as long as England don’t roll over completely.
LikeLike
It looks as though Pelosi treated Bono’s thing with a certain amount of levity which is I guess to her credit. Even if she did seem to be the Grand High Wizard of some particularly absurd ritual.
LikeLike
JoC with a neat sidestep to score under the posts for the Reds in Canberra. In hindsight, it was only a hooker he stepped. Reds lead 7-3 after 25 minutes. Work interfering with my ability to watch rugby.
LikeLike
Lelosio with a perfectly weighted grubber through the defence and Tom Wright scores for the Brumbies – really difficult to defend against that from less than 10m out. 10-7 Brumbies.
LikeLike
LikeLike
Reds dominating the scrum, penalty takes them to the Brumbies 22. Scrappy lineout and pointless kick but they had a penalty advantage, which they tap and go! JoC takes his eyes off the ball and spills it. Wasted chance, but if they can put pressure on the scrum…
….no they can’t. Brumbies penalty and cleared to short of their own 10m.
LikeLike
LikeLike
Dunno if it’s a greasy old evening, but the handling, particularly under the high ball, has been pretty dire. Brumbies scrum wins a couple of penalties now, but more lousy handling – forward this time – gets the Reds off the hook on their 22. They get it out somehow under pressure and scramble it into touch. HT.
LikeLike
Wales by 13, Ireland by 21 and France by 11. You can all relax now and enjoy the dat tomorrow with the results not in doubt.
LikeLike
2nd half underway and the scrum lottery continues with the Brumbies being pinged this time. Reds make good ground from the lineout but the isolated runner is pinged for holding on. Both sides kicking speculatively. Reds eventually run it and are penalised for holding on again. Nic White’s moustache approves.
LikeLike
They knock it on but get the scrum penalty. Pretty messy stuff this. Lineout and drive, drop the ball, but Reds done again for dropping the maul. Lots of dropping going on. Lineout. Maul. Possible try? Number 7 peels off the maul and goes over in the corner. Or does he? No! Foot in touch. Good defence by JoC!
Interesting in that as the Brumbies guy peeled off the ref was putting his arm out for what looked like a penalty advantage, but then gave the Reds the lineout.
LikeLike
13-7 as the Brumbies finally take 3 points from repeated penalties in the Reds danger zone. Reds take it through 15 phases with some lovely pop passes and floated wide passes to the reach the Brumbies line – and then the 9 knocks it on. Darcy Swain
moonlighting as a lock in his spare time from Downton Abbyis binned for a team yellow. Reds over in the corner! JoC sends the conversion wide. 13-12LikeLike
Brumbies turn to go through the phases for no reward, but they do get the obligatory off side penalty right in front. They’re winding down the bin time and taking 3. 16-12 with a minute to play a man down and 15 left in the match.
LikeLike
Reds spill it under the high ball again and a prop (who else) grabs it in an offside position. Camera cuts to the bench where a ‘tache named Nick beams his approval. Lost in contact and the Reds hoof it downfield only for the Brumbies to gallop back – and blow an almost certain overlap! Oh dear!
LikeLike
Lots of aerial ping-pong finally ended with a knock on. Stats person says only 9 handling errors in the match. Not sure what they consider an error?
LikeLike
Another reset scrum and the strange need to slap the arses of the props follows. Brumbies go wide, but lose it in contact, only for the Reds to kick it out on the full. Brumbies throw on halfway. Wayward pass, Reds hack it through and complaining bitterly about some jersey tugging in the chase. Ref ignores them but they have the 5m scrum. Go wide, pass is behind the receiver and knocked on. Time almost up.
LikeLike
Brumbies get it out and off the pitch. Game over and a hard fought win for the Brumbies. Plenty of grunt from Australia’s two premier sides, but some woeful handling and lousy set pieces.
LikeLike
@OT
Oddly, RC schools never seem to sing St Patrick’s Breastplate / “I bind unto myself today” – possibly mixture of difficult tune, really needs a full church organ to do the tune justice and words aren’t sing-along….. words are by “yer wan” who wrote “All Things Bright and Beautiful” – which is a world apart from this…
I’d never heard it till I went to St Ben’s in Ealing – on St Patrick’s Day a few years back.
LikeLike
“Oddly, RC schools never seem to sing St Patrick’s Breastplate”
Doesn’t seem that odd.
LikeLike
Busy weekend for Nic Dolly. On the bench for England in Paris on Saturday, and then straight back to play for Leicester against Claws mob on Sunday. Must be fit. I would have Harry Thacker on the bench on Saturday to give Dolly a break.
LikeLike
“Harry Thacker” is such a brilliant, very English, name.
He should be mates with Alf Tupper, Tough of the Track
LikeLiked by 4 people
Scotland by 5
“Are you sure? You’re picking quite an upset”
How rude.
LikeLiked by 1 person
New post shortly.
LikeLike
New post is here.
LikeLiked by 1 person