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 
And it is….
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Clear red
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Well, he is shit anyway, and stupid too.
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The booing is disgraceful.
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LOOOOWWWWEEEEE!!!
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The booing is probably out of disappointment that the game over as much as anything. Certainly not disgraceful.
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Those who boo don’t know the laws.
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Dayglo is a fucking idiot
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Nowell is better than Jonny May as a scrummaging flanker
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At least our scrum is going well?
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So, never mind the hugely forward pass, eh?
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That’s ok, Healey was well offside at the maul.
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George can be pretty dumb too.
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Turn about is fair play. :-)
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Itoje is a fucking pain in the arse.
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@thaum – great, isn’t he 😁
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Ffs any home crowd is going to boo a red card against their own team on 1min 44, however deserved it was.
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Refit
yes
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Ireland have almost been too hectic so far. Maybe need to calm themselves down a bit. (and stop playing the loop pass – England are on to it).
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How many penalties have Ireland coughed up?
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I’m glad you asked, TH
8
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Yay! Keenan over.
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Cricket was going well.
Awful mistake by Ewells deciding the game after 82 seconds. Like the fight we’re putting up but it’s a question of how many Ireland score now.
Nevermind. Well happy for France. I think they have in the bag now
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Dova – really hoping England win next week!
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Worried face emoji
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Ireland have been more disturbed by the RC than England. Still a good contest, with the usual compensation by the ref. How many of those scrums were wheeled? Why not check the possible forward pass Thaum mentionned?
Still , Ireland should win this at a canter if they only show a bit of patience.
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Flair – agree on all counts. We need to settle down, and sort the discipline.
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Thaum/Flair – disagree. What Ireland need to do now is to concede their own red card which England will react badly to. Possibly several yellows too.
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Thaum. We won’t.
We’re not good enough to beat that team unless they have a stinker or do something as stupid as we did today.
Not as much motivation now either whereas they will be playing the game of their lives (for their young guys anyway).
It could get messy.
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Have to say the England pack looks better with Lawes and Itoje in the second row.
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Can’t believe we didn’t deal with the restart again…..!
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Craig, agree with you.
And the game ends in a draw.
Parfait pour moi.
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Ta guele, Flair! ;-)
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Yellow card at the scrum when?
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WHY did Randall kick that??????
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Time to replace the front row.
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I honestly can’t remember the last time England were so dominant, penalty wise, except against much lower ranked teams (and even then….).
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Thaum, you’ve got to admire England.
Ireland lack composure. At the moment, the French would say Ireland look like a hen that found a knife.
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I have a look of frozen horror on my face.
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This is so good to see from England. The fight and not giving up and a few players really doing themselves proud.
They’ll lose because all this effort with a man down the whole game will tell. Also Ireland are a better team anyway.
If we keep it closish and don’t fall away it’ll be a good experience for some of the younger guys.
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Ooh, that was cute by Smith.
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COOONAAAANNNN!!!
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And … braythe.
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Conway’s speed is really threatening……………….
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YESSSS!!!
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BP for Ireland.
Well done.
But let me say England have been magnificent.
Hope they’re knackered next Saturday.
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JGP as MotM? Are you fucking joking? Have you not noticed that we scored two tries as soon as he was replaced?
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(And the second Ulsterman came on as well.)
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Well, bloody hell. I don’t think I breathed properly for about 45 minutes.
As Flair said, Ireland were more fucked up by the red card than England were, who fought magnificently. I hope they play like this with 15 men next week.
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Well played Ireland. Am going to take heart from our pack though. Absolute beasts.
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