And now, the end is near….
That sounds good. I should put it in a song.
That can wait, though. The real reason you’re reading this gibberish is to find out what the results are going to be on Saturday.
First up, Wales against Italy. Wales have scored 5 tries to Italy’s 4. That makes you think it might be close! Until you realise that Wales have conceded 7 to Italy’s 24. Which is a bit of a problem for Italy. (Nae shit, Sherlock). Italy played better against Scotland than they had in the other games, so is this the time they can back it up with another good performance? Probably not.
Wales have struggled a bit this year. Thumped by Ireland, scraped past Scotland, somehow losing to England despite scoring all the tries and never really looking like they would beat France. So, can Italy pull off a huge shock and get past Wales in Wales?
Let’s ask Predict-A-Bear!
Answer: Nah. Might be closer than expected, but probably Wales by 15.
Next up is Ireland against Scotland. (Sob). This was going to be The Year! The year to end (Way too many to count) Years Of Hurt! A brilliant start! And then everything turned Scottish. A disappointing – to say the least – defeat in Wales, thumped by France, then showing what we can do against Italy, before deciding that things were far too easy and that we should turn Scottish again.
Never mind, it’s only Ireland. The team that has been reinvigorated under Farrell The Elder. The team that beat the All Blacks. The team that thumped Wales, gave France their closest game so far and who managed to be disappointed in only scoring 57 points against 15, 14, 13, 12 man Italy. They have scored 20 tries to our 10, conceded 3 to our 11, Sexton’s on his Neverending Farewell Tour and have the might of Ulster (cheering them on from the sidelines).
So. Any hope for Scotland? Well … Ireland’s scrum looked strangely out of sorts against England. They also seemed a bit too rushed at times. And Finn bloody owes us one! So of course, Toonie sticks him on the bench. But probably none.
But let’s find out from Predict-A-Bear!
Answer: Nah. Much as I would love to be wrong, Ireland will win this fairly comfortably, by about 15 (at least). Can’t see us even getting any sort of bonus point. (Sobs again.)
Finally, the main event! France against England! France at home and going for a Grand Slam against a (fairly) average England team. (I mean, come on, WE beat them!) Eddie’s playing mind games again, although the only people he seems to confuse with these are his players. They have looked fairly toothless in attack (7 tries scored – and they’ve played Italy!), wonder boy Smith hasn’t quite lived up to the hype (but he will), the midfield has a Manu-sized hole (but then it frequently does) and Jack Nowell will probably end up hooking in the front row. And please (don’t) let Joe Marler take more throw ins. On the good side, Maro’s been a right annoying bastard on the pitch.
But France! They have everything: they can play tight; they can be expansive as (cliché alert) only France can. They have the best player in the world, and a few others who would probably be in a world XV, strength in depth and Shaun Edwards as defence coach. They haven’t perhaps scored quite as many tries as their play would suggest and had to tough it out against Wales.
So who will win?
Predict-A-Bear to the rescue!
Answer: A France win and Grand Slam!
Predict-A-Bear whispered sweet nothings into BorderBoy‘s ear.
Onna telly this week
Friday 18th March
| Bulls v Scarlets | 17:10 | BBC2 Wales / Premier Sports 2 |
| Glasgow v Edinburgh | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Newcastle v Leicester | 19:45 | BT Sport 2 |
Saturday 19th March
| Lions v Munster | 12:00 | RTÉ2 / Premier Sports 2 |
| Wales v Italy | 14:15 | BBC1 / iPlayer |
| Sharks v Zebre | 16:30 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Ireland v Scotland | 16:45 | ITV |
| France v England | 20:00 | ITV |
Sunday 20th March
| Stormers v Cardiff | 12:00 | S4C / Premier Sports 1 | ||
| Wales v Italy (U20s) | 14:00 | BBC1 Wales / iPlayer / Website | ||
| Ireland v Scotland (U20s) | 17:00 | BBC1 iPlayer / Website | ||
| France v England (U20s) | 20:00 | BBC1 iPlayer / Website |
Ovally Balls 
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I was gonna make a lewd comment, but I’m not that kind of girl.
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This is a source of dissatisfaction in some circles (threads, blogs I read) – and I’ve probably said this before – they’re always up for an interpro but rarely see the same intensity against non-Irish opponents. This time they sustained it for a half….
Daly’s red was pretty bad – straight shoulder to the head – made worse by the fact that Frawley was just back from a broken jaw.
Frawley is an interesting case – word has it (?) that he wants to be a 10 – even though that position is pretty blocked in Leinster by Sexton and the 2 Byrnes plus whoever else comes through the Leinster pipeline. Leinster seem to see him as 12 (in the 2nd 5/8th mode) but he’s blocked there by Henshaw/Ringrose and the recent try-outs of H Byrne at 12, plus Leinster just signed an NZ-er …..
He’d walk into Munster team I’d guess at 12
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Strange performance from Exeter against a beatable Leicester – full of hesitation, inaccuracy and error.
Only when it was too late did they re-find themselves. Still missing too many key players, I guess.
It’s ‘shit or bust’ for the rest of the season now.
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Grassroots update…
Our U14s played local rivals Tralee RFC in the West Munster Cup final last Saturday. Beautiful day in Castleisland – albeit it with a strong breeze blowing down the field. Tralee took advantage of winning the toss and played with the wind. We dealt quite well with that – sticking a raw but quick lad who was mainly a GAA player at fullback – also had a decent boot. We probably had the better of the 1st half but we turned around 0-0.
Second half, we really didn’t make as much of the wind as we should – just didn’t get enough possession. Tralee kept the ball in hand more in the 2nd half – we played a bit too lateral (we knew that Tralee tended to defend quite narrow but while we got the ball wide – we were too literal on passing wide and didn’t commit the defence enough – so they could drift.
In the end, the crucial score came after a couple of awful errors. We won a ruck on our own 5m line – but our 9 threw a wild pass over our own goal line – we were lucky not to concede a try (maybe Tralee took it the final few inches over the line, may not…) – We won the scrum-5 against the head, but the scrum half knocked on at the base of the scrum. Couldn’t be lucky 3 times in a row – from the base of the scrum Tralee drove over almost under the posts.
Using our fullback to kick off we got the kick off to roll into touch at the Tralee 5m line – while they won the lineout we trapped them on their goal line and then came the fatal moment a high tackle (no argument) when we’d have gotten a scrum 5 otherwise. And that was pretty much it…. final score 7-0.
it was a hot day and I think we were flagging toward the end – we’d split our age group into U13 and U14 – so we had just 17 lining out (one of whom was just back from a broken wrist). Other clubs don’t do that . There were a couple of lads in our U13 cohort who could have made a difference (we could have had a few of the inexperienced U14s as subs). But we put participation first – U14s played 14 games this season and U13s got 9 games (hopefully that experience will stand to them next year).
Very, very deflated dressing room. Upside was there were no recriminations or finger-pointing (that I saw – Snapchat might be different….. )
So, that’s the season done now – maybe fix a few friendlies but we’ll wind down by Easter. I’ll probably be glad of the break for a week or two – then start looking at the calendar for dates to start again or excuses to play a bit of tag/touch during the summer…..
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Loads of likes but killed the blog…..pretty sure 23h 45m is a record
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On another note – and to reinforce the small world that it is sometimes – my wife was on the phone yesterday (on a work-related matter) to the one and only KJH (once of this parish)
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@trisk
I think you need to explain to non-Irish readers that it in Ireland it’s normal, when speaking to someone for the first time, to establish who you each know and don’t know before getting down to business.
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Hope that doesn’t apply to dating as well.
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Applies even more to dating, I suspect, Deebs.
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“Hello date. You’re not my cousin, are you?”
“I’m not sure, let’s check. “
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I once got chatting to a girl in a bar in Cork city – quite quickly it turned her cousin was going out with the younger brother of a lad I had gone to school with in London….
But yeah, first question anyone asks in Ireland is – who do I know belonging to you?
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O’Flaherty leaving Exeter for Sale………………………….hmmm.
Interesting, with Nowell being almost a permacrock.
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Harley leaving Glasgow – for who knows where
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To join Quin(s)?
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reflecting the world and my mood – your evening listening from the master:
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Damian de Allende leaving Munster at the end of the season, with only news being that he’s not signing for another European club. So Japan, most likely, or a shock return to SA to one of the Bulls, Sharks or Stormers. Sharks would make most sense, as he’d paired up with Bok partner Lukanyo Am (assuming Am’s stint in Japan is short-term), but the Sharks may not have the money for another marquee signing. Stormers is his home union, so would make sense and he’d link up with a few other Boks, but Bulls is more likely with what Jake White is developing there without the numbers of Boks or budget (apparently) of the Sharks. The Lions can’t attract any current Boks to join them and keep losing their better players with Burger Odendaal leaving for Quins (I think) and Vincent Tshituka linked to the Sharks, the latest from Ellis Park.
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This was expected at this end – and the expectation is Japan. Hence, signing Feikitoa.
Snyman is staying another year – hopefully, we get to see him playing then. I’m fairly certain that there’s no chance he’ll be rushed back for the business end of this season.
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Snyman has had a torrid time of it in Ireland, with the burns and then rolling his ankle when he recovered from that. Hope he’s fit and raring to go next year from a Bok perspective too. We’re pretty thin in the second row with only Etzebeth, de Jager, Mostert, Orie, Moerat and a couple of callow blokes at the Bulls putting their hands up.
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Rassie Erasmus has picked an England side for Eddie:
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester TIgers)
14. Adam Radwan (Newcastle Falcons)
11. Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish)
13. Joe Marchant (Harlequins)
12. Luke Northmore (Harlequins)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
9. Danny Care (England)
8. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs).
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
6. Alfie Barbeary (Wasps)
5. Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens)
3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears)
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
1. Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers)
A couple of guys I know little about (Northmore, Barbeary, Ollie two-dads), but no room for Farrell, Youngs, Lawes (!) and with Danny Care in – surely taking the piss on that one?
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I’msure Erasmus would take the piss under any circumstances but, interesting………………….
– Quins players there to make the most of Smith
-fast backline
– still not enough beef at #12
– emphasis on Smith but no Dombrandt?
– no Lawes leaves the lineout a bit weak
– etc etc
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The Exodus continues with Chris Cloete leaving Munster to follow van Graan to Bath. Is the edifice collapsing? Will Munster be vying for the Coveted Wooden Spoon™ with Zebre, Lions and a couple of Welsh sides next season? How soon before Leinster get tired of the URC and join Kiwi Super Rugby? Will Ulster emerge as the premier Irish province?
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The 31-year-old was in South Africa when Munster lost to the Bulls and the Lions in back-to-back weekends this month.
“Chris will bring a new dimension to an impressive group of back-row forwards, as we maintain our primary recruitment focus of adding power to the pack for next season. Negotiations with second row forwards are continuing,” said Bath chief executive Tarquin McDonald
Adding context. First sentence wasn’t necessary, but nice to see “when Munster lost the Lions” in print.
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Deebs, what are your thoughts on the big clash at the weekend. Lions v Embra?
I read that Edinburgh are flying in and out sharpish, the thinking being that your blood remains oxygenated for a day or two when you go to altitude and there isn’t enough time to acclimatise unless you are play two games.
We’ve had four players from the 6N squad fly out, it’s a long way to go to watch a game of rugby so I’d expect to see WP Nel, Grant Gilchrist, Stuart McInally and Darcy Graham all to start or bench.
If we are going for our strongest available side after injuries are taken into account, I think we will line up as
Schoeman, McInally, Nel, Hodgson, Gilchrist, Bradbury, Watson, Muncaster
Vellacott, Kinghorn, Moyano, Lang, Bennett, Graham, Boffelli
Cherry, Venter, De Bruin, Young (or Phillips), Boyle, Savala, Dean, Pyrgos or Shiel.
Without the likes of Bill Mata or Luke Crosbie, that is the strongest side we have, whether it will be good enough is another matter.
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I had half n eye on the Munster game and they looked to be doing well early on, then from that final score and looking at the Os result, it looks like the Lions come into the game big time in the second half, is that about right?
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Ticht, Munster clearly ran out of puff and maybe got a bit heat fatigued as well. Ospreys were never really in the game, the Lions really took heart from the win against Munster and scrums aside, Ospreys struggled to contain an exuberant Lions side. Embra were excellent in the rain against a very strong Sharks outfit, but they play different rugby to the Lions.
My gut feel is that Embra should win, given the quality in the side and the fact that they’re coming up late and the match is late afternoon so not as hot as an earlier kick off. The Lions will need the Tshituka brothers to be on fire again to combat the Embra back row and our 9-10 axis needs to fire again. Hopefully we have Carlu Sadie back to add some considerable heft to the front row, but I don’t see us winning three on the bounce, especially coming up against a side with 11 (?) internationals in the starting line up.
That said, the SA sides have won 11 from 12 on home soil in the last three weeks – but the one that got away was Embra in Durban. I didn’t see that match and believe that the Sharks dominated much of it in terms of territory and possession, but Embra took their chances well. The Lions will create a lot of chances, but they have struggled to keep their shape for 80 minutes in pretty much all their matches this season.
Bottom line, we’re fecked.
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Deebee, if my side gets selected there are 14/15 starters who are internationals, 20 year old Ben Muncaster is the only one who hasn’t made a senior international appearance and he was our best player last week, or one of.
He carries like he is five years older than he is.
On my bench Cherry is the best lineout thrower in Scotland by a distance, again a full cap, Pyrgos is also an international who is playing some of his best rugby in years.
Having said all that, this is Edinburgh and we are shite, particularly away from home and international has to be qualified with “Scottish International” or “Argentinian International” in the case of Boffelli and Moyano.
I’m not sure how many of our players would make the wish list of other teams’ fans.
If the game flows freely and is open it suits us, but the altitude will surely play a part and I expect your Lions to finish very strongly, so I’m thinking that in order to stand a chance we have to make a very quick start, something we haven’t really been doing tbh.
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Exeter made a loss of £6.3m in their double-winning year:
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/60929547
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Like him or not, Roger Waters still has it:
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Is that an updated version?
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Didn’t realise there was rugby on. Bristol getting humped in the Prem cup, by Glaws. 15-35 on 65 mins.
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Gloucester forward power has been too much for Bristol tonight.
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Too much for the blog too by the looks of things.
Elsewhere I’ve been reading about internecine jealousy and infighting between South African fans, seemingly Sharks got an injection of cash and are hoovering up players, the Bulls also received investment, but for some reason aren’t attracting the same opprobrium.
The URC has become a really good tournament, the SA teams have brought something different to the table, more so than the Cheetahs and Lions imo, although the Cheetahs were starting to get somewhere, so I have sympathy for their supporters.
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Yep, again expected – with the rapid development of Hodnett and – even more rapid development – of Kendellen there wasn’t a place anymore. Cloete was a big favourite in Munster – so general feeling is we’re sorry to see him leave but Bath wasn’t a surprise……
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Deebee and I had a chat on here about it a couple of weeks back. The causes of the jealousy might be different but the rivalries are very very old.
Put simply,
The Mountain Goats are the oldest union, most Currie Cups in SA rugby history, heritage, Newlands, arrogance, so are hated.
The Charkies are wannabes who never really have because they bottle it, plus superimporters who can’t find any of their own to play for them because KZNers are softies.
The Lions, well, kudos, to them for being able to pick up some decent Blue Bulls players and making a competitive team. It’s a trick they pull about once every 20 years so credit to them.
The Bulls are easily the most successful of the franchises in the Pro with 4 Super Rugby titles, which breeds envy especially from the little brothers in Joburg who blew 3 finals in a row and from the Surfer boys who could have been the first SA Super Champs but fluffed it in the last seconds to Habana and from the Capetonians who should have been the first cos they’re Province. Also, domkrag rugby, buying in players, beautiful Jacaranda-filled streets.
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A hit to the ‘nads is always funny, don’t know why but it is.
on another note, it was obviously the start of British Summer Time last weekend as it’s snowing here now
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What was the apochryphal commentary on a player hit with the 5th delivery of the over….?
“well, he’s getting back to his feet…. looks a little shaky but he’s going to continue…. 1 ball left….”
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one for Slade – Ollie Leatherbarrow has reportedly signed a pro contract with Exeter.
He was one of few lights in the darkness of Scotland’s U20s 6N, big ball-carrying backrow.
Not the balls you get hit in, obviously.
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I’m not sure how many of our players would make the wish list of other teams’ fans.
Not sure how many of our players other teams fans would have heard of!
TomP got the rivalry spot on, if you’re a Bulls supporter, completely off if you’re able to walk and breathe at the same time:
Province/Stormers – oldest union, wine farms, intellectual snobbery, a half built mountain they eventually called a Table and charged people a fortune to visit. Lots of pedigree over the years, including Danie Craven and Morne du Plessis, who to this day has not been forgiven by Bulls supports for his magnificent ironing out of Naas Botha in the Currie Cup in 1977. Think because they have a few decent rugby schools and Stellenbosch University that the world owes them respect. Traditionally the Bok coach came from one of Province or the Bulls and got accused of favouritism in selection (something that continues to this day wherever the coach is from).
Bulls/Bulls – never ones to miss an opportunity to evolve and update their identity. Age old rivalry with Province/Stormers for top spot in SA rugby and most Currie Cup crowns, more recently Super Rugby. They not only hate other sides, but frequently fight in the stands amongst themselves after a few drinks. Sean Fitzpatrick describes the atmosphere at Loftus on match days as ‘unique’ in world rugby. They’ve also produced some legendary Boks, including Naas Botha, who hasn’t stopped whining about THAT tackle since either. Jealous of Province and Danie Craven for being the intellectual soul of SA rugby, so invented 10-man rugby and will fight anyone who says its boring.
Transvaal/Lions – good hard family men from the mining and industrial heartland of South Africa, who always put family and work first, but not averse to dusting up the pretentious wannabees from north of the boerewors curtain up in Moustache City. Success not that important to these solid lads, it’s about entertaining their fellow workers and giving the whole family a good, honest, entertaining day out. Everybody’s secret favourite team.
Natal/Sharks – were always an also-ran side until, in 1990, they made it to the Currie Cup Final against the hugely fancied, Bok-laden, Naas Botha captained Bulls. Everybody expected them to get hammered, especially being captained by a liberal, English-speaking law graduate from Martizburg. They won 18-12 and soon after a road sign was erected on the KwaZulu-Natal border on the road from Pretoria and Joburg saying ‘Welcome to Currie Cup Country’. Didn’t sit well with the Bulls fans. First franchise to really embrace professionalism in terms of marketing and branding, which also pissed off the Province and Bulls fans. Sharks fans call all their players and the ref by their first names and can never, ever, concede that get fairly beaten. Ever. Nobody in SA likes the Sharks. Wankers.
Free State/Cheetahs – home to one of the great world rugby schools in Grey College. Famous for being the most adventurous running side in SA and being a feeder team for the Sharks and Bulls (to a lesser degree). Get shafted by SA Rugby at every opportunity and have been for over 100 years. Most people secretly like the Cheetahs but cringe at the thought of losing to them.
Eastern Province/Southern Kings – always renowned for being hard, uncompromising (some would say dirty) bastards from the car factories and vast hard, uncompromising (but beautiful) farming communities in the Eastern Cape. Also the soul of black rugby in South Africa, producing the bulk of black Boks over the years, even if they moved to other provinces. Never won much other than the fights. Too many of their fans like the Bulls as a second team. Wankers.
Griqualand West/Griquas – hard bastards from the Northern Cape around Kimberley. Nobody enjoys playing there, on the hard fields in the cold of winter. Had a couple of decent sides over the years, but generally been a feeder side to the Free State, when they’re losing players to the Sharks.
Other assorted minor unions – just there to get shafted by the big unions and act as feeder sides for them to replace the players the Sharks and the Europeans hoover up.
Think that about covers it.
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@Ticht – how about self-inflicted?
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Why? Just, why?
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“I’m just going to stay here for a second”
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“Transvaal”
Oh dear.
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As they were called for about 100 years, ditto Province, Natal, Free State etc. Northern Transvaal were the exception who were always called the Bulls or Blue Bulls by their fans
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We’re talking history, baby, all of it.
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@Ticht
good news indeed – he’s quite a prospect
Exeter going for quite a lot of yoof (cheaper as well).
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“Northern Transvaal were the exception who were always called the Bulls or Blue Bulls by their fans”
C’mon, man. Living in the past but don’t know your history. The nickname has its origin in the cartoon of Louis Schmidt, the original Blue Bull. There’s even a statue outside Loftus in tribute to him.
Louis had a part-time job as Gauteng’s leading Joe Stalin impersonator. Of course, his son went bad.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eb6NJIrWoAMDWwH?format=jpg
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Surely Northern Transvaal were just part of Transvaal for the first however many years of the Currie Cup.
Regardless I’m sure Thaum will be thinking that Deebee and TomP have wasted what could have been a good collaborative ATL with this stuff down here.
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