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 
Well, yes, Hoggy should have been strung up for that. And Schoemann shouldn’t have been on the bloody field for most of the second half.
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1.Thrilled for Italy – they ARE a squad with a plan
2. Scotland need a good look at themselves – such a waste of talent
3. Poor Wales – someone had to eventually – it just happened to be you
All made up for by the Welsh MoM gesture – marvellous for the young Italian lad
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Jonny Sexton’s 3 kids all have his cat features.
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“Poor Wales – someone had to eventually – it just happened to be you”
We have always been the most likely after Scotland.
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Pleased for the Italians, but we were terrible and still should have won.
Very disappointed Hogg didn’t throw the pass, could have been exciting from there but ended up a run of the mill Ireland win over Scotland.
Hope for something better in the last game though it won’t have a better finish than the first one.
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Now – (clears throat, looks around nervously) come on England!
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Dayglo and SCW? Truly we are living in cursed times.
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Refit – was just about to post something similar!
At least Jonny’s a good guy.
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By the way, been in your part of the world twice in the past few days. The first time (Wednesday), we couldn’t see it due to the rain and fog, and the second time, the M5 was closed at Weston super Mare, which was not fun.
One day I will see Bristol properly.
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“Eddie Jones thinks the ball’s going to be in the air more than in hand and as picked a team to cope with that”
??? Hasn’t he picked a team to make that the case?
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Stopped listening after ‘Eddie Jones thinks’.
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Congrats Ireland, I had to leave it with ten minutes to go, it was too painful.
Ireland are a really good side, where they have improved is the little things, the accuracy that cumulates in making a good side a REALLY good side – Dave wotsisname, Breasford? The cycling guy who talked about making hundreds of little improvements leading to huge overall improvements – that’s Ireland over the last few years
Top team who will be looking at having a long run in next year’s world cup
Scotland are the opposite, we have the best group of players we’ve had in the pro era and we are not getting much out of them. It’s the same problems every game, the penalty count and coughing up possession in the red zone kills us every time we meet a side with a better “top two inches”
Luckily I get to support France too, allez les gars
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Ticht – we will be knocked out in the QFs as per usual, if we get that far. Have you seen the draw?
We are so much better than we used to be, but I’ve been disappointed in the performance in the 6N. The ruthlessness necessary for a WC win is not there.
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Thaum, I know you have South Africa and us, you will definitely get through to the QF – who are the two you could face?
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Ticht – assuming we come first or second in the pool, New Zealand or France.
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Come on luck of the Irish. That’s a thing right?
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Ah
Oh well
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Craigs – I refer you to John Lennon:
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Great antheming from France
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My head and my heart are having a massive conflict of interest at the mo.
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Been drinking since 9am UK time, so it’s my head and legs that are having a wee conflict at the moment.
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Nice!
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Surely there was a knock-on in the lead-up to that French try, she says hopefully?
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Well, Dayglo (I think it was) agreed with me, but not any ref.
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Ben Kay’s on co-coms, along with Flatman.
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Oh dear. Yellow only surely?
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Got away with it….
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that is a ridiculous decision
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Slightly mystified, to be honest.
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Argh, schoolboy mistake.
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Youngs -> Sun, please/
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Ticht – not as ridiculous as the Schoeman one.
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All looking a bit one sided. Begs the question ” Are England good enough to be in the Six Nations ?”
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Why Youngs? Why, why, why?
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What the hell, Itoje! Who made him scrum-half? Clearly not one of his many talents.
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St Maro bollocksed that. Great take by Steward (?) but needed a quick clearance.
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French handling keeping England in the game.
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Youngs getting to the ruck like an arthritic pensioner.
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Well, damn. This isn’t looking good.
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Another lovely try from France!
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Those ‘Motorway’ adverts do my head in. Not only the pompous voice mis-pronouncing words, but the ‘cheating is great’ thing.
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France holding us at arms length whilst kicking us in the nuts.
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England have been consistently shit at defending the tackle area on their own ball since before the last world cup, got to be a coaching thing. .French mistakes have kept the score below 30 so far, really could have had another 3 tries.
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That half was all about what France didn’t quite manage to do, if they start to make those passes stick this will be carnage.
I can’t see a way for England to get back into this other than a French collapse
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Thinking the same myself, Thaum. If anything, the ads say “Never even think of using this company” to me.
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Sir Clive reckons England are still in the game.
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Ooh France. Power, speed, and precision, with only the precision part letting them down at times. Could be out of sight by now. So England still in it as they aren’t playing badly just some good seconds, need to extend that to minutes.
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Shit kick from Smith.
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Woo hoo!
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