It’s the play-offs for both the URC and the English Premiership. As Ulster v Munster kicks off shortly, I shan’t waste any more time.
Onna telly this week
Friday 3rd June
| Ulster v Munster | 19:35 | TG4 / Premier Sports 2 |
Saturday 4th June
| Bulls v Sharks | 12:45 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Gloucester v Saracens | 15:00 | BT Sport 3 |
| Northampton v Newcastle | 15:00 | BT Sport 1 |
| Leinster v Glasgow | 15:15 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Stormers v Edinburgh | 18:00 | TG4 / Premier Sports 2 |
Ovally Balls 
England: 15 Tommy Freeman, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Jonny May, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Alex Dombrandt, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Tom Curry (c), 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Charlie Ewels, 3 Will Collier, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Bevan Rodd
Replacements: 16 Jack Singleton, 17 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 18 Patrick Schickerling, 19 Courtney Lawes, 20 Jack Willis, 21 Danny Care, 22 Orlando Bailey, 23 Jack Nowell
England for the BaaBaas game. Actually quite exciting although I know nothing about a few of these players. Would have liked to see Alfie Barbeary but Jack Willis being back is awesome.
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The BaaBaas seem to be essentially France C, plus Skelton and Kruis (good to see him one last time, great player). Not sure I understand the concept. I thought the Britsh BaaBaas would be fringe British players plus several foreigners from the Premiership.
Should be fun, though.
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Starters : 15. Spring ; 14. Penaud, 13. Vakatawa, 12. Botia, 11. Niniashvili ; 10. Hastoy, 9. Couilloud ; 7. Ollivon (cap.), 8. Tanga, 6. Cretin ; 5. Skelton, 4. Kruis ; 3. Gigashvili, 2. Bourgarit, 1. Gros.
Watch out for Spring ( half basque, half maori), and Niniashvili, a 19yo wonder from Georgia.
Tanga, Hastoy, Bourgarit might play in the next WC.
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Oops, forgot the subs:
16. Priso, 17. Tolofua, 18. Falatea, 19. Lavault, 20. Le Garrec, 21. Carbonel, 22. Macalou, 23. Vili.
Reserve : 24. Laclayat.
Again some of these, most notably LeGarrec, Carbonel or Vili might feature in the WC.
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Penaud, Ollivon, Cretin, Vakatawa and Gros should feature as well, presumably.
Good to see Walvisbaai’s Patrick Schickerling make the step up from Namibia Under 20s to an England XV. Percy Montgomery was born there as well.
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Tomp, I didn’t mention the obvious ones . Not sure Vakatawa will be there though, he’s been out of form all season and shows few signs of ever reaching his previous level.
Lavaut could be in as well, as Couilloud.
Laclayat is quite an amazing hooker, with Oyonnax in ProD2. Still a bit green.
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Schickerling has had a stand-out first season with Exeter
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Not sure there are many British players who aren’t touring this summer. Scotland are taking 40 to South America, Wales 33 to South Africa and (not British) Ireland are taking 40 to New Zealand.
You’d think it’d be the perfect game for Russell and/or Hogg as well as neither is going on the Scotland tour or someone like Cooney from Ireland but seems as if Galthie’s taking the opportunity to look at some young French lads.
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evening!
anyone got a link to tonight’s Castres vs Toulouse?
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Slade – I can tell you it’s on Premier Sports 1, if that helps.
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Red card, or are the officials gonna chicken out?
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Slade – vipbox.lc is where I’m watching
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They chickened out.
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Refit, that was a pretty clear red card to me
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I hate that they’re rowing back on the penalties for hitting someone inna face.
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My commentary is about 20secs ahead of the video, which is a little frustrating.
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Don’t think the BaaBaas have fielded much in the way of British players for a very long time and stopped being interesting about 20 years ago, maybe more.
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Premier Sports shows the Top 14 and I have access to that because they also show the URC, and so Edinburgh and Glasgow.
I’ve watched Finn play a few times and it has been fun, but the Top 14 is not an attractive league.
The Gallagher Premiership is probably the best overall just now.
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One for Ticht. Laclayat is a prop, not a hooker. Even better.
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Disappointing game yesterday. Castres being their usual hedgehog and Toulouse unable to find a way to their belly.
Hopefully the game between the Crusaders and the Blues will be more entertaining.
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So which of these teams do I want to lose least.
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I think Leicester have been less objectionable and more pathetic in recent years, I’ll go for them.
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Ford’s knackered his ankle and limps off on 23 mins. That’s a shame for him.
Burns on, to lead Tigers to victory? 🤷♂️
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That should be a red card for Davis. I’m guessing it’ll be a yellow though.
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Yep, Barnes and his team have talked themselves out of giving a red card.
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Wigglesworth is rolling back the years. He almost creates a try, charging down Faz.
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Same as last night Refit, player safety has taken a back seat to “the spectacle”
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Absolute nonsense from Barnes.
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That can only be a yellow for Matt Scott, after what Davies got in the 1st half.
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Bloody hell, a Burns’ drop goal with 30 secs to go. Looks like Tigers have won…
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Leicester deserved winners.
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Tigers were the better side, probably. They scored the tries so deserve the pot
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Glad Leicester won, if only for Sarries annoying shouting at breakdowns etc.
Billy V was immense.
I think that will put the whole Sarries story to bed now and clean slate for next season.
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“The Gallagher Premiership is probably the best overall just now.”
That didn’t age very well from last night
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Some top performances out there:
for Sarries – Koch, Billy V, Farrell, Tomkins, Goode
for L’ster: Genge, Montoya, Cole, Wigglesworth, Burns, Steward and L’ster pack generally for neutralising Sarries’
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oh, and Steve ‘Stephen’ Borthwick has done really, really well. His victory.
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That final was so wonderful with all these World Class English players who managed to catch the ball, that I’m amazed I managed to stay awake during the 4, 357 kicks that took place.
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now, now………………….
I was completely neutral but I found it absorbing and intense – the time flew (which is usually a fair measure of the qualities of the game). It was hard and relentless, in the style of both clubs and as an ex sports player I found it a proper type of final.
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We don’t get to see much Premiership games here so I didn’t want to comment but the lack of English clubs towards the end of the European cups seemed to be in contradiction with what you wrote. I’ve seen lots of quality games in both the T14 and the Hcup.
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That was in response to Ticht’s tongue in cheek comment.
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Thanks for watching that so I didn’t have to.
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…….poo!
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46c in the shade today -wtf??
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Oh dog, that’s unbearable, Slade! It was 30 here yesterday, and that was bad enough.
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Freddie Burns is qualified for Ireland……………………………………..
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m
we get up at 5.30 and enjoy the relative cool. Then, shut down before midday and start to come alive around about now – this w/end’s rugby is very well scheduled.
It’s the hottest day I have experienced in Europe – only had hotter in places like China Ranch in Death Valley. With a propensity to carcenomas I keep in the shade,
At 7 a.m. this morning our unheated pool was 30c and the air was 20c -weird –
I fear the thunderstorms scheduled for Monday/Tuesday but it will be cooler after.
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This is a wild ride, from start to finish
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Refit – it is indeed! I did not expect it to go all astrological….
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