The Baa Baas always conjure up romantic auld rugby images, with fly-halves ghosting defenders, props looping passes to wingers and penalty kicks declined to keep the ball in play for the benefit of a raucous crowd. To be honest though, half the time nowadays they are games where an opposition coach will try out his newbies against a hobbled-together team that has been on the piss all week. The Baa Baas is also a useful team to send off legends of the game: Jason Robinson, Katy Daley-Mclean and Chris Robshaw are all excellent examples of this. No one cares about the result really, even when Finn has ‘one of those days’ and beats England. It’s fun, it’s rugby values, it’s a good distraction when no other international rugby is on.
England
With Saracens and Leicester playing the Prem final, Eddie has gone for youth and I have to say it’s an exciting team:
Freeman; Cokanasiga, Marchant, Atkinson, May; Smith, Randall; Rodd, Walker, Collier, Ewels, Hill, Curry (c), Underhill, Dombrandt.
Replacements: Singleton, Goodrick-Clarke, Schickerling, Lawes, Willis, Care, Bailey, Nowell.
The best thing for me is the back row. Young, fast, powerful and actually able to jackal. Still feels a bit weird to be able to say that about an English back row, but I’ll take it.
Elsewhere, we have centres in the centre, wingers on the wing, and in-form scrum halves. Madness. Here’s hoping that Danny Care is coming back for real too.
Eddie even came up with this gem in the build up:
“We are looking forward to playing against an unusually French Barbarians side – which you normally only get when you play the French Barbarians.”
No shit. And no insults either.
Baa Baas
Spring; Penaud, Vakatawa, Botia, Niniashvili; Hastoy, Couilloud; Gros, Bourgarit, Gigashvili, Kruis, Skelton, Cretin, Ollivon (c), Tanga
Replacements: Priso, Tolofua, Falatea, Lavault, Le Garrec, Carbonel, Macalou, Vili
Kruis gets his send off! Probably by buggering up a conversion from the touch line too. But as Eddie sagely stated it’s a France heavy team coached by a French coach with a sprinkling of Fijian, Aussie and Georgian muscle. It’ll be interesting given the French have a newfound habit of winning stuff.
Prediction
It’ll depend who wants it more. I think the new and returning England players will want to lay down a marker and hopefully the Baa Baas will still be drunk etc. It’ll be fun but ultimately I think England should win it*.
35-20
*Bloody jinxed it now though.
Onna telly today
Sunday 19rd June
| England v Barbarians | 15:00 | Amazon Prime |
As barbered by Craigsman
Ovally Balls 
To paraphrase a joke made earlier, the Barbarians aren’t in the dining room anymore, they are in your bedroom and your bathroom.
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What’s the point in a constitution if you can’t amend it with the times?
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Deebs – fixed your post for you. (You have to take out the ‘mobile.’ bit from the URL.)
Flair – another good read is Baudrillard’s L’Amérique. It has chapters with titles like RIGHT LANE MUST TURN RIGHT and explains what that reveals about the American psyche.
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thanks for the book refs!!!
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Thanks Thaum, will look for it.
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This is interesting. I wonder what the correct circumstances are in the 32% line? That can range from time frame considerations to only if raped by an uncle (or something equally crass).
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There really only should be one consideration: if it’s between consenting adults and does nobody any harm, it’s no one else’s business. Agreed with Flair’s earlier comment that religion and rule don’t work (to paraphrase the point).
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Me, I’d put birth control inna water.
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Deebs – the pro life position basically rejects this though. Fetus is a baby is a person and is being murdered.
I do have my reservations later on. If a baby is healthy at 179 days then it can technically be born prematurely and survive. So the morality becomes more complicated at this point. I would have serious reservations if Mrs Craigs wanted an abortion that late.
I’m pro choice though, and it’s the mother’s decision 100% so in the above example I would go with what Mrs Craigs wanted.
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The foetus is a parasite. The host has a very reasonable case to reject it.
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I would never embrace the so called concepts of pro life and pro choice as those are propaganda tools.
You can be pro life ( whatever that means) and pro abortion rights. You can be pro choice (whatever that means) and have doubts about when ending the life of a not yet born human being is OK. These are simplistic terms only aimed at tainting those who oppose your views.
Leave the pregnant woman in charge, period (no pun intended, sorry). It’s hard enough as it is.
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Obviously I appreciate the support of correct-thinking men.
But frankly, men should have no official input into the abortion debate.
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*channelling my inner feminazi*
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Alright Bindel.
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RIP Harry Gration, a true great of regional broadcasting. Followers of Real Cricket may remember he once opened the batting for us as part of a Look North promo of an over 50s competition that was the brainchild of one of my teammates. The game in question wasn’t part of the competition so there were under 50s involved, but we all kept off camera in the first few overs – I had to get the opposition to agree to open with their oldest bowler etc. Harry looked a reasonably well organised batsman though he only got maybe two and then buggered off without fielding. Nice bloke to talk to though and he left because he had to go to something for his young twins who still can’t be very old and I think there’s another one since as well so terrible for his family.
And of course enjoy your Rugby League – Harry did.
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Thaum – Seriously though, too many men have had a say already. Clarence Thomas is now turning his sights onto gay marriage and sodomy laws.
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” it’s the mother’s decision 100% so in the above example I would go with what Mrs Craigs wanted”
Whilst in principle I very much agree with the sentiment, I would point out that if Mrs Craigs didn’t know what she wanted then just telling her it’s 100% her decision wouldn’t cut it.
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@Craigs – and anti-segregation laws
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CMW – if she doesn’t know then I’m not going to tell her what i think she wants. That makes me open to assigned culpability in a future argument. No, no, no, no.
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Refit – I looked at that. It appears he’s attacking the idea that a long term precedent is a reason not to overturn a law rather than enact segregation again.
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@Craigs – culpability can and will be assigned for omissions as well as acts so is coming your way regardless…
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@cmw
Harry was always there when BBC Northwest Tonight would combine with BBC Look North for live coverage of the RL Challenge Cup draw. Harry would open proceedings before handing over to the (also recently departed) Maurice Lindsay who would say in his campest voice “thank you Harry”
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You might like to see the main talking point from today’s All Ireland quarter finals….
Brawl broke out at full time at end of first game between Galway (maroon) and Armagh (orange) – as teams left the pitch before extra time.
Our “hero” here is not an active player or sub but a member of the wider panel – general expectation is he’ll get a short suspension and get off on appeal (GAA disciplinary structures are designed to drag out appeals until some procedural error is found and whole thing is let drop)
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You need to click in to see the full enormity … probably 18 months in a rugby context
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Cmw – culpable until proven not. And even then…
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I was looking to see whether Luke Crosbie had played as an 8, he is listed at 8 in a Scotland U20s game against France. We lost that game heavily, no surprise there.
France’s third try was scored by Faraj Fartass.
Yes, that is the level I’m posting at these days.
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Ticht, that’s still a far higher level than some!
It’s only just dawned on me that the June Internationals start this weekend! Some early predictions, without the benefit of seeing team sheets, injuries etc (not that I’d take one iota of notice of pesky detail like that):
New Zealand to eke out a tight win against Ireland. with Jaco Peyper blamed by the Irish for their defeat;
Australia to catch England cold and hammer them, with Eddie Jones blaming Jaco Peyper for allowing them too much time on the ball and encroaching on the offside line;
Springboks to edge a tight arm-wrestle against Wales, with Jaco Peyper blaming himself for not getting the reffing gig for the match;
Scotland to fail at the last against a spirited Argentine fightback, with Townsend blaming Jaco Peyper for not refereeing the breakdown to his liking;
France to batter Japan with Jaco Peyper not mentioned at all by the gracious hosts.
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It’s a bit like when I hoped that there was a curry house to the south west of Dublin called The Curry of Kildare
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PS du Toit out of Saturday’s Test. Wales inch closer to parity.
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“Wales inch closer to…”
Think there might be a chequebook and pen available for someone.
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Bad luck for Henderson – what a tour to drop out of………………..
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I recall was in Monasterevin, Co Kildare but there’s now one in Bray
https://images.app.goo.gl/oB2BKQKsatrWozv79
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On rugby matters – certainly a loss to lose Henderson. Seems like he’s never fit for a whole season. No replacement required – which implies Ryan and Beirne start on Sat.
Leaves McCarthy and Baird as 2nd row cover – Baird wasn’t much used in Leinster’s Heino matches and McCarthy (who is rated to have a high ceiling) got a few mins vs LaR
Signs of using Coombes (who has played 2nd row – in an emergency) if things go wrong
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with Jaco Peyper blamed
@Deebee
I think Peyper refs the 2nd test – Dickson the 1st. If we won 1 out of 3 – I think that would be good.
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Bok side to face Wales on Saturday:
15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (captain), 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Retshegofaditswe Nché.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Albertus Smith, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Willie le Roux.
Some interesting selections – Willemse ahead of le Roux at 15, Jantjies starting at 10, although as one wag put it on a local BTL, he’s glad Elton is starting at altitude, he’ll smash the door down.* Rest of the back division are as expected. Quite a lot of surprise down here that Jasper Wiese has retained his spot ahead of Evan Roos, whos is being touted as the Second Coming of Duane Vermeulen before he’s even shuffled off the scene, whilst others don’t like Franco Mostert as a starting 7. However, he offers an excellent lineout option and also gas in the tank for the full 80. Siya Kolisi has had a fairly quiet season at the Sharks, so he needs to shake off the cobwebs, whilst the tight five is pretty much as expected. Elrigh Louw is another young brute coming through the system and he and Kwagga Smith could make hay later on if the game opens up. Salmaan Moerat toured with the Boks last November and has been a key part of the Stormers engine room.
*He was involved in what appears to have been a drunken incident on a flight back from Japan a few weeks ago where he tried to break a toilet door.
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Leaves McCarthy and Baird as 2nd row cover
Forgot about Treadwell …. who really isn’t a THL either
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Trisk – the way the Kiwis are dropping out with Covid at the moment, you’ll be lucky to get to the 2nd Test! Ireland by 27.
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Strong looking Boks, I fear for Wales.
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Interesting article here.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jun/28/i-saw-first-hand-tech-giants-seduced-eu-google-meta
In late summer of 2001 I worked on a house whose owner was an Ofsted Inspector He had given up a job as a headteacher to try and influence the education system in the light of a wave of reforms which he believed were entirely inappropriate. The main motivation behind this career move ( and large pay cut) was an EU policy document about the future of education in western Europe, and what skills would be needed for future generations. He showed me copies of this document, and also copies of a paper produced by a coalition of tech companies several years earlier, which suggested what type of educational changes would be needed to create the perfect workforce AND customer base. Large parts of the EU document were copied word for word from the earlier one, except parts referring to moulding of a future customer base. He believed that the intent was to deskill the population to an extent that they were entirely pliable, and susceptible to modern tech marketing, creating a captive audience for their own exploitation.
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SBT – the Bok squad only assembled in its entirety yesterday, so they haven’t had much time to get together, even if it is a settled squad, for the most part. They’ll be rusty in the first Test, which I expect Wales to throw the kitchen sink at. Whether that’ll be enough, is what we’ll find out. The Welsh always give us a hard match, so I’m not expecting an easy win first up. I’ll back the Boks, but by less than 10.
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@Deebee – I was surprised South Africa didn’t thrash Wales in November. I do remember you saying they wouldn’t, but I can’t have you being right all of the time. Boks by loads.
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@cmw
are Wales travelling to SA with a full squad or is it more “development” ? Like has AWJ been given the summer off?
Ireland are going out there to win – or at least an attempt at it – there’s a few dev spots but in reality it’s the 6N squad plus …. no one told to put their feet up. Win or even lose 2-1 and Farrell is fireproof.
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@Trisk – It looks like a full squad. Some players missing with injuries of course and some of them may be near the end of their careers anyway. Not going out there to win regardless unless something very strange happens!
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If anyone wants to whet their appetite for the weekend…
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Any thoughts on Jasper Wiese from those who watch the Prem? The Bok brains trust are bigging him up and saying he’s improved hugely this season and got his discipline under control as well? Would be great if he has, because he’s keeping one of the biggest talents in SA rugby out of the 23 at the moment!
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That Cuthbert try was something else, proving that modern defences can be split open with the correct skills and reading of the game. And he skinned three World Cup winners with one step too!
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Maori are giving Ireland a bit of a hiding thus far. 25-10 at oranges.
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Sorry, make that 32-10 at the break, I was a little premature putting that up.
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