Ireland v South Africa
With Bundee Aki in detention for being a bad boy and Robbie Henshaw pulling a hamstring in training, Stuart McCloskey is at last getting a start in a big game. Fellow Ulsterman Flying Robert Baloucoune also starts on the wing, with Rob Herring and Kieran Treadwell on the bench. Springboks better be careful! Ireland by 5 (McCloskey try).
Italy v Samoa
Hard to predict as I’ve no idea what Samoa’s form is like, but they may benefit from some poached players returning. Draw.
Scotland v Fiji
Fiji are never a side to be discounted, but a strong Scotland will do the business, even without Finn’s flair. Scotland by 15.
Wales v New Zealand
With half the first-choice starters injured (and Halfpenny currently an injury doubt too), this can only go one way. NZ by 38. (It would have been 48, but talisman AWJ is on the bench.)
France v Australia
France have rediscovered Gallic flair and are currently a truly frightening side to face. They are also hosting the World Cup next year, and will want to put on a good display. Wobblies are wobbly. France by 15.
England v Argentina
Eddie Jones has named a tired side, albeit with Marcus Smith at fly-half and a new bloke. As astutely pointed out by the notablog denizens, Billy Vunipola is unlikely to last more than 20 minutes. Argentina by 2.
Onna telly this week
Friday 4th November
| Northampton v Exeter | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
Saturday 5th November
| England v Canada (women) | 03:30 | ITV |
| France v New Zealand (women) | 06:30 | ITV |
| Scotland v Fiji | 13:00 | Amazon Prime |
| Sale v Gloucester | 13:00 | BT Sport 2 |
| Italy v Samoa | 13:00 | Amazon Prime |
| Wales v New Zealand | 15:15 | Amazon Prime |
| Ireland v South Africa | 17:30 | Amazon Prime |
| France v Australia | 20:00 | Amazon Prime |
Sunday 6th November
| Pau v Bordeaux | 14:10 | Viaplay (formerly Premier Sports) |
| England v Argentina | 14:15 | Amazon Prime |
Ovally Balls 
Scrolling through a couple of sites down here and consensus (well, majority opinion) is that Ireland deserved it, Boks need a kicker and a 10 to command the game, a few fresh faces needed but on the whole, no need to panic. I’d go with that, but I’d really like to see more adventure with ball in hand from the off.
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So, to France-Australia! Anyone give Aus a chance?
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Allez Les Bleus
Great atmosphere – Deebs, not a chance, I expect France to tonk them
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This from the Mothership’s live blog of the match amused me:
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Ticht – yep, same here.
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Sounds like Benjamin Kayser commentating. Top bloke.
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What a time to cut to Dave Rennie in the coaches box – when he’s struggling to get the cap of a bottle of water.
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Thaum, BK is my favourite pundit
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BK’s ‘English’ accent is something to hear. Does he keep sliding into Irish/Geordie?
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Oh, that was lovely from Aus (I feel dirty now).
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Hmm, Wobblies looking rather unwobbly.
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Not only France that can score tries from their own try line! Stunning!
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WTF
Great try
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Patience and power from France! Oh. Chalked off. Still get the feeling it’ll be comfortable enough in the end.
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Of course I’m a bit behind so making a hind tit of myself as we go along. Luckily I’m both used to it and full of red wine so don’t really give a shit!
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Aus. don’t look like they will last the pace………….
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……………what do I know!
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Slade – ha, I was going to ask that!
Come on France – get it together!
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Well, congrats Flair: that was a lot closer than I thought it would be!
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That was fun. Probably the best game of the day.
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I thought it’d be closer than most pundits predicted but not that close. Phew. Well played Oz. They’ll trouble many opponents this month and next year.
France a bit rusty since the 6N (it was a C team that was sent to Japan), specially Dupont/Ntamack. Some ballast was missing (Willemse -ours, not Deebee’s-, Cros, Gros) but overall they did OK. Thanks for Penaud, best record ever, 11 consecutive wins. Let’s see if kickerless SA can put and end to it. Deebee?
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Morning all! Boks lost the rugby, Blitzboks dumped out the 7s by Fiji and Proteas out the T20 World Cup losing to the Netherlands. What a crap sporting weekend! On the plus side of the ledger, the sun is shining beautifully this morning, air is fresh, slight breeze and dogs hugely excited that we’re off to the park for a run and breakfast.
Flair, doubt the Boks will beat France this weekend unless we actually get a Plan B. And actually use it.
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Deeb, you need a seasoned 10, a kicker and a better 9 than Hendrikse. What’s wrong with Faf, he suits your style of play.
Willemse, wonderful player that he is, is a 15 and not a place kicker. He forces his play to make amends for his poor kicks, losing confidence.
Your pack will be fine vs the so called French “behemoths”, lighweight at 2nd row and lacking a good tighthead. If Dupont sucks as he did vs Oz and Galthié sticks with out of shape Ntamack , you’ll be fine.
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BTW, I made the mistake to read the comments BTL on the Grauniad rugby reports from yesterday. Most of them are petulant, childlike and agressive. Very few are well informed and fair. Disappointing decadence.
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Flair, spot on about Willemse. Sooner they get back to 15 the better. I wonder if Manie Libbok will be thrown into the deep end against France? He was pivotal (sorry!) in the Stormers winning the URC last year.
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France Aus definately the best game of the day. France did look a bit rusty, but do manage to get the cleanest ball delivery at the breakdown, allowing quick ball, something England have been unable to do consistently for several years.. Flair, I wouldn’t worry too much about Dupont, Nic White is developing his game massively at the moment, and is a huge pain in the ass, a proper really annoying and niggling cheating little shite of a number 9, and it looked like the Aussies targeted him specifically. Will create gaps elsewhere another time. Add to that the fact that the Aussies have found a pack at last means they are not a bad team at all, its fortunate for the rest of us that Foley is the stand off equivalent of a military medium bowler in cricket. Ntamack out of sorts? Deary me, you only have Jalibert on the bench, not a bad back up. Its all apples for France, altho Uncle Shaun may have a few harsh words on Monday morning.
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As for England, my money is on the Poomas. Off out, so will have to wait for catch up replay on rugby24 or whatever it is. That in itself is a sign of my frustrations with Eddie, VERY unusual for me to find something better to do than watch England play rugby, have in the past driven hours to find a place showing it when on the road, and this morning I am going for a coffee and a nice ride with some motorcycling chums instead.
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SBT, my money is also on the Pumas but I can’t watch the game so I’ll wait for the blog report and wisdom.
Not worried about Dupont. An off day, besides his excellent counter ruck that lead to the HT try.
I prefer Jalibert to Ntamack but he’s apparently not very good in defence. And when facing SA…
Australia with Kerevi and Koroboite will trouble many teams. Good pack, excellent backs, smart coach.
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The amount of rain at Twickenham, I’m expecting a scrum-heavy game.
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Ok, it’s weird seeing a ‘Coles’ on the team sheet, without a baldy head attached.
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First blood to Argentina. Billy has the ball ripped, after a scrum free kick. Arg punt the ball down field, Smith loses his footing and fails to gather and Eng are offside.
0-3 10mins
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Eng even it up almost immediately – most of the Arg team offside at a ruck.
3-3- 12 mins
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England knock-on from the restart. Scrum right in front of the posts. Arg knock-on themselves, from the scrum, but Eng are offside. Pen Arg.
3-6 15 mins
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England score the first try.
From a ruck on the far side, Youngs puts in a lovely chip to space, for Smith to chase. Carreras slides on the ball, back over the try line. England scrum and, with pen advantage, the ball goes to Big Joe, who crashes over the line.
10-6 26 mins
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All a bit rucksy-dropsy.
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Ben Youngs just pulled out his party piece – threading the ball between 4 England players, straight into touch.
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Arg to within a point, penalty on the Eng 10m line.
10-9 33 mins
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England pen for a late tackle.
13-9 36mins
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England knock-on from the restart and then it’s an offside from the proceeding ruck. Arg back to within 1 point.
13-12 38mins
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Billy knocks on, but Eng put the power through the scrum and the disruption results in a penalty at the resulting ruck. Faz kicks the points and Eng go into half time back to 4 points ahead.
16-12.
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England have absolutely no clue what to do with the ball. All Argentina need to do is get possession within kicking distance and they pick up 3 points. I’ve seen better all round play in the park by my house.
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Well, that certainly was a half of rugby….
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@BB – debatable.
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Wow. Rugby has broken out!
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What a superb try!
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Try Argentina, Boffelli in the corner. Lineout right on the England 22 and they just go fast across the pitch – a really lovely try.
16-17 48mins
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You would think, by the age of 33, Ben Youngs would have learned to pass by now.
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Another Arg try. Carreras intercept and Steward can’t quite catch him. Faz appeals for a knock-on in the build up – could be from one angle and not from another. In the end, the try stands.
16-24 52mins
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Odd decision. Looked like there was one angle that showed a touch.
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Why did Ben Spencer never get a proper go in the England 9 shirt?
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