Being short of time as I’m travelling tomorrow, I have shamelessly stolen Deebee7‘s prognostications.
But first, I’m sure we can all rejoice that Stuart McCloskey has kept his starting place on the Ireland team with Aki relegated to the bench.
Your results for the weekend:
Tonga v Uruguay: Tonga by 14 – Tonga are enjoying playing against Spanish speaking sides, and will dish the pain once again!
Italy v South Africa: South Africa by 4 – Boks have had two narrow losses and will look to get their tour on the board, with four straight losses for the two sides so far. Bench to haul them over the line.
Wales v Georgia: Wales by 19 – good win for Wales last week and they’ll look to build on that (and cement their place in the 6N at Georgia’s expense).
Romania v Samoa: Samoa by 6 – just because I don’t have a clue, but Samoa seem to better at the moment.
Scotland v Argentina: Argentina by 3 – Did Scotland blow a gasket against the Kiwis last week? Argentina have some good scalps this year and will look to take a Scottish one on their own turf.
England v New Zealand: New Zealand by 9 – don’t think it’ll be a shellacking, but the Kiwis are cruising this November tour after a dodgy start against Japan.
Ireland v Australia: Ireland by 8 Aussies are one from three, but all their matches have been single point affairs so far. Ireland will put a bit of distance on the scoreboard, but not that much.
France v Japan: France by 24 Japan won’t be as bad as they were against England, but they also don’t have the ability to step up and close the gap that much either. France for win 13 on the trot and getting within touching distance of some serious records.
Onna telly this week
Friday 18th November
| Sale v Harlequins | 19:30 | BT Sport 1 |
Saturday 19th November
| Italy v South Africa | 13:00 | Amazon Prime |
| Wales v Georgia | 13:00 | Amazon Prime |
| Scotland v Argentina | 15:15 | Amazon Prime |
| England v New Zealand | 17:30 | Amazon Prime |
| Ireland v Australia | 20:00 | Amazon Prime |
Sunday 20th November
| France v Japan | 13:00 | Amazon Prime |
Ovally Balls 
Had to look up who Andrew Tate is. Still none the wiser really. As soon as I see the word ‘influencer’ to describe someone I immediately think ‘Oh, you mean dickhead’. Seems I’m particularly correct in this instance.
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BB – I didn’t really know who he was either. But it seems that he is a kickboxer/YouTuber/sexist wanker. He talks about ‘escaping the Matrix’ apparently.
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But I thought you’d like to see Greta ko him so…
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There’s more speculation about Ben Healy being given the offer of a move to Scotland from Munster, with Edinburgh seemingly the frontrunner. This was in the Irish Indy.
You never know if these stories are planted by the players’ agents as a negotiating tactic when contracts come up for renewal, but Healy isn’t getting a game when the others are fit.
It’s not sure that he’ll get a game at Edinburgh, mind, Charlie Savala is coming along nicely and Kinghorn is most certainly first choice.
There is talk that Jaco van der Walt is offski at the end of this season, so there could well be an opening.
My preference would be to sign Murray McCallum, who has been without a contract since Wuss went pear-shaped.
Other Embra news is that Boff is staying – Emaliano Boffelli signed a two year contract extension today, which is a terrific bit of business for us, I was sure the big French chequebooks would be waved in at him after his form this year.
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That Andrew Tate fella… Just been arrested for human trafficking.
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He breached opsec and gave his location away, and Romanian police couldn’t turn a blindeye any more.
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I saw that about the Tate guy, no idea who he is.
Hope they throw the book at him from what I’ve just read about him.
It’s quite something that his fragile male ego was his downfall in an exchange with a 19 year old woman who is trying to improve the lot of everyone on the planet, where he was extolling how much of a wanker he is.
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‘Your’ Exeter team to face Saracens:
Hodge, Nowell, Slade, Kata, Woodburn
Simmonds, Maunder
Sio, Yeandle, Williams
van Hearden, Gray
Grondona, Tschiunza, Fisilau
Frost, I-Scott, Schickerling, Dunne, Pearson, Cairns, Hendrickson, O’Loughlin
Baxter: “This could be the period where we see some senior players leave, some younger players grow, and we start to bring that next generation through. This could be the defining period and that’s what I intend it to be.”
Missing: Hogg, LC-D, Townsend, Ewers, Vermeulen, S. Simmonds, Hepburn and various others injured.
Good game to win!
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I see Jess Phillips is getting the messaging spot on 🤦♂️
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Here’s a big surprise: Tate is a fan of Farage and of Trump. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/aug/06/andrew-tate-violent-misogynistic-world-of-tiktok-new-star
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Remind me why social media is a ‘good’ thing again?
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BB, social media allows complete arseholes to reveal themselves as such for faster than any other media does. Tate the Tosser isn’t capable of resisting the urge to prove his idiocy at any given opportunity.
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*far faster
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This is the driving force behind my free speech near absolutism. If he was banned from speaking, only da fule no he’s a twat innit.
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Maybe Joe will learn not to be such a knob?
Harlequins: Joe Marler charged over Jake Heenan comments – https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64125642
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Unlikely.
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‘Mon ra Weedge!!!!
Let’s bring the (only realistic chance we have of winning a) cup back to Glasgow!
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And a decent start.
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Well, didn’t last long.
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Bugger.
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Sale and Leicester is as exciting as expected.
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Rugby has broken out in the Sale match. Home team score a very nice try. DCL will be pleased.
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Better. Back to within a point. 20-19.
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Pollard scores an intercept try for Tiggers. Showed that Maitland isn’t the only one that looks like he’s running in treacle, but still got over the line.
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Woo hoo! Horne The Younger over for a try! Now lead by 7.
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Good win for Glasgow! 25-32 final score – and we get back the 1872 cup. So one bit of silverware this season anyway. Sounds like we owned the second half at least.
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I didn’t really know who he was either
@Craigs – unfortunately, far too many impressionable boys do know. I had the unfortunate experience of having to overhear one of our U14s drone on about him on a recent coach trip to Munster-Toulouse.
In retrospect, I should have told him to STFU…. to be fair the boys he was trying to impress … weren’t…..so I left it.
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speculation about Ben Healy being given the offer of a move to Scotland from Munster
He’s out of contract at end of season – Crowley was capped and got a serious contract extension in Oct/Nov. Carbery was moved to Munster at IRFU instruction. Right now, they are Munster 1 and 2, and Ireland 2 and 3…..
Healy is looking at Munster #3 – he’s SQ through a parent (can’t recall which).
Munster blogs/groups I’m on see it as logical – he’s plain vanilla enough but they’d see him as an upgrade on Kinghorn ( Scottish fans may see otherwise).
He’s got a prodigious boot and a good long pass – main criticism here is he doesn’t play 1.90m / 110kg – rarely carries the ball to the line (like Ross Byrne in that respect), whereas Crowley and Carbery (latterly) can keep the defence guessing
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Full-throated derby going on at Thomond Park tonight
Very disappointing defeat – but lots went well. Handled the Leinster maul well, but got suckered by 2 5m tap and goes…..
Basically, wrong players positioned in the line. Outscored Leinster 3 tries to 2….. minor consolation but shows Munster weren’t just hanging on in there …. maybe you need to lose one you should have won in order to move on….
Still need greater power in front 5 – Kleyn and Beirne have played constantly since October…. Ahern, Edogbo, Wycherley, Snyman are all SRs out injured.
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Happy New Year to one and all! May 2022 hold some fond memories from a fairly chaotic and tumultuous year, and I hope all your wishes for 2023 come true!
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*except beating the Boks of course.
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Refit – does anyone know what Marler actually said?
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Trisk – hopefully him being in jail won’t be extra kudos.
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Found this comment on Cif:
And Iks was only trying to feed the ducks!
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Refit – does anyone know what Marler actually said?
@craigs – this tweet purports to have actual footage….
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No doubt the better team on the day (Saracens) won and all their tricks came off – fair play to them.
However, this is the first time I recall openly criticising a referee: Maxwell-Keys really was hopelessly one-eyed and took the steam out of any chance Exeter may have created.
Grrr.
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Trisk – cheers, there’s also a video of the incident. Pretty awful from Joe. I don’t think he knew that the guy’s mum is in hospital but you shouldn’t say that.
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Slade – I think Exeter have been somewhat worked out. It will be a measure of how good Baxter is as a coach if he can bring them back up.
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Happy New Year to all! I am not going to make it until midnight….
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Happy New Year to all Ovallies – posters and lurkers alike.
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Happy New Year, all
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Happy New Year! I definitely took one for the team last night, from recall. Which is limited. Why do we (me?) do this every 31st December? On the plus side, this is surely the worst I’ll feel all year!
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You’ll be celebrating/drowning your sorrows on October 28th, surely?
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Happy New Year!!
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Yeesh, Quins have just been humped 46-17 by Saints. Not a great start to the year for them.
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And Cardiff have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, or at least of a draw.
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According to the Kipper, Dan Cole is back in the England squad.
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Unbelievable defence from Ulster to defend their line against wave after wave of Munster battering.
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It was good, wasn’t it, Deebs? Sadly, Munster have scored just into the second.
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Yeah, Munster have definitely found another gear since they went 9-0 down. Not sure Ulster can defend like this for another 15 minutes.
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