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 
Not even the least surprising result of the day. And no, I don’t mean Wales losing at the end to Australia, or Edinburgh losing to a team that played with 14 men for 70 minutes. I mean Glasgow getting pumped by Leinster.
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POM’s gone off. Not sure if a blood sub (seemed to have a nosebleed) or an HIA.
And Munster score! New prop.
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Rip Doddie. Too young.
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10 all at HT.
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Connacht are turning into a dirty side. They’ve got a man in the bin, and Aki (who else?) now penalised, and got away with something earlier.
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Thauma, Ireland are a step up from England (sorry England supporters) as are France. EJ had a helluva lot to sort out in the next few months. Plenty of talent, but selection seems to be misfiring.
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Merci, Deebee!
Munster cross the line again after a series of Connacht malfeasances that the hapless referee mostly hasn’t looked at.
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I’m getting worried about our discipline though. It was superb until this season. Think the whole Rassie thing is working in reverse. One thing to have a siege mentality and quite another to take cheap shots. Might be time to put him in the back room and away from the players.
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Connacht give away yet another penalty for lifting legs (the 13 this time). WTF? When did they start playing like this?
Sorry, Claw, but I don’t like it.
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Munster maul over the line again. The dirty tactics aren’t even working.
22-10 at 66 mins.
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Marmion scores for Connacht.
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Another phase of play with two late tackles by Connacht.
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And it’s over. 24-17.
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Blimey! I turn m back and England get handed their arses.
p.s. Jonny Hill is now a Sale player.
p.p.s. I loathe EJ’s spiel.
p.p.p.s .I do not like Le Roux
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I will now try and watch the game on replay.
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@thauma
Yep, under van Graan Munster were a “nice” team – so were easily rattled by shithousing – Connacht cottoned on to this and its been their modus operandi for a few games now. Add to the fact that several Connacht players were cut by Munster – it ads to the spite.
Now they’re the same vs Leinster – but what’s irritating as a Munster follower is that they don’t dish that out to Edinburgh or the Stormers or Ospreys…
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Sometimes I’m confused by the algorithms that Facebook uses for the “suggested for you” posts you see when you long on there. I just got one for Garda Síochána – Cork, Kerry & Limerick – Southern Region, detailing how a couple of their lads changed a tyre for some unfortunate motorist who hadn’t noticed a slow puncture.
Good work and all, but I’m not sure what in my posting history would suggest to the almighty algorithm that kind of thing was important news, of which I should be informed toute suite.
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My mate lives in Altrincham and just took an Amazon parcel in for Tom Curry who, unsurprisingly, not in.
He’s nearly as excited about it as the time Jimmy Anderson held a gate open for him.
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Your mate has done more carrying than Tommy Curry did yesterday. Who unsurprisingly, was largely absent at Twickers too!
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He also has an anecdote about the time Tom Curry’s toffee-nosed mate blocked their garage door.
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So which Hemisphere had the better of the Aumn Internationals, I don’t hear you ask. Well the definitive answer is probably not here, but tough. Looked at 27 games between Northern and Sourthern hemisphere teams (didn’t include games between teams from same hemisphere (so no Wales vs Georgia), or Barbarians games).
Amazingly, there were 13 wins each and one draw.
What does this teach us?
Bugger all, probably.
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Jonny Hill
– was on a stellar trajectory with Exeter until he joined the England squad: tall, line-out dominant, fast and good hands. Even good enough for the Lions – so better rugby brains than mine rated him.
Now he looks to be a lobotomised clod – what is the cause? I can only think England management and loud criticism. He looks a very unhappy player.
This latter point applies to a few of the squad, I think.
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Watched the game on replay after a busy day and a few beers, so only initial impressions, but the Boks looked up for it, and have added some razor sharp outside back play to their normal blood and thunder stuff. Look promising. England look disorganised and frankly, rubbish. Mako might have lovely hands and an ability to run a bit sometimes when put thru a hole, but he repeatedly gets walked all over at the set piece. Surely time to look elsewhere. The thing that makes me most angry is the idiotic use of second rows at six. Coles may play there a bit for his club, but he is not an international standard six, and probably not going to have a chance to turn into one before the world cup. Is Ludlam injured ? Surely Ludlow would be a better back up than throwing another second row to the wolves.
If squidge is correct, and Eddie is saving his secret master plan for the world cup final, other than 10 minutes against the ABs, he is wasting his time, because on current evidence they won’t get out of the group.
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It’s 0-23 at HT for Sharks v Cardiff, with a highly dubious penalty try having been awarded.
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0-35 at FT!
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Tom Curry Amazon parcel update – he’s home, lights are on etc but he’s still not picked it up.
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Often seems with Tom Curry that the lights are on but nobody’s home.
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Dave assures me Tom, or his twin brother, are sitting on the sofa watching telly.
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The football or Strictly? Or the jungle thing?
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EJ to the headmaster’s study on Monday……………..
Who could replace him? Who is available?
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Yer not having Farrell. I hope.
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OT’s mate Dave.
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They really should give EJ at least until the 6N to prove his credentials and show us all the cornucopia of riches he’s been hiding. Or maybe until the World Cup warm up matches, that would be fair.
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Think I’ll just leave this here and head off for lunch….
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Bugger, can’t figure out how to post a picture. So I’ll paint it for you:
Marcus Smith and Own Farrell standing on the field looking a bit bewildered. Smith asks “Can you help me find Arendse?” Farrell replies “Nope, I’m still looking for Kolbe.”
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Tom has picked his parcel up this morning. Dave said “I know who you are and why you are here” and passed him the package. Am a little disappointed he didn’t say ” there you go Tim”.
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Wait… Do people think EJ actually might go this time?? I really hope so. The England lads looked like they didn’t want to be there on Saturday. EJ hasn’t had any idea of what to do since the end of the RWC semi-final.
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I’ve just seen the Jonny Hill penalty. Ribbans to start the next game please.
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I’ve never really rated Hill. He’s ok (sorry Slade) but not the enforcer he thinks he is. I’d start with Ribbans and Lawes at 6 if that’s the direction we are taking. If not then Ribbans on the bench.
I don’t know why we feel so light at 6 at the moment though.
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Also, not wanting to go Full Rassie, but Etzebeth’s try was bullshit.
90 minute video to follow.
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Realising now that ‘Full Rassie’ might be a bit close to the bone when considered in it’s original context. But I’m also fine with that.
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Oh just seen that. Yeah never a try. The first try came off a forward pass as well. OK. So 13-13 then. We can all shake on that, right?
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@Craigs
I think – not the enforcer he’s told to be.
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Slade, none of them look like they are enjoying their rugby. They all look terrified that they won’t do the right thing and will get sent back to the provinces, everything looks overthought. It was an absolutely abysmal performance. I am waiting for a senior player to draw a line under their career and walk out. Someone somewhere needs to stand up, and its not going to be the blazers at Twickers.
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SBT – the Blazers are the main problem I think. Absolutely holding us back.
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Were Eddie coaching France – god forbid- the players would’ve shot him to the moon moons ago. England can certainly play rugby and should. And they have the players to do it (though I don’t think you can have Smith and Farrell at the same time on the pitch) .
Japan – under Eddie, of all coaches- showed how to play with an underpowered pack, which is exactly what England have at the moment. And they beat SA, didn’t they?
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“an underpowered pack, which is exactly what England have at the moment”
They don’t know they’re born.
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The thing that makes me most angry is the idiotic use of second rows at six
@sbt
The idea of the half lock at 6 – is quite popular. During the summer, NZ looked best with Barrett at 6 with Whitelock and Retallick. Ireland have tried it a bit – with Beirne. They’d probably do it more if Henderson were fit to go alongside Ryan.
You also notice that Ireland try to keep Doris on the field – at 8 with O’Mahony at 6, at 6 if Conan at 8. Conan is a bit lightweight for a heavy carrying role.
SA had Mostert at blindside last Sat. Now it does all depend on the player – Lawes has been good in that role – others not so much.
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