Can you feel it? That frisson in the air? No, it’s not fucking Phil Collins! (Don’t be an idiot.) Kick off your high-heeled stud boots; it’s party time. SIX NATIONS OPENING WEEKEND! WOOHOO!
The delectable anticipation, the raw hunger, the beautiful dream as yet undisturbed by some snot-nosed kids bringing your blissful reverie to a sudden and brutal end.
First up on the menu is a tasty treat in the form of a re-Gatted Wales against a McCloskey-powered Ireland. Roof is to be closed in Cardiff, apparently. Ominous.
Next up is England v Scotland. Can Scotland be Karl-like and pull it off again at Twickenham?
Finally, on Sunday, we have Italy v France. It would be surprising if Italy won, but could home advantage and perhaps a ref decision or two produce some drama?
So sit back and enjoy the anticipation! By the end of the weekend, half of us will be asking ¿Qué bandolera que eres tú?
Onna telly this week
Friday 3rd February
| Wales v Ireland (U20s) | 19:00 | BBC iPlayer / S4C |
| England v Scotland (U20s) | 19:00 | BBC iPlayer / RTÉ Player |
| Italy v France (U20s) | 20:00 | BBC iPlayer |
Saturday 4th February
| Sharks v Stormers | 12:00 | Viaplay Sports 2 / TG4 |
| Toulouse v Bayonne | 14:00 | Viaplay Sports 2 |
| Wales v Ireland | 14:15 | BBC1 / S4C |
| La Rochelle v Lyon | 16:00 | Viaplay Sports 2 |
| England v Scotland | 16:45 | ITV1 / RTÉ2 |
| Montpellier v Toulon | 20:00 | Viaplay Sports 2 |
Sunday 5th February
| Italy v France | 15:00 | ITV1 |
| Stade Français v Bordeaux | 20:00 | Viaplay Sports 2 |
Ovally Balls 
@Craigs – can’t argue with that. Woeful.
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Craigs, I think Steward is good, but certainly not the complete package yet. He does lack out and out pace, but if he has a couple of speedy wings that isn’t a problem. They do need to be hot defensively tho. I would walk Watson straight back in, not sure if O H-C or Malins should go to the bench, it is a toss up, but I think with last weekends team, you have three relatively inexperienced players at international level all together, and they all got caught out of position a couple of times, which is bound to happen, until they probably have 30+ caps under their belts.
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SBT – that’s true. If Watson is still good after his injury I’d have him back in. OHC and Arundel need to be involved on or off the bench. Having experience would mean bringing either May or Nowell back and they seem spent to me.
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Basically, 2023 is a write off. As was 2022, 2021 etc.
Although we did win the Autumn Nations Cup so there is that.
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Craigs, you’ll be delighted to hear that Ben Youngs has been omitted from the squad for this weekend! Marlon Yarde has been drafted in as a surprise replacement, as a utility back covering 9, 11, 12 and 15. Borthwick apparently feels his game has become more rounded since going to gridiron and his passing from the base is sharper than Youngs’ was. They’re just trying to get him to stop flinging it out between his legs with no look passes directly behind him. But it’s only Italy so shouldn’t matter.
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Deebs, you … you are joking, right? Right?
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All right, I’ve checked. Because I had to.
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Yep, I’d go Watson Ollie H-C and Steward with Arundel on the bench. Mind you, I would still ahve May in the mix too. He is excellent at the defensive stuff, and has been a bit hamstrung by Glaws and England not passing him the ball in space, and hasn’t had a chance for a decent run since his injury, but hey ho. Din’t think Malins was all that last week, any decent prem winger would have scored those two tries.
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Ah balls, no Watson, but BenYoungs has been sent home as well, along with Ben Curry.
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Thanks to all for the ‘likes’ on my short (but pithy?) response to Scotland over-achieving again. It is really heartening to see the continuity of a community I have belonged to and to see so many familiar names still posting. A bit like popping into a pub once frequented and seeing a lot of familiar faces. Apologies if this simile is outside the experience of most of you. Cough, cough.
I hardly see any rugby these days, but results in the 6N are avidly anticipated and with it being a RWC year it is more interesting than otherwise.
Good on you all for being here and being who you are. I see most of the same wind-ups and whinges have survived, the sense of humour is intact and I SALUTE YOU ALL.
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El Suavo – back at you aul han. Nice to know we aren’t forgotten.
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Deeds – am tempted to post something about losing a wealth of experience but, we were 20-12 up, then lfb comes on…
Sbt – Good to see some ruthlessness in selection and hoping that Jack Willis comes in. All the talk of Freddie yesterday made me think of Ben Earle. I don’t quite get him tbh. What am I missing? Is it just that he works well in the Sarries system like Alex Goode? Otherwise he just seems a bit average to me.
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Craigs
It was possible during that game to see Dan Cole giving Earl a severe bollocking for his rucking.
For me, Earl is a very good club player only
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Slade – Dan Cole dishing out bollockings is what the world needs right now.
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Deebs (stupid autocorrect) – it has since occurred to me that maybe Youngs is being held back for the really important games against France and Ireland or someone will get injured and he’ll swoop back in.
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Mitchell at 9 might be interesting: he is quick at club level but prone to stupidities / brain farts every game.
How will he go at International level, with less time and more pressure?
I’m not confident.
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Slade – Danny Care 2?
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Craigs, not sure Ireland and France will be of much importance if England are 0-3 by that stage! France unchanged in the starting XV for Ireland:
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RG Snyman apparently in training again, which is great news, for him personally after his horror injury run. Not sure what sort of form he’ll be able to find before the Rugby Championship, but we could sure use him if he’s fit and firing.
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Hmm. RG Snyman scares everyone away. Hope he does it in France later in the year too!
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Scotland have only the one change from last week, Zander Fagerson goes straight into the starting jersey with WP Nell moving to the pine, Beghan dropping out of the 23.
Schoeman, Turner, Z. Fagerson, Gilchrist (co capt), R. Gray, Ritchie (co capt), Crosbie, M. Fagerson
White, Finn, van der Merwe, Tuipulotu, Jones, Steyn, Hogg
Brown, Bhatti, Nel, J. Gray, Dempsey, Horne, Kinghorn, Harris.
I suppose if it ain’t broke, etc.
Personally I’d rather see Skinner on the pine to Gray, he brings the abrasive carrying that Gray lacks and he’s so noticeable by his absence when he been injured for Edinburgh this year.
Darcy Graham still out, Embra have a game against Scarlets next week, hopefully he can get a run out there and come into contention for France in Paris.
Gatland has dropped a whole load of guys who were his bankers – so an inexperienced team on the back of a bit of hiding, playing away against a side who show no little skill in winning at Twickenham. Scotland are favourites with the bookies and on paper they look the stronger team.
Wales it is then, again.
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Nell was an autocorrect, dammit
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McCloskey rightly retains his starting jersey, with another Ulsterman in at hooker. Ireland by 500.
Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, McCloskey, Lowe; Sexton, Murray; Porter, Herring, Bealham, Beirne, Ryan, O’Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris.
Replacements: Kelleher, Kilcoyne, O’Toole, Henderson, Conan, Casey, Byrne, Aki.
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The England 23:
Forwards: Ollie Chessum, Dan Cole, Alex Dombrandt, Tom Dunn, Ben Earl, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, Lewis Ludlam, David Ribbans, Kyle Sinckler, Mako Vunipola, Jack Walker, Jack Willis.
Backs: Henry Arundell, Owen Farrell, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Hassell-Collins, Ollie Lawrence, Max Malins, Joe Marchant, Alex Mitchell, Henry Slade, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Manu Tuilagi, Jack van Poortvliet
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Burr Bacharach RIP
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I was surprised to find out that Burt Bacharach was still alive when I first realised who he was. Even more surprised to find out he was still alive until yesterday.
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Ticht, is there an obvious reason Kinghorn is on the bench ? Is Steyn that much better /faster ? I thought Kinghorn oozed class when he came on for a brief cameo last week.
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Ticht, what’s happened to Johnny Gray? At one point he was an absolute banker in the Scotland side, with big brother out in the cold? Have the two ever locked the scrum for Scotland as starters?
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Wales team for Saturday:
Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Josh Adams, 13 George North, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Jac Morgan, 7 Tommy Reffell, 6 Christ Tshiunza, 5 Adam Beard, 4 Dafydd Jenkins, 3 Dillon Lewis, 2 Ken Owens (captain), 1 Wyn Jones.
Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Leon Brown, 19 Rhys Davies, 20 Taulupe Faletau, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Rhys Patchell, 23 Alex Cuthbert.
Sexy bench! A little rhysque, even!
I have no idea what to make of the changes (quelle surprise!), especially the back row. Heard lots of good things about Tshiunza and Reffell, but a completely rejigged back row and new lock pairing is risky. I guess Gats wants to take on the Scots at one of their perceived strengths, being the loose trio and breakdown? Don’t know much about Joe Hawkins either. Looks like a very good prospect in his highlights reel:
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Bollocks. Wrong reel, although a very nice one to watch!
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Ireland by 6 v France – Ireland are motoring along very nicely and with
two Ulstermen in the side must be near unstoppablea settled side that all know their role and execute it with precision. Difficult to assess just where France are at the moment, having stuttered to an unconvincing win over a rapidly improving Italy, so I can’t see them getting over the line at the Palindrome. If there is one small chink in the armour, could it be the front row? It’ll be tense, tight and bloody, just what the Irish pack likes. This is gonna be more Dirty Old Town than The Rose of Tralee.Scotland by 9 v Wales – I know that the last twice that Scotland have gone to Twickers and raided the trophy cabinet, they’ve lost to Wales the following weekend, but I think it’ll be different this time, despite not starting a 6N with back to back wins since 1996, I think. It’s obviously difficult to get up to that level of intensity and accuracy two weeks in a row, but again, Scotland are the more settled side, a good pack and as we saw last week, capable of sublime tries from just about anywhere on the field. A rejigged Wales shouldn’t trouble them too much, Gats or not. Primal Scream to stomp on the Stereophonics.
England by 11 v Italy – Can Italy maintain the momentum and intensity they showed against France? If they can, then a big scalp at HQ is on the cards. Italy have shown some great enterprise ball in hand and England’s defence last week was more Maginot Line than Hadrian’s Wall. Can England pick up the pieces and give SB a bit of breathing space after the Calcutta Calamity? Another very difficult call, but for no reason other than Italy have never beaten England, I’m going with the conservative option. Chicken shit that I am. Led Zeppelin to get heavy over Acqua Fragile.
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SBT,
“is there an obvious reason Kinghorn is on the bench ? Is Steyn that much better /faster ? I thought Kinghorn oozed class when he came on for a brief cameo last week.”
Kinghorn, and Edinburgh, have been out of sorts of late, our season took a turn for the worse at one particular moment in time, when the Munster hooker landed heavily on Darcy Graham’s knee. Up to that point Graham had scored nine league tries in six games and four international tries in four games. Then we lost Boffelli and Duhan to injury. That pushed Kinghorn out to the wing instead of fly half. Due to a ridiculous injury list, he’s had to play when not physically fit – in one of the games against Glasgow he was honking his guts up on the pitch, but had to stay on – and he lost a bit of form.
According to Gregor Townsend, Kinghorn is the quickest player in the Scotland team.
I thought Steyn played quite well, Kinghorn’s best position might well be on the bench, he covers 10, 11, 14 and 15, and I bet he could make a fist of playing either centre position too. He’s a gifted rugby player, but perhaps his versatility might play against him. It will be interesting to see what happens next year with Healy coming in to the Edinburgh squad, for me Kinghorn at fly half is a vital cog in the way Edinburgh play, his pace and vision are what gets the team moving.
Deebee
“what’s happened to Johnny Gray? At one point he was an absolute banker in the Scotland side, with big brother out in the cold? Have the two ever locked the scrum for Scotland as starters?”
The Grays have started for Scotland, though I can’t just now remember the the dates, they certainly played together under Vern Cotter.
Richie Gray can blow hot and cold, I remember Brookter saying he was largely unimpressed with him at Sale, he had a few clubs in France where he was a bit “meh” but then I saw him playing brilliantly for Toulouse. He’s on fire at the moment.
Wee Jonny has lost game time due to injury, he’s just coming back. Townsend loves his work rate and his tackling, but he’s never been a big ball carrier, Scott Cummings is our only lock who consistently gets way over the gain line, Gilchrist is good, but Cummings is more like you see from the locks from other nations.
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btw, best wishes to Conor Murray’s family, his dad is in hospital seriously injured after he collided with a lory whilst on a bicycle.
Murray is playing tomorrow
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Oh, and something I forgot re Kinghorn and Steyn, last week everyone was expecting an aerial bombardment, Steyn is probably stronger under a high ball, that’s not to say Kinghorn is weak, just that Steyn is very secure.
It didn’t quite pan out that way, England kicked for territory rather than to compete, but I expect Biggar will be roosting that pill into the Edinburgh evening sky and there will be several chasers, not least of which will be Liam Williams, so Steyn is a sensible selection.
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and another thing :-)
at all of five foot nine in long studs, Darcy Graham is actually our best fielder of the high ball, Duhan can be a bit of a liability in that respect, he’s, well, we saw what he can do with the ball in hand, just don’t expect a wonder offload, or any kind of pass, or great work under the bombs Biggar throws up.
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“Biggar will be roosting that pill into the Edinburgh evening sky and there will be several chasers, not least of which will be Liam Williams”
I reckon the player most likely to catch one of them is still Biggar himself. LW most likely to catch his own.
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New post shortly.
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“16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Leon Brown, 19 Rhys Davies, 20 Taulupe Faletau, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Rhys Patchell, 23 Alex Cuthbert.
Sexy bench!”
I’m not going to comment on the sexiness, but it’s quite a depressing bench. Even Faletau being on it is a downer as it’s a response to him having such a bad game last week that he doesn’t start. It’s hard to believe that Baldwin, Webb and Cuthbert are back in the team at all, Carre has had his share of difficulties in international rugby and Patchell will get injured before he gets on the pitch.
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New post is here.
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