With a Welsh strike narrowly averted, minds can concentrate
In golf, the 3rd round is known as the Moving Day (or some such), when those in contention put down a marker, thunder up the leader board and peer imperiously down at the chasing pack before the Sunday finale. This Could Be That Weekend in the Glorious Six Nations! Northern Hemisphere rugby is in rude health at the moment, with Ireland France at the top of the global pile, Scotland playing their best rugby in years, Italy threatening to make the 6N a real thing and England and Wales rebuilding (apparently). It is a fabulous feast fit for a Fürst (yeah, stretching it, I know)!
Guinness Pie over Ossobuco alla Milanese by 18.
FD always blathered on about a return to the mean in rugby. Well, Ireland have made six changes to their side, but remain mean, rather than returning to it. Perhaps a little light in the front row, although that didn’t stop them from bashing France with barely a glimmer of a smile (unless they were laughing uncontrollably, just to tick all the Expro boxes, sans the jumps). Casting an eye over the side, there’s no real weaknesses at all and you’d expect that a settled squad with sprinklings of stardust and oozing all-round quality will have too much for an Italy side exposed by England last week. Italy have the capacity to play wonderful flowing rugby, but if they’re dragged into a dogfight, their bark is a whimper and their bite wouldn’t dent overcooked pasta.
Yorkshire Pudding over Leek Soup by 4.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood gave us the searing inshite that when two sides go to war, one of them will shoot and score. This match may well disprove that as stodge splashes into gloop. An England that managed to bully Italy off the park won’t have it all their own way against a Wales side looking to poke the blazers in the eye. Wales’ travails may soon be mirrored across the Afon Gwy with the looming threat of mass exodus (and not in a wonderful Bob Marley style) as cash-strapped English sides lose their stars. It won’t impact this weekend, although Tipuric and Faletau may do that in an effort to strangle any English ambition in the backs. Wales have 2 caps in the midfield (where’s Manu when you need him? Oh.) which could spell danger and have brought back a heap of blokes we all thought were out to pasture. No new coach bounce for them, or even a dead cat bounce. Just the sorrowful sound of soup splattering the sidewalk.
Coq au Vin over Neeps and Tatties by 8.
A rich and satisfying French dish to prevail over a Scottish offering still missing a bit of Haggis to round it all off. France were out-muscled and out-thought in Dublin a fortnight ago, but aren’t the first and won’t be the last to suffer that fate at the Palindrome against a mighty Irish side. It should be the match of the round, with both sides capable of scoring end to end tries; both with strike runners and support play that makes them dangerous from anywhere on the field. Scotland know that a Famous Win in Paris will put them tantalisingly close to a first Championship this century and even the possibility of the holy grail of a Grand Slam, albeit with Ireland still to come. Crunch time for them – can they keep their heads whilst all around them are losing theirs, or will the guillotine cut them down to size? France too know that a loss puts them out of realistic contention of retaining their crown and keeping the momentum towards the World Cup later this year: time for a splash of champagne, a slug of cognac and some (legal) magic potion to see off the pesky Picts.
The Gospel according to St. Deebee7
Onna telly this week
Friday 24th February
| Italy v Ireland (U20s) | 19:00 | BBC iPlayer / RTÉ2 |
| Wales v England (U20s) | 19:15 | BBC iPlayer / S4C |
| Bath v Bristol | 19:45 | BT Sport 2 |
| France v Scotland (U20s) | 20:00 | BBC iPlayer |
Saturday 25th February
| Sharks v Ulster | 12:00 | Viaplay Sports 1 |
| Lions v Glasgow | 14:10 | Viaplay Sports 1 |
| Italy v Ireland | 14:15 | ITV1 / RTÉ2 |
| Wales v England | 16:45 | BBC1 / S4C |
Sunday 26th February
| Exeter v Sale | 13:00 | BT Sport 1 |
| France v Scotland | 15:00 | ITV1 / RTÉ2 |
Ovally Balls 
Thauma, I’d agree although they were more psychedelic meandering than prog in the real sense. To be honest, the earliest Floyd I listen to very rarely, to the horror and disdain of some of my mates.
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I don’t listen to much of early Floyd – Meddle is usually as early as I go.
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When I used to commute from Manchester to Barnsley (a good hours drive, each way), I tried to listen to the whole PF discography. Some of the really early stuff was a very difficult listen.
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Yes, whisper it, they may have improved after Barrett went doolally.
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Totally agree. Some early Floyd was incomprehensible unless you were on the same shit as Sid.
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I would define that as Bristol sneaking a win. We were just a little less shit than Bath were.
Final score 13-15.
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Refit, I’d have thought listening to early Floyd would be light entertainment compared to driving from Manchester to Barnsley.
Going with live Delicate Sounds of Thunder ad a nightcap. Can I admit that this is one of my favourite Floyd shows?
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On the other side of that, DO NOT listen to The Endless River, Floyd’s ‘last’ album. It was basically Gilmour noodling away to some leftover Richard Wright meanderings.
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BB – yes, there is a happy medium. Waters is probably very difficult to deal with, but a genius. Gilmour is a talented musician and apparently a nice guy, but less of a genius.
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Right, early days in the read back, but I have to say, I saw REM in a tiny night club in Edinburgh, 1985, and that was one of the best gigs I’ve seen
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….hmmm
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Roger seems to forget about the tunes, David could do with a bit more grit in the lyrics. Suspect we’ll never see the pair of them together again, especially after the recent Twitter spat.
At least we have this to remind ourselves of better times…
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Rage Against The Machine at Glasgow Barrowlands might still be the best gig though.
That or The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion at Brighton Corn Exchange
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@deebee
There’s no direct route so Refit will have had a number of choices of bleak Pennine scenery to accompany his Pink Floyd trip.
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C’MON SHARKS! BOO ULSTER! Who happen to have more current Boks on the park than the Sharks..
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Didn’t take the Sharks long to score.
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Two-minute cooling break! How hot is it?
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It’s about 28°C and 71% humidity. Fairly scrappy first 20 minutes.
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Too hot for me.
Fab by Sexton! Too bad no-one could keep up with him.
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Ulster maul over!
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Note to Ulster: don’t give those buggers the ball in broken play.
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But Ulster retaliate and regain the lead!
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Ulster deservedly up at half time, 17-12. Match hasn’t reached any great heights, but both sides without their current internationals.
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Thauma, Ulster just need to maul it. Sharks can’t defend the maul at all!
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Yep, our maul hasn’t worked this well all year!
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About as close to an own goal as you can get: Sharks 9 takes the ball back over his goal line and the Ulster bloke dives through and dots down!
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Entertaining crowd shots.
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Disastrous attempts at defence from Ulster!
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Ulster just manage to hang on. Players collapsed all over the pitch as the match ends.
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Young Aaron Sexton is one to watch. All-Ireland sprint champion as well, and he showed that today.
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Ulster good value for the win. Sharks without their expensive Boks are a real step down. And still hammered the Lions last weekend, so the Weege should be easy enough winners at Ellis Park.
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Which position Thauma? The Ulster 11 was excellent. No sound on my dodgy feed, so names escape me.
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Jeebus, I hope Ireland’s playing is better timed than their singing.
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Right, I think one Irish win for the afternoon is enough. C’mon Italy!
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Deebs – yes, 11.
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Is that dropped, or does he (just) have control on the grounding.
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Lowe got away with one last time, but the refs were more eagle-eyed this time. But it doesn’t matter because Ryan’s scored anyway!
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Didn’t take long for normal service to be resumed. This will get nasty.
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G’wan Italy!
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Italy over!
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Then again, maybe not!
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Woo! Good from Keenan.
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Italy could maybe tackle at some point?
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Hanson: what a twat!
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I just wouldn’t run into Cannone’s shoulder.
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Refit – exactly! He didn’t do anything at all.
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Porter’s looking a little wild-eyed.
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I’m glad Ireland didn’t score from that penalty they shouldn’t have had.
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Well Glasgow started well in South Africa…..
The Lions now have 3 tries to 1.
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I did not think we’d manage the BP try before half-time.
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