The image editor posts hopefully
Scotland vs Italy
Previously the wooden spoon fixture, these teams have made some recent progress but the Italians are definite underdogs here. Italy have made 4 changes and given a dayboo to Simone Gesi on the wing. However, they lack Capowuoouuzzzo at full back so, whilst they look fairly settled, they don’t have much in the way of X factor.
Scotland have made 5 changes including leaving out Finn and Hoggy so, while I predict a win, the margin will be smaller without them. Also, given they have lost their last 2 games, they will be motivated to end in style (same could be said for Italy tbh).
Scotland have a better pack and cooler heads. Against Wales, Italy played like headless chickens for much of the game and gave Wales some points either by coughing up the ball in their half or failing to execute the basics. Scotland will be patient and gradually rack up a decent win.
Head-to-head Planet Rugby says that Scotland have won the last 8 fixtures but this only goes back to 2017 and I haven’t dug further. It would take a miracle or a card for Italy to win and it won’t happen this weekend as Scotland get their 9th (or more) win in a row.
30 – 10 to Scotland.
France vs Wales
France, France, France. Until last weekend many people said they had been underwhelming despite only losing in Dublin. That all changed when they swaggered into Twickenham and put 50 on some boys Borthwick had found. They said they could play rugby, double promise, cross their hearts – but they couldn’t.
To be fair, that was the best performance I’ve seen from a team against the English since the dastardly Saffas won the 2019 RWC. Maybe even better. Every time Dupont kicked the ball into space it opened up the back line and a French player waltzed over the line about 10 seconds later. Their defence was aggressive, their ruck speed brutal and every carry seemed to gain at least 3 Robshaws. But most impressive was how clinical they were. I can’t remember a scoring chance being wasted.
Wales on the other hand were solid last weekend but otherwise haven’t set this tournament on fire. They still drag around the reanimated corpse of AWJ but have some new talent including a footballer on the wing. How there isn’t a better 13 in Wales than George North I’ll never know.
There is a ‘last hurrah’ feel to this team but rather a white orc filled Dad’s army willing its way to victory, this feels like a Clive Woodward selected Lions team. If Clive Woodward had coached Wa…. You know what I mean! France to make it 5 in a row against the men in red.
50 – 12 to France
Ireland vs England
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
60 – 8 to Ireland (*starts crying*)
Laughing and crying by Craigsman
Onna telly this week
Friday 17th March
| Bulls v Western Province | 17:00 | Sky Sports Arena |
Saturday 18th March
| Scotland v Italy | 12:30 | BBC1 / RTÉ2 |
| France v Wales | 14:45 | ITV1 / S4C |
| Ireland v England | 17:00 | ITV1 |
Sunday 19th March
| Scotland v Italy (U20s) | 14:00 | BBC iPlayer |
| London Irish v Exeter | 14:00 | BT Sport 1 |
| Ireland v England (U20s) | 17:00 | BBC iPlayer |
| France v Wales (U20s) | 20:00 | BBC iPlayer / S4C |
Ovally Balls 
Words Craigs. But you missed out a couple of ‘ha’s’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for spotting that obvious error, BB. I’ve edited the post.
LikeLike
Good work Craigs.
“Head-to-head Planet Rugby says that Scotland have won the last 8 fixtures but this only goes back to 2017 and I haven’t dug further.”
Scotland have won the last 11, but that includes a couple of WC warm-ups, a game in Singapore (!) and the dogforsaken Autumn Nations Cup.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very good, Craigs. Love the scores for the last two games.
Can’t see past three home wins either, with a bit less efficiency from the hosts, or profiglacy from the visitors.
The end of the 6N feels a bit flat all of a sudden, with less at stake than usual. I wouldn’t mind if once, just once, we could get rid of the ridiculous H-cup round robins and try a home and away 6N.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Flair – I like the way Craigs’ estimates predict missed conversions.
For me, the end of the 6N feels glorious (so far…); I must have whiskey oh you know why.
Six Nations is such a perfect tournament that I don’t think I’d want to fuck with its format at all, except putting all the coverage back on the Beeb, which won’t affect you. It was my gateway drug to serious rugby use.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Alun Wyn Jones, all 157 Wales caps of him, is one of three returning centurions. Wales boast 997 caps in their starting lineup – which is second only to the 1,013 caps fielded by New Zealand for their opener against Argentina at the 2015 World Cup – although the 952 Wales fielded for the opener against Ireland might be deemed relatively more experienced, given there have been four sets of caps handed out since.”
Michael Aylwin’s got me beaten with this one.
LikeLike
CMW – ah, but did the most-capped sides win?
Silly question, especially on the ABs.
LikeLike
All I know is that somehow they weren’t the most experienced.
LikeLike
Clyde, that whole article seems weird.
LikeLike
@BB – Considerably inferior to Craig’s one is what it is.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Might just be that Thaum’s a better editor of course.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Well. Hmmm. Words Craigs. Except for the last game. Did you run out of time ?
LikeLiked by 2 people
@SBT – I’ve just noticed that Ugo’s got the last game covered. And in search of clarity that’s where I’m headed…
LikeLike
Just watched a documentary on Frida Kahlo on BBC2. It was very good, for anyone who’s interested in art, communism, feminism, and/or the early-mid years of the 20th century.
As a former Detroit-liver, I have of course seen the fabulous Diego Rivera murals at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/diego-rivera-s-detroit-industry-detroit-institute-of-arts/ewXxGMIKj_6xLQ?hl=en
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sbt – no, I was very precise about my feelings about that game. Its going to be shit.
LikeLike
Cheers all, tbh I’d be amazed if any of the visitors win.
Thaum – there’s always at least one missed conversion.
LikeLike
Strangely excited by the dead rubber tomorrow, hope to see some good rugby. With hindsight, last week was quite the watch, all round. Would love to see a Marcus Smith Quins type stormer after he comes on as a replacement with 30 to go, but I can’t quite see it happening. Really like Alex Dombrandt, he worked hard last week but was bullied, needs to show up, as do Sinkler and Genge. Sleepy Joe gave the boys his blessing with Rob Kearney today, presumeably after having his corned beef sandwich, and PLR, the local rock station, ran a Thin Lizzy catalogue highlights package in amongst the Metallica, Boston and Pearl Jam, so it’s a done deal.
Kinghorn oozes class sometimes, Shame Capuozzo is out, that could be a cracker, Scotland to win a close high scoring game, and Wales badly need France to have gone out on a three day bender with Sean Edwards or they are gonna be toast, altho maybe not as well done as England last week.
and yes, it does seem kind of a waste to have George North at 13. Maybe his time there will come, and he has just been learning the position.
LikeLike
Thanks to Craigs and Thaum………….
“Scotland will be patient……………..” – I think that goes too far.
Anyway, England to win
LikeLike
I read the thread yesterday regarding refereeing with a wry smile. Like Ticht, I do my best to let it go after the whistle and just accept the referee’s ontological privilege even in the face of his diminished epistemological privilege. I’m not convinced things necessarily even up though. Over time, probably, but in any one game there will be victims and beneficiaries.
I think England’s main problem is that the players are carrying too much weight. They look doughy compared to the lean Irish. I read somewhere (was it here?) that the Wednesday before the France match they’d been put through a fitness session so ferocious they could barely walk afterwards – if that’s the case, obviously the coaches see the need for a leaner outfit, but got it badly wrong that week. If they’ve been more sensible this week England should be able to hold Ireland closer than looks likely on paper. Still, France showed with the first try how vulnerable the English defensive system is if the ball is moved wide very quickly. Ireland are great at doing that, so it isn’t going to be nice viewing for England fans.
By World Cup time, if the more meaty players have trimmed down a bit, England could turn things around.
LikeLike
Goodluck all for today’s matches! I won’t be watching or following here cause I’m in the bush for the weekend, no television and lousy internet, will catch up tomorrow.
LikeLike
Will be hunting elephants during the rugby. Hoping to shoot a whole herd, if possible.
With my camera, obviously.
LikeLiked by 1 person
First points to Italy!
LikeLike
What a finish by vdM!
LikeLike
If Duhan got that….
What a try! Just like Lowe’s.
LikeLike
That was quite the finish by DvdM.
LikeLike
I didn’t think that went forward! Not even with the replay.
LikeLike
Cotter: The pockets of doom (yellow card) for Italy.
LikeLike
Thank dog for that. Was worried we might not get anything after all that possession.
LikeLike
I’d have Huge Owens on the Lions squad.
LikeLike
Harsh on Italy there, Schoe dipped first.
LikeLike
I’ve already got through half a bottle of wine (with food). This could turn ugly.
LikeLike
McFuckface looks McFucked.
LikeLike
I think/hope we are trying to keep the tempo up to tire them out, in boxing terms we are going for the body so the knock out punch comes easily later.
LikeLike
What’s Italian for massive fuck-up?
LikeLike
Italy need to stop throwing the ball into touch.
LikeLike
Or indeed kicking it out on the full.
LikeLike
Nice Italian try.
LikeLike
Warbs is right, Italy do need to kick more than they have been doing.
Scotland haven’t done a right lot since their try, need to get back on it.
LikeLike
Price’s interception a really big moment.
LikeLike
That’s a kick inna baws for Italy.
LikeLike
That was fucking brilliant but we didn’t deserve it. Hard luck Italy, you should have won that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was tense!
Would have made the next match more interesting if Italy had won.
LikeLike
Good try at the end. Second match in a row Scotland didn’t really play in the second half (OK the first few minutes and the last few seconds aside).
LikeLike
That was a bit of a rollercoaster last two minutes.
Italy are so close, they probably deserved to win that.
LikeLike
Nice finish. Italy only a handful of knock- ons and reffing decisions away from three victories in this Six Nations, maybe even four. Cool.
Well played Scotland in the end, cool tactical heads got them over the line.
LikeLike
I really can’t stand Sonja wassername. She’s downright nasty. Mind you, she did get me feeling sympathetic towards Owen Farrell.
LikeLike
Ritchie came across well in his interview.
Time for me to go and hide.
LikeLike
Squeaky bum time in Murrayfield. With a bit more composure, Italy would’ve (deservedly IMO) won that. I like the way teams try to play fast vs Italy, hoping to get them tired, when in fact it is them who get tired first.
It may not have been the best game in terms of quality, but I was half hoping Italy would’ve another Capuozzo moment as vs Wales. Great final 20 minutes.
LikeLike
Yes, if Capuozzo had been on the pitch, I reckon Italy would definitely have won.
Good warm-up for the rest of the day!
LikeLike
Good kick by Biggar. Signals intention.
LikeLike