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 
BB – Leinster are missing Sexton, Ringrose and Doris. We’ve got all our first choices except for Hendo. I think there is a tiny hope. Probably kidding myself.
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I was wondering if Raynal was a north African name (it’s not; it’s Germanic, surprisingly), and stumbled across a hilarious website: https://www.babynology.com/name/raynal-m.html
People with name Raynal are loving & domestic. They love tranquility & comfort. They are artistic & likes quality.* They work well with others & love to discuss things. Person with Raynal having 6 as Personality number love music, tidiness & attires. They are confident & also a good healer. They are charming, intelligent, serene, generous & co-operative.
*Clearly whoever wrote this is not called Raynal.
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What kind of disaster movie was that passage of play for Embra?
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How the actual fuck was that kick missed?
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This match is total chaos!
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Can’t see Edinburgh coming back from this. So much talent in this side, but they just don’t seem to be able to put it all together. Wonder if Ticht has any hair left?
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Sorry, but Kinghorn IS NOT A 10!
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BB – he’s a good FB though.
Embra making far too many stupid mistakes here.
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What an odd match, made more so by the refereeing.
I don’t think Leicester will get any further, whichever team they meet. Neither side played well.
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Any more rugby on this evening?
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Deebee – nope. You could also have watched Bristol v Clermont (26-33; sorry Refit) or Scarlets v Brive (19-7), but they’re over now.
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Thanks Thauma, for once I was warming up for a late game!
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The scarlets game was dreadful, they were lucky to win.
It’s like they’d never seen rain before, never mind having to play in it.
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***Copies BRB’s post to insert for all the Saffer sides, win or lose.***
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Crikey, a wee bit of plagiarism and the blog goes dead! Although not plagiarism because I acknowledged it, so just plain copying. Got my time zones all wrong so missed the first half of the Sharks-Munster match. Sharks are 24-14 up early in the 2nd half.
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29-14 now! Munster getting hammered.
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Sharks get another one, but blow a huge overlap! Turned over from Man City ‘Leinstering’ their way past Liverpool.
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Er, 36-14….
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And another one! Munster being monstered. Sorry, Trisk.
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Any side that has cheerleaders has a massive moral loss whatever the scoreboard says.
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43-14….
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Particularly cheerleaders who are completely out of sinc.
And another try.
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Yay! Munster get one back.
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Munster give Sharks another one.
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50-21….
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Munster in again!
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Game over now. So much so, Cotter’s now muttering about why South African Sharks have a more appropriate name than Sale Sharks. “There are sharks nearby here”.
Munster get another one.
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Cotter’s just put us in hysterics again.
Earlier he was talking about the sharks in the Indian Ocean. Just now, he was talking about the rest of the matches today, and started musing on the Sale Sharks … the Sharks of Sale … swimming around – Altrincham.
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Didn’t see yours before I posted that, BB! Good timing.
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Munster score their fifth, but it’s not nearly enough.
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That was a hammering. Werner Kok was devastating ball in hand, Sikhumbuzo Notshe excellent too. Sharks backline with Am back at 13 looks very different and deadly on defence – led to a couple of tries.
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Joe Marler is a good scrummager, very good, but he’s getting no change out of Big Frans
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Fourie in again, he’s been in good form
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I know it was the same for both sides, but if you wanted to pick a weather and therefore game plan to disadvantage Edinburgh you’d pick pissing rain and a pill hoisted into the heavens.
The game was only going to go one way last night when the rain was that heavy.
I disagree about Kinghorn and the fly half position, he gets a lot of dung thrown at him for not being Finn and in fact he’s the closest we have to him, even if Hastings and the others were fit.
I thought his little dunts through the defensive line last night were quite good, he is improving all the time in a position he’s been playing for two seasons including this one, in fact because of injuries in the back three he played a large slice of this season on the wing, but overall we never really looked like winning against Leicester.
I was called away for the last quarter of an hour so didn’t see the whole match.
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he’s better/more consistent than Hogg now…………….
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Slade, Townsend said a little while ago that Kinghorn is the quickest in the Scotland squad in terms of top end speed, this was before Duhan joined us and I always wondered if that had changed things.
Nope, the way he broke out against Italy and then accelerated away after taking the return pass from van der Merwe answered that.
Graham is probably the quickest over five to ten metres.
Edinburgh desperate need a head coach, the difference Franco Smith has made this season at Glasgow after they shipped over seventy points to Leinster last year is a stark reminder of what a difference a good head coach can make, Mike Blair is a good guy and a very good attack coach, but his unhappiness in the head coach position is being reflected in Edinburgh’s results this year.
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I know it’s not universally popular, but I love having the South African sides in the league and in Europe
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If that is a try it’s the best finish this season
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Add Willemse’s finish to the list of fabulous ones this year!
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Extraordinary from Willemse
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Stormers 22-7 up early in the 2nd half against Quins. Will they keep up the intensity or fade as the match goes on – they’ve done the latter a few times this season.
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That’s that in Cape Town, 34-7 with the conversion to come
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30-7, even
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Libbok must be in the conversation for the Boks 10 shirt
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Well, Stormers better than Quins but, for me, rather unsatisfactory power rugby – a bit like watching weight lifting, with occasional fast bits.
Refereeing was awful and Quins got the worst of it, especially at the breakdown.
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32 – 28 flatters Quins a bit
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Well thank fuck we’ve a Springbok on our side, although he mostly seems to cough up the ball and/or penalties.
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Poor from the start by Ulster (knock-on by Lowry), but we’ve got the ball the now.
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Steyn and Horne break though for Glasgow, Horne dots down close to the posts
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