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 
Ticht – you mean Toulouse or Towin?
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Dublin I think Slade
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The (rightly) disallowed try for a forward pass did it for the Sharks. Toulouse scored almost immediately after and then cruised to victory. Final score tough on the Sharks, they were second best but not by that much. They seemed to be exhausted in the last 20 minutes . But they have serious gas behind, Williams, Mbimpi specially. Give them some time to prepare and they shouldn’t be far from the WC final.
Brilliant game. Leinster will offer a different challenge, less chaotic.
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Like the Stormers’ tie-dyed kit. But the regular boring old blue ones are hanging up in the changing room, so perhaps they’re not playing in it.
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On the other hand, I disqualify Exeter on the basis of their disgusting pink socks.
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Slade, Toulouse did not miss Atonio as he plays for LaRochelle.
But they did miss Jelonch ( season over) and Marchand.
Ridiculous reserves. Jaminet and Capuozzo ( still injured?) were not even in the 23.
I think Leinster, with their well rehearsed moves and perfect organisation will have too much for Toulouse, specially in Dublin.
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Stupid me re Atonio!!
Dublin? – Leinster to win, then
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Dubble bubble toil and trouble.
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Raynal is reffing. O woe.
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Oh dear – Reynal
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Snap, Slade! :-D
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Nice Exeter try.
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Am tempted to go back and edit that to Nice Barbie-doll try.
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Big Barbie-doll group hug for another try!
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Another Barbie-doll group hug, but I think he dropped it.
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Oh dear, I didn’t see this coming, it’s all a bit easy for Exeter at the moment. Stormers are usually better than this.
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Nope, got it down okay.
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Exeter are getting the rub of the ref, so to speak
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Karl!
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Raynal is a finecky ref, with little understanding of the spirit of the game, who rarely let the game flow. But he has little to do with the Stormers disappointing mediocrity.
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Raynal is a ….
This sentence can be completed in a variety of ways.
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I think Exeter are due some credit, aren’t they?
They have not played this well all season – accuracy and speed. If Stormers don’t have the ball, there is not much they can do.
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Slade – Sarra agrees with you that this is the best they’ve played all season.
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Exeter are certainly playing well. But with little opposition. Last week they almost lost to a mediocre Montpellier, who played for too long with 14 men.
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The Stormers of the second half are looking a bit more lively.
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“But he has little to do with the Stormers disappointing mediocrity.”
That wasn’t really what I was suggesting, just that a couple of pretty obvious decisions had gone the one way, the lineout throw that led to the try in particular was a howler.
That was a nice try from Exeter.
Stormers are a much better side than we are seeing this evening
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For our Slade: Slade’s had a good game. (- Dayglo? Not sure who the commentator is.)
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Swiss cheese comes to mind when observing the Stormers defence. Embarrassing. How did they get to the QF?
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Flair – mostly through their excellent attack, I think. As Ticht said, they’ve played a lot better.
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Flair, they’re currently second in the URC table, with of course Leinster in pole position. They won the league last year, this is a very poor showing from them.
All credit to Exeter, though, they are worth the lead
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Stormers score!
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Fair play to Raynal, he awarded a penalty to Stormers which was exactly the same as one I thought he got wrong in the first half against them – I thought in both cases the players had made enough of an effort to get away from the ruck
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He’s blown for the same thing again so at least he is being consistent and the players should adapt to it
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Wow some try
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And again! But there’s a check coming.
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That’s not blocking , he doesn’t have to get out of the way
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Nope, that is wrong
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No try. No comment.
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I think the sound is now lagging the pictures, but that was a wee bit lucky in the bounce.
Good finish though
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Oh, that was a lovely Stormers try.
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Is Kitshoff confirmed as going to Ulster after the RWC, Thaum?
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Google says yes.
I can’t believe he is 30, I recall me having a crush on him in the U20s, he had to get a note from his mum to play adult rugby as he was so young when he broke into the pro ranks
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Ticht – yup.
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That will be that then, Exeter in the semis
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Yes, a well deserved win. Stormers were mostly very disappointing.
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FFS
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WTF is wrong with Raynal?
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I’m not convinced that it would have been awarded if it was the winning score.
In fact the coms say exactly that
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The difference in sizeof the two players is quite funny though
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I suppose the player himself didn’t look very convinced, especially as he tried to regather it afterwards, but it looked clear to me on the replays.
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