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 – Good luck to him!
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Dinner will have to wait until the match is over.
Just opened second bottle of wine, so not too bad. Although I may consume too much during this match.
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England better in the first 5 mins than the whole of the last match (not a high bar, admittedly).
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Stop the game now!!! Asteroid coming!!!
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Doesn’t count unless it’s gone 60 (?) minutes, Craigs. So sorry.
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ASTEROID COMING, NO TIME TO TAKE THE PENALTY!!!
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Damn Dombrandt.
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Oh hang on, offside?
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Sadly not.
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Giving away too many damn penalties.
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Ireland giving away penalties like they’re England.
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Bit rude to call Keenan a big hole
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Proper game this, so far!
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I’ve just remembered the names Aul Raisin Face and CFT
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WTF was that kick?
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Thaum – I actually double-checked the game clock, to make sure it wasn’t half time.
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Brainless from Itoje.
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Ticht – and PGCP.
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Shit, I think Sexton’s taken a hit to the heid.
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The ITV commentary team with almost Boa levels of pronunciation of O’Mahony.
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No-arms barge by Dombrandt.
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PGCP?
Was that from when he went to Racing?
I can’t remember what that one was
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Bit rough that
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Ticht – pretty good club player, from the time of the big debate over whether he should replace ROG.
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“If sound had a colour, right now it would be deep green”? Wut?
Petition to have Mr Andrew Cotter comms all rugby matches please.
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That was too easy
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When Sheehan re-tells that one, it’ll be a 50-metre run.
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It was a huge gap
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I think the phrase, “We may not be very good but a at least we turned up,” applies today.
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Dab – well, I’m scared.
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We just don’t have the accuracy we normally have.
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Shit, Keenan bollixed.
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That was horrible no-arms from Steward.
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Shoulder barge!
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One downside of the real computer is that the itvX feed is a moment or two behind the Big Telly
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No argument with a red there. That’s England done though.
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It’s a red.
I’m not having a delay problem. Watching on the satellite.
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Taht should be red, really
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Dayglo can fuck right off.
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Dayglo shouldn’t be allowed near a mic
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You watch that in real time and it’s nothing. Play it 20 times in slow motion and it’s a red card. TV off.
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Impressed England held Ireland out at the end there.
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Ireland are no where near the level of last week, but much of that is down to England
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I’m not sure what Dayglo said, but I recommended the comment on principle.
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Dab – my initial thought, in real time, was a possible yellow for a no-arms tackle. No issues at all with him getting a red card for making no attempt to actually tackle and elbowing the other player in the head.
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Thaum – he was trying to downplay head contact, as per normal.
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Ticht – yep. I hope the half-time talk changes that.
Can’t help having the cynical suspicion that blood is thicker than water.
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Thaum, he’s got lots of form for downplaying contact with the head and he did it again there
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Refit – thought as much.
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Refit cleaned my clock at the breakdown there
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