First a nod to the retirees. *Nods*
Tonight we have the Little Cup Final, Glasgow v Toulon. The French side are half-way down their league table while Glaes are fourth in the URC, and have home advantage … but I think it will be a close-fought affair all the same. The Home of the Big Yin by 4.
Then tomorrow there’s the Big Cup Gladitorialism of Leinster v La Rochelle. Ronan O’Gara will be rubbing his hands at the prospect, especially after his club side beat the Blue Meanies last weekend in the URC semi-final. But Leinster have made 12 changes to the B-team they put out last week – mostly to concentrate on this Cup, one assumes. BUT Sexton is still injured, which could be a big factor; one of they Byrne brothers is in instead.
It’s a tough one to call too, but I think home advantage will tell again. The Home of Leopold Bloom by 5.
Onna telly this weekend
Friday 19th May
| Glasgow v Toulon | 20:00 | BT Sport 1 |
Saturday 20th May
| Leinster v La Rochelle | 16:45 | ITV1 / STV / BT Sport 2 |
Ovally Balls 
Ticht, my introduction to Scotland was Inverness, where a mate of mine was the chef at a local golf club. We ended up in a pub that had 9 beers on tap and started at one end and drank our way through to the other, with a dram to accompany each one. There were a couple of decent beers, but also some real dreck called ’89 I think, which is what the pint cost.
When it came to closing time, we refused to leave on the basis that’s it’s illegal to close a pub in South Africa if it’s still light outside (I know, but whatever) and the owner sighed, called the cops and said “we’ve got bloody South Africans demanding a lock in.” Don’t really remember leaving.
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Sounds like Wales are going full on Kamp Staaldraad! FFS surely they learned from the Boks that it isn’t a great training regime?
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Don’t really remember leaving.
To be fair, we were a few pints back down the line at that stage. Think they called time when I professed to being a ‘Hoops man’ north of the border. Apparently I was lucky to get out in one piece, but I think they just let it go on basis of being an ignorant Southern Hemisphere git.
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“some real dreck called ’89 I think”
Probably 80 shilling.
“which is what the pint cost.”
Deebee’s old enough to have paid in shillings, but that would have been an expensive pint. Perhaps they saw him coming though. The shilling thing is something to do with tax and cost of barrels of beer in the 19th century.
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Not really a beer drinker here, but my Olympic podium would be : Czech, Belgian, German in any order.
The U20 TV coverage is so bad Olivier Magne, probably commenting from. France, complained he couldn’t tell where the action SHOULD go.
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@BB
Bit late on the Belgian beers –
Timmermans Kriek Lambicus – cherry flavoured
Brugse Zot Blond – good
Jupiler Pils – standard European pilsner – ok but nothing special
Chimay Pieres Trappistes (Red Label) – oh, yes!
Westmalle Trappist Extra – yes again.
Duvel Belgian Strong Blond – and again
Leffe Blonde – perfectly acceptable even if macro now
St. Bernardus Extra 4 – like OT can’t recall having this but suspect it’ll be good.
Vedett Extra Pilsner – like Jupiler – will be grand but forgettable
Always suspect the Trappist reputation for silence was more inspired by trying to cover up how sloshed you were than by godliness….
Initially, I misread Westmalle as Westvleteren – which the beer you have to put yourself on the list for and the monks let you have a couple of dozen after a few years wait – you go to the monastery to collect it. ..
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Sorry to disappoint all the beer drinkers here, but I’ve just tried the Chimay Pieres Trappistes (Red Label), and couldn’t finish it.
Looks like beer’s just not my thing.
I’ll just have to console myself with a wee dram instead.
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CMW, did you see the C4 programme with Ben Elton on the state of the railways?
C4 should drop the tits and dicks and do more of that sort of programming – yes I’m aware of how old that makes me sound, but if today’s programming reflects today’s youth then those youths are docile, inept and self indulgent.
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That was the (Czech) beer talking last night.
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So. Bazball is officially crap. Australia going along quite serenely, playing ‘normal’ Test cricket, whilst England’s bowlers try to gum them to death. England will be chasing 550+ at some stage tomorrow, probably clinging on at 150-7 at the close.
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Root gets two in an over, but surely with 320 on the board, the horse has bolted. Steve Smith still there, looking for another entry on the Lord’s honours board and Carey for company.
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Thought Aus were actually quite Bazbally at times.
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Didn’t see too much of the day’s cricket, CMW, but for much of the day (from checking Cricinfo scores) Aus were batting at 3 an over or so. There were a couple of accelerations here and there, and obviously Travis Head battered England towards the end. I suppose if England had held those two catches and not conceded 36 extras, it would have looked very different. 285/7 I think you’d say was England’s day. England have been poor in the field though – in both Tests so far.
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Big day for Jimmy and England. He’s looked pretty flat so far in the series. England need him to have a ripper of a morning. At least he’s smiling!
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Ditto for Broad. Not a good start though.
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After an indifferent start, Broad produces a peach that holds its line and would have hit the top of Carey’s leg stump! England get the vital early breakthrough! Can they rattle through Starc, Cummins and Co now? Starc off the mark with a boundary. Expensive first over from Broad but got a wicket.
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Jimmy bowls a jaffa! Starc heaves at it and Bairstow snaffles it diving in front of 1st slip! Cummins in. Both the old war horses have produced excellent deliveries this morning.
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Smith moves to 99 with two edged boundaries. Broad beating the bat regularly this morning.
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Good U20 game between Oz and Ireland. Excellent ref and yet strangely two RC not given for direct head contacts. Consistency? Now to watch France vs NZ.
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A couple of nervy prods and swisher before Smith laces one to the cover boundary and yet another 100. Follows it with a boundary through mid wicket and Aus are up to 385-7, scoring pretty freely despite a couple of wickets this morning.
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Tongue slips into the attack (sorry) and is immediately quicker than the openers. Handled easily enough though. Double change: Robinson in as well. No sign of danger man Root yet.
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Smith tickles Tongue behind! Cummins and Lyon together again.
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Tongue takes the tempter down fine leg! Yip, another five weeks of this, folks.
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Crawley and Duckett make it to lunch unscathed. That’s the long and the short of it.
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France U20s look very powerful, having said that their most impressive player for me today is Jauneau at scrum half.
I’m told that Carbonneau on the bench is very good too
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Just tuned in, Ticht, 28-0 up against the Kiwis, but two in the bin. Oh. And then a penalty try to NZ.
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Kiwis got a second try, but France reply in kind: 35-14 with 11 minutes left.
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The Black Ferns hammered Australia 58-0 earlier. Apparently they weren’t playing to their full potential either 😲
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France U20s too strong for the Kiwis!
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Ticht, Carbonneau ( son of Philippe) is good but Jauneau is better. He’s already played ten T14 games for Clermont. Tuilagi’s son(#5) is a monster. Only 18 yo, 1.93m and 150kg! Played about ten timed for Perpignan already. And good hands with that.
Kiwis really looked like boys vs men. Haven’t seen SA nor England but it seems France could very well retain their title.
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Wow, well done Italy!
Flair, I’m told that the French staff are concerned about Tuilagi’s weight, but the carry he did on 70 minutes, skittling defenders over about 20m shows he has a fair bit of fitness.
I’e seen him a few times coming on from he bench for Perpignan.
Overall this French team looks very good – maybe shades of the 2018/19 cohort?
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some bonkers results in the u20s…………………………………..
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England will be chasing 550+ at some stage tomorrow, probably clinging on at 150-7 at the close.
You’d really think that those who have no bloody clue would keep their counsel. That said, with wisdom like this, I could be in line for a seriously lucrative ministerial gig.
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Slade – the Junior Bok pool is a bit crazy! Argentina thumped Italy first up, while the Baby Boks struggled against Georgia, before eventually getting over the line. Georgia then nilled Argentina and Italy were too good the Boks. Sets up an intriguing final set of matches. Haven’t seen much of it, but by all accounts, the Boks have been sloppy, no set piece dominance (the reverse in fact) and won’t get much further than the QF, assuming they even get that far. Would be great to see a side like Georgia go deep into the tournament.
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Brainless from Brook – flapping at that when he was in no position to attack the ball. Bairstow with it all to do to get England anywhere near parity.
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Pretty shambolic from England in this morning’s session. Stokes was a touch unlucky to get that ball first up, but Brook and Bairstow both played lousy shots to expose the tail.
And in rugby related news, LCD is out of the World Cup. A real shame for him and for England.
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That’s some speech there, Ticht!
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That’s a withering observation there, Refit!
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yay. jonny may still in with a shout.
England cricketers are obviously throwing the Ashes away in the hope of aligning the stars for the rugby squad in the upcoming world cup. it is the only possible explanation for the idiotic way they are all playing. Century at lords ? only if i can bring it up with a viv richards slash over extra cover.
viv would have probably only tried that after he got to 110 in an important game. who gives a shit about getting your name on the boards along with all them bloody sutcliffes and comptons and bradmans anyway.
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England cricketers are obviously throwing the Ashes away in the hope of aligning the stars for the rugby squad in the upcoming world cup
DCC had a theory (iirc) that England could only be successful in one sport at the one time…. if the cricket went well, that was it for soccer and rugby…. if one were up, the others were down .
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These are glorious highlights. It’s like they went back to the 80s for this
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was indeed referencing that, Trisk.
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If I remember correctly it was two out of three? He moaned about England getting good at football because one of rugby or cricket was then destined for the dungheap?
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Another no ball wicket! And 13 overs of old ball bouncers. I’m thinking England are playing for the draw here.
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Shit. That’s the Test with Root gone. England don’t have anyone (on current form) who can grind out a big ton to save the match, let alone win it.
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That said, Dunkley and Knight are doing a good job.
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I came by to see what people were saying about yesterday’s controversy… nothing!?!
@Deebee – Stokes got the big ton, but not much grind involved. Lots of grit though!
I blame Bairstow – schoolboy error from him. Can see why people are annoyed with the Aussies for not withdrawing the appeal – nobody would have criticised if they did. But I thought it was great skill and nous from Carey. Spiced things up nicely for Headingley.
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Dab – the Bairstow Blunder has conveniently swept a couple of issues under the carpet for England. First, the number of extras conceded in both Tests. Way too many in a right series.
Second, add to the 70-odd extras at Lord’s, the number of runs England turned down to keep Stokes on strike because they had nothing to offer from number 8 down: you’ve got a 120+ run swing right there.
Third, Bazball on dead pitches is still not quite enough against a batting unit prepared to tough it out, with a superior bowling unit that can take 20 wickets a Test.
Finally, attention to detail: Cummins and Carey picked up that JB was waltzing out of his crease without checking if the ball was dead and they stung him good and proper.
Bazball isn’t a busted flush (yet), but it does need some refinement to be an all court game.
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