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 
Now Vermeulen on for Weise.
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Seems to have made a difference for SA, they just rolled over the AB scrum.
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Faf overcooks the penalty and the ball goes dead, instead of into the corner.
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Faf tries to hurdle Retallick, as he clears a ruck, catches his leg and goes down in a heap. He’s now subbed.
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Rentaghost is pinged for hands on the floor and Willemse puts it almost in the corner. SA set the maul and it rumbles forward, Marx touching down over the line.
20-10 54mins, Kolbe with the conversion.
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Good lord, Mo’unga just kicked a 50m pen, on the angle.
23-10 60mins
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SA try? They work across the park, offloading galore. Then it goes back to the far wing. A long pass to Kolbe who dives over in the corner. Raynal pull up with cramp. It’s a clear forward pass to Kolbe, but it’s ruled good. He misses the conversion.
23-15 63mins
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Jordan gets another try. Pressure from ABs in the SA half. With pen advantage, BB puts a chip into the corner, Jordan juggles then falls over the line with the ball.
30-15 70mins
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good man refit. Given up on streams, all technical issue refresh every 10 seconds.
Off to sisters, who is away, hopefully her wifi will let me get aus channel 9 for the next match.
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ABs get a pen on the SA 5m line. They opt for the scrum. Savea off the back, he passes to Mo’unga, who steps around Willemse(?) to score.
35-15 77mins
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All done , any twists and turns?
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SA try out of nowhere. ABs are trying to play out of their own half. Kwagga Smith spots the ball is out of a ruck, picks it up and heads for the line. Defence are unable to stop him and he scores. Drop conversion missed.
35-20 just before the hooter.
Koble ends up with the ball from the restart, tries to make ground but it forced into touch and that’s the final whistle.
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All Blacks too slick, too organised. Kwagga scores at the death and the drop kick conversion hits the upright. Sums up the Boks night. Congrats to the All Blacks – they’ve put down a marker for France. Boks not at the races in rhe first 20 killed us, but no excuses.
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Australia open the scoring, after 5 mins. Try in the corner by Ikitau, from a forward pass from Cooper. They check the grounding, but not the pass.
7-0
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Arg even the scores, De La Fuente getting between Valentini and White to get over the line.
10-10 27mins
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Bloody hell, after 30mins, Arg have 70% possession and 75% territory.
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Good work by Lavanini. Aus set a lineout maul, on the Arg line. He comes right through the middle, takes down the ball carrier and forces a turnover.
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Arnold in the bin, just before half time – slowing down Arg ball on the Aus line.
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Arg go for the scrum. They break off but are held up over the line, but with a pen advantage. Another scrum, but the Arg front row pop-up and Aus put it out for half time.
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Went to the shop and missed the first 4mins of the second half. Come back to Arg lineout on the Aus line. They move in field, before Montoya reaches out an arm to score.
10-17
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Hahahaha, Nick White gets tackled off the ball, at the side of a ruck, and the Aus comms lose their shit. Calling for a review, saying the Arg player is lucky to still be on the pitch “if it’s not above the shoulders, they don’t look at it nowadays”.
Big babies.
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Ooh, that’s great by White. Aus scrum right in front of the Arg posts. Off the back of the scrum, he shapes to go left, all the defenders move that way, then he runs round to the right to score.
17-17 54mins
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Try Argentina. They have a scrum on the far side, edge of the Aus 22. They come in field. Cooper is pinged for not rolling and with advantage, they go left and Carreras finds a gap to score.
17-27 69mins
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Aus get a try back. Koriobete makes metres down the wing. He passes inside to Cooper, who is tackled just before the line, but he gets it away to Kerevi to score. Converted.
24-27 with 7mins to play.
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Arg win a bit of a kicking duel and get into the Aus 22. They’re working towards the line when Nawaqanitawase shoots out the line, intercepts the ball and runs 80m to score under the posts.
31-27 with 4 to play.
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High tackle from Cooper and Arg put it in the corner…
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Arg go short, then pick & drive. Phase after phase Aus stop, before Gonzales dives over the top to score. Conversion is good.
Final score 31-34 to Argentina.
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I’m no longer jealous of Piperboy. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/15/europe-heatwave-red-alerts-italy-cities-weather
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I am. Will take the heat over cold any day. And Italian food and wine over many others too!
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some parts of southern europe really are becoming too hot – not here thankfully.
With you on the Italian scoff
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3 match ban for Sexton. He’ll be able to play in the WC.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/66183082
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Dylan Hartley would have got 2 years for that.
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Dylan Hartley would have deserved it too.
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Not sure the lenient slap on Sexton’s wrist will really benefit Ireland. Besides his very real status as a talisman for his fellow players, at 38 he’s a spent force and will not bring the kind of unpredictability necessary to go all the way. Ireland is a well oiled machine, but so will be their opponents after three months in camp. La Rochelle, and in a different way France U20s, have already shown how to proceed. Power, pace and improvisation will always prevail vs rugby by rote. See also the ABs.
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Ireland will also have to play him in the minor games to bring him up to speed. That’s risky and he doesn’t have that much mileage left in the tank. Plus the bench must include a FH back up, thus limiting the coaches options.
What’s the opposite of a blessing in disguise?
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Ireland really have shown the rest of the world how to use all your resources smartly
There’s some luck in there – unlike Wales – our “regions” are geographically spread with strong centre to each (less so Connacht) – with sense of regional identification ..even GAA heads in Kerry and Cork like to see Munster Rugby do well – even if they’d never attedna club match
Dublin/Leinster fee-paying schools (they’re not “public schools” in English sense as the State plays teachers salaries irrespective) keep a pipeline of players flowing out. Munster (Pres Cork, CBC, St Munchins) and Ulster (Methody, Campbell) have this too albeit smaller .
Those schools have top facilities (gyms, pitches) and plenty of staff – DoR, etc (as they’re not paying teachers – the fees go literally one way …towards rugby).
But good decisions have been made – IRFU runs everything – there’s no equivalent PRL as clubs are amateur (supposedly) and IRFU owns the provinces.
I used to say to people that everyone knew John Delaney (of the FAI) – no one knew Philip Browne who was CEO of the IRFU (till recently – its now Kevin Potts and …yes – “who, he?” as Private Eye would say)
I think some tensions are emerging – as we;’ve moved from ‘also rans’ to ‘there and thereabouts- – at first we were happy to be successful now there’s pressure to win things
and – the only acceptable defeats now are France, SA and NZ, maybe England. Certainly, not losing to Wales or Scotland.
In 2021, had Ireland lost to England in the 6N – that was Farrell gone.
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On Sexton – completely deserved.
One of our U18s got a 4 week ban for saying ” this is a robbery” (maybe with a swearword or two thrown in) , when an ‘affliate ref’ (attached to home team but able to ref his own club) gave a try that we thought was grounded short (plus a few other hometown decisions)
It’s one thing in the heat of the match to give out – as much as we frown on it – but there’s no real difference between what Sexton did and a member of the crowd getting on to the pitch to lacerate the ref…except Leinster/Aviva stewards would have stopped me or you getting on the pitch after the game.
From almost every angle it’s worse. Took himself down on the pitch to give out to the refereeing team.
I think we have a reputation of adding a subcommentary to the game – take for instance the disallowed try just before ht in the U20 final – Ireland captain pointed out the the ref the offence he “saw”. Ref was very quick to lecture him for “shouting at me” – then obviously got a word from the TMO and went off to review and then struck out the try. But the ref’s first reaction was “mouthy Irish”.
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Ireland will also have to play him in the minor games to bring him up to speed
I’m guessing he’d have played one warm up game with Byrne/Crowley getting a start /reliever in the others. Now the Irish S&C are good at getting lads back and ready to roll (Beirne went straight in to URC games after the broken ankle vs France) – but this is a 38yo whose recovery times are getting longer and longer.
Plus the bench must include a FH back up
I’d guess 22 would be an out-half anyway – but might push Crowley up the ranks – as he’splayed 12, and 15 before. That said, Farrell loves a utility player like O’Brien (who’s played 13 and 14 in tests and played 15 for Leinster), so could be 22 Byrne and 23 O’Brien
Crowley might allow 6-2 bench split – albeit not something we’ve seen Ireland or Leinster use. Munster did use it IIRC – vs Leinster in URC semi (Kendellen was 23) but not in the finals vs Stormers (Kendellen was 20 and Wycherley dropped out)
I suppose we’re not in a good place – there’s no expectation that Sexton can see out the entire tournament, so the judgment is when do you risk him and when not.
Byrne is plain vanilla, kicks goals, and you’d rely on him to see out a game when winning – moving his pack around the place. You won’t bring on Byrne to pull the game out of the fire.
Crowley is less experienced but has higher ceiling – and based on the DG vs Leinster in URC semi, probably more likely to take a chance – if you didn’t see the game, he took an immediate decison to go for it once in range – no dithering.
Unfortunately, the ‘designated successor’ Carbery was ruined by injuries and Ireland lost confidence in him – albeit it was his Munster performances that were the problem – played ok for Ireland when called on.
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Pfft! Ireland still nailed on favourites for the World Cup. Leave the underdogging to the professionals.
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75 minutes until the cricket and England’s next shot at dragging themselves back into the Ashes. Still think the defining moment thus far has been Stokes’ silly declaration on Day 1 of the 1st Test. England could be 2-1 up, not down, and relishing the prospect of winning the urn in Manchester – would be a great send off for Jimmy Anderson on his home ground! What’s that you say? Jimmy’s eyeing another five years in the side?
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19 to go.
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And 1 to go.
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18 to go. Woaksy gets Davey with a Stewie-style, er, bally? Straight and moving away off the seam to tempt Warner into the drive, nicking it to Bairstow who actually catches it.
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Crikey, cricket kills the blog. Who would’ve thunk?
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I know! Heathens!
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Sharp catch in the slips by Duckett (I think) and Australia are 317 all out! They’re about 40 shy in my opinion, or par, or maybe well ahead – who knows these days what Bazball brings?
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Wales World Cup kit kills blog!
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Exeter sign O’Çonnor from Munster – looks a Baxter type of player – is he any good?
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Nah, he’s rubbish.
What position does he play?
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