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 
northern hemisphere 2nd row Bok basher – I hope
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New Embra coach. Another Springbok. “First we came for your players, now we come for your coaches…”
Apparently, he coached Kolisi and Am. Don’t suppose he could persuade them to have a wee jaunt in Embra for a year or two? I mean, it’s not Glasgow but it would do…
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And the link to the story…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/66256894
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Well here’s hoping Sean Everitt does a Franco Smith and gets Edinburgh up and running, it’s a fairly talented squad which is woefully underperforming – beating Saracens over two legs and then capitulating to many teams having been in the hunt for much of the matches was as far as we got last season
Edinburgh have got a few guys coming in – the one that got away imo was Ben White, after ‘Irish folded it would have been nice to bring him to Murrayfiled, but our budget was stretched enough by Duhan needing a club
Thaum, I’m busier than a busy thing, but if I find time nearer to the start of the season I could maybe do an ATL on Embra’s squad and our hopes – it’s a niche subject, for sure.
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That’d be excellent, Ticht, thanks!
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@slate
Eoin O’Connor – haven’t really seen too much of him (probably more my issue).
Essentially squeezed out by lock rotation that will include Snyman, Kleyn, Aherne, Beirne, Edogbo, Wycherley, plus Evan O’Connell coming into academy.
.
Snyman will probably go at end of contract, and now Kleyn is NIQ there maybe some awkwardness on extending him. Beirne is 31 now….
But will all those about – he’d have small scope for playing for next 2-3 years.
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BB, Ticht, Sean Everitt was booted out by the Durban Sharks last season for woeful underperformance of a very expensive squad. The Sharks bought in some marquee players like Siya Kolisi, Bongi Mbonambi and Eben Etzebeth, but they lacked the depth needed to contest on more than one front as a result of buying in such expensive talent (and both Etzebeth and Kolisi spent a fair time injured as well). Some would say even on one front. He got a short-term gig at the Bulls as an assistant, but didn’t appear to make much difference to their fortunes either. Not sure if he’s really head coach material, but similar things were also said about Franco Smith, so who knows? Maybe a change of environment and structures will do him good?
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Bok side for Saturday:
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Kwagga Smith, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Faf de Klerk , 22 Lukhanyo Am, 23 Damian Willemse
Much changed from the one that got thumped in Auckland. Good to see KLA on the left wing – Mapimps had a nightmare against the Kiwis, especially under the high ball. Libbock and Williams at halfback is very encouraging for getting the ball to the outside backs, and hopefully puts to bed the notion of Damian Willemse at 10 – he’s not a 10, full stop. Never really been convinced by Jesse Kriel at 13 (or anywhere else), but he’s the back up to Am there and needs game time. Honest and hard working without being very flash.
Vermeulen has definitely wrenched back the 8 spot from Jasper Wiese, and Marco van Staden was excellent against Australia and thoroughly deserves another shot, whilst PSDT is better than Franco Mostert at blindside – probably another experiment put to bed, at least for big matches. Orie in for de Jager, who I didn’t know was on the field last week until he gave away a dumb penalty when we were on their try line. Marx starting will give us huge go forward and presence in the tight and loose.
Overall, a pretty balanced selection based on the first two matches, even if those who played last week were up against far superior opposition to the first week.
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Also think Damian de Allende is lucky to keep his spot over Andre Esterhuizen, who was a battering ram supreme against Australia – but also got the ball to the outside backs, not something de Allende is noted for.
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in my humble I’d rate Esterhuizen some way above de Allende – much wider range of skillz
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Squidge’s video on the NZ/SA match was very interesting on the kicking that NZ used to control the game.
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It’s usually not a big talking point how much NZ kick. Less to create chances off first phase (as Leinster like to) but to tire teams with back and forth shuttles that give them a chance to launch their broken field runners.
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Ah, no man! First Delores and now Sinead O’Connor gone! Two absolute diamonds of Irish music, in so many ways. In Sinead’s own words – nothing compares to you.
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Weren’t those Prince’s words? She did make it hers, though. Very sad.
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New Slate ?
Reference to Ben Healy ?
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Australia by 10. You heard it here first. And probably won’t hear it anywhere else, for at least a generation. Boks by 20.
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Is that Australia by 10 runs or 10 wickets?
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BB – on a completely different subject, as a librarian, do/did you not get depressed at how small libraries are? I have a much larger collection of books in my own house than my local library does, and these are only books running to my own taste. Granted, I am able to use any library in Warwickshire, and can order books from other libraries into my nearest one for collection (now for a fee, which is understandable in the dire circs), but still….
There were two libraries I used to use as a kid in Belfast; one was on the Lisburn Road and was housed in a massive Victorian building of three or four storeys, and the other was a smaller one in a more outlying area that was still huge compared to what is available here today.
It’s depressing when I hear of a book I want to read, and not a single library in the county has it.
I think you worked in a school library, so that may be somewhat different?
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Thaum – it’s difficult to comment much as I don’t know what type of area your library is in. It may be that the building is small and they have other things happening in the space (which is helping to keep the space open). There are very few community/public libraries which are solely libraries these days (and the same is increasingly true of school libraries, certainly in Glasgow). I know that my local library in Renfrew still seems to have a fairly large stock of books, plus I get access to the Libby app which allows me to read books online for free. (Despite what a Depute told me, this will NOT replace physical books in school libraries, particularly as it costs about £30 per title to add to the app).
Sorry, that’s a bit of a raamble and it doesn’t really answer your question!
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BB – it used to be in a small building, and got moved to a single room in the Civic Centre. The room’s about the size of an average living/dining room, so I don’t think there’s much else going on. There aren’t any public computers or anything.
Not sure about Libby (I like a physical book; there certainly are some ebooks), but we do have access to free print publications on-line (magazines, newspapers, etc. from all over the world).
As I said, we can order a book from any library in Warwickshire, so the selection’s not that limited if you plan ahead, and don’t mind paying 50p per ordered book. But you still find that you can’t get some titles.
Even the library in Leamington is not that big, although a good deal larger than the local one.
I can remember going to the library as a child, not the big Victorian one (well, that too, but I mean the one about a mile from our house). You could only take three books out at once, and during the summer holidays I had to go there most days! Eventually I ran out of children’s books so went looking in the general section and took out Wuthering Heights, because I thought the picture on the cover looked interesting. What a great find! :-)
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JD2- and Ben Youngs-ing it all over the park
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God, the old England kit, with the red swoosh down it, was hideous.
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Just an fyi, Scotland v Italy is on Amazon Prime at 3pm today.
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NZ link https://www.vipbox.lc/australia-vs-new-zealand-2-live
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Oof, what a try. NZ turn over the ball and Smith puts it into the corner. Aus take a short lineout, Barrett steps out the line and absolutely creams the 9. He drops the ball over the try line and Frizzell dots it down.
0-5 4 mins.
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Koriobete denied in the corner, his arm just hitting touch before he gets the ball down. However, the TMO goes back to a play in the centre and finds Valentini got the ball down under the posts previously.
7-5 8mins
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Aus have picked Gordon at 10 and I think he’s already played the ball more then Cooper did in the previous 2 tests combined.
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NZ denied a try on a technicality. Koriobete pinged for offside right in front of his posts. The NZ 11 goes for a quick tap and dives over, but he’s ruled not to have moved the ball enough with his foot first.
Yellow for Koriobete and an Aus scrum.
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NZ try – Taylor off the back of a maul in the corner.
7-12 35mins
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Gordon’s restart doesn’t go 10. NZ scrum in the centre.
Koroibete back on.
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Looks like Alitoa out of the WC
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Alaalatoa gets folded under the scrum and injures his leg. Aus lose their captain just before half time.
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Good lord, 21 phases by NZ and then the ball goes wide to Jordan, who scores in the corner.
7-19 at half time.
The half feels like it was a lot more even, than the scoreboard would tell.
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Could have been more even if Gordon had had his kicking boots on, kicking out of hand has been iffy, and a restart not going the ten is inexcuseable. He has been good otherwise, and the Wallabies have been looking surprisingly solid, and unlucky to be 12 points down. One more score ahead tho and the AB,s can cut loose, so Aussies need to score next.
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Huge turnover by Savea – Aus have a pen in front of the posts. They tap and go and almost get over the line, but Savea latches onto the ball and gets the penalty.
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Imagine being able to take off Retallick and bring on Whitelock.
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Tupo broken, could be down to uncontested scrums.
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Tupou is done.Looks like he knacked his ribs earlier in the half.He’s staying on for now – Aus would have to go to 14 otherwise.
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Tupo still on, but in loads of trouble, so White leaves it in at the next scrum when he could have whipped it away.
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Tupou has finally left the field. Bell on and Slipper to TH.
Wait, Tupou has just been pinged for head contact, so he’s actually getting a yellow and Bell is back off again.
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After lots and lots of defending, NZ get the chance to exit their half. They put it into the Aus 22 and go through the phases off the lineout.
Smith has a dart and gets behind the defence. They recycle and Caleb Clarke gets the ball over the line to score.
7-26 60mins
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Tupo yellow carded for his last act on the pitch, so his sub has to go off. Blacks having been under massive pressure for 20 mins, go up the other end and score. Try Caleb Clarke. Game over.
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Tupou’s review is, it stays as a yellow.
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Relentless pressure from NZ. on the Aus line. Jordan get the ball, puts in a little shimmy then offloads to Telea, who scores in the corner.
7-31 65mins
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Bloody hell. From the restart, Reiko Ioane takes the ball into contact just outside his 22. NZ go wide and Jordan breaks the line. They go back the other way, Telea steps around Koroibete and he gives it to Ioane, who finishes the move. Conversion is good.
7-38 68mins
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Koroibete gets revenge on Telea – NZ break down the wing but Marieka puts in the tackle and secures a penalty too.
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Eddie’s looking a little miffed, up in his box.
22nd Beldisloe to NZ in a row.
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