Grumpy? Moi? Well, perhaps still a little hung over after the agony of Ireland going out in the quarter-finals once again. Even if it’s what I expected ever since I first beheld The Draw From Hell, supposing we even made it out of the pool stage. Perhaps World Rugby, who surely can no longer be called Dublin-based, have learnt their lesson and will make the next draw within a millenium of the actual fucking tournament.
Still, there were some cracking matches last weekend, even if all the results were wrong (in my very humble opinion, of course). It’s safe to say that there is not much doubt about this weekend’s results. But who knows? Maybe we’ll get a big surprise and Argentina, despite their relatively poor form, will beat the All Blacks.
We’ve also got English Premiership matches, and the URC kicks off this weekend.
Onna telly this week
Showing matches that are televised in the UK and Ireland or on popular subscription services. Bold indicates free-to-view.
Friday 20th October
| Argentina v New Zealand | 20:00 | ITV1 / STV / S4C / iPlayer |
Saturday 21st October
| Zebre v Ulster | 13:00 | Viaplay Sports 1 |
| Connacht v Ospreys | 15:00 | S4C / iPlayer / TG4 / Viaplay Sports 2 |
| Lions v Stormers | 15:05 | Viaplay Xtra |
| Dragons v Edinburgh | 15:05 | Viaplay Sports 1 |
| Leicester v Sale | 15:05 | TNT Sports 1 |
| Cardiff v Treviso | 17:15 | S4C / iPlayer / Viaplay Sports 1 |
| Munster v Sharks | 17:15 | TG4 / Viaplay Xtra |
| England v South Africa | 20:00 | ITV1 / STV |
Sunday 22nd October
| Bulls v Scarlets | 14:00 | BBC1 Wales / Viaplay Sports 2 |
| Harlequins v Exeter | 15:00 | TNT Sports 1 |
| Glasgow v Leinster | 16:00 | RTÉ2 / Viaplay Sports 1 |
Ovally Balls 
And so, there were only four. Expectations apparently that two of the four are road bumps on the way to a titanic AB-SA final next week, but I’m not so sure. Michael Cheika looking super relaxed in his pre-match interview, a bit of rain in the air to level the playing field and well, just because…
Kiwis still by 15+
Did the Boks peak last week? We have form for alarming form dips after big wins, so can England catch the Boks cold? Don’t think so, but it won’t be the easy-peasy some are suggesting.
Boks by 8-ish?
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I like how you’re trying to build up the dramatic tension, Deebee, but with VdM at 10, this can only go one way.
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With Discobolus at 12 for the Boks, it’s pretty even in that channel! If the Boks stay disciplined, they’re 50% of the way there. If they play at a high tempo, 80% of the way there.
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Tonight, Argentina have a puncher’s chance. Problem is, there’s a few weight divisions between the sides.
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What I see is a New Zealand side peaking at the right time, and an Argentine side on a downward slide at the wrong time.
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It’s all Argentina in the first 30 seconds!
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Interesting tactic from NZ – just keep tackling until Arg get bored and give the ball away.
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Final whistle please! Pumas to win on artistic points.
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Thanks Thaum. Here we go. Well done Poomas.
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I want to know why it’s Los Pumas. Usually nouns ending in A are feminine.
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And it’s a stroll in for Jordan. ARG can’t handle the NZ maul.
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ABs score. Meanwhile, it turns out that it’s the Saffers’ fault that Argentina are nicknamed Los Pumas, but it doesn’t explain the gender disparity: https://www.en-vols.com/en/inspirations-en/culture-en/argentina-nickname-los-pumas-rugby/
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Jeez, when NZ hit the switch, they don’t half ramp up the speed of the game.
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Homer ref. past the ruck bollox, and balls out turnover, from an offside position.
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Jamie Roberts sounds like he’s talking on 0.75x speed.
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Considering the conditions, it’s pretty amazing that the first scrum is at 30mins.
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‘Los’ has slightly different definitions down here. Either way, I accept the Pumas version!
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Smart defence by the Kiwis. 3 rather than 7. Cynical? Yes. Would other sides not do it? No. Of course they would!
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‘Los’ has slightly different definitions down here.
Do tell!
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Off feet, just like the last 10 kiwis?
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That thing I was saying the other day, about more forwards putting in kicks? Sam Cane excepted, after that woeful grubber.
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Bit of a bummer just before half-time.
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Nicely done AB’s. All over now.
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Um, ‘Los’ is basically ‘loose’ in Afrikaans (in this sense) but basically means slut. Make of that what you will.
And the Kiwis score on the hooter! Game over.
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The ITV stream on my tablet appears to be a little behind. I was wondering if Thaum was talking about Lavanini being down, when all of a sudden Telea just kept going forward.
6-20 at half time.
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I can see how, in a Dutch-based language, ‘loose’ turns into ‘los’.
I can’t understand why Spanish pumas are los. There are very few exceptions to the rule, one of them being día (day), but el día sounds less confusing than la día. Pumas, though … not really an everyday word for most people?
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I am hoping there is a lurking Spanish speaker out there who will bravely tell us why pumas are masculine.
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“Smart defence by the Kiwis. 3 rather than 7. Cynical? Yes. Would other sides not do it? No. Of course they would!”
Killing off the advantage play? NZ have been masters of that for as long as I can remember, would have loved to see a card for it though it never comes.
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Well, that’s Argentina on toast.
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Ouch. Not the start Arg would have wanted.
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Well if the try before half-time didn’t seal it that certainly has.
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Well if it wasn’t over before, it is now. Doesn’t seem to matter if Pumas are masculine or not, they are getting thumped.
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Refit
The ITV stream on my tablet appears to be a little behind.
Your skills are slipping. You used to be able to watch, and completely comprehend, at least three matches at once, and faster than anyone else.
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Well, at least we managed to put up a bit more of a fight against the Blackness.
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Mo’unga needed to pass that inside, on his break. Rubbish, hook ‘im coach!
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Arg probably should have had a penalty in the build-up to that try. One of the NZ players was crawling towards the line before the ball went wide & back again.
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Could easily end up at 60 points though I don’t think Argentina have actually played particularly badly.
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That’s just bollocks. NZ move the ball the full width of the pitch and 15-20m forwards and still have pen advantage?
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Oh, that was so close to another try.
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Lovely play from Argentina, but can they finish it?
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No, they can’t. Not that it would make much difference now.
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NZ should take Savea off right now, can’t afford to be without him for the final.
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Fucking hell, Barrett lying on the floor wipes at the ball in the ruck, knock on Argentina.
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This really is making a nonsense of the draw.
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I continue to feel better about our performance against NZ.
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Wouldn’t have affected the result, but may have made a more interesting game, if the Poomas had had a little luck with the whistle. AB’s have got away with a lot of obvious transgressions, and the Poomas have been penalised for a lot of borderline ones.
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Argentina getting a bit of ref luck now, but it’s obviously far too little, too late.
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Wonder what the record defeat is in a WC semi-final. By which I mean I can’t remember what the score was when Wales played this lot in 1987. Suspect the YC will save Argentina from taking it off us.
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Didn’t mean that to sound like I thought the reffing had anything to do with the score, just that Argentina had a chance to score .. which didn’t happen. ABs score again.
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Funny dive just then from the NZ player who kicked ahead.
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