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 
Ha, Faz has just lost the team ten metres.
LikeLike
Daly’s playing a blinder with the box-kicks (feels weird typing that). Just making life difficult for the SA player catching.
LikeLike
*finds desk, bangs head on it*
LikeLike
It was a great catch by Daly, very unlucky that it ended up as a pen.
LikeLike
I don’t think there’s been a single pass to a centre yet, from either side.
LikeLike
The game has certainly featured some tremendous catching of high kicks though.
LikeLike
Lawes couldn’t have picked a better time to have a complete reinvigoration of his career.
LikeLike
Faf looks like he’s warming up. Doing some stretches, anyway.
LikeLike
Libbok’s forgotten how to kick again.
LikeLike
And Libbok’s been hooked.
LikeLike
Curry seems to spend more time bleeding, than playing. Replaced by Billy.
LikeLike
Why pass it there instead of kicking from the base ?
LikeLike
Every passing minute of this makes me want NZ to win the World Cup a little bit more.
LikeLike
And he sang as he watched and waited till his Billy boiled
You’ll come a-waltzing Mathilda with me.
LikeLike
Shame Pollard didn’t miss the sitter, would have been very funny.
LikeLike
Why pass it ever instead of kicking from the base ?
LikeLike
Sort of game Sag would like, this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dab – rolling one up for our missing comrades.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s a rerun of Wales-South Africa 2019 as a follow up to the rerun of Wales-NZ 1987 that we got last night. After all there are different kinds of bad WC semi-finals.
LikeLike
Ooh, Mitchell almost ran out of pitch before the clock went red.
LikeLike
Not sure England will be able to play any better in the second half.
Not sure South Africa will be able to play any worse in the second half.
LikeLiked by 1 person
England deserve their lead.
LikeLike
England have definitely been the far better side! Boks looking panicked. Some improvement once Pollard came on, and I expect they’ll get a proper bollocking at HT. Libbok was rubbish, and Rassie was right to hook him, but the real problem is that the South African forwards aren’t getting their usual dominance.
LikeLike
Well, it ain’t pretty, for sure, but England doing a cracking job in the mauls in particular.Also kicking and kick chase so far.
LikeLike
The worst part of that half is that Dayglo is going to be encouraged to carry on with his bollocks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Think SA might be getting the mother of all bollockings from Rassie at half time.
LikeLike
SCW gets a go first
LikeLike
Ahead of Dayglo that is, not Rassie.
LikeLike
England playing the almost perfect half (apart from a little indiscipline!) for the conditions against this opposition.
SA had to blink first and change strategy. Pollard means the game will get evewn narrower, U think, which will suit England to a degree as it brings SA’s wingers into the game less.
Another good 10/15 minutes and I think SA will implode……………………………….
LikeLike
If it carries on like this for another 25 minutes or so and then England score two good tries it will be every bit as good as the last final.
LikeLike
I suspect this is going to be one of those games of two halves. But you never know.
LikeLike
One symptom of the wrongness from a Saffer point of view was Kolbe calling for the ball in England’s 22 and not bloody getting it.
LikeLike
On a other note, Tom Curry must bleed more than any other pro player. He is always drenched in claret.
LikeLike
Ref’s been much harsher on not straight at the lineout than has generally been the case in this tournament.
LikeLike
Go after him now Joe.
LikeLike
SA with 3 subs in the first 5mins of the 2nd half. Faf, Snyman and Le Roux for Reinach, Eben & Willemse.
LikeLike
England are apparently playing the fifth Beatle. Signs of desperation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
SA have now deployed 7 of their subs, 10 mins into the 2nd half. Makes a difference though, they go through the Eng scrum.
LikeLike
Genge goes full baby-rhino and sets it up for Faz to kick a 40m drop goal.
LikeLike
England are now 2 scores ahead, 15-6.
LikeLike
Wait, SA have now used all their subs and Mbonambi is still on the pitch. Gonna be a shift for a front row to play 80mins.
LikeLike
Well I was wrong. England can play better in the second half and South Africa can play worse.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rassie getting over-enthusiastic with the subs. And England still rampant.
Deebee, come out from behind your sofa and tell us what the hell has happened?
LikeLike
My enjoyment of the game has improved no end since I switched off the commentary and put on Bach’s St Matthew Passion. Oddly apt.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Sinck’s having a torrid old time.
LikeLike
Dab – Races Are Run might work too.
LikeLike
What? A try? I’d forgotten what those were!
LikeLike
Try SA. Snyman crashes over after a faked maul.
LikeLike
It’s a 2-point game, 10mins to play.
LikeLike
Mbonambi getting his thigh strapped up.
LikeLike