Now that the anguish of the World Cup is behind us, we can all* pretend that it was all a horrific nightmare and concentrate on the leagues. Ulster have got their international players back at last, although very (very, very) sadly, Munster don’t have Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Tadhg Beirne or Dave Kilcoyne back yet.
*Except Deebee, obvs. I expect he’ll mention once or twice over the next four years that the Boks have won it twice in a row.
So sit back, pour yourself the beverage of your choice, and relax with a nice friendly match.
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 10th November
| Zebre v Sharks | 17:30 | Viaplay Sports 2 |
| Cardiff v Bulls | 19:35 | BBC2 Wales / iPlayer / Viaplay Sports 2 |
| Ulster v Munster | 19:35 | BBC2 NI / iPlayer / Viaplay Sports 1 |
| Gloucester v Bath | 19:45 | TNT Sports 1 |
Saturday 11th November
| Toulouse v Perpignan | 14:00 | Viaplay |
| Treviso v Stormers | 15:00 | Viaplay Sports 1 |
| Leicester v Harlequins | 15:05 | TNT Sports 1 |
| Lyon v Stade Français | 16:00 | Viaplay |
| Ospreys v Glasgow | 17:15 | Viaplay Sports 2 |
| Scarlets v Lions | 17:15 | S4C / iPlayer / Viaplay Sports 1 |
| Edinburgh v Connacht | 19:35 | TG4 / Viaplay Sports 2 |
| La Rochelle v Bayonne | 20:00 | Viaplay |
Sunday 12th November
| Dragons v Leinster | 13:15 | S4C / RTÉ2 / iPlayer / Viaplay Sports 1 |
| Northampton v Exeter | 15:00 | ITV1 / STV / TNT Sports 1 |
| Toulon v Racing 92 | 20:00 | Viaplay |
Ovally Balls 
I rather wish we’d kept Healy in Ireland.
This is mostly for Trisk’s opinion: I watched the various Irish fly-halves with interest last weekend. Was hoping from something good from Flannery, but didn’t see much. Then again, he wasn’t working behind an effective pack, and I didn’t see anything wrong either.
The Byrne brothers are just not up to the job, and I don’t see Crowley as an international fly-half either. Prendergast, however, looks like the goods, but his kicking from the tee was pants. Prendergast at 10 for Ireland, and Doak at scrum-half for the kicks?
LikeLike
Cardiff v Stormers is turning into an interesting match. Cardiff went 0-14 fairly early, but have fought back, and it’s 24 all now at 71 mins.
Weirdly, they have a player mic on Ellis Jenkins. I would not like that!
LikeLike
Cardiff blow a game-winning penalty. Then they get possession back and seemingly idiotically kick possession away. But the Stormers player drops it in the Cardiff 22!
LikeLike
And Cardiff may have scored in the 82nd minute, but it’s being checked!
LikeLike
Try given!
LikeLike
Conversion’s good and it’s 31-24.
LikeLike
See Edinburgh managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory against Benetton in Kinghorn’s final game.
LikeLike
BB – nooo!
LikeLike
Someone’s had a word with the Saffrican commentator, and this week he’s mispronouncing it ‘Conn-ought’.
LikeLike
I take that back. It must have been a different commentator, because the one on the Sharks v Dragons game is pronouncing it ‘Conn-ACHT’.
LikeLike
What was that Deebs was saying about the SA sides? Lions get 61 points, Sharks 69 and Bulls 53.
LikeLike
TRY Stewart!
LikeLike
TRY Cooney (in theory, but I think he knocked it on).
LikeLike
It’s good!
LikeLike
Boooo! I could see it was a knock on from here! Even though I’m not watching the game!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Went backwards. :-p
LikeLike
I was supposed to be at a wedding in Glasgow tonight. If I’d known it was Glaes/Ulster, I might have tried harder to get there (and sneaked off)!
LikeLike
Some Glasgowperson has scored.
LikeLike
Burns has gone off, and Doak’s on at 10.
LikeLike
Mind you, it looks really fucking cold in Glasgow.
LikeLike
It’s always really fucking cold in Scotstoun, even in summer. The temperature’s barely been above zero all day here.
LikeLike
Everyone seems to be wearing their duvets, and they STILL look cold.
LikeLike
This is a hell of a match; just ferocious.
Ulster are on a warning.
LikeLike
And Glasgow score in the 41st minute!
LikeLike
From what I’m reading it seems as though Glasgow haven’t practised any lineouts over the past few weeks, months, years…
LikeLike
And it’s 14 all at HT.
LikeLike
Never in doubt!
Ahem…
LikeLike
BB – it’s been poor, but they’ve just won one that counted, and mauled over.
LikeLike
Glasgow go over, but ref thinks it was held up.
LikeLike
It was.
LikeLike
Bloody Glasgow score again.
LikeLike
In Deebee-pleasing news, Kitshoff has now made his Ulster début. So far, so good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s so cold the balls are going flat, apparently!
LikeLike
Cooney slots a penalty, so it’s a two-point game again.
LikeLike
Glasgow replacement hooker (Johnny Matthews) beats all the Ulster players down the tramlines and scores! Bastard!
LikeLike
Now I see the replay, it was only Stewart (his opposite) that he beat, but at the first watch, it looked more impressive! It was definitely a winger-style try though.
Glasgow now 9 points ahead.
LikeLike
Try-scoring genius Johnny Matthews!
LikeLike
Ulster suddenly wake up and Stockdale makes a great break. Not over the line yet, but in the 22.
LikeLike
Ulster take the penalty to get within LBP range.
LikeLike
Glasgow try prevented by wee Dave Shanahan!
LikeLike
Bloody Matthews over again!
LikeLike
The Salah of Scotstoun, as called by Tom English.
LikeLike
He’s a proper pain in the arse.
LikeLike
You mean he’s a proper try-scoring genius.
LikeLike
And Ulster fuck up the ending in multiple ways and leave without a LBP.
Well done, Glasgow.
We were brilliant for the first 20 minutes, and then shite. Am thinking that this coincided with Burns going off, and that I’ve been under-rating him.
LikeLike
Did not expect that result, especially after the first 20 minutes. Top of the log now, apparently!
LikeLike
Oh dear (for Newcastle). Exeter score within 35 seconds of kickoff.
LikeLike
Blamaire breaks the line and Newcastle take the lead. 7-5 after 5 mins.
LikeLike
Newcastle double their score, after Moroni gets on the end of a chip by the winger. 9 mins played, 14-5.
LikeLike
Scarlets got hammered by the Ospreys.
LikeLike