Expect less mud than last week’s Welsh derby in Brigend
Worn out after typing all the Saturday fixtures, so I’ll just say: we have Hume and McCloskey in the centre. Antoine who?
Onna telly this weekend
Showing matches that are televised in the UK and Ireland or on popular subscription services. Bold indicates free-to-view. Times are in the UK zone, so adjust as necessary.
Oh. Maybe shoulda kept that to myself. I suppose it’s basically the first match between Ireland and France that determines the winners. England could finish somewhere between 2nd and 5th depending on shit loads of stuff. So could Scotland. Wales likely to do nothing other than bugger up someone else’s season. Italy are shit and should be replaced by Georgia/Portugal/Boks/another hopeless over-rated side.
Thing is Ticht, Hutch has Tuipolotu and Cam Redpath in front of him for the 12 jersey. Tui is the one that has the national jersey just now, and Cam plays with Finn at Bath.
BB, Redpath is the only one of those who is an out and out 12, all the others (Tui, Jones, Hutch) shift between 12 and 13.
I’d probably ditch Harris but Toonie really likes him. McDowall has been playing really well too.
The Saints have been great this season. Used to like them a lot – had a friend at work who was a Saints fan and got us tickets to Saints v Ulster, and found the fans both friendly and very knowledgeable – but they’ve been shit in late years. Glad to see them getting their mojo back.
Things are tensing up in the snooker in an interminable frame. Mark Allen is up 48-27 in the frame that could bring him even, with only the blue, pink and black left on the table. Mark Selby needs a snooker or two to win the frame. It’s all very cat and mouse.
Thaum, a few years ago I was sitting in an Irish bar in Brighton watching the Heineken Cup final between Saints and Leinster, the one where Saints ran out to a good lead and then the Dubs hauled them back in.
The Saints fans in the bar were terrific, I made a good few friends with them
Munster fans are intimidating, but very well-informed.
Ulster fans are obviously great. Seriously, they are friendly. They tried to drag the mister away to a pub when he dared to turn up to a match at Ravenhill when Cardiff got beaten soundly.
(Welsh fans don’t travel much. In fact, they don’t turn up to their home games in mass numbers either: cf Flair’s posts about why the French sides have more money.)
Clermont fans are lovely people outside the match itself, when they become extremely hostile. Until you actually talk to them, of course. Then they are condescendingly nice, because their team is kicking your arse.
Ovally Balls 
Slade, re your last comment on the previous post: I’m frankly surprised that H. Slade is playing this week after his brain fart last weekend.
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Hello? Luckily nobody saw my post on the last blog where I committed to an outsiders view of the 6N!
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You’ve been Deebeed, even though I put up a warning! Good thing you’ve repeated it here – thank you!
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Oh. Maybe shoulda kept that to myself. I suppose it’s basically the first match between Ireland and France that determines the winners. England could finish somewhere between 2nd and 5th depending on shit loads of stuff. So could Scotland. Wales likely to do nothing other than bugger up someone else’s season. Italy are shit and should be replaced by Georgia/Portugal/Boks/another hopeless over-rated side.
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Thaum – lay off him – he’s a good English chap!
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Slade – wasn’t having a go, honest: it seemed out of character!
Deebee – France won’t have Dupont for 6N as he’ll be practising his 7s.
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Slade, I’ve picked Feyi-Waboso as a very early Lions bolter.
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Lovely first try for Saints in about a minute.
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Bloody hell, Saints not messing around. Two tries up in 5mins. One from the backs and one high-BMI’d over the line.
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Booo! Mitchell is judged to have knocked on before the 2nd try. Back to 7-0.
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high-BMI’d over the line
Masterful.
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FABULOUS 147 by Norn Irish hero Mark Allen!
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Machenaud was thinking thinking, “Oh shite” when he made that interception
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Ticht – I doubt he has the time – doing a medical degree
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Saints going at a point a minute, plus bonus point already. Hutchinson playing a blinder too.
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Slade, I believe he’s declared for England, so he must have international ambitions
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40 points up in 40 mins.
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Bayonne have given up – that one was far too easy
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Saints were outstanding in that half, from 1 to 15 they were very good.
Toonie has to recall Hutchinson
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Thing is Ticht, Hutch has Tuipolotu and Cam Redpath in front of him for the 12 jersey. Tui is the one that has the national jersey just now, and Cam plays with Finn at Bath.
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Despite the 147 break, Allen has gone into the break 1-3 down.
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BB, Redpath is the only one of those who is an out and out 12, all the others (Tui, Jones, Hutch) shift between 12 and 13.
I’d probably ditch Harris but Toonie really likes him. McDowall has been playing really well too.
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It’s not often you see such an incredibly one-sided match. Saints 61-7 up, with less than 7mins left on the clock.
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Allen gets a century break to come back to 3-4.
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The Saints have been great this season. Used to like them a lot – had a friend at work who was a Saints fan and got us tickets to Saints v Ulster, and found the fans both friendly and very knowledgeable – but they’ve been shit in late years. Glad to see them getting their mojo back.
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I like that still from the video as it looks as though there’s a snooker cue going up it, with a man contemplating his next shot.
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Things are tensing up in the snooker in an interminable frame. Mark Allen is up 48-27 in the frame that could bring him even, with only the blue, pink and black left on the table. Mark Selby needs a snooker or two to win the frame. It’s all very cat and mouse.
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Thaum, a few years ago I was sitting in an Irish bar in Brighton watching the Heineken Cup final between Saints and Leinster, the one where Saints ran out to a good lead and then the Dubs hauled them back in.
The Saints fans in the bar were terrific, I made a good few friends with them
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Allen pots the blue!
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Google tells me that was 2011 – it will be 13 years ago by the time of this final!
Blimey
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Ticht – it’s frightening how time runs away like that.
Yes, Saints fans are great people. Tigers fans are arseholes. It’s probably just a tiny minority, but they are vocal.
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Munster fans are intimidating, but very well-informed.
Ulster fans are obviously great. Seriously, they are friendly. They tried to drag the mister away to a pub when he dared to turn up to a match at Ravenhill when Cardiff got beaten soundly.
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(Welsh fans don’t travel much. In fact, they don’t turn up to their home games in mass numbers either: cf Flair’s posts about why the French sides have more money.)
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Clermont fans are lovely people outside the match itself, when they become extremely hostile. Until you actually talk to them, of course. Then they are condescendingly nice, because their team is kicking your arse.
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Mark Selby in missing a sitter shocker! Looked like he was going to clear up this frame. Now I think/hope Allen will.
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But now Allen’s missed an easy one!
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And then Selby misses his easy next shot. Come on Allen!
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Allen playing brilliantly and then he fucks up. It’s 64-45 with only the pink and black left on the table. Cagey stuff.
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Allen pots the pink in a miracle shot and wins the frame! It’s 5-4 and the first to 6 goes through.
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Selby looking like he’s away in the next frame, though.
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But he’s missed a crucial shot! Not up to his usual standard tonight.
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But Selby comes back with an amazing shot! Tense.
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Selby gets a fluke, so it’s going to a decider.
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Selby with the early points (19) in the decider frame, but Allen in with his chances the now.
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And he’s opened the reds up.
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(I’m just doing this to annoy the krikit fans, btw.)
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Allen just had one red to pot to win the match, and missed it!
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Hard to see Selby fucking up from here on a normal night.
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But he has!
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But then Allen also misses the pot!
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