Well, well, well, I really enjoyed the opening round of the 2024 Six Nations. I didn’t see Ireland smashing France like that and it’s always nice when it’s not your team imploding like Scotland did against Wales (although I thought the win was just about deserved in the end). Italy were a lot better and England feel brand new so what does that mean for the second weekend? Take a seat, young ‘uns, and let Uncle Craig’s tell you EXACTLY how it will play out.
Scotland vs France
Will either team be as bad as they were in parts last week? No, I don’t think so. Scotland have won four out of their last five matches against France in Murrayfield and have always been competitive in recent years. Toonie has shuffled the deck and Jamie Ritchie is oot with Rory Darge taking his place (although at 7 with Fagerson at 6). Which is quite significant seeing as he was the former captain, but (apparently) form and fitness have dropped off.
France have changed two: Bielle-Biarrey is now on the wing and Gabrillagues is in the pack to replace Willemse who is on the naughty step. No surprises for me here.
France missed Dupont last week and will miss him this week. Scotland will be looking to build on their win and won’t drop off like they did against a callow Welsh team. However, if France can find their groove it should make for an interesting match. I am going for a narrow win for the Scots given their recent Murrayfield form and a suspected kick up the arse in training this week. Looking forward to it.
24 – 21 to the Scots.
England vs Wales
So, the main event innit. Third best side in the world at home, etc. I think this Welsh team are too inexperienced at the moment. It’s one thing to throw it around against a team who have put nearly 30 points on you and you have a roaring home crowd at your back (especially when the other side commits 16 penalties in a row) but another to do it again in an away game. Don’t get me wrong, both sides are fairly new but I think England will win comfortably.
No changes for England; quite a few for the Welsh. North is back at 13, Mann is an injury replacement at 6, Tomos Williams at 9, Lloyd at 10 and Gareth Thomas, Dee and Assiratti make for a completely changed starting front row.
As I said, both teams are rebuilding but England look more settled (given the number of changes) and are at home. So I expect a comfortable win but this expectation has come back to bite me before.
27 – 20 to Engerlaaaaaaannnnnddddd!!!!!
Ireland vs Italy
The last game of the weekend will be a ‘Pro-displeasing hammering for Italy. Having dispatched France in Lyon last week Ireland are playing some great rugby at the moment. Skilful forwards, intimidating backs: I can only see this going one way. Italy will be competitive in parts and will score some tries but it won’t be enough.
Both sides have made a few changes. Andy Faz has shuffled the back row and given Doris the captaincy; Casey is at 9 and McCloskey is at 13. Amongst the changes for Italy, they get Capuozzo back, which will sharpen their attacking edge, and Varney and Zuliani will start. It won’t help them though.
Ireland will be physical, ruthless, aggressive and will rule every facet of play. Italy will be everyone’s favourite underdog but will probably get carded at least once. Easy home win for the Green Meanies.
50 – 15 to Ireland.
Cheers!
Unbounded optimism by Craigsman.
Onna telly this weekend
Showing matches that are televised in the UK and Ireland or on popular subscription services. Bold indicates that it’s on a free to view channel. Times are in the UK zone, so adjust as necessary.
Friday 9th February
| Ireland v Italy U20s | 19:15 | iPlayer |
| England v Wales U20s | 19:15 | S4C / iPlayer |
| Scotland v France U20s | 20:00 | iPlayer |
Saturday 10th February
| Scotland v France | 14:15 | BBC1 |
| England v Wales | 16:45 | ITV1 / S4C / RTÉ2 / STV |
Sunday 11th February
| Ireland v Italy | 15:00 | ITV1 / STV |
Ovally Balls 
Was about to say that Wales are playing all the rugby, and then they play some more. Nice.
So, new England playing on defence and kick chase game ?
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Well, based on that half, it seems Wales are rebuilding faster than anyone expected, and England … aren’t.
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Yikes! Just seen that Dayglo advert again. Reminds me of the Tena Men one.
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Loads of talking points, says Nick Mullins, so obviously ITV will pick one to discuss for 30 seconds and spend the rest of the time on adverts.
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Bloody peculiar game lit up by that try towards the end of the half. Not being twenty points down at halftime has a lot to be said for it. No confidence as to what might happen in the second half, really could be anything.
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England look bloody clueless. Can’t see the point in playing Ford if this is the best he can do. Might as well blood a youngster.
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@BB – They’ve got a lot of men with microphones for that 30 seconds though!
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Where was our fullback for the second Welsh try??
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Missed the opening 15 or so, but what I saw of the rest suggests it’s a long road back for England. That said, it looks like all the sides (bar Ireland) are suffering from a World Cup hangover.
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“Where was our fullback for the second Welsh try??”
He was lost in a dream in which Wales concede a penalty in a rugby match.
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You were saying, Clyde?
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Dreams can come true Thaum.
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Hey, Wales conceded a penalty.
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Young Cardiff fullback is doing very well.
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And there’s another one. Maybe they were saving them all up for the second half.
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It’s not discipline if you’ve got carte blanche, Shane!
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That’s quite a bad penalty to concede though!
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CMW, what on earth were you thinking ? You’ve turned em into penalty machines.
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Welsh line-out is functioning well. The maul, not so much.
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Marler has had the Welsh tight head on toast. Watch Genge concede a penalty to him now…
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Welsh tighthead over extended every time. Still nothing from the ref.
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I love Genge’s ‘innocent’ look, that he gives a ref.
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Lovely break by Wales, but couldn’t finish it.
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We play some right old rubbish at times, but we also really have our moments!
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Another penalty. Have Wales been found out?
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Ford’s not having much luck with his conversions.
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I could have sworn that ball was gonna be dropped, before getting over the line. 1 point game now.
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In this half, the ref is blind to England’s faults: forward passes, in front of the kicker, etc.
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Wales surely needed to empty the bench 10 minutes ago. They’re getting battered up front.
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Great kick from Ford.
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It was a great kick. And now Mason Grady has been an idiot, and England have gone ahead by two points.
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Dirty, dirty team.
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Been a tale of two halves, really. Wales just not able to cope in the second half in the collisions or contests.
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Reffell’s a git, isn’t he? Winning all these penalties and being extremely effective.
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Wut? How was that not a card, or at least a penalty for tackling the player in the air?
Another controversial ending!
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Earl gets the Maro. Toss up between him and Reffell, I reckon.
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How come thats not a penalty ?
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Thaum – Dier’s challenge on Steward, where Steward landed on his back, had me asking the same question.
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Well played young Wales, good showing on the rebuild. England, not so much.
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a win – but constipated
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Refit – fair enough, but I think in that case they were both in the air, going for the ball?
The reffing was poor either way.
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What a horrible game. One for the ref to forget – he was bloody awful at different points for both teams. Can’t understand how it wasn’t a penalty to wales at the end.
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Refit, Dyer was competing for the ball, and nearly had it with Steward. Ford just shoulder barged him into touch, nowhere near the ball.
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@Refit, from my recollection, the Dyer/Steward one, Dyer was under the ball and Steward jumped into him.
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We can all agree that the ref was terrible, but what lost Wales that match was being so incredibly slow off the back of rucks, and aimlessly kicking possession away, usually to Steward.
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Competing players still have a duty of safety against other people jumping for the ball. Just because you’re trying to catch it, doesn’t mean you can just make your opposition land in a dangerous manner.
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Wales are very like Cardiff at the moment, we’ll often come up with the best play in the game but make too many mistakes to beat anyone vaguely serious. Weirdly I don’t really mind, bit of a shame not to be in a state to take advantage of England being fairly crap at the moment, but hey ho.
Thought Steward was good as well as Earl though our kicking (and chasing) game is pretty rubbish. Thought Ford was mostly poor but that 50-22 was a great kick and a big moment. Reffell for us would have got man of the match had we won.
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Thauma, plaudits to England’s rush defence too – they absolutely battered the Welsh second receiver for much of the match. Felix Jones in evidence already.
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@Deebee- Maybe. It’s a bit of a recurring theme in our games so might not be too much to be read into it.
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That incident in the first half Dyer pretty much did catch the ball and Steward took it at the same time and was stronger, there was nothing in that one.
There was loads of odd reffing in the game – we did quite well out of a couple of calls in the first half as I don’t think it was a penalty try and the conversion thing is questionable. The scrums were a bit of a disaster as a spectacle – not necessarily the referee’s fault, but bad for the game in general. I thought both games today felt like they took an age to play and despite them each having a couple of great moments were largely turgid affairs that I struggled to care too much about by the end.
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