Got caught napping by the bank holidays and have only just realised that today is Friday, and there is European Cup rugby on! So imagine a long and hilariously funny post here. Or just skip to the fixtures.
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.
Lovely move from Leinster. McCarthy(?) cuts a lovely outside arc into the Leicester 22, drawing defenders with him. JGP is on his inside and receives the ball for an east run-in to score. 10-7 to Leinster after 15mins.
Engrossing snooker match going on. It’s Northern Ireland v Wales (Mark Allen v Mark Williams). Williams went 8-0 up this afternoon (best of 19, so first to 10 wins), then started the evening session with a 140 break. But our hero has won the next four frames. Can he hang on?
Yellow for Lowe – he sticks a hand out in the tackle – but not a penalty try as there was cover coming across. Leicester put it into the corner and just about maul it over the line. 22-15 46mins (Pollard hits the post with the conversion)
Leinster are going through the phases on half way but Liebenberg turns the ball over and Tigers look to break wide. Henshaw reads the play perfectly, charges out of the line and intercepts a pass. He has an unopposed run under the posts. 29-15 51mins
Oh, Conan almost scores. He charges at Pollard at full speed and even the help of Wiese can’t stop him making the line. He drops the ball just before grounding it though.
Conan does get his try. Baird breaks into the Tigers 22, through the middle, and gives it to Conan who keeps ahead of the defenders to go in under the posts. 36-15 72mins
At the airport, on the way to Mozambique (and the world’s finest peri-peri chicken) and completely buggered up the rugby times. Yes, I’m blaming the airport. Tuned in just in time to see Saints replacement back power over in the corner. Great hand-off in the process! 24-14 with six to go.
Then bollix the restart and Munster have a throw 5m out. But they in turn knock on and Saints should be home and dry with 4 minutes to go.
Deebee, it was a terrific game. the first half was real end to end stuff and the although the second tightened up from an incredible standard in the first period, it was a really good game overall.
Two fantastic tries from the young Saints winger proved to be the difference between the teams
Ticht, in all the excitement of yesterday, I completely forgot about Edinburgh’s game! Good win, and at least we have one Scottish team still in European competition.
Thanks Ticht! Hopefully not everyone down here was as stupid as me. Need to get more Saffers to buy into the Euro comps. It’s getting there slowly, but more amongst the purists than the casual fans. URC is growing its fan base, but the Heini-whatevers have a bit to do still. SARU not doing a shitload to build up excitement either.
Pete Townshend being a bit of a dodgy authority, of course….
When I was living in the US, I wasn’t allowed to donate blood because I’d lived in the UK (mad cow, I think). This was fine by me, as it relieved my guilt at being terrified of needles then.
Now that I’m no longer afraid of needles, having had to deal with them quite a bit (no, not an intravenous drug user), my blood’s no good here – or anywhere – either. Which is a shame, as I think it’s universal donor type.
I watched a programme last night about how the combination of Prohibition and WW2 almost killed Jack Daniels until Sinatra appeared on stage one night with a glass of it, and called it the nectar of the gods or some such. Once the rest of the Rat Pack embraced it, it moved from virtual extinction to top selling whiskey in the US (and the world, it’s claimed). Far more palatable than 22 kids.
Ovally Balls 
Maybe it’s a good job we lost last night, if the prize for winning was a trip to Bordeaux!
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Bloody hell, Leicester turn up the intensity for 30 seconds and Pollard is over the line to score. 0-7 after 5mins.
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Lovely move from Leinster. McCarthy(?) cuts a lovely outside arc into the Leicester 22, drawing defenders with him. JGP is on his inside and receives the ball for an east run-in to score. 10-7 to Leinster after 15mins.
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Hat-trick for JGP. Osborne finds a tiny gap off a pass from Henshaw and his 9 is on his shoulder to score.
22-10 30mins
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Keep the updates coming, please, Refit!
Engrossing snooker match going on. It’s Northern Ireland v Wales (Mark Allen v Mark Williams). Williams went 8-0 up this afternoon (best of 19, so first to 10 wins), then started the evening session with a 140 break. But our hero has won the next four frames. Can he hang on?
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The answer is no. Our hero does win another frame, and then doesn’t get a chance in the next one.
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Yellow for Lowe – he sticks a hand out in the tackle – but not a penalty try as there was cover coming across. Leicester put it into the corner and just about maul it over the line. 22-15 46mins (Pollard hits the post with the conversion)
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Leinster are going through the phases on half way but Liebenberg turns the ball over and Tigers look to break wide. Henshaw reads the play perfectly, charges out of the line and intercepts a pass. He has an unopposed run under the posts. 29-15 51mins
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Oh, Conan almost scores. He charges at Pollard at full speed and even the help of Wiese can’t stop him making the line. He drops the ball just before grounding it though.
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Ross Byrne gets a stinger and is replaced by his brother Harry (68mins).
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Conan does get his try. Baird breaks into the Tigers 22, through the middle, and gives it to Conan who keeps ahead of the defenders to go in under the posts. 36-15 72mins
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Leicester get another try (missed it getting a cuppa), Clare diving over the line. 36-22 77mins
Healey looks to have done his hammy, Porter comes back on for the last couple of mins.
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Well, Montpellier have just scored far too easily.
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And another. Ulster like headless chickens.
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Looks like a try to Addison (mostly done by Baloucoune), but it’s being checked.
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YES!
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Saints/Munster is a lot of fun. 14-all at half time.
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Montpellier score a penalty, so it’s 17-7 at HT.
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Red card for Montpellier no. 5 for a head collision with Addison catching a high ball. The no. 5 came off worst anyway.
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And TRY Baloucoune!
Addison’s gone off for an HIA, but he looked okay.
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TRY Wilson after seemingly interminable efforts.
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Montpellier go down to 13 for more foul play; not before time, as they’ve had about 35 penalties, many of them in the 22.
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Now they’re down to 12! And a promise of more if they keep giving away penalties.
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TRY McCann!
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TRY McCloskey!!!
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At the airport, on the way to Mozambique (and the world’s finest peri-peri chicken) and completely buggered up the rugby times. Yes, I’m blaming the airport. Tuned in just in time to see Saints replacement back power over in the corner. Great hand-off in the process! 24-14 with six to go.
Then bollix the restart and Munster have a throw 5m out. But they in turn knock on and Saints should be home and dry with 4 minutes to go.
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And a penalty try as the clock goes red!
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Final score: 17-40 (and a yellow card pointlessly awarded with the penalty try).
Ulster weren’t particularly good, but Montpellier’s discipline was terrible.
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Saints are through! Wish I’d seen the rest of it!
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Deebee, it was a terrific game. the first half was real end to end stuff and the although the second tightened up from an incredible standard in the first period, it was a really good game overall.
Two fantastic tries from the young Saints winger proved to be the difference between the teams
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Ticht, in all the excitement of yesterday, I completely forgot about Edinburgh’s game! Good win, and at least we have one Scottish team still in European competition.
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Thanks Ticht! Hopefully not everyone down here was as stupid as me. Need to get more Saffers to buy into the Euro comps. It’s getting there slowly, but more amongst the purists than the casual fans. URC is growing its fan base, but the Heini-whatevers have a bit to do still. SARU not doing a shitload to build up excitement either.
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Missed the second half of the Saints match, by being a good boy and giving blood. Back just in time for Toulouse v Racing.
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Bloody hell, how was that held up???
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Wonder why Kinghorn is taking the kicks? Would have thought Ntamack or Dupont were the kickers? (Ramos is injured).
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Brilliant – just as Toulouse look as though they’re heading in for another try, the transmission breaks down and we lose pictures.
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Well done to today’s winners.
I think Exeter’s trip to Toulouse may prove to be a little chastening …………..
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Missed the second half of the Saints match, by being a good boy and giving blood.
When Bakkies Botha donated blood, he was vilified, now you want big ups for it? Or am I missing something? Does it have to be your own?
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Pete Townshend being a bit of a dodgy authority, of course….
When I was living in the US, I wasn’t allowed to donate blood because I’d lived in the UK (mad cow, I think). This was fine by me, as it relieved my guilt at being terrified of needles then.
Now that I’m no longer afraid of needles, having had to deal with them quite a bit (no, not an intravenous drug user), my blood’s no good here – or anywhere – either. Which is a shame, as I think it’s universal donor type.
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On a completely – well, somewhat – different topic, is anyone surprised by this?
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/apr/08/pregnancy-may-speed-up-biological-ageing-study-finds
I knew a woman who had nineteen – yes, 19 – kids. (Mormon [sic].) She must have been in her early forties, but looked about seventy.
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When I was living in the US, I wasn’t allowed to donate blood because I’d lived in the UK (mad cow, I think).
Don’t be so harsh on yerself.
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The ‘mad cow’ part was living in the US!
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I was flicking through channels the other day sand there was a programme on about a couple who had 22 children.
The woman must have a biological age of about 140.
Anyway, for some reason the first thing that popped into my was the logistics of it all, they must have had to buy a bus to transport them all.
They made it to Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radford_family
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That’s insane.
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I watched a programme last night about how the combination of Prohibition and WW2 almost killed Jack Daniels until Sinatra appeared on stage one night with a glass of it, and called it the nectar of the gods or some such. Once the rest of the Rat Pack embraced it, it moved from virtual extinction to top selling whiskey in the US (and the world, it’s claimed). Far more palatable than 22 kids.
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Jack Daniels is pretty horrible, mind you!
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I just found Jack Daniels to be pretty bland. Maybe I’m just more used to proper whisky.
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BB – it’s harsh and unsubtle. (Insert your favourite commentator joke here.) I suspect it’s only distilled once, unlike proper whisk(e)y.
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I am not particularly a whisk(e)y connoisseur (connoisseuse?), but my recollection is that whisky is distilled twice and whiskey thrice.
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