It’s the second weekend of the Six Nations, and this is where things get (even more) interesting!
Following on from his (unexpected, even by him) success last week, Predict-A-Bear is back! This time in full Technicolor! And with lots of exclamation marks!!!!
First up is Italy vs Wales. Italy looked decent in places last week despite losing. They’ll be hoping that being back home will give them a boost. Although they haven’t beaten Wales in Rome since 2007, but that was a very different Wales. Wales have Faletau back (again) and yet another centre partnership facing up to one of the best partnerships in the tournament in Brexoncello (sorry, not sorry). Predict-A-Bear is going for:
‘Second game on Saturday is England vs France. The Big One! Le Crunch! Even though it isn’t. Not this weekend. Anyway, England have an abundance of Smiths, plus a Willis (but perhaps not the correct one) and a large number of Saints in the backline. France have added a Jalibert and some guy called Penaud on the wing. England will have a good first half and not so good second half. France will have a good first half and a better second half.
Predict-A-Bear is going for:
And that’s it for this weekend!
What do you mean there’s a game on Sunday!? You mean I’ve got to preview it too?
Bugger.
Here goes then (and this is being AI’d before the teams come out). Scotland HAVE to beat Ireland. We haven’t since 2017. Ireland were (slightly) sub-par in Autumn. They have rather annoyingly got better since then (but they did only play England last week). Scotland have lost our captain (and all-round genius) Sione, plus the very underestimated Scott Cummings for the whole tournament. Toonie’s Tombola came up with Dave Cherry last week, and he actually played well! So expect him to be out of the 23 or something weird. Injuries permitting, the only change I would make is Jordan in for McDowall. Sadly, I think the James Lowe Smirk will be in evidence a lot come Sunday evening. Can’t even do the “heart says one thing, head says the other” result – mainly because P-A-B doesn’t have a heart….
Still, Predict-A-Bear is going for:
Predict-A-Bear’s prognostications transcribed by BorderBoy.
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 7th February
| Italy v Wales (U20s) | 19:15 | S4C, iPlayer |
| England v France (U20s) | 20:00 | iPlayer |
Saturday 8th February
| Stormers v Bulls | 12:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Italy v Wales | 14:15 | ITV1, S4C, STV |
| England v France | 16:45 | STV, ITV1 |
| Scotland v Ireland (U20s) | 19:45 | iPlayer, RTÉ2 |
Sunday 9th February
| Scotland v Ireland | 15:00 | BBC1, iPlayer, RTÉ2 |
Ovally Balls 
Thaum, fully agree. France just had too much power up front. They also have more experience as many of these U20s have already had some game time with T14 or ProD2.
There are some very talented players (Etchegaray at FB for instance, Mezou 2nd row, the props and hooker) but there was no cohesion. Don’t think there can be with so much chopping and changing.
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Oh dear, James Lowe has taken a knock in the warm-up.
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Has Lowe crocked himself in the warmup?
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Already very tired of Lawrence Doolally.
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Ooh, do tell.
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I think we will lose. Hopefully not by much.
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SBT – it’s just a load of stupid adverts he’s in. Fortunately not the one with the towel (yet).
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Thaum, get vpn and log in to your sisters’ peacock account. Corbisiero a much better listen than Lolly.
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Lowe oot.
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SBT – he’s not actually on comms, fortunately. We have BOD and Ben Kayser, who are okay.
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Alldritt down the 10 channel anyone ?
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Yeah, they are both good. Wonder who we have here, hope its the same.
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Did Lowe’s gurning during his frequent ‘fights’ finally tweak his glutes?
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Ooh, good job I got here early, thought kick off was 9.45.
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Tears from Healy, POM and Murray during the anthem!
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You HAD to say it Thaum! Just before the kick off we get Lolinnatowel!
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And now Fields of Athenry too. Having three anthems for Ireland is a bit much, think they could lose the middle one.
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Not sure about that forward.
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That’s the kind of forward pass that gets whistled in a game like this but not when France are playing the crap teams.
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Dupont’s just given away two penalties in short succession!
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Ireland started well, but need to convert it into points!
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No try surely ?
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Dupont nicks the ball and goes all the way to score!
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Ooh, that was close.
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Yay! Knock-on!
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Blimey, breathless rugby.
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France going nowhere in attack there, but still kind of entertaining when doing so.
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That should be a yellow? Professional foul.
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Idiot McCarthy.
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Deserves a yellow purely for the shit haircut.
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Probably didn’t have that much effect, but fair enough to card him.
Amazing turnover by one of the Ireland backrow earlier in that passage of play.
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Does McCarthy get a card in every single game? Seems like it.
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And Bielle-Biarrey scores.
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That’s all on McCarthy. Really didn’t need to do that.
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That was great by B-B.
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That’s about as cool/desperate/mad a clearance as you’ll get!
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A cross field kick from France in front of their own line!
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Cheeky no-arms from POM there.
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Ach, Refit, it’s his last chance to bend the rules.
Dupont down injured. Hope he’s okay.
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Bugger, Dupont off.
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Dupont off! That’s a shame.
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And POM’s got away with another.
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:-S
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I think Alldritt got very, very lucky with where JGP’s boot landed, just then
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What was Penaud doing???
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Penaud brain-fart!
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Daft penalty to give away at the end.
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What a half that was! Osborne’s been a decent last-minute replacement.
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France’s decision to go 7-1 seemed okay at first, as their strategy seemed to be Let Ireland have the ball, defend like hell, then nick it once in a while to score, but that didn’t look so good when Dupont went off.
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Kind of keen for teams to come unstuck with the 7-1 thing though I would like France to win this game.
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