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 
Euro matches coming up this weekend! Should be some cracking matches, albeit I fear there won’t be any Saffer sides going through to the last 8. And there aren’t any in the Big Cup to start with!
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Honestly, who the hell let this southern hemisphere rabble into Europe in the first place?
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It’s all a deep-fake plot by the Illuminati, the Lizard People and Trump’n’Musk. Who may or may not all be the same people.
Although I have heard that the Lizard People are a bit too ‘woke’ for Trumpy.
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Mrs Deebee says I can’t be negative about the Lions chances tonight. So. C’MON LIONS! KICK THEIR ARSES! 🥳🏆
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The mister’s in Clermont at the mo, so I’ll have to watch the other match in solidarity.
Is Mrs Deebee aware that the match is in Embra?
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When they were both in Ireland, I was always tempted to pair Leinster’s Ala’alatoa with Munster’s Feki’fekitoa. But feck it.
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Oh good, it’s Andrew Brace.
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Thauma, she is, but feels i should fart against thunder, much like Lesotho with 51% tariffs from the Orange arsehole.
Edinburgh 5-0 up with a training run canter over the line after 2 minutes. Not sure i have enough wine to make this palatable.
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Should be fun later: Lions replacement loose head is Juan Schoeman, brother of Edinburgh tighthead Pierre.
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Edinburgh in again, their continuity too polished for the Lions defence, which is already looking ragged after 10 minutes. 10-0 with both conversions missed.
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TRY Clermont! It’s been all them so far in Norsehampton. Looked like they had scored earlier, but it was chalked off. And they’ve had a pen.
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Lions replacement loose head is Juan Schoeman, brother of Edinburgh tighthead Pierre.
How do you pronounce his name? The commentators here keep saying (for Pierre) Skooman, but I’m fairly sure it ought to be Shooman?
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Northampton take a pen in front of the posts. 3-10.
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Saints score.
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And Smith nails the touch-line conversion.
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Fuck, Saints score again!
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And again!
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‘Skoo’man is the Edinburgh loosie – plays number 1
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A yellow for Clermont and a 4th try for Saints.
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Skooman is closer, although it’s a short sound, so the hard ‘k’, but not the extended ‘oo’. Not sure there’s an English equivalent.
17-0 – Darcy Graham is blistering ball in hand!
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I don’t get that. Afrikaans is based on Germanic languages, right? So I’m thinking of Schubert, etc.
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Oops, try scratched. Saints fancy tap-pen move caused a knock-on.
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Sorry, Deebs, didn’t see your post before mine. So something like Skoman, then?
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Actually the one commentator has got it pretty nailed on (allowing for the accent). 17-0 at the break. Lions just don’t have the players to compete. This could get ugly in the 2nd half
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2nd yellow for the Clermont 9, in the 42nd minute of the first half, Saints stick it in the corner and score from the lineout. 27-10
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Saints awarded another highly disputable try just before HT. 27-10.
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Refit – oh, only had half an eye on the match, and didn’t spot it was a second yellow for the same player.
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Still don’t think that was a try, mind.
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Afrikaans is a derivative of Dutch, but is actually closer to Flemish – i can understand Flemish much better than Dutch – but I suppose like most languages it develops its own accents and idiosyncracies. Lots of other influences too, including French, Malay, and bits and bobs of other languages.
Thauma, it’s Skoe-mun. Where the ‘oe’ is short and hard. No idea how else to explain it! 🤦♂️
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Deebs – aye, Dutch being a Germanic language, I think? ;-)
So there is a short pronunciation of the E? Sko-e-man, said very quickly?
It makes me happy to know these things.
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I used to speak French like a native, and can do a passable imitation after a couple of days’ practice, although I don’t really have the vocabulary any more.
I did a French degree in Michigan, and there was a French-speaking Canadian on the course. She could of course speak recognisable French, but would sometimes go into Canadian (Québecois) French with her mates, which was nearly incomprehensible. I found Creole much easier to understand.
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Gilchrist binned for an early tackle and the Lions battering away and eventually over from the 5m maul! 17-5 with the kick wide.
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Québecois French, as I understand it, is pretty much 17th-century French that’s evolved along its own path. I imagine much the same has happened with Afrikaans.
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Thauma – spot on about the linguistics above! My sister’s lived in Paris for 30+ years and sometimes comments on Quebecois French, but more from the point that they apparently speak fairly antiquated French.
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Well, Saints running away with this, if that pass wasn’t forward.
Apparently it wasn’t, but then Raka does Raka!
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Well, Clermont score again, and suddenly it looks like they have a hope.
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Lucky slight touch off the posts puts the conversion in, and it’s back to 10 points in it.
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Lions winning the second half 5-0, but hanging on desperately. 17-5 to Edinburgh with just more than 20 to go. Lions are getting some joy at the rucks and mauls, but it’s more plugging the dyke than storming the ramparts, to be honest.
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Ah well, Saints scored again while I was getting another packet of fags. That must be it.
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Checking for a shoulder to the chin from Ashman, but sensibly not given. In my view. Lions getting some dominance, but not getting any change out of it. Just not breaking the line with support runners in place – the opposite of when Edinburgh break.
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Didn’t catch what happened to the Clermont 8, but they are not providing replays. Hope he’s okay.
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It’s nice seeing Foxy as a touchline pundit. He’s doing pretty well at it.
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Ali Price with the killer blow. Lions dominated territory and possession for an age, but simply didn’t have the nous to make it count. Edinburgh turn it over and score with relative ease
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Lions with another maul try and conversion. 24-12, but with 3 minutes left it’s too little, too late.
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Oh well, that’s done it for sure!
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46-24 with the conversion.
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All done! Edinburgh good value for their win, probably could have won by a bit more. Not great from the Lions who were inferior on attack, and at the breakdown the 1st half.
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All done also in Northampton. Not a classic, although both sides played some nice rugby in patches.
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8-8 between Bayonne and the Bulls with five to the break. Pretty even, pretty tight.
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Damn, missed the first half of Toulon v Sarries, getting my nails done & shopping. Looks like it’s been fun, 27-35 at oranges.
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