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 
Flair can explain why ‘poux’ is extra funny.
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And Cardiff hang on through many Munster attacking phases for the win!
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Cardiff 60 seconds from a win, but Munster have the scrum. It’s 70m out so the Diff just need to not do anything stupid! Reset is in the red! Munster go through phases, but can’t get out their own half! Now they do as the Arms Park finds it’s voice. And still the Red Tide moves forward until they spill it and Cardiff HAVE THE WIN! 26-21
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Three cracking matches tonight! Obsidian most of two of them, but all the results were in the balance at the final whistle.
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Obsidian most of two of them
That Addis Ababa coffee must be really strong.
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In fact, it reminds me of one of my favourite childhood jokes:
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Thank you for that lovely formatting, WordPress.
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On a more serious note, and thinking of your visa difficulties, Deebee, isn’t there an African Union on its way that emulates the EU? Seems like a very obvious win for all African countries.
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Can anybody explain Andrew Brace, sorry, meant to say, explain why Bulls didn’t kick that last penalty?
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Thauma, there is supposed to be a single AU thing on the way, but 54 countries, and plenty of horseshit to navigate. In order to get here, I opted for a tourist visa to Djibouti, which if they’d asked i would say having a couple of days off before a grueling visit to Ethiopia, and then tourist visa on arrival in Ethiopia, based on a bit of R&R after a grueling trip to Djibouti. Neither set of Immigration officials could be bothered asking, just gave the visa and waved me through.
To get to Cameroon last year, not only did I need a letter of invitation from a host company, but the letter had to be signed and authorized by the Mayor of Douala! As a rule of thumb, the more corrupt or controlling a state is, the more ridiculous the visa requirements.
*no idea what the obsidian thing was. Autocorrect, but of what?
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BB, lots of questioning that down here, because denying Glasgow the bonus point would have seen the Bulls go above them. Not wanting to risk hitting the upright seems marginal. I’m going with a famed Willie le Roux brain fart.
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Aaron Reed’s try from last night is worth a watch
https://www.tntsports.co.uk/rugby/premiership/2024-2025/try-of-the-season-arron-reed-scores-stunning-solo-breakaway-effort-for-sale-sharks-against-saracens_vid2354696/video.shtml
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While there’s a break in the Bath/Falcons game, with the strains of We Will Rock you in the background, brings me to one of my pet hates about Scotstoun*.
EVERY BLOODY TIME there’s a break in play, we get shite music played over the speakers (even worse than Queen, which suffers from being played EVERYWHERE). I’ve no idea why they think fans have to suffer this (and it’ll be the same in other grounds too).
*Along with the shite facilities, which is nothing to do with Glasgow Warriors as they don’t own the ground. It’ll be Glasgow Life who own it that provide these. One of the main arguments for the Warriors getting a ground that is theirs.
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Just got in from my beer bar. Around £6 for a 3 litre blonde beer. I settled for a litre (2 quid), which was very good. Lions have scored but seems to be time off. Seems the Connacht 8 is off? 5-0 Lions after 15.
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BB, same at all the SA grounds, with the added ‘bonus’ of the numbnut DJ feeling the need to shout inane encouragement over the speakers too. It’s even worse at the cricket.
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In fact, as I was typing that, the twat with the mike was shouting Lioooons over and again trying to gee up the spectators. And here he goes again!
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A straight red for the Falcons’ 15, for a shoulder to the head of his opposite number. They’re already 17-5 down, so their afternoon isn’t going to get any easier.
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Fairly scrappy encounter in Joburg so far, with the Lions 11-0. Lions with a penalty for a deliberate knock on and 5m lineout just before the break. Great defence by Connacht to sack the driving maul and they’ve got a scrum feed with 20 seconds left. And that’s all folks!
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Room service here is like London buses: ordered beer and nothing 45 minutes later. Followed up, great apologies, and within two minutes, two different waiters each with the order! Set for the evening!
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Holly Davidson really communicates well. And when Wolhutter casually dropped the ball a couple of yards forward from the penalty spot, she simply kicked it back without a word. Point made, and taken. 14-0 Lions early in the 2nd half
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Lions 7 with a silly trip, yellow card and Connacht drive over from the lineout. Simple. Oh. Maybe not. Obstruction and penalty Lions. Two dumb plays pretty much summing up the match.
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The Quins winger, Anderson, has just knocked himself out tackling Freddie Steward in the air. It’s the second time he’s done it in the match, so he’s also earned himself a second yellow, which is issued while he’s being treated by medics on the ground.
The contact was bad enough, that the TMO wasn’t willing to show a replay for the ref.
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Anderson has now been taken off on a stretcher and play has restarted. (I wound back to the incident and he was extremely late jumping to compete and got Steward’s knee right in the temple.)
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Lions get it wide quickly and score! First time they’ve done that! And then called back for ‘glancing head contact’ after hitting the chest. Connacht penalty but don’t find touch and Nico Steyn boots it back down into Connacht territory. Into the last 20 and a Connacht player is down from a contest in the air. Lions wing Kriel got the ball cleanly, so no foul play. The foulest thing is Sweet Caroline has now given way to YMCA.
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Quins now down to 13, Tyrone Green getting a yellow for a deliberate knock-on.
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Finally the Lions string the passes together! Great try! Great hands! Time off! FFS! What now? Oh, shit, no it’s an injury to one of the Connacht players who needs a stretcher to be taken off. Hope it’s not serious.
Connacht really haven’t fired outside of the first 10 minutes. I can’t remember them posing a threat other than the disallowed try. Definitely not the side that pushed the Stormers last week.
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Conversion wide (again) so 19-0 with 9 to go. Connacht with a lineout in the Lions 22. Inching forward. Pick and go and eventually over! Finally breach the defence! 19-7 with five to go. The Lions absolutely slice open the Connacht defence but a crunching tackle over the line sees the ball spilled!
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Lions butcher another with the line in sight. Eish. 90 seconds to go and they should have this in the bag. They’re doing all they can to give Connacht a possibly crucial LBP though! And finally Connacht spill it, Edwill van der Merwe hacks it through and scores under the posts. 26-7 thr final score.
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Just turned on the W6N. Only 10 mins in and England are already leading 17-7.
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Bath beat Newcastle 55-19 to secure their place in the final and Tigers are in second, after winning 40-7. Now let’s see if Bristol can actually remember how to play.
In the women’s France have a yellow/review for head contact in the tackle. England going better than a point a minute, 31-7 on 25mins.
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We don’t get the Women’s 6N down here, which is a pity. There are some fabulous players in that English side.
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Stormers out the blocks early with prop Sazi Sandi taking the ball on a good angle and scoring. Umaga coughs up a soft penalty with lazy running and its 10-0 Stormers after 10 minutes.
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Sasha FM casually slots a drop goal, and shortly after the restart is taken out in the air. He looks up, taps and goes and puts du Plessis in under the posts. He’s a very bright talent is Sacha! Thank dog Eddie Jones wasn’t able to ruin him!
Stormers fly downfield again and score, but checking for knock on and double movement. Yeah, knock on. Lucky for Benetton, being 20-0 down already.
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Stormers scrum getting pasted, but eventually Benetton send it out and concede a midfield penalty. Lucky let off. SFM shows he human after all by overcooking a crossfield kick. Stormers get it back and play some Harlem Globetrotter wannabe stuff, but it eventually baffles Benetton enough and Senatla is under the posts! 30-0 after 33 minutes.
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It doesn’t seem like Bristol have taken any lessons from last week. After an early try, they’ve now shipped 4 inside half an hour, Saints getting their BP…oh the ball goes forward from Mitchell. It’s only 19-5 then 🙄.
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Stormers TH, Sandi binned for repeated scrum infringements. He’s been schooled and now Brock Harris, who hasn’t been given enough credit for actually carrying tablets down the mountain for Moses, is on. It’s HT and the Stormers are handily placed at 30-0 up.
Benetton just haven’t been able to get their running and offloading game going with enough continuity. When they have got going, they’ve looked dangerous, but wrong options, bad handling and strong defence have kept them at bay.
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Ibitoye somehow created an opportunity for Bristol, by executing possibly the worst chip ever. It bounced awkwardly off a Saints player and ended with Randall, who broke down field. He passed to the winger, in the Saints 22, who somehow escaped being tackled by several players to score. Half time 24-12.
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Wow! Benetton come out and score inside the first minute of the restart! Straight through the Stormers midfield! The Stormers wake up and pretty much score from the restart. 37-5 with the extras.
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Nothing going Benetton’s way. They did all the hard work to create the overlap, but the final pass was forward. Willemse carded for head contact and Benetton have a penalty 8m out. They call the scrum, where they’ve dominated. The Stormers make a mess of it and Benetton scramble the ball back but losing ground. They try to send it wide, but Zas with the gas intercepts and scores under the posts. 44-5. Andy Uren seems to have done his ankle.
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Stormers loosie Paul de Villiers, who’d probably be MOTM if SFM wasn’t playing crashes over for a try. 49-5 with o to go.
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SFM scores a try at the death to complete the set: try, conversions, penalties and drop goal.
56-5 in the red. Biggest winners? Glasgow Warriors surely, they’ve got the rabble of Benetton and Leinster to stroll through in their last two fixtures.
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Bristol have been spanked, but not completely given up. Ibitoye scores the BP try with 5 mins left to play and then there’s another break down field with a minute or so left. 48-31. Bristol get a scrum in their 22, due to a miscommunication from the ref. Almost to half way and then they get a penalty…
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They secure ball from the lineout, move in-field then back to the wing. Unfortunately the prop is dragged into touch, trying to break down the wing and that’s time.
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Scarlett’s have beaten Leinster???
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Stock Stockdale with a stunning outside break setting up the try for Ulster! 5-0 early on.
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Ulster in for another! Sharks tentative on attack, Ulster defence causes a turnover, hacked downfield and they score again! 12-0 at a point a minute.
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For a side with so many Boks, the Sharks really are shit. Week in and out they look clueless, whichctou can only assume is a coaching issue. Mind you, a couple of those Boks shouldn’t be and Ulster are playing some very good rugby, as did Edinburgh last week, for the most part.
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Ulster are playing really well.
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Ulster have reached the dreaded 19-0. We probably won’t score another point, and the Sharks will win.
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19-0! A fantastic turnover deep in their own half – fantastic because it was so intelligently done on the back of organised and patient defence – and Stockdale chips, chases, regathers and offloads to Doak to coast in under the posts. Sharks respond quickly and the hero Stockdale is carded for cynical play! 19-5 with the conversion going wide.
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