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 
Ringrose in trouble here?
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That didn’t look good either for or by Ringrose.
That incident has a stronger sanction (going for review) than the fully upright tackles that happened the other week.
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Nige is about as useful as a chocolate teapot on these broadcasts.
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How is the Irish scrum such a mess?
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They’re being penalised for a change?
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Bloody hell, Wales in the lead?!
Wales have looked mostly unimaginative, but not completely clueless through that half – which is a HELL of a step up, over the last few weeks.
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Aha. Who was it who said that Wales couldn’t beat a 12 man Ireland ? Might have a chance to see if 14 can do it. Well played Wales. Favourite part was young Mee skinning the Gurning Grinner. Hope to see that a few more times.
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20min red for Ringrose.
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20 minute red bollocks.
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As pointed out on the Graun MBM, Ireland get to bring Aki on, when the 20mins has finished. Not the hugest punishment, when all’s said & done.
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What a finish in the corner!
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Wow! Did he get that down properly?! Brilliant if so!
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Dirty cheating Irish 😉
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Oh smart piece of play there
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Just wish we’d shown this amount of gumption against Ireland.
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Good lord, that’s close.
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Think it might be slightly short, but not in touch.
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Ooh, if his fingers kept contact, that should have been a try. Never mind, get another one nearer the posts.
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Well, played Wales, fantastic. Welsh rugby reborn, says Welsh granny from beyond the grave.
Ireland looking surprisingly nervous.
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Wales know how to play rugby again!
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Ah, Wales! So close! So much better, even if the song remains the same. Ireland are ruthless and even with their scrum under the pump and Wales with their gander up, they never panicked. Unsmiling, ruthless, fantastic bastards!
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‘Mon Scotland!!!
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England have had better starts.
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Yes!!!
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Well! That’s a start! Duhan the can opener does it again! Great hands all round!
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Good patience by England.
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Shit!
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Bugger!
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Huw Jones again!
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England play to plan, its a shit plan.
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We may still lose but this has been SO much better than against Ireland.
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Well, that last 20 seconds was a roller coaster.
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Could do with being a few more in front, if that wee pass had gone to hand it was a try. First real bit of attacking play from England.
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England have been terrible, stupid penalties, poor kicking, absolutely no looking around by Mitchell to see whats on, he knows hes going to kick it. Really could have been around 28-nil by now. Surprisingly, they look like then can actually play when they try to, in the 39th minute.
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Scotland have a real chance to get a couple of tries ahead in the next ten or so, after Borthwick gives a dose of valium with his team speech.
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Ritchie’s been good today.
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But we’re beginning to get ground down a bit and we’re level. Usual third quarter from us.
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Anybody’s game heading towards the last quarter. Scotland have butchered a few chances, but England have defended pretty well when it’s mattered.
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Itoje giving the very definition of being off his feet at that ruck, yet still gets the decision?!
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Getting a bad feeling about this.
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It’s lucky England had a pen advantage there, as they were going absolutely nowhere.
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Finn Smith’s got quite the boot on him.
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That’s it now. We’ve been nowhere near it this half, more like we were against Ireland. Not hugely impressed by this ref though, but he won’t be the reason we’ll lose.
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Idiot Ashman giving away that.
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He just waltzed through the England line!
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Our Finn’s better than yours! :)
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Brilliant try! And bugger, Finn missed!
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Willing Scotland to win there, England so unambitious its depressing. Faster ball with Randall on, and a bit of go forward, but really, Scotland lost that, not England won it.
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Too right SBT, shame the tries were all in the corner and made the conversions difficult.
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Hope Italy and Wales beat England if they keep playing like that.
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