Six Nations have announced that they are ringing the changes for next year’s tournament. OvallyBalls had an exclusive mole in the decision room.
Six Nations Clown Five: Listen, chaps, I’m awfully sorry we failed to get the Six Nations behind a paywall so that we could destroy the popularity of the only tournament that is broadly watched, but we’ll try again in a couple of years.
SNC2: I’m not a fookin’ chap.
SNC4: Ah, bellissima! Like me, you are wearing a molto clever disguise to our top-secret meeting in this luxury ristorante.
SNC2: Catch yerself on. I’m wearing what the boss told me to wear: blue.
SNC5: Can we just get back to our onions? We have a tournament to ruin here.
SNC6: Onions? Oignons? En France, we return to our moutons.
SNC3: We quite like our lovely sheep as well.
SNC1: Ach, can we knock the tired wee 70s jokes on the heid? We’ve two major things to discuss here: playing matches on a Thursday (a THURS-DEE!), and deep-sixing one rest weekend.
SNC3: Thursday matches! It was bad enough, look you, when the Friday ones started. Working people are not going to be able to get to these matches, or maybe even watch them on the telly.
SNC5: Surely they will just have their servants do anything necessary on those particular evenings?
SNC6: Bah, the British do not know how to live. They eat their dinner – and quelle horreur d’un repas – at a silly time. They are weaklings who cannot stay up to a reasonable hour.
SNC4: Sono d’accordo.
SNC1: I dinna like the Thursday match, but I’m a wee bit more concerned about losing the rest weekend. That’s 5 Test matches in six weeks. Do we not have a small concern about player welfare there?
SNC3: We’ve not got a huge squad to field from the valleys.
SNC4: È vero, this also concerns us.
SNC2: Agh, it’s all right, we’ll just call on Leinster’s academy if half the squad end up in the hospital.
SNC6: Eh ben oui, we have many teams in the Top14, and perhaps we can bend the rules on players being called up.
SNC5: No worries here either, chaps … heh, heh: and chapesses. So is it all settled, then?
SNCs 1, 3 and 4 (simultaneously): Fuck off / vaffanculo.
SNC5: Perhaps I have not yet properly explained the emoluments available to those who agree to these proposals.
[whispers]
All: Crack on!
Ovally Balls 
Isn’t their own ground being redeveloped or something? Not sure what the capacity is there.
LikeLike
Bugger, Zander oot o’ the Lionz tour. Must admit, the fact that he didn’t appear at all for Glasgow in the last few games made me wonder. Bealham called up.
LikeLike
own ground
What is this “own ground” you speak of?
They rent the RDS Arena – owned by the Royal Dublin Society. RDS are redeveloping the arena because – in truth it was 2 temporary stands plus the ancient Anglesea stand
Capacity would be about 18k or so. As a result of the redevelopment, Leinster are using the Aviva – about 10mins away, and paying rent (because Aviva is managed by a holding company in which the FAI have an interest, so IRFU can’t let them off the rent)
LikeLike
Bugger, Zander oot o’ the Lionz tour
Yeah, bad luck – doesn’t look to bright for Furlong either.
LikeLike
At least Zander is only about 28 or so, so hopefully he’ll get another chance at a Tour. To be honest, he probably needs a rest as he’s really our only proper Tichtheid for club and country. I’ll bet his minutes played over the last couple of seasons is way more than the other tighthead contenders.
LikeLike
It’s always sad for guys who’ve been picked for a tour or tournament to then get injured, but I suppose it opens a door for someone else to step in (cliche claxon sounding loud and proud). Just hope that between the URC and Premiership Finals (and the warm up against Argentina) there aren’t any more injuries.
I know for a fact that the Bulls have been told by Jake White to take it easy so as to keep the Leinster contingent in fine fettle pre-tour. Difficult tour, with four training runs between the Argentina match and the combined-Aus-Kiwi side in the week before the 1st Test. Lions may be badly undercooked going into that. Potnetial banana skin Test.
LikeLike
Potnetial banana skin Test
Failed the spelling Test.
LikeLike
The ultimate corporate shill
LikeLike
He’s gone one better than ‘selling his granny’.
LikeLike
What’s the weather like in London today? Specifically around NW8 8QN.
LikeLike
It’s quite depressing that The Hask has ended up flogging his name for any old product, but then I’m not sure a career path in anything meaningful had ever been mapped out in his mind.
LikeLike
What mind?
LikeLike
Good point, well made!
LikeLike
Tadhg Furlong apparently fit for the Lions tour – and potetnially even for the URC Final on Saturday, with Zander Fagerson expected to be parachuted back into the squad in a few weeks, if the Lions need him. Good news for both! Bad news for Massive Jelly Collective otherwise known as the Aussie front row.
LikeLike
Scotland are playing a couple of games in NZ this summer, one against Maori ABs, then they go to Fiji, then back to NZ to play Samoa. So handily placed should the Lionz have another ‘Geography Six’ type situation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bloody hell, the Graun seem desperate for Owen (son of Andy, don’t ya know) to go on the Lionz tour*. They’re mentioning that he ‘could’ be called up at every opportunity.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jun/12/owen-farrell-andy-farrell-british-irish-lions-rugby-union-sky-sports
*When they’re not bigging up George Ford…
LikeLike
I think the key part of that article is that Eddie Jones is getting gig with TalkSport on the tour.
LikeLike
LikeLike
Obligatory ‘looks weak’ comment…
LikeLiked by 2 people
For a minute, I thought that was the Lions’ starting side.
LikeLike
That’s a frighteningly strong side. The Bulls have been good this season and have come to the boil nicely in the last couple of months, but I don’t see any chinks in that armour. Maybe if the Bulls pack can get on top and give JGP slow or sloppy ball, they’ll be able to stay in the mix; maybe get under James Lowe’s skin, but there’s just too much class across the park for the Bulls to pull it off. I suppose Saints di a few weeks back, so there’s always a chance, but will Leinster blow it twice in one season? Again?
LikeLike
Hopefully.
LikeLike
Northampton dealt with an arguably stronger Leinster team than that.
Prendergast was a turnstile in defence last week, even in victory. However, at home Leinster would have too much of the Bulls who didn’t have it all their own way in the last two rounds.
I’ll be paying more attention to the GP final due to more Scottish interest – hopefully Finn and Redpath will start with Bayliss probably on the pine.
Further to earlier posts, there is a chance Fagerson will still make it to the tour but it will depend on others’ misfortune – the current injury is fairly mild and he could get the call if someone else suffers an injury.
LikeLike
“will have” instead of “would have”
LikeLike
A scientific analysis of the URC Final:
1) The Bulls have won 4 of 6 matches against Leinster, 4 of the last 5 and both knockout matches (including last year).
2) The Bulls have been excellent on the road this season, winning 7 away matches, including two in Ireland.
3) The Bulls have done the ‘Grand Slam’ over Irish sides this year.
4) The Bulls have 6 current Springboks in the matchday squad, including two World Cup winners and a bunch of ex or peripheral national players.
5) Leinster have 19 (!) Irish internationals in their matchday squad, and three other top, top, top internationals, inclduing a double World Cup winner.
6) Leinster are at home, and have 19 (!) Irish internationals to call on.
7) The weather will be pissy crap and Leinster have 19 (!) internationals in their squad.
Result: Leinster by 19 or Bulls by 6.
LikeLiked by 2 people
LikeLike
@Deebee – Good numbers there.
Speaking about good numbers I’m feeling that it’s important to try to make you talk about the cricket while they haven’t quite got over the line yet. So how are you feeling about the cricket given that they haven’t quite got over the line yet and all that?
LikeLike
I’ll tell you about the cricket 🏏 when we’ve got over the line. Only 69 needed, but given the context – opponents, weight of history and unwavering ability to cock it up – they may as well still be chasing 250. Markram the Palindrome has turned it around for us, and Temba had been fantastic in this match, both batting with application and his captaincy. Only 69 to go. I’ll be behind the couch until it’s over. It’s the hope etc etc.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They’ll surely make it. Surely…
Think Markram and Bavuma are both better players than their records suggest. Batting, especially opening, doesn’t seem to have been easy in South Africa for quite a long time now and the patchy schedule for South Africa’s test cricket can’t help either.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lost Bavuma, but they’re inching closer only 49 needed now.
I find myself remembering playing in a game we were desperate to win, bowled the opposition out for 73, reached 50/0 ourselves and lost. Hope that helps…
LikeLike
Well done to the South Africa cricket team, something of a triumph against the odds. I enjoyed their approach today, welcome relief from ‘Bazball’ though I was disappointed for them and for Deebee that they were unable to take it to a fifth day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Turning into rucksy-dropsy, in the humidity.
LikeLike
Ooh, that doesn’t look good from Montoya. Lucky there was a second tackler, only a yellow. You could argue Dickson was very generous there.
LikeLike
Dickson being very generous with his decision making. Tigers should probably be down to 13.
LikeLike
Complete bollocks decision there in front of the posts.
LikeLike
Cheika having a tantrum on the sideline.
LikeLike
Bath have been error-prone to say the least
If they click they look the more likely
LikeLike
Well, that was incredibly generous by Russell (and a little risky).
LikeLike
LFB on to save the day for Tigers?
LikeLike
Refit – don’t know why he did that! Incredibly risky!
LikeLike
Think he felt he might not get there, but then it’s Finn so the pass wasn’t risky…
LikeLike
Russell being Russell, innit.
LikeLike
I think he was being generous, as Refit says.
LikeLike
Yellow for the angry baby.
LikeLike
Ha! When he came on, I said, I bet he doesn’t last more than ten minutes.
LikeLike
Why would you kick the ball with 1min to play? Excellent closing out by Bath at the end.
LikeLike
JGP out! That could make a difference.
And well done Bath!
LikeLike
Aww, Spencer is crying. Him getting a hug by van Graan is rather sweet.
LikeLike
They’ve timed that perfectly, just in time for the URC. Looks like it’s pissing it down in Ireland.
LikeLike
Dan Cole comes on for his final game and has a brain fart, getting a yellow two minuyes after coming on.
Ben Youngs comes on for his final game and has a brain fart, box kicking possession back to Bath at the end.
Would it be cruel to say that sums up their careers?
LikeLike