I’m not sure who invited Liz Truss, and perhaps that’s why everyone looks a bit nervous, as if they’re expecting a devastating mini-budget in the middle of the festivities.
Nevertheless, a very happy feasting season to all, and may there be some cracking derbies over the next week or so.
Crackling derbies would be good too, only that depends on the pork markets.
We don’t see any cheese boards, and obviously That Is a Disgrace.
Ovally Balls 
Glasgow’s defence has been immense, even down to 14. Sarries just can’t get to the try line.
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Glasgow get their 4th, BP try in the 82nd minute. Final score 28-3!
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‘MON RA WEEDGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do feel sorry for poor old Ben Earl. He only had a couple of penalties to cheer…
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Don’t know what it was like watching on the tellybox, but to us in the stadium, the reffing seemed a bit bizarre (to put it mildly). There were a few times when we really didn’t know which way a penalty had gone, although we could usually tell if the Sarries players were cheering or not. Steyn’s yellow seemed a bit harsh, but we couldn’t see the big screen, so it wasn’t clear.
Onwards to the Bulls in the next round!
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BB – the reffing did seem very flip-a-coin. Steyn’s yellow seemed fair to me, he was fully upright going into the tackle, Segun didn’t change height much as he was tackled and he made contact with the head, Marcus Smith had a similar yellow in the Quins match earlier.
Players need to learn to bend their knees when tackling – then they won’t get binned or worse.
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It was actually Kyle Rowe that got the yellow. Wrong Kyle. Still seemed a bit harsh on the highlights. Steyn tackled the winger and it looked as though Rowe was just trying to get the guy into touch. So, yes, he might have been a bit lower, but I’m not sure he could change his position that quickly. Again, it’s easy in hindsight, but a damn sight more difficult when a game is being played at that pace.
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It’s all a bit rucksy-dropsy at the moment
speaking of rucksy-dropsy, I came across the profile of our Larry Milne in Bluesky.
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So……Munster into the Challenge cup.
Form has dropped off from the beginning of the season – albeit we don’t seem to know how we’re going to play.
Coombes apparently had 11 carries and 12 passes – Crowley had the most carries – mainly tidying up the mess left by others.
We’re going from side-to-side, screen pass to offload, and no-one really running forwards. It’s easy to defend. Sort of stuff you’d be despairing if you saw the U16s do it.
Upside Edwin Edogbo came on and got 2 tries – one shoing good athleticism to gather a loose ball and swivel to place the ball on the line. Second one would cheer everyone’s heart – pass off a 5 m ruck and bulldozed his way over
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Trisk – sorry, I edited your 14:16 on the grounds that a person’s real name might have been identifiable in it.
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Who was it? Trump? Musk? Mother Teresa? Bono? Was gonna ask maybe Farage, but my phone is protesting.
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Deebee – if I told you I’d have to etc.
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I see the tangerine terrorist is really upping the ante on Greenland now, citing the Chagos Islands handover to Mauritius as a reason for needing Greenland. I must admit, I’m getting more and more concerned about what he’s going to say at Davos tomorrow.
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I think this Greenland nonsense is having the beneficial effect of bringing Europe and Canada closer together whilst at the same time highlighting the superior values and education of the Greenlanders themselves, making ‘our American friends’ seem very grubby by comparison.
Worth checking out Anders Puck Nielsen and Vlad Vexler on Youtube for their opinions strategic and psychological on the subject.
Overall, I despair and just wish the Russians would reveal what they have on the orange toddler.
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Scotland 6N squad announced.
‘sigh’
No Hiddleston, who’s been excellent at Glasgow, BUT Dave Cherry in (from ProD2).
(And George Turner from Quins reserves)
No Cam Henderson, who is a regular for Leicester (and has even had TNT Sports realise how good he’s been playing), BUT Jonny Gray from UBB bench.
No Cam Redpath, but our centres are strong.
On the plus side, Liam McConnell and Freddy Douglas are in.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c801x5ez553o
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difficult to comment, not following Scottish rugby closely, but there always seems a whiff of incredulity wafting around Townsend’s squads
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Ireland’s squad to be announced tomorrow.
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Ireland Squad Announced! 3 spots open due to eligibility criteria:
Leinster Rugby United Rugby Championship squadProps
Jack Boyle, Tom Clarkson, Tadhg Furlong, Paddy McCarthy, Andrew Porter, Niall Smyth, Alex Usanov, Jerry Cahir,
Rabah SlimaniHookers
Rónan Kelleher, Gus McCarthy, John McKee, Dan Sheehan
Locks
Ryan Baird, Brian Deeny, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan,
RG SnymanBack row
Jack Conan, Will Connors, James Culhane, Max Deegan, Caelan Doris (c), Diarmuid Mangan, Scott Penny, Alex Soroka, Josh van der Flier
Scrum-halves
Cormac Foley, Fintan Gunne, Jamison Gibson-Park, Luke McGrath
Fly-halves
Harry Byrne, Ciarán Frawley, Sam Prendergast
Centres
Hugh Cooney, Robbie Henshaw, Jamie Osborne, Garry Ringrose, Charlie Tector
Wings
Jordan Larmour, James Lowe, Tommy O’Brien, Andrew Osbourne,
Rieko IoaneFullbacks
Hugo Keenan, Jimmy O’Brien
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@deebee
If only you knew how close that is to “reality” as some Munster fans would see it
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And Ulster fans!
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And the Wesht? Will nobidy speak up for the Connacht fans? First they came for the Munstermen, but I did not speak up because I wasn’t one etc etc.
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And I’m sure some Ulster fans….
The theory is that Farrell leans on Leinster and Leinster 2nd/3rd string as they are more familiar with the training routines – whereas guys from other provinces need to “learn” even if they’re actually a better player
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<i.And the Wesht?
They’ve had more players in panels (Aki, Bealham, Prendergast, Hanson) than either Munster (Casey, Crowley, Beirne) or Ulster – McCloskey, Henderson, Stewart, O’Toole
So, they are not hard done by.
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Yip, I’m happy with that approach, Trisk, because I have little doubt it weakens the Irish national side. And nobody wants a strong Ireland ruling the roost again. Dog forbid! Looking at the Bok squads (and extended squads with players on standby) for the June and November 2025 internationals, Rassie and Co picked 60 players from 21 clubs playing in 7 countries. I think we did okay with that spread.
I know comparisons like these are tenuous, given the different structures in each country, but I can’t think that professional rugby players would take that long to bed in a new system?
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Le groupe des 42 :
Piliers :
Jean-Baptiste Gros
Cyril Baille
Rodrigue Neti
Dany Priso
Uini Atonio
Régis Montagne
Dorian Aldegheri
Tevita Tatafu
Talonneurs :
Julien Marchand
Maxime Lamothe
Peato Mauvaka
Deuxième ligne :
Thibaud Flament
Hugo Auradou
Mickaël Guillard
Tom Staniforth
Emmanuel Meafou
Cameron Woki
Charles Ollivon
Troisième ligne :
Lenni Nouchi
Oscar Jégou
Alexandre Fischer
Temo Matiu
François Cros
Anthony Jelonch
Paul Boudehent
Demis de mêlée :
Antoine Dupont
Baptiste Serin
Thibault Daubagna
Demis d’ouverture :
Matthieu Jalibert
Ugo Seunes
Centres :
Yoram Moefana
Nicolas Depoortere
Kalvin Gourgues
Fabien Brau-Boirie
Noah Néné
Ailiers :
Aaron Grandidier
Louis Bielle-Biarrey
Théo Attissogbé
Gaël Dréan
Grégoire Arfeuil
Arrières :
Thomas Ramos
Romain Buros
Some big names missing on Galthie’s list :
Alldritt, Penaud, Fickou…
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Flair – plus Le Garrec or Lucu?
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Some big names missing on Galthie’s list : Alldritt, Penaud, Fickou…
Aldritt and Penaud were flagged – I hadn’t seen any mention that Fickou was a doubt
Talonneurs : Julien Marchand, Maxime Lamothe, Peato Mauvaka
Gee – that’s a a great choice
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Both Le Garrec and Lucu are injured.
Besides Ramos ( 30 or 31?) the backs are extremely young.
Penaud will be back, he’s been a bit lazy lately, but Fickou should miss the whole 6N. Great old dead wood. He may still show up in the ludicrous new summer comp. Alldritt is shot.
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Ireland squad
Forwards: Tom Ahern (Munster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster, captain), Edwin Edogbo (Munster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Jeremy Loughman (Munster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Michael Milne (Munster), Tom O’Toole (Ulster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Tom Stewart (Ulster), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster).
Backs: Bundee Aki (Connacht), Robert Baloucoune (Ulster), Harry Byrne (Leinster), Craig Casey (Munster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Nathan Doak (Ulster), Tom Farrell (Munster), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Tommy O’Brien (Leinster), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster).
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Seven Ulstermen! You’d think we were second in the URC table, or something.
I do hope Doak gets a run-out.
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Oh – we’re third! Never mind.
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Also eight Munster – usual suspects plus Ahern, Milne, Loughman, Farrell, and Big E
From Munster pov – I think Kelly is unlucky to be stuck with the A squad
From Ulster pov – Postlethwaite, Hume, both Wards and McCann
Odd that the Ireland XV centres – Postlethwaite, Hume, Kelly, Forde – almost look better than the main panel – Aki, Ringrose, Farrell, McCloskey. I’d nearly swap the first three in each list
Slightly better squad – but mainly forced by injuries
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