In the exciting battle for the wooden spoon between Ireland, Wales, Italy and England, coaches have not learninged much from their previous selection errors. To be fair to Italy, they don’t have a huge range of players from which to select, and they have played brilliantly; they could and possibly should have beaten Ireland, so we’ll let Quesada off.
As for Ireland, it seems that Farrell has at least learninged that the Prendergast experiment has woefully failed after watching him splash around in the shallow part of the pitch in the first match, and create his own wadi in the second. While Crowley, like his other possible replacements, is dubious with the kicking tee (and by the way, kicking points is only HALF YOUR FUCKING JOB as a fly-half), he’s clearly much more effective on the pitch.
The inclusion of more Ulster players made a clear difference in the second match with Player of the Match being narrowed down to a choice between McCloskey, Baloucoune, Fischetti and Zuliani: two Ulstermen, and two Italians. So of course Farrell drops Izuchukwu, who also performed well, and Timoney remains on the bench.
As for England, the inclusion of Stewart continues to please ABE supporters, and Genge is always on a hair trigger for a card. Maro is looking less saint-like these days. Boris Johnson’s illegitimate son, the Pillock, provides a figure one loves to hate, sadly also because, like most super-villains, he’s pretty effective.
On to Wales. Well. Their set-pieces are functioning well, and I reckon they can beat Ireland. Also first-week Scotland, but not brilliant second-week Scotland. Probably not Italy either, especially if they keep kicking possession away, although possession is often coughed up anyway.
France obviously don’t need any learnings*.
*Have I mentioned how much I hate this horrendous evisceration of the English language?
Ovally Balls 
Both teams going early for the necessary BP. That’s the downside of giving a BP for 4 tries regardless of the result. France got the benefit of it vs Scotland but I think the T14 system is better, where only one BP is possible in attack for scoring three tries more than the opposition.
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I am not a Bunny of Happiness. It’s like we only need to see a green shirt and we fall apart. We are far better than this.
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BB – It is never difficult to distinguish between a Scotsman with a grievance and a ray of sunshine. (Wodehouse, not me!)
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Was late getting back from fetching my car from the garage so switched on after 12 minutes. I suspect I may have missed the higher quality part of that half…
McCloskey did well to get such a good long pass off so quickly for the Balocoune try, but otherwise a lot of mistakes from both sides and even on the try it didn’t look like Scotland quite had things right. Good defence from Ireland especially though.
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Rugby’s a funny game. Both Scotland and Ireland a shadow of what they were vs France. Ireland cool and composed, hard as nails and fast in defence. Scotland, apart from their wonderful try, show no pace and little precision.
Can see only one outcome. There goes my prediction….ach.
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Nice from Finn.
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TRY Doris!
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No, wrong, Darragh Thingy.
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Darge in!
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Miles Harrison is the most insipid commentator. I suppose we can just be thankful he isn’t partnered with Stuart Barnes any more.
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Guess I’m boycotting Ireland now. Sorry Thaum et al.
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TRY TOB!!!! Whew!
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Refit – troublesome for me if I want to visit my relatives!
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…Although there’s only my mother and one uncle and one cousin left there in the more immediate family.
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(That’s out of over 50!)
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Great second half!
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Sadly that should be the game though.
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‘Not a massive celebration’. It was quite a big celebration.
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Ben Earl-level celebration?
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One last try! Either Osborne or TOB. Can’t tell ’em apart!
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O’Brien.
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Fair result, every time Scotland closed the gap they slapped them back straight away.
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Sorry, Scots. :-(
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And THAT’S why Toonie needs to go. All the praise last week, but can’t set us up away from Murrayfield. Can’t let Ireland get momentum. At the end it looked as though the French game just took our legs away from us.
Well done Ireland, but we have to bloody beat you sometime! I suppose that means the Virgin media gits (and Simon Zebo) will be smug again.
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Conan: It’s a rare day for us to be cheering them [England] on.
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Magnificent win for Ireland. Bravo. Never let Scotland breeze (well helped by Pearce’ s laissez faire at the breakdown), won hands down the physical battle ( too few Scottish ball carriers besides Tuipulotu), Doris and McCloskey on the other hand just wow!
A couple of weeks are a long time in rugby.
I honestly Scotland could do it but they were always reacting, not dictating the tempo.
Great game!
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Baloucoune’s got the Rising Player of the Championship award, but still not sure who’s got PotM.
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Thomas Lombard ( centre, played for Stade Français and France) pretty good commentator , agreed with you BB. He thought the France game took a big physical toll on your players, as Scotland marvellous style requires of lot of energy. Maybe they were knackered.
I also think that Ireland were far more successful than France in slowing Scotland ball, hence preventing lightning quick attacks.
Now let’s see if Wales derail yet another of my predictions.
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Beirne my MOTM.
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Agree that Beirne was very good today, but Stu deserves one and hasn’t had one yet!
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I thought Doris was immense for Ireland today.
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It did go to Doris, according to the Graun.
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I’ve only just noticed that sometimes Cotter just stops talking and lets the game speak for itself. It’s so nice after Harrison filling every, single second with words.
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Probably mentioned this before, but every time I hear Doris’s name, I think of the Saturday morning children’s TV programme that was on when I were a lass, where at random points someone would scream AHHH! Doris! and some creature looking a bit like Lara’s avatar* would fly out a box and create havoc.
*Yes, I know that’s Animal, but Doris didn’t have any legs, I don’t think.
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Refit – yes, but then Squeaky too often pipes up.
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I’m not making the Doris thing up.
Apparently if you wear stripey socks, you are safe from Doris.
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Lucky for Wales that was a terrible pass to Ioane.
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Great stuff from LRZ there.
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G’wan Wales!
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Gwan Wales again!
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Think the touch judge might actually have a look at Lake’s feet when he throws in? At least twice, he’s been fully on the pitch before throwing. And he had both hands on the ground for that penalty.
Wales well deserve their lead though. Italy kicking away too much.
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Carre’s unbridled joy at winning that turnover 😍😍
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Love Carré!
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And another prediction down the drain…
There is a french saying, “Jamais deux sans trois” (meaning two things or events of the same kind rarely come without a third one following) that I dread to invoke before tonight’s game…
Wales play well but where is the Italy that beat both Scotland and England and threatened to get Ireland’s scalp?
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Flair, there’s a similar English saying that I’m trying to think of; I think it’s troubles come in threes.
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Might win from here.
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Since I think that it’s very unlikely, despite Flair’s nerves, that England will beat France, I think the best-case scenario is for Wales to win with not only the bonus point try but an absolute shedload of other points, and then for France to put a similar shedload on England.
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I suppose that means the Virgin media gits (and Simon Zebo) will be smug again
Yeah – sorry. They get on my nerves too. Though Zebo is generally ok – one-eyed to be sure but not irritatingly smug.
Clearly someone somewhere thinks the Virgin coverage is good but not in the groups I’m in…..
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Hmm, although the wooden spoon would almost definitely see Johnson out the door.
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I remain innocent of this Virgin coverage. Except that it must be twattish given the ‘Virgin’/Branson bit.
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