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 
Doak played 10 for a while, but not particularly well!
LikeLike
I wonder what song you would have to sing
Sing a song of sixpence? Might even get a bit of change.
LikeLike
Des agneaux à l’abattoir
Scotland team to face France in the 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on Saturday 7 March 2026, kick-off 2:10pm – live on BBC One (caps in brackets):
Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (63)
Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (53)
Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (61)
Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors (36) – Captain
Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors (31)
Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (92) Vice-captain
Ben White – Toulon (34)
Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (47)
George Turner – Harlequins (53)
D’arcy Rae – Edinburgh Rugby (5)
Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (15)
Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (48)
Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (62)
Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (37) Vice-captain
Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (31)
Replacements
16. Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (33)
17. Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (46)
18. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (79)
19. Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby (86)
20. Freddy Douglas – Edinburgh Rugby (1)
21. Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby (15)
22. George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (43)
23. Tom Jordan – Bristol Bears (15)
LikeLike
France team to face Scotland
15. Thomas Ramos
14. Théo Attissogbe1.
13. Nicolas Depoortère
12. Yoram Moefana
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Matthieu Jalibert
9. Antoine Dupont (c)
1. Jean-Baptiste Gros
2. Julien Marchand
3. Dorian Aldegheri
4. Charles Ollivon
5. Mickaël Guillard
6. François Cros
7. Oscar Jegou
8. Anthony Jelonch
Replacements
16. Peato Mauvaka
17. Rodrigue Neti
18. Demba Bamba
19. Thibaud Flament
20. Emmanuel Meafou
21. Lenni Nouchi
22. Baptiste Serin
23. Pierre-Louis Barassi
LikeLike
Ticht, I expect a tight game, as Scotland and France play in a similar style. Bench could be the ( minor) difference. Since the beginning of this 6N, I said Scotland were my dark horse, and before this surprising defeat in Rome, I thought they could even win a GS. Should be a cracker.
LikeLike
I very sincerely hope you are right, Flair! :-D
LikeLike
Flair, I think the French pack has been excellent. They are starting with big backrow players in the second row who have been causing havoc with their athletic carrying and offloading. Then they can bring on a very large lock and a huge one too – it doesn’t get easier for any opposition side in the last half hour.
The French kick and chase game has to be one of the best in world rugby and they score a lot with it.
Pau have quietly been doing the business, I say quietly because I haven’t really watched them, but when I do I really enjoy how they play, their backline is sensational and Attissogbe is the real diamond there.
You have the best player in the world and a guy who is possibly the best fly half in the world to partner him. Your centres are playing brilliantly and what is there left to say about the back three?
French Flair is back, big time.
I’d love to think Scotland’s defence and pack can stand up so we get a terrific game with both sets of backs going at it.
However we have gone with a bit of an underpowered scrum – Zander Fagerson’s form has really dipped and our lineout has been an absolute shambles – I can see France really targeting us there, especially with numbers 4 to 8 being 1.90m or more, three of them are around the 2.0m mark.
I have absolutely no hope or expectation around this game, so I can just enjoy it.
LikeLike
Btw, young Freddy Douglas is the one to watch from Scotland’s bench – his superpower is the jackal, if any ball carrier is even slightly isolated he will turn the ball over.
He can also do this (Under 20s last year)
LikeLike
My wife is on a train from London. She’s thinks she is the only non-French person on it.
She has spied charcuterie boards and baguettes already.
No cockerels though, not like the old days.
LikeLiked by 4 people
@Ticht
Talking of Pau, I was shopping at Leroy Merlin (bit like Homebase is/was) yesterday, located just next door to Stade Hameau, Pau’s pretty and easily accessed stadium. It was a lovely day, too!
LikeLike
Slade my mate worked for Total and lived near Pau, so he adopted them as his local club. He said it was always a great family day out when they went to watch them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The weather forecast for tomorrow in Edinburgh is that printemps is here – 10 degrees, sunny and no wind, perfect for running rugby.
I’m sure it will be hiver next week again, but at least tomorrow is going to be fine
LikeLike
by the way, that is not a minus sign in front of the ten, it’s a dash :-D
This is Edinburgh we’re talking about, so I was just making sure there was no confusion
LikeLiked by 3 people
LikeLike
Ticht, I won’t deny France are good at the moment, and great to watch ( I remember too well the dreadful Guirado’s years) but I also remember 1999, and France are not the only team that plays with flair and off the cuff sense of entreprise. I think France will win but not by much.
And I certainly don’t think that England can beat Italy by 20 points. Should there be a 20 points difference, then I’d bet on Italy.
LikeLike
Don’t forget the U 20s game in about one hour and a half.
LikeLike
I think you meant to say the U20s blood-letting.
LikeLike
Comeback is on!
LikeLike
Would I be hounded out of here for whispering a wee little ‘C’mon Wales’?
LikeLike
AAAGGGHHH! Off ye fuck, Deebee.
;-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow. Expected our scrum to be demolished, but TOT on the wrong side won it!
LikeLike
Shane’s pearls of wisdom on ITV, or…
LikeLiked by 1 person
TRY Stockdale! It’s all Ulstermen so far!
LikeLike
Jesus, have you seen the bend on Steve Tandy’s iPad screen? I think we know where he’s taking out his frustrations.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Doaky on for his first cap, at least for a while.
LikeLike
JGP back on after his blood replacement.
LikeLike
TRY Crowley! Phew! Wales getting better and better.
LikeLike
WTF was that, Crowley? Pity we didn’t still have Doak on to take the kick.
LikeLike
Ireland are making heavy weather of it, they are not tying in enough defenders. Wales are committing one, maybe two players to the breakdown and spreading across the field in defence.
They should really be further ahead for the possession and territory they’ve had
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a carry by Carre!
LikeLike
Aíeeee! Welsh fattie running try!
LikeLike
What a try Wales!
LikeLike
The huge grin on his face when he realised he was going to score was magical.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That was beautiful. 12-10 at HT. I said Wales could beat us.
LikeLike
By tomorrow that’ll be a length of the field try…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, thats try of the championship sorted right there, no contest, don’t care what comes after.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Entertaining match; can’t believe it’s already half-time. Welsh defence is immense.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is why I pay for the Blood & Mud podcast
LikeLiked by 1 person
TRY Conan! I didn’t think it was, but the ref was right there.
LikeLike
Refit – he could learn to spell Baloucoune, but.
LikeLike
Booooo! Carre’s been taken off for some reason.
LikeLike
Wales need to find a way to get Zammo on the ball.
LikeLike
Adobe is now one to add to the boycott list.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Unfortunately I have to use Acrobat for work, even though it drives me up the wall.
LikeLike
LikeLike
That was very petulant from Furlong.
LikeLike
Wales in! 2 points in it!
LikeLike
Phew! Osborne gets the BPT.
LikeLike
Get Doak back on and give him the kicking duties. FFS.
LikeLike
I was never sure we were going to win that. Wales deserved the LBP.
LikeLike