Here be rugby
Yet another scrum reset required First thing first Rome Saturday afternoon. Dry and warm. 19°C. Weather should favour the Italians, who like to run the ball more and more incisively than Wales. A solid scrum will get parity and may even create problems for Wales. The Cannone brothers, Lamaro, Polledri are fast and mobile, all … Continue reading Six Nations 2023 – Round IV
With a Welsh strike narrowly averted, minds can concentrate In golf, the 3rd round is known as the Moving Day (or some such), when those in contention put down a marker, thunder up the leader board and peer imperiously down at the chasing pack before the Sunday finale. This Could Be That Weekend in the … Continue reading Six Nations 2023 – Round III
The French are coming, you say? Jesus, Mary Joseph and the wee donkey. Ireland vs France tomorrow is – in the view of many people – the match to decide the destination of the 6 Nations championship and put the winners on course for a Grand Slam. These are not so common in Irish rugby history to be … Continue reading Six Nations 2023 – Round II
Can you feel it? That frisson in the air? No, it’s not fucking Phil Collins! (Don’t be an idiot.) Kick off your high-heeled stud boots; it’s party time. SIX NATIONS OPENING WEEKEND! WOOHOO! The delectable anticipation, the raw hunger, the beautiful dream as yet undisturbed by some snot-nosed kids bringing your blissful reverie to a … Continue reading Get Up for the Garryowen
Being short of time as I’m travelling tomorrow, I have shamelessly stolen Deebee7‘s prognostications. But first, I’m sure we can all rejoice that Stuart McCloskey has kept his starting place on the Ireland team with Aki relegated to the bench. Your results for the weekend: Tonga v Uruguay: Tonga by 14 – Tonga are enjoying playing … Continue reading Autumn Internationals: Third Week
Ireland v South Africa With Bundee Aki in detention for being a bad boy and Robbie Henshaw pulling a hamstring in training, Stuart McCloskey is at last getting a start in a big game. Fellow Ulsterman Flying Robert Baloucoune also starts on the wing, with Rob Herring and Kieran Treadwell on the bench. Springboks better … Continue reading Autumn Internationals: Justice for the McCloskey One!
Part I | Part II After a week of meetings, meals and general bonhomie in Yaoundé, it was time for the drive back to Douala. Mercifully, we didn’t fly and could experience the wonders of the rainforests and music all over again. As well as the increasingly oppressive security, with the elections less than a … Continue reading Le Zoulou Blanc – the Not Johnny Clegg Story of Travel in Africa: Part III
This week has seen the shocking death of a national icon, and our heartfelt condolences go out to family, friends, former sparring partners, and the general public who will miss one of those who best understood the subtle nuances of international debate, and who intoned those nuances in the most mellifluous of voices. Eddie Butler … Continue reading A Nation Mourns
Rejoice, northern hemisphere rugby fans! For there is actually some rugby on the telly tonight, in the form of a pre-season ‘friendly’ between Ulster and Exeter. Scarlets v Bristol and Leinster v Harlequins are also tonight, but on some dodgy channels I’ve never heard of. On Saturday and Sunday, there are Rugby Championship and Top14 … Continue reading The Return of Rugby
It’s Christmas in July as the Northern behemoths head south to upside-down-world and a feast of rugby! With this being the last July tour before the World Cup next year in France, there are markers to be put down, there are points to be made and there are matches to be won! Not the usual … Continue reading ‘Tis the Season to be Jolly!
Ovally Balls 