Rugby

Gotta be Sam Simmonds at 8... ;-) just to annoy Eddie Jones if nothing else.

ha, just edited
Would go for Simmonds but Stander IMO is the possible choice in the interest of putting maybe the three best players in the back row and using a different 6. It's really up for grabs. Billy has been off the boil for 2 seasons, Faletau is/has been superb but is looking his age and I'm sure I'm seeing him beaten one on one (whether power or movement) much more often.

cagey start but good from Ireland and Burns' first 3-4 kicks have been perfectly judged.

Feared France by 30 before the start, but we've been decent - owning lineout and scrum, kicking well from hand, putting them under a lot of pressure, had a good try incorrectly disallowed. They scored a great try, but did little else.

So, France by 25.

Incorrectly disallowed? Yes, I said Ireland were really committing numbers in attack BUT leaving very little cover in the event of turn over!

Incorrectly disallowed?

Neither of Lowe's feet touched the white line on any of the angles they showed - can't see how they disallowed it, unless I missed something? (it's very possible, I have a 3-year old running around)

possible you did - the first couple focussed on the left boot and that didn't clearly touch but on another look the right boot (the seemingly less likely to) did clearly brush the line, I think!

Ireland miss Sexton so much - that’s the difference between a win and a loss today.
Ref had a great match so can’t complain.

Fantasy Update:
Well, what weekend.
It just goes to show that a few shrewd selections and a good dose of luck can change everything with Billy (one of my brothers) scoring nearly 1000 points for the weekend with his English 11,12,13,14 (who'd have thought?). I felt sorry for myself as, like a few others on here, the Ire-France game was a bit of an arm wrestle so there were far less points scored full-stop and certainly amongst the backs.
It's very tight at the top with @c00ps just clinging on at the summit but Billy and myself within 50 points. @DethBeard had a good week and looking at the massive swings seen no one is even close to 'out of the running.' A weekend off next week when hopefully EJ plucks up the courage to drop Daly, Billy V and Farrell and stick with LCD at hooker.

as @Pasty_Spumante, it was the right boot that more clearly swung across the whitewash. I was indignant with rage until they showed a better angle later on and had to have a word with myself.

Watched it on catch up and two colleagues spoiled the result for me before I got a chance to see it. To be fair, I didn't warn them I wasn't watching live and it's rare for me not to.

As game week 3 approaches, it looks like France Scotland might get delayed.
France are up to 14(?) positive tests now, and 10 day isolation required.
Ollivon and Dupont have both come back as positive for Covid, so unlikely to play (which will do no favours to my fantasy team, as well as their squad)
Waiting to hear today if it gets pushed, perhaps until a gameless weekend, or maybe an autumn end again

I’m sure we’ll be more than happy to play their B team

Nothing to see here!

ssshhhh

Yes, Scotland - quite rightly - pushed for the game to ahead. I couldn't, in all honesty, see a reason why it should have been cancelled....lots of work for the FFR coaches, testers, selectors yes but a reason not to play, no.

Was going to do a prediction for the weekend, but other than Ireland giving Italy the beans, it's anyone's game really.
Wales were wooden spoon contenders before the tournament, but somehow are 2 for 2. Here's hoping Farrell gets an early red and Wales can keep going.
Scotland v France was looking like a good one, Scotland will be pissed about losing to Wales, and now France are without a number of 1st choice players, I expect Scotland to turn the screws a fair bit, but France will be stepping up their game trying to prove themselves.
Should be a good weekend of games!

Farrell gets an early red

The way he's been playing, that won't make much difference...

Did anyone see the Exeter Vs Northampton game?

https://youtu.be/k9JqnOIk1k8

Any thoughts?

He shuffled a bit but I thought you had to actually move forward.

Its not proper rugby mind unless a fat prop has volunteered to have a rest by lying prone, trying not to look like a beached whale and holding the ball up for the kicker.

Edit - Can't talk about the Six Nations after the Wales game; too angry without boys still.

Yeah. Chiefs fan here, apparently he moved forward a tiny shuffle, so by Letter of the law it was the right call, although slightly odd not to use the TMO given last kick of a 1 point game. Rob Baxter very relaxed about it post game which is good to see.

Now the FraSco game is off, all the French team are isolating due to another positive test result.

And the French minister for sport has called for an inquiry after rumblings of senior coaching staff breaking the vivid bubble in Dublin.

That is an absolutely shocking decision from the officials am I'm Welsh.

What. The. Fuck. How is that not a knock on? What a shambles the refereeing in this match is.

For someone who doesn't know the intricacies, what confirms it as a knock on please?

It went forward off his hand, and, due to his momentum, landed ahead of where he lost control. Can't understand why it wasnt given.