The Road to Bilbao and Beyond: Rugby 2018

[Jorge Porbillas]

Words I never thought I'd say/type (well, since they last lost the contract to HTV):

BBC Wales has lost the contract to show live Pro14 matches from next season

[Antepli Ejderha]

Words I never thought I'd say/type (well, since they last lost the contract to HTV):

BBC Wales has lost the contract to show live Pro14 matches from next season

Premier Sports get the contract. Can't understand this deal at all.

[Ray de Galles]

Are Premier are an Irish-based channel, from the wreckage of Setanta?

That would be an explanation, given that they are the dominant, moneyed nation in the Pro14.

[Kevin S]

No, they're British (/Luxembourg). They are the broadcasters who do the FreeSports channel on freeview as well as the Premier one. Until this season they had the NRL rights for the UK but have hemorrhaged viewers after losing those to Sky. I guess they are going after Union now instead.

(Other things they have, incidentally, are NHL and European ice hockey, NASCAR and the Portuguese and Belgian football leagues.)

[Kevin S]

And Speedway from Poland and Sweden, apparently.

[Ray de Galles]

The Luxembourg registration is just a flag of convenience, they are very much Irish owned and funded and a follow on from Setanta UK (who were also registered in Luxembourg) - I must admit I thought they had taken over Setanta’s Irish broadcasting but that appears to have been rebranded to Eir. Interestingly, they have started broadcasting in Northern Ireland.

I’m aware of their output and have often thought about signing up for it for the speedway and ice hockey (though their Freesports subsidiary provides a little of the latter and is apparently going to show some of the former this year), not sure if Pro14 will finally push me over the edge in to doing so.

[Kevin S]

The Luxembourg registration is just a flag of convenience, they are very much Irish and a follow on from Setanta (who were also registered in Luxembourg).

I’ve often thought about signing up for it for the speedway and ice hockey (though their Freesports subsidiary provides a little of the latter and is apparently going to show some of the former this year), not sure if Pro14 will finally push me over the edge in to doing so.

Ah, my bad, thanks. Enjoyed a comment on Wales Online that this is 'another example of the Pro 14 favouring the Irish, now we're giving it to an Irish broadcaster...'

Premier, to me, still doesn't look anything like as good value for money as BT, Eurosport or Sky (but then it depends what you prioritise I suppose), but they're getting there inch-by-inch. There are only so many rights you can bid for at a time, I suppose, and this one is a pretty big coup.

[Ray de Galles]

I think we were both right actually, Kevin. Premier is certainly not as aimed at the Irish market as I believed. I agree that Premier always seems a bad deal compared to the other sports channels.

[Ray de Galles]

Wales make ten changes for the visit of Italy, seven of them in the pack including a debut for James Davies. Still looks a strong side, especially in the backs but I hope we're not underestimating Italy :

Liam Williams (Saracens) (46 Caps)
George North (Northampton Saints) (71 Caps)
Owen Watkin (Ospreys) (3 Caps)
Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets) (4 Caps)
Steff Evans (Scarlets) (8 Caps)
Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues) (14 Caps)
Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (30 Caps)
Nicky Smith (Ospreys) (16 Caps)
Elliot Dee (Dragons) (5 Caps)
Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs) (29 Caps)
Cory Hill (Dragons) (13 Caps)
Bradley Davies (Ospreys) (60 Caps)
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) (55 Caps)
James Davies (Scarlets) (*Uncapped)
Taulupe Faletau (Bath) (70 Caps) (CAPT)

Replacements:

Ken Owens (Scarlets) (55 Caps)
Rob Evans (Scarlets) (23 Caps)
Samson Lee (Scarlets) (37 Caps)
Seb Davies (Cardiff Blues) (3 Caps)
Ellis Jenkins (Cardiff Blues) (5 Caps)
Aled Davies (Scarlets) (7 Caps)
Rhys Patchell (Scarlets) (7 Caps)
Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets) (76 Caps)

[Kevin S]

England captain Dylan Cuntley is an injury doubt, which I reckon is probably a good thing for all sides.

[Kevin S]

Scottish terrier edges out the Irish terrier in the Crufts group judging today. An omen for tomorrow?

[Kevin S]

Wrong decision IMO by the way. The Irish terrier was brilliantly relaxed, strutting round casually. The Scottie was trying too hard to impress.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Back to rugby. Italy lead Wales at half time. It's U20 but still a big shock on paper.

[Ray de Galles]

Out and about but turned the game on when you posted, Wales put two kickable penalties to the corner with the score at 7-8 when Italy are down to 14 men due to a yellow card. Neither of them bring a try.

Why don't our players at any age realise the first job is to take the points on offer, get in or build a lead and then look for try-scoring opportunities.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Tbf this is the worst they've played for a number of years and tactically too.

Despite some poor decisions from the referee Italy have been magnificent and stuck to their task. A thoroughly deserved win this.

[Antepli Ejderha]

In their last match Italy shipped more than 70 points away to France.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Here are the teams for the first match of the weekend. Home advantage should give Ireland a win by 7-10 points.

Ireland: Kearney; Earls, Ringrose, Aki, Stockdale; Sexton, Murray; Healy, Best, Furlong, James Ryan, Toner, O'Mahony, Leavy, Stander.

Replacements: Cronin, McGrath, Porter, Henderson, Murphy, Marmion, Carbery, Larmour.

Scotland: Hogg; Kinghorn, H Jones, Horne, Maitland; Russell, Laidlaw; Reid, McInally, Berghan, Gilchrist, J Gray, Barclay, Watson, Wilson.

Replacements: Brown, Bhatti, Nel, Swinson, Denton, Price, Grigg, L Jones.

[Antepli Ejderha]

And the teams for the second match. France don't recall any of the players dropped after Edinburgh and England have a few injuries. Mike Brown goes from here and undroppable after Wales to the bench. Can't see beyond an England win after an hour of France being close.

France: Bonneval; Fall, Bastareaud, Doumayrou, Grosso; Trinh-Duc, Machenaud; Poirot, Guirado (capt), Slimani, Gabrillagues, Vahaamahina, Lauret, Camara, Tauleigne.

Replacements: Pelissie, Priso, Gomes Sa, Taofifenua, Galletier, Couilloud, Beauxis, Fickou.

England: Watson; May, Te'o, Farrell (capt), Daly; Ford, Care; Vunipola, George, Cole, Launchbury, Itoje, Lawes, Robshaw, Hughes.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Marler, Sinckler, Haskell, Simmonds, Wigglesworth, Joseph, Brown.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Here are the teams for Sunday. Wales make 10 changes but it's not like the autumn tests when the dirt trackers play against the tier two nation, here we've got injured players returning and the bench starting with only the centres looking inexperienced. And of course Cubby Boi gets his chance. Italy look better but when the fourth match of the Six Nations comes along they are normally there for the taking. Tomorrow will be closer than many expect but Wales should win by 15.

Wales: L Williams, North, Watkin, Parkes, S Evans, Anscombe, G Davies; Smith, Dee, Francis, Hill, B Davies, Tipuric, James Davies, Faletau (capt).

Replacements:Owens, R Evans, Lee, S Davies, Jenkins, A Davies, Patchell, Halfpenny.

Italy: Minozzi, Benvenuti, Bisegni, Castello, Bellini, Allan, Violi; Lovotti, Ghiraldini, Ferrari, Zanni, Budd, Negri, Mbanda, Parisse (capt).

Replacements: Fabiani, Quaglio, Pasquali, Ruzza, Licata, Palazzani, Canna, Hayward.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

For what it's worth, I think Scotland are going to get humped today. The France - England game will be closer than people expect and Wales wlll make a dog's arse of the game tomorrow and will spawn a win in the last five minutes.

[Diable Rouge]

Stockdale's injury-time second keeps Ireland on course for the bonus point that would heap the pressure on England.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Full time - Ireland win 28-8, with a bonus point winning four tries.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

20 minutes to go in Paris and France are up 16-9. Fairly poor game.

[Kevin S]

Full time - Ireland win 28-8, with a bonus point winning four tries.

Shot at a grand slam at Twickenham.

[Logan Mountstuart]

France 6 points up. 90 seconds to go. They have the ball, under no real pressure, and kick the ball back to the English. Why? Sometimes rugby baffles me. Surely they just go through the phases and keep the sodding ball?

ABE.