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**finbar** · January 30, 2007, 06:43

They're probably thinking they're being bold with the J. Wilkinson selection. I prefer the word desperate.

**Havak** · January 30, 2007, 07:30

Again hard to really disagree with you.

Picking Geragthy who has been playing very well for Exlies might have been bold. Picking Flood who looked at sea against Tigers might have been reckless. Picking Wilko after just 43 mins of rugby in three months? yes 'desperate' is a word than could fit there. As could 'hopeful' and 'insane'.

But remember - Jonno backs it so it must be right.

*edit* I have a sneaky feeling Ravagon might become a cricket supporter for today? Plunkett hit more than any of the middle order batsmen. When will the self-denial end in this squad?

**finbar** · January 30, 2007, 08:06

I wasn't going to mention the cricket. But I enjoy the run-by-run updates on the BBC site. Witty masochism.

I hope I'm wrong, but it's looking like Sky Italy isn't covering the 6 Nations! I've perused the programming and can find only S14 on Friday. They've been promoting the crap out of the 6 Nations!

**LDiCesare** · January 30, 2007, 15:21

Do you mean they won't even air Italy-France?
France team will be interesting to watch. Laporte will be trying players every match it seems. The fly half in particular will be a very open position:
Michalak is hurt and won't be available for the Tournament.
Traille is hurt and won't play against Italy.
Boyet would've been selected but he's hurt too.
So we have Skrela, who's been playing quite well for the Stade Francais for a while, and his replacement will be his fellow Stade Francais fly half, Lionel Beauxis.
Skrela is 27, Beauxis is 21 and a strong contender for the 10 shirt in the next years. He's been playing 10 in the first team at Pau since he was 18, became U21 world champion and now plays half of the matches of the Stade Francais, alternating with Skrela. I don't think he's ready yet for France team, but I'm really looking forwards to seeing him wear the blue jersey someday.
Anyway, Skrela and Beauxis (particularly Beauxis) are both good kickers, which means Mignoni will get to play as scrum half, another good news since this player has more flair than Elissalde or Yachvili. Not as good as them with his kicking obviously, but a very good and fast player ball in hand.

**ravagon** · January 31, 2007, 02:05

ravagon has always been a cricket supporter. Sadly though he just hasn't had time to catch even a single game lately.
Unless you count that beach cricket thingummy.
Which he doesn't.

I hate to say this but I tend to agree with Jonny W starting.

(a) It's against Scotland
(b) It's against Scotland
(c) It's against Scotland
(d) It's not against Ireland, France or Wales

**Havak** · January 31, 2007, 04:22

All four of which are fair points - though d) only because this years fixture is in the cauldron in Cardiff. I still say Wales are hugely over rated (and coached by the worst coach in the 6N).

I don't think Sky hold any of the rights to the 6N anymore Finbar. Does Sky Italia not carry the BBC channels (it should be able to - they all come off Astra after all). The BBC has pretty much every game live spread mainly across BBC1 and BBC2.

I confess that I did enjoy Tom Fordyce's over by over commentary too Finbar

But lets not worry - Freddie says our batting is getting better and that there is still a mathematical chance of making the final - all we need to do is totally stuff Australia and NZ in the final two games. Right Freddie - time to either get off or perhaps even up the medication I think old boy.

**finbar** · January 31, 2007, 05:05

Do you mean they won't even air Italy-France?

As far as I can see from the program guides, NO ONE is airing it.

ravagon has always been a cricket supporter. Sadly though he just hasn't had time to catch even a single game lately.
Unless you count that beach cricket thingummy.
Which he doesn't.

I hate to say this but I tend to agree with Jonny W starting.

I've had my ultimate revenge on you. Yesterday, I tipped your S14 franchise to win on Friday.

I don't think Sky hold any of the rights to the 6N anymore Finbar. Does Sky Italia not carry the BBC channels (it should be able to - they all come off Astra after all). The BBC has pretty much every game live spread mainly across BBC1 and BBC2.

Then why the f%ck have they been promoting the 6 Nations!? Anche in HD. Also in High Definition. No, Sky Italy doesn't carry the BBC, or any of the English free-to-airs. It carries the Italian free-to-airs. Our friends out at the olive farm have English Sky, which does carry the BBC, but they can't receive it. Apparently, for some sort of footprint reasons, you need a vastly bigger dish to pick up the BBC in southern Europe. The further south you go, the bigger the dish.

**Havak** · January 31, 2007, 06:38

Hmm - is that a matter of transmission bandwidth I wonder? Regardless it certainly does give you a problem.

Italy is a beautiful country but fundamentally flawed in one small regard - it's slavish and overwhelming obession with Kissball (thus keeping Rugger off the TV).

Rest assured I will summarise every England match for you.

**finbar** · January 31, 2007, 07:47

I can't even listen to it on Five Live! It's for UK only!

Something I forgot to mention out of the Saints match the other night. The replacement hooker for the Beer Barrel, who, I think, is in the Saxons squad, is a certifiable lunatic.

**Havak** · January 31, 2007, 08:05

I believe that the web broadcast rights for the six nations aren't included in the BBC deal. It's idiotic really.

Hartley? I've only ever really registered him as his pack is being put on the back foot by ours. Big lad - some skill. Decent enough club player. Very unlikely to stop Titterall taking the 2 shirt for the SAXONS (having had a year to cogitate this bit of PR fluff I'd rather call them the A side still). A fully fit Titterall further into his comeback trail would probably keep the (IMO woeful) Mears out of the senior side.

**finbar** · January 31, 2007, 08:24

The web rights don't seem to be included in many of the Beeb's sports rights deals. I have no idea why. It leaves a lot of people without any coverage at all.

Hartley just wanted to punch people. Idiot.

**Havak** · January 31, 2007, 09:29

As I think on him I do believe I have seen him get a bit feisty at Welford Road. It's not a valid excuse but his side were losing a game that they should have won easily. I understand why red mist arrived even if he should have controlled himself better.

As for the web matter I found this at Auntie - "Radio Five Live and Five Live Sports Extra offer many of their commentaries online but some events are blocked because the online rights are not held by the BBC. Other commentaries, such as Premiership football, are available to UK users only because Five Live doesn't have permission to stream them to a worldwide audience."

It's the rights holders Finbar - blame the Pigopolists.

**finbar** · January 31, 2007, 10:18

Yes, but I can't find the 6N covered anywhere on the internet. I can't believe the internet rights weren't sold to someone.

**Havak** · January 31, 2007, 11:14

Given how DRM works I find it entirely believeable that they would restrict the BBC webcast rights despite not having sold them to anyone else anyway.

Pigopolists. It is in the name.

**Caligastia** · January 31, 2007, 11:56

I'm looking forward to the first week of Super 14 this weekend. I'll be hoping for a Blues win over the Crusaders of course.

This new team..the Lions...I presume they are a grown-up Cats team?

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