Hugo Gordon

I actually didn't mind our experiment last year where we started Kelleher and then brought Sheehan on in the second half to run at people.

Kelleher is arguably having a more consistent tournament, although we also expect less of him in open play.

If Italy hold Wales to fewer than 25 points they will have had their best ever 6N from a defensive point of view

Wales have not scored more than 23 points in any of their last 5 games

I think Jones is broadly having the better tournament but I do wonder whether both he and Steyn will be fit

I do think right now an Ireland 23 looks considerably stronger than a Scotland 23, but their backline is better and they'll go after our scrum (we'll go after their lineout)

Think this is broadly my pick as well, with Beirne at 5, Conan at 6, and maybe Baloucoune at 14.

TWENTY THREE (23) red cards issued at the end of this Cruzeiro v Atletico Mineiro game in Brazil.

Story*, not scory

Here's a table that tells a scory. England have received more cards in this tournament (including Arundell's red against Scotland) than Ireland, Scotland and France combined.

And was excellent against Argentina in the Autumn. Not sure why England keep playing Freeman at centre instead.

This would probably change if you asked me again in an hour, but foxes, elephants, owls.

Been saying this for a while in the UK as well. If the right wing truly cared about national security they'd be all in on renewables as a means for self sufficiency and protecting against cross-border supply shocks. Instead they're too busy trying to annoy the libs.

Financial market participants dragging themselves to the office:

I was absolutely certain we'd see Max Ojomoh establish himself at centre for England this tournament and instead he hasn't played a minute.

This, along with Right To Buy, was I think the ultimate sin of Thatcherism. A long-term hammer blow to the future well-being of the UK, in order to buy some votes in the short-term.

Going to be a fun, fun week to be working in financial policy.

The whole thing about Farage "famously forming a close friendship with Trump" has always seemed based on very little. Farage likes to play it up but has is there any evidence that the two were particularly close? He seems to spend a lot of time in the US adjacent to Trump, but not actually with him.

The Discourse has become sort of numb to the fact that the richest guy on earth and owner of a major social media platform just routinely spits out the kind of nakedly white supremacist shit that until a decade ago you rarely saw outside of places like Stormfront.

gas prices aren't bad news for everyone - those of us who have been keeping a few barrels of crude in our apartment the last few years are sitting pretty

I think they wrote a pretty famous book about how the early 20th century was a golden age for American farmers

"it is becoming increasingly hard to avoid the conclusion that the Trump administration has embarked on this operation without a plan, and is making it up as it goes along, as if they killed enough of the right people and destroyed enough Iranian assets everything would fall into place"

Hook it to my veins

I will say, a significant issue with Village is that the entire plot revolves around a bunch of the main characters inexplicably choosing not to explain incredibly important information to each other.

This, basically

bsky.app/profile/sach...

Thought it was the right call personally! Maybe different if they'd asked try yes or no, but no real clear separation for me, so not enough to overturn the on-field try decision (and fwiw I don't think he loses contact until after the ball is down)

When was that (genuine question)? Didn't see a whole lot wrong with any of the calls. Personally thought the Conan try was the right call (and I don't think I'm just saying that because I'm Irish)

Scenes not good for the game etc, but have to admit this lot doing their hard man act in their lovely matching blue balaclavas did make me laugh.

Or if O'Toole doesn't fumble in the build up to Conan's disallowed try. Left the door open just enough for Wales to fight their way back in

He was genuinely excellent on the Lions tour. But he seems to be constantly struggling for fitness/not able to consistently hit those peaks any more

Oh, will also say I'm baffled by the controversy over the (awarded) Conan try. Clearly not enough there to overturn it.