This weekend’s tv

[hookender]

Friday 5th February

Premiership

19:45   Bristol   vs   Sale   BTSport1/Ultimate
Pro 14

19:35   Dragons   vs   Connacht   Premier Sports 1/TG4
 

Saturday 6th February

Six Nations

14:15   Italy   vs   France   ITV
16:30   England   vs   Scotland   ITV
Premiership

13:00   Wasps   vs   Northampton   BTSport Extra 2
14:15   Bath   vs   Harlequins   BTSport Extra 3
15:00   Leicester   vs   Worcester   BTSport Extra 1
15:00   L. Irish   vs   Gloucester   BTSport Extra 2
 

Sunday 7th February

Six Nations

15:00   Wales   vs   Ireland   BBC1/S4C
Premiership

13:00   Newcastle   vs   Exeter   BTSports 2

[Neils]

England v Scotland kick off is 16.45

[MarleyWasp]

From the Rugby Europe Championship:

Georgia v Russia on Sunday at 11am - https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/championship-2020/georgia-v-russia/

Spain v Portugal on Sunday at 11.45am - https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/championship-2020/spain-v-portugal/

From the Allianz Premier 15s:

Sale v Gloucester-Hartpury on Saturday at 2.30 on the England Rugby YouTube and Facebook channels. No link yet.

[Neils]

From the Rugby Europe Championship:

Georgia v Russia on Sunday at 11am - https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/championship-2020/georgia-v-russia/

Spain v Portugal on Sunday at 11.45am - https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/competitions/championship-2020/spain-v-portugal/

From the Allianz Premier 15s:

Sale v Gloucester-Hartpury on Saturday at 2.30 on the England Rugby YouTube and Facebook channels. No link yet.

Now those could be very tasty matches. Thanks.

[MarleyWasp]

I expect Georgia v Russia to be fairly one sided. Russia were poor in the Championship and could have ended up in the relegation playoff and several of the more experienced players retired after the 2019 RWC.

Spain v Portugal however should be very entertaining. These are two of the more expansive sides in the tournament and the winner will finish second. Spain are still angry about missing out on the RWC in 2019 so have a point to prove, whilst Portugal have gone under the radar a bit.

Portugal were relegated from the Championship in 2016 and invested heavily in youth Rugby, coming very close twice to winning promotion from the World Rugby U20 Trophy to the World Rugby U20 Championship. They secured promotion in 2019, although had it not been for the eligibility scandal of 2018 could well have been promoted a year earlier. I didn't have high hopes for them, but they secured home wins against Belgium and Romania, had a narrow defeat away to Russia after multiple travel delays and then push Georgia hard in a game they switched to Paris.

Given that the 2021 and 2022 Championships will be combined with the top two sides qualifying for the 2023 RWC with the third place side facing a playoff to qualify for the qualification tournament and the 2021 Championship due to start in 4 weeks, both sides will be looking for a confidence boosting win. Logic says Spain should have enough to win, but I wouldn't bet against Portugal.

[hookender]

Thanks for putting up Rugby Europe games, Marleywasp.

Enjoyed Portugal v Spain , almost as many mistakes/fumbles as a wasp game! If anyone in lockdown or snowed in I saw that the Portuguese had RugbyTV on their backs and found the game available to watch.

[MarleyWasp]

That's ok. I enjoy watching the REC much more than the 6 Nations.

Rugby TV is a Portuguese Union run website where they stream all club and international matches live. It's proven to be quite popular.

All Rugby Europe International Championship matches are streamed on the Rugby Europe website at every level, including men, women, U20, U18, Sevens, Beach & Snow Rugby. They used to take their feed in full from local TV, so you had commentary in the host broadcaster's language, but now just offer their own filming with graphics and the ref's microphone. Some of the camera work and connections can be dodgy which doesn't help. There's not usually any commentary. Georgia v Russia was the first time they got their own commentary team in.

[Neils]

It was an excellent diversion from the kick chase game. Thanks.