Autumn Tests

[fivepointer]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/53552277

This year's Autumn Tests are set to be replaced by an eight-team tournament in which the Six Nations sides will be joined by Japan and Fiji.

It will begin on 14 November - two weeks after the final round of the 2020 Six Nations is completed.

England will face Wales, Ireland and Fiji in one group, with the latter two fixtures at Twickenham and the venue of the first game still to be decided.

In the other pool, Scotland will host Japan and France at Murrayfield and face Italy in Rome.

The tournament will be staged on four consecutive weekends until 5 December, with each team facing their equivalent in the other pool on the final weekend, with the venue to be decided.

Official confirmation of the schedule and the venues is expected in August.

[Puja]

This seems like bananas organisation. What happens if Italy has a second wave that spooks the politicians? Wouldn't it be far simpler to take a leaf out of the cricket's book and say one pool is at Twickenham, the other is at Murrayfield, and the teams stay in bubbles together for four weeks? This seems like it's asking to be a corona-affected shambles.

Puja

[morepork]

That's optimistic.

[Digby]

Are we including Fiji to somehow pretend it's not about money, or are we including them to piss off Georgia and Romania?

[Puja]

Are we including Fiji to somehow pretend it's not about money, or are we including them to piss off Georgia and Romania?

Yes.

[fivepointer]

This is how things are shaping up -

Aug 15: Prem starts
Oct 17: Euro finals
Oct 24: Prem Final; Ire v Ita
Oct 25 Eng v BaaBaas
Oct 31 Eng v Ita; Wal v Sco; Fra v Ire
Nov 7/8 Rest
Nov 14/15 Pool games
Nov 21/22 Pool games; Prem starts
Nov 28/29 Pool games; Prem
Dec 5/6 Test Comp Finals; Prem
Dec 12/13 European Cups start

[Banquo]

This seems like bananas organisation. What happens if Italy has a second wave that spooks the politicians? Wouldn't it be far simpler to take a leaf out of the cricket's book and say one pool is at Twickenham, the other is at Murrayfield, and the teams stay in bubbles together for four weeks? This seems like it's asking to be a corona-affected shambles.

Puja

Its Chris Grayling's second job. Well his first, now he isn't in charge of cyber security.

[Digby]

You laugh but the rumour is needing a mathematical genius to front up for cyber security Grayling was geared up to make a massive offer to Count von Count

[Epaminondas Pules]

This seems like bananas organisation. What happens if Italy has a second wave that spooks the politicians? Wouldn't it be far simpler to take a leaf out of the cricket's book and say one pool is at Twickenham, the other is at Murrayfield, and the teams stay in bubbles together for four weeks? This seems like it's asking to be a corona-affected shambles.

Puja

Its Chris Grayling's second job. Well his first, now he isn't in charge of cyber security.

My life the thought of that as a possibility really blew my mind. So, so, so very pleased when he lost the one horse race.

[FKAS]

This seems like bananas organisation. What happens if Italy has a second wave that spooks the politicians? Wouldn't it be far simpler to take a leaf out of the cricket's book and say one pool is at Twickenham, the other is at Murrayfield, and the teams stay in bubbles together for four weeks? This seems like it's asking to be a corona-affected shambles.

Puja

Its Chris Grayling's second job. Well his first, now he isn't in charge of cyber security.

The unions might as well have hired Failing Grayling for the mess that this is. Wait for the clubs to announce their plans and then plonk a massive test window over the end of pre season and the start of the new season. Most of this test window is a shameless cash grab because of the effects of Covid on their bank balances.

What's player welfare?

[Digby]

All of this test window is a shameless cash grab, but given the players will want to get paid something has to happen. If any TV money they get helps enough that's great, I cannot imagine how they get permission for 40K fans to turn up, maybe they can get 5K fans, beyond that the crowds will surely be too problematic, and even the 5k fans can't all use the same gate(s) toilets, bars, trains, so they might have to open more stadium areas and the like than they'd like.

Even the 5k fans assumes (hopes) we're not seeing R go back up as we head into the colder months, and that too might be wildly optimistic

[16th man]

The squads are going to need to be pretty big to accommodate that sort of schedule, and you'd imagine would need to be kept under a degree of isolation. It's going to be a logistical nightmare.

You'd like to say that the clash with the just announced domestic calendar was a shocking cock up demonstrating unbelievably poor levels of co-operation and co-ordination. However it's pretty much par for the course really isn't it?

You get the impression there would be few tears shed at the RFU if several clubs go bust in the next 6 months.

[twitchy]

This is how things are shaping up -

Aug 15: Prem starts
Oct 17: Euro finals
Oct 24: Prem Final; Ire v Ita
Oct 25 Eng v BaaBaas
Oct 31 Eng v Ita; Wal v Sco; Fra v Ire
Nov 7/8 Rest
Nov 14/15 Pool games
Nov 21/22 Pool games; Prem starts
Nov 28/29 Pool games; Prem
Dec 5/6 Test Comp Finals; Prem
Dec 12/13 European Cups start

Remind me again about the 6N? We want ire to beat fra right?

[Danno]

Yes, we're on 13 points each so at worst we want Ireland to deny France a BP

Shame we're not playing Japan instead of, say, bloody Wales.

[morepork]

Wait, are they going to be having crowds of spectators at these?

[Puja]

Wait, are they going to be having crowds of spectators at these?

Haven't you heard? COVID is over; we've beaten it. We must've done, otherwise why would all the restrictions have been completely relaxed? It's only a problem in other countries now, which is why we have quarantines for flying in from Spain.

Puja

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

Wait, are they going to be having crowds of spectators at these?

Haven't you heard? COVID is over; we've beaten it. We must've done, otherwise why would all the restrictions have been completely relaxed? It's only a problem in other countries now, which is why we have quarantines for flying in from Spain.

Puja

Yup. The wonderful phrase I read the other day was 'displaced mortality'. Essentially the government's herd immunity through the back door means most of the people who could die from Covid already have, and that's why we're not seeing a second wave while other countries in Europe are.
Doesn't mean the old farts going to Twickenham won't spread it around themselves and cause a Surrey spike though...

[morepork]

I'm thinking the government doesn't really understand what herd immunity is or how it is actually achieved...

[Stom]

I'm thinking the government doesn't really understand what herd immunity is or how it is actually achieved...

Porkie, meet the UK government. Made up of knuckledragging inbred loons and a splattering of token minorities with no thoughts of their own. I don't think they have the capacity to understand.

[morepork]

You aint seen nuffink. Get back to me when demon sperm and covert vaccinations against religion are part of your narrative.

[Stom]

You aint seen nuffink. Get back to me when demon sperm and covert vaccinations against religion are part of your narrative.

Oh don't worry, they most definitely are here...

[fivepointer]

Now confirmed -

QUILTER CUP 2020
Sunday 25 October 2020: England v Barbarians, KO 14:00 GMT, Twickenham Stadium (LIVE on Sky Sports Arena)

GUINNESS SIX NATIONS 2020
Saturday 31 October 2020: Italy v England KO 16:45 GMT, Stadio Olimpico, Rome (LIVE on ITV)

ENGLAND MEN 2020 QUILTER INTERNATIONALS AS PART OF THE AUTUMN NATIONS CUP
Saturday 14 November 2020: England v Georgia KO 15:00 GMT, Twickenham Stadium
Saturday 21 November 2020: England v Ireland KO 15:00 GMT, Twickenham
Saturday 28 November 2020: Wales v England KO 16:00 GMT, venue TBC
Sunday 6 December 2020: England v TBC KO 14:00 GMT, Twickenham Stadium

[Mellsblue]

Rumours that Amazon have won the TV rights to the 8 Nations.

[morepork]

Fucking Amazon. What are they going to stick their grubby low wage fingers into next?

[Puja]

Rumours that Amazon have won the TV rights to the 8 Nations.

Surely Sky should have them, since they're replacing the AIs? Is that not a thing?

Not that I mind - anything but Stuart Barnes.

Puja