Our English charioteers boring and arrogant? Just banter, innit?

I would blame the bad karma from you-know-who's chair, if I was Donal.

The big question in Ireland this week was whether Father Deccie would pick the same team or adopt a horses for courses approach (apologies to anyone eating a burger) against England.

You're unlikely to get a balanced analysis if you happen on BBC's website, where coverage of Ireland's Six Nations campaign is in fact from the BBC Northern Ireland "perspective".

After the team was announced for Cardiff last week, Father Deccie, playing his usual "vague ball" game had to contend with a customary, if mildy accusatory tone from one of the BBC "Norn Iron" reporters. The result was the following:

BBCNI: Ulsssster are of coursssse on top of the Rabo League, yet you've only sssselected two Ulsssstermen on the Irish team, how do you rationalisssse that?

DK: I'm not really aware of how the provinces are represented in the team (yeah, right), it's not really a consideration, we're just picking who we feel are the right lads to do the the job on the day...

BBCNI: Ulssssster'ssss Chrissss Henry hasss been outsssstanding for Ulsssster all sssseassson, it mussst have been a very, very very tough decisssion not to ssselect him as ssstarting number sssseven? Wasssss it?

DK: Well I suppose it's always tough to leave people out, but that's the job and you've just got to get on with it.

(And with that Father Decccie smiled at him with his mouth and told him to feck off with his eyes. There's only one Deccie!)

The 'M' word

Ireland's win dominated most of the week's news, but the word "momentum" competed with the words "horse" and "burger" as the most overused in media circles and whatever about the percentage of "neighers" in our patties, there's no question both Ireland and England go into this game with the "m" word.

Prediction? England to win a tight one. Ireland haven't lost a Six Nations match to England in Lansdowne Road since "Johnson's Red Carpet Day" back in 2003, but you'd fear this England team has a balance and power that will be too much for what will surely be a tiring Ireland team in the second half.

Yes, we look forward to a weekend of Malcolms and Nigels from across the water sticking out like sore thumbs, drinking the black stuff and "avin a larf" in a bar near you.

Brace yourself, Bridget, and get ready for the banter!