Tuesday 25th Nov: 09:20

Tom Curry is currently the pantomime villain post the clash with Argentina. Juan Cruz Mallia has suffered a torn ACL following Curry’s allegedly late tackle. The Daily Fail calls it controversial. It is the alleged bust up in the tunnel that is causing the most angst however. Plenty of acrimonious accusations flying around. Let’s see how this one develops.

Dan Biggar writing in the same rag has suggested that England fans are getting way too far ahead of themselves with talk of Grand Slams and World Cup victory in 2027. Will Greenwood in The Torygraph suggest otherwise. ‘England have to be Six Nations favourites now’. Perhaps!! England have beaten Fiji, the worst Australian side for a long time, a New Zealand team on the wane, and a tiring (after a very long season) Argentinian team. What they haven’t done this autumn is beaten South Africa or France or Ireland. Maybe Biggar is right, but I feel England are on a roll and will start as deserved Six Nations favourites.

Also in The Torygraph Brian Moore eulogises about how England have created depth, I told you so, and what Borthwick must do next. It is a good piece highlighting there is plenty to work on.

One thing is consistent across the papers and that is the game has to look at the officiating. The Ireland v South Africa game ran for over 2 hours thanks to stoppage after stoppage, a lot of which related to the officials pontificating. You also have the issue of consistency, or lack of it. The 20 minute red card and the bunker has allowed the man, or woman with the whistle, and by the way Hollie Davidson was very good in Cardiff, to be able to bottle the key decisions, or in the case of Franco Mostert get it wrong. It is more puzzling than trying to understand the vagaries of BBC’s Only Connect. The BBC and The Torygraph lead the charge on this. One recommendation, and I agree, is to get rid of the bunker. Overall I thought the refereeing was pretty good. What let it down was when it came to the big decisions, they weren’t always right, and the decision itself took forever to arrive at.

The question on some people’s lips is: why are Wales playing South Africa now the international window has closed. The answer is easy: money. With 13 of Wales best players heading over the Severn Bridge to England or France the fixture makes little sense. Steve Tandy has drafted in four new players to bolster his now meagre squad. The loss to New Zealand, whilst still a loss, included some positives. Four tries for instance. The dilemma now however is a big, embarrassing defeat to the best team in the world could set the game back even further.

Despite Scotland’s very comfortable win over Tonga, Gregor Townsend is not out of the woods. The vultures are circling with headlines like ‘ Scot’s eight try haul proves nothing in grand scheme of things’. To be fair, of late, Scotland have punched way above their weight. Another small nation with just two top flight teams almost beating the All Blacks.

Australian rugby is in a tailspin ahead of the World Cup in 2027. A series loss to The Lions and a woeful autumn tour has those down under in a state of panic. The Australians wouldn’t want to see their side not make the knockout stage of the tournament in the same way England crashed out in 2015.

Just thought I’d mention Sussex 3, the league our 2s are in. Currently Hove II top the table alongside Burgess Hill. Both are 5 wins from 5 games. We are 6th in this ten team league.

Ok, that’s about it for the rugby. What a bizarre incident during the Manchester United v Everton fixture last evening. An Everton player sent off for fighting with, yes you guessed it, a teammate. I have to say it was a pretty poor slap. Mrs Bleater packs a meatier punch than that.

Then you have the two McLarens being disqualified at the end of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. That has thrown a spanner into the title race. Seeing the bright lights of Vegas, I can’t think of a worst place to visit.

Then we have the countdown to Armageddon, yes I’m talking about the budget. As far as The Hood is concerned, none of the current economic issues the country faces is her fault. She is now saying the criticism from her own party is sexism. Do me a favour.

On that note I’m off. Lots to do today.