What a scorching weekend, so much so I didn’t watch a single minute of rugby. By all accounts I missed a cracker with the Brumbies beating the Hurricanes. Up until that game the New Zealand outfits had dominated with the Blues, Crusaders and Chiefs all going through. Next weekend’s semi-finals should be worth watching.

Congratulations to Gloucester-Hartpury, they beat Bristol to go into the Premier 15s final where they will face Exeter. It sounds as if the Exeter v Sarries game was well worth watching with Exeter clinching victory at the death.

The build up to the World Cup is now gathering pace. Cory Hill dropped a bombshell by pulling out of the Welsh squad as he heads back to Japan. Could Jake Ball get a surprise call up? Johnny Sexton might not feature for Ireland as the rumours about a discipline hearing into his conduct at the Champions Final gathers pace. The kick off times for the tournament have been released. England have a couple that start at 20:00. Steve Borthwick is about to announce his preliminary squad. Big names are rumoured to be missing but it is possible Danny Care and Zach Mercer might feature.

Bristol Bears will replace London Irish in the Champions Cup. Talking of these two clubs Robert Kitson has waded into the debate about the state of the Premiership. He likens it to the Titanic sailing towards the iceberg. He states Steve Lansdown is open to offers for Bristol Bears. That would leave Bristol in the lurch if that were to happen. The time has come for the game to cut its cloth accordingly. Stop dreaming about increasing revenue and face up to reality: costs have to be cut to match revenue. That will mean players wages have to be cut.

In the same paper The Rugby League is watching the union game with interest. In essence are there opportunities for them to fill the void by expanding the league game from its Northern heartland into say the Midlands.

In other sport, congratulations to Manchester City. The Arabs have finally got their wish and bought the Champions League Cup. Yes, City have a great manager and a wonderful squad and play exciting football but that is all as a result of the huge amount of money spent by the Abu Dhabi state. How do Leicester City or Nottingham Forest or Brentford hope to compete with state funded competitors. They can’t.

West Ham lifted the third tier cup. Well done them, especially after a pretty mediocre domestic season.

In other news Wee Jimmie Sturgeon has been arrested in connection with the missing £600k from the SNP accounts. She can plead her innocence as much as she likes but you can be sure in these politically correct times when the police are afraid of their own shadow there has to be a case to answer. She always was a weasel.

I see Boris has stood down as an MP with immediate effect. I do believe he was subject to a witch-hunt but you simply cannot lie when you are the leader of the country.

That’ll do for today as swimming with the granddaughter beckons then a dash to Bridgnorth. No blog tomorrow as Telford hospital beckons. Hey ho.

Before I go today’s flight is EasyJet from Milan (MXP) to Gatwick. The A320 is at 4,500 feet readying for final approach from the east. It’s due to land at 08:08, some 17 minutes early.

Thursday 8th June: 09:00

So, after a bit of barrel scraping there is enough to make blogging worth while. It is that or a rundown from Flightradar24 of the aircraft heading towards Gatwick right now.

London Irish have formally entered administration so their demise is almost complete. Or is it? An article in the Torygraph states the Irish Rugby Football Union have had informal talks with the RFU about them, the IRFU, investing in London Irish. At the moment there is an abundance of riches in Irish rugby with many young, talented academy players getting little top flight rugby. The IRFU would see London Irish as a way of expanding the opportunities for these talented youngsters. It is an interesting idea but with opportunities for talented English qualified players equally limited does it make sense?

Coming from left field and sticking the knife in further are BT Sport. Having ploughed a significant amount of money and other resources into covering Premiership rugby they are now demanding a rebate from the relevant parties due to the absence of three teams and therefore a sizeable number of games. Makes sense but I’m sure Premiership Rugby will fight this one. However, they need to be careful as there isn’t a queue of suitors waiting to take over from BT Sport. I would suggest they need to “play nice” or any rebate could pale into insignificance versus having no TV deal at all. The Fail for the full story.

Some of the papers have picked up on the Grenoble situation. WalesOnline highlights the fact Sam Davies, formerly Ospreys, Dragons and Wales, has just signed a contract with them and could quickly find himself back in the shop window.

Cardiff Rugby are delaying their pre-season training due to the ongoing mystery around Dai Young’s future. He remains absent from the club with zero information forthcoming about his situation.

Nigel Walker, acting CEO of the WRU, has defended the decision to omit talented Joe Hawkins from the Welsh set up following his move to Exeter. He makes a decent fist of it actually talking about return on investment, and keeping home grown talent in Wales etc, etc.

As expected Mohamed Haouas has been excluded from the French national squad following his conviction for beating his wife. GOOD!!

Don’t forget the Super Rugby knockout stages start tomorrow morning and it is the Premier 15s semi-finals this weekend.

Tonight it is touch rugby from 18:00 with the old folks walking version. I’ll be there.

Hope the summer ball goes well. Salisbury is our excuse not to be there.

Talking of which, Salisbury RFC, a club very much like our own, celebrated their 100 years of existence with a gala dinner, guest speaker Nigel Owens, and a fun day on Sunday. 2000 people present at that raising nearly £27,000 for the Salisbury Hospice. I am reliably informed that it was an amazing day. As Crowborough’s Chief Womble I was delighted to hear litter picking post event was a non starter. One deflated balloon was all they found. Congratulations Salisbury RFC.

I am appalled that Harry the weasel’s phone hacking case, and the Holly self-aggrandising Willoughby are getting so much air time when the world could be heading towards a nuclear Armageddon. The situation in Ukraine is appalling with the dam break turning once fertile farm land into a swamp, displacing thousands of people and killing many. Worse is the possibility the largest nuclear power plant in Europe could soon be under water. We need to be very afraid.

On that note I’ll be back on Monday.

PS a Condor Airlines A330 has just gone over. Cancun to Frankfurt.

Wednesday 7th June: 09:00

As the song goes “and another one bites the dust”. What had been painfully obvious to anyone with half a brain, and that includes me, came to pass at about 19:30 last night: London Irish were finished. Massively in debt, £30m if you you believe the papers, and nowhere to go.Mick Crossan, who had served them well for many years, had had enough and with the Yanks in shining armour nowhere to be seen the RFU had no option but to pull the plug. You have to feel for the staff, and volunteers, and business providers, and of course the playing staff. At a time when the economy is in a difficult place and most of the professional game across the globe is also under financial constraints finding new employment will prove difficult.

I know I go on, and on, and on but rugby simply has to wake up and smell the coffee. It is a minority sport, haemorrhaging players across the board and money is NOT the answer. At the top of the game the RFU and Premiership Rugby have got to get their heads from up their backsides and hammer out an agreement that works. Clubs have got to realise largesse of benefactors is a busted flush as a business model. Gerard Meagher in The Guardian has put it succinctly in today’s piece on Irish’s demise.

He, as I did yesterday, states there are benefits from a ten team league, and that should be welcomed. He also highlights how Newcastle Falcons are leading the way in cutting their cloth accordingly. Others must follow their example. Take Bath for example, bank rolled by Bruce Craig, which is why they have been able to get Finn Russell to the Rec. Russell will be on a huge salary, so what happens if Craig walks away. Yep, Bath go the same way as Irish. It is madness. Talking of madness no wonder Irish are in so much in debt when they were paying £900,000 a season to Adam Coleman, a pretty average Aussie international.

Before moving on, yesterday I mentioned London Irish Amateur RFC. Well, there is a sting in the tail there too. Whilst they have a 15 year lease on their ground, it is owned by a subsidiary of London Irish, a subsidiary who are also part of the winding-up petition as lodged with the courts by HMRC.

Oh, and if you think the French model is the promised land then think again. Grenoble have been demoted to the third tier due to financial irregularities and budget mis-management.

What is the world coming to when a rugby player is stabbed at half-time by a “fan”. Yes this happened in South Africa just this week. Thankfully the player has made a full recovery, physically anyway, and the perpetrator is in custody.

Phil Waugh has said he is not going to take any shit from Eddie Jones or the Chairman of RA, Hamish McLennan. He’ll need to stick to that principle otherwise Jones and McLennan could leave the game down under where England rugby is right now, not very well.

Interesting piece carried by BBC Sport about a concussion app being trialled by rugby. The app developed by former McClaren F1 boss Ron Dennis allows concussion and other sports injury information to be recorded and managed, and where appropriate to be shared with stakeholders. It seems to take subjectivity out of the equation and replace it with objectivity. That has to be a good thing.

WalesOnline states Warren Gatland’s RWC 2023 plans are in disarray due to the recent retirements. I disagree. Whilst AWJ and Tipuric and Webb still have miles in the tank the players left behind in those positions are right up there in terms of quality. Leicester Tigers Tommy Reffell is more than capable of filling Tipuric’s boots, as is Will Rowlands AWJ’s. Come on, lets have some positivity for heavens sake!!!!!

In other sport I see golf has sold its soul to the devil. LIV and PGA have agreed a deal to merge but it is backed by the odious Saudi government. Money, money, money yet again causing sportsmen (and women, and trans, and, and) to turn a blind eye to Saudi inhumanity.

The Russians, and therefore Putin, are becoming more desperate by the day. The bombing of the dam in the Kherson region is a disgraceful act of barbarians. It is also an act that could turn much of the region into a wasteland if the nearby nuclear power plant is affected. What drives people to such depravity in the 21st century?

Tuesday 6th June: 09:30

A momentous day in history. Let us not forget the sacrifice made by many to keep tyranny at bay.

It’s the Final Countdown, for London Irish at least. 4pm is the deadline for them to show the RFU the money. Of course it is possible, as miracles can happen, they will survive. Perhaps the person who won £120m in the Euromillions lottery draw will come forward and save the day. You know what? Irish are doomed I’m afraid. If there is any sort of light at the end of the tunnel London Irish Amateur RFC are alive and kicking and playing one level above us at level 6. They have recently fallen down the leagues but are well run with very good facilities. This would be a decent place to start the rise from the ashes.

Anyone who has read this guff since its inception nearly 13 years ago, yes that long, will know I have said a day of judgement will come for the game. In terms of financial mis-management it is here. If Leicester Tigers with their following are struggling to make ends meet how are the others coping? Strip away the largesse of benefactors and the game is a busted flush.

Let me correct an error in yesterday’s drivel. The French Top 14 hasn’t reached the final stage. It is semi-finals this weekend. On Friday it is Toulouse v Racing 92 and then on Saturday La Rochelle v Bordeaux Begles. I don’t know why I am telling you this because unless you are paying through the nose for Viaplay TV you ain’t going to see it.

This of course is another issue with the game. So little top flight rugby is free to air people forget it exists. When the terrestrial channels dabble with the game the viewing figures are decent enough. By the way, most of the World Cup warm ups will be on Amazon Prime. Thank goodness RWC itself is on ITV.

Mystery surrounds Eddie Jones recent slip of the tongue indicating he won’t fulfil his contract with Rugby Australia by staying until 2027. A recent podcast, as reported in the Fail, has him saying he is on his toes after RWC 2023. He is such a plonker.

Former Wallaby captain Phil Waugh is set to take over as CEO of Rugby Australia. Full story in the Guardian. At the same time ousted Andy Marinos is strongly tipped to become CEO of the WRU. In my humble opinion this would be a good move. He has moved around a bit but where he has been has always shown improvement off and on the field.

Much is being made that Deborah Griffin will become RFU President in 2025. A female President. “Whatever next” some of the dinosaurs may cry. Me, I’ve done my research and looked at her CV and she is by far and away the best candidate for the job, and much more eligible than some who have gone before. Congratulations.

Building on this Leicester City are down, and looking at the exodus of players announced yesterday, also out. I would love to see Emma Hayes, current Chelsea FC Women’s Head Coach take over at the King Power. Do something different and break the mould. Things couldn’t be much worse than they are now for the Foxes.

Some cracking Super Rugby ties coming up. I’ll be paying particular attention to Crusaders v Fijian Drua on Saturday morning. Many pundits, and Welsh fans alike, are predicting Wales World Cup campaign will be over after round 1. The Fiji side Wales face in round 1 is a lot different to any Fiji side of the past, and there are many who think not only will they beat Wales they could also beat Australia.

Don’t forget the Women’s Premier 15 semi-finals this weekend.

Closer to home Thursday is touch and walking rugby at Steel Cross. Junior touch is at 18:30, senior touch at 19:30 and walking rugby at 18:00. The bar is open and no experience is required, and it is FREE. Just come along to whichever session suits you best and have some fun.

Moving on, can you believe the fuss being made about Philip Scho…. Yawn. Moving on, let’s talk Covid. WTF, you want to talk Covid? Yes, because as expected the truth is finally coming out. We were lied to to make us comply with lockdowns and now, as I said was the case at the time, lockdowns were a total and utter waste of time. All they have achieved is a massive financial black hole and a society of bone idle wasters who now believe it is their inalienable right to do bugger all, and to do it from home, and get paid handsomely for doing bugger all.

Talking of which, I thought it was April 1st when I read about the trial to give people £1600 per month for doing nothing without any strings attached. The country is going mad.

Back tomorrow, if the blood pressure levels off!!!!!!!!

Monday 5th June: 08:05

If London Irish woes weren’t already bad enough things took a turn for the worse last week. HMRC posted a winding-up petition against the club, and two other companies linked to Irish, in the courts. As is always the case for HMRC this is the absolute last resort when companies have defaulted on tax. Unless there is a last minute influx of cash then Irish are doomed. It is a sad but inevitable state of affairs. The RFU deadline of 5pm tomorrow remains in place.

What does this mean for the Premiership. On the basis Newcastle Falcons hold their nerve and stay in the top flight then one of the objectives of recent discussions has been achieved, a ten team league. Whilst fewer games seems counter-intuitive when cash is in short supply it should mean the games that are played will be of a better quality with the stars more frequently available than they are now. Player welfare should also be improved, which is no bad thing.

What happens to Irish is anyone’s guess. There is an amateur London Irish side and that could be used as the stepping stone back to greatness.

The Irish union are following England by reducing the tackle height for the grassroots game from the beginning of the season. Tackles must be below the base of the sternum. I still say it would have been easier all round to say below the armpit but what do I know. Well, I do know that the RFU, whilst I think they have steamrollered this through, have put in place comprehensive and wide ranging training/education programs to get all stakeholders up to speed before the season kicks off Sept 2nd.

Still plenty of rugby to catch up on. Racing 92 will play Bordeaux Begles in the Top 14 final. Super Rugby moves into the knock out stages next weekend with the top eight going into a shoot out. The Women’s game is moving towards its finale with Gloucester-Hartpury hosting Bristol Bears and Exeter v Saracens making up the semi-finals.

Plenty of the papers look at what is next for AWJ and Johnny Sexton. The latter it seems is a very wealthy man and is likely to focus his energy post RWC on his successful management company.

Georgia continue to make a case for greater involvement in European rugby. They recently toppled a very strong England Under 20s. The Torygraph for the full story.

Wales and Cardiff prop Rhys Carre has been dismissed from Wales training camp for failing to meet the fitness standards Warren Gatland is demanding of his squad. It is a pretty brutal way to treat a player, who is not necessarily the fittest player on the park, but one who has been in good form for his club.

Congratulations to Manchester City who lifted the FA Cup on Saturday. Didn’t watch it. City bankrolled by an oil rich state proves money can buy you success. Newcastle United funded by the odious Saudi state are also proving that point.

In other news the animal rights people failed to disrupt the Derby and the Just Stop Oil morons are losing support thanks to their ill-thought through campaigns of disruption. As it happens there is plenty in the papers to suggest electrification is not the answer. The production of cars and batteries has a higher carbon footprint than your average petrol/diesel car, and right now they are proving more expensive to run, and people are waking up to the environmental consequences of dealing with batteries when their life is run.

That’ll do for today as the granddaughter is en route and swimming beckons.

Thursday 1st June: 10:10

100 days to go until the RWC starts in France. It will be a fascinating tournament due to what we now know is a lopsided draw. Wales as a top seed is a farce and many are predicting they will go out at the pool stages. Fiji are up first for Wales and the inclusion of Fijian Drua in Super rugby has transformed their game. Wales lose this and they are out. Is this a reason for the sudden departure of big name Welsh players: they don’t want to be associated with failure on the global stage. Australia on the other hand are very bullish because of the draw. They can see themselves going comfortably through and with big names on the other side being eliminated many papers are suggesting they could do a “smash & grab”. I’m not sure.

I do need to be drinking whatever Richie McCaw has been imbibing recently. He has gone on record to say Wales could “cause carnage” at the tournament. Keep taking the tablets Richie, the nightmare will be over soon.

My fellow Welshman and former Friday Club stalwart Nigel has been in touch. He tells me the recent Army v Navy game, one which the Navy won, was a thoroughly enjoyable encounter played in a good spirit and a great atmosphere at Twickenham. He goes on to say the natives are restless however. Despite many making money out of the increased number of events at Twickenham a significant number of local residents have voiced their objection to the frequency of games at the stadium. It seems their voices have been heard and a number of non-international games, including the annual Army v Navy contest, will be switched to Cardiff. Fair enough.

The soap opera known as The Premiership continues. London Irish have been granted a weeks extension following pleas by players and staff who were willing to accept 50% pay now in the hope of securing their futures by June 6th, D-Day. I for one cannot believe that what has been dragging on for months is now going to magically be resolved in a week. I sincerely hope I am wrong.

There are many articles across the media picking up on the state of the games finances. Don’t forget Leicester Tigers were very recently rescued from administration by a £13m cash injection by two shareholders, and Exeter had to sell their stake in their hotel venture, and accept a handout from money man Tony Rowe to get through their financial dilemmas. It is a mess and increasing the salary cap is NOT going to make things better.

Alun Wyn Jones’ final curtain call was an emotional affair by all accounts. Close to 7,000 turned up at St Helens to watch an emotional Jones bow out. Yes many think he has played his last game. He is a giant amongst men and in terms of the game a global superstar. Wales very best player? No, that is still Sir Gareth Edwards but he is right up there.

Christophe Ridley, the Premiership and World Rugby referee, has gone on record supporting the two muppets who invaded the pitch during the Premiership Final. I am sorry, at a time when discipline teams up and down the country are dealing with people entering the field of play who shouldn’t be there this comment is a downright disgrace. By all means express support for the principle of “stopping oil” but to support pitch invasions is outrageous. He should be sacked…… I don’t think he is a very good referee anyway.

If you have SKY then there is the Super Rugby for your delectation this weekend. If you don’t then there is the FA Cup Final, already blighted by the train unions being on strike. Talking of which, the two Dicks, sorry Micks, running ASLEF and the RMT are refusing to put the recent offers by train companies and the Government to their members. What hypocrisy. They stand on their podiums spouting on about democracy and then act like Kim Jong-un and Vlad the Impaler by refusing to allow their members their democratic right to vote on the offers.

Oh how quickly we forget. The war in Ukraine still rages on and innocent civilians are being killed everyday. Despite this the British newspapers, with maybe the exception of The Guradian, seem obsessed with Philip Schofield. No wonder the country is going to the dogs. Political correctness, woke nonsense, social media bull is driving us towards a society of mediocrity and perversely, one of total intolerance. A dangerous path I fear.

Finally Sadiq Kahn needs to get his head from between his butt cheeks and stop trying to correct his budget mis-management by fleecing motorists and get to grips with crime in London. His ULEZ expansion will do nothing to stop young people losing their lives due to crime in what is still one of the greatest cities in the world.

Wednesday 31st May: 11:40

Let me start in Wales where tonight the legend that is Alun Wyn Jones will don both the Barbarians shirt and the Swansea shirt. The game is to celebrate Swansea RFC’s 150 years of existence. The plan is for him to start for the Barbarians before switching sides at half time. Swansea was where his senior rugby career took off, and I believe where it will end. What a servant of the game.

Justin Tipuric announced his retirement from international rugby last week, as did Rhys Webb, just yesterday. Neither are spring chickens and the back row and scrum half are the two positions where Wales has some strength in depth. Both have made superb contributions to the game, we wish them well for the remainder of their domestic careers, and beyond.

London Irish have been given a week’s stay of execution, with certain provisos. The players must be paid in full and not the 50% they have been told to accept. It is a shambles with a capital “F”.

Another sorry state of affairs is the imprisonment of French international prop Mohamed Haouas for hitting his wife. He will spend a year in jail, and misses out on the RWC. His move to Clermont Auvergne has been terminated so he finds himself on the scrap heap. GOOD! There is no place for this sort of behaviour in society and the French judiciary and French rugby have served up swift and appropriate justice.

Plenty of player movement. Two that catch the eye are Joe Simmonds going to Pau and Lloyd Williams going to Ealing Trailfinders. Exeter are certainly off-loading some big name talent to ensure they are in line with the new salary cap. With regard to Williams it begs the question how Ealing can afford to be recruiting the former Cardiff and Wales scrum half when their match day revenue seems so small. Sadly I remain convinced that when Mr Trailfinders is no longer on this mortal coil Ealing might find themselves in a bit of financial bother….. but what do I know!

Andy Farrell has named his pre-RWC training squad. It looks a mighty impressive squad too. Ireland will be one of the favourites, but in the stupidly tough half of the draw. For me France are firm favourites and the La Rochelle performance against Leinster reinforced that view.

Talking of the Champions Cup, what a brutal yet absorbing contest. I’ve see better, more open contests but for sheer brutality this was right up there. Robert Kitson in The Guradian makes it the game of the season. I watched it with my sports mad 9 year old grandson. His questions and comments made me realise how unattractive rugby can be to young sports fans. “Rugby is so complicated, football is much easier”, “why is there so much kicking”, “the clock seems to stop a lot of times”. There were some interesting insights into the presentation too e.g. “I like it when we can hear the ref, but why do the commentators keeping talking so much”. He is at soccer camp today and won’t be taking up rugby anytime soon.

Robert Kitson’s summary of the season is well worth a read.

President for Life sent me a link to the FT, who surprisingly have produced a very good insight into the poor state of the game. They do however point out that finally the RFU and the Premiership are banging their heads together in the hope of finally getting some joined up thinking and collaborative action. All too often their individual actions are contrary where they need to be jointly value adding. A ten team Premiership, a strong Championship and a more productive investment in the grassroots game are all high up there when it comes to objectives.

There is an excellent summary of CRFC senior awards on the website. Well worth having a look. Will Creasy was the top man and I for one am more than happy with that selection. Congratulations to all the award winners.

Don’t forget the Summer Ball is around the corner. Details are on the website and there are still a few tickets left so get in there while you can. Sadly I can’t make it. We have a long standing grandparenting commitment in Salisbury.

In other news the mighty Foxes are mighty no more. Their season lurched from one disaster to another and unlike Crowborough RFC they couldn’t turn things around. The Championship beckons.

The rail unions are on strike again. This has nothing to do with pay, this is an ideological struggle. This is about nationalisation. Those in the know will realise Network Rail is nationalised and that is a shambles, and when British Rail was in existence it was a disgrace. I have no problem with the argument that shareholders and management are being rewarded way too highly at the expensive of hardworking commuters. Where I have an issue is the unions demanding that ancient, outdated practices have to be maintained, and modern technology to drive efficiencies cannot be introduced. They are economic terrorists.

Tuesday 30th May: 09:45

I guess that’s what happens when you take a couple of weeks away in foreign climes, the rugby news comes thick and fast. No scraping the barrel today, plenty to talk about.

Let me start with Wasps. What a farce. You have a director, Dallaglio, who is currently under threat of bankruptcy saying the RFU have treated his old club unfairly by not throwing good money after bad. Then the club throw £1.5m in the direction of Worcester Warriors to secure a ground for next year before getting their own finances straight before a crucial RFU deadline. To cap the incompetence the promises made about finances could not be proven so they head to level 10 next season. You reap what you sow.

Following that we find London Irish are about to suffer a similar fate. The promised US investment has failed to materialise and they are about to be suspended from the Premiership. Irish have been propped up by the largesse of a benefactor, Mick Crossan, for sometime and now times are tough he has said that can’t go on. I have no sympathy with Irish as a club but have every sympathy with the staff who inevitably will be let go with nothing other than a sour taste in their mind.

What I find beggars belief is only this morning Saracens are quietly whinging about the salary cap and losing players. Without a salary cap the game would implode. The current business model is unsustainable.

Johnny Sexton has confirmed his departure from the domestic game and hopes for a final bow in the upcoming World Cup. That is in jeopardy if his alleged totally unacceptable rant at the match officials at half time during the Champions Cup final is proven. He could be given a lengthy ban.

I haven’t yet seen the Final but it sounds a cracker with Leinster racing into a healthy lead only to succumb to La Rochelle’s relentless second half pressure.

Likewise I didn’t see the Premiership shoot-out. From what I’ve read this too was a cracking contest with late Saracens tries securing victory. I also believe that Farrell won the battle of the 10s by some distance. Another to watch, time permitting.

Congratulations also to Munster who came good in the end. They beat the Stormers in Cape Town to secure the United Reform Church title. It hasn’t been a stellar season for the Irishmen but they hung in there when it mattered.

So, to finish the list of games I didn’t watch, I add the Barbarians v World XV. Loads of fun and games and a high try count. Exactly what the fans wanted. AWJ was praised by all, even Eddie Jones. The crowd booing Israel Folau was expected but to be fair he is entitled to his beliefs and opinions no matter how odious they might be.

Returning to the Premiership final what did those protesters think they were going to achieve other than the derision of the crowd. The stunt with the orange powder was exactly that, a pathetic stunt. I’m not sure what they hope to achieve. Britain has all but removed the use of coal from its energy production and more and more of our energy comes from renewables. What none of the protesters are saying is if we did what they wanted we would be at the mercy of foreign powers for our energy. Do we really want that?

Is Marcus Smith about to give up his England career and head to France. Rumours abound that Racing 92 are about to make an audacious bid for his services.

It’s good to be back. More guff tomorrow.

Tuesday 16th May: 08:10

A bit of a mare of a day yesterday. Woke up feeling rubbish so stayed in bed. When I did get up loads of personal admin to do hence no blog. Not that anybody would have noticed.

So it’s Sale v Saracens, Ford v Farrell on May 27th. The two best teams through the season make it to the final. Fair enough. Sale were very well organised and thanks to pragmatism and Ford’s control from #10 they overcame a dogged Leicester Tigers. I caught most of this on catch up yesterday. Some of it was brutal. Ben Curry’s injury looks bad, so much so it is likely to rule him out of World Cup contention.

Good piece in the Torygraph by Brian Moore about the Ford v Farrell showdown and how it proves England (Eddie Jones) wasted both their talents by playing them both in the same team.

The Torygraph also carries an interview with the CEOs of the four clubs that made it to the playoffs. It is brilliant two are women, and based on what they said clearly the best people for the job. All four were pragmatic about the challenges ahead, especially the salary cap, and the decline of the game at grassroots level.

What an absolute farce. It is Stormers v Munster in the URC final on May 27th and tickets only go on sale on Thursday. That’s not the worst of it. The game is being played in Cape Town, home of the Stormers. How many Munster fans are going to make that trip. A handful at best. This is another perfect example of why having the South African teams in the URC makes no sense at all. Why wasn’t the location of the final agreed in advance. Any of the three home nations could have hosted. Whilst it would have been painful for Stormers to travel all fans could have at least pre-booked in the hope of getting there, and Cork to say Edinburgh is much less of a problem than Cork to Cape Town. The game is run by morons.

Is this the final countdown for London Irish. The RFU have put in place a deadline of May 31st for Irish to prove they will be solvent and viable for the 23/24 season. In essence the much vaunted takeover by the septics has to be completed by that date. The RFU and Premiership are right to make the call as the last thing the game wants is for any team to pull out once the season has started. Mr Smug can hear those chickens coming home to roost even in Crowborough.

Two Englishmen look as if they could feature in RWC 23 for Italy. Paolo Odogwu and Dino Lamb have both been included in the Italian training squad.

It seems Dan Biggar has taken Toulon by storm. Not only is he playing brilliantly he is wowing the fans with his almost perfect French and his immersion into the French way of life. No, he is not burning tyres in Paris. Can he take Toulon to glory in the Challenge Cup? Many think so but don’t write Glasgow off. They are a good side and could spring a surprise. May 26th for that one.

CVC, remember them. This is the group that ploughed millions into the Premiership and the Six Nations. The money was intended for capital projects across the game. The WRU decided it would be a good idea to waste spend millions on a Principality Stadium roof walk. Well, that has now been kicked well and truly into touch. Instead the money will be diverted to the regions, where inevitably it will end up in players pockets.

Before moving on, if you haven’t seen or read the moving story of Kevin Sinfield and the Rob Burrows marathon last week, please do so. I defy you not to have tears in your eyes afterwards.

Down, down, deeper and down is Leicester City’s new team song. After defeat to a resurgent Liverpool last night relegation seems inevitable. Hey Ho! I’ll still follow the Foxes because that is what you do.

The IPL continues today. We love this tournament.

Did you know Mick Lynch of the RMT earns £120,000 and while his members are on strike losing pay he continues to pick up his wages with impunity. Will his behaviour change with a change of government? No! He will continue to hold the country to ransom. The man is an anarchist. Send him to North Korea.

I see immigration is headlining in many papers. It is a joke. People bitch about immigration long and loud but then turn around and object to every suggestion on how to reduce it. Justin Welby needs to get back in his box. The country is at breaking point with regard to health care and education as it is without tens of thousands more landing on our shores illegally.

Finally what about the bloke who has been on sick leave for 15 years, you couldn’t make this up, and has recently tried to sue the company, IBM, because they didn’t increase his salary during that time. Unsurprisingly the judge through the case out. I know the Fail is a shit newspaper but this story is well worth reading for the full barefaced cheek of the man.

I’m taking a break from the blog for a couple of weeks. Back, hopefully on May 30th, Yes it is a bank Holiday.

Sunday 14th May: 09:10

Good morning from what was a gloriously hot Bridgnorth yesterday and what is shaping up to be another nice day today. Not that I’ll get to enjoy it as the M’s beckon, as in 6, 42, 40, 25, 23. For those who were there on Friday Passy got a really good send off. It was great to see some of the old guard from Newton Aycliffe in attendance, and it was no surprise that Dylan was there. The old bugger has gone but won’t be forgotten.

Plenty to discuss this morning. Let me start with Chris Ashton. He isn’t playing today despite being cleared to play on Thursday night. A five hour deliberation seems rather excessive for a hearing but in the eyes of many the panel came to the right conclusion. It should have been a yellow not a red. Chris Foy in the Fail says the system is archaic. There are many aspects of the process that could be improved but overall I believe the system works whether you are Ashton or Billy Nomates from Abercwmboi 3rd XV. Where I often have an issue is not being allowed to bring things like referee’s assessments into play. It was good that Quins Caden Murley spoke up in Ashton’s defence. That doesn’t happen too often. Sale v Leicester this afternoon, on the radio sadly. I refer you back to my previous point m’lud: the M’s beckon.

As expected Saracens sailed past Northampton to reach the May 27th final. It was a pretty good game with Saints at least having a go with a couple of decent tries. Whilst Nick Tompkins was at fault when Alex Mitchell went over for his try I thought Tompkins was otherwise excellent. He has to be Wales starting centre in the World Cup. The big talking point came after just 39 seconds when Sean Maitland clattered into George Furbank. Should he have been shown a red card? In my opinion the answer is yes, his actions definitely ticked a lot of boxes in the negative column. He could still be cited and we’ll find that out later this week. What makes the debate even more fierce is Maitland went on to score two well taken tries.

It was no surprise the Stormers beat Connacht. What was a surprise was Munster beating Leinster. Sadly I haven’t been able to see any of this one, and I guess nor has anyone else as it is hidden away on Viaplay. Are Leinster running out of steam just when they need to be firing on all cylinders. Or, as I suspect, is the big prize next week and the Champions Cup. La Rochelle await them in that.

Rugby being hidden away on Viaplay and BT Sports (soon to be renamed TNT Sports) is an issue for the game. The Premiership and URC benefit from the TV money but the game suffers due to a lack of exposure. If the game is to return to growth, which is a huge challenge, then the game needs exposure. A good run for the home nations in the World Cup would be good.

I have stumbled across the fact that Sussex will go head to head with Essex next week after both have had back to back wins in pool 2 of the county championship. A tournament that is so poorly communicated, and so poorly attended it is not worth continuing with, in MY opinion.

Congratulations to Ealing Trailfinders who beat Jersey Reds in the Championship Cup. I only mention this as those at Ealing have again voiced their frustration that promotion is not available to them or Jersey because of the rigid rules imposed upon them. In some respects it is harsh but the clubs statements that they are well run is questionable. I am sure they are very well run but the question is where does the money come from. You can’t tell me that between 1000 and 3000 fans generate enough income to compete with the big boys in the Premiership. If London Irish are on the brink how could they survive.

My good friend Liberty has said he disagrees with my view that the league should be extended to 14 teams. He would like to see the season start later and be spread over a longer period. This would allow for bad weather, the management of small squads, and allow greater flexibility of managing games around, say the Six Nations. Now that I can agree with. He advises me that leagues could be reduced to 10 teams for the 24/25 season. I can’t see the logic in that. Clubs need games as they need revenue. Fewer league games means less revenue.

It is no surprise Joe Hawkins is leaving Wales for Exeter. It has come to light he was earning just £20k per season with neither Ospreys nor the WRU making any attempt to bolster that figure when he hit the big time.

Former Wales great Paul Thorburn has joined the many like me who are critical of the new eligibility rules. The are madness.

What can I say about the economic terrorists ASLEF and the RMT. Their strikes are nothing to do with pay, they are an ideological struggle against capitalism and the Tories with the single aim of renationalising the railways. That is all well and good, and I would have quite a bit of sympathy with renationalisation IF the unions were willing to change their Victorian working practices and accept that with change comes efficiency which inevitably means fewer jobs. We are not living in Stalinist Russia where people, unless they work in the civil service, are paid to do jack all.

Thursday 11th May: 08:40

If scraping the barrel was a sport I’d be right up there. Decent rugby stories are a bit thin on the ground right now. Much is being made of Joy Neville’s selection as part of the officiating team for RWC 2023. I don’t know why. She is an excellent referee and has proven herself to be a very accurate TMO, the role she’ll play in France. English referee’s are clearly the top dogs with Wayne Barnes, Luke Pearce, Matthew Carley, Karl Dickson all getting the whistle. Christophe Ridley gets a flag and Tom Foley a headset in the TMO truck.

I’d like to see Sara Cox, Hollie Davidson and Aimee Barrett-Theron get more exposure in the mens game. They are better than most by a decent margin. That said the guy who did our final at the StoneX was very good.

It’s awards time, May 20th for CRFC senior awards night, I won’t be there sadly. The beach beckons. Anyway, in the Premiership Ollie Lawrence picked up the big one: player of the season. Unsurprisingly Mark McCall was DoR of the year. Finn Smith was breakthrough player. Cadan Murley, ex Salisbury boy, and my granddaughter’s favourite, picked up the try scoring accolade.

Several of the papers seem obsessed with what Eddie Jones is doing in Australia. Causing a stir is what. The NRL is up in arms as he tries to poach players and coaches. There is much optimism Australia could surprise a few people and go all the way. Nah. They are in Wales group but with Wales bing rubbish at the moment Australia should top the pool, but that’ll be it.

What will they do next? Well, Josh Navidi is running a car sourcing business for those who want a very specific vehicle but don’t have the wherewithal to find it. He is also making a name for himself as a DJ. Stuart Hogg is heading in to punditry but he also owns a steak restaurant in Glasgow and is a director at Maiden Batch, a niche distillery in Scotland. Alun Wyn Jones is also looking at the drinks industry to secure his future. He is launching a coffee infused rum called Mimosa. Mimosa was the ship that 153 Welsh pioneers set off for Patagonia in in 1865. Johnny Sexton doesn’t seem to have any plans.

The Torygraph carries an interesting piece suggesting National League 1 was the best of the leagues this season. Cambridge took the spoils and move up into the Championship. They’ll now miss out on the fun & games of the pathetic new tackle law: find the base of the sternum. They only got promoted because they drew a game when Rams were losing. What is interesting however is how the club realises that promotion is great but long term sustainability is way more important. They won’t be splashing the cash and most certainly won’t be wasting money on mercenaries, like so many with ambition do.

The same paper carries a story about Sale’s plans for the future. One of their key drivers is taking full control of the AJ Bell stadium and reaping the benefits of match day hospitality, which they can’t do right now. More interesting is their assertion that being at the top of the game can only be sustained if the grassroots game is healthy, which generally it isn’t right now. Player numbers are are in free fall, clubs are going to the wall, and rugby in schools is almost non-existent. Sale are urging the top of the game, including the RFU, to wake up and smell the coffee: support the grassroots game better. I say “amen” to that.

DON’T FORGET its is the Judge’s funeral tomorrow. Passy will be laid to rest at Tunbridge Wells crematorium at 14:30 followed by a celebration of his life at the club. Please don’t wear black. This is a celebration of life.

That’ll do it for today except to say how can Americans be so stupid. Biden or Trump?? Homer Simpson would make a better President.

I read that a top civil service union leader has warned ministers not to treat mandarins like “lazy, woke, inefficient, remainer, activist, snowflakes”. I ask: why not, because that’s what most of them seem to be. As an alternative why not tell these highly paid, faceless wonders to get on with the job they are paid to do or bugger off!

While I’m at it can someone explain why we have people wringing their hands in disgust at the plans to stop illegal migrants coming to Britain but the minute there is a whiff of said migrants living near them they are up in arms. Legal migration is important. Protecting those genuinely in harms way is important. Kicking out those who are here illegally, and quite often with bad intentions, should be done instantly, as most other sensible countries do.

Wednesday 10th May: 08:25

Apparently there is a “try of the finals” competition following Saturday & Sunday’s Slice of Pizza Cups. If Zeb Kisbee’s try following that offload and pinpoint accurate cross field kick is not right up there then there is something wrong.

I spent my life working in sales & marketing. Can someone tell me why after the money Papa Johns spent on the tournament was there not a single slice of pizza anywhere to be seen at the StoneX, or why the branding of the tournament was so understated it was next to useless.

Despite our success, and the quality of rugby we played, and the extra revenue we earned, I still think this was a very poorly organised competition. Based on the number of clubs who didn’t enter, and then the number of games that resulted in HWO or AWO, so did many other others. I for one think that 14 team leagues would be better than a cup competition. Four more games per league season with the season spread into early May makes a more sense than having a cup which could result in your clubhouse being closed from the middle of March. My opinion!

Forget Coronation Street, the Worcester Warriors soap opera took another turn yesterday. The Warriors Supporters Trust have written urging the RFU to block the planned move by Wasps to play at Sixways. They fear with Worcester not being in the league pyramid it would adversely affect Worcester’s plans for a phoenix team, affect other local clubs, and worse Wasps becoming a Warriors franchise by default. The BBC sports website for this.

Gregor Townsend, despite earlier rumours of a move to France, has extended his contract with the SRFU until 2026. He has also named his training squad ahead of the RWC. No real surprises but plenty of comments about how “foreign” it is. Don’t blame Townsend he is only exploiting the pathetic eligibility rules World Rugby have agreed on. By the way Jesus was born in a stable. That doesn’t make him a donkey, so move on.

The big story is about former RFU blazer Alex Murphy being found guilty of appalling racism whilst at Twickenham for the England v Wales game in 2022. The RFU have kicked him out and removed all the gravy he became used to on the RFU gravy train. Whilst I am totally anti-woke and political correctness there is absolutely NO PLACE for racism in our game, or in society in general. Sadly it exists as people have forgotten what common decency and common sense is.

There must be a theory that states the more important you become the more you think you are above the law. I see it time and time again where people in positions of power think they are omnipotent when actually they become arrogant tossers.

The Torygraph (thanks Barry) carry an interesting article on the salary cap stating it is broken. Interestingly it is not about increasing it, or decreasing it, it is about the deals struck with the RFU about payments relating to England players, home grown talent and academy players. What were previously seen as incentives for clubs are now, according to the Torygraph, acting as disincentives. It is worth a read if you can access it. By the way this is the same Torygraph that wrote only yesterday that Rishi Sunak enhanced his standing following the recent local elections. Wow! I need some of whatever they are drinking!!!!!!!

Chris Ashton is in front of a panel, today I think, following his sending off on Saturday. Leicester intend to appeal otherwise Mr Ashton’s stellar career is over.

Owen Farrell is in the news talking about his dip in form with the boot. His kicking has gone awry of late, and according to Farrell he is overthinking things, unlike his tackle technique. Yeah, I know this is boring but when you are scraping the barrel for stories anything will do.

Lawrence Dallaglio is in the news too. He allegedly owes the tax man £700,000 and is under severe pressure to pay it off. If he doesn’t he’ll be declared bankrupt. What a sorry state of affairs. Mind you, you’ve got to be earning a shed load of cash to be owing that much surely?

Jaco Peyper will officiate the Champions Cup final and Wayne Barnes the Challenge Cup.

That is the bottom of the barrel so what else is in the news. People having their head up their backsides by saying the Met Police were heavy handed in dealing with those wanting to protest during the coronation. There was VERY credible evidence that there was plan to seriously disrupt the procession in a way that many think would have resulted in loss of life. The use of rape alarms to scare the horses into a stampede would have been catastrophic. You only have to read about the impact made when one police horse got spooked. The police were RIGHT and they must now stop London being brought to a halt by misguided, idealistic, middle-class hypocrites.

Tuesday 9th May: 09:15

The dust has settled on our season and we can look forward to the next with a degree of optimism. The season just passed was one of two halves as mentioned yesterday. Our turnaround was in some respects one of dreams, and to finish with silverware too makes it all the more remarkable.

I watched Sunday’s game in full yesterday courtesy of the RFU twitter feed. It was a shame some of the players were mixed up due to positional and shirt changes but overall it was a good presentation. The amazing level of support was commented on several times, as was the fact we are an extremely well run club. It wasn’t the highest quality of games overall but there were some glimpses of brilliance. Thanet’s first try was very well taken and their near length of the field attack was a thing of beauty. Ollie Clinch’s try was a wonderful “sleight of hand”. The highlight, without doubt, was Ollie’s back of hand offload to Kieron Martin, then Kieron’s pinpoint cross-field kick to Zeb Kisbee. It would grace any game, anywhere. If you haven’t watched it the game is on twitter and there is a video in the news section of this website.

Sadly for Horsham they missed out very narrowly at Twickenham. Old Northamptonians took the spoils in their game.

Looking ahead to next season we are staying in Counties 1 Kent. We have lost Old Alleynians, Folkestone and Aylesford Bulls. We have gained Dartfordians, Dover and Canterbury II. Plenty of long distance travel to contend with I’m afraid and don’t get me started on the fact Canterbury II are included in the league. You know my views on that.

The Premiership regular season finished on Saturday. Only two games of note Bath v Saracens and Bristol v Gloucester. The final Champions Cup place at stake. I’m sure plenty of Bristol fans will be crying “foul” as Bath racked up the required number of tries and points in beating Saracens Academy XV to secure that 8th spot in the league. They certainly came good at the end of the season.

The playoffs beckon. Saracens v Northampton on Saturday and Sale v Leicester on Sunday. Due to circumstances I doubt I’ll get to watch either game but I’ll stick my neck out and say on May 27th it’ll be Saracens v Sale at Twickenham. I won’t get to watch that either.

The URC playoffs happen this weekend too. Connacht v Stormers followed by Leinster v Munster. The first game is too close to call but Leinster will overcome injury ravaged Munster, and I expect they will go on to win the final too. Leinster do have the small matter of the Champions Cup final on May 20th to consider ahead of that though.

Montpellier are not messing about are they. The minute it was announced Henry Thomas was going to be included in the Welsh RWC training squad they cancelled his contract. Ruthless or what? I guess however that the inclusion of foreign players in their squad is to cover for the absences of those who’ll be included in the French squads. Luke Cowan-Dickie’s move, as predicted, is also off. Montpellier are unhappy with the slow progress Cowan-Dickie is making following his injury and very unhappy about his antics recently in Montpellier town centre. There is a possible lifeline for him however and that is Sale. They have expressed an interest but I’m sure that’ll be subject to a full medical. By the way Exeter said “no thanks”.

You couldn’t make up some of the stuff that surrounds rugby. Worcester Warriors and Wasps are in the news again. It turns out cash strapped Wasps have lent Worcester £1.5m to get the deal with the administrators over the line. The loan means Wasps will certainly now play at Sixways, OR WILL THEY? The money has to be paid back in 21 days. Watch this space. Where Worcester will start in the league structure is anyone’s guess.

Another Leicester Tigers coach leaves Welford Road to join Steve Borthwick’s England set-up. Tom Harrison joins as scrum coach. Aled Walters and Richard Wigglesworth are also on their way to England from the Tigers.

Bath have announced they will submit revised plans for the stadium upgrade this week after being give the all clear by the Supreme Court. Work will start next year.

Today’s rant is aimed at the Met Police. Do NOT apologise for your robust policing of the protesters on Coronation Day. They would have disrupted a wonderful occasion but more importantly some of the tactics they were planning, the use of rape alarms to scare horses, could have meant serious injuries, even the loss of life. As I say, do NOT apologise. In fact use the same robust tactics to stop the idle, handwringing Stop Oil muppets from disrupting the lives of hardworking tax payers.

Monday 8th May: 09:35

It is now official, Crowborough RFC 1st XV’s turnaround is complete. At the beginning of the season we couldn’t buy a win, not only that we were playing some pretty awful rugby. I know there were contributing factors such as player availability but we were looking doomed. Yes, doomed to relegation! So much so that The Bard and I had already planned away lunches at pubs on the way to Haywards Heath, Pulborough et al.

Then things started to change. It was a dramatic turnaround of fortunes that started with the narrowest of defeats at Heathfield & Waldron. All of a sudden players were available, passes were sticking, 50/50 decisions were going our way. We beat Charlton Park, we came home from Thanet with what I consider the pivotal win, then four outstanding bonus point home wins on the trot and we are in 9th and safe from the drop. Absolutely brilliant.

The team management and coaches went for it after that. As hundreds of clubs decided not to enter the Slice of Pizza cup we said “why not, what have we got to lose, and plenty to gain”. A bye in the first round then a tricky away trip to Reading Abbey. The boys dispatched them with a degree of ease. Next up Mavericks and another solid win. It must be said the scoreline did not do justice to the closeness of the contest. Then came the trickiest of matches against a really good Falmouth side. This was a cracker which we eventually came through 32-29. We were in a final, and a final against our old adversary Thanet Wanderers.

So to yesterday. I’ll let my good friend The Bard give you the blow by blow account, I’ll focus on the occasion. What an occasion it was too, not without a major issue which I’ll get to in a moment. The organisation was excellent, well done Sharon and Nigel. The pre-departure bacon rolls were pretty special too. Nearly 200 supporters bubbling with excitement waiting to board the coaches to the ground. The team were given a rousing send off by the massed ranks, most in the red and white hoops of ‘Borough.

Much talk about having beaten Thanet twice during the season which I for one wanted to kill off straight away. Fate and all that. At the ground the vociferous red & white army took over. Everywhere you looked there were Crowborough shirts worn by young and old. Sadly however everywhere the team management looked there weren’t any red & white shirts. They were sitting proudly on a bench in the clubhouse. Our wonderful club manager Louise, now Saint Louise, answered the call and with just ten minutes to spare got the shirts to the StoneX.

It was time for kick off. Having evicted anyone not supporting Crowborough from position 1A on the halfway line row after row of ‘Borough faithful created a noise verging on deafening. Various chants went up and the boys on the field knew they were not alone. The atmosphere was fantastic, and despite the early Thanet Wanderers try, deep down I couldn’t see with this level of support how we could lose. Slowly but surely we took hold of the game. Thanet played some excellent adventurous rugby but our defence held firm. We ground them down in the forwards and were wining the 50/50 balls in the contact areas. Every bit of ground gained was cheered to the rafters. We were aided by Thanet’s ill-discipline. The referee, who was excellent, had no option but to yellow card them for persistent infringement. We turned around at half time just in the lead.

I think it is fair to say we had more control in the second half, even with the amazing Will Creasy on the naughty step for ten minutes, we maintained the pressure. The forwards battered away in the ruck, took good ball at the lineout and made ground in the scrum. Despite Thanet’s outstanding defence something had to give. We scored a try, then a couple of sweetly struck Ollie Clinch penalties and it was all over. The final whistle went and the place erupted. Crowborough, Papa Johns Counties 1 South Shield WINNERS. Absolutely amazing.

The player of the match were the people in the stand. Just brilliant. I am not going to single out any players because everyone of them played their part with skill and commitment and importantly, loyalty. Loyalty to each other and to the club epitomised by everyone one of them coming over and applauding the travelling the support.

I am sure, and very deservedly, copious amounts of beer was consumed on the journey home and back at the club. Before signing off a couple of special mentions. Sharon & Nigel I mentioned. Louise was a star. Jacqui as always played her role with bacon rolls but also sacrificing her chance to go to the game to honour a commitment to our Under 12s and a couple looking to hire the club in the future. Obviously the Exec deserve a mention but my last VERY special mention goes to Graysey, Ian Geering, Mike “Bones” Churchyard and the coaches, Jody Levett, Stuart Thresher and Stuart Dawson. Where we would be without them? I have no idea! Their commitment needs to be applauded, in fact cheered long and loud well into next season. What a day in the history of CRFC.

Saturday 6th May: 10:20

Tomorrow.

If you are travelling by coach the club is open from 09:15 with coaches leaving at 10:30.

There will be a stop at Thurrock services en route.

We expect to be at the Stone-X between 13:30 and 14:00

Kick off at 15:00

The King is in his coach. Must go.

Thursday 4th May: 09:10

Before you ask, I don’t have the final arrangements for Sunday yet. The tournament organisers have sent guidelines and these are still be looked in terms of coach arrival times etc. As soon as I know something I’ll put it on this here blog. Keep checking back for updates. What is definite is we kick off at 15:00. Thanet Wanderers will be as fired up about this as we are. It should be good.

It is the final weekend of the Premiership before the play-offs start. With the play-off positions decided and no relegation this is pretty much a damp squib of a weekend. A couple of European places to be decided and that means a revenue opportunity for next season but that is about it. Bristol v Gloucester is the pick of the weekend. Bath v Saracens will be interesting. Even if Sarries rest players ahead of the play-off this will be a test to see how far Bath have progressed in the last weeks of the regular season.

The Torygraph carries a decent piece about the lack of relegation from the Premiership claiming it is an ailing league. I don’t have a problem with the ring-fencing. I think the quality of rugby I have watched from the Premiership has been better than previous seasons. More open, flowing rugby, with higher scoring games. I really can’t see any of the clubs in Championship, even big spending Jersey or Ealing, being able to compete.

The URC enter the play-offs. The all South African tie jumps out: Stormers v Bulls, as does Glasgow v Munster. The tie of the weekend is tomorrow evening when Ulster host Connacht. That will be worth watching. That is if it is on anything other than Viaplay.

Plenty of Super Rugby over the weekend too. SKY has that.

The takeover of Worcester Warriors by the Atlas group has now been completed. Where the Warriors will start next season is unknown, if they start at all. The RFU are adamant they will not be able to buy their way up the leagues. It is stated in the press that Wasps, if they have a team of any description, will start in the Championship and are more than likely to play at Sixways. Watch this space.

Courtney Lawes being interviewed in the Torygraph has said the games “needs people who know how to run a proper business”. Absolutely correct and with the players and staff at London Irish still not paid that cannot come soon enough. Some papers are suggesting the London Irish v Exeter game might be called off at the last minute due to the unpaid wages. If the salaries aren’t being paid you can rest assured other costs are not being covered. It is a shambles.

For you Welsh readers plenty of people are questioning Warren Gatland’s selections, or more accurately his omissions. More than one pundit is asking why Thomas Youngs, Cardiff’s standout player of the season is not included. Good question. Then you have Cai Evans, son of Ieuan, the current Chair of WRU, being selected. Evans junior has been plying his trade in the (pathetic) Welsh Premiership yet has had the call.

Scotland’s Johnny Gray joins the list of players whose presence at the World Cup is in doubt due to injury. Shame as he has been in fine form for Exeter and Scotland of late.

The coronatio