Not long to go before Steve Borthwick shows his hand. There is much speculation in the papers that this will be a very strong side with Owen Farrell at 10 and Van Portfleit at 9. Billy Vunipola is expected to get game time from the bench. The Torygraph is predicting a back three of Arundell, Daly and Watson. Maro Itoje and Jamie George are pretty certain to start as is Ollie Lawrence in the centre, probably alongside Manu Tuilagi. I guess Tom Curry and Courtney Lawes will also start. If I was an England supporter what would be troubling me is the side is likely to look very much like the side that failed so dismally in the Six Nations. Borthwick will be desperate for a win and a big win at that, especially as the Welsh team is more experimental than I had anticipated. Anything less from England will send shudders through the corridors of the RFU and be awful for the game in England as a whole.

As predicted Dewi Lake will lead the Welsh from hooker with the experienced Thomas Francis on one side and Gareth Thomas on the other. Debutant Joe Roberts will start in the centre which is a bold call, and definitely his audition ahead of the squad being culled from 48 to 33. Newbie Tom Rogers will also be one who the selectors will have a close eye on, especially as Alex Cuthbert has been noticeable by his absence. I like the look of the Welsh back row with Tommy Reffell and Taine Plumtree packing down alongside the veteran, but still in fine form, Dan Lydiate. The bench is a mixture of experience and youth. It would be good to see Kemsley Mathias and Keiran Williams get some game time.

The win last weekend will have given the Welsh squad a boost and confidence will be high. There is much to play for with the final squad still to be announced but in many respects this is a no lose contest for Wales. Beat England and “wow”, the hacks will be talking about a repeat of 2011 and 2019 when Wales got to the semi-finals narrowly missing out on the final itself. Lose and most will say this was an experimental Welsh side against an almost full strength England, and of course Wales haven’t been very good for some time.

Eddie Jones is expected to announce his squad very soon. The big story, as already trailed by most papers, will be the exclusion of Michael Hooper. Plagued by a calf injury and previously a long way from his best forcing him to take a sabbatical means for me it comes as no surprise. Tate McDermott is almost certainly going to be captain with James Slipper his back up man.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the late game on Saturday: France v Scotland. I am yet to see any team selections but I am anticipating France will field a significantly stronger side than last week. Gregor Townsend has a dilemma therefore. Does he field a strong side with the fear of a morale busting heavy defeat in his mind, or does he throw inexperience into the mix giving fringe players an opportunity to experience the cauldron of international rugby in France, against France. We’ll know soon enough.

The WRU in their bid to fill their coffers have, despite consternation from the regions and the fans, agreed a Wales v Barbarians fixture immediately after the World Cup final. The game is set for November 4th and will possibly be a farewell performance on the international stage for Dan Biggar, Leigh Halfpenny, and possibly Dan Lydiate, plus a fond farewell to Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb and of course Alun Wyn Jones. Put the sentimentality to one side, this is about money, and money alone.

Closer to home walking rugby is tonight at 6pm and “hoorah” Jacqui’s Thursday night curries are back. Just £6 for a delicious curry will all the bits.

The Premier League kicks off tomorrow, without the Mighty Foxes sadly. However, played two won two is not a bad start for Leicester City. England Women play Columbia on Saturday morning. If you like the cricket then The Hundred continues apace. Birmingham Phoenix versus Welsh Fire today from Edgbaston. I’ll be looking out for my lad and grandson who are having a boys day out at this one.

In other news the financial incompetence of the SNP is all over the papers. The profligate spending is outrageous, some of it is scandalous and some of it is downright criminal. In Wee Jimmie Sturgeon’s case power did corrupt, and her absolute power corrupted absolutely!!

Yesterday I wrote about the immigration crisis and the barge. I deleted before publication. Based on my experience in Bridgnorth yesterday I am going to comment. Bridgnorth is definitely middle England, middle class, yet there on a patch of grass between M&S Foodhall and the Coop are tents with people sleeping rough. These are not migrants, these are born and bred Brits who for one reason or another have fallen on hard times. They are getting zero support from local or national government and at the moment have no chance of getting a roof over their head or three square meals a day. It therefore is outrageous that migrants, many of them here illegally, are refusing to be housed on the barge where they have access to food and all the amenities of modern life. The minister is right, if you don’t like it then please do go back to France, and take that moron Diane Abbot with you.

Wednesday 9th Aug: 08:45

Even after the turgid rubbish of last weekend England v Wales this coming Saturday is still eagerly awaited. Warren Gatland is naming his side today and you can expect a raft of changes. The side is likely to include some new faces but will definitely be packed with the old guard. A different captain will lead them out with Dewi Lake, Adam Beard and, heaven help us, Dan Biggar all in the frame. Steve Borthwick is unlikely to announce his side until tomorrow but you can bet your last 5 cents that this will be a much different, very much stronger side than the one who travelled to Cardiff. One interesting team selection might be Johnny Hill who hasn’t been picked in the 33 man World Cup squad. Seems a bit bizarre to me, and we’ll know if that rumour is true tomorrow from about 11am.

The papers are still concerned about Borthwick’s selection and clarity about team structure. Matt Dawson in the Daily Fail asked “where are England’s world class players”. Robert Kitson makes the same comparison I did in that he feels this squad is still too close to the failed squads of the Eddie Jones era. Several pundits question Billy Vunipola’s inclusion with him not yet having proven his fitness. Fascinatingly, again in the Fail, three well respected players were asked to pick their 10-12-13 combination and each one is different. That will be one of Bortwick’s headaches and a conundrum that Jones spectacularly failed to solve.

I can see Wales bubble being burst with defeat but hope of an England revival to the heady days of 2003 still being a long way off. We’ll know by the time I open my second bottle of Malbec on Saturday evening.

I have ranted about the new tackle height enough for you to know lowering it is the RIGHT thing to do, but what they have done is unworkable, in my opinion. I have also ranted about the bullshit that goes with the process. I am also horrified by the hypocrisy in the game when head injuries are feared to be the death of the game yet we see pathetic sanctions being applied. Zander Fagerson has been given a three week ban, reduced to two if he attends tackle school. Let me tell you, Fagerson has already been to tackle school, and sadly like education in parts of Scotland, learnt two fifths of bugger all. This is his second appearance before a panel so in my mind this sentence sends totally the wrong message about World Rugby’s attitude to head injuries. He came from distance, with force, and made contact with an opponents head. Tripping someone up can result in a two week ban. This is madness and has to be sorted out.

South Africa have named their World Cup squad, absent are Handre Pollard, Loads of Lager, and Lukhanyo Am, all through injury. Am in particular is a big blow. He has been the Boks best strike runner, if not one of the best midfield playmakers in the world. As expected it is a physically enormous squad which could do well if they move away from their brutal power game and utilise the unquestionable talent out wide where there is pace and skill a plenty. Grumpy bo!!oc4s Willie LeRoux is included despite his form being on the wane of late, as is Siya Kolisi despite his ongoing injury concerns.

A piece on BBC Sport caught my eye and raises the question about the Premiership’s contribution to the England cause. Eleven, yes that is a third, of Argentina’s squad heading to France ply their trade in the Premiership. You now add in the others from the other nations, taking the excellent Nick Tompkins who is likely to start for Wales on Saturday as an example, and you can see the scale of the problem. That is if it is a problem. Like football, the clubs will argue we want the best players from around the world to drive bums on seats. Me, I think England’s ability to compete is negatively affected when you see so many key positions filled by top flight overseas stars.

Fiji have named their squad which includes 18 who play for Fijian Drua in Super Rugby. This is bolstered by European based players of top quality such as the amazing Semi Radradra. (See previous paragraph!!). Fiji will be a force to reckon with and with Wales facing them first Wales World Cup could be over in game one. That’s Welsh pessimism for you!

In other sport England Women scraped through against a dogged Nigeria. Lauren James has apologised for her moment of stupidity. By the way how fickle are the media. England beat China and all of a sudden the cup is theirs. They struggle against Nigeria and they are useless.

Tuesday 8th Aug: 09:15

No barrel scraping this morning so lets get straight into it. Twickenham is where we start and Steve Borthwick’s squad. There are two headlines in most papers; 1. The inclusion of Billy Vunipola, 2. The omission of Henry Slade. It was painfully obvious that the minute Borthwick decided to take three outside halves then something else had to give. Flexibility had to be the answer and if you look at those included all can play in a range of positions and have done so at the very top of the game. Sadly for Slade, whilst the 56 cap man from Exeter is a fantastic centre that is predominantly what he is. His omission therefore makes some sense. The inclusion of Billy Vunipola on the other hand is a high risk selection. He has only just recovered from serious injury and is injury prone. Also he is the only specialist No.8 which in itself is far from a problem. However I would have included Alex Dombrandt. He is dynamic, and in my opinion, more skilful around the park. He offers more than just being a heavyweight ball carrying bison. Theo Dan has been included which is a surprise as I would have gone with Blamires. That said the lineout throwing on Saturday was shambolic. Sir Clive Knowitall states in the Daily Fail this squad is “underwhelming”. I can see his point. If I was an England supporter my concern would be this looks very much like Eddie Jones squad which failed so dismally over many seasons. We’ll know more after next Saturday’s game but more on this tomorrow and Thursday.

The All Blacks also named their squad yesterday, as did Argentina. Joe Moody was the biggest name to miss out when Ian Foster made the announcement. It is a strong looking squad and comparing it to England on a man for man basis for example you have to say New Zealand will be very much in with a chance of World Cup glory. Michael Cheika has thrown a curve ball by only selecting five props allowing him to include an extra back, rookie Martin Bogado. The big story coming out of Buenos Aires is the absence of Santiago Cordero. This I find strange but Cheika has a good track record when it comes to selection.

The news that Johnny Sexton will play in a behind doors game against Portugal has caused consternation even amongst the one-eyed Irish. Owen Doyle of the Irish Times has stated Sexton only has himself to blame, and Ruck-News gives its verdict: “before ban ends - Ireland create sneaky way for Sexton return this week”. It is very fishy indeed, especially as the punishment was unduly lenient in the first place.

More on Wales tomorrow but for now Warren Gatland has been dealt a blow with Ryan Elias and Dafydd Jenkins both receiving treatment for injuries sustained on Saturday. (Yesterday I said it was Ben Carter - no, it was Jenkins). On top of that Gareth Anscombe and Johnny Williams are ruled out of next Saturday’s game with “niggling” injuries.

Australia nearly pulled off a shock on the weekend losing at the death to the All Blacks in Dunedin. For the fist half they looked like world beaters and nothing like the shambles of previous weeks. The slickness of pass, the decision making, the go-forward, and the support play were all excellent. This was very much an experimental Australian side who did themselves a power of good. That said the opposition was very much a second string side who only got back into the game when Foster went to the bench and brought on the artillery. By contrast to Wales v England which was turgid for long periods this was a good game to watch with plenty of handling skills to admire.

Over in Buenos Aires Argentina weren’t able to repeat the feat of the previous week losing to a South Africa B side. For long periods Argentina played well but ultimately the power of the Springboks paid off scoring 21 points in the second half after training 10-3 at the half. Argentina will be no pushover come September 9th, and whilst I still think South Africa are vulnerable you write them off at your peril.

There was one other big contest on Saturday and that was CRFC hosting Old Reigatians walking rugby team. Nine of them joined the thirteen Crowborough stalwarts for a cracking morning of fun. Some of the skills on show would have lit up the Principality without question. Despite the awful conditions the boys stuck at it, initially playing as mixed up squads, 7 minutes each way, before a CRFC v Old Reigatians climax. Straight to the changing rooms for a hot shower and then the bar for few bars, a lovely meal (thank you Jacqui and Louise) and some great banter. It was rugby as rugby should be.

So much in the news to get the blood boiling with the Stop Oil morons threatening mayhem, asylum seekers who have crossed the channel saying they can’t go on the barge because they’re afraid of the water - do me a favour!!!!! - and of course those who moan about climate change protesting about the building of wind and solar farms. The world truly is going mad.

Monday 7th Aug: 09:00

Yes, I’m starting at the Principality Stadium, not to gloat, but because most of the few readers I have will be either English or Welsh. Let me be quite frank, this was a game of poor quality, and if this is how both sides intend to play in France in a few weeks time then neither side will get very far. The ball was in the air way to often and the ball speed from ruck & maul was so slow, paint dries quicker. On top of that the set piece was a mess and the ability to break the defensive line virtually non existent.

I wondered what Steve Borthwick had been doing with his squad for all those weeks. There was no obvious game plan, and some of the players, particularly in the second half, looked unfit. On more than one occasion, I with others, felt many were playing their way off the plane and not onto it. Yes, there were a couple of debutants and many of the “big” players were missing but nevertheless this was a very poor showing by England. You only have to trawl through the papers, as I have done, to realise that isn’t just the verdict of a one-eyed Welshman, that is pretty much the consensus across the board.

It wasn’t all bad. Freddie Steward again showed he his a world class full back and Joe Marchant is definitely worth a place in the final squad, which will be revealed today.

Wales on the other hand can take quite a few positives out of the contest, noting this was also very much an experimental side. The result would have lifted the gloom for certain. Jac Morgan led from the front, but against more streetwise sides might find himself wanting. Sam Costelow at ten looked shaky under the high ball but otherwise did his cause no harm. Aaron Wainwright was back to his imperious best. The lineout worked well and despite the debutants in the front row not setting the world alight the scrum held up ok. When you take into account Wales had a try chalked off but scoring two others, with England failing to cross the whitewash, the Welsh defence looked pretty good. Wales much talked about lack of strength in depth was challenged when Mason Grady come on and was a handful, with Taine Plumtree also making an instant impact.

It wasn’t all good news with Ryan Elias, Ben Carter and Plumtree all leaving the field with injuries. That will be a concern for Warren Gatland. Elias is the biggest concern with limited resources waiting in the wings. However Elliot Dee did ok and Dewi Lake has been pulling up trees in training.

One area that most definitely paid dividends and was noted as a difference between the sides was the fitness levels. Wales extraordinarily vicious boot camps clearly have paid off. Without doubt next week’s test will be very different with Borthwick rolling out the artillery.

Much euphoria up in Murrayfield as the Scots beat the French. Without wanting to pour water on the optimism this was very much a second/third string French outfit most of whom will be nowhere near the tournament when it kicks off on September 8th. To be fair there is much to be positive about. Scotland’s unpredictable style is good to watch and delivering rewards. They don’t fade away at the back end of games, in fact their “fight to the end” attitude is becoming something others should note. In Darcy Graham they have a game changer. Gregor Townsend will be concerned about discipline. Fagerson’s red card was unnecessary and a lengthy ban could follow. Scotland are not exactly blessed with front row. His other concern will be injury. Ben White limping off will cause some worry. Can Scotland get out of the group. I believe they can beat South Africa so the answer is yes. They will need to play with that joie de vivre evident against Italy and France to do so.

One of their opponents will be Ireland who in my opinion stuttered against Italy. Yes they won, and yes you could argue it was convincing. However, it wasn’t as convincing as maybe it should have been. BBC described it as “solid” and I agree with that. No-one did themselves any harm but no-one set the place alight. Andy Farrell will be satisfied but will certainly be concerned with the injury picked up by Jack Conan.

On a frustrating note Ireland have been given dispensation to play Portugal behind closed doors thus allowing Johnny Sexton to have at least one run out before the tournament. This in my humble opinion is wrong. This is a “meaningful” game and as such Sexton should be banned. That said under the letter of the law he would then be available for Ireland’s last warm-up fixture. Neither is a satisfactory outcome.

I will give you my views on the two Southern Hemisphere games tomorrow as I am keen to watch the England women v Nigeria, which as I type is all Nigeria.

Thursday 3rd Aug: 08:00

The countdown well and truly begins. The England team for Saturday hasn’t been announced yet but several papers are confidently predicting Marcus Smith will start alongside club teammate Danny Care. Smith’s start is mainly due to the absence of Owen Farrell, and despite what Wigglesworth said this week, this is a trial match for Care. Ellis Genge is the most likely choice as captain. You’ll know later this morning.

Talking of captain it will come as no surprise to many that Jac Morgan, at the tender age of 23, has been chosen to lead Wales out on Saturday afternoon. There is a mix of experience and inexperience in the side. Leigh Halfpenny will win his 100th cap. Whilst he has lost some of his pace he still is worth a place at 15. Max Llewellyn has been given his chance in the centre alongside George North. An interesting front row of Corey Domachowski, Ryan Elias and Keiron Assaratti are likely to have their hands full against what is certain to be a beast of an English front row. Look out for Taine Plumtree who is certain to make his debut off the bench. I am looking forward to the battle of the half backs where Gareth Davies and Sam Costelow will take on the English gentlemen mentioned earlier.

One other point of note is Morgan’s captaincy is for this match only. Warren Gatland has made it clear there will be two further auditions for the role in the games ahead. I for one hope Dan Biggar isn’t one of them.

Scotland have given the captaincy for the contest with France to Finn Russell. A bold move. I personally would always have in my side, but captain, not sure. Gregor Townsend has recalled most of his big guns rested for the match last weekend. In fact only two players have been retained in the starting lineup; the excellent Darcy Graham and Matt Fagerson. Having had a quick look (BBC Sport), this side will be very close to the side that runs out in the first match come September.

No news on Ireland or France so you’ll need to do a bit of research for yourselves. Watch out for who is given the coveted no.10 jersey in the absence of Johnny Sexton. By the way Ireland break new ground with names on the back of shirts.

The very tetchy Eddie Jones has totally revamped his side. Tate McDermott has been given the captaincy in the absence of Alaan Alaalatoa, and Carter Gordon has retained his place despite a sketchy performance last week. It was questions about Gordon that clearly riled Jones, but Jones is easily riled because he thinks he knows it all. Jones, despite the press opinion, is right to stick with Gordon, right to totally revamp his side. The Bledisloe Cup and the Rugby Championship are gone, this is now about preparing for the World Cup and the challenges of Fiji, Wales and Georgia.

Ian Foster has also shuffled the cards and come up with a very new side. His selection is definitely with more than half an eye on France in September. Not a Barrett anywhere to be seen. There is still bags of experience in the side, Retallick, Whitelock and Cane for example, but plenty of bit part players auditioning for the leading role. Interestingly there is much criticism of Foster’s selection with several pundits saying now isn’t the time to experiment. I say now is the perfect time.

So, it all starts in the early hours of Saturday morning and runs right through to the early hours of Sunday. Go easy on the alcohol, heavy on the coffee, and you’ll get through it. Me, the trusty SKY box will be put to good use. As I am off to Bridgnorth early on Sunday morning, analysis of the games won’t be until Monday August 7th.

It’s my dear old mum’s 91st birthday on the 6th which coincides with the anniversary of the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. With Putin’s finger poised over the red button I ask: have we not learnt anything from history.

In other sport the Women’s World Cup continues. Some of it has been very enjoyable indeed. The last of the group games are this morning with much riding on them.

Finally spare a thought for those who decided to swerve the long queues at Dover, the airport chaos, the searing heat of Europe and decided to have a staycation here in the beautiful United Kingdom. People like Mrs Bleater who is currently camping on the Isle of Wight with the daughters and grandchildren. Drowned rats spring to mind!!!

Wednesday 2nd Aug: 08:30

The build up to RWC 2023 is well and truly underway. The training camps have been ongoing for sometime and the warm-up games are underway. England received a boost this week with both Billy Vunipola and Ollie Chessum reporting for duty. If there wasn’t enough beef in the squad as it is!! Richard Wigglesworth, attack coach, has made it abundantly clear that the fixture against Wales on Saturday is not a trial game, it is a full on test match. If that is the case we should get our first proper glimpse of what Steve Borthwick is laying down as a game plan and how that will differ from the Jones era. Being the cynical old goat that I am I’m not convinced we’ll see much difference.

In the same way I am pretty certain Wales will revert to the boring tactic of “Warren ball” meaning the ball will spend as much time in the air as it will in the hands. Wales are now a young squad and it is time for the boys to become men. Going into the 2011 World Cup Wales were in a similar position yet made it to the semi-finals. Get past Fiji, which is going to be one heck of a task, anything is possible. I am hoping for team announcements today.

The game will be shown on Amazon Prime. I am lucky enough to have access, thank you Sarah. If you don’t I believe you can get a free months trial. You do need to remember to cancel however.

Robert Kitson in The Guardian gives us his thoughts on the main runners and riders. It’s well worth a read, as is anything by Kitson. Interestingly Ireland, who are still no.1 in the rankings have gone under the radar. Johnny Sexton unable to play is the only story but otherwise it’s all quiet on the western front. They host Italy on Saturday evening so they will have to show their hand then. Their side of the draw is a nightmare with two of Ireland, France, South Africa and New Zealand certainly not going to progress. If Scotland spring a surprise or two then it could be three of the leading four out. FYI this is why I think Wales from the easier half could make it to the semis.

As stated yesterday loads of rugby this coming weekend. I picked out Argentina v South Africa as my “one to watch”. Well, it seems Jacques Nienaber, is definitely looking at the bigger picture and RWC 2023. He has completely shuffled the deck and dealt a fascinating hand. His is very much a development squad with a few old heads thrown in for luck. The team will be led by Bongi Mbonambi, who by the way is proving to be a truly world class hooker. You’ll need to go onto the interweb thingy to see the full selection.

Going back to the RWC warm-ups much is being made of the expected attendance at Twickenham for the England v Wales match, 70,000, versus the much lower attendance for the Fiji game. This is a shame as Fiji are one of the dark horses in the tournament. They have benefitted from their inclusion in Super Rugby and are a serious threat in Wales group. By the way there is a spare ticket for the England v Wales game available on August 12th via my mate PK. £105 is the face value but PK might take offers. Contact me at bleater@crowboroughrugby.com if you are interested.

If you didn’t know RWC 2023 will be brought to you exclusively by ITV, and radio exclusively by BBC.

Going off at a tangent several media sites carry the story of Stuart Hogg’s surprising retirement. It makes interesting reading as it highlights his battles with the aches and pains of the matches, and more recently his inability to compete with the fastest and strongest in any given squad. WalesOnline definitely have it and yes it is worth five minutes of your time.

Elsewhere the demolition of the Chinese wall by the Lionesses yesterday was something to behold. If that form can replicated over the coming weeks who knows what could happen.

The Hundred kicked off yesterday. I know cricket purists say it is just another short format of the game but I for one like it, and I particularly like how they play the women and the men back to back.

In other news I am troubled by the escalating events between Russia and Ukraine. The drone attacks on Moscow could be the catalyst for that psychopath Putin to press the nuclear button. We all might as well pack up and kiss goodbye to our backsides if that were to happen.

I am becoming increasingly frustrated that despite the news telling us that how covid was handled has put the country and our young ones in a very bad place indeed, the doom-mongers are still trying to push what has become a heavy cold as a nightmare virus. Get on with it, as we should have done in the first place!!!!!!

Tuesday 1st Aug: 09:05

If you like rugby then generally you like sport. With this premise in mind I am going to start at the Oval and the last day of the 5th Ashes test. England pulled it off. They drew the series, and I am pretty certain if the rain in Manchester hadn’t put pay to the 4th test they would have regained the Ashes. The story however is about Stuart Broad. He announces is retirement during the game. Fair enough, that is his prerogative. What I don’t think anyone in their wildest dreams would have envisaged was him hitting a six off his last stint with the bat and taking the final wicket to seal the victory. Fairy tale stuff, which is why sport is so engrossing.

The fall out from Saturday continues. Some are trying to defend the indefensible, that is the Aussies capitulation. Others are trying to say the South African performance was just a blip and “it’ll be alright on the night”. I can castigate Eddie Jones as much as I like but to be fair he has been dealt a pretty poor hand to work with. You only need to look at the NRL, AFL, cricket and football, especially after the women put Canada in their place yesterday to realise rugby union has significant work to do to capture hearts and minds of the Aussie public. More importantly the future players. I don’t think South Africa’s performance was a blip. If you cast your mind back to summer ‘22 Wales should have won the first test, did win the second test, losing the final test with a very much weakened team. The All Blacks tore them apart just recently. I think the Boks are ageing and I think their game plan has become predictable. Much needs to be done me thinks.

It is wall to wall rugby this weekend with Crowborough walking rugby hosting Old Reigatians on Saturday morning. Most who read this guff will be focussing on Wales v England in the first of the warm-up clashes. A big crowd is expected at the Principality. By the way 70,000 are expected at Twickenham the following week. The teams haven’t been announced but many supporters will be looking on with trepidation. Key players getting injured is the biggest concern and with Wales squad already affected by withdrawals it is a genuine concern.

Set your SKY boxes to record the New Zealand v Australia game, it kicks of at 03:35. Scotland v France will be interesting, as will Ireland v Italy. The game I really want watch is the late kick off, 23:10, when Argentina host South Africa. More on this as the week develops.

The Ospreys are being kicked out of the Swansea City stadium on three occasions next season due to fixture clashes with the Swans. It is probable that two of the games will be played in Wales, but one could be played at The Stoop. What! Yes the Scarlets are seriously looking at the option of playing the South African franchise, the Sharks, in London. It makes sense with a sizeable South African expat community living not too far from The Stoop it could be a real money spinner.

Talking of surprises, don’t be surprised if Taine Plumtree makes his Welsh debut in the coming weeks. Who? His is a Welsh born upcoming star of Super Rugby in New Zealand. He has signed a contract with the Scarlets for next season and therefore is immediately eligible. Reports from camp suggest he is tearing up the ground and impressing even the most jaundice of hacks.

The outgoing President of the RFU, Nigel Gillingham, has said the game is in good hands and going in the right direction. This is contrary to what Jeff Blackett had to say just some weeks ago. I tend to agree with Jeff on the basis that grassroots rugby is in a dire state; the RFU seems obsessed with political correctness, and the state of their finances. The latter is important but cuts are being made in the wrong areas allowing unfettered spending elsewhere. Gillingham was at the tackle consultation I attended. A really nice bloke but he was towing the party line and not willing to take on board any of the sensible suggestions made about the tackle height, nor was he willing to give an opinion on any of the other hot topics.

That’ll do as far as rugby is concerned. In other sport the Aussie ladies rescued the tournament yesterday. Both host countries going out so early would have been a disaster. England kick off at 12:00. I’ll be downing tools then to watch for sure. The World Netball continues from South Africa if you are interested. No! Ok I’ll move on.

In other news, at last the judges have done the right thing. They have refused permission for the two Stop Oil morons who brought the Dartford Crossing to a standstill to appeal their five year prison sentence. Quite right too.

Here we go again. BP announces £2bn profits as the cost of living challenges continue. It seems wrong. Actually it is wrong. That said I went out on Friday night and there didn’t appear to be any cost of living crisis in Crowborough. The pubs were busy as were the restaurants.

Monday 31st July: 09:00

First up an apology for the hiatus in producing this nonsense. So much to do and so little time to do it in. How I ever found time to do a proper job I don’t know. Anyway, much to discuss so lets move on.

Off to the Melbourne Cricket Ground first where for 20 minutes the Wallabies gave as good as they got from the mighty All Blacks. That might have been because for 20 minutes the visitors kicked away pretty much everything. I thought I was watching some sort of tennis hybrid. That said the All Blacks opener was something to behold. Scott Barrett’s hit was nothing but brutal. Once the All Blacks got they heads and hands into gear it became men against boys. Australia’s tackling went the way of their tactics, west! Yes there were glimpses of skill from Australia but overall this was a poor performance from the men in gold. The men in black however showed a cohesion and a tactical nous that will send a clear message ahead of the World Cup: “we are not to be taken lightly”.

Inevitably Eddie Jones has taken some significant flak for the result, and more importantly the performance. To be fair it was always going to be a tough gig but I for one believe things have gone backwards and not forwards since Jones arrival. Yes, I have a biased opinion of Jones but there you have it. I am not alone however with one former Wallaby coach, John Connolly, calling Jones a “charlatan” and his return as head coach “a bloody disaster”. It was right for Jones to take the blame for the performance but his players simply weren’t good enough.

One aspect of the day which I thought was amazing was the Aussie skipper, Allan Alaalatoa, who later in the game incurred a serious looking injury, placing a boomerang on the ground as acceptance of the haka challenge. A unique response. What next? Wales presenting a leek, Scots a thistle, England a nice bouquet of red roses, the French a big cock…… who knows!

It was then off to Murrayfield where Scotland held off a determined Italian side in fine style. This was a pretty enjoyable game despite the myriad of errors by both sides. The result highlighted that on their day the Scots can be a force to be reckoned with and in the group of death could spring a surprise. Italy on the other hand have much to work on, including basic ball retention.

The cameo appearance by the wounded seagull brought gasps from the watching throng, especially as it nearly produced the tackle of the day. I’m sure the interweb thingy will have it somewhere!!

Last up was Jo’Burg where the South Africans were, in my opinion, second best and lucky to come away with a win. The Pumas played with a passion, speed of thought and dramatically improved fitness levels that had been lacking in previous seasons. Their pacy back line and brutal forwards linked well and kept the Boks under the cosh for long periods. If it wasn’t for that fortuitous interception a historic win could have, should have, been the outcome. Yes, the Springboks made changes for this one but it was still a hugely experienced side. Yes, they were under par, but that was because the Argentinians didn’t allow them to beat them up. All England supporters should take note as Argentina will be no push over in France come September.

One postscript to this game is the citing of Juan Cruz Mallia for his first minute wipeout of Springbok scrum-half Grant Williams. Andrew Brace was adamant it was a rugby incident. The citing officer had other ideas. I’m not sure on this one. I can see both sides of the argument but if I had to get off the fence I would side with Brace.

Plenty of other nuggets of news but they will keep for tomorrow and beyond. Anyone who grew up watching Wales in the 70s, which I did, will know the name Clive Rowlands and his contribution the game as a player, and more importantly as a visionary coach and administrator. Sadly he passed away this week at the age of 85. There are many tributes to the great man which highlight his influence across the board. WalesOnline has several nice pieces which eloquently brings them all together.

Plenty of other sport in the news, for example Verstappen winning. Yawn!!!! Germany Ladies losing to Columbia in what was a good game of football makes the headlines.

Elsewhere the RMT and ASLEF continue their idealogical struggle to bring the country to its knees. Tossers.

I’m all for capitalism and private enterprise but the owners of British Gas making obscene profits whilst people up and down the land go without food is a disgrace. What makes it worse is the parent company is (part) owned by Johnny Foreigners!

Wednesday 26th July: 09:45

There was an interesting piece in The Guardian (thanks Ken) yesterday about remarkable grounds around the world. If you have nothing better to do it is worth a read. Two Welsh pitches make the cut: The Tump, Clydach Vale and the Welfare Ground, Porth. It is their back story that makes them interesting. Bridgnorth is also included. It seems the propensity to flood each time the River Severn bursts its banks make this ground worthy of a mention, plus of course the innovative new clubhouse that is being built on the ground. Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr stadium is in there because of its greenhouse design. Having been there I can testify to its impressive nature.

The reporter didn’t travel too far in their research otherwise Steel Cross, with its magnificent view, might have got a mention. Dream, dream, dream my life away, as the song goes. Actually the work being done by Drew and his elves is remarkable. The A pitch is looking very good indeed.

What a shambles is the Cardiff situation. I’m sure Dai Young can be an abrasive character but he has been shafted by unfounded and unprovable allegations. Looking at the departures from the club the new coach will have a tough job on their hands.

As Saracens continue to recruit new players, this time Argentinian Juan Martin Gonzalez Samso, there are murmurings of disquiet, and questions being asked about how with the new lower salary cap can Saracens continue to recruit top flight players with their extremely highly paid superstars still in the fold. Good question to which I don’t have the answer but I would hope that Saracens are not daft enough to try and get around the system again.

It hasn’t taken long as suggested yesterday. What? Eddie Jones being very tetchy with the media asking pertinent and challenging questions about his sides performance. Serious questions will be asked on Sunday if as I suspect Australia get blown away by New Zealand in the first of the Bledisloe games. One reporter went as far as to say “Eddie Jones is all over the place” and that is before Saturday.

Rugby World have done a decent piece on the new tackle law. It explains exactly what the new law is, where the tackle is expected to be, and how the referees should handle indiscretion. If you go onto the interweb thingy you should be able to find it. It doesn’t change my mind, the tackle height should have been below the armpit. Worse it reinforces my opinion that the questionnaires, and forums, and consultations were all a crock of shite. The game had decided what it was going to do and everything else was a PR exercise. I fear it is going to be a shambles.

South Africa have made nine changes to the side that lost to the All Blacks ahead of the game with Argentina. Jacques Nienaber is not afraid to Weald the axe nor is he afraid of putting out second string sides as part of his planning for the World Cup. Don’t kid yourself this is still a vastly experienced side with a very strong bench. I can’t see Argentina repeating the heroics of ten days ago, especially as the game is at altitude in Jo’Burg.

I am on grandparenting duties tomorrow so a blog might not be possible, and if it is possible it will be later in the morning…… not that this one is early!!

The women’s football continues and the build up to the final Ashes test is in full swing.

Sport is going mad when you read that a Saudi Arabian side has bid £259m for Kylian Mbappe. Yes, he is a brilliant footballer but £259m, do me a favour.

I see the boss at NatWest has done the decent thing after she leaked the erroneous story about Nigel Farage and his bank account. Farage is an odious character but we cannot let our institutions become judge and jury. The world is crazy enough as it is and free speech is almost defunct without jumped up CEO’s deciding they are above the law.

Tuesday 25th July: 09:15

I’m going to start in Cardiff where it has been confirmed that Dai Young has left the club. This situation is indicative of what is wrong with society today and where social media is a source of evil. Young was accused of bullying staff by unnamed social warriors and put on gardening leave. Despite an extensive barrister led investigation not a shred of evidence could be found to substantiate the claims. Despite this Young has left his job as relations between Young and those pandering to the accusers broke down irreparably. As I say, a sad indictment of society today where political correctness and the woke warriors makes the authorities scared of their own shadows.

The challenge for Cardiff is to find a new head coach and do so quickly. According to WalesOnline Rob Howley is not only in the frame, he is the out and out favourite. Other names being mentioned are Wayne Pivac (with Gethin Jenkins and Stephen Jones) and Mark Jones who has recently returned from a very successful short term spell with Wales Under 20s. Only time will tell.

World Rugby have confirmed they will trial the shot clock and introduce a foul play official. The on-field match officials will still be the initial arbiters of sanction but if there is any doubt they will hand it over to the man, or women, or furry cat in the TV bunker to officiate. Yellow cards can be upgraded to red in the case of doubt. Based on what I have seen red cards can’t be downgraded to yellow. The other initiatives are the use of hawk-eye and smart ball technology, and fans being rewarded with “ref cam”. A successful trial will see them used in France a month later.

It didn’t take long did it. A rift is developing between Eddie Jones and the Aussie press. Wallaby great Drew Mitchell is the first to break ranks and speak out. What comes as no surprise to me is Mitchell has pointed out that whilst Jones talks about free flowing rugby he is selecting players to fit a different game plan rather than the best in-form players and allowing them to play what’s in front of them. Yes, it is exactly why England failed to deliver under Jones. It was then, and clearly still is, rugby by numbers. The players are expected to make decisions but Jones rigid game plan has the opposite effect.

If you watched the All Blacks against the Boks recently you can tell me what the All Blacks game plan was? It was clearly play what is in front of you and where possible keep the ball alive. If you need to keep it up your jumper then make the decision yourselves. A lesson for Jones, and Gatland and Borthwick perhaps!!!!

If Welsh rugby didn’t have enough to deal with there are some who now want to change the logo. The three feathers have been associated with Welsh rugby from the start but now the politically correct woke mob are having their say. There is an element of anti-royalty influencing the challenge but this is another social media driven bit of nonsense. What I find bizarre is one proposal is to include a dragon which bizarrely makes the logo look identical to Gloucester RFC, which in turn is almost identical to Leicester Tigers badge. Come on people there are bigger issues in the game than the badge that has been worn with pride since the inception of the international game in Wales.

Things in the England camp must be very serene at the moment. The Wales players have come back from high altitude training declaring it was brutal. The England squad have come back from camp saying they have agreed not to eat cake. Wow, that is clearly a vital part of the English preparations. Sacrificing afternoon tea and scones is massive. Maybe it is because fights broke out when the jam first, cream second brigade went off on one.

BBC bring us the news that Northampton Saints are planning to renovate and reintroduce the Robin Reliant punishment car. In days gone by Saints players who made arses of themselves were forced to use the car as a punishment. It has recently been rediscovered but in a state of disrepair. Lennie Newman, a Saints stalwart, has decided to renovate it. BBC Sports website then follow the link.

Yep, that is how far I have had to go to find anything of note to write about rugby wise.

The women’s football is bringing some light relief for the time being.

Everything is a crisis right now. The “lack of rugby news crisis” is causing me an issue certainly. Everything is NOT a crisis, and by the way not everything can be blamed on Climate Change. People have the attention span of goldfish right now and making everything a crisis and finding a single issue that people can witter on about, especially the media, is a huge help for the masses who have lost the ability to think for themselves.

Monday 24th July: 09:20

Sadly I didn’t make it to Passy’s memorial touch tournament as I had a long standing engagement elsewhere. I hope despite the weather it went well, especially after the effort put into getting pitches ready.

No rugby to watch but some interesting snippets in the news. England’s World Cup preparations got a boost with Billy Vunipola and Ollie Lawrence joining the squad from their various injury rehabilitation centres. Bevan Rodd has, despite being axed last week, made a surprise return to the squad this week. Out go Cadan Murley, Val Rapava-Ruskin and Maku Vunipola. Ollie Chessum and Jack Walker will continue their recovery from injury with the squad. August 5th England take on Wales in the first of their warm up fixtures.

Japan suffered a double blow on the weekend, firstly losing 24-22 to Samoa, secondly having inspirational captain Michael Leitch send off for a dangerous tackle during the game. Samoa are benefitting from having a team in the Super Rugby set-up so beating Japan is not such a surprise. They are also now only one place behind Wales in the world rankings. Wales are a lowly 9th.

South Africa have received some good news with the distinct possibility that inspirational captain Siya Kolisi will be fit for the warm-up game against Wales.

The rift between the regions and the WRU was widened when the WRU decided to continue their investigation into a Wales v Barbarians contest despite it clashing with Cardiff v Scarlets in the URC.

Whilst minor in the mix of things the WRU has to deal with, Sir Tom Jones has waded into the debate about banning the iconic Delilah from the Welsh choirs play list. I’ll leave you dear readers to debate the merits of the ban.

Rumours around Henry Slade leaving Exeter Chiefs for France are getting more frequent and carrying more weight. Him leaving Sandy Park would be a blow for the Chiefs and England.

Several papers are reporting the news that Anthony Watson has signed a “training contract” with the RFU which keeps him in the UK until after the World Cup. This seems contrary to news last week that indicated he had signed for an unnamed French outfit.

That is it for rugby news.

In other sport England women scrape a win against Haiti on Saturday. I say “scrape” based on the result. They were without doubt by far and away the best side in the second half. The tournament progresses and some of the football is pretty good.

Max Verstappen strolled to victory again yesterday. The minute he got to the front in that first corner the race was over. You might as well watch paint dry despite the SKY commentary team doing their very best to generate some sort of excitement.

What a shame the rain put an end to the fourth Ashes test. England were without doubt in a position to level the series after some amazing cricket with bat and ball. The series can be drawn but sadly the Aussies retain the urn.

Le Tour de France was brought to its usual conclusion in Paris yesterday. In essence a glorified procession around the streets of the city for the sponsors.

The Open golf was pretty good viewing. Brian Harman was a worthy winner after some scintillating golf.

In other news I see the SNP are in disarray as rumours about Wee Jimmie Sturgeon and her sleaze bag husband continue. Hands in the till and allegations of fraud. The new guy isn’t doing the cause any good either as he wastes significant money on a report into the possibility of a Scottish passport. Tossers, all of them.

Surely the time has come for that other sleaze bag Sadiq Kahn to stop trying to fleece hardworking Londoners with his ULEZ scam, to focus on the rampant and appalling crime that is plaguing the city.

Thursday 20th July: 09:00

We are well and truly into the migratory season. No, not the geese, or even the rubber boats from France. I’m talking about the exodus across the channel to France. Two more high profile players are off to language school to learn about the Gallic shrug, je ne sais quoi, and “oui, d’accord Msr arbitre”. Jack, or Jacques Nowell is off to La Rochelle and Jonathan Joseph is Biarritz bound. They follow a well worn path trod by many including Alun Wyn Jones who is on a short term deal with Toulon. Yes, it is all about the money.

One player who is not crossing Le Manche is Marcus Smith. He has signed a new deal with Harlequins, much to the relief of The Stoop faithful I’m sure.

Whilst the Premiership clubs, and others, look with envy at their French counterparts they should consider not all is as it seems. There are plenty of clubs in France who if it wasn’t for the largesse of benefactors, and the generosity of local councils, would be up “le ruisseau de merde” without a paddle. Where would Montpellier be without Msr Mohed Altrad? I rest my case.

There are dark murmurings in the pubs and clubs of Wales as Taulupe Faletau and five other squad players are missing from the flight to Turkey where Wales hold the second of their “big” training sessions. The Faletau news is of such importance even the legend that is Sir Gareth has been moved to comment.

I don’t normally do commercials but looking at the Lions schedule for 2025 I thought I would. A Lions tour is a thing to behold and if you have been on one you will know. If you haven’t and 2025 and Australia appeals then look no further than Venatour. We went to Japan and South Africa with them and they were outstanding.

Touch rugby continues tonight, as does walking rugby. 6pm for the former.

Eddie Jones has cut Reese Hodge and Tom Wright from the squad who will face the All Blacks in 10 days time.

Wales legend, yes another one, Shane Williams, is not letting the grass grow under his feet. He has discovered triathlon. He is currently smashing records for his age group, so much so he has qualified for the upcoming World Championships. These are no ordinary triathlons, these are M&S ironman triathlons. WalesOnline carries the story. Worth a look.

Having caught up with a few games from the Under 20s and the watched some of the Rugby Championship I am at a loss to understand how on earth our wonderful local referees are going to referee the “below the sternum” tackle law. It is going to be an absolute pig’s breakfast. It still beggars belief that the blazers didn’t accept “below the armpit” as the benchmark. I despair, and wonder whether the game is still worth bothering with!!!!

That’s the barrel empty for today.

A big day for the Tories with three by-elections today, all of which will turn from blue to yellow or red. What troubles me, and others, is the lack of life experience of the people running our country. Posh schools to posh university, out they come with a meaningless degree straight into a job in politics. What do they know about real life. As the song goes “absolutely nothing”. How can they possibly understand the hardship of those on or below the breadline. What its like to work with the constant threat of redundancy? Hey ho, I guess it is what it is.

The rail unions are on strike again. This ideological struggle is getting tiresome now. The two Micks need to head off to North Korea and run the railways over there. We are in the 21st century where we are talking about the threat of AI and these clowns want to keep us in the Victorian era with Victorian working practices, and all that whilst their members earn way more than most. I am sure many junior (genuinely junior) doctors are looking at train drivers salaries with envy.

It’s good to be back but as always Friday Club beckons tomorrow and with no rugby on the weekend I’ll return on Monday.

In the meantime the Women’s World Cup has kicked off, the Ashes continues, as does Le Tour de France.

Wednesday 19th July: 09:44

Today we start with a tale from Steel Cross. A long time ago a young couple planned their wedding in meticulous detail. As the date approached excitement built, only to be thwarted by that wicked witch known as Covid. Time passed as morons lied to us, deceived us, loaded their mates pockets with money and kept us in servitude. Thankfully as the new dawn approached and masks were discarded alongside the daily drip of irrelevant and twisted statistics the young couple could plan again. Steel Cross the destination. A marvellous twin towered tepee erected, a hog roast planned and an acreage to die for with fun and games like stick the tail on the Handcock donkey could take place.

With 48 hours to go another wicked witch appeared to throw misery their way. This witch known as high winds and rain drove the equally wicked tepee provider to remove his tent leaving the young couple stranded in an empty field wondering what to do. From nowhere came two angels, Louise and Jacqui, “don’t worry we’ll find some magic to make your day special”. So after long hours of table and chair moving, decorating the clubhouse, reorganising the hog roast, and casting their spells across the estate the place was ready. The young couple were to be married hopefully living happily together thereafter. It was a triumph of good over evil and a great day was had by all. Those angels are our angels who weave their magic week after week.

Thankfully there is good in this world.

What is in the rugby news. The Premiership fixtures have been released with the now ten team league throwing up a significant benefit: there will be an extended break for the Six Nations meaning clubs will have more league fixtures with their internationals included. The weekend of November 17-19 has been designated “derby weekend” with Bath v Bristol the highlight. I’m not sure how Sale v Newcastle is a derby but I guess it is the closet thing for those two outposts.

The Six Nations fixtures have also been released. England appear to have the easiest of starts but the toughest of finishes. They start in Italy and finish in France. Plenty of websites carry the full list.

The British & Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2025 took a step closer with the announcement of dates and the fixtures. It will follow a familiar pattern of starting in Perth and ending with the third test in Sydney. Two things jump out. Firstly, there is talk of the second test being at the 100,000 seater MCG, and secondly, the make weight fixture will be against an invitation Aus-NZ XV in Adelaide. Adelaide is a great city and a fantastic addition to the schedule.

England have revealed their new shirt for the World Cup and the eye-watering £125 price tag that goes with it. Unsurprisingly fans are up in arms at the cost, especially as a junior shirt will set you back £95.

With announcements being the order of the day TNT have outlined how their coverage of rugby will look post the BT Sport era. The old faces have been kept but the punditry team has been extended with the addition of Stuart Hogg and Emily Scarratt. A new face will be fronting the Friday night game: Orla Chennaoui. She currently is the face of Eurosport’s cycling coverage, and for the old blokes who read this, she likes a short skirt. (Do me a favour and don’t send me any complaints about being PC or woke rubbish).

The HSBC Sevens is no more. A new tournament has been agreed which means the Twickenham Sevens has gone the way of common sense and common decency, down the toilet. Yes, Twickenham has been snubbed with the series down to eight locations: Dubai, Cape Town, Perth, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Singapore. Let’s not kid ourselves, the choice of location is all about money!!

The New Zealand authorities have got it right. Drinking hours will be extended during the Rugby World Cup. Hoorah to that.

I see the eco-morons have vandalised a government building this morning as part of their campaign. Acts such as this should not be tolerated and the authorities need to come down hard on the perpetrators. Climate change is a massive issue and we need to change but these morons are doing the cause more harm than good and turning people away rather than bringing them in. I would like someone to explain what the alternative to fossil fuel is as there are as many people protesting against solar and wind farms being built as there about stopping oil.

Tuesday 18th July: 08:20

It comes as no surprise that with the exception of Irish pundits there is a general condemnation of the outcome of Johnny Sexton’s discipline hearing. I alluded to it yesterday and will expand on it today. Up and down the country whether it be a senior coach, a junior coach, a senior player or a young lad, meaty punishments have been handed out to those who have disrespected the match officials. Why? Simply because the match official deserves respect, as does every participant in the game. If this ethos is not upheld we will see the game rapidly decline into the sort of anarchy that has been allowed to pervade society. Orange hi-vis wearing middle class hypocrites blocking roads to protest about oil but not letting a wind or solar farm within 50 miles of their leafy cottages for example.

Referees are not always right, and shouldn’t be put on a pedestal totally immune from criticism, or more importantly not being held to account. However, without them there is no game and they deserve our respect, on and off the field. The frustration here is Johnny Sexton is a high profile player who young players will look up to and try and emulate. The leniency of his sentence sends totally the wrong message and lacks consistency. The panel bottled it.

Right now there is a highly qualified coach helping Portugal, then Uruguay, with their World Cup preparations who was not too long ago banned from the touchline for eight matches. His actions were no worse than than Sexton’s. He was an easy target. If the game is to uphold it’s high standards and reputation for discipline the blazers can’t just play lip service to it, they have to deliver it.

For the record the way the panel got around this is by focussing on match official abuse. The guidelines are clear and if interpreted as they have been then a three match ban is “acceptable”. However, using regulation 5:12, bringing the game into disrepute, allows for a much higher sanction. When a player of Sexton’s stature behaves in the way he did he is without question bringing the game into disrepute, and that is my point.

It is a big day for the WRU as the new Chairman starts work and his in-tray is already overflowing with tasks that need urgent attention. One thing he must sort out is the lack of joined up thinking. Someone in the WRU decided it was a bright idea to have a Wales v Barbarians game post World Cup. Actually, not a bad idea at all, that is until the date they have chosen clashes with Scarlets v Cardiff in round three of the United Reform Church matches. Muppets!

I see Steve Borthwick has cut Sam Underhill and Bevan Rodd from his squad. Underhill has always performed well whenever he has pulled on an English jersey and his terrier like approach could be an asset. I fear Borthwick is obsessed with size, as was Jones. Need I say more. Rodd’s departure makes it ever more certain that Joe Marler will make the final cut. Now that is a good move.

There is a good piece in the Torygraph about Wales preparations. Two things jump out. Firstly the youngsters in the squad seem to welcome the departure of some of the old guard as they chomp on the bit ready to be let go. Secondly Warren Gatland’s attention to detail. Whilst he accepts the brutality of his fitness camps is essential, mental preparation, especially mindset is equally important.

Closer to home the Dave Pass memorial touch rugby weekend is this Saturday. Sadly I won’t be there but it will be a fun weekend. Feel free to just turn up and participate, or alternatively imbibe in a few drinks from our marvellous bar.

Another date in the diary is August 5th. Not only is it the Wales v England RWC warm-up game it is also walking rugby with our friends from Old Reigatians coming over for a few games, a bite to eat and a few lemonades. Watch out for more details.

Before I go I must say I am getting increasingly frustrated with the lily-livered liberal handwringing about illegal immigration. I like Theresa May and still think she was shafted by the old boys network, however on the subject of immigration she is wrong. You can guarantee that when the powers that be decide to house thousands of illegal migrants in Maidenhead there would be a shit storm of protest, led by…. Yes you guessed it one Theresa May. Immigration is important and we should welcome genuine refugees with open arms, as we should those who are going to work hard, pay their taxes and integrate into our society. What we cannot allow to continue is the illegal immigration run by crooks and villains, all too often for crooks and villains.

Monday 17th July: 08:20

Here we go again. After another splendid break it is time for me to get back in the saddle as we ride towards the new season, and of course the World Cup. Plenty of talking points from the last three weeks and I might revert to them as this week and next develops. Firstly however it is this weekend’s action that takes centre stage.

Wales finished a creditable 6th in the World Under 20s despite a bit of a mauling by a very good Australian side in their final match. France lifted the trophy with a stunning 50 - 14 win over Ireland. That is quite some statement by the French and reflects the strength of the game in France. Many of their youngsters are playing in the top two divisions and therefore exposed to the white hot heat of combat on a regular basis. By comparison England finishing 4th is, in my opinion, a sad indictment of how the English game has got it wrong by allowing their talent all too often to kick their heels in the gym or play only meaningless academy games.

Is the fact France and Ireland contested the final an indication of what we could expect in September?

New Zealand might have something to say about that. Their opening 25 minutes on Saturday was nothing short of sensational. They tore the once mighty Springboks apart. Yes the South Africans were often architects of their own downfall with too many penalties and failing to complete the most basic of tasks, but that d