As expected I’m somewhat shabby after yesterday’s EXCELLENT Friday Club Christmas Lunch. Great food, brilliant company, loads of laughs and way too much alcohol.

Very little in the way of rugby news I’m afraid.

It seems the RFU are going to have to carry out a review of executive pay and bonuses, and brace themselves for the now very distinct possibility of a ‘no confidence’ vote in the men at the top. Would that be seismic just ahead of the Six Nations? No, not in the least. Sadly, like the change of Government, I fear any changes at the top the RFU will make absolutely no difference to the game at grassroots level.

For those not thinking of travelling to Cross-in-hand on Saturday I believe the 2s are at home. Kick off 14:00.

Don’t forget it is Champagne, Cheese and Carols on Sunday. The details are on the website.

Also don’t forget to look at the CRFC Work & Play program, also on the website. Even if you are retired I’m sure there are skills and advice you could offer, or you might know someone looking for young people to fill job vacancies.

Tomorrow evening Gloucester v Quins will be my viewing. On Saturday I plan to be back in time for Ospreys v Scarlets. Sunday it is Sarries v Saints.

Talking of Saracens, what a nonsense that a convicted terrorist sympathiser can demand money from brewers and pubs because he believes the name Saracens Head is offensive. The world is going mad.

In other sport, a massive game of football on Sunday. Leicester City v Wolves. A real bottom of the table clash.

You really couldn’t make this stuff up. I know it is in the Daily Fail but they are reporting that the ‘[Government’s] corruption minister and her family are being probed over claims they took £4bn in bribes for Putin-funded nuclear power plant’. The allegations relate to a power plant in Bangladesh.

Some good news. VERA is back on our screens in the New Year. Sadly it is the final series.

That’ll do for now. Back on Sunday and then again on Monday before a Christmas break.

Wednesday 18th Dec: 09:15

A very busy day lays ahead not least because it is The Friday Club Christmas Lunch. A quick glance at the rugby news and you’ll find the National 1 League clubs now clamouring for change at the RFU. The whole saga is an unedifying mess.

The criticism of the European Cups rumbles on. Robert Kitson in The Guardian has waded into the debate, and as usual gets to the nub of things. Firstly, the whole rugby calendar is disjointed. Just as the Premiership swings into action so it stops for the autumn internationals, we then find the European games popping up, then the Six Nations, and so it goes on. Kitson points out very sensibly that it is no wonder the European stuff is on the wane. Starting just before Christmas when money and focus is on other things, the weather is generally poor, and the South African franchises think it is OK to put out substandard sides for their away games. So what is the solution? Kitson thinks you should move the games to later in the season when they can be played more en bloc. You have a simple FA Cup style draw at the start of the competition. Clubs knocked out in round 1 would go into the second tier competition. The last 16 go into a home and away knockout with the semi-finals and final played on consecutive weekends in a single location determined well in advance. For this to happen the Premiership and URC would need to be condensed into a more cohesive block and consideration given to moving the test windows. It is not a perfect solution by any means but many of his points make sense. The trouble of course is the blazers who run the game are like very slow moving dinosaurs with small brains. Things don’t happen quickly.

The Government has expressed concern about the viability of the ten Premiership rugby clubs. Having been stung for many millions following the demise of Wasps, London Irish and Worcester the Government mandarins are aware of the huge financial implications of other clubs going to the wall. Its something like £124m that’s at stake. The Torygraph covers this story best.

George Furbank is a serious doubt for the Six Nations after breaking his arm in the recent win over the Bulls.

Toby Booth has left Ospreys with immediate effect. He was due to leave at the end of the season but things have moved more quickly than that. Fans have expressed their disappointment as Booth was a popular figure around the place. Mark Jones has moved up one place in the pecking order and takes over as the main man. I thought Booth could have been a decent contender for Gatland’s job when he eventually leaves.

Big day on Saturday for ‘Borough. The trip to Cross-in-hand will be no easy one. The Greenies are riding high and according to my good friend Liberty playing some good rugby along the way. I understand on the grapevine we will be forced into making some changes but the boys will be up for this one. A proper local derby between two great clubs.

Local derbies across the piece this weekend in Kent 1. Ashford v Canterbury II, Beccs v Charlton Park, Bromley v Park House, you can’t get more local than that, Cranbrook v Sevenoaks II and Deal & Betteshanger v Dover. The fixtures on Jan 4th are mad in terms of travel but that is for another day.

In Surrey/Sussex 1 Haywards Heath host East Grinstead and Hove host Eastbourne. Both cracking games.

The Premiership and URC are back. You can trawl through the fixtures to see what’s what.

In other news I see the WASPI women have been told they are not worthy. Sir U-Turn and his acolytes have decided not to compensate the women who lost out due to the shambolic change to the retirement age from 60 up to 66. This has rumbled on since 2011.

By comparison this useless Government continue to throw money at the members of the RMT and ASLEF with gay abandon. Train drivers, already extremely well paid, are getting yet more through a generous recent settlement and offers of riches to actually work a full week.

These two unions are like bandits holding the Government to ransom. Once the bandits get their teeth into you they never go away. They always want more. I see the RMT have called for strikes over the Christmas period on the Avanti West Coast line. It is a disgrace. Whilst the Tories were a right shower of numpties, at least they stood up to these bandits, these anarchists who are happy to see the very working class people who pay their taxes to fund the Unions demands struggle to travel to loved ones over the Christmas period. Change!! Yeah, change for the worst.

Tuesday 17th Dec: 09:50

I’ve trawled through the media and come up with a few bits to discuss. First up though is the news Taulupe Faletau and Josh Adams are back. Wales fans should rejoice, especially as both put in eye catching performances on Saturday evening with Cardiff beating Cheetahs.

Talking of South African franchises there is much in the paper about their contribution to the European Cups last weekend. Both the Sharks and the Stormers suffered heavy defeats prompting John Plumtree, Sharks coach, to bemoan the travel that the competition throws up. Brian Moore, writing in the Torygraph, quite rightly points out that problem works both ways and quite simply is a result of the madness of allowing the South African franchises to play in European competitions, and that includes the URC.

Moore also touches on the financial implications, which as you know I have bleated on about over and over. I used to travel to South Africa pretty much every third week when I was working. Even in Business Class it is knackering, and there isn’t a massive time difference to contend with. Coaches bemoaning that do have a case. They should focus on the costs however. Getting a team to and from South Africa is a huge financial undertaking, a burden that most clubs simply cannot afford. Why the URC, and the European blazers think this is a good idea I don’t know. It is not as if the grounds a packed out. In fact when in South Africa the grounds are very sparsely populated. Yes, I know games tend to be played in massive stadiums which might give the false impression. It isn’t though. The grounds are pretty devoid of support.

There are plenty of others, The Irish Times for example, that suggest the European tournament in its current guise is well and truly on the wane.

The Tom Voyce tragedy is covered in several papers. It really is a sad news story. Our thoughts continue to be with his friend and family.

As the RFU furore dies down The Fail brings us news that England ‘are bracing to spend big’ on a new coach. In part, the best coaches are tied down with gold plated contracts so to get the best is going to cost. However, against the backdrop of the RFU losing money hand over fist, the fat cats running the game lining their pockets, and the millions already spent trying to achieve success going down the drain, I’m sure there will be plenty up in arms if that were to happen. Yep, I’ll be one of them.

In the same rag Chris Foy brings up the old chestnut that the game needs to move to the summer. At the top of the game this makes a degree of sense. The way the recent storms impacted on the games is testament to the idea. At grassroots level you only have to look at how heavy Steel Cross was last weekend, and previously how the game against Bromley was farcical at times due to the wind and rain. That said however, during the summer the Steel Cross pitch would be exceedingly hard as the dreaded Wealden clay bakes to a concrete like consistency. I don’t know the answer but from experience watching in September and then March through May is a considerably nicer experience than enduring the cold, damp, darkness of games in the depth of winter.

Chris Foy also rants about the TV rights shambles. I’ve done that to death. I would add though that I have asked myself if by not coughing up the monthly subscription am I cutting off my nose to spite my face. I do know the Premiership returns this weekend so I’ll have access to as many of those games as I want. Likewise the Welsh derbies in the URC will be covered by S4C/BBC Wales.

If you glance through the results as I do then you will have spotted the Ampthill v Hartbury game in the Championship was abandoned. It turns out that a clearance kick slammed into the referee causing significant injury. Game over.

In other news another tragic fatal shooting in the US. It doesn’t quite capture the imagination as it used to as we read about yet another terrible drive by shooting in London and murders across the country.

I see Three Houses Rayner, yes she is up to three as she now has access to a grace and favour residence funded by you and I, is planning to turn the UK into a socialist autocracy run by oligarchs, aka Metropolitan Mayors. If they are anything like Sadiq Khan, nothing will improve but your street names will all be changed to reflect the pathetic woke world we now live in.

Monday 16th Dec: 09:50

As mentioned yesterday, after our fine win on Saturday we remain in 6th spot in the table, now on the same points as Dover. The Greenies 24-21 win at Dover did us a favour, but also sent a very clear message about who will start as favourites next Saturday. Winning away at Dover is never easy meaning Heathfield & Waldron mean business this season. Ahead of them are Bromley who beat lowly Charlton Park with some ease. In the top of the table clash Sevenoaks II beat Canterbury II 47-24. ‘Oaks move to within one point of the leaders. At the other end of the table Ashford lost by a single point to Beccs and stay in 10th on the same points as Cranbrook in 11th. In the other game Park House beat Deal & Betteshanger 67-14. That is quite some scoreline. The bottom three are somewhat adrift. The top three are moving away. The rest are in a real bun fight for league places. Plenty to play for and with us starting a run of really difficult away games we need to be at our best, and more importantly injury free.

In Surrey/Sussex 1 very much a mixed day of fortunes for the four Sussex clubs. East Grinstead won at now bottom place Old Haileyburians. Eastbourne came unstuck at home with Weybridge Vandals going home with a comfortable 15-46 win in the bag. Hove found KCS Old Boys a stubborn bunch but finally triumphed 36-38. Those 5 points move Hove up into 8th. Haywards Heath loss at Trinity keeps them firmly in the drop zone I’m afraid. Old Rutlishians top this league.

In Hampshire 1 Bognor enjoyed a crucial win over Trojans. They are still in 11th but now closer to those above them. Havant II are top with maximum points. New Milton are bottom after again crying off. A sorry state of affairs.

In Sussex 2 it was a good day for Uckfield getting back to winning ways beating Crawley 12-29. Ditchling won at Brighton II, Seaford beat Pulborough thus denting Pulborough’s promotion chances. Embarrassingly Hove II cried off against Lewes and Worthing III failed to fulfil their fixture at Shoreham. Both games were the dreaded ‘HWO’.

In Kent 3 Hastings & Bexhill beat lowly New Ash Green 47-15. TJs II beat Beckenham II and stay top. Tunbridge Wells game against Old Dunstonians was postponed. Another ‘HWO’ in this league with Gravesend II pulling out at Sittingbourne. H&B RFC are now in 5th

Onwards and upwards. In Regional 2 Chichester’s challenging season continues with a home defeat to North Dorset. Chi remain in 10th as both Guildford and Andover also lost. Farnham are top with Tottonians in pursuit.

In Regional 1 another difficult day for Brighton losing at Bracknell. Tunbridge Wells also had a dreary journey home after losing to CS Stags. Horsham flew the flag for the local sides beating Old Alleynians 25-23. Brighton remain rooted to the bottom with TWells just above them and Horsham one place above that. London Welsh are still perfect at the top. 12 from 12 all with bonus points.

Way up in National League 2 it is TJs leading the way with a fine win at Oxford Harlequins. Sevenoaks enjoyed an excellent win over Guernsey. Sadly Worthing were well beaten at Westcombe Park. Whilst not adrift Worthing are bottom. Sevenoaks now have a reasonable buffer to the drop zone in 11th. Still 13 games to go in this one so plenty to play for.

In Midlands 1 Bridgnorth lost at Sihillians. In Tribute 1 Southern South Salisbury beat Devizes 25-22 moving them into 4th spot.

A busy weekend of European action, not that I saw any of it. Good wins for Leinster and Leicester on Saturday. Bath lost to Italy on Sunday. The result of the weekend was Saracens win at Stade Francais. Wins for the Dragons and Scarlets was good news for the followers of Welsh rugby. It must be noted however the Dragons were playing a 2nd/3rd string Newcastle Falcons side. Premiership action returns next weekend.

That’ll do for now as I have to go and read about Yvette Coopers capitulation to the people smugglers. Ms Cooper, another weasel, telling us how things will be sorted when in power then immediately reneging when challenged to show us the plan now she’s in power. There never was a plan. The only decent plan was the Tories Rwanda scheme scuppered by the lily-livered do-gooders.
Then there is Wes Streeting. Another showboater with great ideas and talking some sense pre-election, now full of excuses and platitudes post election. I ask what change have we got since the election. One bunch of moronic clowns for another bunch of idiots who speak with forked tongues.

Sunday 15th Dec: 09:50

I can remember sitting in a hotel in Wellington having breakfast with the great John Inverdale and him saying how important it is to give a sense of the occasion as well as the contest when writing about sport. That is exactly what I will do. Last week I wrote about how grassroots clubs were doing a great job in their community and adding value to the game on the pitch. I’m sure the 90 or so who walked into the clubhouse at Steel Cross yesterday lunchtime will wholeheartedly agree. Somehow the fabled Friday Club had managed to get pitches marked despite the depth of the soggy Wealden clay, the clubhouse itself was dressed beautifully for Christmas with the 9 tables adding significant weight to the seasonal display. Behind the bar Louise and Ryan beavered away like worker ants ahead of what was an amazing Christmas lunch. Jacqui produced what was a delicious spread, how she does it I have no idea, and the team of elves got the food to the hungry throng super efficiently. There was much merriment aided I’m sure by the conspicuous amount of alcohol being imbibed. The Friday table leading the way on that score. A special mention for sparkly (you needed to be there) Judith who ran the raffle raising money for much needed equipment. More on this in a moment. What a way to lead into the contest that lay ahead.

The pitch could only be described as heavy. In fact it was touch and go whether the game would go ahead. Despite the conditions both sides endeavoured to play open rugby. The slippery ball led to mistakes but this only added to the entertainment value. Cranbrook started the brightest taking the game to Crowborough. Once the initial storm had been weathered the Steel Cross boys began to find their feet putting the visitors on the back foot. The Bard’s excellent blow by blow account will be on the website. Whilst the lineout was evenly contested, for most of the game we had Cranbrook under pressure in the scrum. This proved a good source of ball. The referee, Mr Revel, kept the game flowing throughout thus keeping the scoreboard ticking over in our favour. Will Creasy, after several weeks of totally unnecessary inactivity (a long story for another day), was a tower of strength ultimately scoring three tries. He was ably aided by a truly dynamic back row of King, Main and Kidd. The backs were lively too but the underfoot conditions and Cranbrook’s excellent defence kept them honest.

On the stoke of half time with Cranbrook on the front foot the game was brought to a shuddering halt. A terrible snap was heard and Cranbrook’s Jed Westcott was left lying prone on the ground in agony. The medical teams from both sides, and several with medical training from the sidelines, treated him for some 30 minutes before being able to remove him to the warmth of changing rooms awaiting the arrival of the ambulance. All at CRFC hope the injury was not as bad as it appeared, and whatever the circumstances Jed has a full and speedy recovery. A special mention to those who treated him with such care at the time. Here I go back to ‘sparkly’ Judith. During previous years the money raised from the club raffles was spent on improving the medical equipment available at pitch-side. This came into its own yesterday.

After the lengthy half-time break, with a wintery sun setting in the west and a magnificent full moon rising in the east the game restarted. Crowborough continued to have the upper hand for the most part but Cranbrook stuck to their task defensively and when had the ball played at pace and skill. We added to the half time score earning the important bonus point. I cannot heap enough praise on how our visitors kept playing. Their dogged determination earned them a well deserved try and the gap in the scoreline didn’t do justice for their efforts. Crowborough’s defensive qualities were outstanding and will need to be so again next week when we face high flying Heathfield & Waldron in the pre-Christmas derby.

In terms of league position we are still in 6th but now on the same points as Dover who were beaten, albeit narrowly, by The Greenies.

Our 2s enjoyed a comfortable win 41-5 over Heathfield & Waldron 2s but that is no indicator of what will happen next Saturday.

Full league round-up tomorrow as usual.

I watched Cardiff beat the Cheetahs last night in a highly entertaining game. Don’t mention Leicester City.

That’ll do, but before I go, if anyone from Cranbrook reads this guff thank you for your contribution yesterday and once again the very best wishes to Jed on a full and speedy recovery.

Thursday 12th Dec: 09:00

I’m very quick to decry our great game but on Saturday up and down the land games will go ahead and many, many people will be the better for it. Take us at CRFC. 80+ people will enjoy a fabulous pre-match Christmas lunch and look out onto Steel wondering how on earth after all the rain the two games are on. Yes, the 1st XV host Cranbrook and the 2nd XV host Uckfield. Well, none of that will happen by accident. The Friday Club will be working miracles tomorrow I’m sure, as will the volunteers who turn up on Saturday morning in case the pitch needs an extra bit of forking. Jacqui will be busy in the kitchen from Friday, with Louise and Ryan making sure the bar is well stocked and the place is spotless. Then come the gladiators, 72 players ready to put their heart and soul into the game, supported by two referees giving up their weekend for the benefit of the game. On the sidelines the supporters will be cheering on their favourites, hoping for that all important win. Hopefully come the final whistle and the post-match imbibing everyone will have had a splendid day and go home much the better for the game of rugby. If that comes to pass then the game is in good shape.

It isn’t though. You only have to pick up the paper and read about Coventry striving for promotion to the promised land and the unacceptable obstacles the power brokers have put in their way. Then you read on and see that Exeter are hugely in debt, up for sale, and bottom of the league. Their money man, Tony Rowe, has made it clear he simply cannot continue to underwrite the clubs debt. The TV debacle, the RFU salary structure, the comedy show that is the WRU, but even more worrying is the ongoing appearance of ‘HWO’ and ‘AWO’ in the results section of the englandrugby.com website, all contributing to the gloom. All that and I haven’t touched on the payment of players and the ridiculous league structures.

If there is a glimmer of hope, Cornish Pirates who thought they wouldn’t see the season out have sourced enough funding to get to the end of the season with their squad intact.

Let’s go back to the positives. Plenty of grassroots action this weekend. Looking at Kent 1 there are plenty of decent contests. Ashford host Beccs, Charlton Park welcome Bromley, Dover have The Greenies in town, Park House play Deal & Betteshanger, and the game of day sees Sevenoaks II host Canterbury II.

Elsewhere the pick of Surrey/Sussex 1 has to be the bottom of the table clash, East Grinstead v Old Haileyburians. Plenty to play for in this one.

In Sussex 2 Crawley v Uckfield jumps off the page as the game of the day.

In Regional 1 Horsham v Old Alleynians is a game to watch out for. A win and Horsham will stay out of the relegation zone. A loss and they’ll be back in the danger zone.

I’ll do a round-up of our games on Sunday and a full league summary on Monday as usual.

Three outside-halves in the news. George Ford says he is still hungry for International rugby despite slipping to third in the pecking order. Handre Pollard is unsure of his future at Leicester, especially as there is murmurings that Sam Costelow is on his way to Welford Road.

As already trailed plenty of European action this weekend. You can do your own research into that.

My rant yesterday about FIFA awarding Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup is nothing by comparison to Martin Samuel’s effort in The Times. It is a disgrace Martin. I wholeheartedly agree.

In other news the massively bloated Civil Service is under attack at last. 10,000 of them could be under threat of redundancy. I don’t want to see anyone lose their job but the Civil Service has become a gravy train of gigantic proportions for way too many.

Then I read that Met Police staff will vote to strike over plans to get them back into the office. It beggars belief so many people working to support front line policing have been allowed to work from home. It is a joke. No wonder crime on London’s streets goes on unabated when Police Community Support Officers can work from home. Excuse my language but how the f**4 was that allowed to happen? The world truly is going mad.

Wednesday 11th Dec: 09:40

I can tell you with certainty the flooding along the River severn is pretty bad. Parts of Low Town, Bridgnorth are flooded and that includes the rugby club and surrounding area. I mention this as the terrible news that former England wing, Tom Voyce, is missing believed dead, having been swept away by flood water during the recent storm. It is a sad loss for his family and highlights the perils we will all face as the world’s weather patterns change due to global warming.

Thankfully today is dry and the forecast for the days ahead look dry too, albeit very cold. The motorway network beckons so let me move on.

The European stuff continues this weekend with some cracking ties to look forward to…… IF you have forked out the requisite number of British Pounds for the privilege of watching on TV. Exeter v Toulouse and Stade Francais v Saracens on Sunday look the pick of the bunch. I’m hoping at least one of the Welsh games in the second tier tournament will be shown on S4C. Whilst in Welsh there is a significant benefit…. No Flatman, Healey or Kay continually talking, and talking, and talking.

There is plenty of criticism about the move from TNT Sports and the fact there is no weekly round-up that people can get access to. The Blazers really have shot themselves in the foot over this one. Chris Foy in the Fail goes one further and asks whether this is the last season for the European tournaments. Will the breakaway circus happen and what impact will that have. Money talks but is there mileage in a breakaway league. Looking at the debacle that is the Saudi Super League I’m not sure there is enough interest to make it viable. Chris Foy also questions the sense of having the South African franchises in the URC, and therefore in Europe. From a rugby perspective it has added some fresh interest and a little bit of spice. From a financial point of view it is a nightmare with significant added cost and complexity for clubs and regions.

Welsh rugby is at a very low ebb, and when the likes of Ronan O’Gara state they would like to coach at international level, but anyone but Wales, you know you are in trouble. The Six Nations is not far away. Warren Gatland and the WRU are in the last chance saloon. Wales Women soccer is in a far better place than Welsh rugby. That shows how deep the brown sticky and smelly stuff is.

Tom Curry is trying pioneering stem cell therapy to speed up the recovery from hip surgery. The bones are growing following the career saving surgery but this procedure will aid the long term prognosis by strengthening the bones around his hip further. The BBC Website has the full detail.

Worcester Warriors are still eying a return to the game. Central to the viability of that return is the redevelopment of Sixways into a full service event venue with hotel accommodation. Again the BBC for the full update.

A full programme of grassroots rugby this weekend. We host Cranbrook, weather permitting. This should be a decent game if the forecast is accurate and the pitch dries. I’ll look at the pick of the local fixtures tomorrow.

It seems that FIFA are happy for Saudi Arabia to continue with their regime of ‘sportwashing’ their appalling human rights by awarding the country the 2034 World Cup. Let us not shy away from the fact that someone, somewhere in the FIFA organisation will have had his pockets well and truly lined with blood money.

Talking of Saudi I see Sir U-Turn, soon to be known as Sir Airmiles, is over there glad-handing with the power brokers who allow the atrocities to continue. This country of ours is on the verge of recession, law and order is at a perilously low ebb, illegal immigration goes on unabated, and where is our PM? Swanning around the globe achieving bugger all except increasing his already unacceptable carbon footprint.

Whilst he is away Angela Two Houses is bulldozing her way through planning restrictions, riding roughshod over local councils, and agreeing to concrete over our green and pleasant land.

Monday 9th Dec: 10:10

The wonderful Ian Geering has given me a flavour of Saturday’s encounter with Beccehamian. In essence they played their best rugby of the season, we were not at our best, and by the sound of it left plenty of points out on the field. A pretty disappointing day for the boys. The 26-12 defeat means we slip to 6th after Dover beat Cranbrook 24-7. Canterbury II stay top with a 26-3 win over our good friends The Greenies. Sevenoaks cement their place in 2nd with a narrow win at Bromley. Below us Ashford won at Deal & Betteshanger and Charlton Park won at Park House. Ashford are still bottom but at the halfway point in the season there is still much to play for. We host Cranbrook next weekend. Despite their lowly position it will be a tough game on what is likely to be a heavy pitch. Yes, more wet weather is forecast.

In Surrey/Sussex 1 it was a day of mixed fortunes. Haywards Heath move off the bottom with a fine 25-12 win over KCS Old Boys. Sadly, now at the bottom is East Grinstead after their loss at Cobham. Hove lost by a margin at Old Rutlishians keeping them in the drop zone. Eastbourne however won at Old Haileyburians keeping them in 7th. Twickenham now top the table.

In Hampshire 1 Bognor’s difficult season continues with them losing, albeit narrowly, at Portsmouth. They are one off the bottom with New Milton having that honour. The league structure is a joke with a capital ‘F’. Havant II beat New Milton 132-7. No wonder players are leaving the game. You run out on a Saturday to play for your club and potentially have to face contracted players with National League experience. Surprise, surprise, Havant II are top!!!

In Sussex 2 we see Hove II failing to get a side out. A real shame. Brighton II spring a surprise beating high flying Uckfield. Pulborough beat Crawley to stay in the hunt and with a game in hand Uckfield will be looking over their shoulder. Shoreham beat Seaford and Worthing III beat Lewes. Hove II are bottom on -14 points.

In Kent 3 we find Hastings & Bexhill beating Whitstable. They now sit in 5th spot. Beckenham II beat Tunbridge Wells II. TJs II stay top after beating Old Gravesendians.

Moving on up into Regional 2 it wasn’t a great day for Chichester losing Winchester. Chi are 10th with Andover propping up the table. Farnham are top.

In Regional 1 Brighton finally get a win on the board and it was against our neighbours from St Marks. 23-13 the scoreline. Horsham lost by a margin at Camberley. London Welsh are perfect at the top. Brighton remain bottom but now just 3 points behind Tunbridge Wells, and 4 behind Horsham in 10th.

Up in the rarified National League 2 Sevenoaks won at Worthing, and TJs beat Henley Hawks. Worthing are one off the bottom in 13th, Sevenoaks are 11th, with TJs top. Dorking in 2nd do have a game in hand.

Finally I see Bridgnorth, where I will be tomorrow, didn’t play so that leaves Salisbury who won at Melksham. Salisbury are up to 4th.

In the European stuff, which of course I haven’t seen, Leinster beat Bristol while Leicester Tigers were losing in Bordeaux. In the 2nd tier cup Ospreys beat the Lions. Good result that.

Brian Moore has slammed the blazers running the European Cups for moving the tournament to Premier Sports. He cites all the reasons I put forward but also points out that is alleged the deal is worth only half of what TNT Sports offered. No, that isn’t a typo, Premier Sports allegedly paid 50% less than what was on the table. No wonder the game is going to the dogs when it is run by fools.

In other sport Leicester City snatch a late equaliser against Brighton. The F1 was ok. That Max Verstappen is an arrogant so-and-so, and dangerous with it.

That’ll do for today. The proper news will have to wait. As mentioned, the motorway network beckons so no blog tomorrow. Back on Wednesday.

Sunday 8th Dec: 09:45

Normally I would you bring you my comments on yesterday’s game at Beccehamian, also directing you to The Bard’s blow by blow account. Well I can’t, because we opted out of this one. With the weather forecast to be very wet, and very windy, with difficult driving conditions throughout we both decided on staying at home. In my case having been involved at CRFC since 1986 missing the occasional game can be excused. The Bard of course has been involved at the club for even longer. Anyway, Beccs is always a difficult place for us to get a result and so it proved yesterday, losing 26-12. With Dover winning we slip to 6th in the league. I’ll do the usual round-up tomorrow. Some interesting results across the board.

We can look ahead to Cranbrook next Saturday. Will Creasy returns and it is the club’s annual Christmas Lunch. Hoorah

So Bleater, as you were at home did you gorge on European rugby? No I didn’t !!! I refuse to pay the monthly subscription, mainly out of principle. It is such a short sighted decision of the rugby blazers. I know TNT Sports, the previous provider, is also pay-per-view but at least they had an established rugby following. I did watch the Dragons v Montpellier on Friday at a rain soaked Rodney Parade. Thank you S4C. The Dragons could have/should have won that one. A lack of team cohesion and poor decision making let them down. Those lime green and black shirts were frustrating too.

Good wins for Sarries, Saints and Munster. Bath lost which will mean Damper is in a slough of despond. Harlequins and Sale also hit a brick wall. No joy for Cardiff or Scarlets in the Challenge Cup. The Ospreys might have a chance against the Lions today. This game moved to Llanelli because of damage to the Swansea City stadium. It’s a real shame we won’t, unless you have shelled out, be able to watch Bristol v Leinster this evening.

Trawling through the media this morning the BBC have done a decent job of bringing some European news to us the reader. Elsewhere it is sparse at best and nonexistent at worst. The Rugby Paper, as always, gives decent coverage across the piece.

The Torygraph continue their crusade bringing us the unsurprising news that all 12 Championship clubs have backed a no-confidence vote in the RFU’s management.

So what did I do in the absence of rugby yesterday. I watched the F1 qualifying, which is always better than the race. Caught up on some US college football, watched a classic film; Triple Cross starring Christopher Plummer, did a bit of exercise, and watched the hapless Manchester United lose to Nottingham Forest.

Today I will watch the F1, catch up on the cricket, England beat New Zealand to seal the series overnight, have a nice roast dinner, and gorge on the NFL from 6pm. Oh, and I’ll do a Spanish lesson, and some exercise, and no, exercise isn’t just raising a glass to my lips!!!!

Naturally I will have one eye on how the Mighty Foxes are doing against Brighton. That kicks off at 14:00.

The melting pot that is the Middle East continues to bubble away. Syria has been overrun by rebels opposed to the odious Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Whilst his regime has committed atrocities will it be another case of ‘better the devil you know’. The Taliban’s grip on Afghanistan is ruining the country. What sort of devils prevent women from doing anything other than living a horrendous life of servitude to the needs of men. The state of affairs in Iran is little better. Will Syria become another state where rule of law is driven by misguided religious diktats and young men are indoctrinated into believing the West is evil and should be destroyed.

I read that Sadiq Khan is in line for a knighthood. If being a useless, self-serving idiot is enough to justify a knighthood, then me being an opinionated muppet should mean I’ll get the letter soon. It is amazing how failure all too often results in honours. You only have to look at the House of Lords to see all those failed politicians wallowing in gravy.

I see a trampoline has blown onto my neighbours drive. Yet again we in the South East got off lightly if that is the extent of it. Thoughts are with those who have suffered damage and worse.

Thursday 5th Dec: 09:30

Another gloomy day, another trawl through the rugby pages for something to bleat on about. That by itself adds to the gloom. The European stuff kicks off tomorrow night and there is very little by way of razzmatazz, in fact very little at all. There’s a bit in The Guardian but that’s about it. Rugby really is a minority sport. The Guardian article is pretty gloomy too.

‘Competition is in mid life funk due to declining TV deals, rising costs and tweaked formats ahead of 30th edition’.

Not exactly inspiring is it? Robert Kitson’s piece is still worth reading however.

We travel to Beccehamian on Saturday as you know. Kick off 14:00. I hope to be there to watch what is sure to be a tough challenge for us. Elsewhere The Greenies are off to Canterbury and Bromley host Sevenoaks. Below us in the table Park House welcome Charlton Park, Dover entertain Cranbrook and finally Deal & Betteshanger play Ashford. Another weekend where the league table could change significantly.

In Surrey/Sussex 1 all four of the Sussex sides have tough fixtures. Eastbourne have the best chance of a win away at Old Haileyburians.

Other games that have caught my eye this weekend are Shoreham v Seaford in Sussex 2 and Tunbridge Wells v Brighton in Regional 1. That should be a win for the St Marks crew.

Going back to Europe, Premier Sports have the rights but if you trawl through the listings some games slip through their fingers. Dragons v Montpellier is on S4C tomorrow evening for example. It is a real shame you have to pay through the nose to watch any of the games when you see fixtures like Bristol v Leinster on Sunday, and Racing 92 v Quins on Saturday night. The clubs will be happy with the extra revenue stream, and the stadiums will be full, but for the game at large it is a disaster.

I thank my good friend Colin for his feedback. He is right, stopping the payment of players is a pipe-dream, it isn’t going to happen. Scrapping contracts for players below the Championship though might be a very good way forward. I know from having talked to the RFU that there are plenty of players who are not playing rugby week in week out because they are being held to ransom by clubs through a contract. It is madness.

Coventry have made a formal application for consideration to join the Premiership. They are top of the Championship right now, and have ambitious plans to improve further their Butts Park Arena. Once a club that produced many an English international, most notably the wonderful David Duckham. Born in Coventry, played only for Coventry. Actually, also for England, The Lions and the Barbarians but you know what I mean.

I see the South African Rugby Union have put to their Government a proposal that would see private equity investment in the game in South Africa. Apparently without it the Springboks are doomed. I don’t quite believe that but it reinforces the point, yet again, that rugby is on its uppers financially.

Elsewhere, we shouldn’t rush to cheer the demise of UK hating Michel Barnier and his French Government. The effects could be seismic on the global economy, especially with the German economy in a pretty poor state, and after the robber Hood-Reeves disastrous budget the UKs economy has seen the brakes being slammed on.

The Guardian, quite rightly, doesn’t pull its punches in the report of Amnesty Internationals comments of Israel’s atrocious acts in Gaza. Yes, genocide is getting pretty close to the truth.

Now don’t forget two things this morning. Yes, we are living in a nanny state where we can’t think for ourselves. Secondly, as you finish you porridge oats remember Big Brother has deemed them to be unhealthy junk food. You are ok for lunch though as Maccie Ds fries have escaped the ban. What moron dreamt that one up? I guess it will be a work from home civil servant who has no grasp on real life. You can see it, cos you can’t say ‘him’ or ‘her’, slurping down the avocado on toast with an early morning champagne while dreaming of its overinflated salary and gold plated pension. Tossers!!

Wednesday 4th Dec: 10:10

It is a shame that on the eve of the European tournaments kicking off the RFU is still embroiled in controversy, and it gets worse each day. There is plenty in the media about it so I’ll focus on yesterday’s article on how the amateur game could be improved.

I covered off my view about the absence of rugby regularly on terrestrial TV. It is a shortsighted decision to sell the rights which will get worse after the up coming Six Nations, sponsored by Mars, when that wonderful tournament will disappear behind a pay-to-view wall.

The next thing is community engagement. Easier said than done when the game relies heavily on volunteers, and the RFU in their wisdom made all the Development people redundant. We at CRFC work hard within the community but Beacon Academy’s lack of rugby means we have to work significantly harder. As a venue we offer great facilities and have strong links with local companies and charities. In fact just this week we launched an excellent initiative called ‘the Work & Play programme’, helping youngsters find work locally. Have a look for yourselves.

Make rugby a game for all shapes and sizes again. I think at grassroots level this is still the case. As you go further up the pyramid then size and power becomes a key attribute, and yes it is killing the game. I strongly believe there is one quick way to dumb that down and that is to reduce the number of subs from eight to, and I’d like it to go down to three, but in the first instance make it five, of which only three can be used tactically. This will force teams to play multi-faceted players. Front row players who can play 1, 2, or 3. Backs who can play across the back line. Players who can play for 80 minutes.

The article talks about changing the registration system. If there are three letters that raise the hackles of those in the game, they are ‘G’, ‘M’ and ‘S’. The RFUs Game Management System is an administrative nightmare. It is ponderous, unreliable, difficult to navigate, inflexible and many other negative things. I know this from watching Mrs Bleater cuss and swear most weeks as she does battle with it. The RFU in their infinite wisdom came up with this monstrosity and having paid through the nose for it they aren’t changing it any time soon. For the record I think the game should have a registration system, and despite what it says in the article, I believe it does have to be updated on annual basis. For volunteers, and players, it is just too ‘clunky’ right now.

The last piece in the article is leagues. I can understand where clubs are coming from on this one. The miles we travel for games is pretty onerous. Young men with family, work and other social commitments don’t want all day Saturday taken up with rugby. Travelling to the far corners of Kent say is a pain. We miss the bar filling local derbies against Uckfield and East Grinstead but the league system does give the game structure and pre-defined fixtures. Finding a volunteer to manage fixtures would be like trying to find Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket. Difficult! I have a different beef and that is about the league structure where 2nd and 3rd XVs are included. This is an advantage for the bigger ambitious, often ‘paying’ clubs, at the expense of smaller, well run truly old fashioned amateur clubs.

One thing surprisingly missing is any mention of the payment of players. I would like to see payment of players stopped for everyone below the Championship but I know that is not going to happen. If that is the case then the powers that be need to ensure that the maximum spend for clubs is exactly that and any deviance is punished harshly. There should also be much tighter controls over poaching of players and the contracts they are offered. Right now clubs are flouting the system with impunity.

The full article is in The Torygraph, which generally is difficult to access for free. I hope I’ve done it justice.

A quick look at who is playing who tomorrow, and I’ll try and see what European games can be found outside Premier Sports.

In other sport Leicester City 3 West Ham 1. Need I say more!!!!!

You know the world is standing on a precipice looking into bowels of hell when the South Korean PM finds it necessary to introduce martial law. The Israelis continue their horrendous acts in Gaza. These are war crimes. I see we are cosying up to the Qataris and their odious regime. Yep, the world is not in a good place.

Tuesday 3rd Dec: 09:50

Having attended a Sussex Society XV rugby dinner last night it seems the dissatisfaction with the going-ons at Twickenham runs very deep indeed. These are people who have dedicated a significant proportion of their time to the game, including an ex-RFU President. In essence, it beggars belief that Bill Sweeney who has overseen a shambolic period in the RFU’s history, on and off the field, has been awarded a huge bonus on top of an eye-watering salary. The myriad of bonuses paid to the executive underlings has also raised the hackles. Just this morning the Torygraph reveals that it is not only the top guns milking the system but others further down the food chain being handsomely rewarded, whilst others have found themselves on the scrap heap. Even more galling is all this nonsense has come about because the RFU thought it sensible to pay a fancy pants US consultancy firm a huge amount of money to come up with this bullshit regarding renumeration. This will rumble on like the worst of British TV soaps. Sweeney and the other guy, Tom Ilube, have to go.

I have had a note about my summary of the Torygraph’s article into the state of amateur rugby. The absence of a deep dive (corporate speak) into the issue of paying players was raised as a concern. I have done this so many times I am getting bored with it myself. It is absolutely farcical that clubs can pay players to the levels they are, that is over and above any nominal threshold and get away with it. The sanctions are pathetic. The way the contracting system works is a disgrace too with clubs allowed to pay being able to plunder the smaller clubs at lower levels with impunity. I have said over and over the time has come for a transfer fee process. Something that at least gives the clubs being plundered some benefit. The contract system is floored too. Clubs are promising the players riches and high level rugby but failing to deliver without implications. There is no comeback on that. A contract should be a two way street. Of course, ultimately the RFU is responsible, so it is bound to be a crock of shite.

Yes, I’m having a bad morning.

Normally I’d be looking forward to the opening weekend of the European tournaments. Bath v La Rochelle at The Rec, Dragons v Montpellier at Rodney Parade. Both big occasions, both on TV. The powers that be have seen fit to sell the rights to a pay to view provider making them money but screwing over the people who support the game week in, week out. So the games are actually only on telly for the few. The game is run by shortsighted clowns who only think about money. No wonder the game is on the slippery slope to oblivion.

Funny enough, as I was about to move on a new article in The Torygraph appeared detailing how the amateur game could be saved. Number one item is ‘more terrestrial TV coverage’. Maybe I’m not such a dullard after all. Following that is better links to society, make rugby a game for all again, change the registration system (get rid of GMS, another RFU crock of….), and remove the league structure. I’ll read this in more detail with a cup of coffee and follow up on this tomorrow.

Plenty of grassroots action with us heading to Beccehamian on Saturday, I can’t understand why they don’t have and ‘s’ on the end. They, by comparison to last year, are having a challenging season. They are 9 points and four places below us. That means nothing as this has always been difficult place for us to go. We have a lengthy injury list to contend with so anyone going on Saturday expecting an easy ride could be in for a big shock.

In the absence of anything else the new Six Nations logo continues to divide opinion.

It appears that New Zealand rugby is about to mired in a very similar situation to that the RFU are facing. The New Zealand Herald brings us news that the top executives of their union are milking the system at the expense of those lower down in the game.

Obviously the nonsense that is the WRU is well documented.

The game at the top is run by clowns and jesters, whilst the game at grassroots level is run by amazing but all too often overworked volunteers.

The proper news is equally depressing. Ukraine, the Middle East, the impending arrival of Trump, the rise and rise of pathetic woke policies driven by noisy minorities. I genuinely fear the world is going to hell in a hand basket and global civil unrest / anarchy is on the cards.

Monday 2nd Dec: 09:55

Another day with plenty on the agenda. How did I ever have time to work? There were a few local games this weekend so let me cover off what I can. Sorry but I don’t yet have access to the Sussex Cup results. In Regional 1 South Central a pretty dire day all round for the teams closest to us. Tunbridge Wells lost 48-7 to Hammersmith & Fulham. Wells find themselves in 11th just above Brighton whose difficult season continues with a home defeat to Old Alleynians. Horsham lost to table topping London Welsh 7-54. Horsham are in 10th.

One league down into 2 South Central and we find Chichester losing narrowly at home to Guildford. Chi are in 9th. Farnham top this one after beating Tottonians.

No games of note at Level 7 but in Sussex 2 we find Lewes losing at home to Brighton II 17-38. No real change in league positions with Brighton II moving up one place into 7th in this ten team league.

In Midlands 1 Bridgnorth beat Burton, and in 1 Tribute Southern South Salisbury beat Combe Down and now sit in 5th place.

I caught some of the Sale v Leicester Tigers game yesterday. Not the greatest game of the weekend, not the worst game of the weekend. Sale simply don’t know how to lose at home. Tigers were impressive in the first half but Sale came roaring back in the second half with a powerful performance. The win moves Sale into mid-table, and puts a dent in Leicester’s title hopes.

The furore around the RFU’s losses and Bill Sweeney’s salary is not going away anytime soon. I understand there is a big ‘town hall’ meeting (corporate bo!!0c4s) today for all staff within the RFU. The game is run by amazing volunteers at grassroots level who give their time, and often their money freely to support their local club, and often the game at large. The fact the RFU made such a substantial loss, England are not delivering, and the people at the top get paid huge salaries is a kick in the teeth for them too.

Now, I’m an ex sales & marketing man, yes as at this morning I’m still a man and if that offends anyone you can foxtrot oscar. Logos and branding was my thing at one time, so I’d like to think I, even after being retired for over ten years, can still comment on such things. On that basis the new Six Nations logo is crap. It looks as if Mars having taken over the tournament and covered it with chocolate. Of course the ‘M’ is there to denote it is the Men’s Six Nations as opposed to the Women’s Six Nations, but how unnecessary is that! I guess they could produce a fancy ‘Wom6’ for the Ladies version. I’m sure that would cause quite a stir.

Hoorah, a Welsh region came out victorious in the URC this weekend. Wait a minute. Cardiff beat Dragons so let’s not get too excited. Josh Adams was back which is good news ahead of the Six Nations.

The disjointed nature of European rugby continues next week with the return of the European competitions. You have little chance of seeing any games unless you are willing to fork out for Premier Sports. I’m not as I think S4C have done a deal for the games involving the Welsh regions.

In other Sport Leicester City have a new manager. After Saturday’s heavy loss to Brentford Ruud van Nistelroy will have his hands full.

You’d think the Qatar F1 was run by the RFU. It was shambolic. How can the powers that be leave a stray wing mirror in the middle of the track. Yes, it came to pass. A car ran over it and showered glass and carbon fibre everywhere bursting the tyres of cars doing close to 180 mph. Only then did they bring out the safety car. Madness with a capital ‘F’.

That’ll do for now as the real news is so depressing. If it stays dry I’m off for a nice walk. If the weather changes I might spend some time putting together a CV for the job running the RFU. Clearly being an incompetent clown is a pre-requisite and if you’ve read this drivel long enough you know I’d fit in perfectly.

Sunday 1st Dec: 10:25

There are times when succumbing to temptation makes sense. This gloomy and damp Sunday morning is the perfect example. Get up for a walk, or stay in bed with your next crime novel. One look out of the window and back to bed it was. Not good for your fitness but pretty good for your state of mind.

Plenty to write about this morning. Joe Marler’s farewell party was spoiled by Bristol but for the neutral this was one heck of game. Bristol were back to their free-flowing best scoring six tries as a result. To be fair Quins put together some excellent passages of play but they simply were not good enough in the wake of slick passing, great support lines, and unquestionable pace. The Welsh whistle blower Mr Luke Pearce kept the tempo high by taking control and not letting the TMO or assistants interfere with his decisions.

As that game was being played so a shock was unfolding at Kingston Park. Newcastle beating Saracens was not on anybody’s betting slip I guess. The abrasive Steve Diamond has, and is shaking the trees up there and this is the result. With very limited resources at his disposal, and Sarries still being one of the big spenders with a deep squad, this really was a huge surprise.

Next up was Ireland v Australia. In my opinion this wasn’t a game of the highest quality. Yet again Ireland looked jaded and way off their normal, precise self. Their multi-phase game was disrupted by excellent Aussie defence. Sam Prendergast continues to perform well in his auditions for the #10 shirt. That said Jack Crowley’s cameo toward the end of the game showed he has plenty to offer too. The Cian Healey moments were wonderful. What a player and servant to the game. Australia were unlucky to lose at the death but who would begrudge Ireland the win in this hard fought contest. Not me, they were marginally the better side. Andy Farrell goes off to The Lions now knowing that if Australia under Joe Schmidt continue to improve as they are he will have three tough tests to contend with.

Last up Bath v Exeter. This wasn’t a very good game at all, in my mind. Littered with basic mistakes, a game that also lacked accuracy and cohesion. Whilst Sara Cox did her very best to keep the game going she was not aided by the players. She did get the Ted Hill yellow card wrong. That was a rugby incident and not foul play, Bath go top so at least Damper will be happy!

A couple of things that came out of the weekend. The new player partnership agreement with the 17 contracted players is a crock of brown smelly stuff. Steve Borthwick is supposed to have control over these players. Why then was Henry Slade picked at fly-half? This makes no sense. If Slade is Borthwick’s preferred centre than surely he should be playing in the centre?

Jarod Evans again made a mockery of Wales intransigence with regard to the 25 cap rule. Yes, he was on the losing side but he showed glimpses of creativity so lacking in the Welsh setup.

There is plenty in the papers about Bill Sweeney’s salary, and the hideously misplaced bonuses to the RFU executives. Players, the grassroots game, and those who have recently been made redundant have all had their say. It is so misguided it almost makes the WRU look well run. There is surely going to be a vote of no confidence coming at the next RFU council meeting. That said that is a jolly little club of old duffers who thoroughly enjoy their gravy train. It might not be an express but it pootles along all the same!

Excellent piece in The Torygraph about ‘the alarming decline of amateur rugby in England’. It hits many of the nails on the head whilst accepting that there are societal drivers outside the game’s sphere of influence. Within its sphere of influence is the woeful decision to allow 2nd and 3rd XVs into the league structure. Without doubt it is making the strong stronger and driving smaller clubs into decline. Players at say level 7,8 and 9 and even lower, don’t want to play in games where players who have levels 3, 4, and 5 experience and ambition. The risk of getting injured and losing heavily on a damp Saturday afternoon is very uninspiring. The article also picks up on player poaching, and the lack of control over how the clubs who can pay but subsequently openly breach the regulations.

Sale v Leicester this afternoon. In the absence of anything else that’ll do.

I see the Transport Secretary has gone. Louise Haigh had to go. Whilst integrity in politics is a VERY commodity her indiscretion was unacceptable.

Shame Sadiq Khan doesn’t move on. I read with dismay and disgust that he has conceded to the rail unions excessive demands. A huge pay increase for already highly paid tube drivers is a disgrace, this on top of the waste of money renaming of the Overground lines, and all this while crime on the city’s streets goes unabated. The man is a jerk.

Thursday 28th Nov: 09:10

This is better. Yes, it is bitterly cold but the sky is beautifully clear and the sun is rising over the horizon as I type. It is a shame I have to start with an apology. It was very remiss of me not to mention our 2s fine win away at Crawley on Saturday. For several seasons we have struggled to get a 2nd XV out so getting a side out, and delivering winning results is excellent news. As is the young talent coming through our system. Five of last years Colts have played for the 1st XV this season and several more have bolstered our 2s. Well done to those who have worked hard to improve the pathway from juniors to seniors.

It’s a shame that other clubs close by don’t seem to have the same ability to grow their own trees!!!

Plenty in the papers to depress and annoy the average rugby supporter in equal measure. The Times have joined the tirade against the RFU, especially how it is run and how it seems to be rewarding failure. The Bill Sweeney salary is at the heart of that of course. Making matters worse this morning is the Torygraph bringing us news an additional £1m in bonuses was paid out to other RFU executives, and that included Performance Director Connor O’Shea. I guess beating Japan and losing the three other games this Autumn is a fine return on investment. Some of the salaries these people get are eye-watering. The Times makes a very good point. If the RFU was a business the board would have been sacked and the product withdrawn for sale. Sadly the RFU is not a PLC and as a consequence is run as a cosy gravy train for those who manage to get on it.

Newcastle Falcons are up for sale. It comes as no surprise. They are playing with one arm tied behind their back as the best players are sold on, and support is limited, physical and financial. That comes as no surprise either in a soccer mad city like Newcastle. The owner, Semore Kurdi, has fundamentally had enough. Interestingly the 30 acre Kingston Park site is not part of the deal. What is interesting is hidden away in the article is a few sentences that state Tony Rowe can no longer afford to bankroll Exeter Chiefs. That doesn’t come as a surprise to me. The game is build on shifting sand. One day somebody is going to write to me, bleater@crowboroughrugby.com, and say ‘yes, you were right. The game should have cut its cloth accordingly to save itself from the implosion we are witnessing’.

The day was always going to come. Joe Marler finally hanging up his boots for good. That day comes on Friday when he plays for Quins against Bristol at The Stoop. He has served his time on the rollercoaster and believes now is the right time to get off. He has had an amazing, if somewhat controversial career, and on Friday even though I will be watching on TV will stand an applaud when he leaves the field for the last time. The BBC Sport website has a nice piece summing up his career and his contribution to the game. I met his sister once. She was as mad as a box of frogs!

I see Saracens CEO Mark Thompson has left the club after just 10 months in the job. It was always going to be tough following on from the Wray dynasty.

The Premiership returns this weekend as you now know. Bath v Exeter is booked in following the Ireland v Australia game. HOWEVER, if Cardiff v Dragons is on S4C on Saturday evening that might be where I’m drawn to.

That’ll do for now. I’ve trawled through the papers and quite frankly it is all too depressing. Back on Sunday morning. Have a great weekend.

Wednesday 27th Nov: 09:45

What a depressing start to the day. I’m breathing and my fingers are moving sedately across the keyboard. I guess that is a positive and I shouldn’t grumble. That said, looking out of the window and the rain falling from leaden skies there is no motivation to get my shoes on and get outside for some exercise.

I love the game of rugby but of late have questioned more and more: is it losing its way. Are the people running the game, domestically, the RFU and WRU, and internationally, World Rugby, losing touch with the grassroots game. More and more money is being poured into the top of the game, in the case of English rugby, that is England and the Premiership, and less and less is finding its way into the grassroots game. I would be tempted to support that approach if two things were happening. Firstly a very successful England side would inevitably create interest and positivity around the game as a whole. Secondly, if the big ten in the Premiership, or nine really because you can’t count Newcastle, were using their resources to develop the game via links to the Championship, National Leagues and below I’d be happier. Neither of these are happening. Despite the millions poured into England they are perpetual underachievers. Any links the Premiership clubs have with the leagues below, or the community game, is about plundering talent, and all too often subsequently discarding it on the rugby scrap heap. More and more I turn to The Guardian for my written news. Gerard Meagher has written a damning piece on the state of the RFU following the publication of their annual report. Obviously Bill Sweeney’s eye-watering salary gets more than a passing mention but it is the references to how the game is ebbing away at grassroots level that caught my eye. The Guardian is FREE so I recommend you read this article if nothing else. (I got your mail Bill, I agree).

The RFU is also under the spotlight in the Torygraph. The paper questions whether the RFU have been sold a pup with the new Professional Game Partnership. The paper suggests that the departed Aled Waters and Felix Jones would have been at the heart of the program. Their absence has left a huge hole which has, in the eyes of some, meant players being less well conditioned than they should be, and a defensive system that isn’t working. I’ll be more blunt. All the £264m has got us is 17 players with even more bloated salaries than they had before. If you are paying to have control of 17 elite players take control of them. Don’t let the clubs overuse them before international windows. There is no indication of the RFU insisting these players are rested ahead of key internationals, which is exactly what the IRFU do with their big names. It is a joke. £264m could go a long way at the grassroots level. Helping clubs improve facilities, pitch maintenance, recruitment drives, ladies kit, and on, and on.

All you who read this guff believing it was just the WRU being run by clowns and jesters. You should think again.

Looking ahead