Today will be a sombre one at our friends East Grinstead RFC after the tragic loss of Head Coach Matt Ratana. Matt was shot and fatally wounded at Croydon Custody Centre in the early hours of Friday morning. I have already sent a message of condolence but would ask that you spare a thought for Matt's family and friends and all those at East Grinstead as you go about your business this morning. Rugby has a lost another good man. May he rest in peace.

It would be inappropriate to rant today so I will simply review the weekend's European rugby.

Ashton Gate witnessed a thoroughly enjoyable encounter on Friday. Bristol Bears were not cowed by the occasion and threw the ball about with gay abandon. Even deep in their own half their first thought was to pass. Bordeaux Begles played their part also looking to get the ball wide. For long periods the only thing missing was the ball crossing the try line. Then came extra time and with Bordeaux Begles visibly flagging Bristol finally got outside the defenders and put the game to bed. Bristol were deserved winners and will go into the final full of confidence.

Leap frogging the Champions games for a minute Toulon will be a threat but in my mind the scoreline falttered the French outfit. Whilst Leicester battled hard throughout their failings were clear and George Ford was pretty ordinary with the boot. Toulon looked to play an expansive game creating many chances. Leicester defended well but couldn't keep the Frenchmen at bay. Right now I can see no further than a Bristol win in the final but by then Toulon will have a few more games under their belt.

By the way what a disgrace. Yes, that pitch. For a Top14 club it is an embarrassment beyond my ken. Steel Cross is magnificent right now by comparison. Thanks Drew and the Friday Club.

So to Paris and Racing 92 vs Saracens. First up it was a dire game pretty much from start to finish. It is difficult to find any positives except the brilliant last gasp try by Racing. Nigel Owens did his best to keep things going but when the only thought of the players was to bulldoze through the opposition and not to do that very well he had his hands full. The scrum was a complete shambles and with the skills so poor there were way too many of them. You have to feel for Saracens as the curtain effectively comes down on their season. They tried and tried again but Racing defended well and the one golden chance when Alex Lewington in two minds, kick ahead or pick up the ball, fluffed his lines and the try went begging. Seeing Brad Barritt going off injured was terrible after his amazing service to the club. This is the end of an era but I for one am certain they will rise phoenix like from the Championship..... IF they ever get to play a game!!!

I got the weather wrong at Sandy Park: it was dry and sunny, perfect for running rugby. This game was hugely entertaining having everything the first semi-final lacked. The ball pinged around the park with both sides playing at pace and a high degree of skill. Toulouse looked very threatening in the opening stanza and an all French final looked on the cards. Exeter slowly but surely got their show on the road and ground the French down either by going wide or shoving the ball up the jumper and powering forward. The loss of key players to injury affected Toulouse's flow but you can't take away the effort of all the Chiefs who took the field. Looking ahead I favour an Exeter win but Racing 92 look a complete outfit.

Two things before I go......

It is an absolute travesty that grassroots rugby cannot start before January and even that looks optimistic. More on this tomorrow.

The disappointment of Saracens was palpable yesterday so what next for them? I believe that they will rest pretty well everyone who played yesterday when they travel to Worcester on Wednesday. I hope they then field the strongest side possible when they host Bath in the crucial, for Bath at least, game on Sunday. You would want them to bow out of the Premiership with a bang not a whimper. Discuss.

Thursday 24th Sep: 09:40

If things weren't bleak enough waking up to rain of biblical proportions and a cold northerly wind simply made things even more depressing. It was definitely not a morning to rush to get up to have breakfast on the patio. Oh how pretentious!

Lets start by looking forward. Bristol v Bordeaux Begles kicks things off tomorrow evening. Both sides had comfortable wins but against sides who had played hardly any rugby since March. Friday will be an altogether different prospect. The French are a good side as they proved by brushing aside a very good Edinburgh outfit. Bristol simply tore Dragons apart. This could be a cracker if both sides come to play. Sorry to be my usual pessimistic self but with Pat Lams commitment to winning this cup I fear it could be more of an arm wrestle than a cornucopia of running rugby.

Saturday in Paris looks intriguing. The stadium is magnificent and the artificial pitch will hold no fears for Saracens. Racing 92 are an outstanding side and based on their performance against Clermont Auvergne and their home form they must start favourites. That said, and this is a well worn record, you write Saracens off at your peril. There is so much for them to play for that I hope they aren't strangled by fear. I also hope the exertions of last week haven't left them spent of energy and fire. This will be compelling viewing, maybe not a try fest but definitely a game to watch. I expect Racing 92 to triumph but I will, not quite as loudly as some I know, be shouting for Saracens.

Then comes Exeter v Toulouse. As I said earlier in the week I can't see much beyond a regulation Exeter win whether it be by flair or brute force, especially as it will be cold and wet, something that often sees French sides wilt. Rob Baxter is playing things down by saying a win still won't match their promotion to the promised land of the Premiership and making the obvious statement that it is much reduced in importance without fans.

Last up comes Toulon v Leicester Tigers. Really sorry Tigers fans but I can't get excited about this one at all. I'll probably be reading or watching the soccer as I foresee a comfortable Toulon victory.

Lots of other stuff to mention............

Rob Howley's time in the wilderness is over as he joins Canada as assistant coach. He did the crime and served the time so good luck to him. Gambling addiction is a terrible thing. It wrecks lives as much as drug and alcohol addiction so fingers crossed that this is a new beginning for Howley.

Why does it not come as any surprise that corruption raises its ugly head in our game. Where money is concerned greed and selfishness will quickly follow. Bernard Laporte has been arrested as part of an investigation into suspicions he favoured Top 14 club Montpellier. The club is owned by Mohed Altrad a French Billionaire who has since gone on to sponsor the French national side, a deal agreed when Laporte was in charge, and sponsor the French RWC 2023 bid, a process Laporte was heavily involved in. There are also accusations of reducing sanctions against Montpellier players after pressure from Altrad. Plenty of places to find the full story.

The Pro14 are in talks with South Africa rugby about expanding their involvement in the tournament, this despite the Southern Kings going into liquidation. More on this as it develops.

Talking of liquidation World Rugby, the RFU and Wasps have all said our great game is perilously close to implosion. Without fans money is running out fast. In some respects I have little sympathy with clubs like Wasps who have spent big, were in debt prior to Covid and have been accused of poor financial management in the past. On the other hand for a union to go bust would be devastating for the game as a whole.

The All Blacks are crying foul over the proposed Rugby Championship. The dates mean they would arrive back in New Zealand and have to go into quarantine thus missing Christmas. I can see their point. In order to maximise the TV revenue the organisers have crammed in six double headers with each team playing the other twice. One simple way to resolve it is to play each other once then have the top two play-off for the glory and the bottom play-off for the ignominy. Two less games but everyone gets home for Christmas.

Before a moment of smugness our thoughts must be with Alex Corbisiero who has announced his cancer has returned and his battle recommences. Let us hope for another successful battle and offer all those battling cancer our support.

After that it seems wrong to be smug but it is important to me to keep the counter-argument going whilst many others are following the party line like zombies. Yesterday in PMQs we finally had some truth. Boris Johnson admitted that the end game is a vaccine, and the implications were a vaccine for all. You can work that one out, I don't have to spell it for you. Recently I suggested Val the Destroyer might have a vested interest by having GSK shares. Well it seems he has! £600,000 worth, and therefore it is no surprise he is in the background pushing for a vaccine. Surely he has to resign.

Wednesday 23rd Sep: 09:45

As much as I want to start elsewhere and type in capital letters and use lots of swear words I will start at the Rec in Bath. The beautiful city of Bath where the Recreation Ground witnessed an amazing turnaround last night. There were no supporters in the ground to witness it but those who have BT did.

I know it was amazing because a) I watched it and b) my good friends Damps sent me an email about 10pm to tell me it was amazing.

Bath, down and out at half time after being run ragged by an excellent Gloucester side. (By the way when did Gloucester agree to use the Leicester Tigers badge as their emblem?). That first half try which sliced Bath open right down the middle was well worked and Gloucester's ability to stop anything and everything out wide was exemplary. Even with what looked a full strength Bath side the glory of the previous games seemed to flatter to deceive. Would it have been a shock for Gloucester to have won? Yes and no. They have the fire power to be a great side but have the propensity to implode. Even after Matt Banahan went over against his old employers you still had to ask "when was the hiccup going to come". That Banahan try was excellent after great work by the tireless Poledri.

With 20 minutes to go Bath stopped playing the expansive game and started to play for territory, and in the worsening conditions quite rightly too. The rest was history. Tom Dunn got all the plaudits (an ex Chippenham man I am reliably informed) but this was a team transformation. Priestland started to bang the ball more accurately down the park and with Ben Spencer constantly launching the ball into the air Gloucester found themselves on the back foot. Being on the back foot was a problem especially when experienced players like Johnny May were conceding needless penalties. Dunn's tries were not things of beauty but oiled the Bath wheels further. Lewis Boyce's tries sealed the win with Ben Spencer going over for the icing on the cake: the bonus point.

It was a remarkable turnaround leaving Gloucester dumbfounded and Bath, and their fans ecstatic. As a footnote if anyone has doubted the fact Ben Spencer has been the signing of the season then think again. If he isn't in King Eddie's squad then King Eddie is more of a clown than I thought.

Two disappointments being the 1,000 fans being denied access and the moronic Austin Healey on commentary. He needs to stop trying to be funny because he is very unfunny and stop the crass bitching about "this and that".

Michael Rhodes citing was dismissed. No further action required.

Qantas have ended their very long standing sponsorship of the Wallabies. This is a massive blow to the ARU after a 30 year partnership.

Michael Hooper will remain as Wallaby captain for the upcoming series of tests.

The RFU are seeking a government bailout after yesterday's announcement by the UKs ruling Junta. Fans will not be allowed in to watch any of the Autumn series which is a massive blow to the RFU and the other unions involved.

Talking of the RFU Damper is to become a star of the web. He has been asked to appear in a RFU webinar on grounds maintenance and other stuff, including the benefits of granular fertiliser vs liquid (a long standing Friday Club joke) and the Friday Club itself. Great stuff Damps, a credit to you and CRFC for the all great work that gets done week in week out.

A couple of papers carry the same story and that is how Saracens could win the European Cup and then see themselves "fall off a cliff". Following yesterday's complete and utter bullshit there seems little chance of any rugby other than the top flight until January at the earliest. This and no fans will not only see Saracens fall off the cliff it will see many clubs big and small disappear from existence. In the scheme of things many would argue that rugby is insignificant due to the Covid crisis. When people are dying it is hard to disagree but disagree I will. Since Boris and Rasputin (aka Dominic Cummings) have become megalomaniacal dictators with the cabinet no more than a sycophantic chorus of brainwashed morons it does matter. Science is not being followed it is being fabricated for some unknown political aim with the only outcome millions and millions of young people thrown on the scrap heap and the UK economy a wilderness of destitution.

Have you heard about the rally in Trafalgar Square on Saturday? A rally which was attended by up to 12,000 people. A rally to protest about the way our leaders are managing the Covid situation. No! Well I am not surprised. Why? This peaceful rally/protest was broken up by police in riot gear with a vehemence totally unnecessary in the circumstances. Without question it was aimed at silencing objection and silencing freedom of speech. I have seen the videos and it was horrendous. Not one word in our media and you try and find coverage on social media. I know for a fact much of it has been removed, basically censored.

In the light of this and the threat of troops on our streets I believe enough is enough. We need the truth. We need facts. What is it we aren't being told OR let us have proper quantifiable data to show why such Orwellian measures turning the UK into a dystopian nightmare are being put in place.

Tuesday 22nd Sep: 08:15

I think Dickens A Tale of Two Cities starts off with something like "it was the best of times, it was the worst of time". Well, last night's totally irrelevant Premiership Cup, unless you are Sale or Quins, was "the worst of games, the best of games, sort of". It was clear based on the post match celebration this was an important win for Sale, one which might give them the boost they need to carry them into the play-offs and possibly play-off glory. No, cut that last piece, Exeter will win. It was clear that it was also important to Quins whose showing of late has been patchy at best.

Anyway, for long periods this was difficult viewing. The ball never went further than the first pass when a rhino on heat would plough into the waiting wall. That was usually followed by Tom Foley's whistle giving a penalty for any number of offences. Then we had the scrum which quite frankly was a mess almost as big as the one the UK finds itself in right now. The skill levels were akin to your average Under 12s and to compound it all the irritating droning on of that banal idiot Austin Healey meant turning over at 20:30 for University Challenge was a relief.

Suckers for punishment, having answered a number of questions and actually managed to understand a few more, we returned to watch the last 30 minutes. Not much had changed quite frankly but as the clock ticked down it became compelling viewing. Not the constant twitching of Marcus Smith or the constant references to what an amazing servant Quins have had in Chris Robshaw, and he has been an amazing servant to the cause, but because there was actually something riding on this.

Then at the death there it was, one piece of individual genius. Faf de Klerk sniping around the blind side and over he went for the try that sealed it. On balance I think Sale were the better side but their propensity to give penalties away nearly cost them. Steve Diamond has something going for him at Sale. He has a squad that could do so much more if the shackles were released. Let us hope this might be the catalyst. Where do Quins go from here, I'm not sure. They too have bags of talent but there is something missing. Je ne sais quoi mais bien sur ca manqué.

Tonight Bath host Gloucester in front of 1,000 hand picked fans. What a waste of time. It will cost more than it will benefit anybody but hey lets not be too churlish as the junta at No.10 might be issuing decrees that full curfews controlled by the militia will be in place from tonight. Bath v Gloucester is always a cracker. Depending on the sides selected this could be another. As its Tuesday its grandchildren day so watching it might prove problematical.

Saracens could be dealt a massive blow if Mike Rhodes is found guilty after being cited for a head butt on Robbie Henshaw. Under law 9.12 mid range starts at 10 weeks.

The IRFU have gone on record that we are rapidly approaching the last chance saloon for professional rugby in Ireland. Unless the restrictions on playing and then allowing fans in to watch are removed soon there will be no game to play or watch. I think sport across both Ireland and the UK is perilously close to that already. At the very top of soccer fans are the icing on the cake but in the lower leagues they are the life blood. In rugby fans are a more important revenue stream and right now no fans means no money and riding over the hill thanks to Doctor Doom and Vallance the Destroyer is foreclosure. Many grassroots clubs are already on the verge of collapse, even those with minimal overheads.

Moving on I forgot to mention Leicester City's fine win over Burnley which puts them top of the table. Yes it is only two games into the season but "Leicester City" and "top of the table" has a nice ring to it.

I deliberately didn't watch the Two Ronnies of Doom and their matinee performance of "UK - your are doomed" because my blood pressure is erratic enough as it is. I will keep my powder dry until I can access the hospital admissions data but having watched a very calm, very erudite and open and honest interview of Sweden's equivalent of Chris Whitty we, the UK, are making one monumental mistake after monumental mistake.

What are we NOT being told because there has to be something that is so scary that we the simple folk who pay our taxes would start throwing ourselves under the bus if we knew....... or is it Patrick Vallance is keen to enhance the value of his GSK shares by forcing a GSK vaccination on all of us. It is a broad assumption that as a former senior GSK executive Vallance will have shares in his old employer. I am most probably wrong but if they can make stuff up so can I.

Finally, and no I am not going mad, but ask yourselves is it time to worry when Government policy that could destroy the lives of millions is being made on the basis of no more than guesswork and more worryingly when the Government starts using words like "curfew" and "police crack down" and "punishment" are we becoming more like North Korea than the epitome of democracy and the free world?

Monday 21st Sep: 09:15

It is hard to believe but this time last year we were in Japan, in Nagoya to be precise, looking forward to our World Cup opener versus Georgia. Where has that year gone, and since March what a pretty awful year too.

Anyway, top flight rugby continues. Yes I did succumb to watching Toulouse v Ulster and I am glad I did. It was worth it just to watch Cheslin Kolbe weave his magic. What a player. To be fair I thought Pita Ahki was man of the match but what do I know. It was no surprise Ulster were brushed aside in this very entertaining encounter. Both sides tried and in fact succeeded in playing some great open running rugby. Toulouse were fitter and more equipped to handle the intensity and like Newport and Edinburgh Ulster were somewhat undercooked. The French international half back pairing of Dupont and Ntmack were also intrinsic to the victory. Toulouse now travel to Exeter next Saturday.

Exeter finally got the better of a dogged and much improved Northampton Saints. Leading by just 14-10 at half-time there were some who suggested a shock might be on the cards. It was not to be as Exeter went up a gear and eventually broke the resistance of the Saints. The Simmonds boys were excellent as was Stuart Hogg. Henry Slade ticked plenty of boxes for the watching King Eddie and Jonny Gray did his Lions prospects no harm at all. On the other side of the coin let us stand and applaud young Manny Iyogun. Thrown into the lions den with little to defend himself with, not only did he stand up to the onslaught, he had the better of Harry Williams and Tomas Francis on several occasions, and all with a smile on his face. Marvellous stuff.

The forecast as it stands now is for strong winds, rain and low temperatures for the South West on Saturday. Toulouse won't relish their trip to Sandy Park regardless of the weather but with that forecast I go Exeter. Saracens will face Racing in their amazing indoor arena. I think the French will have the edge but more on this later in the week.

By the way as the curtain comes down on the summer so it does on the BBQ season. Mrs Bleater and I enjoyed ours in what was glorious September sunshine yesterday afternoon. A nice glass or three of rose and the last of the home grown tomatoes and lettuce. Sod vegetarianism, lots of meat too.

Fascinating piece in the Daily Fail as they interview Joe Marler who talks openly about his mental health issues. You look at these highly paid stars, household names, and you often envy them. Scratch away at the surface and you find they are no different than us, maybe with a little more cash to face the problems with. You also find that the pressures they face of being in the spotlight, under the scrutiny of an avaricious press can make life intolerable. Joe Marler clearly falls into the latter category. It is well worth a read, not only to understand the pressures but also for a rye smile as Marler doesn't hold back.

Another piece I've come across takes excerpts from James Haskell's book. I am less enthusiastic about this as he portrays himself as a victim when the accusations of sexual harassment were made against him, Dylan and Chris Ashton in Dunedin during RWC 2011. Yes, I believe the maid saw an opportunity as the players behaviour overstepped the mark but the truth is the players behaviour should not have overstepped the mark. They should be role models and they were most definitely not, in my opinion.

Interestingly my comments highlight the pressure these stars are under and how they are expected to be paragons of virtue, but there is high jinx and there is crass stupidity.

I caught some of the Mitre 10 on Saturday morning and yesterday morning. That is how rugby should be played.

As grassroots cricket, and soccer are being enjoyed by many people up and down the land adult grassroots rugby is nowhere to be seen. To answer my question of yesterday, YES, I think we have been the thrown under the bus and the game is the sacrificial lamb. The game is played by fit and healthy young people, and is a sport that epitomises everything good about sport so why can't we play? The same reason we are going into Project Fear II - the return of the bull! The Government have lost all sense of reality. Currently the only release for many young people is alcohol and violence. The number of incidents coming from both is climbing faster than any death toll from Covid. I'll leave the argument there for you to ponder.

No quiz today just a headline for you to mull over........
"Former head of the Supreme Court Baroness Hale says Parliament 'surrendered' its powers as 'sweeping, draconian' emergency laws were passed to cope with coronavirus".
How right she is!

Sunday 20th Sep: 09:00

Make the most of the next few days as it looks as if winter is arriving later in the week. A glorious day yesterday if a little windy, some of which was spent at the club with a beer in hand with good friends and good conversation. Yes we did talk about the "C" word...... "cretin" usually preceded by "that" and followed by "Trump".

Anyway, after another hard morning at Friday Club Friday night was fish & chips, a bottle of wine and Bristol v Dragons. The Dragons came out of the blocks like a greyhound on heat and for 15 or so minutes anyone watching would have thought the Welsh outfit were the battled hardened side and Bristol the side just out of hibernation. Once Bristol kicked into gear they played some fantastic rugby putting the Dragons to the sword. It wasn't the big names who caught the eye but youngsters like Ben Earl, who I understand is a local lad who went to Tonbridge School. Earl was a deserved man of the match not just for his eye catching tries but his all round game. The big Semi truck Radradra played his part but I thought Piutau and Hughes were off the pace. For the Dragons Nick Tompkins was outstanding and Aaron Wainwright battled tirelessly. Wainwright another Bassaleg boy by the way. 56-17 is not a scoreline you want to see especially when the losing side contained at least nine Welsh internationals but it is what you would expect after only having played just two games since March and up against a team who have played eight games in 36 days. Bristol should fear no-one going forward.

Edinburgh and Scarlets went the same way as the Dragons. Edinburgh put up a brave fight by all accounts and Scarlets could have/should have beaten Toulon. I thought the Scarlets played very well and on balance were the better side. A single Parisse try which in my mind should have been disallowed and some strange refereeing decisions from Cardiff born Andrew Brace did for the Scarlets. Despite the scoreline this was a pretty good game to watch, especially after an excellent dinner of herb crusted lamb steaks, my version of ratatouille and minted mash. Of concern will be Halfpenny going off with another knock to the head, Johnny McNicholl being helped off with a serious leg/ankle injury and the number of Scarlets still unavailable as they languish on the medics table.

Thanks to the beer and the good company I missed the Alex Goode kicking masterclass but did get home in time to see his try and the very combative second half. Sarries had stretched out to an impressive half time lead thanks to Goode's unerring boot and his excellent try. You never write Leinster off and from the whistle for the second half they tore into Saracens. A try by Porter and then with not long left a well taken Jordan Larmour try set up a thrilling finale. Maro Itoje led the defensive line with aplomb and the black wall was pretty much impenetrable from start to finish. Was this a classic? No! Was it thrilling stuff? Yes, most certainly. Whatever you think of Saracens you cannot deny their esprit de corps and that they are winners. Leinster had no answer and based on the evidence of yesterday Johnny Sexton might be ready for the comfort of retirement.

Racing 92 await Saracens and that surely will be a good contest. Racing beat Clermont Auvergne at the fortress Stade Michelin in what seemed a good game. I ducked in and out of this in between cooking and watching a woeful Manchester United get beaten by Crystal Palace.

I said Leicester Tigers might go through but I didn't expect it to be as a result of the other "C" word. Exeter V Northampton Saints is today's viewing choice before Leicester City v Burnley. Depending on the weather I might watch Toulouse v Ulster but then again I might not.

Luther Burrell joins Newcastle. That is a coup for Dean Richards.

Tigers, England and British & Irish Lion Geoff Parling is to be the Wallabies forwards coach.

The Brumbies downed the Reds in what was a pretty good game yesterday morning.

Right, that'll do for now except the answers to Thursdays quiz......
1. because they are selfish and don't get it
2. because he is off to the WHO and is preening his feathers
3. all of them
4. I have no idea other than to believe it is part of a plan to subjugate us all
5. I couldn't countenance it but perhaps the answer is "yes"

Today's quiz.....

Has the Government thrown grassroots rugby under the bus as part of Project Fear?

Thursday 17th Sep: 09:00

A big weekend of European rugby to look forward to ........... if you have BT Sport. Can I say before I get into the preview that even now I still think the PRL and EPCR should have abandoned last season and started afresh. I KNOW there would have been serious financial complications but it would have been oh so much simpler for all.

Anyway, it all kicks off tomorrow with the almost irrelevant Challenge Cup, unless you are Pat Lam. Lam has prioritised this tournament over the Premiership so his Bristol outfit had better slay the Dragons tomorrow night at Ashton Gate. The Dragons having only played two games since lockdown will be either fit and raring to go or very much undercooked. I go the latter and will be surprised if they weren't well beaten.

On Saturday it is the "big one"; Leinster v Saracens in the Champions Cup. Ever since the salary cap punishment was handed down this was always the one bright light in Saracens remaining season. A win against the Pro14 champions means their season has some meaning, a loss and whatever is left before relegation is meaningless. Much has been written about Owen Farrell's absence but in Alex Goode Saracens have a natural ball player and a dogged character. Opposite him is an ageing rock star. The battle of the tens will be the intrigue within the show. Home advantage is negated as the passionate and vociferous Leinster crowd will be absent. I would like to see a Sarries win and believe that is possible. Only time will tell.

The other tie on Saturday is Clermont Auvergne v Racing 92.

In the second tier Richard Cockerill's Edinburgh travel Bordeaux Begles and the Scarlets travel to Toulon. Even without crowds both are daunting trips and like the Dragons the Pro14 sides will be undercooked. You never know. I go home wins in both cases.

Not the biggest but possibly the best game of the day will be the Super Rugby AU final between Brumbies and Reds. This I will watch.

Moving to Sunday Toulouse host Ulster in the Champions Cup with Exeter hosting Northampton Saints. The former will see a home win, the latter is descending into farce. Northampton Saints only have one fit loose head prop, 19 year old Manny Iyogun. The EPCR are being intransigent about Saints being able to add a replacement, that is if they could find a loose head capable of playing in a European quarter-final who is free of Covid. Within minutes of kick off this game could go to uncontested scrums. For the record I don't believe that tight heads or even hookers are not capable of playing loose head, but as a girly back from ye olde days what do I know? Even with three loose heads on the bench Exeter will win.

Leicester Tigers host Castres in the other cup. I have a sneaky suspicion Tigers might win this one. I won't be watching however.

In other news Sales ambitious plans for a brand new stadium back in Sale has been brought crashing to the ground following objections from the natives and the subsequent withdrawal of funding by Trafford Council.

Talking of Sale Loads of Lager is out for at least six months as he requires more shoulder surgery.

Some good news from Australia, up to 40,000 fans will soon be allowed into sporting events. Shame our pathetic, scaremongering, bunch of clowns aren't so enlightened.

England cricketers failed to win the final ODI, a real shame after a pretty good run of great cricket.

Did you know the Dodo was native to Mauritius but of course is now extinct. Our very own British Dodo is apparently alive but quite clearly in hiding. The track & trace system is a shambles, as is the whole testing program, and where is Dodo Harding? Nowhere to be seen.

Today's quiz........
Why are healthy people clogging up the testing system?
Why is the purveyor of doom suggesting we need another two week lockdown?
Of the latest "terrifying" death count of 14 how many were over 60 with underlying health issues?
Why is Boris locking down the North East* when only a few districts are in the 20-29** cases per 100,000 bracket?
Is it time for common sense to prevail and the people stand up and revolt?

* if locking down the North East means we don't have to endure endless photos of Geordie Shore wanabees then happy days.
** what a pathetic state of affairs. Those 20-29 are more likely to be hurt in a road accident.

Back on Sunday by which time I will have read the Government's paper on Covid policy. It is entitled "Lies, damned lies and statistics".

Wednesday 16th Sep: 09:00

Still no grassroots rugby and that sums up how pathetic the country has become. Our liberties are slowly but surely being eroded and unless we wake up to that simple fact we will never get them back. It's like the aisle in Lidls "once they're gone they're gone".

During this lockdown nonsense I have prided myself on ensuring that when I write something related to Covid I have done research to verify that the content is accurate by using a number of creditable sources and not just my demented ramblings. Well it seems I jumped in feet first when I bleated about a club having to cut their player budget. I got it wrong. The said club is changing its constitution (for want of a better phrase) so it can continue to pay players out of a budget of £30k. None of my business but as I have said over and over I hope that level of spend by a grassroots club is sustainable and the impact paying players has on the rest of the club is manageable. Thanks Damps.

The spat between the ARU and NZRFU has been somewhat eased by the intervention of Jucinda Ardern (oh how I wish she was our PM). This whole squabble started when New Zealand suggested that the make up of Super Rugby was not strong enough. They suggested discarding several Aussie (and SA) franchises along with getting shot of the Sunwolves and Los Jaquares and replacing them with another New Zealand franchise and a New Zealand based Pacific Island outfit. The row was exacerbated when it seemed the Rugby Championship was destined to be held solely in New Zealand. The final straw came when New Zealand insisted on dates for the Bledisloe Cup that significantly disadvantaged Australia due to the preparation times.........

Lets leap forward. The Super Rugby issue has not gone away. The Rugby Championship will now be held solely in Australia with the two Bledisloe Cup games to be held next month in Wellington and Auckland. Ms Ardern has stepped in and agreed that the strict quarantine laws be amended to allow the Wallabies to fly in and be able to train as a squad with only a few restrictions. This seems to have broken the impasse and the Bledisloe Cup will go ahead on October 11th and 19th.

It is argued new Wallaby coach Dave Rennie is sabre rattling to get his young inexperienced squad on his side and to get the excuses in for a heavy defeat early.

Moving on it is looking increasingly likely that grassroots rugby won't return before Jan 1st 2021. I base this on the premise that we are still at stage D and there has to be a minimum of four weeks between stage E and F. With the current curfew in place there is little chance that anything other attending funerals of crash victims, stabbing victims, deaths from suicide and death from delayed health treatments is likely to get the go ahead anytime soon. It is SO frustrating. Not just because of rugby, that is a minor irritant but because all the latest information which the Government and media gloss over is proving the fall out from the draconian measures taken will be far, far worse.

In order to cheer myself up I thought I'd just vegetate in front of the TV. Quite a bit to choose from on the film side.......

Snow White and the 5 Dwarfs
The Death of Dopey and Doc
The Magnificent Six
The Six Samurai
Three Brides for Three Brothers
The Six Year Itch
Se7en becomes S6x
and
Enid Blyton's The Famous Five - Up Yours Boris.

Right that'll do for now except to say I intend to look ahead to the European games tomorrow and to give you the answers to yesterday's questions....

1. Rule of six - there is no science to justify it
2. Shooters are mates of Boris
3. Deaths are so low now they are no longer scary enough to comment on
4. Yet again the Government over-promised and under-delivered by putting a mate of a mate in charge rather than someone with at least a modicum of knowledge about the task in hand.

Time for a G&T and its not yet 9am. According to the media we are now a nation of alcoholics. Not surprised but enjoy it while it lasts. Alcohol to be banned from two weeks Thursday says Elvis in the Daily Star.