There was plenty of rugby over the weekend, and for England Under 20s, successful rugby too. I had expected a France victory after their impressive run to the final. It wasn’t to be as England were simply too good in all departments. Defensively England were very good, in attack they were incisive, and they pretty much dominated the scrum, oh, and the lineout was also a source of good ball. Mark Mapletoft has certainly turned things around with this side also winning the Six Nations. Plenty of young talent on show with Henry Pollock being a player with a very bright future indeed. Well done to them.

Wales finished 8th after losing to South Africa. The Baby Boks had underperformed throughout the tournament but showed their potential against a dogged Welsh side. Wales gave us glimpses of how the game should be played with some excellent handling and well worked backline moves. They tackled and tackled but it wasn’t enough. 47-31 the final score.

Earlier on Friday, Wales came away from Queensland with a win. A one point win which was somewhat underwhelming. The Reds played well and their tenacity and fleet of foot again put Wales shaky defence to the test. Five tries, including a couple of ‘crackers’, cements that view. Wales scored six tries including one each for Bath’s Archie Griffin and Regan Grace, neither of whom have played in the Premiership yet. Stay fit, and get more game time, these two could be mainstays of the future. There were some encouraging signs. Nick Tompkins was lively in attack, albeit a bit suspect in defence. Christ Tshiunza is going to be a real asset. Sadly the win doesn’t do anything to solve the many underlying problems within the game in Wales.

New Zealand put Fiji in their place with a solid performance over in San Diego. Despite the scoreline Fiji had their moments but the All Blacks were too streetwise and way too powerful. The real test of progress comes in the next couple of weeks, especially when the Springboks come to town.

Only caught bits and pieces of the Australia v Georgia game but what I saw was throughly enjoyable. Georgia weren’t there to make up the numbers. Some of their play was excellent and had Australia on the back foot for long periods. The Aussies however, are certainly showing promise under Joe Schmidt and their six tries was enough for victory. I hope to watch this one in full at some point.

I did get to watch a sizeable chunk of South Africa v Portugal. This was a second string South African outfit but still way to strong for the Portuguese. That said the men from the Iberian peninsular added a dash of panache, and devil may care to proceedings. Some of their play was inventive and exciting, as was their willingness to run from anywhere. I missed the opening minutes so can’t comment on Esterhuizen’s red card. The one-eyed Boks fans are saying it wasn’t even a penalty. Hey-ho.

Scotland continued their missionary work in the Americas with a win over Chile. Whilst these are lower ranked sides you still have to perform, and perform they have. Its a shame Scotland don’t face Argentina but they still have one game to go. Uruguay up next. Gregor Townsend can’t select any players who don’t play in Scotland due to this game being outside the international window. I’m not sure Uruguay will be much of a test after losing heavily to Argentina.

That about covers it I think.

Other news is dominated by Joe Biden and his decision to stand down. It was inevitable. I’m not sure Kamala Harris is the answer though.

Plenty in the papers about the Just Stop Oil clowns and their prison sentences. We are not Russia and people should have the right to protest. These morons put peoples lives at risk and cost the country many millions of pounds for a cause that could actually make us more reliant on dictators like Putin. The sentences should have been longer!!

The rioting in Leeds is a disgrace, as are that idiot Nigel Farage’s comments. That said the Roma are law unto themselves and even in their homelands across Romania and the Czech Republic are despised for their lack of common decency and unruly, often illegal activities.

Lots of other contentious stuff in the news including the Crowdstrike debacle that has caused mayhem across the globe. Topics for tomorrow me thinks.

Thursday 18th July: 08:20

As you would expect this time of year there is a shortage of rugby news. Being selfish that is no bad thing for me as Telford Hospital beckons then the lottery known as the UK motorway network. Hopefully I’ll be back in the ‘Borough in time for walking rugby.

I can’t imagine what the press in Wales will say if the boys lose to Queensland Reds on Friday. I’ll be at Friday Club thank goodness. I am not sure my blood pressure and state of mind could cope watching it live.

All eyes will be on Regan Grace. Whilst this is not a cap international he is making his debut in a Welsh jersey before he has made is Bath Premiership debut.

I will be watching Wales U20 v South Africa U20 followed by England v France in the tournaments finale. 16:00 and 18:00 respectively via RugbyPassTV, but they might just be being shown elsewhere.

New Zealand, Australia and South Africa have all rung the changes ahead of their games against Fiji, Georgia and Portugal. All these are on SKY if you have access to that. If I can find it I might watch Chile v Scotland. This one kicks off at 20:00.

England have left New Zealand frustrated that they couldn’t quite get past the All Blacks. They have left annoyed too. A bunch of guys who are supposed to be funny which is why they host a radio show have made some very unsavoury, positively leud comments, supposedly as a joke, about an England physio. I’m no prude, or lily-livered woke liberal but there is a line not to cross. They did, and it is a disgrace.

England have announced an ‘A’ team will face their Australian counterparts in November at The Stoop. Gone are the Saxons, in are the ‘As’. Its a nice luxury for England to have.

That’s about it on the rugby front.

Well done to England Women. The cricketers enjoyed a whitewash over New Zealand. To be fair it was always going to be when you have full-time professionals playing mostly amateurs. The footballers have qualified for the Euros after their draw with Sweden.

Gareth Southgate has resigned. The way the media are droning on you would think he has died.

The Open at Troon starts today for you golf fans.

Its the Hungarian Scaletrix this weekend. Max Verstappen to win, or have the chasing pack really caught up with the Red Bulls. By the way the amount of litter Red Bull generate is a disgrace. Every Friday on our litter pick on the roads outside the club, empty cans of that chemical laden rubbish can be found.

Well, the Kings Speech was long and winding. There was some good stuff in there, and if it can be delivered, and quickly then the change we have asked for might happen. However, and it is a big however, I think re-nationalising the railways is very high risk, especially with the proposed loosening of strike laws, and handing even more power to the union barons. The workers rights stuff could very easily back fire. The net zero stuff is bo!!oc4s, and the plan to reduce illegal migration is a pipe dream. Scrapping the Rwanda plan is a big mistake. Surprised there was so little about shaking up the NHS. Plenty about mental health but with all the nutcases who sit in the House of Commons that does come as no surprise. Hoorah! Getting rid some of the old duffers from the House of Lords and the pathetic hereditary peerage which dates back to before the Tudors is good news.

As a general observation I fear there is way too much on the ‘To Do’ list right now. Get fewer things done, but in full, on time, rather than doing many things half-cocked might be a better way forward.

Finally, the minute the speech had finished murmurings of discontent from Sir U-Turns acolytes were to be heard. The honeymoon will soon be over and the challenges of married life to follow!!!!

Wednesday 17th July: 08:25

This morning has dawned bright. In fact it is a gorgeous start to the day. Not much in the way of rugby news and troublingly one of the stories is one which will fill the game with dread. A recent study let by Professor Paul Chazot at Durham University states ‘concussed rugby players more prone to MND and Alzheimers’. The study took blood samples from players who had suffered multiple concussions and compared them with players who had not suffered in the same way, and with athletes from non-contact sports. The report goes on to state that footballers, boxers and certain groups of military personal were also linked to the same problem where multiple concussions occur. It was pointed out that Norm Hewitts passing was linked to MND. The Torygraph and the Daily Fail both carry this news.

World Rugby is leading the charge in finding ways to limit head contact and introducing measures to ensure recovery periods post concussion are strictly adhered to. Lowering the tackle height has been a success, mouthguard technology is identifying heavy contact, independent doctors are removing players from the field and ensuring thorough checks are made before any return is allowed. The discipline sanction table is another tool and whilst this punishes failure to avoid head contact it is not necessarily reducing it.

It must be remembered there are significant benefits, physically and socially, from playing our great game, and yes there are risks, but there are risks from all walks of life. Being lonely, and being inactive should not be underestimated. Having 100s of friends on Facebook or followers on ffffnnnn TikTok doesn’t make you immune from risk. Play rugby, get a life.

As expected Warren Gatland has selected pretty much everyone who has taken little or no part in Wales tests in Australia to face Queensland Reds. Cory Hill will lead the very inexperienced side. Gatland continues to be under pressure with many saying he must now change the narrative. The excuses are no longer acceptable. That said, many are saying, even Joe Schmidt, that Wales were very unlucky not to have won that second test.

There is a bit of a shit storm brewing in Wales as the WRU and Bristol Bears announce that one of their Gallagher Premiership games will be played at the Principality Stadium. With both parties deep in the red this is seen as a much needed additional revenue stream. The regions, and clubs are up in arms however. There appears to have been no consultation, but why should there be. The clubs fear this game will draw supporters away from the home grown product. On the day this might be true but the long term effect will be negligible, I think. If the WRU can earn revenue out of the English game then why shouldn’t they host?

The Torygraph has produced a Lions squad based on current form. It makes interesting reading. 15 Irish, 9 English, 8 Scots and just 4 Welsh make up the 36 man squad.

Details of England’s fixtures for the defence of their WXV1 title have been released. The USA in Vancouver on Sunday 29th September, k.o. 20:30. The BBC carries more information plus you can always go to the World Rugby website on the interweb thingy.

That’ll do for now as a busy day lies ahead.

The Kings Speech is on the agenda for this week, is it today? Anyway, basically it will outline how swathes of the the UK’s green and pleasant land will be turned into housing, riding a horse and cart through planning process. Any green and pleasant land left will be turned into solar farms with no consideration for the fact it will adversely our ability to be self-sufficient in key food production. The railways will be re-nationalised with little thought given to the fact the already nationalised Network Rail is a shambles. Your savings and investments will be raided making your poorer and more reliant on the state.

Obviously I exaggerate for the sake of it, and whilst we need more housing questions are already being asked how this can be achieved when we have a skills shortage, and the builders are not buying into the plan as they would be expected to subsidise the social housing element. Building solar and wind farms is a good idea, but stopping exploration for oil and gas is crazy. What happens to all the jobs in that arena, and isn’t it a worry we will become even more reliant on overseas energy (fuel) providers. I could do paragraph after paragraph why I think re-nationalising the railways is a bad idea. Where I think there is merit is stop the huge profits being diverted into shareholders pockets many of whom are foreign, including the French, German and Dutch nationally owned railway companies.

Back tomorrow with more drivel and ill-conceived personal opinion.

Tuesday 16th July: 07:40

Just a very short missive this morning as M+Ms await. No, not the delicious chocolate buttons but the UKs infamous motorway network. With the tours all but over there is a paucity of stuff to write about anyway. Shame it is so overcast. Arrivals into Gatwick would be a decent alternative.

So, what do I know about anything? Nothing it seems. Former French prop Rabah Slimani signs for Leinster. That drives a horse & cart through a comment I made about the IRFU and props yesterday.

Those who follow England could be heaving a big sigh of relief this morning as it seems that Kevin Sinfield is likely to do a Sir Keir and stay with England after all. That is good news for Steve Borthwick and the squad if it were to happen.

Simon Easterby will replace Andy Farrell from now until after the Lions tours some papers are reporting. Fair enough.

As George North heads to France to start his new adventure, Stuart Hogg heads to court to face the music. A sad state of affairs indeed.

Sir Knowitall is asking why oh why does Borthwick insist on taking Marcus Smith off when he is clearly pulling the strings. Good question. It would be academic if the number of subs were reduced dramatically!!!!!!! Couldn’t resist the opportunity to raise that old chestnut again.

If as forecast the rain returns in time for the weekend there is a full fixture list of internationals you could watch on Saturday. I think SKY has them covered from early doors to late on.

Plenty of the papers cover the passing of All Black great Norm Hewitt and the tender age of 55. Yep, were are here for good time, not a long time. Make the most of it is what I say.

Donald Trump is the Republican candidate at the next election with someone called JD Vance as his running mate. Heaven help us.

The England footballers are back and as expected the pathetic recriminations have started. England, the No.2 team in Europe ahead of France, Germany and Italy. Lets look at it positively.

Whoa, that’s embarrassing. What is? Wes Streeting standing with a group of his constituents in front of a banner stating whilst he is their MP he won’t let building on green belt land in the constituency. Hypocrisy strikes again. To be fair, I like what Streeting is saying about the NHS. In essence just money is not the answer. No, a root and branch reorganisation is required, which includes making some elective surgeries no longer free.

Finally, here is a thought. You are at a political rally and the high profile speaker comes under attack from an unknown sniper in the distance. Shots are fired and the target is hit. What do you do………
dive for cover as shots continue to ring out and people around you are being hit
Or
B) get your mobile phone out and start filming
Anybody with half a brain would opt for A but it is clear one women sat just behind said target thought of her Instagram/Facebook/X account and started filming. Bizarre……….. and fuelling the conspiracy theories.

Monday 15th July: 10:00

That was an anticlimax for sure. The hype, the optimism, the media storm etc, etc, etc. It isn’t coming home, its never been home, and as long as the Premier League continues to be packed with overseas players it will never be coming home. England scraped through the whole tournament by the skin of their teeth. Spain by contrast were head and shoulders the best team from round 1. Why would anyone in their right mind ever think the result was going to be anything different. Actually when Cole Palmer tucked away that equaliser I thought England might just sneak a result. The only thing coming home now are the dejected team and their fans, and of course the Instagram loving WAGS. It is a real shame that some of the fans decided it was a good idea to cause trouble after the defeat, here, in Berlin, and in Spain, especially as overall the fans have behaved well.

Plenty of follow up from the various tours. Ireland come away with their reputation as one of the World’s best sides intact. Questions are now being asked of South Africa’s ageing side. Their Under 20s haven’t lit up that Championship this time around. England are definitely moving in the right direction, tactically, physically and as a squad. Two things that urgently need looking at. One is the propping position. Dan Cole is over the hill, Joe Marler is retiring, Ellis Genge is injured, Kyle Sinckler is off to Toulon, that leaves Bevan Rodd and Will Stuart. Yep, it is a problem. The second issue is player burnout. Maro Itoje was excellent in both games but has played way more minutes than those running the game see as acceptable. This has to be addressed. Ireland for example manage their players game time ruthlessly.

Wales, what to do about Wales? Strength in depth is a major issue, and ultimately the cause of Wales decline. If the very best Wales have to offer were fit and available all the time then Wales would be competitive. Sadly they never are available all the time and that lack of quality coming through is exposed. That problem won’t be solved quickly. On the field the absence of any cutting edge, the basic mistakes and ill-discipline remain at the forefront of the challenges the Welsh face.

As with England props are rarer than hens teeth. That is also an issue Ireland face. Tadgh Furlong and Cian Healey are about to retire. The IRFU have stated that from now the provinces cannot sign overseas props. They have to find new Irish talent from within the game at home. Now that is an interesting development.

I apologise for not mentioning Scotland. They are having a good tour with a game against Uruguay to come. Beating Canada and USA would have been expected so I’ll move swiftly on.

The Under 20 Championships continued yesterday. England beat Ireland to reach the final which is on Friday at 18:00. It was a close encounter but the English finally overcame a dogged Irish outfit. England now face France who beat New Zealand 55-31. French rugby really is on a roll with the various international sides all doing well and the Top 14 being able to attract the very best to its ranks.

Wales lost to Australia yesterday evening in what was a pretty decent game. Pretty tough conditions but both sides played with imagination and a high degree of skill. The young men in green and gold were marginally the better side but Wales can on this occasion hold their heads high. Young Macs Page playing at #13 is a Welsh player to keep an eye. A stunning hat-trick of tries yesterday, and a solid all round game. Wales play South Africa now for 7th and 8th spot. 16:00 on Friday. The RugbyPassTV app is really good.

Wales play Queensland Reds on Friday at 10:55. Regan Grace will make his debut, and all of the squad who haven’t featured yet will get a start. I thought this extra game was a waste of time but with hindsight having taken a full squad to Australia giving everyone at least one game makes sense.

Ok, that’ll do for now rugby wise.

Congratulations to Carlos Alcaraz, Wimbledon Champion and a Spaniard to boot.

Le Tour enters its final week. Haven’t watched much of it this year.

Why doesn’t it surprise me that the leader of the SNP, who now presides over a drug ravaged, crime ridden country gloats about England’s defeat. Dick!!

Great to see the Princess of Wales back on parade yesterday.

I read with interest that the conspiracy theorists were very quick to suggest the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was a set up by the Trump camp. I fear the incident will heighten the odious Trump’s popularity and put him back in the White House. The World really can start to tremble then.

Sunday 14th July: 09:20

You can tell me if I’m wrong, Mrs Bleater does all the time, but that was some Super Saturday of rugby. I’m going to start in Durban at Kings Park where those who watched it will have seen a brutal test match of the highest quality, and a test match with high drama that the mistress of twists and turns, Agatha Christie, would have been proud of. With blood pouring from wounds across the field it was like something out of one of the greatest films of all times; Zulu. Durban in the heart of KwaZulu-Natal saw Ireland, for long periods, play like men possessed with the Springboks on the back foot. The normally faultless Faf de Klerk was at sixes and sevens, Willy LeRoux was hit for six and had to leave the field, a bloody and bruised Franco Mostert limped off dejectedly. For Ireland young Osbourne at full-back, except for one slip, was imperious, Garry Ringrose was immense, and that Irish pack were ferocious. That said, when you think the Springboks are down and out they bounce right back up and try and gore you in the heart. Eben Etzebeth had, in my opinion, one of his best games. Despite the profusion of blood from his head wound he just kept going and going. The lightening quick wings kept Ireland honest. Whilst Ireland’s defence was outstanding it was their ill-discipline that allowed South Africa to stay in touch via the metronomic boot of Handre Pollard. The Conor Murray try was a thing of beauty and then came the Irish knight in green riding across the plains to Ireland’s rescue. As the clock ticked and tocked towards the final whistle Ciaran Frawley banged over two incredible drop goals and the rest is history. What a game. I was left breathless just watching.

The day started in Eden Park and another cracking contest. Without doubt, for long periods, like the first test, England were the better side. The first twenty minutes of this contest was played at an incredible pace with the ball pinging back and forth across the field. The slippery underfoot conditions and the generally damp conditions littered the game with mistakes but that enhanced the enjoyment of the contest. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, rapidly turning into a global star, scored a stunner from a Marcus Smith cross kick. Tommy Freeman’s try on the stroke of half-time was another beauty. England were on their way to a historic victory. That was the case until a certain Beauden Barrett joined his brothers and effectively single-handedly turned the game around. His pace and vision gave the All Blacks an extra impetus against a tiring England side. Talea added to his first half try with a well constructed effort in the corner. Lapses of discipline opened the door wider for the hosts and at Eden Park they need no invitation to take advantage. Damien McKenzie, more assured with the boot than last weekend brought New Zealand home. The game ended slightly controversially but to be fair it wouldn’t have changed the outcome. I’m not convinced the obstruction decision was right, but the key point being ignored by the English is the ball was held up over the line, and with the clock in the red, the game was over.

Under Steve Borthwick England are heading in the right direction. With Smith pulling the strings, pacy backs seeing plenty of ball, and a huge but mobile pack taking the game to the opposition at last things look bright for the followers of the red rose. Maro Itoje had a cracking game overall but I think as the game headed into the final quarter he noticeably tired. Henry Slade had an off day, and I think England missed the incisive runs from deep of George Furbank.

Next up was Australia v Wales. Us Welsh have now had to resort to watching games from behind the sofa and between the fingers. Actually this was quite some game with eight tries, plenty of quality of rugby, plenty of mistakes, plenty of physicality. I think it is fair to say that Australia deserved to win but, and yes in a slightly bias way, Wales were unlucky. If Cam Winnett, normally so reliable under the high ball hadn’t fumbled that kick, and if Liam Williams hadn’t tried the miracle save when taking a lineout was by far the better option it could have been oh so different. Dewi Lake made a statement about his quality. James Botham stepped up to the plate and met the challenge head on. Wales played with a little more imagination, but there were still way too many basic mistakes, way too much aimless kicking, and discipline was still suspect. Wales No.1 issue remains a lack of cutting edge in mid-field. Australia under Joe Schmidt have gone back to basics realising if the game is regain some of its lost status then winning has to come first. The Rugby Championship will be the real test.

As an aside it was a real shame, but an indication of how lowly the sports mad Australians view rugby union that the wonderful AAMI stadium was only half full.

Last up was Argentina v France. With my new girlfriend Rose keeping me company I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Los Pumas took it to Les Bleus in some style. That said you write of any French side, even a significantly under-strength one at your peril. Les Bleus scored three cracking tries but it wasn’t enough against a resurgent Argentina. The sizeable and vociferous crowd roared their heroes on to success. Matera winning his 100th cap was superb as were Carreras, Carreras and Cordero. An excellent game to bring the curtain down on an amazing day of rugby.

By the way, I also caught some of the ladies final at Wimbledon, the women’s cricket from the Oval, and also did some tree lopping in the garden. No wonder I’m knackered.

It would be wrong of me not to condemn the sickening assassination attempt on Donald Trump. No matter what you think of the man and his politics, and I think very poorly of both, this act is outrageous. It again highlights how the world is becoming more and more divided and therefore extreme.

Thursday 11th July: 07:45

Quite rightly the savage murder of three innocent women by an angry young man dominates the front pages. It is horrific, and sadly is another example of the decline in society. This atrocity will never be offset, but the success of England’s footballers last night does go someway in doing that. What a cracking first half display by the much maligned England team, and what a cracking last minute goal by Ollie Watkins to seal victory. Spain on Sunday. Can’t wait.

Just a word of condolence to the family of Robert Horner, and all at Sevenoaks Rugby. Robert was a stalwart of the game for many years including being President of the RFU in 2003. His contribution to Sevenoaks RFC, referees around the parish and the game in general was amazing. On behalf of Crowborough RFC please accept our best wishes.

Before that there is the small matter of four rugby tests on Saturday and plenty of Under 20 action on Sunday. England v New Zealand kicks it all off. Actually, Scotland play USA on Friday but kicking off at just before minute, I’ll probably give that one a miss. Gregor Townsend has picked a very strong squad for this one after their comprehensive win against Canada. Going back to England, Steve Bortwick has made just one change with Fin Baxter starting for the injured Joe Marler. Will England put the Eden Park hoodoo to bed, or will the All Blacks go up a gear from last weekend. If England’s blitz defence can stay solid, that is don’t let New Zealand get beyond them, I’m not sure the All Blacks will be able to get into another gear. It should be a cracker.

Will Wales woeful run of form continue? Losing star man Aaron Wainwright and young Josh Hathaway is not going to help for sure. Cam Winnett comes in at fullback with Liam Williams moving to the wing. James Botham starts with Taine Plumtree moving to No.8. Wales have to change a number of things if they have any chance. Discipline and cutting out the basic mistakes, e.g. ball retention in contact. Wales have got to find a cutting edge. For sometime they have been a blunt instrument. They are fit, that is not in doubt, so throw the ball around. Look for the incisive angle of running. Attack the weaker inside shoulder. Its all basic stuff.

Australia make just one change to the starting XV with captain Luke Wright out with a shoulder injury. He is replaced by Charlie Cale. There are four changes to the bench, including the recall of Nic White. The Aussies will be fired up for this one.

As an aside, after the demise of the Melbourne Rebels, it will be interesting to see how many fans turn up for this one.

Before moving on to South Africa v Ireland I can’t ignore the news that Rhys Webb has been given a four year ban for doping. The French anti-doping agency handed down the ban yesterday after a protracted investigation. I suspect the fact both the A and the B samples came back positive condemned Webb to his fate. If the decision is upheld, which it is likely to be, then this will effectively signal Webb’s retirement from the game. A real shame as over the years he has been a shining light for Wales.

No Ireland team news other than to say there are no further injury worries in the camp. As stated already the Springboks are going full bore for this one. Ireland with a number of key absentees will be up against it. Rumours abound that one of the changes Andy Farrell might make is bringing Gary Ringrose back into the centre. We’ll know soon enough.

A couple of other snippets. The two towering Exeter forwards in the Welsh pack have gone on record and stated that Wales not picking Exeter’s Joe Hawkins because he now plays in England is a travesty. I agree.

The new experimental law of being able to call a mark from a kick off is already being ridiculed. France Under 20s called a mark, tapped the ball and the stood an waited for Wales to make contact. It was pathetic to watch. Scrap that experiment right now.

The Six Nations are in deep discussions about making each round a ‘Super Saturday’. In essence scrapping the Friday night and Sunday fixtures, and having back to back games on the Saturday. I think it makes a lot of sense, especially for the travelling fans. Cardiff transport on a Friday evening is woeful, and who wants to be travelling back from a soggy Edinburgh late on Sunday afternoon.

It will be a rollercoaster of a rugby weekend. Hoorah.

Before I go, it is no wonder the Tories got hammered in the election. The invidious and embarrassing infighting continues. It truly is pathetic and akin to little kids squabbling in the playground.

I have to say Keir Starmer’s first few days in office have been impressive. Very sensible and statesmanlike. Rocky roads lie ahead however, as it seems schisms are already appearing with two Labour MPs already protesting about housing developments in their constituencies. Once Angela Rayner gets her feet under the table rest assured she will be a thorn in the parties side.

Finally what a shame images of moronic Dutch fans attacking England fans having a quiet drink pre-match will mar the euphoria around last night’s result.

Wednesday 10th July: 09:50

What’s the point in rushing to get up when it remains damp and dreary thus putting pay to pretty much all the plans to be outside. Yes, a dangerously depressing thought. Yes, I had a lie in this morning but do have a lot of other stuff to catch up on which will keep my limited number of brain cells active, even if my body is less active….. today that is…… being active!

The Under 20 Championship is ongoing. England progress to the semi-finals along with New Zealand, Ireland and France. France beat a dogged Welsh outfit in pretty soggy and very windy conditions in Cape Town yesterday. Wales, despite the shortage of riches, against a French side with amazing strength in depth, stuck at it. Whilst some of the mistakes of the senior side came to the fore, basic discipline for example, they did ok. Wales play Australia next for 5th and 6th position on Sunday at 18:00

The Australian camp were somewhat miffed when their game against Ireland was cancelled due to the pitch being waterlogged. Much in the papers about how that decision was influenced by the Irish team doctors. Wales and France played on the same pitch a few hours later.

I didn’t see the England v South Africa game but I understand this was a dogged, workmanlike performance by England who ran out worthy winners. By the way this game was also played on the same soggy Athlone pitch. England now face Ireland.

It is sad, annoying, disturbing to read that two French internationals have been arrested in Argentina over sexual assault charges. The players will be brought before the court in Mendoza where the initial stages of the investigation will begin. If proven expect very serious implications for these young men. Most media outlets carry the full story.

The Springboks have again gone fully loaded ahead of the clash with Ireland. Rassie Erasmus has picked the same squad. This is an indication of the respect he holds for Ireland, even an Ireland struggling with injuries, but also to make a clear and decisive statement about South African rugby right now.

Really nice piece in The Guardian about Jack Rowell. Well worth a read.

Plenty in the media about the rise and rise of Chandler Cunningham-South. He has been a revelation and on current form is a shoe-in for the Lions come this time next year.

Whilst trawling through the papers and websites I came across another really depressing story. This time about a mass brawl that erupted after a game on the west coast of New Zealand. The New Zealand Herald reports that a mass brawl broke out involving players and spectators where one person was attacked with a broken bottle and another poleaxed by a shovel. What an appalling advert for rugby union. Thankfully incidents like this are very, very rare.

After the Damien McKenzie kick debacle Eden Park will have a shot clock on Saturday. I can’t understand why that wasn’t the case in Dunedin. Hey Ho!

That’ll do for now rugby wise.

Congratulations to Espana. That was a fine win over a pretty lacklustre French side last night. England v Netherlands tonight. The country will come to a halt for this one.

England women host New Zealand at Hove tonight…. Weather permitting!!!!!!

In other news Sir U-Turn and his wife are in Washington at the NATO summit. We must support Ukraine. I read that the doddery old fool Joe Biden almost made a complete ass of himself again. Having Trump as President again would be a global nightmare but Sleepy Joe has to go. Many are saying its his wife who is stopping him standing down because she is loving the high-life and the limelight.

It’s only Wednesday and already crime in London is rife this week. If Sadiq Khan’s tenure as London’s mayor with his woke waste of money, his attack on drivers and allowing crime to go on unabated is a portend of Sir U-Turns tenure as PM then we are doomed. I hope not, as I wanted change.

Finally Happy Birthday bro, not the international playing brother but the really good rugby player.

Tuesday 9th July: 08:30

Good morning on this mild but damp autumnal morning. Summer is behind us already I’m afraid as the days get shorter and the nights longer. For July this weather is oh so depressing. Another thing that was depressing was eventually watching Australia v Wales. Wales have dropped out of the top ten in World Rugby’s rankings and it was clear from Saturday’s game why. Discipline. In the opening quarter way too many penalties and a yellow card. The basics. Ball retention was woeful and basic handling mistakes usually the preserve of under 12s. The set piece. The scrum creaked and the lineout wobbled. Attack is a blunt instrument. There is no cutting edge, no incisive runners, no dummy runners. Kicking. Why oh why this obsession with kicking the ball away?

What, in my opinion, makes the who situation worse is two fold. Firstly this wasn’t an amazing Aussie side that could put the Springboks in their place. This was an inexperienced outfit, they themselves struggling for form. Secondly there is no-one, or nowhere for Warren Gatland to turn to or go. There is such a paucity of talent in Wales that being a tier 2 Nation is about right.

Compounding the issue, and making Saturday’s challenge even more daunting, is two of the three players who did themselves justice left the field injured. Liam Williams and the excellent Aaron Wainwright are likely to miss the second test in Melbourne. Wainwright will be the bigger loss.

Were there any glimmers of hope, or straws to clutch at? Not really. As the game drew to a close so Wales kept the ball in hand and went close. Kieron Hardy and Sam Costelow livened things up and are likely to start this coming weekend.

As forecast Joe Schmidt put a plan in place which his side stuck to and executed well. The Tom Wright try was a thing of beauty but came from a single missed tackle. He has some decent talent at his disposal, and in a strange way the demise of the Rebels has helped. The Rebel contingent put themselves front and centre in the shop window as some are currently without a club.

The last word. Based on Saturday’s showing there is not a single Welsh player worthy of a Lions spot. Not even Wainwright.

I’m not sure why the press are so on Marcus Smith’s case about the loss in Dunedin. As I said yesterday, yes he missed some kicks, but so did Damien McKenzie for the All Blacks. Smith M has to start again on Saturday at fortress Eden Park.

Ireland have lost Sheehan and Casey to injury leaving Andy Farrell scratching his head about selection.

Is it me, or are those retro All Black shirts pretty naff?

The Ospreys are on the move. If you go onto the interweb thingy there is a great YouTube video of nesting Ospreys up in Scotland. These apparently are Gen Z Ospreys as their chicks had to be removed from the nest because the parents were too lazy to hunt for food. The Welsh Ospreys are moving out of the Swansea City stadium to what will be a totally revamped St Helens. A great idea. Fill out the smaller stadium and create a bigger and better atmosphere.

If the weather stays as it is then the Under 20s this afternoon with a cup of tea and some chocolate coated ginger biscuits will be order of the day.

In other sport the controversial Novak Djokovic made a dick of himself yesterday after beating the Dane Holger Rune. Plenty in the papers about that.

What a shambles in France. Thankfully the far-right were scuppered in their attempt to take power with the far-left being the biggest party. The minute the result was announced the French unions whooped with joy and immediately announced a series of strikes at the airports the day before the athletes start arriving for the Paris Olympics. I mention this as this could be a portend of what’s to come in Britain. Just a thought.

Immigration was one of the failings of the Tories and a reason for the rise of Reform. Illegal immigration is a huge issue which is costing the country millions and millions of pounds a day. I’m sorry to say the plan being put forward by our new Government is pure fantasy. The gangs making money are not going to go away, and if there was a possibility of going after them it would require the support of other countries. Countries who are desperate to move the migrants on as fast as they can e.g. France. For the sake of completeness, positive and well thought through immigration is good for the UK. The care my dear old mum is getting from the NHS would be much the poorer if it wasn’t for hardworking and dedicated staff from outside our sceptred Isle.

Monday 8th July: 08:15

I know you are desperate for me to find some crumbs of comfort after watching the Australia v Wales game. Well, I can’t. I haven’t watched it yet. Busy, busy, busy! I’m not sure I’ll find anything positive to say unfortunately based on the reports in the media. I will watch it today for certain.

Plenty of follow up stories from the other games. Joe Marler is out of the second test with a foot injury. Emmanuel Iyogun has been called into the squad as cover. I don’t know what you think but I thought young Fin Baxter did very well indeed and I’d be tempted to start with him next Saturday. Where I have a concern is Dan Cole. He has been an amazing servant to the English game, technically excellent, but it looks as if he has hit is ‘best before’ date. Other changes for next week? None, if there are no further injuries. Steve Borthwick must keep faith with Marcus Smith. Yes, his kicking was wayward but the rest of his game was what England need to move forward from the dire Eddie Jones era.

Brian Moore in the Torygraph reckons England are definitely going in the right direction and under Borthwick they are looking a much more rounded outfit. Fitter, defensively solid, ambitious with ball in hand, and more disciplined. Moore does point out that New Zealand scrummaged illegally and David Flatman more than eloquently made that point in commentary.

I’m sure he did, but Flatman made watching the game hardwork with his constant chatter. It was talking for the sake of talking. He clearly likes the sound of his own voice. ‘Shut the f**4 up’ is what I say and let the erudite Miles Harrison take us through the game.

Andy Farrell is bemoaning the injustices of the officials decision. Yes, the James Lowe knock back into touch could have gone the other way but there was insufficient evidence to overturn it. The hit on Craig Casey was suspect but again it was looked at by three very competent match officials and Ben Whitehouse in the truck. They deemed it an unfortunate accident as his head hit the concrete hard Loftus Versfeld pitch. It frustrates the hell out of me when coaches whinge on about referee decisions when there is a plethora of basic mistakes made by the players across the pitch, and throughout the game. Criticise Lowe for trying to be a smart arse and making a miracle knock back into play when taking the lineout would have been far the batter option. According to the headlines in the Irish media it seems Farrell with have some selection dilemmas ahead of him with several battered and bruised Irish bodies queuing for treatment.

France’s Melvyn Jaminet has brought disgrace to the French side and has been immediately dropped from the squad and sent home. Following the win over Argentina Jaminet posted a video on social media that appears to condemn Arabs. In the light of the activities of the Far Right in France the timing could not be worse for the French Federation and his club Toulon, both of whom have condemned the comments. Across the globe we are seeing the extreme views becoming more and more widely aired, and sadly with less and less condemnation.

Plenty in the media about the wonders Joe Schmidt is performing. Steady on, it was Wales for heavens sake. A team going backwards faster than the support for the Tories. The TV stats highlight the plight of Union down under. More people tuned in to watch the Women’s State of Origin clash than they did the test vs Wales.

Ok, before I go, remember the next round of the Under 20s is tomorrow. Try RugbyPassTV for the games.

I also have time to mention the election. The country wanted change and they have it. However, don’t for one minute think this is a massive endorsement of Labour and their policies and the country is fully behind Sir U-Turn. Labour only increased the share of the vote by 1.6%. They got 34% of the vote, less than Corbyn in 2019 and Blair in’97, meaning 66% of those who bothered to vote did so for somebody else. In many cases Labour took the seat because Tory voters defected to Reform. Those odious clowns in Reform got a bigger share of the vote than the Lib Dems but only picked up 5 seats compared to the bungee jumpers 71. Only 60% of the population bothered to vote meaning apathy and disillusionment towards politics and the self-serving politicians is rife. We are doomed.

Oh, and I see nationalising the railways is high on the agenda. The anarchist rail unions will be rubbing their hands with glee.

Sunday 7th July: 09:00

It was a veritable cornucopia of rugby yesterday with a short burst of football intermingled. Oh so close, yet so far away. Yes, that sums up England’s loss to New Zealand in the magnificent Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. For long periods England were the better side, in my opinion. Their rugby was cohesive and dynamic, using the ball wisely. Yes there was still way too much kicking but at least it was kicking with a purpose. Alex Mitchell and Marcus Smith linked well with George Furbank impressing from fullback. Ben Earl was off the pace but that was offset by a solid contribution from Chandler Cunningham-South. Maro Itoje was close to his imperious best. The All Blacks, being in a rebuilding phase in some areas, with a new coach, weren’t at their best but they weren’t going to give up home advantage easily, and so it proved.

When the men in black attacked England’s defence was outstanding. The new blitz defence seems to be taking shape very nicely indeed. However, when a tackle is missed it is generally disastrous, as was the case yesterday. The All Black defence too was robust but one moment of Smith vision put Manny Feyi-Waboso over for a score.

That second half, despite being played almost exclusively between the two 22m lines, was intense and gripping. The game could have gone either way. Plenty in the papers about Smith’s kicking but don’t forget his counterpart, the lively Damien McKenzie, was also wayward from the tee. On balance the narrowest of wins for the All Blacks seemed fair. That said, a narrow win for England would also have seemed very fair.

I haven’t seen the Welsh horror show down in Sydney yet. That is for this morning. I understand it was pretty dire with Wales being a blunt instrument in attack and pretty shoddy in defence. Three key men getting injured doesn’t augur well for next weekend. More on this tomorrow.

Next up was South Africa v Ireland. This was a brutal clash. Two leviathans going head-to-head, toe-to-toe with no quarter asked, nor quarter given. Whilst Ireland gave a very good account of themselves, in my opinion, they were always second best. The Boks showing a lot of invention in attack, whilst not totally eschewing their forward power, had Ireland rattled early on. The normally error free and disciplined Irish were punished by sloppy mistakes and ill-discipline. A very tough call against James Lowe put daylight between the sides as the game entered the final stages. Ireland scored two excellent late tries to make the scoreline look respectable but South Africa were too good.

One player doesn’t make a team but the absence of Jamison Gibson-Park didn’t help the Irish cause, nor did the basic mistakes by the normally reliable Lowe. The Irish also, as defeat loomed, got on the wrong side of Luke Pearce. Young Irish debutant Jamie Osborne scored following a piece of Lowe magic, and overall I thought he did more than enough to be in consideration for a start next weekend.

The bottom line is South Africa’s strength in depth, the vast experience of the starting XV, home advantage at altitude in front of the baying mob all told. Their were worthy winners.

Next up was Argentina v France played in Mendoza in the foothills of the mighty Andes. Wow, I didn’t see this one coming. I expected a home win with a very experienced Argentinian outfit beating a very inexperienced French side. Les Bleus rested anyone who played in the Top 14 final plus a number of other big name stars after a gruelling season. Those who were selected made their mark in some style. Defensively, thank you Shaun Edwards, they were excellent. In attack they were dynamic. Los Pumas were lethargic and inaccurate by comparison. Of the games this was the most free flowing and therefore thoroughly enjoyable. My mate Mal Bec thought so too!!!

By the time the Canada v Scotland game came around I was knackered so only caught the opening stanza of this one. A very impressive win for a young experimental Scottish side was the outcome.

Yep, of course I watched the soccer, or to be accurate the second half and extra-time. England winning on penalties and the country euphoric. Except for the Saka wonder goal and the coolness of the penalty takers England were pretty ordinary at best, and rubbish at worst. The Dutch up next on Wednesday.

I couldn’t close without mentioning the election. The country has got the change it so craved, but I say: be careful what you wish for. More on the reality of the election tomorrow, and sadly a review of Australia v Wales.

Thursday 4th July: 08:35

It’s Independence Day in the USA, a country with a population of just over 330m people. A country where the best they can offer up as President is a doddery old duffer and a megalomaniacal nut job. We are doomed.

As our great(ish) country goes to the polls it is inevitable we will have a Labour Government tomorrow morning, but that shouldn’t stop you voting. Only time will tell if we too become doomed. As I said yesterday the country needs change, but the big question is ‘will it be for the better’.

On a brighter note the weather here in Bridgnorth this morning is lovely. Clear blue sky, bright sunshine and already warming up. Fingers crossed the motorway network is quiet. I want to get back for walking rugby this evening, oh, and of course to exercise my democratic right and vote for………….

The Irish haven’t named their team to face the Boks yet, and I can’t find the All Blacks team to face England.

Wales and Australia have named their teams. Warren Gatland has stuck with many of those who fronted up to South Africa but there are a couple of surprises. Liam Williams replaces Cam Winnett at full-back with Josh Hathaway, who will make his debut, on the wing. Ben Thomas gets the nod at outside with Sam Costelow dropping to the bench. The two Exeter men, Christ Tshiunza and Dafydd Jenkins, come straight back into the second row. No place for Winnett, or Gareth Davies, in the match day squad. I would have liked to have seen Nick Tompkins in the centre ahead of Owen Watkins but at least he does make the bench. It remains a very inexperienced side with the bench packed with players with very caps.

Australia have picked seven uncapped players with Liam Wright being announced as captain. This really is a new beginning. I recognise very few names. Dear Welsh readers, don’t let this selection lull you into thinking Wales will win. Any team coached by Joe Schmidt, whether it be for a long time, or a short time, will be a force to reckon with.

I read with sadness the passing of Jack Rowell. The giant of a man who turned Bath into the dominant team of the 90s, and led England to great success, most notable the ‘95 Grand Slam. My brother played under him at both Bath and England and I’m sure like many will be saddened by the news. Plenty of excellent tributes across the media.

It is disappointing to read that Stuart Hogg is in the news again, this time for breaching bail conditions.

Mako Vunipola is off to Vannes in France for one last hoorah/payday.

Ok, that’ll do for now. Back on Sunday with a review of Saturday’s fixtures. If you can wait for those games then the next round of Under 20 games are today. I think you’ll find most of them on RugbyPassTV via the interweb thingy.

Talking of which, technology is amazing. My dear old mum is in hospital at the moment, but via FaceTime we were able to chat to her sister in New Orleans. By the way, she said that she would prefer to vote for a doddery old fool than that idiot Trump. Enough said.

Wednesday 3rd July: 08:55

A slightly dreary morning here in Bridgnorth but with so much to do there is no time to dwell on the vagaries of the weather.

The build up to Saturday continues. Plenty in the media about Australia v Wales. The Wallabies have a new coach, Joe Schmidt, a coach with a very impressive CV, and more importantly for the rugby union supporting Australians, a winning CV. Schmidt is likely to throw six new players onto the international stage, with just three keeping their place from that ignominious defeat to Wales in the 2023 World Cup. That said Wales will be much changed too. Rugby Union is very much a minority sport in Australia and becoming even more marginalised. Aussie Rules and League are huge by comparison and even soccer has a bigger following. If Australia falter, especially after the demise of the Melbourne Rebels, then the game could take another step toward extinction.

Wales are in very much the same position. The game is on a precipice. The international side in essence funds the game in Wales and a continued lack of success on the world stage could be disastrous. Whilst Wales didn’t qualify for the Euros football has had a resurgence of late. Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport County and Wrexham are packing out their stadiums where as the four regions are playing in front of half empty stands.

It should be a good game. Sadly I have been reminded I am committed to attending the Sussex AGM in my Sussex capacity and to represent CRFC. Hey Ho. That is what the Sky box is for.

South Africa have announced their side early and what a side it is. Twelve players who started in the World Cup Final will start against Ireland. Handre Pollard gets the nod at 10. This will be a block buster of a game. All the games will be brutal but this one will be on a different level. Can’t wait. Hope to be home in time for kick off.

Oh, by the way, the new TMO guidelines will be in operation in this game. Basically the TMO has the authority to call clear and obvious forward passes etc in real time rather than wait for the protracted TV review. That worked well in the Boks v Wales game…… NOT! It was forward!!!!

Toulon have been fined a whopping 500,000 euros following dodgy dealings with regard to the Dan Biggar transfer from Northampton. Toulon have previous when they brought Cheslin Kolbe to the beautiful South of France.

As I said, busy, busy, busy so that’ll do for now.

I do have time to tell you the new Bridgnorth clubhouse is finished. I’m not sure about the green and black colour but it looks magnificent. Their pitch is looking superb too. After the winter floods they have obviously spent a lot of time and care on it, much like we do at Steel Cross. Well done Drew.

Just a few hours to go before the election. The country will have a change of Government, of that I am pretty certain. Whilst I don’t know how I will vote, and I cannot, and will not, tell you how to vote, we need change, but I for one am fearful of a one party state if Sir U-Turn gets an overwhelming majority. Talking to my good friends Mike and Ken, both Guardian readers, I am coming around to their considered, and eruditely put forward view, and that is: Proportional Representation is a better way forward. Food for thought.

Tuesday 2nd July: 08:30

I start with Hurricane Beryl. Having not long come back from Grenada, a country we have been lucky enough to visit on several occasions, our thoughts are with those affected. The fact the intensity of the storm was so great, so early in the season comes as no surprise. If you flick back to my drivel of June 20th you will see I commented on the unprecedented 2degC rise in sea temperature in just one year. Climate change is real. This event and the horrendous wildfires across Southern Europe, the unseasonable cold and rain in Australia are all indicators of the problem. We must all do our bit. If the global population all did a little bit that would add up to a lot. We don’t have to live in caves, eating grass and reading by candle light however.

Moving on I see Steve Borthwick has chosen his side to face the All Blacks on Saturday. A couple of changes with Joe Marler and Will Stuart starting in the front row. Mr Smartypants did predict Dan Cole would be dropped from the bench. Other than that the rest of the starting XV is the same as took to the field against Japan. A few changes to the bench however with Fin Baxter, Alex Coles, Ben Spencer and Ollie Sleightholme being called in. New Zealand are yet to announce their team but one thing is certain the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin will be rocking on Saturday evening. It is an amazing venue.

Nick Tompkins is likely to be recalled to the Welsh side, or I sincerely hope he will be. Anyway, he was in front of the press this week. His message was, in essence ‘Wales will go back to roots’ and that means only one thing; really boring rugby sadly. Don’t expect flamboyant, devil may care rugby. This will be pragmatic kick the ball away and smash into anyone who gets underneath it. Bulldoze and bulldoze again. If I’m not spitting chips by half time I might be fast asleep. I understand that a win down under, and better still and series win down under, would be great for morale but come on, this is a young team for the future, let them have their head and show what talents they have!!

Its good to see some of the lesser nations are getting quality opposition this time around. Uruguay have tests against Argentina, France and Scotland.

The NZRFU are pushing World Rugby really hard to make the 20 minute red card rule the norm. I for one am still unsure about this. It doesn’t feel right but I’ll give it more thought and come back to it.

I’ll pick up on any other rugby news tomorrow. Bridgnorth beckons right now.

In other news I see that idiot Ed Davey continues to live the dream by acting the fool. Sadly that is what politicians are right now. All of them are fools whose only interest is themselves.

The situation in France is troubling. I (can) have some outrageous views but this lurch to the right and some of the statements being made really are polarising. The world is becoming more extreme whether it be left or right, or with regard to supporting a cause. Tolerance and understanding are rapidly being replaced by anger and violence, and yes defacing art, and statuary is violent and intolerance personified.

That’ll do, back tomorrow.

Monday 1st July: 09:05

So was where I yesterday after saying I would be putting a few badly punctuated, poorly spelt sentences together for this here page of drivel. Well, actually I was coming home from Brighton nursing a hangover, after attending Sussex Rugby’s annual dinner. This is where many of the amazing volunteers who run our great game are recognised, and so it was the case on Saturday evening. It was pretty enjoyable all told even though the decision to stay overnight was the equivalent cost of a week on the Costa Brava.

We at CRFC have amazing volunteers and we give them our thanks. They make the club what it is; successful and vibrant. I did hear during the evening that two of our players are leaving to go to play at Tunbridge Wells. As much I could whinge you cannot criticise players wanting to play at a higher level, even if that isn’t with their mates of many years, and of course to get paid for doing so. It is the way of the game I’m afraid.

TV5Monde came up trumps again. On Friday I watched Toulouse totally destroy a very strong Bordeaux Begles side in the final of the Top 14. It was men against boys with Dupont and Ntamack pulling the strings. Jack Willis was outstanding from start to finish. Under the new selection policy I can see him in the Lions squad next year on current form.

The Under 20 tournament kicked off with wins for England and Ireland. Wales came second against a strong Baby Blacks side, but they did themselves proud with a late rally which earned them two bonus points. France and South Africa look very strong. The next round of fixtures is on Thursday. Games to look out for are Wales v Spain, Ireland v Georgia and England v Fiji. The pick of the round is France v New Zealand. That kicks off at 15:30. As I understand it the games are available via the RugbyPassTV app, which if you used it for the Japan v England game know it works pretty well.

After a very difficult and disappointing season for Wales Women they eventually put Spain Women away 52-20 to qualify for the 2025 World Cup and the WXV2. It is the World Cup qualification that was the most important. Spain are a very good side and had Wales on the rack in the first half. A second half blitz meant the transformed Welsh outfit cruised to victory at the end. The crowd was very disappointing, less than 3,000.

The build up to next Saturday’s rugby bonanza is underway. The Aussie’s have been dealt a triple blow. Carter Gordon defection to League, the recalled Kurtley Beale suffering what could be a career ending achilles rupture, and star centre Len Ikitau rumoured to be out with a long term shoulder injury.

Talking of the Aussies, Michael Hooper has called time on his international career after failing to make the Australian 7s squad for the upcoming Olympics. A top class player and rock solid leader.

Many are asking can Ireland finally win a series in South Africa. The back to back World Cup winners are never easy to beat on their own turf, but as Wales proved in 2022 taking them very, very close in the first test, winning the second, before being overrun in the third test, anything is possible. The Irish are a major stronger, better drilled and more skilful outfit than Wales, so it is not beyond the wit of man to see an Irish victory in both tests. That said the Irish were a little under par during the Six Nations, and the four provinces have often been less than inspiring in both the URC and European tournaments. It should be good.

How will England fare in New Zealand. There is probably a no better time for a series win. The All Blacks are rebuilding with many old guns retiring, or earning a crust in Japan, and a new coach taking hold of the tiller. England come off the back of some good performances and under Steve Borthwick are finally developing a more dynamic playing identity. This too should be good. If you haven’t got access to Sky Sports then sadly you are doomed.

The one player everyone is keen to watch is Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. There is plenty of noise around him at the moment. We’ll see how the WELSHMAN performs in the Land of the Long White Cloud.

That’ll do for now as I need to catch up on the latest news. We have the Reform fascists who are likely to be a factor in putting Sir U-Turn in power with a massive majority, which is not good news, the massive majority that is!! We have rioting on the streets in France as the Right Wing Le Pen faction win the first round of elections. I also need to catch up on England’s win in the Euros. If you can be that pathetic and progress who says they cannot go on and win the tournament.

Thursday 27th Jun: 08:55

A cooler start to the day today, but still a lovely start to the day. Not a great deal to be found in the rugby pages I’m afraid but I’ll comment on what I have found.

The British & Irish Lions up first. Its not been trumpeted but amongst the announcement that Andy Farrell doesn’t have to select from all four nations was also a comment stating that Farrell could, if he wished, select players playing outside the four nations. This of course opens the door for Owen Farrell to be included in the squad. Nepotism at its best. Now, we haven’t seen Farrell junior play in France yet, and it could be a revelation. However, with Marcus Smith, Finn Russell, Fin Smith and four pretty decent Irish fly halves all playing well it would look suspicious. What we’ve seen from England sans Farrell Jr would indicate the squad would be better off without him, in my opinion.

The WRU strategy announcement delivered plenty of motherhood and apple, and of course the bleedin obvious. Where it got interesting is opening the world to the dire financial straits the game in Wales is in. As stated yesterday there simply isn’t enough money in the game to sustain the current structure. The headline says it all: ‘£35m problem could spark seismic changes in months’. Whilst the WRU financial position is ‘stable’ they have a £24m debt pile, a £15m deficit and that £35m funding shortfall