I took one look out of the window at 7am and saw how wet, cold and miserable it was so decided to "self isolate". I went back to bed. At some point it will stop raining I'm sure.

Ireland v Italy has been postponed because of the fear of the coronavirus spreading. I think this whole thing is getting out of control. NOT the virus, the hype, and the ridiculous way it is being handled. Let me tell you why.

The population of China alone is 1.4bn. Worldwide there have been c.85,000 cases and c.3,000 deaths. So as a percentage of the Chinese population 85,000 is a tiny proportion and of that 3,000 is a miniscule amount. When you put 85,000 in the context of the worlds population then right now we are talking 0.0000 something of a percent. Of course these numbers could explode if the spread of the virus is not contained. Yes, but as I said yesterday 80% of people who contract the virus suffer only with mild symptoms and of the remainder only a small percentage are at risk of death. Yes you will argue it is the increased burden on the NHS that is of concern. If you let this run its course and accept those most at risk are those who already have underlying medical conditions and are probably already under the care of the NHS then that argument is somewhat reduced. My final point is: how many people died in car accidents across the world yesterday, not this week, yesterday. According to accepted statistics it would be c.3,250. Yes that is per day. Based on the reaction to the coronavirus shouldn't we all throw away our car keys because the risk to health is too high. Ireland v Italy SHOULD GO AHEAD.

Off my soap box now so to rugby. Thank you Simon for the piece in the Daily Torygraph. New Zealand have introduced a new competition for clubs to enter. It is an under 85kg league only for players under that weight. NZRFU have recognised the way the game has gone and right now if you are not the equivalent of Goliath and able to generate the same power as a Tiger Tank then the game is not for you. Many keen, young and often talented rugby players are thrown on the scrap heap by clubs because they are "too small". There is also the other side of the coin that many players take themselves out of the game due to the worry of being injured by some of the enormous opponents they come up against and the subsequent impact on work and home life. If you even up the playing field by giving those who are not so big an opportunity to play where the risk of injury is reduced isn't that a good thing? It also potentially helps to bridge the gap between youth and senior rugby. Could it work in England? Who knows but as player numbers continue to decline as is the number of games getting cancelled it is worth a try and if it is trialled it should be a 100% amateur competition. Rugby played for fun and only fun otherwise the initiative will fail.

By the way the amazing French scrum half Dupont would only just make the under 85kg cut off point.

England will play New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and Tonga in the Autumn. Great to see Tonga included. Start saving now as the tickets will be extortionate as usual.

Very little else to report so just a short missive today. Back on Saturday unless there is any breaking news on our fixture with Charlton Park. Our 2s game at Steel Cross has already been pulled, not because of the pitch but because Midhurst have serious injury and availability woes.

By the way, more food for thought: when are people going to stop saying it always someone else's fault and someone else should fix the problem. At some point people should take responsibility for their own action surely?

Wednesday 26th Feb: 08:45

Hoorah, a beautiful start to the day. The sky is blue, not a cloud to be seen and it isn't raining. I'm not sure those living along the River Severn will be thinking the same as flood defences were breached in several places last night. Bridgnorth's rugby pitches are underwater but that is nothing to the homes that have been flooded in the town and those further up and down stream.

That leads me on to the weekend. With more rain and the possibility of snow forecast I have no idea what will happen to our fixtures at Steel Cross nor at Charlton Park. As soon as I know anything then you will know too.

For a different reason there is a lot of chat in the papers about Ireland v Italy being called off and the Italy v England game being at risk. The spread of the coronavirus is giving serious cause for concern with towns and cities being closed off and now a hotel in Tenerife being surrounded by police and put into lockdown. No, I am not saying this just to be controversial, I genuinely believe people and governments are overreacting. For the vast majority of people the symptoms of the virus are mildly unpleasant and only in a tiny proportion of cases fatal. You can get through it without medication. Yes the elderly and those with certain existing conditions are at risk but aren't they at risk even from the common cold. This paranoia is driven by the insatiable need for news to fill our TV screens and to make people feel important. As I type Mrs Bleater is upstairs really struggling with early onset hayfever and I have a heavy cold with symptoms more severe than the coronavirus. There you go, food for thought.

In rugby news Josh Adams is out for sometime with an ankle injury. That is a blow for Wales but it could mean Louis Rees-Zammit finally makes his debut. Liam Williams is moving back to Scarlets ahead of time. Agreement has been reached between them and Saracens about the early move. He is also on the verge of playing again after his injury sustained in Japan. In a surprise move Bath have signed Rhys Webb on a short term deal ahead of his move back to Ospreys. I thought he was still contracted to Toulon but the papers say differently. The WRU have said this short term deal doesn't preclude him from Wales selection. Ex London Irish DoR Toby Booth is to take over at Ospreys at the end of the season. He is currently at Harlequins. Ireland lose Cian Healey to injury for the rest of the 6 Nations. Warren Gatland has announced The Lions will play a pre tour game against the Barbarians and it will be at Twickenham.

No internationals this weekend but plenty to consider. Gloucester could come a cropper at home to inform Sale on Friday. My eye is drawn to Saints v Saracens on Saturday. Both sides hammered last weekend face each other this. Could be a cracker....... if you've got BT Sport of course. The Premiership game of the weekend is on Sunday: Bath v Bristol. I'll have some of that if it is on TV.

Had a wander down memory lane this morning by flicking through the fixtures and seeing which teams I have played against and what league they are in. Catching my eye in Scottish National League 1 is Cartha Queens Park vs Dundee HSFP. Played against CQP in 80s whilst we were on tour in Glasgow. Marvellous trip that was.

The NHS is under severe pressure at any time but right now those pressures are leaving the NHS at breaking point. Has the time come to think differently. Stop trying to meet demand, look at ways of reducing it. Stop using unrealistic targets when A&E departments are full of people who could have gone to a pharmacy for advice. Get the bed blockers out of there. Stop health tourism. Levy serious fines on those in A&E with self-inflicted problems e.g. drink related issues on a Friday and Saturday. Finally start talking about the amazing stuff that the NHS delivers for the VAST MAJORITY of people in need.

That'll do for today. Need to find my sunglasses, they might come in handy today.

Tuesday 25th Feb: 08:20

The front page of yesterday's Financial Times covered the story of CVCs interest in rugby. Having taken a 27% stake in the Premiership and a 14% stake in Pro14 rugby it is rumoured they are close to a multi million pound investment in the 6 Nations. In addition they have made an approach to NZRFU and are rumoured to be in "advanced talks" with South Africa Rugby and it is understood they have approached World Rugby about a global investment. At the heart of the talks are TV rights. I can only go by what I have read about CVCs involvement in F1 and it is not a happy story and that is what I fear for rugby.

To my untrained eye I believe there are two risks to our game. Firstly the unions and the clubs will be blinded by the money and their need for money. They will ignore the downside and grab what they can. This I fear will then drive up player wage inflation and not to reduce debt or improve facilities. The second aspect will affect us the supporter. As we have seen you need to be a subscriber to BT Sport to see anything of the Premiership and the Pro14 is almost invisible except for the odd game on S4C. CVC will be keen to get the 6 Nations off terrestrial TV onto a pay channel, probably not one of the mainstream pay channels either but something like Amazon. Put aside the lost revenue to clubs who would no longer be showing games in their clubhouses it is the lost opportunity to recruit new viewers to the game or turn the "sometime" watchers of our game into regular supporters that would be the problem.

Cricket has suffered significantly since it went off terrestrial TV (as far as I know they don't have any involvement with CVC). As stated F1 did and they have suffered with CVC creaming off a huge return on their investment whilst interest and TV exposure to the sport declined.

I have had a few mails about Sunday's game, some extolling England's performance, others claiming England weren't that good and flattered to deceive. Objectively I think the truth lies somewhere in between. Yes England were much better than they have been in recent games and showed some of the skills that took them past the All Blacks in Japan. On the other hand Ireland were way off the pace gifting England several points and missing several more of their own. England's pressure was a factor in Ireland's poor showing but I think those following the Red Rose need to be realistic about the progress being made.

Much in the papers about Italy and the coronavirus. Two Pro14 games have been pulled and the 6 Nations games involving Italy are in doubt. This will play out over the next few days. As I sit here with a heavy cold and read about the many thousands who succumb to flu in the UK each year I wonder if this thing is being blown out of all proportion.

Early 6 Nations news. Mako Vunipola is likely to be unavailable to face Wales but Anthony Watson could. From a welsh perspective not bothered about Mako but the excellent Watson's return would ramp up the pressure on Wales.

Did anybody catch any of Leicester City v Manchester City last weekend. Man City looked like a bunch of fruit salads on heat. That kit was awful. They still won though.

The headlines in the papers is a story I'm not going to cover, nor I am going to write about those publicity seeking hypocrites in Canada, nor the people who pontificate about what we can or cannot eat, or those wannabees on Instagram or other social media platforms so it is the weather for me.

What is going on. The volume of rain is unprecedented and now they are talking of snow and that is just Britain. The Aussie situation is awful and so I could go on.

The granddaughter has arrived so best if I leave it there.

Monday 24th Feb: 08:45

I know I can be a gloomy so-and-so at the best of times but this weather is getting me down now. With no incentive to get out let me crack on with the league round up.

A 16-10 win over Deal & Betteshanger was an excellent result for us. A number of front line players were missing but those who played stepped up to the mark and produced a fine result against a very good opposition. The win keeps us in the top half in 5th ahead of Hove in 6th who lost away at Dover 20-12. I am little surprised at this but this is the nature of our league: anyone can beat anyone on the day. Old Colfeians 41-5 win over Beccehamian sends them to the top ahead of Haywards Heath whose game against Thanet was postponed. Heath now have two games in hand so remain favourites for promotion. Maidstone continue their dire run this time going down 17-50 to Charlton Park, our next opponents. In the other game Gravesend lost to Old Alleynians who now sit in 3rd spot. Several teams have games in hand on us but right now we would remain in 5th regardless of the results.

In London 3 South East the stand out result for me was The Greenies beating Vigo 32-8. H&W are now in 5th so a top half finish could be on the cards. Uckfield didn't fare so well losing 15-25 to table topping Ashford. It is not done yet but Ashford are looking good for promotion. Folkestone lead the chasing pack beating lowly Park House 31-15. Pulborough came home from Old Willies with the full set of points, a 7-33 win for them. In the other games there were wins for Old Dunstonians at Aylesford and Bromley at Gillingham. Old Willies are set for the drop but there remains much to play for elsewhere.

Three games in Sussex 1 after Burgess Hill v Heath II was postponed. Crawley are looking increasingly like league champions after beating Eastbourne. East Grinstead's win at Barns Green keeps them in the hunt for the play-off spot. Lewes beat Seaford in a mid-table derby.

Up into London 1 South. Not a great day for Horsham losing at home to Belsize Park. Despite the loss they remain in 7th one place ahead of Chichester who drew 22-22 with our friends from Medway. Havant are now clear at the top after beating Camberley and Westcombe Park losing at home to HAC. Dartfordians prop up this table after losing to London Cornish.

In the Premier Division Sevenoaks 18 - Tunbridge Wells 18 stands out. Brighton's climb up the table continues after beating Sidcup at Sidcup. Guernsey stay top on points difference ahead of Rochford Hundred. Guildford, as they have for some time, remain at the foot of the table.

No games in the National Leagues to report. Elsewhere Bridgnorth came home from Kettering with a win (boy that is a trek). Salisbury didn't have a game but Twickenham did beating Chobham 26-27.

So to Twickenham the stadium. Whichever way you cut that was a good win for England. I am not sure about King Eddie's comment about "declaring at half time" or any view that England are where they really should be with the resources at their disposal but they looked good. Manu Tuilagi was a battering ram that delivered. His defensive work was good too. The backs and forwards linked up well and the decision making was much improved. George Ford and Ben Youngs got their mojo back and the back three were solid.

Where the positives, and there were many, need to be tempered is the fact that Ireland were off the pace. Johnny Sexton was a liability at times. In defence he seemed all at sea, his kicking was way off his best, he gifted England the opener, and yet again I would question his leadership (style). Others too failed to deliver. In the breakdown Tom Curry had the edge over his Irish counterparts and the normally reliable set-piece stumbled. Farrell senior now has some difficult choices with the number one being how far ahead does he look. Is it time to bite the bullet, accept some defeats but blood more of the youngsters ahead of 2023. 6 Nations Grand Slams are important but World Cup glory is the holy grail.

England v Wales now becomes the headline game in two weeks time with Scotland v France being the dessert.

Before wrapping up Exeter put Northampton to the sword and Bristol maintained their challenge for a playoff spot.

As a footnote to Saturday Dan Biggar has quite rightly been told to "shut it!" His constant whingeing at the officials is demeaning and unnecessary. No update on George North but I hope he is reflecting on his future outside the game. Saturday was one too many concussions for my liking. Will Finn Russell be recalled to Scotland's ranks as many are now insisting on.

That'll do for now as I think I am going to explore holiday options; somewhere, warm, dry and sunny.

Sunday 23rd Feb: 09:50

Much to get through today but I want to start with Past Players Lunch. An excellent way to start proceedings at Steel Cross yesterday. It was great to see so many old faces, and some were very old, having a great time reminiscing about the days of yore with many commenting on the pitch. Basically what a miracle to be playing after the non-stop rain of the last few months, and by the way it was a miracle but whilst the pitch was heavy it was perfectly playable.

A huge well done to the staff and a massive well done to Jacqui for laying on a great meal for 70 people and that just 24 hours after laying on a banquet for 85 the night before. A miracle worker me thinks.

The pitch was heavy but both Crowborough and Deal & Betteshanger tried to play a fifteen man game early on. The rewards however were few with just three penalties to show for their efforts. I think it is fair to say for long periods we dominated territory and possession but failed to use it wisely. The battering ram up front was somewhat blunted as per last week. There were glimpses of the skill the team possess one being when Ali Main's slight of hand and fleet footedness released Matt Ayres for a bullocking run to within five metres of the line.

D&B opened up the second half with a terrific team try. They showed a high degree of skill in getting the ball wide and an impressive turn of pace leaving defenders floundering in their wake to score near the posts. Thankfully this was a turning point as the men in red & white finally got their act together. Tom Kent made some dynamic runs and put in some ferocious tackles. The old men of Rosier, Tasker and Martyn led from the front and Ali Main and Zeb Kisbee used the ball wisely. As legs were drained of energy by the heavy ground so kicks went astray and decision making became somewhat erratic. Crowborough through quick thinking by Ben Martyn got the ball beyond the defenders eventually finding Rob Lester who went over for the try that gave the lead back to 'Borough. The match was sealed late on by another well worked team try finished off again by Lester. Taking the final score to 16-10

This was an important win for Crowborough with this league being very congested from top to bottom. This was a better all round performance against a good side. We defended well, attacked well when we forgot about forward domination and our discipline was much improved.

After a quick glass of wine it was back home to watch Wales v France. France have got something going under Fabien Galthie. There is a freshness to their play, a desire to win and the ability to play what is in front of them. Romaine Ntamack was outstanding and whilst his interception try was the glamorous element it was his overall ability that earned him man of the match. Wales showed some deft touches and there is a willingness to be more adventurous in their play. Nick Tompkins shows real promise but Hadleigh Parkes was underutilised. Should Wales have been given a penalty try? Absolutely! At this level of the game players know exactly what they are doing and that was a clear and obvious try scoring opportunity stopped by the French hand slapping the ball away.

Has George North played his last game of rugby after suffering another serious concussion? Will Pivac bite the bullet and bring back Rhys Webb for Gareth Davies and with Josh Adams limping off will we Louis Rees-Zammit make his debut against England? Wales have much to ponder ahead of the clash at Twickenham but I believe the signs are there that Wales under Pivac will be a more exciting team. The issue will be the small pool of players he can pick from and the ever present risk of injury to key players.

Scotland beat Italy to take the pressure off Townsend. Haven't seen any of it but I understand it was a game that underwhelmed. Only a "brilliant Hogg try" lighting up proceedings.

Wasps hammering Saracens raised a few eyebrows. Chatted to my good friend O'Fez about this and he was spot on in his assessment. This was still a strong Saracens side but there had to come a time when heads would drop and motivation would wane after the constant pressure and the serious concerns about their future they have had to endure.

Bath beat Quins. No real surprise there. Sale beating Leicester Tigers on Friday was no surprise either.

So to today and Twickenham. The more I think about it the more I see only one winner: England. The game will be played in poor conditions if Crowborough right now is anything to go by. Thank goodness for the roof in Cardiff I say.

Before I go I understand that Ireland Under 20s looked mighty impressive beating their England counterparts on Friday evening. An omen for today? I don't think so.

League round up tomorrow.

Saturday 22nd Feb: 09:30

The game is ON!

Yes it is on. I for one can’t believe how much the pitch has drained but it has.

In fact it was an easier decision than those of previous weeks

See you there.

Friday 21st Feb: 15:15

There is not much to tell you about the pitches except they are very wet. The next 24 hours are crucial so please be patient. The pitch inspection is at 08:30 so hopefully I will have concrete news by 09:15

For those who are booked in for the Past Players Lunch that will GO AHEAD regardless.

King Eddie has made a number of changes with Elliot Daly moving to full back to cover for injured George Furbank. As expected Manu Tuilagi returns with Jonathan Joseph moving to the wing. Bizarre. Courtney Lawes starts on the flank with Jones selecting plenty of leviathans on the bench. I expect England to be peppered with high balls and when they do have the ball I expect them to try and bulldoze their way past Ireland.

Ireland will be without Iain Henderson who has withdrawn for family reasons. Devin Toner replaces him.

This won't be a classic but I go England but only just.

Chris Foy of The Daily Fail asks what Ollie Thorley has to do to get into Jones England setup. The same as Alex Dombrandt, Ben Spencer, Dan Robson et al me thinks. What's that? Be corporate "suck ups" willing to follow precisely the instructions of the supreme leader. Joseph instead of Thorley makes little sense but what do I know.

As expected the trash talking before the Wales v France game has wound the French up. Pivac and Alun Wyn have tried to defuse the situation but the French are not happy. Are they ever happy?

Wales side on Saturday will be the most capped in 6 Nations history. Fingers crossed the experience will count for something. I expect a very close but open game. Wales by a few, or perhaps France by a few. I just don't know.

King Eddie's smart mouth has got him into trouble at yesterday's press conference. I agree with the interpretation that Jones by default accused a journalist of being racist. He did apologise later but lets hope this might teach him a valuable lesson.

Interesting piece about transgender in sport. In all walks of life this is a sensitive subject. Sadly there are those who are unsympathetic, and others who have jumped on the transgender bandwagon, and others who have been born in the wrong body and need all the help and guidance they can get. When it comes to sport and rugby in particular I am very clear in that allowing transgender people to play in their new guise is too high a risk to take. BBC carry the story about Bill Beaumont's comments and actions on this.

In other news............. I haven't had the chance to watch or read anything. All four of the grandchildren are here right now. I can tell you loads about PJ Masks and Vamprina and outline the plot of Lego The Movie II though.

Back tomorrow with the "go/no go" on our fixture v Deal & Betteshanger.

Thursday 20th Feb: 15:30

I won't bore you with the details of why the blog is late but right now there are three of the four grandchildren wanting attention.

As I type so the rain has arrived, and yet again it is serious rain. I will do my best to let you know the prognosis for Saturday's fixtures tomorrow with an update on Saturday morning. We have worked miracles in the past but I am not hopeful for this weekend.

No matter how bad things are we are not suffering as badly as Hereford RFC or Cross Keys RFC. Pandy Park is under water. By the way I have played there. Nigel Owens has dug deep into his vast collection of shirts he has collected over the years and is offering some of them as fund raisers for clubs affected by the floods in Wales.

Bill Sweeney has now, probably under pressure, said the cuts to The Championship funding will be implemented but can be spread over two seasons started from next season. He has also offered to instigate talks with the clubs affected to agree the role of The Championship in the hierarchy of the game. Fair enough I say.

Wales make two changes to the starting XV to face France. Gareth Davies comes in with Tomos Williams dropping to the bench. Richard Moriarty will start with Aaron Wainwright now on the bench. As expected Josh Adams and Dan Biggar are fit. Will Rowlands will make his debut from the bench. No place for Louis Rees- Zammit but his day will surely come.

France make a number of changes some down to injury. It is clear from the reports I have read that Fabien Galthie is under no pressure to produce results and he is free to experiment as he sees fit. Once again the key to success will be the contribution of the French halfbacks, the men in blue keeping their cool and their scrum holding its own.

This could be the game of the weekend and I am sure Shaun Edwards will get a warm reception in a positive sense.

Ireland have named an unchanged side to face England. King Eddie names his squad tomorrow. England will expect a barrage of high balls onto the back three and I anticipate the breakdown will be the most important battleground. Tom Curry and Sam Underhill versus O'Mahony and van der Flier will be fascinating. I believe Tuilagi is fit and sure to be included. More on this game tomorrow.

Scotland make a number of changes to face Italy. For a whole range of reasons this is a must win game for Townsend and his charges.

Former Irish lock Dan Tuohy has been forced into retirement due to injury. His parting shot is to say the game is "rotten from the core". He talks about loyalty and integrity being a thing of the past. I think he is being harsh but the core values of the game are being eroded and sadly a lot of that is down to money. He is entitled to his view but he has done well out of it and he needs to think about the very loyal and hardworking volunteers who move heaven and earth for their clubs week in week out for nothing more than the pride of being associated with their local club.

Following on from my comments about the women's game it is great to read Doncaster Knights ground is sold out for the England v Ireland encounter. Just over 5,000 people will be there to cheer on their heroes. I think a bigger ground might be needed going forward but it will be a very long time before they pull in the 80,000 who will be at Twickenham on Sunday. Mind you a proportion of those will be corporate hangers on and can afford the exorbitant ticket prices.

A full weekend of Premiership games with Wasps v Saracens catching the eye on Friday. Saturday Bath v Quins looks interesting and on Sunday Exeter v Saints for the umpteenth time this season should be worth watching. In the Pro 14 Ospreys must be eyeing the game with Leinster positively.

In other news all I can say is "at last". The new plastic £20 note is released. Having worked in sales & marketing all my working life this is a first: Burger King using a very mouldy burger to promote its flagship whopper across Europe and the US. Sky news carries the story. By the way it is a clever ad.

Just to confirm I will endeavour to do a pitch update tomorrow afternoon but you will definitely get one on Saturday morning. I will try and make sense of King Eddie's team selection at the same time.

Wednesday 19th Feb: 08:50

Paddy O'Fez responded promptly to the blog of yesterday and yes it is getting wearing reading a new Saracens story every day. Well in this morning's Daily Fail it is all about six England internationals that will unfortunately fall through the trap door as relegation beckons. The Daily Fail broke the story and for a while it felt like a spiteful witch hunt. Now reading their rugby section it feels like unsavoury gloating so lets move on.

O'Fez also takes me to task about my views on The Championship. I stand by them as I honestly believe if it isn't forced on the clubs to think differently, very soon there will be a long list of clubs going to the wall. Where I do agree with my good friend is that this hasn't been handled well by the RFU in terms of timing, justification, and outlining where they think the game is going as a result.

To new news. Brian O'Driscoll has taken a rather large swing at King Eddie about his puerile pre-match wind ups. BO'D is right but isn't this just fuelling the fire. As an aside I am in the middle of writing up my diary and blog from Japan into a book and on several occasions I commented on the stupidity of Jones and the nonsense he spouts.

That said Jonathan Humphreys, forwards coach and Wyn Jones, Wales prop have been making comments about the French scrum and cheating that would have been best kept to themselves. The wonderful Adam Jones has shown how it should be done by highlighting where the scrum could be used to Wales advantage and talking about tactics and areas of strength and weakness.

Leicester Tiger's Tom Youngs, no stranger to the naughty step, has been banned for four weeks for punching. For top flight players there is no hiding place now.

England suffer a blow as Mako Vunipola returns to Tonga for family reasons. Most think Joe Marler will replace him with Ellis Genge on the bench.

I do smile at the naivety of some people. We all want to see the Women's game flourish but when I read comments saying the "women's game operates in the shadow of the men's game and that needs changing" I laugh out loud. Of course it is in the shadow!. Yes the women's game has improved dramatically and is entertaining but it is like comparing a Mercedes F1 car with a Vauxhall Corsa; there is little comparison. It is like those who try and compare the scale of soccer to rugby suggesting rugby players should be paid as much as those in the round ball game. It is nonsense. World Rugby are doing a huge amount to promote the women's game and I for one applaud them but it will always be eclipsed by the men's game.

Hallom Amos has been called into the Wales squad as additional cover despite the word on the street being both Biggar and Adams will be fit.

I know we make a lot about our pitches and being waterlogged but we should spare a thought for those the length and breadth of Britain who have been flooded out. Bridgnorth is in the firing line and we are concerned about where my mum lives but right now that is just a worry as opposed to the terrible impact some are dealing with along the Severn, the Wye, the Trent.

I read with some interest that Wee Jimmie Sturgeon is thinking about taking legal action against Boris the Buffoon for calling her Wee Jimmie Crankie. Well it is either that or Hecate, one of the witches of Macbeth. Stick with Wee Jimmie Sturgeon me thinks.

Bit of a kick in the teeth for Wee Jimmie as Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) rebrands as NatWest. Put that in your witches cauldron me thinks.

Finally a thought. Has the announcement about immigration and the new entry requirements made Britain a better place or will we be worse off? Immigration is a sensitive subject and there are many things wrong when you see Europeans milking our NHS and benefits system giving nothing in return, and others with serious criminal records that we can't get rid off. That said I think this new policy will be a very bad thing. It will heighten the worst aspects of racism which I abhor, will push some businesses into difficulties, it will drive up prices and as a specific our care system already in crisis will suffer horrendously.

Must go as I have been reminded this is a rugby website not a soap box for an opinionated moron.

Tuesday 18th Feb: 08:30

Today is probably the last day for you to book into Past Players Lunch. Contact Graysey for more info.

Its dry outside but raining misery in Barnet. I'm sure my good friend Paddy O'Fez must not only dread looking out of the window each morning but also going near any of the back pages. Today the BBC cover a story that Barnet Council have stopped any further draw down on a £22.9m loan that was agreed with Saracens in order for them to develop the West Stand. The "temporary stop" is a result of Saracens rapidly changing circumstances so quite rightly the council have asked to see a "robust revised business plan" before releasing any more funds. Interestingly Saracens Copthall LLP, the stadium owners, have already drawn down £3.2m of the loan. I would be keen to see what that was spent on but that is for the council to manage.

Watched the Premiership highlights last night. Despite there being no relegation there was an intensity to all the fixtures but for me the big question is why isn't Alex Dombrandt and Dan Robson not in the England squad. They appear head and shoulders above what is in the squad right now.

Watching reinforced my view that Stuart Hogg's try for Exeter against Gloucester was the pick of the bunch last weekend.

It was strange to see Wasps without Dai Young. Why has he gone? Results are one reason, the inability to retain players being another but in my mind he is the victim of financial issues higher up the food chain. It might be that Wasps have over stretched themselves and the money man (men) might be getting twitchy about chasing good money after bad. Time will tell.

Leicester's Tom Youngs could find himself on the naughty step after being cited for allegedly punching Will Rowlands in the game against Wasps.

Wales are confident that Dan Biggar will be fit for the clash with France and therefore have not asked for dispensation to call up in-form Rhys Priestland from Bath. He is ten caps shy of the sixty cap threshold thus making him ineligible for selection whilst at Bath.

There are two reasons why Italy make the papers. Chris Foy of the Daily Fail believes the time has come to give up on the Italians. Whilst Benetton and Zebre have made inroads in the Pro14 and to a lesser degree in Europe the national side remains the whipping boys of the 6 Nations. Such a move would open the door for the Springboks to join the party (which I am very unsure about) and allow Italy to drop back into the 2nd tier of European competition making that set-up stronger and more entertaining.

The second being Sir Knowitall wants Scotland to give them a pasting, a Scotland without Finn Russell. Sir Knowitall thinks this will send a clear message to Russell that his behaviour is out of order and that the side is bigger than the individual (him). Seems a strange approach but I get where his lordship is going in that Russell is bang out of order and an embarrassment to the game.

Much is being made of Farrell v Farrell when England host Ireland on Sunday. More on this in the week.

The other story that caught the eye is the request of Alistair Bow, Nottingham RFC Chairman that supporters of the grassroots game protest about the RFU cuts during the England game on Sunday and for a two minute applause to thank supporters, volunteers, coaches etc. so that the wider "rugby community is not forgotten". He goes on to say without the community clubs and the National Leagues The Championship would not survive. Mr Bow your desire to recognise the volunteers and spectators is laudable but your assertion about The Championship survival is laughable. The Championship only survives because of the money. Money from the RFU and the largesse of owners propping up unsustainable players wages, ill-judged ambition, and poorly defined business plans. I cannot support your suggestion of protesting against the cuts. If even a small proportion of the money saved finds its way into improving facilities, growing the minis and juniors, or building new pathways into (back into) the game at grassroots then that is more palatable than The Championship being propped up. Do "a Richmond"; remodel your club and stand on your own two feet.

Have you heard about the new reality TV show, a spin off from The Royals. It is going to be called: We're Awf. Divorce and other ways to leave The Firm.

Much in the news about the Coronavirus or whatever it is called now. Self-isolation; a skivers charter. Fourteen days off work/school and no-one can touch you for it.

Much has also been made about the secret military establishment in Wuhan from where the Chinese Government is drawing specialist scientific resource to aid the containment. Many suspect that is where virus was born and potentially how it spread so quickly. Let me tell you that isn't breaking news. My good friend Graysey put that theory out there three weeks ago. He could just be right as there is no smoke without fire.

Here is today's question: how would you describe Dominic Cummings: a) Dangerous, B) Odious, C) An arrogant dick, D) all of the previous?

Monday 17th Feb: 10:40

Having just got back from having a routine blood test ready to get stuck into the league results I open my mail to read the awful news that Alan Rosier, father of Mark and long time and very loyal supporter of Crowborough RFC passed away last Thursday. It transpires that Alan had been ill for some time but sadly the battle was lost in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Our thoughts go out to Sylvie, Mark & Karen and the wider family. I for one will miss him as we more often than not stood together watching the home games sharing our respective views on all things rugby, especially in Alan's case the referee. He will be missed. Rest in peace my friend.

I feel it right to continue as normal with a league review but start with praise for Mark who played against Old Alleynians with no mention of his sad loss. Having read The Bard's excellent match report he concurs in that as individuals we played very well, as a team we could have been better, and it was OAs excellent defence matched by our predictability that saw them over the line 16-14. They move up into 3rd as a consequence, we stay 4th. That must be tempered by the fact Charlton Park v Haywards Heath and Hove v Gravesend were both postponed. Old Colfeians consolidated their second place with a fine away win at Thanet Wanderers (which must have been really wet and wild). Deal & Betteshanger beat soon to be relegated Maidstone 24-0. Beccehamian, always difficult to beat at home, beat lowly Dover 23-0. Despite not playing Heath remain 2 points clear at the top. I yet again reiterate there is much to play for for all but Maidstone in this league. That said Maidstone have pride to play for.

In London 3 South East it was a good day for both our friends The Greenies who came home from Park House with a 12-38 win and Uckfield who came away from Old Dunstonians 5-18 winners. By the way The Greenies left the field looking like The Brownies post match. (Thanks Liberty for your mail and photo). Ashford remain top after beating Old Willies. Folkestone are in 2nd despite not playing, their away fixture v Pulborough was played earlier in the season for some reason. In the two other games Vigo beat Gillingham and Bromley beat Aylesford Bulls. Like our league still much to play for but H&W are moving in the right direction, now in 7th and Uckfield have some room between them and Park House.

Just one game in Sussex 1 with Burgess Hill coming away from Eastbourne with a 0-7 win. Crawley remain top.

In London 1 South not a great day for Chichester losing at Cobham. I have no result for Horsham but Medway beat London Cornish. Havant remain top despite losing at Thurrock and Beckenham are rooted to the foot of the table after losing to HAC.

In the Premier Division the weather put pay to any rugby at St Marks. Tunbridge Wells v CS Stags was postponed. Brighton did play and had a good win over Bedford Athletic. Sevenoaks lost over at Guernsey. Bet that was a bumpy ride home. They might still be there! Guernsey go top, Guildford remain bottom but definitely not adrift.

Hoorah! Twickenham won. They beat London Exiles 13-0.

In the National Leagues Tonbridge Juddians beat Old Albanians 26-24 but remain one point behind Henley after they beat Westcliff. Worthing lost at home to Clifton. Most other games in Nat 2 South were postponed.

In National League 1 Canterbury lost at home to Chinnor 0-7. Richmond stay top and Hull Ionians drop to the bottom. Out of interest Blackheath drew 10-10 away at Bishops Stortford.

All the games in Bridgnorth's league were cancelled. Salisbury lost at home to Trowbridge. They are adrift at the foot of the table.

I enjoyed the Saints v Bristol game although it wasn't a classic. I enjoyed more the Ospreys win over Ulster but wasn't surprised to read Scarlets had lost to high flying Edinburgh.

6 Nations returns next weekend. England v Ireland on Sunday is obviously the pick of the games but Wales v France will be well worth watching. A French win and who knows what could happen. A Grand Slam peut t'etre?

Israel Folau makes his Catalan Dragons debut and scores. The main talking point was the fact two visiting fans from Castleford were told to remove their LGBT flags from the ground. So it is alright for Folau to spout his homophobic bile but not ok for two ladies to wave a LGBT flag. Someone has got their priorities wrong.

In other news the French, bless them, are saying the trade talks with the UK will be tough. From the French that comes as no surprise. This is the French that under EU law can buy up companies from across Europe but puts all possible obstacles in the way of others buying French companies. They hide behind the "it is a strategically important national business". Hypocrites!

As it is the award season the Hypocrite of the Year 2019/20 goes to .................
Harry and Meghan.
Their defiant claim they wanted a quieter life out of the public eye has been shot down in flames as they tout for business with anyone and everyone as long as the money is right.

Sunday 16th Feb: 09:45

I have been told I must start with an apology which I am glad to do but with the caveat that the blame for the cock up is not entirely mine.

The postcode I gave out yesterday was wrong HOWEVER it was the one given to me by the one and only Ian G. Sorry about the error but delighted you could give me a bucket load of misery just before kick off.

Congratulations to Old Alleynians not just for the win but for moving the game to Blackheath's SE7 ground. The pitch was in good nick considering the rain and having a stand to sit in out of the wind and rain made the viewing more comfortable.

The wind was strong and the rain relentless making it a difficult day for the thirty players locking horns. Crowborough through injuries and absences were made to make a number of changes for this one and when OAs went 3-0 up early on after a concerted period of pressure had the thirty or so travelling supporters worried. Shortly after with OAs scrum already under pressure 'Borough got on the scoreboard with a well worked move resulting in Tom Boddy carving open the home defence for a try under the posts now swaying noticeably in the stiffening wind.

For a long period 'Borough were on top with the OAs pack going backwards at each scrum and being put under pressure in the ruck and maul and kept on the back foot with sensible kicking by Bertie Boast standing in at #10. Gus Weir chased every ball even when it seemed a lost cause and supported Connor Hands and Zeb Kisbee when defensive duties were required.

Going into the break 7-3 up would have been a good return for the visitors efforts but it wasn't to be as OAs recovered their composure and put us under pressure. The pressure was rewarded with points and a half time lead via a penalty try which didn't do our efforts justice.... or did it. For all the possession and territory we had we didn't finish off our opportunities due to OAs excellent defence, especially the two centres who tackled like demons. Some questioned the decision of the penalty try based on it being the first collapsed maul of the game and with the underfoot conditions being not the best they might have had a case. Me, I support the man in the middle who had a fine game in the conditions.

The second half was a mirror image of the first with Old Olleynians starting strongly and putting us on the back foot. They were rewarded as we conceded soft penalties and as difficult as the weather was they were slotted over with some aplomb. The game became one of attrition and slowly but surely Crowborough regained the upper hand. Their composure returned and they dominated territory and possession camping for long periods on the home try line. They were rewarded with a try and under the posts taking the game to 16-14. All of a sudden a win was on the cards and I don't think anyone watching would have begrudged the visitors that outcome. On a couple of occasions the pressure was released thanks to silly penalties, some of which were very much avoidable.

The last 20 minutes was pretty much played within 10 metres of the OA try line but 'Borough could not break down the impressive OAs defence. This however was in part due to the fact that our pick and drive became predictable, albeit relentless. We simply failed to vary things by using the men out wide. Yes the conditions were very poor by now but the men with gas wide out might as well have been in the stands with us. The frustration was compounded when a penalty try to Crowborough would I am sure have gone unquestioned by OAs after a series of goal line infringements preventing a try. They did see yellow however.

The final whistle was met with joy by OAs and quite rightly as it had been a very impressive defensive effort, and by frustration and disappointment by Crowborough. You cannot criticise any player in red and white for their individual effort and commitment. You can criticise the team decision making and lack of cohesion.

A couple of mentions.

Firstly the "not so young" front row of Rosie, Tasker and Ben Martyn. They battled manfully from start to finish despite their collective appearances for Crowborough being more than the rest of the match day squad combined..... and by a long way.

The second mention goes to the thirty plus Crowborough faithful who braved the conditions, ignored the crap postcode instructions and weathered the storm. Their positive support for the boys, the banter, and the acceptance of defeat graciously was impressive. By the way the number of OAs supporters present was five.

On a personal note despite the loss it was a good day out with good friends with an excellent pre-match meal and a few sherbets to boot.

Sale's away form let them down against a determined Saracens. The Barnet outfit are going but thankfully for the game not quietly. Tigers beat Wasps to heap more trouble on the Coventry side. Worcester 21, Bath 22 looks a cracker and the less than mighty Quins going down to the Irish sums up their season thus far. Weather permitting Saints v Bristol will be on in Bleater's household this afternoon.

No problems with that for Mrs Bleater. Right now she is watching the rerun of Ospreys v Ulster on S4C. Oh happy days!

Back tomorrow with the league round-up but please note it might be a few hours later than normal. Mid-morning me thinks.

Saturday 15th Feb: 08:30

Important

All games today at Steel Cross are OFF.

The 1st XV game v Old Alleynians is ON

NOTE: The 1st XV game will be played at Blackheath RFC
Post Code: SE3 8SR
Kick Off: 14:15

Despite the Friday Club's best efforts they could not get sufficient water from the pitches for any of them to be playable. This, added to the forecast, led to the only course of action available to us and that was to postpone.

I understand Old Alleynians have had the same issue but unlike us have managed to source a sensible third party location for today's game.

Watched Gloucester v Exeter last night. I enjoyed it despite it being somewhat attritional at times. The Stuart Hogg try lit up the game and there were glimpses of the best and worst of Danny Cipriani.

Saracens vs a resurgent Sale catches the eye today as does struggling Leicester Tigers vs Wasps who will be without Dai Young going forward.

Scarlets vs Edinburgh is probably the pick of the Pro14.

In 6 Nations injury news Dan Biggar is making good progress for Wales and Manu Tuilagi is fit for England. The news on Josh Adams and Anthony Watson is less positive.

South Africa have said they are not interested in a fixture with Saracens as they don't want to be associated with a "tainted brand".

As you know I am a fan of Robert Kitson of The Guardian but I have to disagree with him about the withdrawal of investment into the Championship. I agree the decision has been made in haste and badly managed and the reasons stated might be flawed but overall I think for the good of the game it is the right decision. He states that we might see more clubs disappear as a result. We have seen clubs disappear even with the injection of RFU cash and the Yorkshire Carnegie case study highlights the fragility of the finances in this league. He also states players on loan from the Premiership have learnt more in the Championship than playing in the A League. Hoorah because that is exactly why I suggest the Premiership clubs adopt a Championship club for exactly this purpose. I also point RK in the direction of Richmond soon to be back in the Championship and how they operate. Their model of being amateur with only genuine expenses being paid to players seems to be working very well.

In my opinion clubs need to be able to stand on their own two feet. I have been consistent in my view that we will see more clubs going the way of London Welsh, South Leicester, East Grinstead. The money dries up, the club ends up in dire straits.

I read that Manchester City have been banned from the Champions League for two years for "serious breaches" in UEFAs club licensing and fair play regulations. In echoes of the Saracens situation we have a club who have buckets of cash and have effectively used those buckets to "buy" success no matter what it takes. Sport is a contest and the cream will always rise to the top but sport also needs rules and regulations for the sake of the sports integrity. Saracens and Manchester City and Russian Athletes and others sadly have fallen foul of the rules and rightly are now paying for it.

Wolves 0 Leicester City 0. I'll take that as Wolves are fine team. VAR in the spotlight again!!

Ok, that'll do for now. I'll see some of you at Blackheath later.

Thursday 13th Feb: 08:30

Just a few words this morning before I head on home.

As expected Allianz pull out of their deal with Saracens. This will leave quite a hole in their finances that Nigel Wray might feel uncomfortable with filling. When they drop into the Championship they will still get the parachute payment and will still be miles ahead of anybody else in terms of funding but nonetheless it is a dent.

The Championship dominates the news otherwise. It does seem as if Bill Sweeney has swung the axe brutally and with little warning. This does seem a little unfair but as I have said for some time the way rugby is managed financially is unsustainable. One Premiership club in the black, the others firmly in the red with only the largesse of owners keeping them afloat. I am sure most of the Championship is in the same boat. Ealing Trailfinders are a perfect example how their operation is only possible because of the owner/benefactors millions. Jersey Reds nearly went out of business a season or two ago and were only saved by a combination of savage cuts and a cash injection from their benefactor. Ampthill are punching way above their weight thanks to their main benefactor. Some of you might shout there is nothing wrong with that. If a man/woman with money sees a rugby club as his hobby and wants to spend millions on it so be it. Fair enough as long as it sustainable.

Talk of a breakaway league is a fantasy. With the tiny crowds the Championship clubs get, Ealing v Newcastle - 1950 spectators, Jersey average around 1200 people I think, the need for huge injections of cash from other sources is vital. With many other sports having more to offer TV than the Championship there is little opportunity there. I think the Championship needs to wake up and smell the coffee. The reality is the time is right to rethink the model. Instead of whingeing about the RFU cuts why not cut your cloth accordingly. The 2000 or so souls who turn up for home games will still turn up if the quality of the game, the experience and the sense of belonging is still there even if the players are now amateur. That experience could be enhanced with a well thought through marriage to a Premiership club.

The truth of the matter lies with Yorkshire Carnegie. Their case study is the perfect example of what could and will happen to others when the big money dries up. The Championship is not viable in its current form and the RFU are right to pull the cash AS LONG AS IT IS INVESTED WISELY FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE GAME. If all that happens is it lines the pockets of Eddie Jones etc then the RFU also have their heads up their backsides.

The Premiership is back this weekend. Gloucester v Exeter looks good on Friday as does Saints v Bristol on Sunday. Plenty of Pro14 not that you can watch it and a full deck of Super Rugby to keep us entertained.

Fingers crossed for our games on the weekend. I will do my very best to get something on the blog on Saturday morning but if the game is on I have an early start.

Must go. The Grandkids are off to school and I need to get them to the bus. No blog tomorrow as its FRIDAY CLUB.

Wednesday 12th Feb: 10:00

Good morning live from Salisbury. Much to discuss so let's not waste any time.

South Africa in a 7 nation format. In my mind it makes no sense at all. There is already hostility to the 6 Nations schedule as it is. Adding another match for each nation would only exacerbate an already fraught situation. Then there is the logistics for the nations. Yes the time difference is not an issue but the 12 hour flight is and the costs associated with that. The Pro 14 are learning this to their cost. What about the fans. Popping over to Rome is relatively straight forward, Jo'Burg isn't. Finally it is the players I worry about. The clubs are flogging them and now the national sides want to do the same. I personally can see no merit in it whatsoever especially as by 2024 all of South Africa's players will be in the Premiership!

Sir Knowitall makes a good point. If you are thinking about expanding the jewel in European rugby's crown then why not think about Georgia or Spain or even Germany (who nearly qualified for RWC 2019 instead of Uruguay).

The Daily Fail (aka The Organ of Truth (not)) carries an interesting article on the Premiership's desire to increase the number of overseas players eligible to play in their match day squads. I am no way an expert on the rules but there are three categories currently. EU nationals who today don't count, Kolpak players such as SA, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and "other foreign" players. With Brexit and the ruling that from December 31st the Kolpak players will lose their automatic right to work in the UK Premiership squads could be decimated. The article states that Premiership clubs can only have two overseas players in their match day squad of 23. This must be two in addition to the Kolpak eligible players otherwise teams like London Irish would not have a match day squad.

I have long criticised the number of overseas players in our game, and as I said yesterday this not a jingoistic, racist attack on players from overseas. This is about ensuring home grown talent rises to the top and gets the best possible opportunity to thrive. Of course this needs to be balanced against the Premiership wanting to offer the best possible spectacle for the paying public and of course that should include the very best players. It will be interesting to see how this develops as the RFU set the rules and the legislation, unlike the salary cap, cannot be circumvented.

By the way the FA are looking at this as their opportunity to reduce the number of foreign players in the round ball game.

Jumping across to my other favoured source of information The Guardian there are couple of articles here worthy of comment. Paul Kitson, like me, picked up on the unhealthy attitude of the crowd at Murrayfield. (If you don't follow up on anything else this is worth reading). He highlights the issue of the baying mob in the stands, the unacceptable questioning of the officials by the players, the lack of respect for the kicker, the pathetic reaction of players every time their team win a scrum or a lineout or a ruck. He quite rightly states that some of the appalling behaviour is as a result of the unacceptable behaviour of coaches and players. Talking about countries "hating" each other and threatening the opposition with "brutality" and whingeing about pre-match rituals is sure to get people's backs up. The message being you sometimes reap what you sow. Certainly King Eddie needs to keep his smart motor mouth in check more often me thinks.

As an aside Kitson also makes the point that Johnny Sexton will soon be the best referee in the world. He seems to know much more than the men currently in the middle.

As a second aside there is another piece by Andy Bull that talks about the importance of keeping the 6 Nations on terrestrial TV. He writes about the casual viewer who yes might be stuck inside because its a sodden Saturday afternoon but getting them hooked is important. Likewise he writes about the corporate freeloader at games and in my view these people who know nothing about our game could become advocates but also could be the cause of some of the appalling behaviour we currently see. I saw the negative side of those who can afford to travel and get tickets but know "jack" in Japan. They were a disgrace.

The other article by Gerard Meagher talks about the Championship clubs having their RFU funding slashed by 50%. The RFU are back in profit but probably only for a few hours. They need to cut costs and right now it appears the Championship is where the damage will be done. In my mind, and this will be controversial, this is no bad thing. The clubs will need to cut their cloth accordingly and offload high cost players and get their finances to a position where they are no longer reliant on handouts. The game at this level could go back to being amateur or at best semi-professional. There is the possibility this hands the Premiership "ring-fencing" on a plate. The Premiership clubs also want to make their A-League the second tier. Now this I disagree with. I for sometime have said the Championship should the Premierships feeder with each club having an alliance with one or two of the clubs in the Championship. This would make the game more sustainable, reduce Premiership squad sizes freeing up players to play at a very good standard in competitive games week in week out. I might not have thought this through thoroughly but what I am convinced of is the spiralling costs in the Premiership, the misguided ambitions of the Championship and the enormous reliance on handouts from the RFU, "sugar daddies" and sponsors is unsustainable.

Some one liners. Dai Young has been bumped out of the DoR role at Wasps. Backs coach Lee Blackett replaces him. Finn Russell v Gregor Townsend rumbles on. Most support Townsend which in my mind is right. Injuries are a worry as Wales lose Owen Williams before he has even run on, France lose Vincent Rattez.

Some advance warning. The weather is due to deteriorate again this weekend. Be prepared for many games to be postponed including those at Steel Cross and Old Alleynians.

That'll do as I need to keep my blood pressure under control and writing about those hypocrites the Sussexes and Trump and HS2 and political correctness is not good for the old ticker.

Tuesday 11th Feb: 07:45

Very busy day at Steel Cross and beyond yesterday hence no blog. More on this later.

Blessed by the fact that Paris was yet to suffer the worst of the storm France and Italy served up a pretty good game of rugby on Sunday. As expected the French won but the Italians weren't the pushovers I certainly had expected. The young French outfit played with confidence, a degree of joie de vivre, and a lot of grit and determination. Backs and forwards linked well and defensively they looked much improved from years gone by. The Teddy Thomas try was simply amazing. Where did he come from and what gas. The lad Dupont at scrum half is already world class and Emile Ntamack is playing with a confidence that belies his tender years. His individual try was true class.

We saw a wonderful defensive display when the French played England and they defended well against the Italians but shipping three Italian tries will have Shaun Edwards spitting chips I'm sure. The Italians played their part too. They weren't afraid to move the ball around and their forwards matched the French in many phases of play. The French were simply one more level up however. Perhaps the Italians need some big South Africans or a few Fijians eligible on residency like the French have managed to acquire. The result makes Wales v France interesting as a French win could set them up for the Grand Slam which would be an amazing turnaround in fortunes.

Ireland Ladies beat Wales and England hammered Scotland. Both were played in appalling conditions at times and the poor Welsh girls then were faced with cold showers post match. Not good enough!!

Ellis Genge is being touted as the new poster boy of the English game. The working class rough diamond come good. I like it but is there a road crash waiting to happen down the road. The Daily Fail carries the story.

Gregor Townsend and Finn Russell are like two children squabbling in the playground. I fear we won't see the best outside half in European rugby strutting his stuff on the international stage any time soon sadly. To add to Townsend's woes Jonny Gray has picked up an injury that will keep him out of action for a while.

South Africa to make it the 7 Nations in 2024. What nonsense. It makes no sense in my mind but more on this tomorrow (live from Salisbury).

I have been asked why I mentioned nationalities in a recent blog. Have I become some form facist or UKIP-esque racist? Absolutely not! I continue to be frustrated by the ridiculous residency rules that allow rugby mercenaries to block the route to stardom of home grown or better qualified talent. Take Ireland Under 20s, they looked superb against Wales last Friday and this should be the door to them reaching the pinnacle of sport: full international honours. Sadly for some that path will be blocked by some big South African, Fijian, Kiwi who has lived in Dublin for 3 years and 2 hours. Slightly frustrating. There are holes in my argument of course but it is my view and I'll stick with it.

Most leagues were on a free weekend last week but TJs played and had the journey from hell home after losing to Redruth which pushes them off top spot now behind Taunton Titans. Worthing did win away at Westcliff. In the next league up Canterbury were well beaten by Darlington. Now that is another long and arduous journey home after such a loss.

Looking ahead to Saturday if your journey for rugby, or heaven forbid shopping takes you anywhere near the A21 then think again. It is closed for a long section between Tonbridge and Sevenoaks. Take note.

Why no blog yesterday? Because there was Monday Club. You may be aware that Barnsgate Manor has gone bust. We at Steel Cross worked with the liquidators and snapped up a load of goods that the club can use to enhance its offering e.g. crockery, cutlery, linen, plus estate equipment such as leaf blowers, sack barrows and tools. It needed moving the mile or so up the road starting at 8am. Well done to the guys and the lovely Janet for a sterling job.

That'll do for now as yes it is Tuesday and yes my granddaughter will be here any minute.

Sunday 9th Feb: 08:30

I'm guessing my view of Scotland v England is more important to you than anything I might say about Ireland v Wales so we'll start in Murrayfield.

You can't comment on the game without mentioning the weather. The conditions were dreadful. The dr