Why no blog yesterday? Simply because I was at the club forking around. Yes it was touch and go that the game would be on but a bold decision by Graysey, a bit of luck with the sun coming out and the wind blowing and of course a small band from the Friday Club forking made it possible.

Well done guys.

What an excellent day at Steel Cross yesterday. The Christmas lunch was excellent and the atmosphere around the place was superb. Old and new friends swapping stories pre and post match. It was great to welcome Gravesend to the club for the very first time and it was appropriate we were given time to reflect on the sad passing of Geoff Treen.

Well done Jacqui, JP and team for a splendid day.

So to the game itself. If the game had been called off because of the state of the pitch no-one would have argued. It was marginal at best but once the game started both sides got on with it and with a very proactive referee in the middle served up a thoroughly enjoyable game.

Gravesend were on the board within five minutes after Crowborough conceded an early penalty. After last week's high penalty count that was an ominous sign. Thankfully it was only a blip as generally Crowborough's discipline was excellent and after that early wake up call I think it is fair to say that we were much the better side for long periods. The forwards played sensibly in the conditions keeping the ball tight with sensitive off-loading to the supporting players. The backs played with ambition and despite the ball being like a bar of soap moved it wide when the opportunity presented itself. Mitch Mulherbe and Ali Main pulled the strings with Tom West sniping away to keep the Gravesend back row honest.

Quickly after the Gravesend penalty the backs through Gus Weir took the men in red and white close allowing the excellent Matt Botterman to power over for a try.

Despite the swamp like pitch both sides played positively with the ball moving left and right making good ground. Counter-attack after counter-attack made it a thoroughly enjoyable opening stanza. It was 'Borough who made the fewer mistakes and after a powerful run by Tom Kent the ball eventually found its was into the hands of Westy who breezed through the Gravesend defence for a try under the post. With the conversion by Oli Clinch we were 12-3 to the good.

Another positive difference from last week was our first up tackles were being made. Mulherbe shooting out of the line kept his opposite number on the back foot and helping us to maintain the whip hand. It wasn't long before the men from Steel Cross got the scoreboard moving again. A Gravesend infringement allowed us to get deep into their half and from the ensuing scrum Kent went over for the score. 19-3.

As the game progressed and players tired the game got scrappier. Gravesend still tried to play but Crowborough's defence remained solid and when we got the ball we made fewer mistakes. I think it is fair to say we also got the better of the referee's decisions. Oli Clinch slotted a penalty to make it 22-3 with 15 minutes to go. He was later to put in an amazing last ditch tackle to prevent what would have been a superb Gravesend try.

It was man of the match Botterman who put the game to bed with the bonus point try under the posts with about 5 minutes to go. Final score 29-3.

As someone who voted at 09:00 for the game to be postponed I am happy say I was wrong and those who said "yes" were vindicated. Vindicated by the fact the two sides played with ambition and served up a thoroughly enjoyable game on a blustery Saturday afternoon. I also repeat my praise for the referee who kept the game moving and used the experience from his playing days to manage the game with empathy.

It was really good to catch up with my old mate and scrum half partner from yesteryear one Kevin P. He was on form as was my other mate Mal Bec who I spent rather too much time with.

I had a great day and will close by saying THANK YOU to everybody who made that possible.

League round up tomorrow.

Thursday 12th Dec: 08:30

Its the final countdown and hopefully that means it will soon be the over. You know what I am talking about. I've been and exercised my democratic right already and I voted for.......

Over the last few weeks there have been two themes when chatting to friends and acquaintances. Firstly the sentiment is "please let this be over" and generally that means Brexit and the pathetic bickering of the mealy mouthed politicians. Secondly there is a genuine feeling among some that moving from the UK makes a lot of sense and I know of three families that are actively looking at options.

A sad state of affairs.

It is the return fixtures from last weekend in the European Cups that we can look forward to this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There are some games that lack interest such as Racing 92 v Ospreys but there are some interesting questions to be asked. Will Quins go for it against high flying Ulster or will they look further down the road at the Premiership challenge? Can Glasgow deliver another game winning performance against La Rochelle and keep the pressure up on Exeter? Will Saracens continue with their selection policy or as they are still not out of contention for the knockout stages go full bore for a win over Munster? Leinster and Northampton will be interesting and of course I'll be watching Sale v Exeter on Sunday.

In the challenge cup will the Dragons get back on track with a win over Worcester and can the Scarlets stay in the hunt with a win over Bayonne?

Me, I'll be at Steel Cross watching the boys play Gravesend. I don't recall us ever playing Gravesend so it will be well worth watching and of course it will be another stiff test of our London 2 South East credentials.

Talking of Steel Cross what a magnificent group of guys the Friday Club are. The exposed nature of Steel Cross and the high winds and heavy rain of recent days has caused some trees to come down. The call went out at 08:00 yesterday morning to see if anyone was around to help to clear up quite a significant mess. At 10:15 not only had the trees been chainsawed into manageable pieces but they had also all been removed ready for burning on Friday and the damage to some of the clubs infrastructure was repaired ready for the wake we were holding that afternoon. That is volunteering and volunteers at their very best. Well done guys.

The sooner they take over the running of the country the better.

I'll be off to Lewes tonight for a disciplinary hearing. Only the second of the season would you believe. That is a great advert for Sussex rugby and the clubs within the county and I feel it is also a compliment to our wonderful referees that they are controlling the games in a manner that keeps all thirty players on the field of play.

They don't call me "Bleater" for nothing as I do whinge on about stuff and one of my favourite topics is money in the game of rugby and how the pursuit of promotion and glory is putting clubs at risk of implosion. I remain convinced one of the clubs in the top two tiers of our game is going to go to the wall before too much longer. Basically another London Welsh.

Why do I mention this? Simply because, and I know rugby isn't soccer, there is a fascinating piece on the BBC website about how the Championship sides chasing the dream of Premier League football are putting themselves at risk of going bust. "The bubble is waiting to burst" is how they put it. It is well worth reading noting the major concern how wages are exceeding income by a significant amount. Sound familiar?

Must go. Off shopping would you believe. Looking for something for the Memsahib. I have a £25 budget and have to find three things within that. I might cut straight to the chase and get three bottles of sherry. One for Christmas Eve, one for the day itself and one for Boxing Day. That might just be the answer.

Wednesday 11th Dec: 08:20

It will all be over soon, or will it. I read this morning that the polls are showing the gap between the Buffoon Party and the Marxist Utopian Party has closed. You the long suffering reader of this drivel will make your own minds up and do whatever your conscience dictates. I fear we are headed for a "no-win" scenario with another hung parliament meaning another round of inertia. There is one outcome that I fear would be worse than that and you know my views on what that is.

I have just deleted a rant as I think it might be overstepping the mark but I will move on by saying the politics of envy and spite delivered through rose tinted glasses looking at a utopian world ahead will actually lead us into destitution, especially as the very people who the Marxists think will pay for utopia will be the very people who will take flight first. Think Venezuela.

Yes there is a paucity of rugby news but this is a rugby website so get on with it. Steve Borthwick is going to be heading to Leicester sooner than planned after Mark Bakewell "left" his post this week. I think the problems at Leicester run deep so Borthwick alone won't be the answer.

Ian Foster replaces Steve Hansen as All Blacks coach. Foster was Hansen's long time right hand man so in some respects no surprise. Scott Robertson of the Crusaders would have been my choice as he would bring a fresh perspective. Allegedly one of the reasons so many turned down the opportunity is the staid attitude of the men behind the scenes at All Black central.

Cory Hill after 10 months out is set for a return to action. Anyone who follows the Dragons will be saying "hoorah" to that.

George North is eyeing 100 caps and Shane Williams try scoring record. Great, but a) you are going to have to get fit and b) you are going to have to start playing better than you did in Japan.

The European tournaments continue this weekend with some, even though there will be still two games to go after Sunday, looking to secure their place in the knockout stages. There are still some interesting permutations but I fear some games will be dead rubbers.

It will also be the half way point for most grassroots clubs up and down the country. If we can hold onto our 4th place that would be a fantastic first half for us, especially as were only promoted last season. Gravesend awaits. Kick off 14:00......... after an amazing lunch and several glasses of wine me thinks.

Not quite half way for Leicester City but what a season they are having.

You might disagree with my views on many things and I am more than ok with that but can I draw your attention to the picture of the Madrid climate change conference. It shows the hundreds of delegates who have flown in all hooked up to their electricity hungry gadgets in an energy hungry conference hall with an expensive looking and energy hungry set as a backdrop. Can I also draw your attention to the article that highlights that the countries blocking progress are the very ones trying to get their people out of poverty and make a better life for them. Q.E.D. me thinks.

Back tomorrow with ............ probably very little but who knows.

Tuesday 10th Dec: 08:30

Gravesend on Saturday for us. Being the last home game before Xmas Jacqui will be doing her wonderful lunch. If it is not too late already today is your very last day to book a seat. Don't forget Champagne, Cheese and Carols. All the details for that are on the front page of this website.

The headline that has caught my eye is the distinct possibility Kyle Sinckler will leave Harlequins for Bristol next season moving his salary up to a reported £500,000 per season. Like any entertainer those at the top of their game can command the big bucks and Sinckler's stock has certainly been on the rise for some time now. I do question the sustainability of rugby based on the current ridiculous levels of wage inflation and (yes here it comes) the reliance on the big money benefactor. Despite Bristol's frequent claims about being within the salary cap there is still that "mmmm!!!" moment as you ponder how lowly the other squad members salaries must be. Mr Lansdown has more money than Croesus and he is Mr Bristol sport but............

There is talk that Bristol might also court out of contract Ellis Genge to return to his home club. That would be an awesome front row indeed.

On the other side of the transaction Quins have moved heaven and earth to keep Alex Dombrandt and he has accepted a 200% salary increase to stay at The Stoop. Negotiations are now going on with Chris Robshaw that would mean a drastic cut to his wages if he wants to extend his career with the South West London outfit.

Yes rugby is getting like soccer but without the really big bucks to sustain it. By the way money can't guarantee you success as Manchester City are now realising. The richest sports group on the planet is struggling to compete right now. At the other end of the scale Macclesfield Town are about to implode and join Bury on the scrapheap. There will be rugby clubs up and down the country who could very easily follow suit but you know my view on that.

Leinster await news on Johnny Sexton's knee injury. A prolonged absence would be a worry for the Irish province.

The structure and (the lack of) quality of the Pro14 and the way the Irish provinces operate does give them a distinct advantage over their English counterparts when it comes to the European tournaments.

You don't see it so much at the grassroots of the game but at the top level the scrum is a mess: reset, after reset. It takes up way too much time. The blazers have tried to improve the situation but it is still a problem. Not sure what the answer is but it is a facet of the game that needs improvement. Likewise I still think the offside line at ruck and maul needs addressing. Right now the game is more like the NFL than rugby.

What a plonker. Ospreys Dan Evans sees red after just 37 seconds. Is this a record?

I have been reading the news about the bushfires in Australia. Much is being said about them and climate change. It is true Australia is facing one its worst droughts in history but sadly some of the fires were set deliberately and this cannot be ignored either. Something has to be done but that is NOT Emma fffffnnnn Thompson flying back and forth between London and New York to pontificate to you and me. It is not a 16 year old Swede pulling faces at anyone she dislikes and shouldn't she be in school!. By the way that publicity stunt of hers about sailing across the Atlantic backfired when it became known that the captain and most of the crew had to fly to New York to crew the boat. It is not protesters gluing themselves to the pavement in London causing mayhem for hard working Londoners. It is definitely not hundreds of delegates flying to Madrid to talk and talk and talk and develop grandiose plans that are unworkable. Big things need to be done and difficult questions asked and answered.

Here are a couple.

How do you tell countries who have millions of people living in poverty (not the bullshit poverty we in the developed world talk about) that they are going to have to stop doing the very things that are helping their people improve their living standards.

We, human beings are the biggest cause and that is driven by the continued growth in the world's population. When do you start talking about euthanasia and birth control.

If flight is a major contributor at what point in time do you tell many, many small nations that the developed world is going to decimate their economies by preventing flight. (By the way at what point in time do you cancel climate protesters passports?)

Us not using plastic bags and eating one less burger a week is not going to make one jot of difference, nor is turning off a light or two. Yes we should do those things but until India, China, the US, Russia, Indonesia and the EU say enough is enough and make dramatic co-ordinated change things will not be any different.

Time to incur the wrath of many. The picture in the Daily Mirror of the young boy lying on a hospital floor was appalling, truly shocking. Being the cynical so-and-so I am however you have to wonder how convenient it was for it to be published by the left leaning Mirror on the same day Corbynov was doing a set piece at a major rally in Bristol. It smacks of the day Corbynov was pictured sat on the floor of a train claiming no seats were available when three carriages along there were plenty of seats. Just a thought.

For the record there is much wrong with the NHS and we want it to be perfect but perfection is a dream. Can we please remember that whilst there will be many who have cause to complain there will be many, many, many more who have received amazing service in our wonderful NHS. Sadly you rarely here their voice

I'm off to find my tin hat.

Monday 9th Dec: 09:00

Welcome to a damp and dreary Monday morning and my league round-up. Some might say welcome to my damp and dreary league round-up but who cares.

In our league there are two elements of consistency right now. Haywards Heath winning and creating space at the top of the table and Maidstone's inability to win and get any points on the board. Having read The Bards erudite report and reflected on what I saw on Saturday we certainly didn't play badly. Yes we weren't at our best but that in the main was due to the quality of Hayward Heath's game. On the evidence of Saturday I feel they deserve to be top. Hove lead the chase and their 24-10 win at Beccehamian keeps them just five points in arrears. Heath travel to Hove next week. Old Colfeians remain in 3rd spot after their 33-34 defeat to Deal & Betteshanger. After us not picking up any points this result and their two bonus points moves them 4 points clear of us in 4th. D&B move to within three points of 4th place. It was our next opponents Gravesend who put Maidstone to the sword this week winning 41-5. Dover are still struggling and this week it was our friends at Charlton Park who beat them 38-24. In the other game Old Alleynians came away from Thanet Wanderers with a 33-22 win in the bag.

Moving into London 3 South East it was a mixed day for the Sussex clubs. Our good friends The Greenies enjoyed an excellent 14-10 win over table topping Ashford. Sadly Uckfield were on the wrong end of a 38-17 scoreline at Gillingham Anchorians. Pulborough however enjoyed a 22-15 victory over Bromley. This moves Pulborough into 3rd. Folkestone stay 2nd after beating Old Dunstonians, Park House lost at home to Vigo and poor old Old Willies lost at home to Aylesford Bulls and stay rooted to the bottom of the table.

In Sussex 1 just three games took place after Ditchling and Plumpton pulled out of the league, the latter beat Crowborough 2s at Steel Cross 7-5 on Saturday. Eastbourne stay top after enduring the dreaded HWO with Haywards Heath II unable to raise a side. Strange that with their 1st XV doing so well. Burgess Hill beat East Grinstead and Lewes beat Barns Green. Crawley who didn't play remain in 2nd.

In London 1 South it was a good day for Chichester beating high flying Camberley 27-15. Horsham on the other hand had a torrid time at KCS Old Boys losing 43-19.Havant remain top after coming away from 2nd place Westcombe Park with a win. Our friends at Medway drew at Cobham and Dartfordians remain bottom after losing at HAC.

In the Premier league only Brighton had anything to smile about after a 21-21 draw at Dorking. Our friends from St Marks came away from Sidcup empty handed after losing 38-19 as did The Oaks who lost at Rochford Hundred 38-3. Wimbledon are top with Guildford somewhat adrift at the foot of the table.

FYI a much better day for Twickenham in London 2 South West beating Old Emanuel 21-23.

Moving on up into the ether of the national leagues Tonbridge Juddians had another excellent day at the office beating Dings Crusaders to cement their place at the top of the table. Worthing enjoyed a fine home win over Leicester Lions.

In National 1 of course Canterbury enjoyed a home win. After me saying how tough things were only just last week it was always going to be. Beating mid-table Cinderford was a fine result and lets hope the first of many as the season progresses.

Elsewhere Bridgnorth hammered Peterborough Lions 59-7 but Salisbury's poor season continues after a 79-12 drubbing at the hands of Beaconsfield.

Two very enjoyable European games yesterday. Gloucester v Connacht and Sale v Exeter served up some excellent viewing. Exeter's win puts them in the driving seat to qualify for the knockout stages. Gloucester are not out of it yet but are a little adrift of Toulouse.

In terms of Europe the quality of the games seems pretty good but it is really disappointing to see how clubs are not putting out their strongest teams and are happy to sacrifice their place in the tournaments. In part that is due to the disjointed nature of the season with Europe intermingled with the domestic leagues. Whilst it is very rare I agree with Austin Healey he made a good point yesterday suggesting that playing the European pool games as a complete block and the domestic league as a complete block would overcome some of the mess...... perhaps.

I see Eddie Jones can't find a decent forwards coach in England so has turned to South African Matt Proudfoot to bail him out. Let's see who else King Eddie goes after to fill the vacancies he has in his coaching team.

Rory Best has bemoaned the over coaching which he believes bedevilled the Irish World Cup campaign. He has a point. Coaches without question over-analyse and over-complicate things far too often.

What about those Foxes: a 4-1 away win at Aston Villa. The Saints lost to the 49ers but what a magnificent game of American Football.

That'll do for now. Back tomorrow with stuff. Who knows what but I'll be back.

Sunday 8th Dec: 09:00

It was a very difficult way to start a Saturday as Mrs Bleater and I were told of the news that Geoff Treen a long serving club member and good friend to many at CRFC passed away suddenly on Friday. Whilst Geoff was more recently an infrequent visitor to the club he had been part of CRFC fabric for more years than I care to remember. He was a true gentleman in every sense of the word and will be sorely missed by his family and his friends.

I am sure the club will mark his passing in a fitting way next Saturday but in the meantime on behalf of all his many friends who read this blog can I pass my deep and heartfelt condolences to Geoff's family and to you his friends.

Geoff Treen rest in peace my friend.

It was hard but life goes on so Haywards Heath beckoned where we met up with some fellow travellers to Japan. The pitch was very heavy and we were shorn of a couple of players who have contributed much in previous weeks. No excuses on the day as we were beaten by a much better side. For me the biggest difference was the first up tackling. We tried to play with width when possible and kept it tight when that was the best option. What we couldn't do was get past the first defender. Their first tackle was telling and stopped our forward progress time and time again. We on the other hand tackled well for the most part but on way too many occasions Haywards Heath broke through that first tackle putting us on the back foot to free up space for the supporting players.

Whilst we held our own in the scrum the lineout was a weakness. Again not because we were dire but because they had an excellent second row pairing with dynamic support players keeping us guessing on their ball and pinching ours.

In open play we became a little predictable whereas Heath played with speed and imagination. No matter the number on the shirt they put together some excellent passages of play and after 20 minutes I for one feared the worst.

It wasn't all one way traffic with Ali Main and Tom West working hard to create space and the always reliable Matt Botterman tirelessly carrying the ball. Tom Kent made some powerful runs but we were either thwarted by the Heath defence or by our own careless mistakes.

The table topping side will be delighted with the win but if I was their coach I would be asking why so many passes went astray when not under pressure and why they let us back into the game in the second half. The result and the performance by us will be a disappointment to the players and coaches alike but I would suggest based on Haywards Heath's showing they will be there or there about when the season closes. We stay in 4th spot.

For the record I thought the home No.5 was man of the match. His first half contribution alone made him worthy of the accolade. For us Lloyd Smith made a positive difference when he came on at half time.

Full league round up tomorrow.

Some interesting results across Europe yesterday. No sooner than I big up Northampton than they get unpicked by Leinster. Immediately I write off Leicester they go and thrash Calvisano. The game of the day looks to have been Ulster v Quins with the home side snatching a very late win to break the hearts of the Stoop faithful. Saracens chose to select a less than full strength side for the trip to Munster but they still came away with a losing bonus point. Great win for Glasgow in La Rochelle and in the Challenge Cup Cardiff were excellent against Pau.

Bath battled and battled away on Friday but in the end Clermont Auvergne were too strong for them. I had this game on at the same time as Aberavon v Camarthen Quins. I have to say the Welsh Premiership game was much better in terms of quality, as was the pitch. The other difference was there were several thousand at Bath and one man and his dog at Aberavon.

Later in the week I will comment on Climate Change and the hypocrite-in-chief Emma Thompson, publicity seeking Greta Thunberg, the Big Orange and his role and finally the 100s of delegates who have flown in to Madrid for the latest jamboree on the subject.

Thursday 5th Dec: 09:30

A couple of things before we get into the European games.

Just a reminder that now we are into December Saturday's fixture away at Haywards Heath kicks of at 14:00, in fact all games will kick off at that time until we get to February. Make a note please.

The Lions schedule for the tour of South Africa in 2021 has been released. It is a shortened tour to previous years with just two midweek games. There will be two tests in Jo'Burg, one of which will be in the amazing Soweto stadium, the other at Ellis Park. The test sandwiched between these will be in Cape Town in the Greenpoint Stadium which is another amazing arena built for the FIFA World Cup. All the papers carry the news if you want the full details.

It is sad that an iconic tour which guarantees a new TV audience to our game each time it happens and an opportunity for tens of thousands to follow the Lions on tour is being truncated due to the demands of the world game and in part due to the intransigence of the English game. Many clubs (coaches/owners) see the Lions as being an outdated concept and they would rather it went away. They fail to see the interest it generates and the potential to exploit that interest. As expected the additional home fixture is dead in the water as the clubs won't move the June 26th final. I find it hypocritical in the extreme that clubs constantly whinge about player welfare but here we are with a fixture at the end of June when the season starts some ten months earlier.

My favourite rugby writer Robert Kitson also says the truncated tour signals the death knell of the battle for test places where previously midweek "dirt-trackers" could show what they had to offer. With just two midweek games this goes out of the window. The Kitson article in The Guardian is well worth reading.

Europe returns and tomorrow's clash between Bath and Clermont Auvergne should be worth watching. Not because Bath are high flying in Pool 3 but because the soggy pitch at the Rec could be a leveller and a shock could be on the cards. It is a shame Bath are hamstrung with their facilities at the Rec. The city council are very precious about any form of development, and quite rightly so, the ground is controlled via a complicated trust, and the location right next to the Avon doesn't help matters in terms of development or the pitch quality.

On Saturday my eye is instantly drawn to Saints v Leinster. This could be the match of the weekend. Likewise Munster v Saracens will also be well worth watching once back from Haywards Heath. In the Challenge Cup I like the look of Bristol v Stade Francais.

On Sunday of course it will be Sale v Exeter Chiefs that is the "appointment to view" (that is marketing bollocks by the way). Across the weekend I will also be keen to see who puts out weakened sides and who is taking the tournament seriously. Tigers hosting Calvisano is a benchmark for that approach.

There has been some criticism of the quality of the tournament thus far so this could well be another talking point for next week.

My priority will be supporting the boys. Heath top the table and with just a single defeat this will be a true test of how we are performing in the league. Based on the feedback I got from last weekend's trip to Deal there are three things to put right. Finish off the chances that present themselves. Take the extra points via the boot when available. Reduce the penalty count. Should be a good game. 14:00 kick off remember!!!

Don't you worry when our world leaders act like school kids? The Trudeau, Macron, Johnson dissing of Trump behind his back was laughable. That said Trump is like the spoilt brat school bully who if he doesn't get his own way acts like the petulant child from hell.

The French are revolting....... again!. Another wave of strikes will bring the country to a standstill today. If this regular and crippling union action is what you want for Britain then you know who to vote for, especially as like Macron the leader of the party in question will always cave in to the unions demands no matter how spurious.

No blog tomorrow as its Friday Club. Back on Saturday.

I will leave you with the latest on Cathay Pacific flight CX257 which is currently at 34,000ft high over Russia. It is schedule to land at LHR at 15:00 but predicted to arrive at 14:24. Yes of course I am off to Heathrow to pick up my mate Roger who is on this flight. I am not that much of a boring old anorak............... or am I?

Wednesday 4th Dec: 09:00

Another beautiful morning. A crisp frost, clear blue skies and a Lufthansa A380 from Miami to Munich leaving its contrails in its wake high above the 'Borough.

Before I get into the news of the day I must mention last night's XV Society dinner down in Hove (not the rugby club). The XV Society is made up of people who have served the county in a range of guises over many years whether it be administrating, playing, refereeing. It was a good night and in my humble opinion the food and company were excellent. Yes, of course I wittered on about Japan!!

Anyway to the news.

Rugby Australia and Israel Folau have done a deal to end the row over his gay people and damnation comments. Reading between the lines I think RA wanted to put the whole saga behind them and move forward but also I think there was pressure put on them as any legal challenge in the courts could set a dangerous precedent for all manner of repercussions with regard to freedom of speech and expressing religious beliefs in the workplace. I disagree with his comments wholeheartedly and I disagree with RA having to compromise and do a deal but then again what do I know.

Thank you to my good friends The Bard and Simon R for sending me articles that in a way back up my recent comments about abyss that lurks in the background if a benefactor walks away from a club.

Owen Slot of The Times has written an excellent piece about what he sees as the worst club in England; Yorkshire Carnegie. I mentioned them just the other day referencing how Richmond were relegated and Yorkshire Carnegie stayed up in pretty murky circumstances. Slot details the circumstances in great detail especially how their ambition and the funding of that ambition got totally out of control and when things went belly up the players were treated appallingly, many of them from overseas being left high and dry. What makes it worse is the way the "owners" managed to pull the wool over everyone's eyes and con the RFU that all had been resolved properly thus securing their place in the Championship and the £540,000 that goes with it. Slot compares it to cowboy builders declaring themselves bust one day, washing their hands of their debts and starting up again the next day under a new name. It is an appalling state of affairs and highlights how quickly things can go wrong when the moneyman leaves.

The article also references how the above action shafted Richmond a club that do everything by the book and more importantly run the club with the players and members fully aware of how it is managing its funds for the LONG TERM future of the club FOR ALL.

By the way when Yorkshire Carnegie were known as Leeds Tykes and well run and successful a certain brother was part of the coaching team. In fact as I type I have my Leeds Tykes sweatshirt on.

In other articles there is a story about South Leicester who lost their last game 240-0 to Bromsgrove. It is not the scoreline that needs to be noted but the fact that when they got relegated from National League 2 North last season the lead sponsor walked leaving the club in the situation where players could not be paid. 30 of them left overnight hence the dire results culminating in the 240-0 loss. The situation has worsened and they have now had to drop out of the Midlands Premier Division and await their fate from The RFU. (FYI Midlands Premier is where Bridgnorth play)

Following on from this Robert Kitson of The Guardian has written a piece that highlights that even where you have benefactors with pockets deeper than the Grand Canyon this is no guarantee of success. He references Bath, Wasps, and Leicester Tigers all languishing at the bottom of the table. He also points out that if success doesn't come then the risk of the money walking is high. To make this point he references the fact Mourad Boudjellal has sold his controlling stake in Toulon and they are now having to revise how they operate looking at home grown talent as a priority.

He goes on to say that despite CVCs involvement and the hopes of the Pro14 regions for a British & Irish League Kitson believes the Premiership clubs will fight that vehemently.

Talking of which Warren Gatland and the Lions want to add an extra game to the schedule, a game to be played at Twickenham before leaving for South Africa. For this to happen the PRL would need to bring their end of season jamboree forward by a week. That isn't going to happen. The clubs are pretty intransigent about that.

Keep an eye on the Kyle Sinckler situation at Quins. Paul Gustard has admitted they will struggle to keep him at The Stoop if Sinckler doesn't compromise on his financial demands. Parasitic agents are involved me thinks.

That'll do for now so I'll look at the European stuff tomorrow including a comment or two about the state of the Rec in Bath.

Tuesday 3rd Dec: 09:00

Caught up with the Gallagher highlights last night. Of course that is all they are but from the briefest of highlights I think Northampton Saints are the form team thus far and Leicester Tigers are pretty ordinary at best. Some fantastic tries across the board and plenty of people filling the stands.

Two sending offs both for irresponsible shoulder charges. I thought Duncan Weir should have seen a yellow after his late hit on Faf de Klerk as de Klerk went over for his try.

Whilst David Flatman can be an arse I thought he made a very good point last night with regard to the mindless jeering of Saracens. He felt all it was doing was stiffening the Sarries resolve to get through this mess and beat the drop. In essence having the opposite effect of the one those on the terraces might desire.

As an aside I see Jack Nowell is still wearing a Red Bull scrum cap. I bet he doesn't do that for fun so where does the money he earn from that get included in the salary cap?

George Ford has got a step closer to staying at Leicester Tigers. That will be a relief as he almost single-handedly kept them up last season.

Liam Williams is a step closer to moving back to the Scarlets when his Sarries contract expires.

Mike Ruddock has signed a short term contract to "consult" at the Ospreys as they try and get their house in order after the departure of Allan Clarke.

It has been announced Wales will play two tests against New Zealand in July 2020.

I'll look at the weekend's European fixtures tomorrow and Thursday.

The election dominates the news but with the Big Orange and his arm candy arriving in the UK that might take second place for a few days. Trump the moron is acting like a tinpot dictator and the last thing we need right now is him interfering in what is becoming a much tighter election race than juts a few weeks ago.

The RMT have started their 27 day strike over the role of guards on new trains SWR hope to introduce on their network. This action will disrupt the hardest working in society and those who need to get to their place of work like nurses and hospital porters and teachers and police officers. The fat cats won't be affected as they will simply make alternative arrangements. This strike takes place under pretty restrictive trade union legislation so if you are blinded by Comrade Corbynov's give-aways then stop and contemplate what life will be like once the trade unions are given free rein to cause absolute chaos post a Labour victory.

I don't know about you but I am fed up to the back teeth to us pandering to minorities rather than looking after the majority. I am also seeing steam emanate for my ears when I read about snowflake students demanding paintings are removed from refectories because they offend vegans, trans, Muslins and, and, and. It is a ffffnnnn painting. This is not the worst of it. Students living the high life studying for a degree that will be most useful when they become a barista in Nero's coffee shops complaining that Disney films are racist and Mr Men books are sexist. Do me a favour get off your lazy arses and get a life, and get a job.

I am off to a dinner tonight and I enquired about the dress code. I was advised a jacket and tie would be appropriate. Sod that I am going in a dress and I am going to declare my ethnicity as non-white and that I am a vegan, trans, lesbian, tree hugger who follows Star Trek as my religion. That is probably better than being a middle class, middle England, tax paying heterosexual man, the new down trodden of the World.

Must go my gorgeous granddaughter needs me.

Monday 2nd Dec: 09:00

With it being a "free" weekend for most clubs there is not much to say by way of a league round-up. I am still looking for some form of report from our game on Saturday so I reiterate my view simply from the scoreline and that is to come home from Deal & Betteshanger with a losing and a try bonus point is a good result. Sitting 4th and being eight points clear of D&B at this point of the season is certainly ahead of where I thought we would be. Well done boys.

League leaders Haywards Heath away next weekend. That will be a tough encounter and a proper test of where we are in terms of performances to date.

I know I am very opinionated and some of my opinions and political views are definitely not in tune with all but I hope they give rise to thought and maybe at times reconsideration of your opinions. Speculating about other clubs is wrong but I am going to do that right now. I wonder with just under half the games completed how Canterbury are feeling about their status and whether league success/ambition and the costs that go with it are good for the game. Promoted at the end of last season into National League 1 they currently stand played 13 lost 13 with a points difference of -276. They are having to travel as far as Darlington, Hull, Sale and Plymouth for the pleasure of being beaten each and every weekend. They play Richmond who were relegated from the Championship somewhat controversially last season and Chinnor who are funded by a benefactor with very deep pockets indeed. I'd like to know what Canterbury's playing budget is and on top of that the travel and ancillary costs they currently incur. Then to offset that I'd like to know how their sponsors and advertisers feel when they see the side struggling week in week out. Finally I wonder how the cutbacks in support from the RFU has affected them. That won't be good news I'm sure. Some years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Canterbury's Chairman, a top bloke, and we talked at length about the issues facing different clubs and even then he was concerned about the rising costs and the travelling they had to do so my question is: "is the ambition of promotion and rising through the leagues quickly offset by the practicalities of cost, travel and player motivation?"

I will probably never know the answer but I ask because I see Canterbury's situation, a highly respected well run club, as one that encapsulates all the challenges clubs across the leagues face and the challenges/consequences that come as the result of success and ambition.

I wish them well for the rest of the season and will definitely be keeping an eye out for their results.

In the league below TJs got back to winning ways beating Barnes 12-32 and go back to the top of the table. Worthing sit 9th after their loss away at Bury St Edmunds.

I quite enjoyed the Harlequins v Gloucester encounter yesterday afternoon. A pretty good contest with some high quality flowing rugby. Some rubbish too but a good game nonetheless. Big spending Bristol could only draw against London Irish but this was enough to keep them in second spot.

Eyebrows have been raised after it was announced Fijian Semi Radradra was joining them on a huge salary at the beginning of next season. Pat Lam was quick to diffuse speculation about breaching the salary cap stating Radradra would be one of their two marquee players and the rest of the squad, and I paraphrase here, are quite cheap by comparison .

Speculation also swirls around the future role of Nigel Wray at Saracens. Will he step down as Chairman? Interesting as that is the inference matched by the speculation he will continue to fund the club. In my mind that doesn't fit with any kind of logic. If you are paying you would want to control things surely. Let's see how this one develops.

Likewise let's see how Ospreys Chairman Rob Davies's prediction that there will be a British and Irish league by 2022 develops. He is basing his comments on the fact CVC are likely to have some degree of influence over the Premiership and the Pro14 by then so it is a logical leap to make. It is a good piece well worth reading on the BBC Sport website.

That'll do for today. I'll be back tomorrow when we can discuss political correctness gone mad, snowflakes, hypocritical politicians of all hues and of course the burning question: will Liverpool falter allowing Leicester City to achieve the unthinkable, a second Premier League title. Thank you VAR for the Foxes late, late winner yesterday.

Sunday 1st Dec: 08:45

The 1st of December. Where has the year gone? As you get older time appears to go by faster and faster.

As you get older your stamina wanes and that is my excuse for not getting to Deal yesterday for our clash with Deal & Betteshanger. Having spent four hours on the road home from Bridgnorth another 90 minutes each way to and from Deal was too much to contemplate and I would have arrived after kick off anyway. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I haven't seen a report but 30-29 seems a cracking match with the hosts just edging it. Deal & Betteshanger are never an easy side to beat at home so I'll take a losing and a try bonus point. This keeps us in fourth spot just behind Hove. Despite the loss we are still eight points clear of D&B and that is a pretty good position for us having just been promoted into this league. For the record the other three points would have put us into second ahead of Old Colfeians but it wasn't to be and as I say no-one can be unhappy with fourth at this point in the season.

The upside of not going to Deal was I was home in time to catch the Wales v Barbarians encounter. It was pretty enjoyable albeit scrappy at times. Wales played with width and pace and I know this was not the 6 Nations but if Wayne Pivac can get the boys playing in this way going forward then the future looks bright, especially when you consider the stars that were missing.

I then endured the Dragons losing at Rodney Parade to Zebre, and losing badly. To be fair at least eight frontline Dragons players were with Wales or injured. The Dragons are doing well in the Challenge Cup so its not all gloom and doom. The other point of note was the previously much maligned Rodney Parade pitch looked in great condition.

Talking of Newport and enduring sports I watched the County beat Maldon & Tiptree in the FA Cup on Friday night. It was dire but I stuck with it and thankfully the County got a late, late winner.

Northampton Saints powered past Leicester Tigers to go top yesterday. The Saints are looking very impressive playing some good rugby. The Tiger's on the other hand see their woes continue. If it wasn't for the Saracens points deduction Leicester would be plum last.

With their international stars fully restored to the side Sarries were mighty impressive away at Bath on Friday. The gap to the Tigers is substantial but never say never with regard to Sarries staying up. If you remove the penalty they would be second behind Saints.

Exeter's fine form continues and their demolition of Wasps sent a clear message about their intentions..

Well done Worcester beating 14 man Sale after Jean-Luc du Preez's red card. Muppet!

Connor O'Shea takes over from Nigel Melville as head of the professional game at the RFU. Was Melville pushed or did he walk. Having been interim CEO I guess not getting the top job might have rankled for some time.

Going back to Cardiff it was absolutely brilliant that the Welsh crowd gave Rory Best, Nigel Owens, Warren Gatland, Robin McBride and Schalk Brits rousing farewells. It speaks volumes for the Welsh and their appreciation and understanding of our great game but more importantly it speaks volumes for the contribution the aforementioned have made to the game over many, many years. Best wishes to all of them. As a footnote it is great to see the WRU have named one of the entrance gates to the Principality stadium Gatland's Gate / Gat Gatland.

Some good rugby to watch today with Bristol v London Irish and Harlequins v Gloucester. The big sporting occasion of the day is of course the Mighty Foxes v Everton. A win will keep us in second.

The final F1 of the season today. Mercedes have dominated. Yawn. They are on pole today. Yawn. The school run in Crowborough has more thrills and spills than F1.

Much in the news today especially about the terror attack on London Bridge. The prison system is under the spotlight with Usman Kahn's early release. The heroism of the general public is rightly being lauded.

The election gets closer and so do the parties according to the polls. You vote how you want to and how your conscience directs you. In some respects we are damned either way but some of the prospects are truly worrying.

Back tomorrow with whatever takes my fancy but I might just do a piece on the sunshine state of Venezuela. Why? For no reason ............ except perhaps to............. you work it out!

Wednesday 27th Nov: 09:00

Plenty in the rugby pages today so let's waste no time on that road crash of an interview last night when it was revealed us lowly paid will face more taxes despite reassurances to the contrary.

It simply won't go away. Yes it is the Organ of truth (not) that leads with the story that some of Saracens rivals in the Premiership are asking what seems like a sensible question: if they are complying with the salary cap how can they afford to add "expensive" stars to their roster without divesting themselves of others. In response Saracens have said they will open their books for a full audit mid season. Good move.

This is beginning to feel like the labour manifesto, a manifesto of envy. Clubs not being able to match Saracens success so let's try and screw them in other ways. I do think PRLs secrecy and the lack of a full report into the case is adding to the clubs' suspicions.

As is always the case Paul Kitson of The Guardian has written an excellent piece stating that rugby is missing a trick right now with regard to the game at large. The World Cup has heightened awareness after a "successful" campaign by England (and Wales?) but mainly because it was on terrestrial TV. The European competitions have kicked off and whilst I find it slightly bizarre he also mentions James Haskell being in the popular reality TV show I'm (not) A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. Finally the Saracens situation has made the news too. His point being with all that going on what better time for the game to be promoted and promoted heavily. His point therefore is it is sad that effectively the game has gone "dark" as it returns to pay TV with just a limited amount of exposure on terrestrial TV. The short term financial gain is likely to cause longer term pain. Kitson also references how the stars of the game are now kept away from the proletariat and the quality of the game is on a downward slide as witnessed in this weeks European games neither of which help the games cause. It is well worth reading.

In the same paper the rather fearsome Raelene Castle has apologised to World Rugby and the World Cup organisers about the behaviour of some of the Australian squad and the management team during the competition. In summary they were sore losers and unlike pretty much everyone else in Japan let themselves down. By the way this mirrors my view based on a couple of very poor Aussie losers we came into contact with whilst in the country.

Why is it taking so long to fill the All Black coaching job? A number of very high profile coaches have turned it down including Warren Gatland, Jamie Joseph and Dave Rennie. In theory this is the biggest rugby coaching job in the world so why the hiatus in the decision making. Perhaps scratch the surface and all is not well in the Rugby Kingdom of the Long White Cloud.

Is it comedy hour? Israel Folau has increased his compensation demand after being sacked by Rugby Australia. He should count himself lucky he is not thrown to the wolves after his latest outburst relating to the recent bushfires. I think the man is mentally unstable and needs psychological attention and that is not a glib throw away comment.

Ospreys sack Head Coach Allen Clarke. No surprise there as they are rubbish right now.

Anthony Watson suffers another injury set-back after limping off against Harlequins.

Willis Halaholo will not make his Wales debut on Saturday after incurring a season ending injury against Leicester Tigers. I wonder if he reads my blog as he has gone off on one about those who question his eligibility to play for Wales. As he says he has two Welsh born daughters and "has Wales in his heart". I'm sure he does but I stick by my point that the residency qualification is nonsense and needs changing. This is nothing against him as a decent human being who is putting his heart and soul into Cardiff Blues but against the regulations of the game that denies local talent the opportunity to rise to the top.

Finally and to make my case further we have Ben Te'o who was fast tracked into the England squad via residency rules and where is he now? In Japan. This is a perfect example why the residency regulation is crap and that is because many, not all, come here to play for the money and the money alone and when that dries up they're off without putting a single thing back into the game in the country that has rewarded them so very generously.

I hope to be back tomorrow but if not Sunday as Bridgnorth beckons for a few days. Must go as the SNP manifesto is due out. I do love a fairy tale. Once upon a time in a far off wilderness called Scotland there was a troll by the name of Wee Willie Sturgeon........ I can't go on......... there are more important things to do like putting the bins away.

Tuesday 26th Nov: 08:40

A couple of headlines catch the eye.

King Eddie finds himself all alone as he ponders the 6 Nations. Neil Hatley his scrum coach has joined Bath, Steve Borthwick is set to join Leicester Tigers and now Aussie attack coach Scott Wisemantel has left rumoured to be going back home in preparation of joining Dave Rennie's team.

Dave Rennie's challenge is likely to become even tougher than it is with eight of the 2019 World Cup squad heading overseas and Rugby Australia in difficult re-negotiations with Foxtel the current broadcaster of rugby in the country. Foxtel are looking to cut costs and with rugby in a mess it is an easy target. Any reduction in revenue would see more stars head to Japan, France or England to ply their trade. There is an alternative broadcaster in the mix but that brings other issues such as those experienced in the UK when the Pro14 switched to niche broadcaster Premier Sports. The Guardian for the full story.

The MLR is gearing up for its new season with big name signings such as Ma'a Nonu and Rene Ranger along with Ben Foden and the Big Bastereaud heading to the US. If you think rugby is a minority sport in Australia it is positively tiny in the US and sadly already mired in politics and self-interest. Not likely but if, and it is a massive IF, the US could get their 15-a-side game going like they have their 7s then they could be a real force. I doubt it will happen though. Again The Guardian for more.

Kyle Sinckler was one of the successes of the World Cup so it is no surprise that he is the target of several Premiership clubs as his contract with Quins is up for renewal . Jan 1st is likely to see Sinckler's representatives becoming quite busy.

The above situation suggests the US system of the draft in order to keep their core games; Baseball, NFL, Basketball and Ice Hockey all on an even playing field is a good one. It won't work here but I think there is a model that could be introduced if we had a ring-fenced top flight Premiership.

I have been an advocate for ring-fencing for some time and the salary cap issue has heightened the need for sensible discussions on the topic. Right now ring-fencing would cause millions of followers of our great game to cry foul as it would be seen as a way of saving Saracens from the (potential) drop. In the longer term I think it will happen as the current business model is unsustainable and the fear of relegation is driving a behaviour that is causing costs to spiral and those below the Premiership to have totally unrealistic hopes of getting to the top table.

My view is relatively straight forward............

You have a 14 team top flight fully professional and all being shareholders of the Premiership. If a new shareholder cannot be found then you have a 13 team top flight. There would be no relegation and no play-offs. If possible the end of season jamboree would be the top team from the Pro14 playing the top Premiership side. The 14th team should be from Yorkshire ideally.

The Premiership would have a very clearly defined and simplified salary cap structured in a way that prioritises home grown talent. Each team would have feeder clubs from the Championship which would become a semi-professional league. Players such as those on the fringes of the Premiership first team or recovering from injury could play down in the Championship. I am certain the current clubs in the Championship would cry foul but common sense tells you that the current divide between the leagues is already large so dreams of joining the top table are just that: dreams.

Below the Championship the RFU should restructure National League 1 into North and South. These clubs become feeders for the Championship sides with much tighter restrictions on the payment of players and the ability to get into the Championship would still be possible by a series of play-offs. Below this the league structure would remain pretty much as it is but I believe the restrictions on the payment of players should be much tighter.

As an aside there are clubs near us who pay and I struggle to see how they are within the RFU guidelines, especially when I hear they are paying players and extra £50 for scoring tries.

That'll do for now. No politics today as I need to keep my hot air to myself as an aid to slowing climate change.