Birmingham Post - Sport Blog

The Weekend Preview - Guess which Midlands team won't win?

2009-11-05T16:07:14Z

Apologies for another break in service, brought about by a dire need to spend some time with the nearest and dearest, hopefully the transmission will continue unbroken for the foreseeable.

Looking back at my last entry, entitled 'Time to walk the talk' it is clear most of the region's sides were only capable to limp the whimp(er).

Moseley failed to beat London Welsh, Harlequins won at Worcester and Stour were thrashed at Wharfedale.

But all that is in the dim and distant past. Last Saturday was marked by Boo-Gate - did they didn't they? - an appalling Worcester performance and the weekly Manchester Try Fest at Stourton Park.

But Round Nine will go down as The Chip, with the nation's cameras and the entire Bristol defence trained on him and his goal-line, Joey Carlisle impudently chipped his way out of a hole and took his Coventry team 70m downfield.

They say the border between genius and madness is a thin one and - with both feet just on the wrong side of the divide - here are this week's predictions.

Coventry v London Welsh (Friday, Butts Park Arena, 7.45pm)

With Joey calling the shots anything's possible, both good and bad.

London Welsh play a fiendishly difficult blitz defence that puts fly halves under real pressure. But if Carlisle is in his greased eel mode he could slip through and cause havoc.

I'm going to stick my neck on the line and back the youngster to do just that.

Prediction: Coventry by 5

Worcester v Newcastle (Saturday, Sixways, 12.30pm)

Whither Worcester's season? Going down the pan if last Sunday's non-performance is anything to go by.

Warriors need a win so badly they're putting out their first team against the Falcons' Twos so if they don't get it, they're will be all hell to pay.

Honesty meetings have uncovered the fact the forwards aren't playing well enough so we should at least see a fiery effort up front and that will be sufficient.

Worcester's LV= Cup campaign will get off the ground. Anyone care?

Prediction: Worcester by 14

Moseley v Rotherham (Saturday, Billesley Common, 3pm)

Who knows what Rotherham are going to do? They must be the only side in history to have nilled a team one week and then been shut out themselves the following match as they did with Bees and Nottingham last month.

That they beat Cornish Pirates last time out suggests they know what they are doing but I still expect them to be in the bottom four at the end of the season.

Moseley might not be - as long as they start playing again. They have been beset by tactical conservatism and must use this match to find their wings once more.

Andy Williams' fitness is key to that process and if Andy Borgen and Nathan Bressington play Mose will field and intriguing back line.

Mose to win, Bressington to score and Reece Spee to silence the critics.

Prediction: Moseley by 10

Doncaster v Bees (Saturday, Castle Park, 5pm)

The bottom two meet with both sides on 13 points. Unfortunately for Bees there's a minus sign in front of their total.

So a mere 26 points separate the combatants in the league and Bees will do well to do anything other than match that deficit on the pitch.

Willing they are, good mates they may be but Doncaster are on the charge and the visiting forwards are in for a right old bashing.

Prediction: Doncaster by 26

Cinderford v Stourbridge (Saturday, Dockham Road, 2.30pm)

The best website outside the Premiership won't help Cinders stop Stour who are right up for this one.

With Craig Richards, Kurt Johnson and Jon Higgins in their backs Stour have real experience and they won't be intimidated like last season.

Prediction: Stour by 7

The Weekend Preview - time to walk the talk

2009-10-22T16:30:06Z

Thankfully last week's blow outs didn't materialise as Bees grabbed Exeter's coat-tails to emerge with some self respect and Mose shut down both Bristol and themselves.

This weekend, with the exception of Bees - who will struggle at Cornish Pirates - all of the West Midlands' teams have matches they need to win if they are to achieve their season's ambitions.

If Sixways is to become the fortress Mike Ruddock desires, Quins must be dispatched.

If Coventry are to finish in the top eight of the Championship, Plymouth at home should be a banker and if Moseley are to maintain their current form London Welsh have to considered as the most vulnerable of the powerhouses.

And incredibly Stour go looking to win a sixth straight fixture at Wharfedale.

Coventry v Plymouth (Friday, Butts Park Arena, 7.45pm)

With Joey Carlisle pulling the tactical strings anything is possible and that's a source of hope as well as concern for Phil Maynard.

The youngster is as likely to throw an interception as a try-scoring double mis-pass and could well come up with both.

What the Cov pack must do is subdue their visitors and work them over around the fringes because traditionally there's not much room outside.

They must also deprive them of the ball because contrary to their public statements the Albion 15-man rolling maul, is not a thing of the past.

Prediction: Coventry by 10
Last week's prediction: Nottingham by 7
Result: Nottingham by 5

Worcester v Harlequins (Saturday, Sixways, 3pm)

Ruddock is hoping Quins will be so exhausted by their Heineken Cup exploits, which have produced defeats by Cardiff and Toulouse, that they'll come to Sixways with a whimper.

He's also hoping his refreshed Worcester side will be too energetic for the visitors. In fact it's all hope as not much expectation.

Worcester needed their Challenge Cup break but it's interrupted a period in which they had built up a decent head of steam. I'm not sure they can recreate that against so talented a back line.

Willie Walker will need to have an excellent day with the boot if he is to win the kicking battle with Nick Evans and Warriors must take the one or two chances that come their way. Time for Sam Tuitupou to produce the goods.

Prediction: Worcester by 3
Last week's prediction: Worcester by 50
Result: Worcester by 33

Moseley v London Welsh (Saturday, Billesley Common, 3pm)

Everyone on the Common thinks Welsh are better than their league position suggests. I haven't seen them this season but from what I hear they are a very decent side.

And so they should be with all the money they've poured into their squad.

Moseley tend to struggle in this fixture and it'll be hard again because they are in danger of becoming over reliant on Neil Mason and Aly Muldowney as ball carriers.

They were also very narrow against Bristol and it really doesn't suit them, particularly when Tristan Roberts has an off day.

I'd like to see them break the field up and have a real go at Welsh rather than die not knowing and that means whichever of Henry Trinder of Jonny May plays 13 they need a big day.

Prediction: Moseley by 6
Last week's prediction: Bristol by 14
Result: Bristol by 10

Wharfedale v Stourbridge (Saturday, Thresfield, 3pm)

Both sides are missing key players, Duncan White and Adam Billig will be as big a loss for Stour as Chris Malherbe will be for the hosts.

For some reason Stour have an excellent record in the Dales and I expect them to continue it.

They have got some momentum into their season and with Sam Robinson, Ben Barkley and Craig Richards in the threequarters they will threaten any team.

Expect an upset.

Prediction: Stourbridge by 5
Last week's prediction: Stourbridge by 5
Result: Stourbridge by 33

Cornish Pirates v Bees (Sunday, Camborne Rec, 2pm)

Pirates are not the force they were when Moseley went down there on the second game of the season but they'll still be good enough to beat rag tag Bees.

Russell Earnshaw's men don't have a kicking game or a lineout which makes it virtually impossible to win away from home.

Which means it's a bonus point by half time for the hosts and maybe eight tries in all.

Prediction: Pirates by 40
Last week's prediction: Exeter by 28
Result: Exeter by 30

The Weekend Preview - Blow outs all over the show

2009-10-15T14:29:57Z

Excuse the temporary loss of service folks, illness - namely the most virulent strain of flu known to humankind - prevented me from raising a single digit in the direction of my keyboard last week.

Clearly I would have predicted all the results correctly and trust you have enough faith in my crystal ball gazing ability to grant me a perfect five from five.

No? It's a fair cop.

I honestly expected Worcester to beat Montpellier and Plymouth to leave Moseley with four points and I can't claim with a clear conscience I'd have backed Coventry to win at Doncaster.

A good week to be ill then, you might say.

Let's see what happens this weekend...

Bristol v Moseley (Friday, Memorial Stadium, 7.45pm)

Moseley have been much, much better in the last couple of weeks and the striking thing about their dismissal of Plymouth was the minimum of fuss with which they did it.

There were no last second heroics and no need for a gutsy comeback. They just kicked their goals, stuck to the gameplan and coasted to a third straight victory.

They'll need a little more perspiration and inspiration at Bristol, though.

Paul Hull's side is probably the weakest relegated outfit to enter the second tier for five years, indeed since Bristol last dropped out of the top flight.

By that definition they are the most vulnerable and if Moseley can bean Leeds at Twickenham they can beat a Bristol side that has been given the week off.

But I don't think they will. The hosts will have too much firepower.

Prediction: Bristol by 14

Coventry v Nottingham (Friday, Butts Park Arena, 7.45pm)

It sums up the Championship that Nottingham are second and could go temporarily top with victory at the BPA.

That's not to say they aren't a good side but having seen them twice this season they are not as good as last term and are a long way from being a powerhouse.

Coventry are still some way short of being a good side, though.

Their win at Castle Park owed as much to the old Cov dog as excellence and they'll need plenty of both to beat Nottingham.

The fact they have been laid low by a sickness bug all week is going to weaken their resolve sufficiently to allow the visitors a sixth win of the campaign.

Prediction: Nottingham by 7

Olympus Madrid v Worcester (Saturday, Estadio Nacional de Rugby, 3.45pm)

Even the rawest Worcester side would stroll this match. This Worcester side is as raw as they come and they'll do just that.

Expect Alex Grove to score a hat-trick and Joey Carlisle to kick at least six concerversions.

Not much more to analyse really.

Prediction: Worcester by 50

Bees v Exeter (Saturday, Sharmans Cross Road, 3pm)

The fact you feel compelled to breathe a sigh of relief every time Bees fulfil another fixture rather lowers expectations.

It is very difficult to make a case for anything other than a spirited home performance and an away win so I'll not bother.

Rod Petty will ask uncomfortable questions at fly half and Simon Hunt will put the fear of god into the Chiefs from full back but Bees are going to struggle up front.

They key for Exeter will be to not get sucked into the loose and unstructured game that Bees love.

Prediction: Exeter by 28

Stourbridge v Blaydon (Saturday, Stourton Park, 3pm)

Last week brought a really important victory for Stour and as a result they will be confident of knocking Blaydon over just as they did on the last day of last season.

I think they will too. With Adam Billig and Ben Barkley reunited in the centres and Craig Richards tearing it up out wide Stour will have too sharp a cutting edge for the visitors.

The pack will have to work at it though and if Sam Robinson doesn't kick his goals it could be a dogfight that'll go either way.

Prediction: Stour by 5

Controversial Coventry and bankrupt Bees

2009-10-06T10:33:10Z

Now what to write about this week? No, can't think of anything. Midlands rugby has been a bit stagnant of late.
What we really need is a good old Coventry story. Surely the club that put the 'Co' in controversy can come up with something.
Or perhaps there's a tale brewing down Sharmans Cross way, it's been a bit on the quiet side recently.
But that were the case.
Moseley and Worcester are ploughing on enjoying the novelty of mid-table mediocrity, models of consistency as the oval ball sands shift around them.
Down the road Bees are rarely out of the headlines or off the messageboards and Cov have found themselves a perfect storm to weather.
What to write about indeed.
So in the light of both issues I'll offer a few unrelated observations, sit back and wait for my own perfect storm.

Firstly the Coventry saga. As most of you will know the Rugby Football Union are investigating an alleged incident of disorder after their derby day defeat to Moseley.
It has been claimed a supporter aimed, but missed with, a punch at referee Luke Pearce following the official's decision to award the visitors three penalty tries.
The third, eight minutes into injury time, was the straw that broke the camel's cranium and sections of Butts Park couldn't take it.
As well as grumbling about the referee, privately Cov are also unhappy with the celebrations of the Moseley players in what was a tinderbox atmosphere.
To their credit, however, Coventry are investigating the incident and will ban the culprit. They have to do this.
I'm uncomfortable with references to such behaviour as belonging to association football, such actions are considered out of order in that sport too.
One only has to look at an incident at Aston Villa a couple of years ago when a fan threw a coin at Harry Redknapp but hit a linesman instead.
The perpetrator was identified and rightfully banned. Coventry must do the same.
And they are also taking the right stance on the perceptions of incitement. It doesn't matter what has gone on during the previous 80 minutes, there is no place for such abhorrent behaviour.
To use Mr Pearce's adjudication as an excuse for voilence is pathetic.
We are all responsible for our own actions and should not abdicate that responsibility to someone we don't know and will probably never meet.
As for Bees, I have to make it clear I dearly hope a solution can be found to their current plight.
I like and respect very many of the club's officials, coaches and players.
And as a family man myself I don't begrudge any players who accept offers to earn a living elsewhere.
What is slightly distasteful though is those who don't have new clubs turning up at their current one to watch their 'team-mates' lose to Rotherham.
You learn an awful lot about people at times like this and that action spoke volumes.
And as much as I hope they extricate themselves from the situation, the phoenix company scenario they are currently trying to engineer is morally bankrupt.
Why should B&S be allowed to forego their commitments to the Inland Revenue, effectively without penalty, when other clubs have not been so negligent and may have suffered relegation for cutting their cloth accordingly.
Yes they could be deducted points but in the current play-off system that doesn't matter a jot. Two wins at the end of the season and they will have got away with it.
Coventry did it a year ago and the RFU said that would be the last time they allowed it to happen. Sadly it won't be.

The Weekend Preview - History at Sharmans Cross Road?

2009-10-01T14:06:12Z

Some intriguing fixtures this week with the first Championship local derby between Coventry and Moseley and a reshuffled Worcester side going to Leicester.

And of course there could be the last ever game for the current Bees vintage, unless they can unravel their financial tangle that has dragged them to the precipice.

Whilst not wishing to blow my own trumpet, I think I'm due a surreptitious little 'toot' following a 100 per cent return from last week that included correct predictions for Moseley's win over Doncaster and Worcester's over Sale.

That's 14 out of 15 so far this season. OK trumpet down.

And this week...

Coventry v Moseley (Friday, Butts Park, 7.45pm)

Adam Caves reckons the outcome will be decided by which Moseley team turn up and it's difficult to disagree.

Mose will give Cov a game if they play well, if not expect Phil Maynard to claim his favourite kind of victory, one over Moseley.

The signs are encouraging for the visitors though. They were a thousand times better against Doncaster last Saturday while Cov were braver than brave in defeat at Pirates.

Tristan Roberts gave a display that both dazzled and disappointed for Mose and he could go either way under pressure from Cov.

This game will be all about forwards and I think I give Cov the edge up front. Roared on by a home crowd, against their local rivals and with Dave Addleton inside their heads, they'll not dare to lose.

Prediction: Cov by 6
Last week's prediction: Moseley by 3 and Pirates by 7
Results: Moseley by 8 and Pirates by 6

Leicester v Worcester (Saturday, Welford Road, 3pm)

With Mike Ruddock keeping his powder dry for the Challenge Cup next Thursday, Worcester have no chance.

The only way to win at Leicester is to outdo the hosts for commitment and hope for an under par performance from the home team.

After making more than 300 tackles in their last two games, commitment might have run dry and the signs are that Leicester are getting better not worse.

Add to the cocktail the fact Worcester have not won at Welford Road since 1895 and they won't win this time, especially not if Willie Walker's wife decides to give birth on time.

Prediction: Leicester by 20
Last week's prediction: Worcester by 7
Result: Worcester by 6

Bees v Rotherham (Saturday, Sharmans Cross, 3pm)

There have been some right old shenanigans at Sharmans Cross this week with the club on the brink of voluntary liquidation.

One player has gone AWOL, a few others have left the rails and Russell Earnshaw must sift through the remnants of a very fine squad to see who wants to play. It is a complete mess.

At the time of writing this could still be the club's last ever match in its current guise and one hopes that thought brings the supporters out in their droves and invigorates the players.

If it doesn't Bees could be daubing a very upsetting chapter into what has been a largely commendable history.

Rotherham must be licking their lips.

Prediction: Rotherham by 17
Last week's prediction: Nottingham by 17
Result: Nottingham by 36

Stourbridge v Esher (Saturday, Stourton Park, 3pm)

Here's to you Mr Robinson, Stourbridge loves you more than you could know. All hail the return of oft-injured but multi-talented play-maker Sam Robinson.

The 24-year-old ends 18 months of injury hell to make his comeback against the hardest opponents in the division.

Esher have been rolling along at 64 points a match while Stour have been digging deep just to keep pace with the big-striding teams in the division.

No one moves faster than the Surrey-side and they will continue that progress despite the best efforts of Robinson and his cohorts.

Prediction: Esher by 20
Last week's prediction: Launceston by 10
Result: Launceston by 6

The Weekend Preview - Round Four

2009-09-25T08:32:33Z

Hurrah. I got my first one bang on last week. The tea-leaves informed me Exeter would leave Butts Park with a two-try advantage and so they did.

Boo. Optimism overcame me and my first wrong prediction was made for the Wasps-Worcester clash. If only Mike Ruddock hadn't told his men to launch an aerial bombardment it might have been a different story.

From now on, no favouring the Midlands sides.

Five more matches this weekend and perhaps the least clear cut set of matches. Worcester could win or lose at home to Sale, as could Moseley with Doncaster and possibly even Coventry at Cornish Pirates.

Worcester v Sale (Sixways, Saturday, 3pm)

Despite what happened at Adams Park there's more purpose about Worcester this season.
A big game from Netani Talei and Phantom Pant-Puller Sammy T and Sale are there for the taking.
But they've got to keep ball in hand. Mike Ruddock said they're going to try to get back to their off-loading game and that would be brilliant.
If Chris Latham can get back to his brilliant best he would spark the backs who would then be playing as well as the forwards.
The Sharks have been a bit toothless once again this year, the signs are Kingsley Jones isn't going to be do a PSA and for that reason I'm going for a home win.

Prediction: Worcester by 7

Last week's prediction: Worcester by 3
Result: Wasps by 20 :-(

Moseley v Doncaster (Billesley Common, Saturday, 3pm)

Ian Smith has definitely got his men moving in the right direction, the question is, though, is it quickly enough.
Nothing I have seen so far this season suggests Moseley are in for anything other than a bottom four finish.
On paper they are ahead of where they were this time last year, on the pitch they are behind and my fear is they could run out of road.
Smith needs to get big performances from his big performers, Terry Sigley, Andy Hall, Rob Thirlby otherwise it could be Donny who end their win drought.
With just 12 teams in the division Doncaster are the kind of team Moseley must start beating on a regular basis.
I'm going to back them to do it this time but only because I remember how they raised their game last season.

Prediction: Moseley by 3

Last week's prediction: Nottingham by 5
Result: Nottingham by 11

Launceston v Stourbridge (Polson Bridge, Saturday, 3pm)

There's no let up for Neil Mitchell's men who have performed creditably against Sedgley and Cambridge.
Mitchell thinks this is the most winnable of a sequence of four matches against the top sides although I'm not sure.
Park Lane is not as forboding as Polson Bridge if only because of the distance.
If Barkley and Billig play Stour have a chance, if not, then probably not.
But that chance is still going to be an outside one and I can't in all honesty tip Stour to win.

Prediction: Launceston by 10

Last week's prediction: Cambridge by 4
Result: Cambridge by 24 - oops

Nottingham v Bees (Meadow Lane, Sunday, 3pm)

I was less impressed than usual with Nottingham at Moseley last Saturday, they really miss Joe Duffey, Dan Montagu and Tim Molenaar.
However they were still good enough to leave Windy Alley with a win and will be stronger at home.
Bees are going to be quite difficult to predict this season. Clearly they enter every game as underdogs but like Newbury a few years ago the way they break the match up gives them a fighting chance.
Bristol got sucked into a game of Sevens and Bees will try to do the same to Notts.
Their problem is who they pick at fly half. There are very severe concerns about Ricky Aley's defence and Rod Petty's consistency.
As a neutral non-paying spectator I'd go for Petty because footballers like him should be cherished.
However, once more I can't say in good faith I think Bees'll win.

Prediction: Nottingham by 17

Last week's prediction: Welsh by 10
Result: Welsh by 25

Cornish Pirates v Coventry (Camborne Rec, Sunday, 3pm)

I think the Pirates could be the real deal this time, there are those at Coventry who disagree. Dry weather, flat track bullies is their verdict.
But you don't win at Donny and Nottingham without doing something right and the media chaps in the West Country are raving about the club's new coaching set up.
Cov are pretty happy with their squad too and Phil Maynard thinks a big win is just around the corner, possibly even this weekend.
I'd love to believe but I just can't quite. CP are fast and Laurie McGlone, Carl Rimmer and Rudi Brits will be furious.
Pirates pace will overcome Cov power - just.

Prediction: Pirates by 7

Last week's prediction: Exeter by 14
Result: Exeter by 14 :-)

The Weekend Preview

2009-09-17T17:09:15Z

Here we go then, neck on the block time once more.

This weekend's games pit the country's haves against the Midlands' have-nots and once again it's difficult to predict much success for our local sides.

As for last week, I correctly guessed all five outcomes though no margins of victory.

Bees were a surprise taking Bristol to within four points while I though Mose would get much closer to Pirates.

Here's this week's matches.

Coventry v Exeter (Butts Park Arena, Friday, 7.45pm)

I've seen four Championship matches and seven teams so far this season and Exeter are the best so far - and yes that includes Bristol and Cornish Pirates.
They will be disappointed in failing to take a bonus point from their win over Doncaster last Saturday but the manner in which they dismantled Moseley at Billesley Common suggested they will be at Twickenham at the end.
A scintillating back three and size and power up front they are a force to be reckoned with.
Cov, however, were a farce to be reckoned with at Goldington Road last week and will be up against it on Friday night.
They will include new Tongan fly half Fangatapu Apikotoa in their side and he will need to hit the ground sprinting if there is to be an upset.
One can only hope off-field issues will not derail Cov and that another big crowd can roar them to an unlikely victory. I suspect not, though.

Prediction: Exeter by 14

Last week's prediction: Bedford by 7
Result: Bedford by 36

Moseley v Nottingham (Billesley Common, Saturday 3pm)

The first half hour Moseley put in at Camborne last Sunday was the poorest I have ever seen them play. They were utterly witless.
There was another 50-plus concessionary rate and once more the lineout was a shambles, although a lot of the damage was undone by nicking a four try bonus point.
Moseley need some of their key players back and I suspect the coaches are pondering calling Gareth Taylor into the team if he is fit again. That would be a big call with Wales international Andy Williams playing so well.
Andy Reay is almost certain to come back in at 12 and Rob Thirlby should return at 15. Both would help.
As for Nottingham, I haven't seen them play but one can only expect them to be weakened by the departure of Tim Molenaar and Joe Duffey.
Glenn Delaney is as good a coach as there is in the Championship, though and with memories of Tim Taylor's merry dance the last time Nottingham appeared at Billesley I'm going for an away win again.

Prediction: Nottingham by 5

Last week's prediction: Pirates by 2
Result: Pirates by 23

London Welsh v Bees (Old Deer Park, Saturday, 3pm)

Life after Woody begins again for Bees with the untested Ryan Tomlinson or untrusted Rod Petty due to take his place.
Petty would be the obvious choice with his advantage in experience but - as magnificent a footballer as he is - the Australian comes with strings attached.
He is a real jack-in-the-box player with a flair for the unconventional but do Bees need any more unconventional at the moment?
Probably do not but they need some inspiration too and Petty is just the man for that.
As for Welsh one wonders if they are starting to feel Squeaky Bum Syndrome two defeats and a brush with the administrators have left them with a minus points total.
They will be determined to reach credit this weekend and probably will.

Prediction: Welsh by 10

Last week's prediction: Bristol by 20
Result: Bristol by 4

Stourbridge v Cambridge (Stourton Park, Saturday, 3pm)

The Curse of the Stourbridge Threequarter continues to afflict Stourton Park with Ben Barkley pulling out one minute before last Saturday's defeat to Sedgley.
He may not be back this weekend, or may not be risked at least, as Stour could be forgiven for taking one on the chin for the greater good.
If Jon Higgins can preside over a tight gameplan and the forwards play at their maximum Stour have a chance on home turf. If not expect Cambridge to go home with the points.

Prediction: Cambridge by 4

Last week's prediction: Sedgley by 10
Result: Sedgley by 20

Wasps v Worcester (Adams Park, Sunday, 3pm)

There are genuine signs that Ruddock's revolution might be gathering pace once more. His young guns are firing and Alex Grove, Matt Mullan and Tom Wood are as good as anything their age in the top flight.
Willie Walker concerns me at 10, not just because of his defence but his shaky goal-kicking.
Warriors will need to contest the breakdown like demons and will look to Wood and Pat Sanderson to unsettle the home back row. It's the only way they can win.
Wasps are in transition but are going about that process well. They will also be well motivated to make up for last season's 11-10 loss in this fixture.
My outside bet this week is that they won't. I'm going for an away win because of the Sixways kids.

Prediction: Worcester by 3

Last week's Prediction: Worcester by 12
Result: Worcester by 20

The Weekend Preview - is launched

2009-09-11T10:01:25Z

Most of my week is spent chasing the region's rugby players and coaches for their thoughts on games coming and gone and the pressing issues at their clubs and in their divisions.

That doesn't leave me much time or space to make my own observations, something I intend to rectify from today onwards in this blog.

Each week I'll take a step down the route marked 'Professional Suicide' and assess the main rugby matches involving our leading teams and will respond to any comments made by readers.

At the end of Professional Suicide I'll turn right and head down Prediction Alley, known to all journalists to be a dead end.

So here goes....and remember folks, it's only my opinion:

Worcester v Leeds (Sixways, Friday, 8pm)
Everyone involved is trying to distance themselves from the suggestion this is going to be a relegation decider.
Two games in, they scoff, how can you say that?
Having watched Leeds quite a bit last season I can't escape the feeling they'll finish no higher than 11th and probably end up going down.
Worcester's potential is greater and with luck with injuries they could finish in mid-table.
On that basis I think they are a better team and should therefore win tonight.
Key to that will be how they control the breakdown. Moseley and Bees routed Neil Back's men at ruck-time last term and if Pat Sanderson and Tom Wood put in the sort of display they did at Franklin's Gardens last Sunday, Warriors will get on top and win at a canter.
Sammy Tuitupou's back to reclaim his place as the most under-rated player in the Premiership and Miles Benjamin has found his way to the try-line again.
The Sixways crowd will also be a factor so I can't look any further than a home win.

Prediction: Worcester by 12

Bees v Bristol (Sharmans Cross, Saturday, 3pm)
Russell Earnshaw, the eternal optimist, admitted this week he is anxious about how his injury hit squad will cope with the arrival of the Championship favourites.
If he's anxious so am I.
The positive finder in him managed to unearth a source of hope from last Saturday's 33-10 defeat at Plymouth but you have to say it'll be difficult to do that this weekend.
Bees are light up front while Bristol's pack is a fearsome prospect. Their back three are also rapid too.
Set that lot against a team short on cohesion after a disrupted pre-season and it's difficult to see anything other than an away win.

Prediction: Bristol by 20

Bedford v Coventry (Goldington Road, Saturday, 3pm)
Bedford's victory at Doncaster last weekend was about the only surprise result of the opening weekend.
They have recruited well, are always strong at home and will be in confident mood after last Saturday.
Coventry meanwhile were rugged but no more in beating Rotherham last Friday.
They will benefit from the arrival of their new Tongan fly half but with Tommy Hayes in such fine form that's not necessarily the area they were short in last weekend.
At times their forwards got sucked into a muck-fight with the Titans' and their set-piece was pretty awful.
Phil Maynard knows how to win at Goldington Road but he needs his men to execute that knowledge. It'll be just beyond them.

Prediction: Bedford by 7

Sedgley Tigers v Stourbridge (Park Lane, Saturday, 2.30pm)
Neil Mitchell's men always seem to be short of players in the threequarters, this weekend they're even shorter with Adam Billig missing.
They have a pack that will get stuck into anyone in the division and in Andi Lawrence and Simon Homer a right side of the scrum will take some pushing back.
But Sedgley are straight out of the old National One and buoyed by a parachute payment and several of Manchester's best players, they are going to be strong. Too strong.

Prediction: Sedgley by 10

Cornish Pirates v Moseley (Camborne Rec, Sunday, 3pm)
Mose really struggled for rhythm against Exeter last weekend, due entirely to the fact they fielded 12 new players in their 22.
Afterwards they point to the fact they scored three tries in the final ten minutes but they have to be put in context. Exeter were a man down and had switched off totally.
But so too does Mose's defeat. They won't play a side as good as Exeter every week and will be more competitive this Sunday.
The Pirates are the sort of side they have to start beating if they are to finish in the top eight again and there'll be no better place to start than at Camborne.
But with unfamiliar faces in the backline again it'll be a score too far.

Prediction: Pirates by 2

Feel free to contribute your own thoughts.

Blood - the real thing

2009-09-09T09:16:49Z

Having been absent from the blogosphere due to holidays and illness, it's time I dipped a toe back into the waters. So, with a mild word of warning that this blog probably shouldn't be read before the watershed, here we go.

While I was away, Bloodgate continued to splatter its way across the sports pages of those newspapers which care about rugby. My colleague Brian Dick has had his say, rightly pointing out that Harlequins are probably not the first or last club to engage in what is downright cheating.
Others have rightly agonised about the damage this is doing to rugby's image (I remember Brian's predecessor as Post rugby correspondent, the legendary Michael Blair, warning about the dangers of professionalism in 1995 while the sport was still having the vapours about whether to leap in).
And I witnessed something at the weekend which should make rugby folk realise that they really don't have a monopoly on sportsmanship, nor on toughness - if they ever did in the first place.
I am indebted to Tamworth supporter Dave Tricklebank who put this photo on his picture gallery website.

As someone said to me when they saw that picture: "The club physio didn't buy that in a joke shop in London."

This is AFC Wimbledon central defender Alan Inns during their Blue Square Premier game against Tamworth at The Lamb on Saturday.
Inns suffered the injury in a clash of heads with a Tamworth player but was swiftly bandaged up and returned to the action - only to immediately attempt to head away a goal-kick moments later.
Unsurprisingly, the cut reopened, a yard or so of blood-soaked bandage became unwrapped and Inns crumpled to the floor, unsure where he was or what day it was.
Having admitted defeat (or more likely, had the physio do it for him), he was led off to the dressing room, passing in front of a packed Shed stand containing several hundred of Tamworth's most rabid supporters.
Now, the occupants of the Shed tend not to be overly sympathetic to opposition players who are substituted. The chorus "You're not wanted any more" has a closing line with which I won't trouble you here while referees are often advised to make sure they add time on for the ensuing delay.
Yet a spontaneous burst of applause rang out down the stand as Inns was led off. In 25 years in the Shed, I think I have only ever seen that for players carried off with broken legs.
It was hugely inspiring and totally in character with a game that ended in a 2-2 draw and provided more thrills and spills than most of last season's Blue Square North campaign put together.
After the game, fans of both clubs mixed happily in Tamworth pubs, even chatting with the members of the Metropolitan Police's finest who made a completely unnecessary visit to my local.
It's an afternoon I'll remember for the rest of the season - and having seen pictures of fake blood spread across the sports pages for what seems like weeks, the reaction of nearly 2,000 non-league football fans to this all-too-real blood was a reminder of the inherent decency of most fans and players.

Cheating, the oldest art

2009-08-19T09:46:45Z

There's been a lot of hand-wringing and soul searching in the fall out from Bloodgate and the subsequent ban dished out to Dean Richards.

I, like many people, am gobsmacked that Richards has involved himself in such shenanigans, though considerably less so that one of the leading professional clubs has been caught out.

The financial pressures placed on teams to win Heineken Cup and Premiership matches is always going to filter down to the coaching and playing staff and the temptation to do something underhand intensifies as the stakes become higher.

Richards' involvement is testament to that because in my experience, even as a frustrated Scotland fan when he used to deny us Grand Slams for fun - he has always demonstrated high integrity.

I have had the opportunity to interview the former England international on several occasions and he has always struck me as an intelligent and open person with an innate sense of what makes rugby special.

I recall the way he conducted himself when Harlequins came to Sharmans Cross Road on the first day of the 2005-06 season when it would have been easy to swan in, hand out a beating and be back on the bus by 5pm.

But the reality was the opposite. Yes 'Quins won but Richards knew his team, with the public's perception of its arrogance, would be under the microscope on the pitch and off it.

Everyone from the Stoop stayed behind, conducted themselves admirably and went on to make many, many friends during their National One campaign. Much of that was down to Richards.

So let's not kid ourselves that in outing Richards the boil has been lanced. Cheating and rugby go hand in hand.

We have all been at matches where there have been dubious blood injuries and we have all seen props take a dive to manufacture uncontested scrums.

Indeed rugby is a sport that dedicates a position to the best con-artists - step forward openside flankers.

Remember the Hand of Back? Yes I know Richards was in charge on that day too but we can't finger him for that one.
Ever heard the name Richie McCaw?
How do you think little Tom Smith survived in the front row for so long without recourse to the Dark Arts.

Richards is just the latest and possibly most craven example of coaches and players trying to steal an advantage. He was wrong to do it but let's not pretend he'll be the first or last.

Time to put the brakes on English cricket's lager-drinking, money-making gravy train

2009-08-06T16:06:38Z

Over the past week, I have looked on with increasing amusement as English cricket's authorities have tied themselves in knots over the unruly behaviour which plagued last weekend's Edgbaston Test and which will surely raise its head again at Headingley over the next few days.
Honestly, I know the England & Wales Cricket Board were the only people who didn't smell a rat over Allan Stanford (and didn't care as long as he was carrying wads of cash) but it's not that difficult, is it?

My daily journey to work takes me through Birmingham New Street station and on the first two days of the Edgbaston Test, the station concourse was crammed by 9am with replica shirt-wearing, flag-waving, lager-drinking noisy twenty-somethings heading for Edgbaston.
Judging by the amount being consumed at that time of the morning, some of them would have been incapable by lunchtime, even on their own supplies. But what do the authorities do? They let them into the ground and they let them carry on drinking in the bars....all day, from 11am until whenever play ends.
That's seven or eight hours of solid boozing, in a noisy boisterous atmosphere under a hot (OK, warm) sun. And yet the authorities still cannot work out why some of them go off the rails.
The authorities are largely to blame for this, of course. By selling out to Sky, by subsequently promoting England-Australia as something close to war, they have turned the audience for Test cricket in England from one full of cricket-watchers and cricket supporters into one full of England supporters and, by definition, turned Australia into the enemy; a team to be booed, their failures to be mocked, with such mocking to be fuelled by however many pints of chemical lager can be necked in seven hours.
The answer, of course, would be to close the bars at the first sign of trouble, or at least open them only during certain parts of the day.
But that would threaten the progress of the money-making gravy train that cricket in this country has become - and that would never do.

England to be awarded World Cup, shame it's not the rugby version

2009-07-27T11:10:18Z

The IRB is understood to be on the brink of rubber stamping the selection of England as hosts for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

White smoke is expected to emanate from the game's tallest chimneys at some stage tomorrow, in support of the preference made by RWC Ltd.

Yet confirmation of the most done of deals and the opportunity to see the world's finest oval ball exponents will leave me with a sense that our sport has been jilted.

In including just two club stadiums - Leicester and Gloucester - and eight football arenas on its schedule the RFU has effectively sold the game out when it had an opportunity to show everything that is great about English rugby.

Rugby deserts such as the ones surrounding Anfield, Old Trafford, the Emirates and Southampton's St Mary's ground are deemed more suitable locations than Sixways or the Stoop despite their reputations for brilliant atmospheres.

The reason? Bums on seats. Twenty thousand at some irrelevant Air-fix venue is more important than 15,000 at one of the game's traditional settings.

Thus a chance to show off the Premiership and acquaint the floating voter with the beauty and practicality of getting to a proper rugby stadium has been squandered. All for a few quid.

It's almost as though no-one at the RFU has ever been to Vicarage Road.

Ollie Thomas, Moseley's loss is Chalon's gain

2009-07-24T13:25:26Z

There has been an unusually high turnover of players at Billesley Common this summer, particularly in terms of players leaving the club.

Ian Smith's way has been evolution rather than revolution so traditionally you could count on the fingers of one hand the players who have either not been retained or opted to go elsewhere.

Dan Norton, Jack Adams, Andy Binns, Ollie Thomas, Richie Bignell, Paul Cox, Ben Buxton, Paul Arnold, Richard Vasey and Adam Whitney have all moved on for a variety of reasons.

Clearly Binns' well-deserved retirement is a big blow, even though it was always going to come sooner rather than later with the triumph at Twickenham and impending fatherhood all pointing to a straightforward decision.

And although the coaches might, clearly do, disagree I consider the departure of Bignell to be a major set-back. Bignell is well versed in the unseen art and his true value is only revealed when he's not there.

That said I have not seen Chevvy Pennycook play and one can only suppose Smith considers the youngster from Bristol to be an upgrade.

But it is the loss of Ollie Thomas that might come back to haunt Moseley. Unable or unwilling to indulge a player who is something of a maverick, the squad is weaker for his absence.

Thomas' versatility as a player makes him valuable to any match-day 22 and he is one of the best goal-kickers, in terms of range and to a lesser extent accuracy, outside of the Premiership.

It is not too difficult to mount an argument that without his timely drop goal the EDF Energy National Trophy would not have been won.

Big match temperament is something that should never be taken for granted. Thomas had his faults, but he had that in spades.

Which means for a rugby watcher who enjoys the unexpected and the impudent, his loss is a sad one.

There's bad luck, there's really bad luck and then.....

2009-07-23T15:13:20Z

It wasn't quite up there with Tom Watson losing out at the Open (did you know he was 59, by the way?) in terms of having the prize snatched from your lips, but it felt horribly close.
This week, I almost won the biggest prize of my betting career. Regular readers may not be surprised to learn that this doesn't amount to much. I wouldn't have paid off the mortgage on Warrillow Towers, or written the cheque for my wife's 50th birthday dream trip to Kenya, but it would have done nicely.

In fact, it would have almost exactly paid for this week's annual service on our car.
But it didn't and £320 that was nearly mine still sits in Mr William Hill's bank account.
What was I saying recently about the immutable law of Warrillow?
I very rarely take a punt on the Tote Scoop6 bet. The odds of an expert picking the winners of six selected televised races on a Saturday afternoon are astronomical. The odds of me doing so are astronomical multiplied by the number of grains of sand on my favourite beach in Fuerteventura.
Yet when the pool of prize money rises into seven figures, once every few months, I'm tempted. My interest is rarely more than a quick look at Ceefax to confirm that my interest ended after race one and that's where I thought I was last Saturday.
But I didn't get round to throwing the ticket away immediately (I'm like that, it's why Mrs W has just bought me a t-shirt for our 19th wedding anniversary bearing the logo 'Mr Messy.').
In fact, it rested on the sideboard long enough for me to vaguely recall seeing something about a place fund for the Scoop6, such that if you pick a placed horse in all six races, you at least win something, if not millions.....
And having replayed the races on video, it suddenly became worth checking. Third, non-runner (placing the bet on the favourite, which won), third, second, winner, winner (the latter thanks to yet another extraordinary ride from Tony McCoy). A winning ticket.....crikey.
I checked the ticket again, I phoned a friend who checked the ticket, I checked the ticket again. I went to bed, trying hard not to think about what I knew by then to be £320.
The following morning, I was almost beating down the door of Mr Hill's local emporium when it opened at 10am.
The nice lady behind the counter couldn't find my ticket among her pile of winning slips. But, sensing my excitement, she checked the results on her computer and checked the ticket before announcing: "I can't see a problem with this ticket."
So she checked it again - and turned my mood as grey as the rainswept July day outside the shop, which marked the aforementioned anniversary.
"There were only four runners in the 3.05 at Newmarket," she said. "There were four non-runners due to the state of the ground and when there are only four runners in a race, you have to pick the winner. I'm sorry, second place isn't good enough."
Reader, I knew how Tom felt when that putt on the 72nd green at Turnberry slid wide of the hole. I wandered home to break the news to Mrs W who, thankfully, hadn't mentally spent the money yet. I resolved to give the Scoop6 a miss this weekend.
There was one good thing about this sad affair, though - at least I knew what I was going to write about on my blog this week.

Tom Williams. Was it really that bad?

2009-07-22T09:36:57Z

Schalk Burger, Alan Quinlan, Bakkies Botha and Trevor Brennan. Just a few names to wrestle with, if you're brave enough, while pondering rugby's latest bad boy.

Burger, you will recall, assaulted Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald at the very start of the second Test when he stuck a digit into the Irishman's eye socket. He was subsequently banned for eight weeks.

Munsterman Quinlan was found guilty of something similar in the Heineken Cup semi final with Leinster. His sentence was a 12 week suspension.

Botha meanwhile body-charged Adam Jones thereby injuring the Welsh tighthead and putting him out of the sport for six months. For this offence the lock was suspended for two weeks.

Perhaps the worst of the lot Brennan was banned for life after he waded into the crowd and punched a spectator in a quite unprecedented attack, the like of which has rarely, if ever, been seen before.

So what of Williams, the pretty Harlequins wing, who was this week suspended for a year?

His crime must surely range somewhere between Burger's and Brennan's. Someone, somewhere must have been seriously hurt.

No. The 25-year-old was found to have feigned injury thereby allowing drop goal specialist Nick Evans back on to the pitch when he had already been replaced.

Serious stuff eh? Not really. Evans' presence for the last few minutes of 'Quins' European quarter final against Leicester was irrelevant, they still lost.

But European Rugby Cup Ltd found that his action was serious enough to blemish an unimpeachable disciplinary record and merit and a most severe punishment.

Perhaps key to that ruling was the alleged existence of television footage which it was claimed showed Williams winking as he came off the pitch.

And Williams should know from Cristiano Ronaldo's experience no-one like a winker.

But similarly no-one likes rough justice being handed down to a soft target when other, dangerous, incidents of foul play receive little more than a slap on the wrist.