Birmingham Post - Sport Blog

An afternoon to remember

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:41:32 +0000

I have been fortunate enough to watch rugby for a living for more than five years now and I've seen some wonderful matches and individual performances in that time.

And I've always said that Birmingham & Solihull's victory over London Wasps in February 2004 was the highlight of that period.

How the world marvelled as the butchers, bakers and candlestick makers dumped the biggest names in the sport on their illustrious backsides.

Saturday was another such occasion. Moseley's National Trophy semi final upset was cast from the same mould.

No, that's not quite right, rather it was the same cocktail of manic motivation and condescending complacency that left Exeter comatose in the gutter and Moseley intoxicated with their own success.

BUT - An ode to hope

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:28:29 +0000

Tomorrow's the famed double-header
When Mose could be slapped even redder
Painful defeat to an end would bring
A truly special EDF spring

But...they're not supermen coming from Ex
And there just might be a last hurdle hex

Most say they don't have a sniff,
Those red and black hordes of coach Smith
Their guests will be far too strong
Not a foot - or a toe - will go wrong

But...if Mose stick it to every last Chief
Those critics might yet come to grief

In the cup they've lost out to Mike Teague
And there's not been much good in the league
Years of losses have piled like the leaves
And scattered on the cold Billesley breeze

But...Saturday's the day when it's through
All those deferred dreams in the end may come true

It's a long shot, we admit it, of course,
But if Exeter fall from their horse,
And Mose steal an improbable win
How the proud city will grin
And in beating those giants from Devon
For once the Common will be heaven.

Anon 2009

Champagne moments from the first round of Six Nations

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 11:15:58 +0000

I have to say even having invested 12 hours of my life getting to and from Twickenham to watch a dire England performance and seen Scotland turn in a shambolic first half display that would have discredited Mauro Bergamasco - it's great to have sport's finest tournament back.

And if the next round is anything like the last, we're in for a shed-load more treats.

I can't wait to go to Cardiff this weekend for the next instalment of what will probably be another Welsh procession. Not that I begrudge it one little bit.

The sight of France ripping the Boys in Blue to shreds will be pretty scintillating too and one can only wonder what Ireland will do to Italy if they play anything like.

But let's reflect awhile. Here are my five highlights of the first weekend. Feel free to add yours.

RFU Feedback Part Three - finally

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:18:20 +0000

Thanks for your attention thus far. I hope it's proved thought provoking if not illuminating.

As said in Part Two, today's offering centres around the timing of the changes, the opposition to them and what it means for clubs on the side of the other drawbridge.

There's also a few extra points at the end which don't really combine into a single theme so if they seem a bit random - they are.

What emerged for me was the fact for everyone's grumbles about the timing of the changes, FDR had better not overplay their hand.

If what he says is right, there are a few people who have been filibustering to an Olympic standard.

There's also heart-warming words for whoever wins National Two for the next few years.

Finally I'd like to express my gratitude to all the people who responded to my initial request for questions.

As well as those who posted on this blog there were probably as many who emailed me directly.

I hope you feel I managed to put the issues you raised to Mr Thomas and get some sort of response.

So here goes...

RFU feedback - finally - Part Two

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 08:58:43 +0000

Back again. On to the nuts and bolts of how the Championship will work and what 'professional' actually means.

On the first issue the provision of an attractive Anglo Welsh tournament is clearly crucial to making a reduced division work. Although Mr Thomas didn't actually say it, things are clearly not going well in this direction.

The problem? Premier Rugby Ltd of course.

Then there's there play-offs. Another sticking point.

The problem? You guessed it PRL.

And of the thorny issue of what a club has to be to do be considered professional. I almost fell off my chair when I heard his answer, make your own judgements and feel free to leave any comments on this blog.

I will post the final part tomorrow in which Martyn explains why the proposals have been carried forward despite so much opposition, their timing and how a team makes it from National Two into the Championship.

But first today's responses...

RFU feedback - finally - Part One

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:07:09 +0000

I will not bore you with the reasons behind my delay in reporting back. Suffice to say the number of people working from home due to the snow made access to our internal server slightly less easy than walking into Fort Knox carrying a crowbar and wearing an arrow-suit.

Nevertheless, I am happy to report that Mr Thomas was both indulgent and forthright in the answers to our questions and for half an hour did his best to address many of the concerns we all have over the Championship.

Whether he assuaged them entirely, I'm far from convinced and would welcome your thoughts.

Questions for the RFU

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:30:05 +0000

I will be interviewing Rugby Football Union chairman Martyn Thomas this Friday and would like to use this platform as an opportunity to gauge the feeling and concerns of rugby supporters across the land.

If you have any questions you would like me to ask Mr Thomas please post them on this blog between now and Friday lunchtime and I will do my best to ask as many as possible.

At this stage I do not know how long I will have with him and in any case plan to explore his thinking on proposals for the Championship, its funding, structure and admission requirements.

Coldest ground in Britain?

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:10:52 +0000

I've just re-read my Moseley-Henley match report and feel the tone of the piece is rather grumpy. Allow me to explain.

My memory of last Saturday's game is not a happy one and it's nothing to do with the fact Moseley didn't play especially well.

What sticks out most is the fact I have never been more cold in my five years as the Post's rugby correspondent.

Billesley Common is always windy but last weekend the Mistral-like gale was bitingly cold. I've still got the earache even though I managed just 40 minutes in the wind tunnel that is the main stand.

To my shame I watched the second half from an empty corporate box which while still chilly and utterly free of prawn sandwiches was at least not battered by the conditions.

Shane Williams - Round Two

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:47:34 +0000

What was it Kenneth Williams said? 'Infamy, infamy, they've all got it....'

Amidst the puerile name calling and personal abuse, the Shane Williams topic has raised some very interesting points.

I'm not for a minute going to sit back and pretend I don't stand by the general thrust of my argument nor claim I wrote what I did to provoke a response.

For the benefit of clarity: I don't think Williams has been the best player in the world this year and I don't think four of the five nominees should have come from the northern hemisphere.

I do believe there are considerable flaws in his all-round game and these must be off-set against his undoubted qualities.

I've seen it all now

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:12:26 +0000

As rugby correspondent for BPM Media I am inundated with press releases from governing bodies, rival media outlets, clubs of all sizes and even some players.

Most of them are totally irrelevant to what I do, some are helpful and others are somewhere in between.

But every so often a beauty drops into my inbox. Just like this the one found here

Consistency is key

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:32:59 +0000

One win and three embarrassing defeats from Martin Johnson's first series in charge is neither the return the England team manager would have wanted nor expected.

As appalling as the beating by South Africa was and the one by New Zealand could have been - England were just a semi decent kicking performance from Dan Carter away from another record defeat - we have to be aware of changing too many variables.

The decision to bench Danny Cipriani was probably fair. The decision to start him in the fist place was not. He is the future but he needs time to get his game back in order after six months out.

Shane Williams. Best player in the world? Never

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:13:09 +0000

Have the International Rugby board gone totally mad? Are they so dazzled by a bit of fancy footwork that they can't recognise a show-pony when they see one?

Wales wing Shane Williams has been named IRB world player of the year from a shortlist containing four northern hemisphere players and just one from the south.

That's got to be wrong given the recent results in games between Tri Nations and Six Nations countries which have produced nine wins from nine matches for New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.

How can Sergio Parisse be nominated ahead of Pierre Spies? Mike Blair ahead of Ricky Januarie? Ryah Jones ahead of Schalk Burger?

Even the sole southern hemisphere representative, Dan Carter, is the wrong one. Matt Giteau is surely in better form.

RFU must beware forcing clubs down the road to ruin

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:51:08 +0000

The Rugby Football Union will put proposals for a fully professional 12 team National One, called the Championship, before their council this Friday.

This is the same plan rejected by a 12-4 majority by the clubs within First Division Rugby last month - a ballot that seems to have counted for nothing.

Yet the union should think very hard about enforcing full-time squads on any clubs not ready for them - particularly when they are not willing to pay for it and believe me, I've seen the funding matrix and they're not paying for it.

Coventry Not Good Enough but Pretty Good Anyway

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:28:03 +0000

Coventry's trip to Leeds on Sunday was one that filled me with foreboding.

As if the disparity between the two teams wasn't enough in financial terms - this was only underlined by the army of clip-boarders doing market research on the Carnegie Experience as I walked through the gates, it became even more apparent on the pitch.

Up front, where honest endeavour can conceal so many cracks, there wasn't too much between the sides but in the backs the teams lived on different stratospheres and that's why the 52-point margin of victory was so vast.

Miles Benjamin talks about ending his try famine and playing in front of Martin Johnson

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:10:42 +0000

Worcester wing Miles Benjamin, try scoring sensation of Warriors' 2007-08 campaign and England's best ever finish in the IRB Junior World Championships, is back to his best.

After a slow - and scoreless - start to his season the Birmingham-born starlet has bagged three in two games in recent days and looks once more to be the dynamic, power-running threat that shot on to the scene midway through last term.

Here he tells rugby correspondent Brian Dick of his refusal to panic during his barren run and his dreams of playing for his country.

Thankfully, he says, he had no idea Martin Johnson was watching as he grabbed a brace in the EDF Energy Cup victory over London Irish on Sunday.

To listen to the interview click here