Rugby Mad Blog

It’s that time of year again when players are negotiating new contracts as theirs come up for renewal.

Several players have made (perhaps) surprising moves over the last few days. Firstly, Welsh Scrum Half Dwayne Peel [left] has announced he’s off to Sale next season. New Wales coach Warren Gatland had stated that he wouldn’t be picking people who play their rugby outside of Wales, but apparently Peel is a special case.

A bigger shock for fans of Bath and Saracens is that England Lock Steve Borthwick [right] is leaving the West Country for North London next season! The Bath fans are justifiably distraught, while the Sarries supporters can’t quite believe their luck. Personally, I’m looking forward to the prospect of Borthers and Chris Jack having a few games together. That’s if the new boy can displace Hugh Vyvyan, who already seems to be building a strong playing partnership with Jack.

Finally, French Flanker Serge Betsen [left] has announced he’s retiring from Les Bleus immediately, and will hang up his Biarritz boots completely at the end of the season. I can think of many a European player who won’t be sorry to see the old bruiser go. I wonder how many more yellow cards he’ll get before he gives up for good!

It’s been couple of years since I last went to the O₂ Scrum In The Park, and it was good to see another event advertised this year, so the public could meet the squad and give them a good sendoff to the Rugby World Cup.

There were all sorts of events going on during the afternoon, such as Meet the Players to get autographs, training sessions for kids with the team, face painting, competitions etc. It’s great to be interested in a sport where the players are so accessible – I can’t see it happening with the England football team any time soon! I did feel a bit sorry for Jonny Wilkinson [left], who was inevitably the centre of attention – he needed about 5 minders to keep the groupies away! He seemed to be bearing it with remarkable good grace, however.

Other players who I saw pottering about included the midfielders Jamie Noon, Matthew Tait, and Andy Farrell (who also seemed popular with the autograph hunters).

Prop Matt Stevens and second row Steve Borthwick [right] were putting the kids through their paces at rucking practice. A tad unfair since they could probably both have lifted up the kids with one hand, and were trying to get them to lever 110Kg of Forward off the ball!

Entertainment was provided by a marching band, looking splendid in their Dress Reds and enormous Busbies. I wasn’t entirely convinced by the Gospel Choir, mind you. Although they were much better than the crowd at singing Swing Low!

At least the Sign For England bus was a success – a double-decker where you could sign your message of support to the boys, all over the outside:

[my contribution on the side of the Sign For England bus]

The finale was a little bit of a letdown – the team were paraded onto the pitch and stood under the posts whilst Austin Healey quizzed Brian Ashton and Phil Vickery. Then they sang Swing Low and fired a load of streamers at the team:

[the England boys attempt to unravel themselves from the red and white streamers]

Would have been nice if they’d let them have a final lap round the pitch to wave to the spectators, but they were ushered off again quite quickly. Oh, well – I’ll see them on Saturday in Lens! Can’t believe my RWC trip has come round so quickly. You can see the rest of my photos from this year’s Scrum In The Park.

I haven’t written in a while for two reasons – firstly not much rugby happening at the moment, and secondly I’ve been on my hols to Barcelona, and have just caught my breath!

I say not much rugger on at the moment, obviously discounting the three disasterous England performances of late:

• 11th June saw England get a drubbing against Australia, losing 34-3 in Sydney.
• On 17th June, England Saxons managed to lose the Plate Final in the Churchill Cup to Ireland A, thus coming 4th (out of six!).
• On the same date, England main squad lost again against Australia, this time on the end of a 43-18 hammering.

Can’t say I’m entirely surprised bearing in mind the fairly inexperienced squad we took while resting some of the senior boys ahead of the next long season. But I’m wondering if Andy Robinson has lost some of his perspective in insisting England can still win the World Cup again next year. On those performances? I won’t be betting my mortgage on it!

The Autumn Internationals (kicking off with New Zealand at Twickenham on 5th November) will be very interesting. Fireworks on the pitch too, perhaps? Here’s a picture of the last time the AllBlacks visited: Steve Borthwick does battle with his opposite number Chris Jack.