Rugby Round Up

Under 11 rugby having twelve players in a team rather than last year's nine, I left the house this morning to ferry a left wing to the field and returned with a full back in the car; a thunderous tackler of a full back, safe as houses under the high ball who still managed to score two of his team's three tries. The only blot on the bomber's performance was a clearance kick that he didn't chase quickly enough to bring the rest of his team mates on side. I put my hand up for that, as I didn't explain that rule when, before the game, he explicitly asked me when, and to what purpose, he should kick. We've got over worse misunderstandings though, see Icons passim from six years ago.

In an unrelated development I find that my father knows Alain Rolland, the ref who sent Sam Warburton - the Welsh captain - off yesterday, having met him on holiday in Lanzarote. That is certainly a calling card that has been devalued over the last 24 hours.

I see that the IRB have added insult to injury by banning Sam for three weeks. This is insane. If you watched the game on the telly you know that the ITV pundits were Francois Pienaar, Lawrence Dallaglio, Martyn Williams. Could there be more distinguished triumvirate of back row veterans? They all thought the sending off was ridiculous and now this. Words fail me.