Wiltshire Warrior Dragon

And the runners-up get a fortnight in....(insert your least favourite 'heartland' venue!)

Thanks for the correction, Griff. Historical - like a little - knowledge is a dangerous thing!

Oui!

Yes, Australian Rules still has a mark, but you need not be on the ground to claim it; indeed, it is the most spectacular feature of the game that marks are taken by very airborne players, often gaining purchase and time by 'riding' on the back of an opponent or team-mate. No, unless things have changed since I played a little GAA, there is no mark in Gaelic Football. In recent years, I have seen games on satellite TV, and do not recall marks being claimed. That said, marks are allowed in the hybrid 'international rules' matches between the Aussie Rules footballers of Australia and the GAA footballers of Ireland.

It's OK, Shadow. Medical advice is that watching movies is usually safe.

Good point, Futtocks, but I suspect our shelves at home wouldn't normally contain clove oil, whereas they would include dried cloves and whisky...for culinary purposes, you understand! (eg the latter to make cranachan - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranachan ) Well, OK, and an occasional bedtime dram. Slainte mhath!

Once, when I had toothache, I took the advice of a friend and it worked well. It was to soak a dried clove in whisky and then just manoeuvre it with your tongue to be against the point of pain as much as possible. By all means go for the simpler option of drinking lots of whisky (or, if you must, whiskey), but this allows you the chance to stay sober and thus do something else too!

Thanks for confirming the score values, Wiganermike, but, like POR, I suspect that a goal from a mark and a field goal were different things. As to what constituted a 'fair catch' for a mark, I don't know. In Australian Rules football, in which taking marks continues to be a key feature, the current definition of one seems to be merely to have control of the ball in the hands for the briefest of moments. Whether it was ever thus, I do not know. I first played rugby - the union code - in the early 1960s. At that time, you could claim a mark anywhere on the field of play, but, as I recall, you had to catch the ball on the fly, shout "Mark!" and dig one of your heels into the ground all exactly simultaneously. As with knock-ons, the rule was subsequently relaxed somewhat; I think you no longer needed to do more than catch and shout at the same time.

Spot on, MjM. The irony of the Aussies confusing the situation is that one of their greatest ever players, Dally Messenger, was, by all accounts, something of a field goal specialist. So, now try telling that to a young Aussie kid with no knowledge of RL's history and they will have completely the wrong image in their head.

The Lord Hoyle of Warrington (aka Doug) is 90. I am not aware that the description Father of the House of Lords is used, and even if it was, I don't think the title would be held by Lord Hoyle. Nevertheless, great to see such out-and-out rugby league fans in these places.

Though I suppose the owners of such cars might be reflecting the significance of the Catalan contribution to the French team!

In his book, Rugby's Great Split, Prof. Tony Collins says that it was in the second season of Northern Union play that the value of all goals was reduced to two points, and hence less than the three awarded for a try. I presume this refers to four types of goal, namely drop goal, field goal, penalty goal and the goal after a try (in modern popular parlance, a 'conversion') So - I think this is right! - at the time of the NU breakaway (and hence in its first season), a try was worth three points, and five points were awarded for successfully kicking the ball between the uprights and over the crossbar, thus converting the try into a goal. A penalty goal was worth three points, while a drop goal and field goal were each worth four. I would be grateful for confirmation or correction of this from one of our esteemed historians such as Padge or Number 16.

In The Times this morning, the 'Saturday Interview' is with Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons. As usual, in a box separate from the main interview, the interviewee is asked to make some snap choices between two options. Two of Mr Speaker's are as follows: Rugby League or Cricket? That is so tough...I love both equally. Rugby league. Bolton Wanderers or Warrington Wolves? One plays summer and one plays winter, so both. I presume that at some point, sooner rather than later, Sir Lindsay will be guest of honour and trophy presenter at one of our top competition finals, so either the Grand Final or Challenge Cup final.

I am trying (and failing) to think why David Ferriol is not on the list, which I assume excludes the players' junior development. What am I forgetting?

Gregory Mounis (over 250 appearances for Les Dracs) would be a more than useful forward, possibly coming off the bench.