Wiltshire Warrior Dragon

I would just like one set of laws and for them to say what they mean and mean what they say, and be fully implemented in every game. For instance, we have seen a good degree of tidying up of the PTB this year in SL, but this has been achieved by concentrating on the defenders. When did you last see a tackled player penalised (yes, I mean penalised) for moving forward at the PTB. When did you last see a tackled player penalised for not allowing time for the tacklers to clear the ruck? I love our game, but it does seem odd compared to other sports whose laws I know something about in two senses: first, the officials spend a lot of time advising the players what they must not do; second, there is this seemingly random ignoring of some laws. By contrast, in ice hockey, which I watch quite a bit, I cannot think of a law which is not routinely enforced. Incidentally, next time you see a tackled player regain is feet only to drop the ball, don't be too quick to scream for a knock on. As long as he plays it back with his foot, he is doing what the laws permit. Do you think any ref would let that go? No, neither do I!

While dog-walking in the New Forest this morning, I heard my first cuckoo of the year...cue Frederick Delius!

Thanks for the correction, Gary. I suppose, once more slipping into 'old fogey' mode, I would say that I used to be used to programme sellers all over the place. I hope to get back to York with my mate for another game, though I'm not sure when. I will look out for the programme seller.

Mrs WWD and I are just back from a long weekend visiting our good friends Dave-from-Donnie and Mrs Dave (Mrs WWD and Mrs Dave met at teacher training college and have been friends ever since and Dave and I have become lifelong friends too; we are all now drawing our old age pensions) We packed a lot in, including visiting the exquisite Selby Abbey (so easily overlooked in the 'shadow' of Beverley Minster and York Minster, and the great RSPB reserve at Old Moor (highlight, a marsh harrier drifting across the reserve) With Dave, I also got to my first live game yesterday since he and I saw Les Dracs beat the Wire at Wembley in 2018. It was York -v- Bradford. Some random thoughts: rugby on TV has some benefits, such as close up views of action in any part of the field, but the atmosphere of just being there takes some beating. the championship can serve up quality excitement and entertainment, as this game demonstrated, not least of all because the form book went out of the window. York's new stadium is excellent; Dave and I had a great view from the top, back row of stand EG. easy, free parking was a great bonus too. the world has moved on and old fogeys like me probably have to accept that; so, sorry that there was no printed programme and getting to the food & drink area only to discover that I could not pay with cash was a bit irksome, but hey ho! on the field, York thoroughly deserved their win; their structure and discipline never wavered. Harrison at full back was very good and must have come close to beating Harris as MOTM, though the latter deserved the award. York's last tackle kicking - especially in the first half - was very good, usually placing the ball between the defensive line immediately in front of them and the backs waiting further back. Getting the ball to bounce in that way always allows players on the side who kicked the chance to make an extra few yards, so that the first tackle is close to where the ball was caught. Why don't SL teams routinely do this? York's ability not to fade in the last fifteen minutes did them great credit. How good to see so many exciting and, in one case, rare features of our game, including an interception try and - the rarity - a drop goal added after a try. Well done to Mumby Magic for anticipating the 'banana skin'; Bradford let themselves down with a few too many errors, often unforced. If that was York with nine regulars missing, as Expatknight suggests, then, at or close to full strength, they should be able to give anybody in the championship a good game.

Accusations of making broken time payments may have been primarily made against northern RFU members, but not exclusively so. As I recall, other rugby clubs that faced investigation - albeit they were cleared in each instance - included Leicester, Gloucester and, perhaps from today's perspective a little implausibly, Torquay and Weston-super-Mare. Two reasons for the predominance of such accusations in the industrial north were probably the zealousness of the Yorkshire RFU, and especially the Revd Frank Marshall, one of its leading figures, and the fact that many of the accusations were almost certainly true! If, like me, you find this element of social history very interesting, South Beds Fan, you should work your way through the many excellent books by Prof Tony Collins, of which, in this particular context, Rugby's great split is the most relevant.

What, you mean some Widnes fans thought he was firkin great and some thought he was firkin useless?

I think the wonderful loyalty to your club, which you epitomise, OF, is one of the great features of European rugby league. Good for you (et al)!

I wonder what private thoughts each coach is having. I thought this would be something of a transition season for Les Dracs, but the fact that half the league victories have been against the Wire and the Saints makes me increasingly, if still tentatively, optimistic. Steve Mac will, I am sure, have his eyes set on Old Trafford. I wonder if Ian Watson really thinks the Giants could go all the way to Old Trafford too. He may feel that a more realistic chance for silverware would be to put everything into the remaining rounds of the challenge cup. That slight, possible difference of emphasis on the cup between the two coaches might manifest itself in the final 17 that each selects. Les Dracs' squad looks, at least in theory, strong, but I wonder who will ultimately be omitted. I think the Giants might edge this one by about four points. That said, if they don't it is worth noting that the last time Catalans beat Huddersfield in a cup quarter final was in 2018 (by 20 points to 6) and we know how things then went!

Any news in the local press of what their injuries are and how long they might be out, Gordon? I cannot see anything on Les Dracs' website.

Aispuro-Bichet...ah, no. maybe not.

In many years, I will see no reptiles at all, but sometimes one pops up, usually when Mrs WWD and I are walking the dog in the New Forest. Today, as we were driving along the short track to the car park at Turf Hill, an adder slithered across the track in front of us. Fortunately, I realised what it was and slowed down so as not to run over it. I know snakes, especially venomous ones, are not everybody's idea of lovable wildlife, but it lives in the forest, whereas I am just a visitor. I was pleased to see it. The fact it was active is a sure sign that warmer weather is coming; it is about 16 centigrade with us today.

Can you send me any leftovers in a doggy bag, please, Paul? My dog is, coincidentally, a Catalan sheepdog (Gos d'atura Catala, if you prefer!), so I am sure she would appreciate them! She looks like this:

I can tell you - he's terrible! Best thing the Wakey management could do is leave the Dragons to be saddled with his no doubt extortionate salary yet again next season!

If you take the mean of the average points per game scored by Catalans and the number conceded by Saints, and then do the 'mirror image' calculation, it suggests a scoreline of something like Els Dracs 16, the Red Vee 18. Sadly, I could well believe that was about right.

Mourgue and Fages are in the squad. Nikorima isn't. 1. Arthur MOURGUE 2. Tom DAVIES 3. Arthur ROMANO 4. Matthieu LAGUERRE 7. Théo FAGES 8. Mike McMEEKEN 9. Micky McILORUM 10. Julian BOUSQUET 11. Tariq SIMS 12. Paul SEGUIER 13. Benjamin GARCIA 14. Alrix DA COSTA 16. Romain NAVARRETE 17. César ROUGE 18. Ugo TISON 20. Chris SATAE 21. Matt IKUVALU 24. Tom JOHNSTONE 25. Loan CASTANO 27. Jordan ABDULL 28. Franck MARIA

I will be out at a choir rehearsal in Salisbury Cathedral this evening. I should be back at about 8.30pm. I have Sky Glass and so far have not been able to watch from the start a game currently in progress, except by joining it 'live' and only then being able to click the 'watch from start' button. I had similar problems at times over Easter weekend, when they were also slow to make finished games available via the 'playlist'. I am sure this wasn't an issue when we had Sky Q (as I think the previous system was called) and I rather regret making the switch. I suppose what I will have to do this evening is wait until about 8.47, join the broadcast live, hope that it is in the advert break, at which point I press 'watch from start' This smacks of variations on a classic Likely Lads episode! As to the game itself. I think Wigan by about 15.

I would think that Steve Mac. would be pleased with what he saw from all three of the less than regularly selected, young, French lads - Rouge, Romano and Tison. I thought they all turned in, by the standards of a very good game, above average displays.

You need to explain to Mrs TYB that the splendour of Cat Bells can only be fully appreciated at dawn. After that, how else to fill the day? Explain you have heard about an attractive open space in Whitehaven and offer to take her there! Put it another way, TYB, are you man or mouse? Sorry, was that "Eek" you said in reply?

Apologies that this is a day late. Ellery Hanley was 63 yesterday.

From my initial introduction to TGG in the early 1960s, Wigan -v- St Helens, Challenge Cup, 2nd round, at Central Park, on Saturday, 27th February, 1965. A great contest before over 39,000. Only one try, when Brian McTigue slipped a gem of a short pass to Roy Evans who galloped about 45 yards to touch down under the sticks. 7-2 to Wigan who went on to beat Workington Town, Swinton and Hunslet to take the cup. Nowadays, I very rarely get to see live games, so from more recent times, the gem has to be seeing Les Dracs beat Warrington at Wembley in the 2018 cup final. There was a moment, well into the second half, when yet more Wire pressure led to a kick on the last dropping down just under the Catalans' posts. Remi Casty jumped and took it cleanly and with an amazing look of determination on his face, which I will never forget. I knew then that we would win. A highlight before the match had been in a bar near the Wembley ground where a middle-aged Wire supporter, looked at me in my Dracs' replica shirt of about two seasons before and said, very deliberately, "Do-you-speak-English?" "Yes, I do, thanks", I said in my best Queen's English, and we had an amicable conversation about why a Brit would support a French team. When I pointed out that, in my youth, I had been an out-and-out cherry-and-whites' fan, I think she thought Catalans Dragons was something of an improvement on that!

Disappointingly parochial range of choices, Paul. Couldn't you spread the net a bit geographically wider?

Thanks, fevnut - an enjoyable, quite nostalgic read. I seem to recall the Toulouse -v- Widnes quarter final upset being on BBC TV, with one of the rather non-plussed Vikings that day being Terry O'Connor, or do I imagine all that?

For his sake, I hope not. It's a banned substance on the RFL's list, isn't it?

I don't usually watch the NRL, so will concentrate on the two SL matches, but, due to other commitments, may well end up watching both later on Good Friday. Incidentally, one of the Stanley family once said that there are only two sporting fixtures which can properly be described as 'derbies'. One is the famous horse race in this country; the other is St Helens -v- Wigan at rugby league. By his reasoning, I suppose Hull FC -v- Hull KR is a game of great local rivalry, but not a 'derby'!

Where is 'here', Irish Saint? I ask because your profile details indicate you are in Belfast and the UK government seems to think that Northern Ireland has a bank holiday on Good Friday! Here's the link: UK bank holidays - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)