Wiltshire Warrior Dragon

Two notable birthdays today: Delia Smith is 82; Sir Paul McCartney is 81.

This morning's dog-walk at Turf Hill in the New Forest threw up a couple of interesting wildlife moments. First, we heard a cuckoo calling. This is late and the first that Mrs WWD and I have heard since late May. That said, I have read re[orts of them calling elsewhere in Hampshire in the last few days. Then, we saw an adder, that had been sunning itself on the gravel pathway, slide away when we had the audacity to disturb it. This is a typical snake reaction: if they can avoid trouble by quietly moving away, they will; snake bites invariably come from a snake being taken by surprise and, typically, being stood on by a person or their dog.

How to pronounce 'the' is also something that choir directors like me have to get our heads round. It will depend how the rhythm of the music suggests it should be said, but it isn't always that obvious, in which case I have to decide, just to make sure that we all sing it the same way. In speech, I am probably like you, Gomersall, though, when it is a word beginning with 'u', it depends on what sort of 'u' sound it is. For instance, compare 'the usual...' and 'the underlying...'.

The two French lads - Salabio and Franco - seem to have made an impression on the game, though possibly for somewhat different reasons! What were the first impressions of them gained by anybody on here who attended the match?

Not sure I agree, JB. Judging by comments above Leeds are consistently dropping the ball!

No. This is what the Dragons' website says: Follow the game The game won't be on TV. Radio France Bleu Roussillon Radio Arrels Live match Twitter Club website Dragons Official App

This is the squad which Les Dracs have named. Adam Keighran and Manu Ma'u return, but Taukeiaho and Zenon are not included: 1. Arthur MOURGUE 3. Adam KEIGHRAN 5. Fouad YAHA 6. Tyrone MAY 7. Mitchell PEARCE 8. Mike McMEEKEN 9. Micky McILORUM 10. Julian BOUSQUET 11. Matt WHITLEY 12. Paul SÉGUIER 13. Benjamin GARCIA 14. Alrix DA COSTA 15. Mickael GOUDEMAND 16. Romain NAVARRETE 18. Tiaki CHAN 19. Arthur ROMANO 21. Matt IKUVALU 23. Jordan DEZARIA 24. Tom JOHNSTONE 26. Manu MA’U 29. Sam TOMKINS

From Stade Gilbert Brutus, 893 miles, taking 14 hours 25 minutes, according to AA route planner - not sure how much time, if any, that allows at the border! This may be why I am essentially an armchair fan of theirs, though did see them beat Warrington at Wembley.

I like Milton Jones' take on this (it is about 5.10 in):

Mrs WWD and I have been getting a bit fed up and worried about how conventional bird feeders result in a mess below which attracts rats. So we have bought a couple of these: Bird Feeder Davos (swissinno.com) Not cheap, at about £35 each, but if they do the trick, they will be worth it. The issue is how will the birds react to them. It's too soon (ie about five days into use) for a full answer, but the answer so far is that the robins were straight on to them, but nothing else was. Then, in the last 24 hours, whether by their own powers of deduction or by watching the robins, the great titmice have started coming to them as well (but not yet the blue ones) The blackbirds are yet to test them, as far as we know, and likewise the finch species. We get chaffinches frequently and also are lucky enough to get regular bullfinch visits. We have goldfinches coming quite often and a few greenfinches. Also no sign yet of less frequent visitors to the old feeders - nuthatches, and coal titmice. I hope some of these start to try them out too, or else the experiment will have backfired somewhat, I think. At least we haven't seen any rats, so I think the manufacturers' claims on that point have some validity.

Les Dracs now confirming the Satae element of OF's post: Dragons Catalans › News › 2023 › May › Dragons sign Chris Satae (catalansdragons.com)

I had just settled down to undertake my next task, which is suggesting to our priest the hymns to be sung during Sunday morning's service, and looked in the lectionary (which is the detailed calendar of the Christian year) to remind myself of next Sunday's church designation. It is Trinity Sunday! Maybe that is the answer to your question, Faithful1865.

Great reply, JonM - sorry I overlooked acknowledging it at the time!

Like you, Futtocks, I didn't see the whole game, but in my case, due to domestic commitments, it was the first 30 and last 20 minutes that I saw. As you say you missed the early minutes, I can tell you that the first ten were one-way traffic, as Carcassonne pressed and threatened continually. I first thought that the match would be a foregone conclusion, with, in due course, a big win for the Canaris. But a little bit of me thought, no, hang on, all that pressure and it's still 0-0. Then, slowly but surely, Limoux began to stamp their mark on the game and were ahead by the half-hour mark when other demands on my time beckoned. That said, when I picked up with twenty minutes to go, I was surprised by the size of the Limoux lead. Arguably, Carcassonne, late on, did well to score 18 points so quickly; just a shame for them (and the neutral) it was way too late and Limoux, by the half-hearted approach to defence at that stage, knew that. I agree about the terrible Escare hair-do, by the way! I would pour myself a large glass of Blanquette de Limoux, but Tesco's seem to have stopped selling it. Does anybody know any shops in this country that still do? I think watching a game like that on French TV ought to be obligatory training for RL commentators in this country. Pronunciation of a name like 'Templeman' today wasn't perfect, but at least they were very close, with any discrepency from the correct pronunciation largely down to accent. By contrast, why do the names of players like Paul Seguier cause commentators on Sky et al so many problems? Isn't it common sense and common courtesy to do your homework and find out how such names are pronounced?

But points difference on the field of play might be very relevant at the end of the season. As for points for winning or losing, Wigan got two; despite being something of a Warriors' fan, I don't think they deserved that and nor did Rovers deserve to get nought!

I have not had time to read through all the post-match comments, so I apologise if this point has already been made. If ever two teams deserved their game to end in a draw, without this golden point nonsense, it was HKR and Wigan tonight. Really unfair on HKR to come away with nothing, as it would have been on Wigan if HKR's drop goal attempt had been a couple of inches to the left. Incidentally, is it one of the golden point 'rules' that you aren't allowed to attempt to add a goal to a try? if Wigan's final position in the league table is determined on points difference, two points scored on the filed of play might be crucial.

Litter lout!

If my arithmetic is correct, in two games time, Saints will have played 14 competitive fixtures in 2023 - 1 WCC, 12 SL and ! RLCC. By his own ill disciplined actions, Knowles will have been unavailable for exactly half of those. Do players in that situation suffer any loss of wages?

Here is the Catalans' 21-man squad: 1. Arthur MOURGUE 4. Matthieu LAGUERRE 5. Fouad YAHA 6. Tyrone MAY 8. Mike McMEEKEN 9. Micky McILORUM 10. Julian BOUSQUET 11. Matt WHITLEY 12. Paul SÉGUIER 13. Benjamin GARCIA 15. Mickael GOUDEMAND 16. Romain NAVARRETE 17. César ROUGE 18. Tiaki CHAN 19. Arthur ROMANO 21. Matt IKUVALU 22. Siua TAUKEIAHO 23. Jordan DEZARIA 24. Tom JOHNSTONE 28. Ugo TISON 31. Tanguy ZENON There is no Tomkins - perhaps predictable if you need to use him sparingly - but a welcome return for Fouad Yaha. If MacNamara goes with the pack as per squad numbers (ie starts with nos. 8 to 13), then coming off the bench could be Goudemand, Navarette (who I think has really come on this season), Chan and Dezaria. What is scary for any opponents about that prospect is not necessarily their size - though they are not exactly small - but their speed. Les Dracs seem to have a very mobile pack this year. There should be plenty of quick ball to a threequarter line of, probably, Johnstone-Ikuvalu-Laguerre-Yaha, with Mourgue at full back. I am not sure who gets to partner May in the halves, but quite possibly Cesar Rouge. I don't believe Wakefield will go all season without a win, but I struggle to see it coming here, unless Catalans go for a silly moment of self-induced implosion (always possible!). I think Les Dracs by about 25. Arthur Romano, incidentally, has signed a two-year extension which sees him staying at Perpignan until the end of 2025.

Was the Knowsley Road ground damaged?

Sorry, my usual question! Is 1800 hours next Sunday in France 6pm in this country or something else (maybe 5pm)?

I don't think it's illegal for RL fans to like other sports, BB! I rarely get the chance to see Aussie Rules, but enjoy it when I do. I think Sports Prophet's explanation of the basics and his liking for it are both excellent. I suppose the logical conclusion of a valid view that any particular support is 'random and skill-less' would be that any team could beat any other. However, as in other sports, Aussie Rules has a hierarchy of competitions, within each of which, during the course of a season, there will be strong and weak sides. That simply wouldn't happen in any sport that was truly random and with no skill involved.

It's what respectable people in nice parts of Edinburgh (eg Morningside) and Glasgow (such as Kelvinside) get their coal delivered in.

I wholly agree, Mr F. His defence at full back is not yet as good as Tomkins' (sometimes just a matter of inches left or right of where he should be), but his attacking flair is often a joy to behold. His try against Castleford in Perpignan - Les Dracs' April try of the month - was quite remarkable and clearly already a contender for SL's try of the season. Here is the link, to remind you: Dragons Catalans › News › 2023 › May › Arthur Mourgue wins Try of the Month award (catalansdragons.com)

It is a bit worrying how many folk on this forum miss out the 'u' when referring to him!