Welsh Rugby : Time For One Club Two Codes?

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Now as I often do when chatting about rugby on this blog I will first need to say that I'm not the world's expert. Not my favourite sports (I'll explain the use of the plural later) but I do like it and am bothered by the decline in the club game here.

I'm also going to say that what follows is a top of the head thought. Not backed by any insight or indeed thought. Just something that emerged whilst reading a book...which is what books do, Just not I suspect the tangents that enter my head.

The book is David Storey's 1960 novel about a professional (though there are caveats to that word at that time) rugby league player This Sporting Life. I'll chat about it properly when I've finished.

Now reading this novel reminded me of the time this summer watching a Welsh Rugby League game which I posted on this blog. The response to this post was quite surprising. Especially when I was
offered to visit the Valley Cougars by the coach. Unfortunately as it happens work commitments meant I couldn't make it. Though I definitely would have taken up on his kind offer otherwise.

But the thought that occurred to me was this. What if one Welsh club played both codes of rugby? League and union?

After all the old animosity between the codes seems to have gone now. The home team in the match I saw (Rhondda Outlaws) played in Sardis Road which is the home of Pontypridd RFC. If they joined together then the sponsors could be happy because they would be wearing the same shirt. Their seasons don't clash and having the name changed to from the outlaws to Pontypridd RFC would bring in some more Ponty supporters during the summer months.

And it would only take this to happen once and I would suspect others would quickly follow suit.

Rugby in Wales is changing and is getting harder. Perhaps thinking the unthinkable might help both sports in the long term.

Until the next time.


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The Latest Insomniac Awake Too Early Sunday Morning Rambling Post

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well again I'm awake too early. At time of writing it's seven minutes past five, but I've been awake half an hour earlier than that. Yet again insomnia rules.

Outside it's bright. It's also Sunday. I'm also working. Unbothered by that. Whatever Sunday is for me it's not a day of rest.

Late last night something rare was happening. There was a live Wales Rugby match on the television. Wales vs South Africa but held in America for whatever reason.  Wife was (for the late hour) surprisingly awake (I'd recorded the game for her). I, eventually after a microwave meal of LIDL's spaghetti with added grated cheese was not by the fact I nodded off well before the end.

First Minister Carwyn Jones tweeted yesterday that he was consulting with the British embassy in America concerning the Trump steel tariffs which could have a major effect on the steel plant in Port Talbot. Originally I'd assumed he'd flown there specially but could not understands why he was speaking to the embassy in a way that suggested top level discussions when he wasn't speaking to anyone in the American administration. Only later did the penny drop (thanks to Twitter, @ceribethlehem to be precise) that he was there because of the rugby game. Reality forcing him to put South Walian families on his list of things to do. You cannot help but think that yet again with regard to the Tata steelworks the First Minister has been caught on the hop without having any preparation for this scenario (which surprising with regard to it's timing was not unforeseen)

If anything did happen to the Port Talbot steelworks (and let's hope it doesn't) you know that Carwyn Jones is going to give interviews blaming Trump. And whilst that would be true he cannot escape yet again the charge that he was unprepared for events.

Well reality bites doesn't it your First Ministership? Perhaps whilst you are there in the fag end of your uninspiring leadership you can put a word in for Bridgend Ford as well? You representing Bridgend in the Assembly and all that? It would make (as I've said before in this blog) a change to do something Bridgend centric.

The birds are beginning to sing. Why do birds sing? Who knows? Conjoined of course with the question Why do fools fall in love?

Sun is very much coming out now. But I can also see the moon. I'm fifty four and those things still get to me. That and why people vote Conservative.

Six O'clock: Time for Breakfast.

Quasi Continental

I must admit that for the past few years my breakfast choice has gone continental with the croissants (though full disclosure here this is from Lidl's - with added jam - Oh I've mentioned them twice. Well don't be surprised. Reckon Lidl's or Aldi will be the supermarket of choice after Brexit). Mind you there's no orange juice (ran out) and the the default mechanism hot drink wise at home for most people this side of the channel is still tea.

If croissants are not available I go for porridge (with added jam) instead. Only in emergencies now do I go for throwing milk at a bowl filled with [insert cereal here]. Perhaps it's an age thing. I don't honestly know.

There's a fly I notice in the room. The windows are for the moment closed but the fly's still there. Moving in that sort of jagged jolted movements they do. Can't really go for it for the moment until it finds itself clinging to a wall....then I'll strike.....and probably miss.

There's a picture I've seen on Twitter about a rally for Scottish Independence in Dumfries. Amongst a group of people with the Banner English Scots for Yes. There's a guy with an England football shirt.

As I've explained before people should not be surprised by this. You may believe as I do that Wales should be independent from England for various reasons but let's just start with one (it's a country in it's own right) but football is different. If you're a football fan you'd understand.

The fly was by the table....missed.

Ah well.

Until the next time.

Rhys Webb: A Victim Of The Welsh Rugby Union's Brexit In Advance Policy

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

In the rare times I chat about rugby in this blog I always feel the necessity to preface what I'm going to say by mentioning that though I don't dislike the game it's not my favourite sport and there are far more knowledgeable people than I who write about it.

Still I've held the view that though all powerful in it's sport the Welsh Rugby Union is incompetent in the way it runs things and now comes an example of who will be eligible to play for the national team.

There is a new rule brought in that says to be eligible to play for Wales yet play your club rugby for team outside of Cymru you must have won at least sixty caps. Rhys Webb, who intends to play for Toulon next season has only won twenty eight and is distraught to find himself ineligible to play for his nation having signed the contract before this condition was known.

Now whether this is the idea of the coach Warren Gatland  (who clearly supports this) or the WRU is unclear. I would guess this is a combination of the two. Still what you are getting is the Welsh Rugby Union operating a "Brexit in Advance" strategy.

Now this doesn't apply to Welsh rugby players already playing abroad. As for this "sixty caps" idea. It reminds me of plays from what was the Communist Eastern Europe coming to play in the decadent Western football leagues once they had proved themselves by playing for the [insert national team here] over a number of years.

So why are the WRU doing this? Do they think that the messed up state of Welsh club rugby is going to be improved by having a raft of discontented players who are unable to experience life in a foreign country because of a Brexit loving policy? Do they really think that it will be impossible that Wales could be improved as a team by players learning things from foreign coaches in foreign teams?

Ah yes, foreign coaches. Put your Brexit "Wales first" policy to the coaches as well then WRU. Think of all the Welsh club jobs that would go in one swoop then. Including of course that of the New Zealander Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards. But you won't of course.

A player like Webb, who has spent ten years playing Welsh rugby will suffer for trying to improve himself. This will do him or Welsh rugby no good at all.

So the WRU's Brexit in Advance Policy is just like the original Brexit. Where the seekers of purity from foreign influence have not thought their ideas through.

And the whole nation will suffer if there's no compromise.

Until the next time.

Pen(arth) State

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

It's a Saturday. But sporting wise not a normal Saturday. For due to the international break there's not that many club football games being played. Instead football focus has been on the World Cup qualifying games. The previous night England beat Malta in a match which until the final few minutes was so dull it almost cure my insomnia. Later Wales were facing Austria. But for that afternoon rugby entered my thoughts. The friendlies were now over.

The season had begun.

A quick check revealed that the closest game being played to me was in Penarth RFC who were playing Aberdare at 2:30 in the very precise WRU National League Division 2 East Central. I decided to leave where we're currently renting an hour earlier. A friend of the wife's was visiting.

"Oh you're seeing the Pens!"

I really had no idea what this woman was talking about. Still bid them my goodbyes and off I went.

It wasn't that far away. Parked nearby. Only when entering the ground I realised I'd forgotten to bring a book with me to read during the interval. Now that was irritating.

So paid my fee and walked along the path. On the pitch both teams were training.




What was clear was that the management of either side were blessed with never needing a microphone. In terms of Aberdare that meant pre watershed language. Now I've never understood this. I get angry management during a game and of course at the end. But the purpose of pre game anger management has passed me by.

The Penarth voices weren't pre watershed but just as loud.

"Latch onto him!" came the cry as one guy seemed to avoid his team mates.

The Snakes (Aberdare) in training

The club has a stand if you want to go and watch the game there (personally I preferred to spectate using the traditional "leaning on a fence" method.

And the crowd. Well obviously not the attendance for a top tier Welsh Club in the Pro 14. However far more than the "five men and a dog" audience that this tier of rugby was described to me earlier this week. There were many men....and dogs.....and women....and children.

As an area Penarth has a reputation for being relatively affluent and although I think the reality is a little more complex than that it's certainly true that parts of it are well off. I'm saying all of this because if you're after symbolism I'll give you this.

Now you might notice the tanned object in the centre of the photo near the pitch.......that was a champagne cork.

They also have bistro rugby spectating areas.

Took this during half time. Whilst the match was on it was full

All very sophisticated. Less so when the people had to hurriedly move to avoid the overkicked ball coming their way.

So the match began.



In the early stages the home side piled on the pressure.



"Go Pens!" came the shout. Ah I get it now. Pens is short for Penarth. Sometimes can be slow on the uptake.

I noticed a Penarthian player with a ponytail. He threw himself to every tackle, ran for every ball as if to say judge me on what I do not on my hairstyle. Another Penarth player sidelined until the second half was a stocky man with a large black beard. Imagine son of Santa playing before going for a stint as a Cardiff nightclub bouncer and an accurate picture would emerge. The Penarth team clearly consisted of men who were if nothing else prepared to battle for their team.

But the first try was Aberdare's. An interception roughly at the half way line, a race to the goal, a pass and a try. It was impressive it has to be said. Perhaps swearing at the players does help.

My attention was distracted for a moment from the game. When I turned back a young man was on the floor. The physio was attending to his leg. The man's face was in his hands. He was in pain. Eventually a stretcher had to be brought out. Thankfully later on he was driven by private car to the hospital (the fact it wasn't by ambulance gave you some cause for hope).

The above lasted for quite a while and it did make me think. For young men being in a rugby team gives them a bit of kudos with their peers, allows them to dream of a tomorrow playing for Cymru in a red shirt and probably makes it easier to impress women. The downside to that though is that probably sooner than most other men of their age they realise that they're not invincible.....that pain hurts.

The match restarts. Suddenly I feel a scrabbling in my leg. It turns out to be a black poodle. Regular readers will know my phobia to dogs. The owner picks the mutt up.

"Sorry" she says and then goes on to say that the poodle was after the legs of the man next to me. What am I supposed to say after that? Flattered?

During a scrum Penarth score with the resultant try. Soon afterwards a penalty is awarded to the Pens (I'm with the lingo now) and the half is finished at 10-8 to the home team.....which makes me think I've missed something along the way.....I'm blaming the dog.



So the break and I'm hungry. I buy a sausage roll not realising that it's spicy. This means that I need to get a coke from the bar. So queue dutifully. second half begins and whilst waiting Aberdare score.

Now I didn't see that try. But from the other tries Aberdare scored in the half it probably involved someone breaking through the Penarth defence and either running through or passing to a team mate to rack up the points. As the first half was close the second was just the snakes steamrollering of the opposition.





It finished 10-39. Though knew they was beaten did not realise until the announcer gave out the score that Penarth did not add a single point to their total in the second half. Aberdare were just that dominant. Not so much snakes on a train as snakes on a roll.

And this is what rugby should be. Local teams supported by local fans plus the odd stray English man wandering in.

Until the next time,

Why Going To Pay TV Would Be A Disaster For Welsh Top Club Rugby But A Shrug For Most Welsh Viewers Without Scarlet Fever

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I am, I will admit, not the best person to chat about Welsh club rugby being a) English and b) whose first sport will always be football c) there are far better and more well informed bloggers on rugby than I'll ever be (I would recommend for example https://thevietgwent.wordpress.com) . However regular readers will know that for me the fact that football is first doesn't mean a dislike of what comes second.

However I was moved to go on Twitter when a Wales Online article suggested that in the forthcoming TV negotiations all matches in the Pro 14 competition might go to Pay TV. This might be just the PRO 14 people using this tactic as a threat to get more money from the non Pay TV broadcasters. But the possibility has to be taken seriously and therefore so have the consequences.

On Twitter there were two camps to this. One (which I'm in) is that it will be a disaster for Welsh Top Club rugby. The other was that those people who watch the two matches a week on non Pay TV should get off their backsides and go to the games instead. These people forget that free to air television is not free. The viewer pays for Welsh rugby games through the licence fee (BBC) or the cost of ads (S4C). It shows a contempt for the non Pay TV customer to forget that.

Everything I'm going to say next will in terms of support mainly exclude the Scarlets franchise. In terms of core support the seeming exception to this mistake that was the creation of the top 4 Welsh teams (though even they are apparently supposed to cover North Wales, from which I say....what?)

The trouble as I see it lays in the four club you cannot be relegated structure of the top tier of Welsh teams. I've discussed before how the regional spread in its creation in 2001 meant that the catchment regions included areas that were not emotionally linked to them unlike football. Consequently support is relatively low (I'm told it's growing but all I see generally are gaps in the grounds) and definitely insecure. Compare it to Cardiff and Swansea City football clubs and the difference is not only clear but also embarrassing.

Pay TV supporters partly attribute this to Free to Air channels. This is rubbish. Other Free To Air sport gets large crowds (BBC FA Cup football for example) but there needs to be that certain something that motivates people from their armchairs to actually going to a televised event, and taken as a whole top tier Welsh rugby has not been able to do that.

I know people in the South Wales Valleys who regularly go to Cardiff City home games. I have never met anybody from there who has regularly gone to Cardiff Blues games. In terms of Welsh rugby local teams get local support. Welsh rugby is not the NFL.

Also the fact that these clubs cannot be relegated meant that, taking it's total performance since 2001 (there will always be exceptions) there are moments of stagnation.

Supporters of Pay TV will say that sport is a business and there should no room for sentiment. But even judged on that basis I've always understood that the first rule of business is know your market. Taken as a whole the clubs have failed in this, and they cannot blame free to air TV.

The Newport/Gwent Dragons it should also be noted have been taken over by the Welsh Rugby Union because of financial issues.

With this insecure support the armchair viewer might be irritated initially if the games went to Pay TV but will ultimately go on with his/her life. Crucially I don't believe (unlike football or say English rugby club supporters) it will motivate the armchair fans to get a SKY/BT subscription. S4C will just show more matches from the lower tiers of Welsh rugby (which are exciting, even if their supporters were described to me as " a few men and his dog").

Consequentially out of sight out of mind with the consequent danger of death through neglect.

No change (and probable decline) in people attending. Low audience numbers.Less children will watch, and as a consequence in years to come the national team will suffer as the young will move towards other interests (indeed like England cricket the stage will be reached where most people will not be able to name most of the team).

Top four Welsh live rugby on Pay TV only will be a digital suicide note.

Until the next time.

The Welsh Rugby Union......Sport's Welsh Labour?

Hello there. Hope you're feeling today.

When I was young growing up in London my knowledge of Wales was limited and now I realise full of cliches. When Wales either in fact or fiction appeared on British TV it would generally include a coal mine, a choir,a pub, socialism and poverty (the last of which I'd argue still exists and has got worse in the last decade).

(A quick aside here. I was told when in London by a Welsh woman who moved there that the cliché she hated the most was that when the miners left the coal mine for the day they were singing. Her grandfather told her that they were too weary and just wanted to get home)

The other cliché that would always appear was rugby. That it was "the people's game". It was the sport that most people watched and played and followed their local team every Saturday afternoon after which they would go to the pub. And you know what? If my experience in the late nineties was anything to go by that cliché was basically true.

But in 2003 the structure of Welsh rugby at club level changed. Instead of a league structure like football with promotion/relegation there would just be five teams that would join teams in Scotland and Ireland to form the Celtic League. All the other teams, some with a great history like Pontypool would just become feeder clubs to the big five.

And yes I said five. The Celtic Warriors. The team that was the merger between Bridgend and Pontypridd. The team that I must admit was looking forward to taking my then baby daughter to on a Saturday to support her (and our) local team. But in 2004, for financial reasons that are too complex to explain here the Welsh Rugby Union closed the team down.

Thirteen years later however we have now got the news that the Welsh Rugby Union have taken over the Newport Gwent Dragons and possibly (at least for a temporary period) the Cardiff Blues because of various financial issues.

And the question needs to be asked how has it come to this? The answer I would argue is that taken as a whole (because I think Scarlets are an exception) these (now four) teams failed to convince enough people to follow them. In other words people from Pontypridd would rather watch their local team play in a lower tier rugby game than travel to Cardiff to see a club that they had no emotional attachment to whatsoever. Or why would I take a forty minute drive to Swansea to watch a team hoisted on me by default when the Warriors folded? Welsh rugby is not the NFL but the Welsh Rugby Union thought it would be a successful model for Wales. For the moment at least this isn't

Also the point about supporting a club is that you will have that dream that your team would reach the top of their sport. The Welsh Rugby Union took that dream away from a lot of fans in clubs across the country. Consequently a lot of these fans became disillusioned and didn't feel the impetus to attend every game whereas once was a reflex reaction to being a Welsh rugby supporter.

You could also argue that it has been unlucky with the relative rise in that period of Cardiff and Swansea City football clubs.  Swansea shares their ground with the Ospreys and the difference in attendances is embarrassing. Equally when for a short period the Blues shared with Cardiff City at the Cardiff City Stadium. When the Blues eventually moved back to the Arms Park it was I remember hailed by the BBC as a victory for the fans. But in reality it was an admission of failure. They could never even give an impression of filling the stadium which Cardiff City could do with ease. There is a good case for saying that at a club level football is now the national sport.

What could be done? Well I have no knowledge of the financial issues but I'm inclined to go back to the future and create the situation that existed before regional rugby was created. That way there would be local clubs that could be guaranteed real local support that could be built upon. It's no coincidence that when I see a second tier Welsh rugby game the attendances are impressive.

The Welsh Rugby Union find themselves in this situation because they alienated their base. Consequently whilst they are still the biggest sporting organisation in Wales they, and indeed Welsh club rugby, are not (talking generally) as part of the local fabric that they once were. The analogy with Welsh Labour is striking.

And they have only themselves to blame.

Until the next time.

From Bluebirds To Ravens

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Yesterday did something I haven't done for about eight months....I went to a rugby union game.

In fact that statement would actually sound even more weird when I mention that in terms of the home team, Bridgend Ravens, a ten minute drive from where we live it's not been eight months but about four years.

A combination of factors work against me and going to the local team regularly. It was originally unemployment but when I got a job I regularly work weekends. And when I don't work weekends there is...... well....a football match somewhere.

As I've explained before my view of rugby is exactly the same as my view of coffee. I don't dislike coffee but for the most part given the choice I would pick tea. Similarly though I've nothing against rugby given the choice football would always win.

However on this particular night the universe and the stars combined again that I was able to the game for the Fosters Challenge Cup between Bridgend (nicknamed the Ravens) and Neath RFC. And this alignment don't forget meant that I was able to see two sporting events in a week. I'll wait for the comet later.

The ground, Brewery field was much fuller than I'd expected. So much so couldn't park at the spaces by the place and instead the Picanto was placed in one relatively nearby. As I've explained before about a decade ago Welsh rugby was reorganised so that an elite four teams that play in the Guiness Pro12 league (along with teams from Ireland, Italy and Scotland). All these teams are spared the trauma of relegation which means that those clubs outside the Pro12 become feeder clubs. Whatever history they had previously was of no importance to the Welsh Rugby Union.If you're outside the big four your position now was to serve them. In Bridgend's case the great god Ospreys.

Now of course this is a pen picture. The history is a bit more complex than that particularly when it equates to Bridgend and Pontypridd. Still if you're a white male and want to experience the glass ceiling that women and people of colour feel then support a rugby team in Wales, Ireland, Italy or Scotland that's outside the Pro12.

Of course there is the tradition now when going to a sporting match that I claim person to read a particular type of book during the breaks in a game. So let me now claim the first person to read Ibsen in Brewery Field.

For Posterity

Posted this on Twitter and someone came back at half time asking what was happening in the book. Responded that at the moment the priest was refusing to visit his dying mother.....it's a comedy.

I arrived just a few minutes before the match begin just in time for the teams to be announced. When the Bridgend team was being gone through I was surprised that almost every name was followed by "sponsored by.....". The one that really got my attention was the guy that was partly sponsored by a funeral care firm. Must admit I had these visions of decades to come he would be buried with the company's logo on the coffin.

The game begins

Do you remember I mentioned glass ceilings earlier?

Look at the area where the coaches/subs sit

The coaches/subs are modelled in a manner because of their sponsor when they were built. They are modelled on...wait for it...conservatories...yes I know.

Neath started well. They appeared to have decided that charging head on into their opponents without fear for their personal safety was the best tactic in dealing with their opponents given that a lot of their players seemed suitable to approach. Appeared to be working as well. First a penalty then another they were six nil ahead. Then came an impressive try and conversion. Thirteen nil to the visitors.

Throughout the game there was mixed with the action  long periods of nothing happening. Partly because of injuries but also because the ref was Mr Picky. There were moments when I'd wondered whether I was watching the mannequin challenge.

Towards the end of the half though Bridgend scored two tries and conversions in quick succession. The scorer of the second try is apparently sponsored by Engineering Services, who must have been happy.

Second half begins

Early in the second half Bridgend scored another try. By a man who scored twice but for whatever reason is bereft of a sponsor. The kicker of conversions however by the local Ford dealership and an aircraft company. This leads to a question. If the player has a journey which he could take by car or by a plane provided by the firm what does he do? It's a moral dilemma for our times.

Anyway 19-13 was the score. Incidentally I missed a large portion of that try....because my view was blocked by those damned conservatories.

For reasons I couldn't fathom (where is a TV replay when you want one?) two Bridgend players (on separate occasions) were sinbinned. And the sin bin was....yes you guessed it..... sponsored. Apparently by a sandwich company. I've tweeted the Ravens suggested they should be more imaginative in the sponsor. I've suggested Ann Summers.

Despite all Neath's efforts though they couldn't put their superiority into points barring a penalty. There was a movement which started from a lineout which almost got a try but was thwarted by all hands on deck Ravenite defending.

This was the start of the move

19-16 then. However despite the disadvantages Bridgend scored an impressive try on the non conservatory wing by Mr Dan "Engineering Services" Howells. The final score was 24 -16. The Ravens were in the semi final of this competition and they performed well after a bad,bad start.

I enjoyed the game. I won't lie and say it converted me to rugby over football. But as previously said don't dislike coffee and should the opportunity ring the doorbell I'd go again.

Until the next time.

My Day With Marian

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Before I chat about Saturday one quick postcript about yesterday's post. As I explained I'm not going to start learning Polish until Monday as it will be the first day I will have time to myself. Having said that this (Saturday) morning I stumbled on a Polish series on the foreign language on demand service of Channel 4.

The show is called The Border. It's about Polish border guards as they stop criminal gangs trying to bring illegal immigrants entering their country, That you must think is ironic in so many levels.

Saturday was a day I had to go to work in the afternoon/evening shift. Again I've been unlucky in the sense that for this tranche of games in Euro 2016 (Saturday,Sunday, Monday) the only day I'm not working is Sunday. Not only that but the teams I want to do well.England. Italy and Wales are/were not playing on that day. If there are such things as football gods they're mocking me right now.

Wales were playing to reach the quarter finals of the tournament against Northern Ireland. Earlier in the morning national rugby team had faced New Zealand. The rugby and the football teams were playing on the same day but again it was the football team that had most of the attention, indeed even more so than the beginning of the month as there was a chance of going into the quarter finals. Really unless the Welsh Rugby Union pulls its socks up the slow decline of the sport here will seep into the national game. Something no one would have believed possible even five years ago.

Whatever my failings as a husband in the DIY department I come into my own in being able to grab an internet stream of sporting occasions to watch from around the world and at 8:30am had got the rugby game ready for my wife to watch. Must admit from time to time I peaked at the laptop and it was pretty awful for the team in red. Seen from my admittedly unknowledgeable eyes it moved from men vs men to men vs boys to men vs infants. Even she could not watch it to the end. It was like having arsenic through your eyes.

So anyway to work. In the two previous games where I've been working whilst Wales have been playing the days were less busy but busier than I had expected. This time though it would be almost dead. Good thing I'd brought a book with me. Of the four on the go at the moment today it would be The Other Side Of The Story by Marian Keyes.

It would have been a long day had this book been dull. Thankfully the skills she has that I'd remembered from Sushi For Beginners were also on show here. The ability to be able to say deep things but in a humorous way, believable female characters that are not dependent on men but not at war with them either, living lives that you can as a reader get involved in.

I'd read 361 pages that day. In a lot of books that would have been occasion for a pat on the back and a look at the great unread to see what's next to go for. But not with a Marian Keyes book oh no. About two thirds of the way through.

As I've mentioned before. I believe she's an underrated writer who has lost male readers who would genuinely appreciate what she writes about if it wasn't for being put off by the chick lit covers of her books. Still this male reader was grateful that what could have been a dull working day was alleviated by this novel and after yesterday when a majority of a disunited kingdom voted to bring us into the dark ages she raised a smile to my face.

For that alone. Thankyou Marian Keyes.

Until the next time.

People Of Laleston: The Dirty,Smelly Ripped Jeaned Man Who Bought Two Books At Your Fete Was Me...Sorry

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

So I wake up early in the morning. My day is mapped out. Mow that jungle outside,go to the undercover tip that is Thygeston, watch three matches from Euro 2016. Few days are so easily planned.

The first thing to do though  is to get an internet stream ready so that the wife can watch the second rugby test between New Zealand and Wales. At the same time she wanted the television left on so she'd see the return of the British astronaut Tim Peake from that space station doing whatever it is astronauts do to justify not giving it to the poor in the world.

My wife: Woman,Welsh, Multitasker.

So whilst she does this I, being a man concentrate on just one task being the grass. Interrupted just the once when my daughter comes out shouting "It's amazin".

I look confused.

"Tim Peake's landed".

All that gets from me is a shrug. Partly for the reason sarcastically given above, but also because I don't understand all the media attention for the second Briton in space. Not as if he's gone to Mars. Anyway Brexit or no Brexit it's going to be a long time before another UK citizen gets up there again so am not interested.

Otherwise the mowing is done. It takes a while but it's done. Less obstacles now except that my wife decided to put the washing out hence I had to avoid sheets, towels and assorted garments hitting my face. Being mugged by lemony freshness. Still it's done.

Black bags full of garden was placed into the mighty Kia and off I went to Thygeston. 12:30. Key time was 2pm as that's when the first match, Belgium v Republic of Ireland started.

Now on the short journey to the tip I have to pass the village of Laleston. A pleasant affluent place though not immune from austerity. It's pub being boarded up for years now. It's most prominent landmark is the local church...which today had a fete. I've been there before and knew there would be a book stall. So the decision was made. Do the tip and when finished make a quick trip to the church.

It was one o'clock. One hour to football.

So remember I'd just finished mowing the grass and had been to the tip.I was at that moment at my most desirable. My hair felt it had a few South Walian insects in it. Was dirty and smelling of dead garden. Wearing a yellow faded Pittsburgh Steeler T shirt decorated with the evergreen grass of Bridgend. Garden jeans. in the fashionably ripped style borne of the unfashionableness of age. Sure I exuded the pinnacle of male sexuality. I would have to repel any advances. I'm married and anyway there were three football matches to watch.

This was the sight the middle aged woman behind the bookstall beheld as I approached the book stall. She would just have to control herself.

"How much are the books?" I asked.

"Three paperbacks for a £1 or two hardbacks for a pound" came the response.

Looking at what was available knew I was going to be difficult, Because there were only two books I wanted to buy.Of course one of them was a hardback and the other was a paperback. Enquring of the price brought about a discussion between the middle aged woman and her friend and her friend. What the word is for a group of such ladies I don't know.

Eventually a price of 80p was agreed upon. Fine.  A pound was produced.

"Sorry" she said in an apologetic tone that only women in a church environment can muster "we don't have any change."

Yeah right.

But I didn't have the time or the inclination to argue so gave the pound and walked away.

The two books I bought were as follows:

J B Priestley - Time and the Conways and Other Plays

This is in the light green spined Penguin Twentieth Century Classics series. One of the plays is An Inspector Calls/ I remember once many years ago in East London being alone at home on a Friday afternoon being taken by radio adaptation of it. And when I mean taken I mean stopping whatever I was doing in the kitchen and just sitting down to listen to it. That's the power it had.

The other book, an absolute brick of a hardback was:

Well it speaks for itself

The only reason why I bought this book was only the day before I'd watched an interview he gave at the Hay festival promoting the third volume. This of course is the first.

So these two books for a pound. Bargain. Or as they say in Cardiff Barrgain, I mentioned this detour and purchases to the wife on my return. Let's say she was unimpressed.

Half past one: A quick wash of body and hair, so that any insects were evicted then football took over the rest of the day.

Belgium beat Republic of Ireland 3-0. With Lukaku scoring two. Causing me to think that there are two Lukaku's playing alternate games. One rubbish and the other world class. Which all means I don't fancy their chances against Sweden.

Iceland drew with Hungary 1-1. Good , They both have been the successful underdogs so far. Fingers crossed.

Finally the red swarm of Portugal drew with Austria 0-0. Portugal did everything but score. That included Ronaldo hitting the post from a penalty, My theory is simple. Portugal have been cursed by an old gypsy woman.

Austria were a dull team. A good thing. After all history has taught us we should always be wary of lively Austrians.

So again to the Lalestonians wherever you are now apologies for my appearence

Until the next time,

In Which A Book Leads Me To Why Being A Teetotal Atheist Doesn't Help My Social Life, Welsh Rugby At Its Lowest And My Hatred Of Dr Pepper

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well Euro 2016 has taken a break for the next few days. The last couple of games were great with Hungary beating Austria and Iceland drawing with Ronaldugal. Underdogs doing well. That's what I want to see.

As you can guess by now I'm back at work. And I'll be at work today for THAT game. Must admit glad to be missing that one and that work will distract me. That said, not sure will be feeling the same way when it actually happens.

Well have finished Sundog by Jim Harrison. As you may know I try my best not to talk about the plot of the books I read,especially fiction, as not to spoil anything for the reader. But this is a book not easy to describe if I did tell you.

Having read my first ever book by this author I'm clearly now a world renowned expert and was trying to think of a perfect description of this novel, which I liked. The first thing that came to my mind that he was an acquired taste. That though suggested snobbery. As if to say I can reach literary Nirvana but you just have to settle for James Patterson (plus 1 other) but I'm that type of guy. It's that type of person who says they can appreciate a particular wine from a remote region in Bolivia that you can only reach by Llama.

That though was quickly discarded.....what do I know about wine? I don't drink.

Rather like my position on poetry my attitude to alcohol is based on a very mundane reason. Not for me any moral/religious issue. And I don't mind moderately letting myself go. No. it's quite simply that from beer to brandy,wine to whiskey I just don't like the taste.

I get it from my mother. She didn't drink for exactly the same reason although she does like to put vino in her minestrone soup which would make me remark that she liked being drunk in her food (untrue but it raises a smile).

Though not being the most sociable of people I do know that if I would've made many more friends had I been more partial to drink. I could have spent my Saturdays slumped on a wall telling some stranger I really loved them.

I remember once going to a pub in Cardiff watching a (then) five nations rugby game in the late nineties with my wife (then girlfriend) her brother his partner and their friends. Wales was playing ...somebody else ...but not England and it was as I remember an unimportant game in terms of the championship. Wales I seem to remember were at their lowest ebb. It seemed to have been personified by the fact that their poster boy was a man called Arwel Thomas. Small, with an angelic innocent face he was always looked like a man who joined the game after a spell of choir practice. All very laudable of  course, but when linked with rugby just seemed out of place.

As I recall Welsh rugby was not impressive at that time. The one exception being Llanelli, (not the Scarlets you understand. This was before WRU decide that teams should go all NFL). If you listen to English coaches and players interviewed you'll hear a tone about that team which you wouldn't hear if they spoke of any other aspect of Welsh rugby at that time. That tone was one of respect.

Anyway back to the pub. I don't remember the result and wish drink was the cause. All I remember was my future brother in law prending to take off his trousers and everybody having a good time...except me.

The year after the group (including me) went to a Wales / Ireland game (behind the posts too far away to appreciate anything). Afterwards at a pub I was approached by a tall bearded irishman who saw me nursing a glass of orange juice and said in a friendly tone. "Why don't you just get pissed?". And of course he was right. I was at the wrong place and definitely at the wrong time.

Being an athiest the social circle for the teetotal (religion) is also out of my reach.....ah well.

Until recently I would drink any soft drink going instead. The one exception was Doctor Pepper which my tastebuds would react to as if it had tasted bleach. Their advertising slogan seemed odd too. "Doctor Pepper. So Misunderstood." What sort of  slogan was that? That's a slogan for a disgraced politician trying for a comeback.

This book then is a ramble (like this post) but nor rambling (which I hope this post wasn't). Perhaps then the best thing to say is that you have to be in the mood to read it. That although I liked it. I would understand and not criticise those who didn't.

So to the next book.

A28 - Clive Bell - Civilization

A vintage Pelican paperback. A modest title. We'll see how good it is.

Until the next time.

In Which I Go To A Rugby Game (But Football Is Not Missed)

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I was on Twitter a few days back when I noticed a tweet announcing that the Mid District Cup Final was going to be today (Wednesday) at Pontypridd RFC's ground at 7:15pm. Wasn't working that day so I thought "Why Not"? It was only going to be five pounds entrance fee after all.

An early evening kick-off. A town I'd been to before so I knew the route and it would be a change from spending the evening sitting in front of the TV or the laptop (though that would happen later). I wasn't going to ignore football though oh no. The big match of the evening was the final of the Europa League between Liverpool and Sevilla but the plan was to ignore all chances of knowing the result and watch a recording on my return.

It was something I'd been looking forward to, if only because it had been a long while since I had the opportunity to see some live sport. Even though, as in this case, was going to be very much the neutral.

At a club level the top professional tier of Welsh rugby is far removed from the old cliches. Unfortunately for them that is no good thing. About the turn of the Millennium it was decided that there would be a "Celtic" league (incorporating Ireland,Scotland as well as later on Italy when it would be constantly renamed according to the sponsor)  limiting the number of Welsh teams without any prospect of promotion/relegation. So although there would be "Welsh" leagues underneath the big league a glass ceiling would remain firmly in place.

These professional clubs were meant to be powerhouses of the game in Wales. This however has not happened. The lack of promotion/relegation has caused a stagnation of the Welsh club game at the top level. Results taken as a whole have been awful in the now "Guinness" league  (best Welsh team was 5th, then 7th,8th and 10th this season - this is from a league of 12) and on the verge of pathetic at a European club level.

Furthermore fans in those areas that were disenfranchised from top flight rugby were, I suspect, expected to go to the closest of the four professional teams following the NFL template. This hasn't happened. If you look at matches on the TV you'll regularly see empty spaces. Purely off the top of my head, without any degree of research (ie going on Google) I could make the case that at a club level rugby is no longer the biggest sport in Wales. It's football.

However the match I was going to yesterday was never going to be stagnant. As it was between local rivals fighting for a cup and in whatever sport that means passion.Was looking forward to it.

The match was between Bargoed RFC and Beddau (pronounced Bather) RFC. I've never been to either place and I was ignorant of both teams and their chances.

I should mention that the journey from Bridgend to Pontypridd had some absolutely stunning views. If I had the time would have stopped and taken some pictures for you. But let me say yet again that given bright weather like yesterday's it's not difficult to pictures in Wales that would make the viewer think it was Italy.

Parked immediately behind the rugby as instructed by the attendant. Initially was worried but then I realised that the closer you are to the posts the less chance you have of getting your car hit (as what thankfully happened)

That close

My first action was to get something to eat and drink so I went to the bar and asked for a pie and coke. The pretty girl behind the bar asked whether I wanted the coke to be diet which was polite though given I'd asked for a pie academic. She also asked whether I wanted the pie to be warmed up. Not wishing to be assumed a wimp, though my natural default option is to be one I said no. This was a mistake, not only because it was disgusting but as I came out there was somebody walking to the game with a pasta salad.

I made my way to a good seat in the main stand. No way to guesstimate the crowd but was very high especially if you consider that it was many tiers below the top level and that it was a Wednesday night with a European football final on the television.It showed to me that rugby in Wales can still pull in the crowds if the people felt emotionally involved to it.

Incidentally I'd forgotten that the other Pontypridd RFC's ground was known as was "The House Of Pain". What a great name for a rugby ground. Says it all really.

Took one of the books to read during half time. I therefore claim to the first person ever to take a Kim Edwards novel to a Welsh Rugby Union game. Fame at last. 

Proof for the history books

And on the subject of that book you may remember that I sent an email to the American person whose New York calling card was used as a bookmark by its previous owner. Well unfortunately an automatic reply has come back saying that the email address "does not correspond" with any currently being used. It was always a long shot.

The Match Programme

And of course I knew that if I was bored during the game I could always lose myself in the view.

The View From The Stand

In the early stages of the first half Beddau dominated and scored a try subsequently converted. But for the rest of the half the possession was mainly dominated by Bargoed. Possession which they could not turn into points and as we all know, points means prizes. This seemed to be born out when Beddau added to the score with a penalty

Scrum Down - No Gloss In This Game

There seemed to be some interesting characters in this game. The man with the ponytail, the Bargoed Andy Carroll. Also there was the player with the hippy hairstyle who ran full speed at an admittidly padded post only to get up shortly afterwards. In Bargoed it appears even the hippies are tough.

In the second half though Bargoed's pressure finally tolled and they scored. The one moment in the game where a gap appeared in the Beddau line so wide it could be seen not just by the player who scored but also by us watching on the stands. However their joy was short lived as in a small space of time two of their men were sin binned for fouls and after the second one Beddau scored a try again but not the subsequent conversion.

The Sun Setting On Sardis Road

So down in points and for a significant amount of time players it appeared a miracle of Leicester proportions would be required. But Beddau would not score in this match again. Bargoed just began a relentless series of attacks that were repelled until about 10 mins or so when they were awarded a penalty try.

14-15 to Beddau, last few minutes and the game going down to the wire.

Not a dull moment

The last minutes seemed an eternity as the Beddau team fought doggedly to withstand further Bargoed onslaughts. And they did. Just mind. Very much just.

By the way if you want my vote for Man Of The Match. It'll be to the Beddau defence coach

So it ended with a one point victory to Beddau. It was the best game of club rugby that I had seen in a long while. It encompassed the best aspects of Welsh rugby. The heart,the excitement, the local support and it also showed what the top tier teams are losing and in some respects lost.

Beddau Celebrating

Thank you Bargoed RFC,Beddau RFC and Sardis Road...it was fun.

Thanks

When I went home I watched the Europa League match without knowing the result beforehand. And if you have not yet seen it. I won't spoil it for you.

I've finished The Fan by Hunter Davies. It was an enjoyable read and it is recommended though not if you're a younger reader as it'll probably have you confused and googling in frustration (Glenn Hoddle as England manager for example).

So there was a need for a new book to keep in the car and I picked this one.

Henry Cooper - H for 'Enry

For those who don't know Henry Cooper was a famous and popular boxer of the sixties and seventies. Who is often recalled nowadays as the man who nearly beat Muhammed Ali. This autobiography, done in snippets is a record of his eventful post boxing life which makes it an unusual read.

Until the next time.