This is no ordinary rugby fight...

This is a Marks & Spencer rugby fight...

Perspective

Putting the ELVs, Lions selections, Super 14 and other such trivial matters in perspective, L'Aquila Rugby Club in Italy are faced with somewhat more pressing issues as they participate in the rescue effort following Monday's 6.2-magnitude earthquake in the region.

With the death toll now said to be in excess of 250 and with some 20,000 people made homeless, the local rugby club has has joined in the massive rescue effort, their efforts made even more poignant by the fact that one of their number, 20 year old prop Lorenzo Sebastini, is believed to have been one of the victims. Lorenzo was a former Italian Under 19 international in his second season with L'Aquila Rugby in Serie A.

For details on how to help victims of the earthquake please visit the Italian Rugby Federation website.

Seconds out...

Message in a Bottle

It's not often that I get sent press releases and when I do receive them more often than not they are usually from some agency or other seeking free advertising in exchange for a "story."

Yesterday, however, I received something a bit different from Nicolás Murillo on behalf of Vigo Rugby Club in Spain.

Entitled "A MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE FOR JONAH LOMU" the press release was from the 'infantile and cadet category' (which I interpret to mean the junior section) of Vigo Rugby Club who have written to Mr Lomu to explain the economic difficulties that the club is currently experiencing, difficulties that threaten its very existence.

The aim of the letter is that it reaches Mr Lomu in Auckland via the six degrees of separation theory that holds that we are connected to any person in the world through a chain of 6 interpersonal acquaintances. The letter, which has been placed in a bottle, is currently on its way to Dublin in the possession of ex-Malahide player and current Vigo resident Joe Scully.

The message isn't a begging letter, but it is hoped that the support of Jonah Lomu and the publicity generated by this innovative and unusual campaign, will raise funds which will help the club to survive.

I'm more than happy therefore to publish the text of the letter below:

To Jonah Lomu
Legend of All Black

Dear Jonah,

We are writing to you this letter because you are the best rugby player of all time for us and because, in the hard moments we are going through, you are our role model.

We are the infantile and cadet players of the Vigo Rugby Team. Vigo is an industrial city of the Atlantic coast of Spain. There are not many fans by our sport here, but as you will know, when the passion for rugby arouses oneself, it is all the same there were many or few people on the terraces.

That´s why you will understand that, in normal conditions, playing rugby here is not easy. But now, with the economic crisis, the situation has turned worst. The unemployment grows around us, the companies close down and the horizon looks
really bad.

This situation affects us especially because we live it in our families also in the team surroundings. This year we start the competition without sponsors. Those we had have just gone because their situation has got worse. Finally we have been able to jump on the pitch once again thanks to the veterans of the team that have got involved and have afforded us the money.

As you will see, we don´t have a lot of reasons for being happy, but we have one to continue fighting: the rugby. Our trainer always insists on the fact that it is necessary to fall in order to learn to stand up. And that is what we do everyday… and the trick we use to stand up faster and in a stronger way is thinking on legends of our sport like you are, running and crushing your adversaries. Jonah you are the best.

And that is all. We don´t want to write a letter to cry. This is a fighting message, to don’t give up. We greet you, Jonah, with the hope for being, some day, so strong as you are, physically and minded.

Best wishes from all the infantile, cadet and training schools of the Vigo Rugby Club.

The progress of the bottle can be tracked through the websites of both the Club - ww.vigorugby.com - and the Communication Consultancy Torres y Carrera - http://www.torresycarrera.com./

Of Wasps, Falcons and Lions...

Yesterday, I attended the Wasps v Newcastle clash at Adams Park and have to say that the lunch and beer were far more entertaining than the match itself.

That said, it wasn't that the two teams weren't trying to play an open game, it's just that both teams lacked precision and, apart from a late surge by the Falcons, there wasn't really what one might describe as a clear try-scoring opportunity.

The only flash of brilliance came from Danny Cipriani who slotted a dropped goal from just inside his own half, but it was a mixed bag again from him and, unless McGeechan does decide on a big dose of nepotism, I can't see any way young Danny can make the Lions trip this summer. Likewise Josh Lewsey, who was fairly ineffectual yesterday and whose pending retirement looks well timed.

Speaking of the Lions, there are now less than 2 weeks before Geech names his party. Based largely on 6 Nations form (and so ignoring possible "bolters" that may make it) I'd go with the following 36-strong squad:

Backs: Mike Phillips, Harry Ellis, Dwayne Peel, Stephen Jones, Ronan O'Gara, Toby Flood, Brian O'Driscoll, Riki Flutey, Tom Shanklin, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams, Tommy Bowe, Luke Fitzgerald, Mark Cueto, Lee Byrne, Rob Kearney, Delon Armitage.

Forwards: Gethin Jenkins, Andrew Sheridan, Adam Jones, Phil Vickery, Euan Murray, Ross Ford, Rory Best, Lee Mears, Paul O'Connell (capt), Donnacha O'Callaghan, Alun-Wyn Jones, Simon Shaw, Martyn Williams, David Wallace, Stephen Ferris, Joe Worsley, Tom Croft, Jamie Heaslip, Ryan Jones.

Not a huge contingent of Englishmen there - but probably a deserving quota based on the second half of the 6 Nations. A selection on these lines would also leave Martin Johnson with a decent bunch to choose from for the 2 Argentina test matches in June, for example:

Props: Payne, White, Corbisero, Wilson

Hookers: Hartley, Paice

Locks: Borthwick, Kennedy, Deacon, Crane

Flankers: Haskell, Rees, Moody, Armitage/Robshaw

No 8s: Easter, Narraway

Scrum halves: Care, Foden

Fly halves: Cipriani, Wilkinson

Centres: Geraghty, Barkley, Tait, Tindall

Wings: Monye, Sackey, Simpson-Daniel, Banahan

Fullbacks: Abendanon, Morgan

No doubt the front row will come under huge pressure and it could be a baptism of fire for the likes of Corbisero and/or Wilson - but there's plenty of opportunity here for Johnson to develop a few younger players whilst maintaining a degree of continuity from the 6 Nations.

Getting shirty

At some point this week I appear to have missed the fact that this blog has received its 50,000th visitor. My apologies to whoever that was - a bottle of virtual bubbly is the least I can offer in recompense. Thanks to all who continue to visit the blog and read this nonsense.

It occurred to me this week - and this gives some clue as to my sad little existence - that it is getting on for two years since the RFU unveiled that monstrosity otherwise known as the England rugby kit. You know the one - the garment with the horrible ketchup stain swished across the shirt and spilling onto the shorts. Unbelievably the replica version sold in its tens of thousands which leads me to believe that the RFU will soon again want to cash in on our naivety by releasing a new version of the shirt this summer.

Normally I would be against such blatant exploitation of the humble England rugby supporter - don't they know there's a credit crunch on and all that - but in this case I'm actually looking forward to seeing the back of (if you get my drift) that abomination we've had to put up with in recent years.

What prompted these thoughts was, ironically, the recent release of the new England football shirt by the FA and Umbro, a shirt which looks far more like a proper, traditional rugby shirt than the glorified nylon t-shirt which passes for an England rugby shirt these days. The supreme irony of course is that we now have a bunch of overpaid prima donna footballers poncing around in an extremely elegant looking shirt whilst England's elite rugby players still look like a bunch of 1980s throwbacks on a booze cruise to Benidorm.

One can only hope that the design genius at Nike and the marketing powers that be at Twickenham have taken note of the decisions taken over at Soho Square and restore a smidgen of dignity to the next England rugby shirt design.

Blown away

I have to admit I was tickled pink recently by a story that I was initially convinced was an April Fool's joke.

However, a quick check on the date of the story - 16th March - shows that it is either a very early prank or an extremely elaborate hoax. Or perhaps it's true.

Whatever the veracity of the story, it is claimed that Nottingham RFC's recent National Division One clash with Exeter at Meadow Lane was watched by an an extra 1,000 inflatable fans provided by a local company who specialise in enhancing crowd scenes for films and TV.

The company had apparently spent hours blowing up and dressing up the "supporters", who sat in the Family Stand, attempting to make them look indistinguishable from the normal fans. The idea was that the presence of an extra 1,000 inflatable "people" in the crowd would encourage more supporters to come and cheer on their local team.

I'm not so sure about how that might work - unless the inflatables start paying for tickets - but, you never know, this might just catch on. Who knows, it might not be too long before teams employ inflatable players (a cunning ploy, perhaps, to circumvent the salary cap) - although to be honest in some some cases I reckon it would be nigh on impossible to spot the difference.