It’s Six Nations time Again.
In the absence of there being anything much to report and even less happening, you may have forgotten or not even been aware that the Six Nations starts this weekend.
Under normal circumstance, I would be encouraging one and all to be gathering at our club to watch the games taking place this weekend, but we remain shut and I can’t afford the £10,000 fine if the Five-O catch us watching the game in the bar. So you are on your own, kiddo.
The games, for the record are:
Saturday 6th February at 14.15:
Italy v France (live on ITV)
Saturday 6th February at 16.45:
England v Scotland (live on ITV)
Sunday 7th February at 15.00:
Wales v Ireland (live on BBC).
The games can be seen on the old telly box by tuning in, as stated above. I am sure there will be various highlights programmes on offer, but I haven’t had access to a doctor’s waiting room to peruse a copy of “My TV Weekly” , so I have no idea.
For those watching the games on TV, you will no doubt notice the 650 club shirts displayed in the Stadium. We did not manage to get our collective Harris in gear in time to send a Bees shirt for this Scotland game, but we are in the throes of getting a shirt down for the next home fixture, which will be next Saturday, 13th February, when England host Italy.
The inscrutable Mr Jones has also announced his side to do battle with the Old Enemy.
Here it is:
15. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 47 caps)
14. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 46 caps)
13. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 34 caps)
12. Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors, 3 caps)
11. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 61 caps)
10. Owen Farrell (C) (Saracens, 88 caps)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 104 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 54 caps)
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 8 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 43 caps)
5. Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, 4 caps)
6. Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons, 19 caps)
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 28 caps)
8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 56 caps)
FINISHERS
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 26 caps)
17. Beno Obano (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
18. Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs, 18 caps)
19. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 85 caps)
20. Ben Earl (Bristol Bears, 8 caps)
21. Dan Robson (Wasps, 7 caps)
22. George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 72 caps)
23. Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 3 caps)
The Scotland side is as follows:
Hogg (capt); Maitland, Harris, Redpath, Van der Merwe, Russell, Price; Sutherland, Turner, Z Fagerson, Cummings, J Gray, Ritchie, Watson, M Fagerson.
Replacements: Cherry, Kebble, WP Nel, R Gray, Graham, Steele, Van der Walt, Jones
Latest RFU Updates.
The RFU send out a weekly Coronavirus update which summarises the world through the prism of Twickenham. I shall endeavour to summarise their summary below:
England player Q&A live from camp
One of the things the RFU are doing is hosting a live Q&A session from within the “camp”. Last week’s session featured Ben Youngs. If you would like to see a video of that session, please click on the link below:
The next session will be with England Ladies or more correctly, England Red Roses’ prop, Shaunagh Brown, on Wednesday 10 February, at 6.30pm.
Anyone can post questions in the live chat function that evening, or send general questions in advance to ChrisDodd@rfu.com.
Physical activity
The RFU continue to run their Sunday morning physical activity under the branding of #GetYourShirtOn You can watch them back on the RFU YouTube channel.
I believe the videos are aimed at Junior Players, but anyone can join in, I’m sure.
There are currently 9 videos available if you would like to click here: RFU YOUTUBE
Player Survey
The RFU are again running their annual player survey. I have been asked to encourage as many of our players as possible to complete this year’s player survey which is based around the different formats of the game, how Covid-19 has impacted players in the last 12 months and how they might take part in future
Please access the survey here: RFU PLAYER SURVEY
Legacy Numbers Project.
Many of you may be aware of a Project that has been underway for some time, led by Ali Macdonald, to find every player who has pulled on a Bees shirt since the club’s birth in August 1982 and to then assign a “Legacy Number” to every player.
In order to keep some semblance of order, Ali has tried to find all former first team players first and will then be back filling with anyone who may not have played for the First XV, but perhaps turned out for the club’s other sides.
Ali is trying to track down programmes from the club’s early days in his quest, but if you played for the club First XV at any point and would like to confirm your debut, Ali would be delighted to hear from you. He can be found on email at: alastair.macdonald84@gmail.com.
Similarly, if you have an attic full of programmes from 1982 onwards, please make yourself known on email. Thank You.
If you have never pulled your boots on for the Bees First XV, but you know when you made your debut for any other side in Bees colours, please could you send those details to me at: nickpatt@icloud.com. Thanks again.
A Story from Tynedale
Out of the blue, I was recently contacted by a chap from Tynedale who recalled his club playing the Bees around 15 years ago. While watching the game from the mound, the man from Tynedale encountered one of the Bees, great characters and recalled the encounter as can be found on the Tynedale website in this story:
Bingley Weekender
Over the months I have spent in the cupboard under the stairs, blinking in to a communication device, one question that has regularly popped up, is whether or not Bingley Weekender will be “on” this year or not. The honest answer, to anyone who is interested, is that I know as much as you do at the mo, and anything I might say would be the same speculation that you might have conjured up.
With the Vaccination programme rattling through the population apace, there may be a good chance that we are up in the 40 millions+ of injections by August, but I have no idea what the government and their scientific advisers see as “the number” before we are allowed to gather in a field and bathe in cider, while some noisy folk on a stage interrupt our nice conversation.
I have spoken at length with former President, Mr Glen Shaw, who acts as our oracle into what is going on with the promoter and the Council and Uncle Tom Cobbley, but alas, Mr Shaw is also largely in the dark with where we stand and when we might know about a thumbs up or thumbs down decision.
As soon as we know what’s what, the message will be across Social Media immediately.
Social Media Person
In an almost planned link, I jump into this next section, where the club is looking for someone to take on responsibility for looking after the Twitter, Facebook and any other Social Media accounts that the Rugby Club has.
This would obviously be an unpaid voluntary position, but could be a great opportunity for someone starting out in the Media, who knows their way around the various platforms and might even fancy getting the Bees a presence on Tik Tok, YouTube etc etc.
Please spread the word and if you or someone you know is interested, please drop me an email at nickpatt@icloud.com.
Nourished.blinking.foot?
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