Just Another Saturday

DECISIONS, DECISIONS – which would it be folks? At 1pm today, did I watch His Gallusness take on Leinster, in the strange setting of Le Harve, while recording events at The Rec, where Bath entertain Glasgow Warriors – or vice versa? It's a toughie, a last-minute call was made.

This means, it's Europe again, but, not as we know it. Oor ain Dom McKay may run things from his plush office in Lausanne, but this opening week sees fixtures as far away as Durban – where Harlequins face the Sharks, to Galway, where Connacht entertain Newcastle Falcons. That's stretching the concept of Europe a wee bit.

It will be interesting to see how the introduction of the South African teams changes the dynamic. OK, their introduction might help the richer French and English club owners when it comes to team building, but, make no mistake if one or both trophies end up south of the equator – and that could happen, where now northern hemisphere rugby?

I noticed an interesting wee fact when I looked at the refereeing roster for this weekend's games. The games are being controlled by entirely national officiating units. Only one Scottish officiating team is rostered: Sam Grove-White will have the whistle, with Hollie Davidson and Ru Campbell on the flags and Andy McMenemy in the television truck in Pau, for the Section Paloise v Toyota Cheetahs Challenge Cup game. Wee Hollie is the only woman official rostered this weekend.

REGARDING the South African sides. It was interesting, in the build-up to the Glasgow game, to watch The Lions playing the Dragons. The Lions, for all the long and proud tradition of Transvaal Rugby are now, apparently, being used as a development team in South Africa, which was obvious from the attendance – acres and acres of empty seats around what, to most of us is, regardless of commercial naming rights, still Ellis Park, one of the great cathedrals of the game. The Saffers are only interested in winners so there weren't even two men and a dog at the game.

The rugby was shite too – however, I did need a wee nap.

ANY WAY, I eventually opted to watch Glasgow v Bath live, and record the Racing game. This would give me something half-decent to watch, should France implode against The Common Enemy at 7pm tonight. I then got to enjoy a very-entertaining game, and, for the second straight week – an away win for the Warriors.

They deservedly won too. Winning the arm wrestle against a typically big and belligerent Bath pack, while out-shining the highly-rated Bath backs when the play became looser.

 Huw Jones was electric, while Matt Banahan, after a ridiculously pro-Bath co-commentating shift – hardly surprising given how long he played there – gave the Man of the Match award to Warriors' Ollie Smith. I've always had time for big Matt.

Glasgow certainly produced more of the champagne rugby – this was a very-good win. Mind you, I reckon former Warrior D'Arcy Rae was the best prop on the park. I still cannot work out why Glasgow let a local boy go.

One thing which did leave me wondering in this game was the third Bath try. In the build-up, Bath had an advantage because of offside by Glasgow. Matt Gallagher, the Bath left winger did get over the line, but, put a foot in touch, so the referee brought the game back for a Bath penalty.

This precipitated another spell of Bath pressure and this time – Gallagher got over for the try. Now, this seemed to me to be “double jeopardy.” In the first spot of play, Bath had the benefit of the advantage, to get over the line – they got over, but the Bath player put a foot in touch. Therefore, he ruined the advantage – I don't see why they should benefit from his error.

I honestly feel, the game has to get a grip of the advantage Law – the way it is being refereed does not strike me as being either consistent or fair. However, as regular readers will know – I am all for a total rewrite of the Laws of the Game, at present they are not fit for purpose.